A cool oasis held during the hot yet exciting summer of Tokyo, everyone’s favorite figure event returns in Wonder Festival 2024 Summer! Japan’s iconic event highlighting figures, goods, manufacturing, and many other aspects of otaku collecting and pop culture saw a massive crowd of visitors and dealers alike this year, even through the brutal summer heat. From massive corporate and manufacturer booths to an entire spectrum of goods and cosplayers to be discovered, we attended ourselves and discovered everything we could at this year’s event!
This year’s turnout of corporate clients was as enormous as always, with massive names in the industry hosting their own flashy and eye-catching display booths. Companies like AmiAmi, BellFine, Daikikougyou, and plenty more showed off new releases in the world of figures, as well as prototypes and updates for what customers and fans can expect to come soon. Daikikougyou, for instance, showcased its incredibly popular new line of figures from the mobile game Azur Lane, proudly displaying three of its newest figures from the franchise front and center and officially unveiling yet another that has yet to be released.
Cosplayers were a huge part of this year’s Wonder Festival as well, despite the record-breaking temperatures passionate fans braved through to attend. In addition to casual and independent cosplayers lining the various indoor and outdoor cosplay areas, this year saw a big boost in corporate and professional cosplayers, often dressed as one of the characters portrayed as a figure. These cosplayers attracted huge crowds to their booths, posing for droves of photographers and cameramen. One booth, belonging to Tokyo Figure, had professional cosplayers posing against a custom-made itasha (that is, a car decorated with anime and character motifs) with their figures on display around them.
While one of the largest aspects of Wonder Festival is the vast expanse of figures and manufacturers, plenty more is available to keep attendees engaged. Companies in the general sphere of anime and Japanese pop culture held their own events, giveaways, shows, and interactive setups, including giveaways, VTuber appearances, and even live idol concerts throughout the halls. Adult-oriented figures were also hidden behind curtained-off areas of different manufacturer booths, and those wanting something less traditional in the world of collectibles could explore the massive secondary halls, often filled with hobbyists and independent craftsmen and creators. One such creator was the self-described “Chainsaw Man”, an artist who crafted wood into highly-detailed sculptures using only chainsaws. If you could get them home, his statues were also for sale.
Whether you’re a casual fan, a dedicated collector, or just looking to engage with the figure and goods aspect of otaku culture on a deeper level, Wonder Festival never disappoints. This year was no different, with what seemed to be an even greater focus on interactivity between attendees, manufacturers, and cosplayers, especially when it comes to a wider variety of goods showcased. From garage kits and figures to realistic dolls and interactive robots, we can only wait and see what wonders await us at the next Wonder Festival when it returns in the winter!
