Watch the 2D World Come to Life! Osaka Comic Con 2025

Welcome to Osaka’s very own Comic Con! This 3-day event showcasing the best of comic book culture is hosted in the giant halls of the Intex Osaka Convention Center. It’s a special chance for fans to meet some of their favorite artists, come face-to-face with famous celebrities, and take a million photos with movie props or cosplay characters.

This year’s Comic Con Osaka is the third iteration of the event being held in Osaka. But Comic Con itself started decades ago as a yearly convention with origins in 1970 California under the name Golden State Comic Book Convention. The event has grown so much in popularity and scale that it is held internationally. And Osaka is so happy to have its own chance to celebrate pop culture through comics.

Stage Shows

Comic Con sets the stage for talent to reach fans far and wide. The convention kicks off with an opening ceremony featuring local celebrities like NMB48 and overseas talent like Hugh Dancy, Sung Kang, Mads Mikkelsen, and Emily Rudd. And in true Japanese style these big names in show biz, don a hoppi and smash open a keg of sake to kick things off.

The rest of the 3-day convention won’t disappoint either, with planned appearances by DJ Hello Kitty, Christina Ricci, and Osaka Comic Con cosplayers. Fans can be heard gasping in the audience every time their favorite celebrities take the stage. And the movie stars are clearly having a good time, joking and laughing as they launch signed t-shirts out into the crowd.

Collector’s Merch and Photo Ops

I never thought I would come this close to Darth Vader or see a gremlin in person. If you have any nostalgia for American cultural icons, your heart will melt in the exhibition area.

Movie props and costumes from classics like Back to the Future, Terminator, and Star Wars are scattered throughout the hall.

Plus there are plenty of photo ops with life-sized figures like Wolverine, Captain American, Superman and more. Then there are sets from movies like Fantastic 4, where you can pretend you’re part of the movie in a memorable photo.

True fans will delight in the amazing collectibles for sale. I saw realistic light sabers, t-shirts, hoodies, sukajan jackets, coffee mugs, tote bags, stickers, and every manner of collectible item, all in themes from your favorite movies and comics. Plus the convention has limited items that are only available here over the 3-day convention, like The Goonies and The Simpsons t-shirts that you won’t find anywhere else. These are usually the first things to go. But there’s plenty more goodies in stock at the large official vendors like the Marvel store and tons to dig through at the more niche specialty stores.

Plus there’s a food truck area called Gourmet Planet where you can grab a burger and fries. Or because this is Osaka, there are freshly grilled takoyaki too!

Signing Sessions and Photo Ops with Celebrities

The celebrity lineup includes big Hollywood names like Nicolas Cage and cult favorites like Christina Ricci. Comic Con provides a unique opportunity to meet the stars in a photo session or autograph session and take home a special memory to cherish. Prices start at ¥20,000.

And like any good celebration, there are tons of surprises at Comic Con. I did fail in my quest to get a golden ticket, which can be traded in for a photo or autograph session, in a group rock-scissors-paper battle against a cosplay version of Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01. Surprise chances like this will probably pop up all weekend. And try your hand at the lottery and you might just win a t-shirt or a chance to meet one of the stars.

Creative Energy in the Artist Alley

And last, but definitely not least are the artist alley exhibitors’ tables. This is the heart and soul of Comic Con in my opinion. Exhibitors come from all over the world to showcase their artwork. In one short afternoon I met the creator of Jamaican no Duppy, Sukesha Ray from India/USA, music artist and illustrator Yonapi from Tokyo, and Mostafa Moussa from the USA. It was amazing to see their work up close and talk to them about their creative process. If you bring in a comic they’ve worked on they’ll usually autograph it for you too.

Plus many of the artists will do commission work at their booths, so you can give them requests and watch them create something right before your eyes. Agnes Garbowska, whose work can be seen on DC Super Hero Girls, My Little Pony, Teen Titans Go and Care Bears, was busy drawing away the whole time, but still made time to talk to fans. What a special opportunity!

And this area isn’t limited to comic book artists. You can also pick up other creative endeavors, like glitter art, precision laser-cut wood shapes, and cosplay accessories. The creative energy in this one corner of the convention was absolutely intoxicating.

Cosplay and Beyond

The moment I walked into Comic Con in the morning, I was greeted by a gauntlet of cosplayers dressed as Storm Troopers and Chewbacca from Star Wars, Spider-Man, the Green Goblin, and more. I even saw a very realistic Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa from Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s amazing how realistic the cosplayers all look. They are generally happy to pose for a photo and will usually take one with you too.

And when they are not on stage or otherwise engaged, the cosplayers are just strolling around the venue. It’s funny to look up and see Willie Wonka perusing collector’s merch right along side you.

Comic Con Osaka went well beyond my expectations and brings the magic from movies and comics to real life. I can’t wait to come back next year!
For more info, check the official Osaka Comic Con site: https://osakacomiccon.jp/en/