What is the “Tokkyu Ryokin” Feared by Many Doujin Creators?

Do you follow any doujinshi creators on Twitter?

 

If you do, you might have seen them tweeting about their fear of “tokkyu (特急)” or “warimashi (割増)” right before events. 

 

I myself have made my own doujinshi, and have also lived in fear of “tokkyu ryokin (特急料金)”.

 

But what is tokkyu ryokin and what does “warimashi” mean? Allow me to explain. 

 

 

 

 

Waiting Beyond Deadlines

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For many doujinshi authors, one hurdle that they must overcome to publish their works is deadlines.

 

 

 

 

When are the Deadlines?

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In the last ten years, as the doujinshi world has grown and developed, it’s become common practice among doujin to use printing companies to publish and bind doujinshi.

 

These companies usually have deadlines by which they need to receive a manuscript in order to finish the printing on time, and of course doujinshi authors must follow those deadlines if they want to use their services. 

 

Typically, the deadline for submitting a manuscript so that books can be distributed in time for an event is about a week before the start of the event, but if an author has special requests for the way the pages are cut or how the books are manufactured, then the deadline will be much earlier. 

 

 

 

 

After the Regular Deadlines are the Express Deadlines

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Naturally, you’ll want to make the regular deadline whenever possible, but there will always be times when a doujinshi author knows they won’t finish in time, even if they stay up all night working. They’re human, after all. 

 

If that happens, does the author have no choice but to give up on publishing a new doujinshi for the upcoming event?

 

The answer is no. 

 

If a doujinshi author can’t make the regular deadline, they still have the chance to make a “tokkyu” (“express”) deadline. 

 

Some companies even offer deadlines that are just a few days before the event!

 

But of course, submitting your manuscript so late comes at a heavy price. 

 

That’s what doujinshi authors call the “tokkyu ryokin” or the “warimashi (割増)” (“surcharge”), and it can be as much as 30% more than the regular cost of printing. 

 

That’s why a lot of doujin creators live in fear of the “tokkyu ryokin”. 

 

 

 

 

The Opposite of “Tokkyu” and “Warimashi” is “Hayawari”

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While on the one hand you’ll have to pay “tokkyu ryokin” for submitting your manuscript late, on the other hand you can actually save a lot of money by submitting it early. 

 

“Hayawari (早割)” are the benefits received as a result of submitting your manuscript in time for a deadline that’s much earlier than the usual deadlines. 

 

Besides a discount on the publishing fee, you could get other special privileges with your “hayawari”, like free special printing requests, the addition of novelty items, and extra printed copies. The savings with all these things combined could be as much as 90%!

 

 

 

 

So Let’s Keep Our Deadlines

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Based on the number of discounts and freebies they give you for an early submission, it’s clear that printing companies really want authors to submit their manuscripts earlier rather than later. 

 

On the other hand, it may actually indicate how many doujin use the express deadline on a regular basis.

 

But when you submit your manuscript late, your wallet is not the only one taking on extra burdens. The printing company is, too. 

 

You may think it shouldn’t matter because they’re getting extra money, but those fees are meant to protect the people of the company who are driven into a tight place by your late submission. That’s why you shouldn’t rely on those extra deadlines whenever possible. 

 

So if you’re just starting out with your doujinshi, here’s one thing we would love for you to keep in mind:

 

Keep your deadlines!

 

Don’t give up on making your deadline just because you don’t mind paying the extra money. Keeping your doujinshi publishing on a reasonable schedule is one step towards cultivating a happy doujin life. 

 

 

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