Comic Party
Encyclopedia
, sometimes abbreviated to ComiPa, is a romantic adventure
and dating sim
video game by the Japan
ese game studio Leaf
. It was first released on May 28, 1999 for the PC
with adult content
, but re-released with it removed for the Dreamcast, PC
, and PSP
. The main focus of the game is the creation of various dōjinshi
by the player's character, during which there are varied opportunities to interact with a cast of girls.
Comic Party is inspired from the real world event of Comiket
(Comic Market) held in Tokyo
each summer and winter. This is a convention where various artists gather together to share both parody, homage, and original work. Since the series was inspired by Comiket
, it comes as no surprise that the "Comic Party" convention also takes place in the same building as Comiket, the Tokyo Big Sight
convention center near Ariake
, Tokyo.
Comic Party has spawned both a manga
(illustrated by Sekihiko Inui
) and an anime
series since its inception, as well as a Dreamcast version of the original PC game which added a new character (Subaru) and removed the pornographic elements (reverse-ported to Windows, that version is called "Comic Party DCE"). Many artbooks, figures, and fan-made homages have been produced for it.
The anime series is licensed in North America
by The Right Stuf International
and the Sekihiko Inui's manga is licensed by Tokyopop
. Comic Party Anthology Comic, a related manga originally published by Ohzora Publishing, is published by CPM under the title "Comic Party: Party Time", which is a series of doujinshi anthologies featuring stories by independent manga artists set in the Comic Party universe. Diverging frequently from Comic Party canon, this offshoot manga series includes more yaoi
elements than the original materials.
A more recent anime series, Comic Party Revolution, came out in 2003.
The game was ported to the PlayStation Portable
(PSP) as Comic Party Portable on December 29, 2005. Promotional videos show that the Comic Party Revolution character designs are used, rather than the original designs from the PC and Dreamcast games and the first anime series.
first person perspective dating sim game. It is the player's task to decide the schedule of the main protagonist, Kazuki Sendō, as he prepares for the Comic Party convention that takes place once a month. How fast Kazuki can complete his dōjinshi, how many copies he can sell at each convention, and what girl he is able to date depends on the player's choices. Only one action can be chosen on each weekday because Kazuki must attend college during the day, and two actions can be chosen on Saturday and Sunday. It is only on the weekend where the player is given the choice to leave the house and contact the girl the player wishes to pursue.
During the course of game, the protagonist will come in contact with other characters. These meetings composes mostly of text of the dialogue and actions that happen during the interactions. At certain points of the conversation, the player will be asked to choose between two or more actions that can affect the feelings of that person you are interacting with and can lead to other events.
The game begins on April 1 and ends on March 31 the next year. The ending depends on whether the player succeeds in winning a girl's heart. Although the player does not have to win a girl's heart to reach the end of the game, if the player fails at completing their monthly dōjinshi before the deadline, the game will end early.
. He is surprised to see thousands of people waiting in line to get in. Apparently they are at Comic Party, a giant dōjinshi convention. Once inside, Kazuki meets some of the dōjinshi artists and is surprised to find himself enjoying their work. Taishi convinces Kazuki to draw dōjinshi after their visit because he recognizes Kazuki's skill as an artist, but Kazuki's childhood friend Mizuki tries to talk him out of it because she believes otakus are smelly, dirty, and disgusting. Her reasoning does not help because Kazuki already made up his mind and begins to draw his first dōjinshi.
The protagonist of this title. An indifferent student (in high school in the anime and in college in the game and manga), he has some talent as an artist and is persuaded to form the "Brother 2" dōjinshi
partnership with Taishi.
Mizuki Takase is the protagonist's friend since junior high and eventually end up in the same college together. She is energetic and athletic with long red hair in a side ponytail. She's hostile and skeptical towards otaku and dōjinshi, and is initially opposed to Kazuki's new activity. However, she's also torn by Kazuki's expressions of satisfaction with the dōjinshi process, and worries that it leaves less time for them together. later in the series she accepts this though, and even starts to cosplay herself
Yū Inagawa is a Kansai-speaking, passionate dōjinshi enthusiast. She is from Kobe
, but comes to Tokyo often for Comic Party. Her parents own a Japanese inn and hot-springs resort that she will inherit when she is older. Yū is the sole member of the circle "Karamitei". She teaches Kazuki about dōjinshi publishing and comics exhibition. She is nicknamed "Hot springs Panda" (Panda Onseniko) by Eimi because she owns a hot springs and she has large circle glasses that is similar to the dark patches around the panda's eyes.
Eimi Ohba is an egoistic dōjin artist who self-proclaims the title of "Queen of ComiPa". She is the head of a popular dōjin circle called: "CAT OR FISH?!". She is fiercely competitive and believes the value of the dōjinshi is based on how many its sold.
Aya Hasebe is a timid girl who draws original dōjinshi. She usually gets Kazuki's attention by pulling on his shirt rather than calling out to him. Aya's circle is called "Jamming Book Store". Her dōjinshi does not sell well because she has a hard time attracting customers even though it has good artwork and costs only 200 yen. Kazuki admires her artwork and creative story so he tries to help her sell whenever he can.
Minami Makimura is the head staff of the Comic Party conventions. During the conventions, she is seen patrolling the grounds. She always checks Kazuki's dōjinshi to see if it's acceptable to be sold there.
Chisa Tsukamoto is the daughter of the printing shop where Kazuki gets his dōjinshi printed. She is hardworking and looks after the business when her parents go out of town, but she is clumsy and scatterbrained and sometimes makes mistakes with the printing process. She is often seen chasing a runaway cart. In the anime, she's a junior student at Kazuki's school.
Cosplay enthusiast and promoter. In the manga, she teaches Mizuki about the nuances of cosplay
.
Asahi Sakurai is anime and manga fan by day and a famous idol
by night. She is the voice actress of Card Master Peach, the main character of the popular anime in the Comic Party world (and a double parody
, of Wedding Peach
and Cardcaptor Sakura
). Even though she is an idol, she is nervous around people so she often stutters and forgets what she was going to say. Asahi disguises herself with eyeglasses and a hat when she wants to enjoy the public without a crowd around her which quickly forms when her identity is revealed. Asahi's role in the first Comic Party anime adaption is limited since she does not interact with the main protagonist. Instead, she is only heard on the radio and briefly seen singing at a concert.
Miko fighter obsessed with hero stories, but terrible at creating dōjinshi. Her group is "Sin-jyusyokakutei." She is not featured in the original game and anime series.
A sickly girl, Kazuki's fan and first customer. Ikumi has spent most of her life in the hospital. She has an older, very muscular, brother named Yuuzo in Comic Party Revolution.
The other half of "Brother 2", he is a typical otaku
who sees the dōjinshi concept as the leading pop-culture format of the 21st century. Grandiose in the expressions of his dreams, he takes charge of the logistical aspects of the partnership (paying registration fees, arranging printers, etc.), leaving the actual artwork to Kazuki.
Miho, Mayu, and Yuka - Three members of Reiko's cosplay fanclub.
. Thirteen episodes and four ten minute specials were produced by Oriental Light and Magic
and KSS
and directed by Norihiko Sudo. The anime focuses on the dōjinshi creation part of the game rather than the dating aspect and the specials are an original story involving the cast of Comic Party taking a vacation to a hot spring resort.
Comic Party was licensed in North America by The Right Stuf International
and first announced at the Illinois
anime convention
, Anime Central
, on April 20, 2002. It was released on four DVD
volumes between March 30, 2004 and July 27, 2004. A number of re-writes and cultural changes was made to the English
dub
as it was Americanized
. Some examples include converting the Japanese yen
to dollar
s (although the coins of the value is clearly seen), kimono
to Versace summer dress, and replacing the "Panda Onseniko" or "Hot Springs Panda" that Eimi calls Yuu with "Stupid Panda". The changes were not made to the subtitles as they are correct translations of the original Japanese script.
Comic Party Revolution is a thirteen episode sequel. The first four episodes is directed by Jun'ichi Sakata and animated by produced by Chaos Project. The first episode was released on DVD on December 22, 2003 as the first part of a two episode OVA
which was later extended to four episodes. These episodes were used as the first four episodes of the TV series that first aired on April 4, 2005 and ended on June 27, 2005. The OVAs were edited and cut in length to make the episodes fit in a normal television timeslot. Episodes five to thirteen was directed by Mitsuhiro Tōgō and produced by Radix. In Comic Party Revolution, Kazuki and Mizuki are now attending college and many of the events that take place in the game are hinted to have happened. Characters that were absent from the original series like Subaru Mikage and Asahi Sakurai make their debut. Kazuki is no longer the main focus in Revolution. Instead, the female cast roles are more equally distributed and some of them are given the spotlight in certain episodes.
Comic Party Revolution was licensed in North America by ADV Films
which they announced at Metrocon
2006. ADV used their own voice talent for the English dub so the cast is different from the original series. Cultural changes were not made to the dub like the dub from Right Stuf.
and continued until the March 2005 issue. The chapters was compiled into five tankōbon
volumes and published by Dengeki Comics
. Comic Party manga is licensed in North America by Tokyopop
. All five volumes was released between June 4, 2004 and January 31, 2006. In the first episode of the original series, Kazuki has a dream set in the world of To Heart, arguably AQUAPLUS' most famous franchise. Kazuki is cast in the role of Hiroyuki, and a number of other familiar characters appear, including Akari Kamigishi and LEAF mascot Multi.
Anthologies of short pieces by independent artists was published by various parties including Ichijinsha
, Ohzora Publishing
, Square Enix
, Rapport
, Enterbrain
and Sony Magazines. One anthology series called Comic Party Anthology Comic that is published by Ohzora Publishing
is licensed in North America by Central Park Media
. It was renamed to Comic Party and the first volume was released on April 14, 2004. Out of the nine volumes of the series, only three was published by CPM.
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
and dating sim
Dating sim
Dating sims are a video game subgenre of simulation games, usually Japanese, with romantic elements. They are also sometimes put under the category of neoromance. The most common objective of dating sims is to date, usually choosing from among several characters, and to achieve a romantic...
video game by the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese game studio Leaf
Leaf (company)
Leaf is a Japanese visual novel studio under the publisher Aquaplus, and has offices in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, and Tokyo. It and its competitor Key are the most popular and successful dedicated visual novel studios operating today. It was launched out of obscurity by its early release ToHeart...
. It was first released on May 28, 1999 for the PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
with adult content
Hentai
is a Japanese word that, in the West, is used when referring to sexually explicit or pornographic comics and animation, particularly those of Japanese origin such as anime, manga, and computer games. The word hentai is a kanji compound of 変 and 態...
, but re-released with it removed for the Dreamcast, PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
, and PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. The main focus of the game is the creation of various dōjinshi
Dojinshi
is the Japanese term for self-published works, usually magazines, manga or novels. Dōjinshi are often the work of amateurs, though some professional artists participate as a way to publish material outside the regular industry. The term dōjinshi is derived from and . Dōjinshi are part of a wider...
by the player's character, during which there are varied opportunities to interact with a cast of girls.
Comic Party is inspired from the real world event of Comiket
Comiket
, otherwise known as the , is the world's largest self-published comic book fair, held twice a year in Tokyo, Japan. The first Comiket was held on December 21, 1975, with only about 32 participating circles and an estimated 600 attendees. Attendance has since swelled to over a half million people....
(Comic Market) held in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
each summer and winter. This is a convention where various artists gather together to share both parody, homage, and original work. Since the series was inspired by Comiket
Comiket
, otherwise known as the , is the world's largest self-published comic book fair, held twice a year in Tokyo, Japan. The first Comiket was held on December 21, 1975, with only about 32 participating circles and an estimated 600 attendees. Attendance has since swelled to over a half million people....
, it comes as no surprise that the "Comic Party" convention also takes place in the same building as Comiket, the Tokyo Big Sight
Tokyo Big Sight
is the popular nickname for the , a Japanese convention center that opened in April 1996. Located in Odaiba, Tokyo Bay, the center is one of the largest convention venues within the city, and its most iconic representation is the visually distinctive Conference Tower.-Construction:Contracted by the...
convention center near Ariake
Ariake, Tokyo
is a location within Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan. It is best known as the region adjacent to and directly east of Odaiba. Airake is subdivided into four chome and comprises part of the Tokyo Bay Landfill #10 and Tokyo Rinkai Satellite City Center....
, Tokyo.
Comic Party has spawned both a manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
(illustrated by Sekihiko Inui
Sekihiko Inui
is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for Murder Princess and the manga adaptation of Comic Party, for which latter he drew upon his own experiences as a dōjinshi creator at Comiket. Currently, he is drawing a series called Ratman: The Smallest Hero?!.-His Works:# Comic Party is a Japanese...
) and an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series since its inception, as well as a Dreamcast version of the original PC game which added a new character (Subaru) and removed the pornographic elements (reverse-ported to Windows, that version is called "Comic Party DCE"). Many artbooks, figures, and fan-made homages have been produced for it.
The anime series is licensed in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
by The Right Stuf International
The Right Stuf International
The Right Stuf International, Inc. is an American retailer based in Grimes, Iowa that markets and distributes anime and manga-related products throughout the United States and internationally...
and the Sekihiko Inui's manga is licensed by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
. Comic Party Anthology Comic, a related manga originally published by Ohzora Publishing, is published by CPM under the title "Comic Party: Party Time", which is a series of doujinshi anthologies featuring stories by independent manga artists set in the Comic Party universe. Diverging frequently from Comic Party canon, this offshoot manga series includes more yaoi
Yaoi
In careful Japanese enunciation, all three vowels are pronounced separately, for a three-mora word, . The English equivalent is . also known as Boys' Love, is a Japanese popular term for female-oriented fictional media that focus on homoerotic or homoromantic male relationships, usually created by...
elements than the original materials.
A more recent anime series, Comic Party Revolution, came out in 2003.
The game was ported to the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
(PSP) as Comic Party Portable on December 29, 2005. Promotional videos show that the Comic Party Revolution character designs are used, rather than the original designs from the PC and Dreamcast games and the first anime series.
Gameplay
Comic Party is a point-and-clickPoint-and-click
Point-and-click is the action of a computer user moving a cursor to a certain location on a screen and then pressing a mouse button, usually the left button , or other pointing device...
first person perspective dating sim game. It is the player's task to decide the schedule of the main protagonist, Kazuki Sendō, as he prepares for the Comic Party convention that takes place once a month. How fast Kazuki can complete his dōjinshi, how many copies he can sell at each convention, and what girl he is able to date depends on the player's choices. Only one action can be chosen on each weekday because Kazuki must attend college during the day, and two actions can be chosen on Saturday and Sunday. It is only on the weekend where the player is given the choice to leave the house and contact the girl the player wishes to pursue.
During the course of game, the protagonist will come in contact with other characters. These meetings composes mostly of text of the dialogue and actions that happen during the interactions. At certain points of the conversation, the player will be asked to choose between two or more actions that can affect the feelings of that person you are interacting with and can lead to other events.
The game begins on April 1 and ends on March 31 the next year. The ending depends on whether the player succeeds in winning a girl's heart. Although the player does not have to win a girl's heart to reach the end of the game, if the player fails at completing their monthly dōjinshi before the deadline, the game will end early.
Plot
Early April, Kazuki Sendō is invited by his friend, Taishi Kuhonbutsu, to come with him to Tokyo Big SightTokyo Big Sight
is the popular nickname for the , a Japanese convention center that opened in April 1996. Located in Odaiba, Tokyo Bay, the center is one of the largest convention venues within the city, and its most iconic representation is the visually distinctive Conference Tower.-Construction:Contracted by the...
. He is surprised to see thousands of people waiting in line to get in. Apparently they are at Comic Party, a giant dōjinshi convention. Once inside, Kazuki meets some of the dōjinshi artists and is surprised to find himself enjoying their work. Taishi convinces Kazuki to draw dōjinshi after their visit because he recognizes Kazuki's skill as an artist, but Kazuki's childhood friend Mizuki tries to talk him out of it because she believes otakus are smelly, dirty, and disgusting. Her reasoning does not help because Kazuki already made up his mind and begins to draw his first dōjinshi.
Characters
- Masami KikuchiMasami Kikuchiis a veteran voice actor who was born in Nagano. He works for Kenyu Office.-Anime:* Air Gear * Aoki Densetsu Shoot * The Brave Express Might Gaine * Captain Tsubasa J...
(Japanese), Sam Riegal (CP English), Leraldo AnzalduaLeraldo AnzalduaLeraldo Anzaldua is an American actor, stunt coordinator, and voice actor who works with ADV Films and Seraphim Digital. He is known for providing the English voice of Kazuki Sendo in Comic Party Revolution, Ken Washio/G-1, in Gatchaman, Takashi Komuro in Highschool of the Dead, and Zed in Kiba...
(CPR English)
The protagonist of this title. An indifferent student (in high school in the anime and in college in the game and manga), he has some talent as an artist and is persuaded to form the "Brother 2" dōjinshi
Dojinshi
is the Japanese term for self-published works, usually magazines, manga or novels. Dōjinshi are often the work of amateurs, though some professional artists participate as a way to publish material outside the regular industry. The term dōjinshi is derived from and . Dōjinshi are part of a wider...
partnership with Taishi.
- Riko Sayama (Japanese), Rachael LillisRachael LillisRachael Lillis is an American actress and voice actress. She studied acting in Boston and New York City and has appeared in various theater and independent films....
(CP English), Luci ChristianLuci ChristianLouisa Michelle Christian is an American voice actress and ADR Script Writer who is affiliated with Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, and OkraTron 5000...
(CPR English)
Mizuki Takase is the protagonist's friend since junior high and eventually end up in the same college together. She is energetic and athletic with long red hair in a side ponytail. She's hostile and skeptical towards otaku and dōjinshi, and is initially opposed to Kazuki's new activity. However, she's also torn by Kazuki's expressions of satisfaction with the dōjinshi process, and worries that it leaves less time for them together. later in the series she accepts this though, and even starts to cosplay herself
- Kaoru MorotaKaoru Morota' is often typecasted as Genki girls or tomboyish characters due to her Kansai dialect. Using the alias "AYA", Kaoru has also done voice acting for Anime Eroge titles but also provided theme song vocals for both Evangelion and Le Chevalier D'Eon.-TV Animation:...
(Japanese), Georgette Reilly (CP English), Tiffany GrantTiffany GrantTiffany Lynn Grant is an American voice actress and script writer who is known for her English-dubbing work with the former ADV Films on such anime films and television series as Neon Genesis Evangelion, in which she voiced the character Asuka Langley Soryu...
(CPR English)
Yū Inagawa is a Kansai-speaking, passionate dōjinshi enthusiast. She is from Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, but comes to Tokyo often for Comic Party. Her parents own a Japanese inn and hot-springs resort that she will inherit when she is older. Yū is the sole member of the circle "Karamitei". She teaches Kazuki about dōjinshi publishing and comics exhibition. She is nicknamed "Hot springs Panda" (Panda Onseniko) by Eimi because she owns a hot springs and she has large circle glasses that is similar to the dark patches around the panda's eyes.
- Shizuka IshikawaShizuka Ishikawa, also known under the name is a Japanese voice actress who specializes in voicing characters in adult video games. She is a member of the Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society.-Anime:*Comic Party*Croquette!*Dokkiri Doctor...
(Japanese), Jessica CalvelloJessica CalvelloJessica Lynn Calvello is an American voice actress primarily known for her anime voiceover work, particularly with ADV Films and later 4Kids Entertainment....
(CP English), Larissa WolcottLarissa WolcottLarissa Wolcott is a voice actress who primarily does voice work in anime dubbing for ADV Films and Funimation Entertainment. She is most known for her role as Excel from Excel Saga in episodes 14-26, when she replaced Jessica Calvello after Calvello injured her vocal cords performing Excel.-Voice...
(CPR English)
Eimi Ohba is an egoistic dōjin artist who self-proclaims the title of "Queen of ComiPa". She is the head of a popular dōjin circle called: "CAT OR FISH?!". She is fiercely competitive and believes the value of the dōjinshi is based on how many its sold.
- Mie SonozakiMie Sonozakiis a Japanese voice actress and singer represented by Remax.-Television animation:* Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto * Beyblade 2002 * Bleach * Burst Angel * Comic Party...
(Japanese), Carol JacobanisCarol JacobanisCarol Jacobanis is an American voice actress, known for anime dub voice roles. Her work has been for New York-based recording studios such as and 4Kids Entertainment....
(CP English), Kim PrauseKim PrauseKim Prause is an American voice actress and theatre actress. She has done several anime voice roles for ADV Films.-Voice roles:* Air - Kano's Mother* Angelic Layer - Chitose Tanaka* Aquarian Age: Sign for Evolution - Arayashiki East...
(CPR English)
Aya Hasebe is a timid girl who draws original dōjinshi. She usually gets Kazuki's attention by pulling on his shirt rather than calling out to him. Aya's circle is called "Jamming Book Store". Her dōjinshi does not sell well because she has a hard time attracting customers even though it has good artwork and costs only 200 yen. Kazuki admires her artwork and creative story so he tries to help her sell whenever he can.
- Miho YamadaMiho Yamadais a seiyū and narrator who was formerly part of Arts Vision.-Anime:*Banner of the Stars as Atosryac Ssynec Atosr Lymh Faibdacr Loïc*Blue Drop: Tenshitachi no Gikyoku as Yuko Sugawara*Gakuen Alice as Serina Yamada*Godannar as Ecaterina...
(Japanese), Lisa OrtizLisa OrtizLisa Ortiz is an American theatre and voice actress, best known for her roles in English anime adaptations. She is perhaps best known for the roles of the high-elf Deedlit in Record of Lodoss War, Lina Inverse in Slayers, and Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece...
(CP English), Allison SumrallAllison SumrallAllison L. Sumrall is an American voice actress working with ADV Films and Seraphim Digital, known for her roles in the English-language dubs of anime series...
(CPR English)
Minami Makimura is the head staff of the Comic Party conventions. During the conventions, she is seen patrolling the grounds. She always checks Kazuki's dōjinshi to see if it's acceptable to be sold there.
- Sumie BabaSumie Babais a seiyū who was born December 12, 1967, in Tokyo, Japan. She is affiliated with 81 Produce.-Notable voice roles:*Shimarisu-kun in Bonobono *Chisa Tsukamoto in Comic Party , Comic Party Revolution *Kirei in Cool Devices...
(Japanese), Lisa OrtizLisa OrtizLisa Ortiz is an American theatre and voice actress, best known for her roles in English anime adaptations. She is perhaps best known for the roles of the high-elf Deedlit in Record of Lodoss War, Lina Inverse in Slayers, and Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece...
(CP English), Kim-Ly Nguyen (CPR English)
Chisa Tsukamoto is the daughter of the printing shop where Kazuki gets his dōjinshi printed. She is hardworking and looks after the business when her parents go out of town, but she is clumsy and scatterbrained and sometimes makes mistakes with the printing process. She is often seen chasing a runaway cart. In the anime, she's a junior student at Kazuki's school.
- Akiko Muta (Japanese), Sara Van Buskirk (CP English), Laurie Gallardo (CPR English)
Cosplay enthusiast and promoter. In the manga, she teaches Mizuki about the nuances of cosplay
Cosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
.
- Satomi KoorogiSatomi Koorogiis a female seiyū from Musashino, Tokyo, Japan. She is affiliated with Production Baobab. In the United States, she is the new voice of Snarf in ThunderCats.-Television animation:*Chi's Sweet Home...
(Japanese), Jessica BooneJessica BooneJessica Boone is a classically trained American actress with extensive experience in Shakespeare and musical theatre. She has been a leading player with Prague Shakespeare Festival and Houston Shakespeare Festival where her roles have included Rosalind, Juliet, Helena, Regan, Thaisa and Innogen...
(CPR English)
Asahi Sakurai is anime and manga fan by day and a famous idol
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
by night. She is the voice actress of Card Master Peach, the main character of the popular anime in the Comic Party world (and a double parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
, of Wedding Peach
Wedding Peach
is a shōjo manga by Nao Yazawa and Sukehiro Tomita that was originally serialized in Shogakukan's Ciao magazine. In North America it is translated and published by VIZ Media in its entirety, comprising six volumes....
and Cardcaptor Sakura
Cardcaptor Sakura
, abbreviated as CCS and also known as Cardcaptors, is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist group Clamp. The manga was originally serialized monthly in Nakayoshi from the May 1996 until the June 2000 issue, and later published in 12 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha...
). Even though she is an idol, she is nervous around people so she often stutters and forgets what she was going to say. Asahi disguises herself with eyeglasses and a hat when she wants to enjoy the public without a crowd around her which quickly forms when her identity is revealed. Asahi's role in the first Comic Party anime adaption is limited since she does not interact with the main protagonist. Instead, she is only heard on the radio and briefly seen singing at a concert.
- Masayo KurataMasayo KurataMasayo Kurata is a seiyū from Yokkaichi, Mie.- Shows :* Kindergarten girl, Kyoko's follower, and others in Angelic Layer* Rakshata from Code Geass* Jill from Fushigiboshi no Futagohime...
(Japanese), Jenny Larson (CPR English)
Miko fighter obsessed with hero stories, but terrible at creating dōjinshi. Her group is "Sin-jyusyokakutei." She is not featured in the original game and anime series.
- Kimiko KoyamaKimiko Koyamais a female seiyū. She was born in Tokushima, Japan.-Notable voice roles:*Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~ - Natsuki Komiya*Asura Cryin' - Reiko Saeki*Asura Cryin' 2 - Reiko Saeki*Doujin Work - Sōra Kitano*Gokujou Seitokai - Maachi Hisakawa...
(Japanese), Kerry GrantKerry GrantKerry Grant is an Australian sprint canoer who competed in the late 1980s. He won a bronze medal in the K-2 1000 m event at the 1986 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Montreal.-References:**...
(CP English), Cynthia MartinezCynthia MartinezCynthia M. Martinez is an American voice actress who works for ADV Films and Seraphim Digital. Her first role was that of Lina Inverse in the Slayers movies and OVAs.-Anime roles:*Air - Kanna...
(CPR English)
A sickly girl, Kazuki's fan and first customer. Ikumi has spent most of her life in the hospital. She has an older, very muscular, brother named Yuuzo in Comic Party Revolution.
- Kōichi Tōchika (Japanese), Liam O'BrienLiam O'BrienLiam Christopher O'Brien is an American voice actor and voice director perhaps best known for his roles as Gaara of the Sand in Naruto, Captain Jushiro Ukitake in Bleach, War in the video game Darksiders, 'Vincent Law' in Ergo Proxy and 'Illidan Stormrage' in the 'Warcraft' game series...
(CP English), Josh GrelleJosh GrelleJoshua Grelle is an American voice actor and ADR Script writer for Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital and OkraTron 5000...
(CPR English)
The other half of "Brother 2", he is a typical otaku
Otaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
who sees the dōjinshi concept as the leading pop-culture format of the 21st century. Grandiose in the expressions of his dreams, he takes charge of the logistical aspects of the partnership (paying registration fees, arranging printers, etc.), leaving the actual artwork to Kazuki.
Miho, Mayu, and Yuka - Three members of Reiko's cosplay fanclub.
Anime
The Comic Party anime adaptation first aired in Japan on April 1, 2001 on UHF stationsJapanese Association of Independent Television Stations
The , is a group of Japan's reception fee-free commercial terrestrial television stations which are not members of the major national networks that has flagship in Tokyo and Osaka....
. Thirteen episodes and four ten minute specials were produced by Oriental Light and Magic
Oriental Light and Magic
Not to be confused with Industrial Light & Magic, formerly Oriental Light and Magic, is a Japanese animation studio founded in June 1995. They have worked on several anime series, with Pokémon their most prominent work, doing all of the TV anime and films. The animation studio is composed of...
and KSS
KSS (company)
KSS Inc. is a Japanese company that provides anime studio services including production, music, subtitles and translation. At one time, they had also published video games.-Anime that KSS has been associated with:*Barbapapa*Battle Angel *Calimero...
and directed by Norihiko Sudo. The anime focuses on the dōjinshi creation part of the game rather than the dating aspect and the specials are an original story involving the cast of Comic Party taking a vacation to a hot spring resort.
Comic Party was licensed in North America by The Right Stuf International
The Right Stuf International
The Right Stuf International, Inc. is an American retailer based in Grimes, Iowa that markets and distributes anime and manga-related products throughout the United States and internationally...
and first announced at the Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
anime convention
Anime convention
An anime convention is an event or gathering with a primary focus on anime, manga and Japanese culture. Commonly, anime conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels or college campuses. They feature a wide variety of activities and panels...
, Anime Central
Anime Central
Anime Central is an anime convention that is held yearly in Rosemont, Illinois, United States. It is one of the fastest growing anime conventions in the U.S. and has ranked as the 3rd largest North American anime convention since 2010. The convention is like many other anime conventions; it runs...
, on April 20, 2002. It was released on four DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
volumes between March 30, 2004 and July 27, 2004. A number of re-writes and cultural changes was made to the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
dub
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
as it was Americanized
Americanization
Americanization is the influence of the United States on the popular culture, technology, business practices, or political techniques of other countries. The term has been used since at least 1907. Inside the U.S...
. Some examples include converting the Japanese yen
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
to dollar
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
s (although the coins of the value is clearly seen), kimono
Kimono
The is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...
to Versace summer dress, and replacing the "Panda Onseniko" or "Hot Springs Panda" that Eimi calls Yuu with "Stupid Panda". The changes were not made to the subtitles as they are correct translations of the original Japanese script.
Comic Party Revolution is a thirteen episode sequel. The first four episodes is directed by Jun'ichi Sakata and animated by produced by Chaos Project. The first episode was released on DVD on December 22, 2003 as the first part of a two episode OVA
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
which was later extended to four episodes. These episodes were used as the first four episodes of the TV series that first aired on April 4, 2005 and ended on June 27, 2005. The OVAs were edited and cut in length to make the episodes fit in a normal television timeslot. Episodes five to thirteen was directed by Mitsuhiro Tōgō and produced by Radix. In Comic Party Revolution, Kazuki and Mizuki are now attending college and many of the events that take place in the game are hinted to have happened. Characters that were absent from the original series like Subaru Mikage and Asahi Sakurai make their debut. Kazuki is no longer the main focus in Revolution. Instead, the female cast roles are more equally distributed and some of them are given the spotlight in certain episodes.
Comic Party Revolution was licensed in North America by ADV Films
A.D. Vision
A.D. Vision was an American international multimedia entertainment company headquartered in Houston, Texas, prior to its collapse and distress sale to four other Houston-based companies in 2009...
which they announced at Metrocon
Metrocon
METROCON is an annual anime convention based in Tampa, Florida. It was first presented in 2003 out of a Crowne Plaza Hotel nearby to the Florida State Fairgrounds, and beginning in 2005 moved to the Tampa Convention Center after two years of rapid growth....
2006. ADV used their own voice talent for the English dub so the cast is different from the original series. Cultural changes were not made to the dub like the dub from Right Stuf.
Theme songs
Comic Party, Comic Party Special, Comic Party DC themes Opening theme: "Kimi no Mama de" (君のままで)
Ending theme: "Katachi no Nai Machi wo Mezashite" (形のない街を目指して)
|
Comic Party Revolution themes Opening theme: "Fly"
Ending theme: "Issho ni Kurasou" (一緒に暮らそう)
|
Manga and anthologies
A manga adaption of Comic Party was written and illustrated by Sekihiko Inui, who is also a dōjinshi artist and continues to draw dōjinshi under the dōjin circle called Mix-ism. It made its debut in the January 2001 issue of the Japanese monthly manga magazine Dengeki DaiohDengeki Daioh
is a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by ASCII Media Works under the Dengeki brand. Many manga serialized in Dengeki Daioh were later published in tankōbon volumes under ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Comics imprint. The magazine is sold every month on the 27th...
and continued until the March 2005 issue. The chapters was compiled into five tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volumes and published by Dengeki Comics
Dengeki Comics
is a manga publishing label affiliated with the Japanese publishing company ASCII Media Works and is aimed at a male audience. Aside from the main Dengeki Comics label, there is the related Dengeki Comics EX label which publishes a lesser number of manga volumes...
. Comic Party manga is licensed in North America by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
. All five volumes was released between June 4, 2004 and January 31, 2006. In the first episode of the original series, Kazuki has a dream set in the world of To Heart, arguably AQUAPLUS' most famous franchise. Kazuki is cast in the role of Hiroyuki, and a number of other familiar characters appear, including Akari Kamigishi and LEAF mascot Multi.
Anthologies of short pieces by independent artists was published by various parties including Ichijinsha
Ichijinsha
is a Japanese publishing company focused on manga-related publication, including magazines and books. The company was first established in August 1992 as a limited company under the name Studio DNA which main purpose was to edit shōnen manga. In January 1998, Studio DNA became a public company and...
, Ohzora Publishing
Ohzora Publishing
, also known as Ohzora Shuppan is the leading josei manga publisher in Japan, founded in 1990. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, it publishes Japanese manga, manga magazines and comic anthologies. The company is headed by . Kitawaki also runs affiliated American company Aurora Publishing, established...
, Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
, Rapport
Rapport
Rapport is a term used to describe, in common terms, the relationship of two or more people who are in sync or on the same wavelength because they feel similar and/or relate well to each other....
, Enterbrain
Enterbrain
is a Japanese magazine publisher established on April 1, 2000. Enterbrain magazines are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strategy guides. In addition, the company publishes a small selection of anime artbooks. Enterbrain is based in Tokyo, Japan...
and Sony Magazines. One anthology series called Comic Party Anthology Comic that is published by Ohzora Publishing
Ohzora Publishing
, also known as Ohzora Shuppan is the leading josei manga publisher in Japan, founded in 1990. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, it publishes Japanese manga, manga magazines and comic anthologies. The company is headed by . Kitawaki also runs affiliated American company Aurora Publishing, established...
is licensed in North America by Central Park Media
Central Park Media
Central Park Media was an American multimedia entertainment company based in New York City, New York, that was active in the distribution of East Asian cinema, television series, anime, manga and manhwa titles in North America prior to its bankruptcy in 2009...
. It was renamed to Comic Party and the first volume was released on April 14, 2004. Out of the nine volumes of the series, only three was published by CPM.
See also
- Dōjin WorkDojin Workis a Japanese four-panel comic strip written and illustrated by Japanese manga author Hiroyuki. The story revolves around a young girl named Najimi Osana who is about to make her debut into the dōjin creation world with the help of her experienced friends. Aspects of what it is like to be a dōjin...
- ToHeartToHeartis a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Leaf and released on May 23, 1997 for the PC. It was later ported to the PlayStation and given voice acting. A second PC version, titled To Heart PSE was released containing the PlayStation version as well as bonus games. To Heart PSE and the...
- GenshikenGenshikenis a manga series by Shimoku Kio about a college club for otaku and the lifestyle its members pursue. The title is a shortening of the club's official name, , or "The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture". The series has also been adapted into an anime directed by Tsutomu Mizushima...
- Otaku no VideoOtaku no Videois a 1991 comedy anime spoofing the life and culture of otaku, individuals with obsessive interests in media, particularly anime and manga, as well as the history of Gainax, its creators. It is noted for its mix of conventional documentary film styles , with a more traditional anime storytelling...
- Cosplay ComplexCosplay Complexis a comedy anime original video animation that is centered around the after school cosplay club at East Oizumi Academy. The girls in the club practice so that they may one day be able to compete in cosplay competitions.-East Oizumi Cosplay Club:...