Level C
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga
series written and illustrated by Futaba Aoi
and Mitsuba Kurenai. The manga is licensed in North America by Media Blasters
. It has also been made into an original video animation
by J.C.Staff
. It is the tale of a relationship between a salaryman
and a high school-aged male model.
and Mitsuba Kurenai. The manga is licensed in North America by Media Blasters
. Biblos released the manga's three bound volumes
between August 1993 and January 1996. Media Blasters
released the manga in six tankōbon volumes between March 15, 2005 and May 31, 2006.
in 1995. The OVA has been licensed in North America by Kitty Media and in Germany by Anime-House. The ending theme of the series is "Only Two Men's Eternity" by Yasuhiro Mizushima. The OVA was originally released in Japan on May 24, 1996 in VHS
format. It was released in DVD format on March 25, 2005.
volumes in 1993. Frank Panonne of Media Blasters said that "Level C will be uncut, all characters portrayed having sex or in the nude will be depicted as aged 18 or older." The original Japanese version depicts the protagonist as a high-school student. Level C will be shrink wrap
ped when released. The bankruptcy of Biblos on April 5, 2006, will not affect the production of Level C "at least until the contracts expire".
Chris Beveridge of Mania.com comments on the hard subtitling
of the OVA and lack of a menu "forces them to front-load the trailers for other shows". He also comments on the "auto-repeat mode" when the end of the last chapter is reached. THEM Anime Reviews criticises the OVA for a lack of plot.
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...
series written and illustrated by Futaba Aoi
Futaba Aoi
is a manga artist, born in Tokyo , Japan, on December 19.Part of a duo including himself and Mitsuba Kurenai.This is the pen names used for writing extremely adult oriented Yaoi-stories. Real names are Sano Masaki and Watanabe Kyou...
and Mitsuba Kurenai. The manga is licensed in North America by Media Blasters
Media Blasters
Media Blasters is an entertainment corporation founded by John Sirabella and Sam Liebowitz, based in New York City. They are in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American market manga compilations and anime and live-action movies and television series to home-video...
. It has also been made into an original video animation
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...
by J.C.Staff
J.C.STAFF
, is a Japanese animation studio founded in January 1986. Their first release was the three episode OVA Sengoku Kidan Yōtōden, in 1987. They have produced several well-known anime series, such as Revolutionary Girl Utena, Excel Saga, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, Shakugan no Shana, Toaru Majutsu no...
. It is the tale of a relationship between a salaryman
Salaryman
refers to someone whose income is salary based; particularly those working for corporations. Its frequent use by Japanese corporations, and its prevalence in Japanese manga and anime has gradually led to its acceptance in English-speaking countries as a noun for a Japanese white-collar...
and a high school-aged male model.
Manga
Level C is written and illustrated by Futaba AoiFutaba Aoi
is a manga artist, born in Tokyo , Japan, on December 19.Part of a duo including himself and Mitsuba Kurenai.This is the pen names used for writing extremely adult oriented Yaoi-stories. Real names are Sano Masaki and Watanabe Kyou...
and Mitsuba Kurenai. The manga is licensed in North America by Media Blasters
Media Blasters
Media Blasters is an entertainment corporation founded by John Sirabella and Sam Liebowitz, based in New York City. They are in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American market manga compilations and anime and live-action movies and television series to home-video...
. Biblos released the manga's three bound volumes
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...
between August 1993 and January 1996. Media Blasters
Media Blasters
Media Blasters is an entertainment corporation founded by John Sirabella and Sam Liebowitz, based in New York City. They are in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American market manga compilations and anime and live-action movies and television series to home-video...
released the manga in six tankōbon volumes between March 15, 2005 and May 31, 2006.
OVA
Directed by Yorifusa Yamaguchi the OVA was released by J.C.StaffJ.C.STAFF
, is a Japanese animation studio founded in January 1986. Their first release was the three episode OVA Sengoku Kidan Yōtōden, in 1987. They have produced several well-known anime series, such as Revolutionary Girl Utena, Excel Saga, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, Shakugan no Shana, Toaru Majutsu no...
in 1995. The OVA has been licensed in North America by Kitty Media and in Germany by Anime-House. The ending theme of the series is "Only Two Men's Eternity" by Yasuhiro Mizushima. The OVA was originally released in Japan on May 24, 1996 in VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
format. It was released in DVD format on March 25, 2005.
Production
Level C started as a doujinshi in 1989. The individual chapters were compiled into six tankōbonTankobon
, 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 in 1993. Frank Panonne of Media Blasters said that "Level C will be uncut, all characters portrayed having sex or in the nude will be depicted as aged 18 or older." The original Japanese version depicts the protagonist as a high-school student. Level C will be shrink wrap
Shrink wrap
Shrink wrap, also shrinkwrap or shrink film, is a material made up of polymer plastic film. When heat is applied it shrinks tightly over whatever it is covering. Heat can be applied with a hand held heat gun or the product and film can pass through a heat tunnel on a conveyor.-Composition:The...
ped when released. The bankruptcy of Biblos on April 5, 2006, will not affect the production of Level C "at least until the contracts expire".
Reception
Mike Dungan of Mania.com comments on the varying styles of art in the manga since the chapters were not written in order. He commends the art by saying "the art reproduction is more than serviceable, with some nice detailwork making the transition from tankouban to graphic novel, and nicely done reproduction of the screentoning."Chris Beveridge of Mania.com comments on the hard subtitling
Subtitle (captioning)
Subtitles are textual versions of the dialog in films and television programs, usually displayed at the bottom of the screen. They can either be a form of written translation of a dialog in a foreign language, or a written rendering of the dialog in the same language, with or without added...
of the OVA and lack of a menu "forces them to front-load the trailers for other shows". He also comments on the "auto-repeat mode" when the end of the last chapter is reached. THEM Anime Reviews criticises the OVA for a lack of plot.