Search - Comic Party - A New World (Vol. 1) on DVD

FIRST STEP INTO A BIGGER WORLD

Sesho | Pasadena, TX USA | 02/07/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Taishi is a high school student with a grandiose plan, but he feels it is a realistic goal. He believes that the world can be conquered and ruled through the proliferation of manga. The problem is that he can't draw, and he can't write stories. That's where the main character of Comic Party Volume 1: A New World, enters the picture. Kazuki Sendoh has always been a good artist and his best friend Mizuki also has a little talent. Both are suckered into attending a doujinshi convention in which amateur manga artists ply their work to the buying public. Kazuki catches doujinshi fever and wants to produce his own work after seeing the passion of the creators of manga and by meeting such characters as Yuu, a glasses wearing Osakan quick on the draw with her fan, and her rival Eimi, a green-haired prima donna who believes her work outclasses all others. Mizuki, on the other hand, feels that being a doujinshi is a low-class trade and her feelings are only confirmed by what she sees as the deviant behavior of the otaku fanboy phenomenon. Volume 1 chronicles the early trials and tribulations of Kazuki and friends as he tries to make and sell his first book.

This first volume is a modern anime classic by showing the dedication and passion that doujinshi artists must possess to produce manga solely on their own without a legion of assistants to help them. The series is also very funny, especially the animosity between Yuu and Eimi, who never fails to point out the resemblance between Yuu and wild mountain pandas. Don't forget Taishi, who seems to have been infected by every mad scientist stereotype but uses his mind only to further the cause of Kazuki. The music is great too, giving the series a late 80s or early 90s feel even though it came out in 2001. Great and highly recommended series. Based on the manga Comic Party.

Extras include:
A special 7 minute mini-episode in which while at a hot spring Kazuki and his friends are sucked into an underground world. Interviews with the Japanese actors who play Kazuki, Taishi, and Mizuki. A booklet with footnotes about the episodes. Character bios.

"

Comic Party - Thumbs in the Middle

Michael B. Morrison | Burbank, CA United States | 04/23/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Interesting premise - poking fun at the whole anime and manga industry, but if the first volume is representative of the whole series, it lacks action. I just can't get that excited about this series after watching volume 1 (the first 3 eps). On the plus side, there are tons of references to other anime series which are fun to pick out. Maybe the next volumes will be better. Not bad but not great either."