Hey, he looks familiar.

Nerds Ho!

Review: Comic Party
Updated: 10/17/04

Anime/OAV/Manga/Games/Merchandise/Fandom

Reviewed by: Bad Jew

Title rating: Most of this stuff is about PG-13, but those games are more for grown-ups. Grown-ups!

-13-episode anime, complete
-2 OVAs (4 episodes and 2 episodes, respectfully), complete
-Dating sim video games, fan-produced fighting video game, complete
-4? volume manga series (in English through Tokyopop as of 2004), complete?
-A buncha doujinshi anthologies (in English through CPM as of 2004), complete?
-Card game

There is one show that is just so self-referential to the life of an otaku (hardcore anime fan), so filled with in-jokes about our chosen way of life, and just so targeted to the super otaku in all of us that it demands our viewing. Comic Party is that show. Sure, it's filled with regular shounen love story crap--angsty boys, weak-willed boys, and more girls than could possibly love them--but like a Yuu Watase piece (read: Fushigi Yuugi), it's the side characters who make this show. Taishi, the boy who plans to use Japanese manga to conquer the world, is possibly the best side character that I can imagine, but more on that later.

Anime

Plot-wise, this show is mediocre. It's all about Kazuki's journey from the life of a boring Japanese high school student into a full-fledged Doujinshi Otaku. For those of you who don't know, doujinshi are basically Japanese fanzines, often parodies or homages to popular anime or manga titles. These things are taken very seriously by people in doujinshi Circles (clubs which produce doujinshi), and doujinshi conventions can attract over a million visitors. Comic Party deals with issues such as how to inspire oneself to make an excellent doujinshi, how to make money to print aforementioned doujinshi, and how to deal with annoying girls who try to monopolize your time, refuse to admit their feelings for you, and hate doujinshi thanks to a bad convention experience. The entire story is filled to the brim with bishoujo (pretty girls), and for good reason--Comic Party is based off a dating sim video game, so these are the lovely ladies you try to virtually woo in the adult Comic Party game. Yes, adult, so stay away kiddies.

Of course, the major problems in the show revolve around 3 main issues: Mizuki (the annoying girl referred to above), getting ideas for doujinshi, and angsting over not selling said doujinshi. And yes, for those of you who abhor angst, beware of, "Oh boo hoo, no one loves me because no one bought my work," "Oh boo hoo, the girl who refuses to admit her undying love for me won't let me express myself through the medium of art, oh woe is me," and so forth. There's a lot of it. And by 'a lot' I mean that there's nothing else.

Were it not for the side characters, Comic Party would be nothing more then a mediocre show that we could only sigh about and think of vain possibilities for. However, Kazuki's classmate, Super Otaku Taishi, saves this show and makes it a classic. Taishi, who refers to everyone with the heavily-accented English phrase, "My Brother, and-o, My Sister," the Taishi whom whenever he speaks fireworks erupt behind him to accentuate the wisdom he is imparting. Taishi, who plans world cultural domination via the medium of doujinshi. Taishi is what truly saves this show, and he alone makes it required viewing for any self-respecting otaku--if only to gain pointers on how to become a better otaku. If I could be anyone, it would be Taishi. If I had to choose between hanging out with Jesus or Taishi, I would pick Taishi. (ed: And you wonder why I want nothing to do with you, Bad Jew.)

Cosplaying--the test through which the weak otaku are separated from the strong.

However, it's lamentable that this show needs saving as it has a great concept. Think about it--a show about otaku making doujinshi, it practically writes itself! Yet even Taishi himself cannot rescue this show from the depths of really bad angsty anime. There is an entire story arc where Kazuki refuses to talk to anyone because his doujinshi was insulted by a squadron of fanboys. And then there's the arc when he won't enjoy his beach get-a-way because no one bought his comic. And then there's the arc where he angsts over his lack of time to do anything. There are definitely some episodes which you can safely skip in this series, and that's not a good thing when there're only 13 episodes in all.

OAVs

There have been two OVAs produced since the show came out. Comic Party Special, at only four episodes, is fairly quick and to the point--it's basically a beach party that ends with an impromptu visit to the mystical city of Atlantis. There's not much I can say about this show, except that we learn how much Taishi just hates underwear.

The second, and even shorter OAV, is Comic Party Revolution. The general consensus is that the producers had a few bucks left over and decided to make another two episodes rather than give it to starving children. Their choice, I suppose.

All in all, the OAVs are pretty weak. They haven't been picked up yet by any domestic company, so if you're really motivated, you can maybe find them on IRC...but if I were you, I wouldn't waste the time. But, if I were you, I wouldn't be writing this, so the point is really moot.

Manga

There are two different manga titles related to Comic Party being released in our current North American market. The first is the regular manga through Tokyopop, and is known by the painfully-creative name Comic Party. Like most things in life, I find that the comic is better than the show--the characters aren't as annoying, Kazuki whines about 30% less, and there seems to be a little less jailbait. The storyline follows the same ups and downs as the anime: "I love Doujinshi. No, wait, I hate it! Woe is me, woe is me," that sort of thing. The drawing style of the manga is unique; while the amount of girls toppling into Kazuki makes this a shounen-harem manga, the artistic style isn't typical of the genre. Taishi is drawn as a Fist of the North Star-type hero, which only accentuates his coolness. My only problem with the manga is that the fireworks behind Taishi cannot boom with his wisdom as they do in the anime.

The second Comic Party title, Comic Party: Party Time through CPM, is a collection of actual, honest-to-God doujinshi about Comic Party. While the writing and drawing of each of the 16 different stories is very good, the fact is this is just a collection of vignettes without any overarching story or plot. So, while this is a smorgasbord of irony (as doujinshi artists take on a comic about doujinshi artists), that doesn't really present a good reason for buying it. Or, to put it another way, if I was forced to choose between buying Comic Party: Party Time and say, flesh eating bacteria, I would certainly choose the former, but I'd first make sure I had a discount card to wherever I was buying it from.

Action poses, go!

Video Games

One thing I cannot review is the game this show is based on. From what I can tell from various other reviews of it, it's a highly popular and well-done dating sim. Basically, in the game you have to decide on your schedule of how often and when you write your doujinshi, draw it, research it, work on your art skills, work to make money, and get your groove on with the female otaku community (not to worry, while there's some ecchi [adult] parts in it, it's not as bad as many other dating sims). It was originally made for the PC, but was ported to the Dreamcast awhile back. Both, however, are only available in Japanese, so if you lack language skills, who knows what might happen when you try to flirt with the chicks (read: hammer smashed into eye).

Card Game/Merchandise

The Comic Party Franchise was fairly popular in Japan, and thus produced an overwhelming amount of swag to buy. Unfortunately, Taishi plushies were never produced, which places an incalculable burden on my soul. However, to fill that void there are many Comic Party related possessions, including, but not limited to, trading cards, large and key-sized plushies, posters, pencil kits, and just about anything else large enough to print a color picture on. There is also an art book, in which you can see the characters in various states of design (read: undress).

Fandom

In the years since I wrote this review, the fandom for Comic Party has gone from small to nonexistant. There are plenty of reviews out for the show, from, say, our archenemies T.H.E.M Anime, Anime Fringe, or Revolution Sci-Fi--but you're already reading a damn fine review if I do say so myself, so why would you read any more? If you're very desperate to find someone on the interweb who likes Comic Party, check out this Chinese fan-page. Despite being in Chinese, it has more content than you could ever possibly want in one single place.

There are very few shows which are made for otaku, about otaku, so check this one out if you're hardcore. Otherwise, you may want to skip Comic Party if girls angsting about love makes your queasy.

2.0 stars out of 5.

Lianne: 3.5 stars. I still think you guys are too hard on this one. It's true that most of the girls are stupid and the angst is a little silly, but it's easy on the brain and largely focuses on what's most important--global domination through fan comics.

NotHayama: 2.5 stars. Taishi is, without a doubt, the coolest part of this show. It loses points for the annoying girlfriend and the girl with no discernable personality.