, sometimes abbreviated to ComiPa, is a
dating sim
Dating sims, or , are video game subgenre of simulation games with romantic elements.
Dating sims are often dialog-heavy and focus on time management. The player must befriend and carefully build and maintain a relationship with one or more ...
video game by the Japanese game studio
Leaf
A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...
. It was first released on May 28, 1999 for
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
with
adult content, but re-released with it removed for the
Dreamcast
The is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27, 1998, in Japan; September 9, 1999, in North America; and October 14, 1999, in Europe. It was the first sixth-generation video game console, preceding Sony's PlayStation 2, N ...
,
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
, and
PSP. The main focus of the game is the creation of various
dōjinshi
, also romanized as ', is the Japanese term for self-published print works, such as magazines, manga, and novels. Part of a wider category of '' doujin'' (self-published) works, ''doujinshi'' are often derivative of existing works and created ...
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
, more commonly known as or , is a semiannual ''doujinshi'' convention in Tokyo, Japan. A grassroots market focused on the sale of '' doujin'' (self-published) works, Comiket is a not-for-profit fan convention administered by the volunteer-ru ...
(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
, more commonly known as or , is a semiannual ''doujinshi'' convention in Tokyo, Japan. A grassroots market focused on the sale of '' doujin'' (self-published) works, Comiket is a not-for-profit fan convention administered by the volunteer-ru ...
, it comes as no surprise that the "Comic Party" convention also takes place in the same building as Comiket, the
Tokyo Big Sight
, officially known as , is a convention and exhibition center in Tokyo, Japan, and the largest one in the country. Opened in April 1996, the center is located in the Ariake Minami district of on the Tokyo Bay waterfront. Its most iconic feature i ...
convention center near
Ariake Ariake (有明: "daybreak") may refer to:
Places in Japan
*Ariake, Kagoshima, a former town in Kagoshima Prefecture
*Ariake, Kumamoto, a former town in Kumamoto Prefecture
*Ariake, Saga, a former town in Saga Prefecture
*Ariake, Tokyo, a district w ...
, Tokyo.
''Comic Party'' has spawned both a
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
(illustrated by
Sekihiko Inui
is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for ''Murder Princess'' and the manga adaptation of ''Comic Party'', the latter which he drew upon his own experiences as a dōjinshi creator at Comiket. His most recent series, '' Ratman'', ended in 2 ...
) and an
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
series since its inception, as well as a
Dreamcast
The is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27, 1998, in Japan; September 9, 1999, in North America; and October 14, 1999, in Europe. It was the first sixth-generation video game console, preceding Sony's PlayStation 2, N ...
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 was licensed in North America by
The Right Stuf International
Right Stuf Inc. (formerly known as The Right Stuf International Inc.) is an American video publisher and distributor of video programming that specializes in Asian entertainment (anime and live action films). The company since 2022 is owned by ...
and the Sekihiko Inui's manga is licensed by
Tokyopop
Tokyopop (styled TOKYOPOP; formerly known as Mixx Entertainment) is an American distributor, licensor and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Western manga-style works. The German publishing division produces German translations of licensed J ...
. ''Comic Party Anthology Comic'', a related manga originally published by Ohzora Publishing, is published by
CPM CPM may refer to:
Advertising
*Cost per mille, the advertising cost per thousand views
*Cost per impression, Cost per thousand impressions, the online advertising equivalent
Management
*Certified practising marketer, a qualification for Australi ...
under the title "Comic Party: Party Time", which is a series of doujinshi anthologies featuring stories by independent
manga artist
A is a comic artist who writes and/or illustrates manga. As of 2006, about 3,000 professional manga artists were working in Japan.
Most manga artists study at an art college or manga school or take on an apprenticeship with another artist be ...
s set in the ''Comic Party'' universe. Diverging frequently from ''Comic Party'' canon, this offshoot manga series includes more
yaoi
''Yaoi'' (; ja, やおい ), also known by the ''wasei-eigo'' construction and its abbreviation , is a genre of fictional media originating in Japan that features Homoeroticism, homoerotic relationships between male characters. It is typi ...
elements than the original materials. A sequel anime series, ''Comic Party Revolution'', came out in 2003.
The game was ported to the
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
(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 Windows and Dreamcast games and the first anime series. Characters from ''Comic Party'' are featured as partner characters ''
Aquapazza: Aquaplus Dream Match'', a fighting game developed by
Aquaplus
, formally and , is a Japanese company which specializes primarily in the publishing and distribution of visual novels, including both adult games under their brand Leaf and games for all ages under Aquaplus's own brand. Aquaplus has been involv ...
with characters from various Leaf games.
Gameplay
''Comic Party'' is a
point-and-click
Point and click are the actions of a computer user moving a pointer to a certain location on a screen (''pointing'') and then pressing a button on a mouse, usually the left button (''click''), or other pointing device. An example of point and cli ...
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.
Synopsis
Plot
Early April, Kazuki Sendō is invited by his friend, Taishi Kuhonbutsu, to come with him to
Tokyo Big Sight
, officially known as , is a convention and exhibition center in Tokyo, Japan, and the largest one in the country. Opened in April 1996, the center is located in the Ariake Minami district of on the Tokyo Bay waterfront. Its most iconic feature i ...
. 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
Brother 2/Two Brothers
;
:
Masami Kikuchi
is a Voice acting in Japan, Japanese voice actor and narrator. He was affiliated with Troubador Music Office until March 2010. He then worked as freelance until April 2011, when he was employed by Kenyu Office.
Filmography Television animation ...
(Japanese),
Sam Riegel
Samuel Brent Oscar Riegel, sometimes credited as Jack Lingo, is an American voice actor, director, and writer. He is a regular cast member of the web series ''Critical Role'', in which he and other fellow voice actors play ''Dungeons & Dragons' ...
(CP English),
Leraldo Anzaldua
Leraldo Anzaldua (born June 22, 1975 in Houston, Texas, USA) is an American voice actor, ADR director, scriptwriter and stunt coordinator who works with ADV Films and Seraphim Digital/Sentai Filmworks. He has an M.F.A. in acting from the Universi ...
(CPR English)
:The protagonist of this title. Throughout high school, Kazuki Sendō coasted entirely on his natural talent for art, only to get a reality check when he failed to get into art school. Left with a lingering feeling that he could have done better if there were a more competetive enivornment for him to hone his artwork in, Taishi introduces him to the world of
dōjinshi
, also romanized as ', is the Japanese term for self-published print works, such as magazines, manga, and novels. Part of a wider category of '' doujin'' (self-published) works, ''doujinshi'' are often derivative of existing works and created ...
where he finds exactly what he was looking for. Together, they form the dōjinshi circle "Brother 2". Often spends so much time on drawing that he forgets to buy food or do his school assignments. In the anime, the character is reworked into a high school student and his backstory is trimmed down.
;
:
Kōichi Tōchika
is a Japanese voice actor who works for Haikyo.
Notable voice roles
Anime
*Lance in '' 07 Ghost''
*Brindo and young Hody Jones in ''One Piece''
* Check Mate and Ilioukhine in ''Kinnikuman Nisei'' (''Ultimate Muscle'')
*Arizona Governor in ''E ...
(Japanese),
Liam O'Brien
Liam Christopher O'Brien (born May 28, 1976) is an American voice actor, writer, and director. He is a regular cast member of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' actual play series ''Critical Role,'' playing Vax'ildan ("Vax"), Caleb Widogast, and Orym. ...
(CP English),
Josh Grelle
Joshua Grelle ( ; born November 2, 1985) is an American voice actor and ADR script writer in English language dubs of Japanese anime, working mostly with Funimation, ADV Films and Seraphim Digital. Grelle is known for voicing numerous main char ...
(CPR English)
:The other half of "Brother 2", he is a typical
otaku
is a Japanese word that describes people with consuming interests, particularly in anime, manga, video games, or computers. Its contemporary use originated with a 1983 essay by Akio Nakamori in ''Manga Burikko''. may be used as a pejorativ ...
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.
Main heroines
;
:Riko Sayama (Japanese),
Rachael Lillis
Rachael Lillis (born July 8) is an American voice actress and scriptwriter. She studied acting in Boston and New York City and has appeared in various theater productions, animated series and independent films.
She was formerly based in New Yor ...
(CP English),
Luci Christian
Louisa Michelle Christian (born March 18, 1973) is an American voice actress and ADR script writer at Funimation and Seraphim Digital/Sentai Filmworks. She has provided many voices for English versions of Japanese anime series and films.
Life a ...
(CPR English)
:Mizuki Takase is the protagonist's friend since the first year of high school 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. As the game goes on, she slowly becomes interested in otaku culture, even trying cosplay and purchasing expensive DVD sets.
;
:
Kaoru Morota
a Japanese voice actress from Osaka, Japan. She is often typecast 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 ...
(Japanese), Georgette Reilly (CP English),
Tiffany Grant
Tiffany Lynn Grant (born October 11, 1968) is an American voice actress and script writer who is known for her English-dubbing work for ADV Films on such anime films and television series as ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', in which she voiced the cha ...
(CPR English)
:Yū Inagawa is a
Kansai-speaking, passionate dōjinshi enthusiast. She is from
Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
, 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. In the anime, she's a transfer student at Kazuki's high school.
;
:
Shizuka 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.
Filmography Anime
*''Cardfight!! Vanguard'' – Kamui Katsu ...
(Japanese),
Jessica Calvello
Jessica Calvello is an American voice actress and production assistant primarily known for her anime voiceover work, particularly with ADV Films, Seraphim Digital/Sentai Filmworks, DuArt Film and Video, Media Blasters, Funimation, Central Park ...
(CP English), Larissa Wolcott (CPR English)
:Eimi Ohba is an egoistic dōjin artist who self-proclaims the title of "Queen of ComiPa". She is the sole member 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. Although a savant at drawing dōjinshi, her poor academic performance leaves her on the verge of failing to graduate from high school.
;
:
Mie Sonozaki
is a Japanese actress, voice actress and singer from Tokyo, Japan. She is best known for her role as Arle Nadja in ''Puyo Puyo Fever'' and ''Puyo Puyo Tetris''. She is also the official Japanese dubbing roles for Hayley Atwell, Elisha Cuthbert, ...
(Japanese),
Carol Jacobanis
Carol Jacobanis is an American voice actress. She is mostly known her voice roles in the English dubs for Japanese anime. Her work has been for New York-based recording studios such as Headline Studios, Central Park Media, TAJ Productions, 4Kids ...
(CP English),
Kim Prause
Kimberly Prause is an American voice actress and theatre actress. She has done several anime voice roles for ADV Films and Sentai Filmworks.
Voice roles
* ''Air'' - Kano's Mother
* ''Akame ga Kill!'' - Client (Ep. 2), Spear (Ep. 7)
* ''Angelic L ...
(CPR English)
:Aya Hasebe is a timid third-year high school 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 Yamada
is a Japanese voice actress and narrator who was formerly part of Arts Vision. She is currently affiliated with Crazy Box.
Notable voice roles
Anime
*''Banner of the Stars'' as Atosryac Ssynec Atosr Lymh Faibdacr Loïc
*''Black Heaven'' as Lay ...
(Japanese),
Lisa Ortiz
Lisa Ortiz is an American voice actress and voice director. She is best known for her roles in English anime adaptations, such as Lina Inverse in ''Slayers'' and Amy Rose in ''Sonic X''. She voiced Amy Rose in the mainline and spin-off '' Sonic t ...
(CP English),
Allison Sumrall
Allison Leigh Sumrall (born July 21, 1979) is an American voice actress working with ADV Films, Funimation, and Sentai Filmworks, known for her roles in the English-language dubs of anime series. She is a veteran of the former Masquerade Theatre ...
(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 Baba
Sumie or Sumi-e or Sumi e or ''variation'', may also refer to:
People
Sumie is a feminine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
*, Japanese long jumper
* Sumie Baba (born 1967), a Japanese voice actor
* Sumie Ishitaka, women ...
(Japanese),
Lisa Ortiz
Lisa Ortiz is an American voice actress and voice director. She is best known for her roles in English anime adaptations, such as Lina Inverse in ''Slayers'' and Amy Rose in ''Sonic X''. She voiced Amy Rose in the mainline and spin-off '' Sonic t ...
(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 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)
:A member of Team Ikkatsu, a four-girl dōjinshi circle who draw fighting game-based yaoi dōjinshi. A hardcore fan of the Fighters' Breaker series, she works part-time at the local arcade to keep an eye out for anyone playing her favorite character and fanatical obsession, Sho Kusakabe (a parody of Kyo Kusanagi from the King of Fighters). She's always enthusiastic to show her love of fighting game characters, be it through cosplay or dōjinshi. Due to a misunderstanding, mistakes Kazuki as a rare male fan of yaoi and decides to fan his interest in the hobby. Attends the same university as Kazuki and Mizuki. In the anime, her obsession with yaoi and fighting games is removed and replaced with more emphasis on cosplay, moving her part-time job to a cosplay cafe.
Other heroines
;
:
Satomi Koorogi
is a feminine Japanese given name which is also used as a surname.
Possible writings
Satomi can be written using different kanji characters and can mean:
*里美, "hometown, beauty"
*怜美, "wise, beauty"
*聡美, "wise, beauty"
*智美, "wisd ...
(Japanese), Kerry Grant (CP English),
Jessica Boone
Jessica Boone (born May 14, 1984) is an American film, television, and voice actress with extensive experience in Shakespeare and musical theatre, who used to work primarily for ADV Films, Funimation, Sentai Filmworks, and Seraphim Digital, when ...
(CPR English)
:Asahi Sakurai is anime and manga fan by day and a famous
idol
Idol or Idols may refer to:
Religion and philosophy
* Cult image, a neutral term for a man-made object that is worshipped or venerated for the deity, spirit or demon that it embodies or represents
* Murti, a point of focus for devotion or medit ...
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
is a '' shōjo'' manga written by Sukehiro Tomita and illustrated by Nao Yazawa that was originally serialized in Shogakukan's '' Ciao'' magazine. In North America, it was translated and published by VIZ Media in its entirety, consisting ...
and
Cardcaptor Sakura
, abbreviated as ''CCS'', is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by the manga group Clamp. Serialized monthly in the ''shōjo'' manga magazine ''Nakayoshi'' from May 1996 to June 2000, it was also published in 12 ''tankōbon'' ...
). 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. In the original PC version of the game, she's treated as a secret heroine, going by the alias "Momo-chan" until she develops a bond with Kazuki. Because of this, Asahi's role in the first Comic Party anime adaption is limited and she does not interact with the main protagonist. Instead, she is only heard on the radio and briefly seen singing at a concert. Later ports of the game openly advertise her alongside the other heroines.
;
:
Masayo Kurata
is a Japanese voice actress. Some of her major roles are Koyomi from ''Girls Bravo'', Shinobu Maehara in ''Love Hina'', Tomoe Kashiwaba in ''Rozen Maiden'', Karinka from '' Steel Angel Kurumi'', and Subaru Mikage in ''Comic Party''. In video ...
(Japanese), Jenny Larson (CPR English)
:Miko fighter obsessed with hero stories, but terrible at creating dōjinshi. Her group is "Sin-jyusyokakutei." A new character added for the Dreamcast release of the game. She doesn't appear in the original PC version of the game or the original anime series.
;
:
Kimiko Koyama
is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture.
Filmography
Anime
;1997
*''Coji-Coji'' (Piroro)
;2001
*''Comic Party'' (Ikumi Tachikawa)
*''Chibi Maruko-chan'' (Natsumi Murata)
;2002
*''Happy Lesson'' (Uzuk ...
(Japanese), Kerry Grant (CP English), Cynthia Martinez (CPR English)
:A mysterious anonymous benefactor known only as "Tachikawa-san" who communicates with Kazuki entirely through e-mail. She first took notice of Kazuki's talent at a high school art exhibition and became his first fan, encouraging him to push his talents to new heights. Despite frequently sending Kazuki expensive gifts and having the carrier leave personal gifts on his tables at events, she chooses to keep her true identity hidden. Treated as a secret heroine in all releases up until the PSP port. In the original anime, she instead plays the role of Kazuki's first customer, meeting him in person at Comic Party events. Tachikawa is not used in the manga adaption.
Minor heroines
;, , and
:The other three members of Reiko's dōjinshi circle. The girls are united in their love for fighting games, cosplay, and yaoi. Like Reiko, they attend the same university as Kazuki. The three of them were given a minor romance option in the Dreamcast version of the game, where they're pursued as a group.
;
:A courier driver who delivers packages to Kazuki. Went unnamed in the original PC version of the game, but was given a short romance story of her in own in the Dreamcast version. Dreams of saving up enough money to buy her own motorcycle.
;
:Chief editor of Comic Z Comics division. Known as the Demon of Comic Z, Sawada is known for her harsh critiquing skills. She often attends Comic Party events to scout for new talent. Was a member of a dōjinshi circle in her youth, before deciding to go into the business side of the hobby. Was given a minor romance option in the Dreamcast version of the game.
Other characters
;//Tate
:The tall thin man in the otaku duo that frequenly attends Comic Party events. His glasses are capable of detecting opponent's abilities. Always speaks in olden Japanese. Has an eye open for unknown dōjinshi artists, in hopes that their early works will someday become valuable.
;/
:The short, fat man in the otaku duo that frequenly attends Comic Party events. Always stutters when he talks. Will frequently begin talking about Asahi Sakurai unprovoked. He's one of the only people capable of recognizing her in disguise. Despite his perverse nature, he can very insightful when it comes to doujinshi.
;
:A mysterious man who often harasses Kazuki at Comic Party events. Later revealed to be Ikumi's brother. His chest has a six-star pattern resembles the Big Dipper pattern on Kenshiro Kasumi from
Fist of the North Star
is a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara. It was serialized in Shueisha's Shōnen manga, ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' for 245 issues published from 1983 to 1988 and initially colle ...
.
;/
:The fictional main character of Card Master Peach, voiced by Asahi Sakurai. As Card Master Peach, she carries a wand resembles Sakura Kinomoto's second wand in
Cardcaptor Sakura
, abbreviated as ''CCS'', is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by the manga group Clamp. Serialized monthly in the ''shōjo'' manga magazine ''Nakayoshi'' from May 1996 to June 2000, it was also published in 12 ''tankōbon'' ...
. Mizuki is able to replicate the character's costume, attacks, and transformation sequence. This character can only be seen during Asahi's route, when the player is given the option to watch episodes of the series, played out as chibi sequences.
;
:Card Master Peach's pet guardian. Resembles the smaller version of Kero in Cardcaptor Sakura, but with black tiger stripes.
;
:A blue penguin who acts as Comic Party's mascot character. An angrier variant called Baron Yoshio also appears on the Game Over screen.
Anime-exclusive characters
;
:One of Mizuki's high school frineds in the original Comic Party anime.
;
:One of Mizuki's high school frineds in the original Comic Party anime.
;
:A comic magazine editor. During Sendo and Mizuki's tour, he led them to check on the company's comic artists and making business deals. According to the DVD booklet, this character's full name is Nagase Chou, making him a member of the recurring "Nagase Clan" who appear throughout Leaf's games.
;
:A sports instructior from Comic Party Revolution who only appears in Mizuki's flashbacks. It's ambiguous whether or not he actually exists.
;
:A version of Mizuki Takase in Comic Party Revolution, appeared after Sendo becomes a wall circle doujin artist, but unable to draw anything for the first Comic Party convention as wall circle artist. She tried to lure Sendo to abandon comics and do oil paintings, but was defeated by Mizuki as Card Master Peach. During the succeeding convention, she went to Sendo's booth as a paying customer when the real Mizuki was absent.
Media
Anime
The ''Comic Party'' anime adaptation first aired in Japan on April 1, 2001 on
UHF stations. Thirteen episodes and four ten minute specials were produced by
Oriental Light and Magic
, formerly Oriental Light and Magic, is a Japanese animation and film studio headquartered in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan, founded on October 3, 1990.
Establishment
OLM was founded as Oriental Light & Magic, Inc. on October 3rd, 1990 by Toshiaki O ...
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
Right Stuf Inc. (formerly known as The Right Stuf International Inc.) is an American video publisher and distributor of video programming that specializes in Asian entertainment (anime and live action films). The company since 2022 is owned by ...
and first announced at the
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
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 activ ...
,
Anime Central
Anime Central (ACen) is an annual three-day anime convention held during May at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare & Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. The convention is organized by the Midwest Animation Promotion Society (MAPS). ...
, 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
Americanization or Americanisation (see spelling differences) is the influence of American culture and business on other countries outside the United States of America, including their media, cuisine, business practices, popular culture, tech ...
. Some examples include converting the
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 (US$) and the euro. It is also widely used as a third reserve currency after the US dollar and the ...
to
dollar
Dollar is the name of more than 20 currencies. They include the Australian dollar, Brunei dollar, Canadian dollar, Hong Kong dollar, Jamaican dollar, Liberian dollar, Namibian dollar, New Taiwan dollar, New Zealand dollar, Singapore dollar, U ...
s (although the coins of the value is clearly seen),
kimono
The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono ...
to
Versace
Gianni Versace S.r.l. (), usually referred to as Versace ( ), is an Italian luxury fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978 known for flashy prints and bright colors. The company produces Italian-made ready-to-wear and accessories, as w ...
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.
On September 4, 2014, North American anime licensor
Discotek Media
Discotek Media is an American entertainment company based in Altamonte Springs, Florida, focused on distribution and licensing Japanese anime, films, and television series.
Formed in 2005, Discotek primarily focuses on licensing retro titles fr ...
announced that they have acquired the series and will re-release it on DVD in January 2015.
''Comic Party Revolution'' is a thirteen episode sequel. The first four episodes are directed by Junichi 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
, abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA s ...
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 Ace Entertainment. 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 Holdings, Inc. (known simply as ADV and also referred to as ADV Films) was an American multimedia entertainment distributor headquartered in Houston, Texas, and founded in 1992 by video game fan John Ledford and anime fans Matt Gre ...
for $30,336 which they announced at
Metrocon
Metrocon is an annual three-day anime convention held during July/August at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. It is Florida's largest anime convention and organized by Team Dynamite Productions. The convention evolved from meetups of ...
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
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 Daioh
is a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by ASCII Media Works (formerly MediaWorks) under the ''Dengeki'' brand. Many manga serialized in ''Dengeki Daioh'' were later published in ''tankōbon'' volumes under ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Co ...
and continued until the March 2005 issue. The chapters was compiled into five
tankōbon
is the Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cultur ...
volumes and published by
Dengeki Comics
is a manga publishing label affiliated with the Japanese publishing company ASCII Media Works (formerly MediaWorks) and is aimed at a male audience. Aside from the main Dengeki Comics label, there is the related Dengeki Comics EX label, which ...
. ''Comic Party'' manga is licensed in North America by
Tokyopop
Tokyopop (styled TOKYOPOP; formerly known as Mixx Entertainment) is an American distributor, licensor and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Western manga-style works. The German publishing division produces German translations of licensed J ...
. 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
''To Heart'' is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Leaf and released on May 23, 1997 for Windows. It was later ported to the PlayStation and given voice acting. A second PC version, titled ''To Heart PSE'' was released containin ...
'', arguably AQUAPLUS' most famous franchise. Kazuki is cast in the role of Hiroyuki, and a number of other familiar characters appear, including
Akari Kamigishi
A list of characters from ''To Heart'' and ''To Heart 2''.
To Heart
Main characters
;
:
:Hiroyuki is the main male character and has a very dry attitude. He is surprisingly empathetic though, but usually shows it through his actions rather than ...
and LEAF mascot Multi.
Anthologies of short pieces by independent artists was published by various parties including
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 whose main purpose was to edit shōnen manga. ...
,
Ohzora Publishing
, also known as Ohzora Shuppan is a josei manga, ''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 ran ...
,
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
,
Rapport
Rapport () is a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned are "in sync" with each other, understand each other's feelings or ideas, and communicate smoothly.
The word stems from the French verb which means liter ...
,
Enterbrain
, formerly , is a Japanese publisher and division of Kadokawa Future Publishing founded on 30 January 1987 as . Magazines published by Enterbrain are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strategy ...
and
Sony Magazines. One anthology series called ''Comic Party Anthology Comic'' that is published by
Ohzora Publishing
, also known as Ohzora Shuppan is a josei manga, ''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 ran ...
is licensed in North America by
Central Park Media
Central Park Media, often abbreviated as CPM, was an American multimedia entertainment company based in New York City, New York and was headquartered in the 250 West 57th Street building in Midtown Manhattan (on the corner of Central Park, hence ...
. It was renamed to ''Comic Party'' and the first volume was released on April 14, 2004.
CPM Press invites you to a comic party!
/ref> Out of the nine volumes of the series, only three was published by CPM.
See also
*'' Dōjin Work''
*''To Heart
''To Heart'' is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Leaf and released on May 23, 1997 for Windows. It was later ported to the PlayStation and given voice acting. A second PC version, titled ''To Heart PSE'' was released containin ...
''
*''Genshiken
is a Japanese manga series by Shimoku Kio about a college club for ''otaku'' (extremely obsessed fans of various media) and the lifestyle its members pursue. The title is a shortening of the club's official name, , or "The Society for ...
''
*''Otaku no Video
is a 1991 anime OVA 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 s ...
''
*''Cosplay Complex
is a Japanese original video animation (OVA) series directed by Shinichiro Kimura and animated by TNK. It is centered on the after school cosplay club at East Oizumi Academy and follows the girls in the club as they practice so that one ...
''
References
External links
Official Leaf website
Official Aquaplus website
Official Comic Party Bandai Channel website
Tokyopop page
Official Comic Party Revolution Bandai Channel website
Imagica Comic Party Revolution site
*
*
{{Chaos Project
1999 video games
2001 manga
2001 anime television series debuts
2001 Japanese television series debuts
2001 Japanese television series endings
2005 anime television series debuts
2005 Japanese television series debuts
2005 Japanese television series endings
ADV Films
Anime television series based on video games
ASCII Media Works manga
AT-X (TV network) original programming
Bishōjo games
Comedy anime and manga
Dating sims
Dengeki Comics
Dengeki Daioh
Discotek Media
Dreamcast games
Eroge
Funimation
Japan-exclusive video games
Manga based on video games
Manga creation in anime and manga
OLM, Inc.
PlayStation Portable games
Shōnen manga
Tokyopop titles
Video games developed in Japan
Windows games
Leaf (Japanese company) games