With a name like Comic Party Revolution can you figure out what kind of show this is? I'll give you a hint... it's not a science fiction giant ninja robot orgy. Oddly enough the series is more about creating manga rather than throwing a party or anything comical really. Sure there are funny moments along the way and there is an overtly joyous atmosphere but at its heart Comic Party Revolution is about the lives of people who create manga.

As far as subject matter is concerned, the concept for this show stands out as being more unique than its name insinuates. If you have ever picked up the pen to write a story or draw a few panels then this is a series you may be interested in. It may not be inherently obvious but Revolution is also a sequel show. It picks up at a point in time after the original Comic Party and follows the lives of the original characters while showcasing their new misadventures.

I'll be honest with you; I never actually saw what came prior to Revolution. This may have affected my enjoyment of the series because I didn't have the background on the characters and their relationship. With the way these first five episodes start off here it basically assumes that you know what's going on. There is no filler and nothing that tells the viewer anything really. Unless you saw the first series you'll basically be left out in the dark like I was for a majority of the show.

With the brief introduction to the series we learn that Comic Party is actually the name applied to a manmade island off of Japan. Its sole purpose is to provide manga artists a place to get together, share ideas, create new works, and sell their wares. It's an interesting concept to be sure and in the case of Comic Party Revolution it presents the backbone for insanity.

Kazuki stars in the center of it all. As is the case with most male anime characters he's surrounded by a bevy of females that range from friend to romantic interest. To be honest though, based on what I saw with these five episodes none of the ladies really stands out or becomes anything other than stereotypical. There are also some otaku thrown in for good measure though only Kazuki's "brother" (Taishi) has any influence over the show.

With all of this in mind getting into Comic Party Revolution is quite a challenge. I found myself just staring at the screen with an unwavering gaze and hardly a smirk on my face. Romantic comedy or not this show was hard-pressed to make me laugh; though it did so on a few occasions. I do have to say that the first two episodes on this disc are easily the lowest points because they are just so dry and, dare I say, pointless.

The third episode picks the show up a little bit with an energetic game of baseball and some insanity. It's ironic that this proved to be the most enjoyable episode on the disc because it really had nothing to do with doujinshi. Because of this Comic Party Revolution becomes kind of meaningless to newcomers who know nothing about these characters. Even after five episodes of the show I couldn't help but feel that I was missing something since there are many in-jokes and references.

If you have seen the original then you'll probably appreciate the material far more than I did. Still, I felt that the pacing was horrendous at the start and the fact that the only episode that I liked had nothing to do with manga; which is what the show is all about. In the end there's not a lot of point to picking this up unless you already know what's going on. An exclusive release like this with a limited audience means that new viewers will be left in the dark.

Comic Party Revolution is presented with a 1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio. The show features a wide array of colors on its palette and is plenty bright and cheerful. There was a small amount of aliasing in the image but the biggest flaw had to do with an abundance of artifacts. Compression and grain are this disc's worst friends and unfortunately there is a decent amount of both to be had. Considering the show was produced last year it's kind of surprising to see these but it probably has more to do with the source material rather than the DVD's transfer.

English and Japanese 2.0 stereo tracks are what you'll find on this disc. Both present a standard dub though the English track tends to be the more boisterous of the two. I typically enjoy the Japanese language for my anime but I found the voice acting to be a little too dry for my taste. Technically neither selection is that impressive but they do offer some diversity in the front channel. Optional English subtitles are included as well.

Oddly enough, despite the fact that the show isn't the greatest there is actually a decent supply of bonus material for it; unfortunately it's all text-based. The a-typical clean closing and opening animations are included along with some previews. I was excited to see a pair of interviews and Japanese VA profiles in the extras menu but was disappointed when I realized that they were simply on screen information and nothing lively. There's also a little bit that discusses the language of doujinshi.

Comic Party Revolution is a sequel series that does not welcome newcomers. You really have to be a fan of the original in order to appreciate what's going on here but even then I can imagine boredom setting in. Only one episode really connected with me in this first volume with the rest being too unbalanced or dry for my taste. Check this one out at your own risk if you liked the first series but for everyone else you can probably just skip it.

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