Di Gi Charat Theater - Dejiko\'s Summer Vacation Vol. #01

By Eduardo M. Chavez     June 19, 2004
Release Date: November 01, 2003



Creative Talent
Writer/Artist:Koge-Donbo and others
Translated by:Ken Wakita
Adapted by:

What They Say
What happens when an alien hybrid cat-eared girl with aspirations of becoming the next idol super star lands on earth?

First of all, she discovers that she needs money. In order to pay for their high living expenses Di Gi Charat (a.k.a. Dejiko) and her pal Puchiko have to work. Fortunately for them, an anime retail chain called Gamers has openings! As a new employee, Dejiko is extremely popular with the customers. Until Rabi~en~Rose, her self-proclaimed rival, arrives to steal the show! Not only that, Piyoko and the Black Gema Gema Gang vow to kidnap her? Tom most people this means trouble, but to Dejiko, this can only mean one thing: non-stop adventure!

Join Dejiko as she spends her summer-break tricking Piyoko, blowing up the Black Gema Gema Gang, and switching bodies with Rabi~en~Rose!

The Review
Packaging:
The first graphic novel from Broccoli Books does not disappoint. Nice paper, really good printing and a color image of Puckiko and Hokke Mirin inside the front cover makes for a really nice first try. The front cover has a Koge-Donbo Dejiko looking cute in front of a light blue background. The back has images of Puchico and Usada around the blurb on the same color background.

Logo Check!! (2003 Megs)... the logo for Di Gi Charat is really cute. Paw prints are dotting the "i"s in this funky font. The font is similar to one used for japanese versions of DGC antholgies so I am all for it!

There are tons of stuff in here lots of notes, character profiles, an interview with Koge-Donbo, a message from the CEO of Broccoli, Di Gi Charat words of wisdom, and some 4-koma strips from From Gamers magazine, the monthly info magazine from Gamers, called Gema Gema.

There are a few Di Gi Charat merchandise ads from AnimeGamers USA along with a few Broccoli Books and Synch-Point ads.

Artwork:
Its really hard to describe the art of Di Gi Charat Theater. Like the other versions out there this one is an anthology manga featuring the works from 10 manga artists. Regulars like Koge-Donbo, Hina., Kotomi Nekoda are all here and the level of cuteness rarely drops down too low (that's pretty darn cute). Koge-Donbo fans will rejoice with the 14 Gema-Gema strips and the 12 words of wisdom she does along with her short titled Hit the Beach!

Orientation/SFX:
This volume is right to left in a B6 sized book.
SFX are all translated in subs that reflect the art used for the original SFX but in a smaller size. They were all very easy to read but ever so often some of them were translated into actions instead of onomatopoeias.

Text:
The translation here is very good. Nyo's, pyo's, nyu's and gema's abound and honorifics are left in as well. The translation is really simple but it does the job. And if there is any confusion in regards to DGC background history there are 5 pages of translation notes to help clear things up.

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
I cannot really spoil anything this time as each short is completely independent of the other. A few of them have a summer theme but what you can find in this manga, as you would in practically every DGC manga, is a lot of Dejiko's eye beams, very few lines for Gema and more otaku than you would think healthy.
Highlights include: A super-cute sick Puchiko in Oozora Towa's Puchiko Catches a Cold. Gema gets sent to an alternate universe courtesy of Puchiko in Minamoto Hisaya's If Looks Could Kill. And some great Tencho and otaku scenes in Fujieda Miyabi's Welcome to Akihabara.

Comments
For those looking for more Di Gi Charat goodness this is one you cannot pass up. So much detail, very good printing and full of so many extras its almost like a DGC encyclopedia.

For those looking for more continuity you might want to pass. This is an anthology so each of the stories here are one shots (albeit very funny one shots).

For a first graphic novel Broccoli Books has done a great job. Di Gi Charat being something of a company mascot for Broccoli you know this would be full of love... and it is!! Very funny stories, great production and at a great price ($9.95). If you need to start your Di Gi Charat collection start here before going to the rest.

Recommended.