What do you think?
Rate this book
Dramacon #1
Dramacon, Vol. 1
When Christie settles in the Artist Alley of her first ever anime convention, she only sees it as an opportunity to promote the comic she has started with her boyfriend. But conventions are never what you expect and soon the whirlwind of events sweeps Christie off her feet and changes her life. Who is the mysterious cosplayer that won't even take off his sunglasses indoors? What do you do when you fall in love with a guy who is going to be miles away from you in just a couple of days?
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 11, 2005
38 people are currently reading
1870 people want to read
About the author
Svetlana Chmakova
38 books1,610 followersSvetlana Chmakova (Russian: Светлана Шмакова) (born 1979 in Russia) is a comic creator. She is best known for Dramacon, an original English-language (OEL) manga spanning three volumes and published in North America by Tokyopop. Her other work includes the 2-page The Adventures of CG for CosmoGIRL! magazine and the webcomic Chasing Rainbows for Girlamatic. Though born in Russia, she immigrated to Canada, where she graduated from the Sheridan College Classical Animation program, in 2002. She then began to publish her manga on the Internet, where her works were found by CosmoGirl! magazine.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
November 5, 2018
This review will stand for the entire season (three volumes).
Having enjoyed Chmakova's middle grade books so well, I hunted these down (from my daughter who already owned them). This is an outstanding story and very fun. I loved Christie, and Matt was a great mysterious cool guy. And I bought their connection, not least because Christie is one of those completely authentic people who takes those around her as they are (and that's exactly what Matt needs). The three volumes are a year apart each and seeing them grow into something solid over that time was outstanding.
The series really hits its stride with the second book, and the introduction of Beth. The other side characters also solidify and that makes the story truly stand out. You can see that Chmakova has her turned her empathetic-but-honest eye on comic conventions and, like middle school, humanized the drama in ways I found engaging.
It's not as solid a win as her later work. Both the art and story are less subtle and some of the developments are a little awkward. But that's just an illustration of how she has grown as an artist in her more recent work. In all, a solid four stars and a delightful read.
A note about Chaste: This is a romance, and the characters are adult so sex is a topic. None shows up on-page, though, and the discussions aren't in any way graphic. So I'm marking this chaste, though the couple kisses really are excellent.
Having enjoyed Chmakova's middle grade books so well, I hunted these down (from my daughter who already owned them). This is an outstanding story and very fun. I loved Christie, and Matt was a great mysterious cool guy. And I bought their connection, not least because Christie is one of those completely authentic people who takes those around her as they are (and that's exactly what Matt needs). The three volumes are a year apart each and seeing them grow into something solid over that time was outstanding.
The series really hits its stride with the second book, and the introduction of Beth. The other side characters also solidify and that makes the story truly stand out. You can see that Chmakova has her turned her empathetic-but-honest eye on comic conventions and, like middle school, humanized the drama in ways I found engaging.
It's not as solid a win as her later work. Both the art and story are less subtle and some of the developments are a little awkward. But that's just an illustration of how she has grown as an artist in her more recent work. In all, a solid four stars and a delightful read.
A note about Chaste: This is a romance, and the characters are adult so sex is a topic. None shows up on-page, though, and the discussions aren't in any way graphic. So I'm marking this chaste, though the couple kisses really are excellent.
June 29, 2011
LOVED LOVED LOVED IT!!
Thank you so much Jillian for the recommendation!
Where to start... well... first, Matt is a stud. There, I said it :-p Second, HILARIOUS!! I laughed so much while I was reading it. Third, fantastic, fun art! It was super Japanese! Had I not known it was done by a Canadian originally from Russia, I would have thought this came straight from Japan. And fourth, did I mention hilarious?
Per my usual graphic novel/manga review, I have pictures. But there were soooo many I wanted to take!! I had to narrow it down to a few. So, behold!
First, the sex pot that is Matt
Then, the greatest moment ever. I laughed so hard
I think I dawn this face often :-p
And we'll end it with a sweet one. I absolutely ADORE this picture!! (Matt and Christie)
Thank you so much Jillian for the recommendation!
Where to start... well... first, Matt is a stud. There, I said it :-p Second, HILARIOUS!! I laughed so much while I was reading it. Third, fantastic, fun art! It was super Japanese! Had I not known it was done by a Canadian originally from Russia, I would have thought this came straight from Japan. And fourth, did I mention hilarious?
Per my usual graphic novel/manga review, I have pictures. But there were soooo many I wanted to take!! I had to narrow it down to a few. So, behold!
First, the sex pot that is Matt
Then, the greatest moment ever. I laughed so hard
I think I dawn this face often :-p
And we'll end it with a sweet one. I absolutely ADORE this picture!! (Matt and Christie)
October 15, 2013
How can one put into words how awesome this series is? My cousin recommended me this series long ago, since she had volume 1 at that time. Then, after I got the (entire) series, it sat on my shelf forever, till I decided to take a break from VIZ review eBooks to read some of my own a little, too.
-------------------
Derek, you are a jerk. Anything bad that comes your way, you totally deserve it. You earned it. You really need an "ASSHOLE" badge to wear around. Christie deserves much better, and why she stuck with a prick like you for so long is beyond me.
-------------------
Matt, you are amazing. You take saying rude crap to a new level, but you are always there when Christie really needs you. We all love you.
--------------------
Christie is your basic anime-crazed girl, and if you are reading this manga, I am 98% sure that you see some of yourself in everything she thinks, says, and does. She is very relatable, and that is the main reason we all read this volume.
-------------------
Derek, you are a jerk. Anything bad that comes your way, you totally deserve it. You earned it. You really need an "ASSHOLE" badge to wear around. Christie deserves much better, and why she stuck with a prick like you for so long is beyond me.
-------------------
Matt, you are amazing. You take saying rude crap to a new level, but you are always there when Christie really needs you. We all love you.
--------------------
Christie is your basic anime-crazed girl, and if you are reading this manga, I am 98% sure that you see some of yourself in everything she thinks, says, and does. She is very relatable, and that is the main reason we all read this volume.
July 30, 2017
Had a few issues with it (mainly when it fell into the classic cliches in the middle part), but I really enjoyed it. The art was good, the story was interesting, and loved the main character. Intrigued for the next one.
May 20, 2011
Dramacon is a manga for everyone who's ever gone to an anime convention or simply wanted to attend one. It packs all the excitement, humor, disappointments, and sheer craziness of an anime convention in a smaller, paper and ink format which is much easier for home consumption than a full-sized convention.
Volume one introduces us to Christie, an aspiring comic author attending her first convention. With her are Derek, her artist and boyfriend, and two friends, all of whom clearly have prior con experience under their belts. Christie finds the con scene a bit intimidating -- from transportation issues and lost reservations to crazy cosplayers and huge crowds, it all gets to be overwhelming to a newcomer. But her friends don't notice her floundering-- especially not Derek who is too busy flirting with scantily clad cosplayers under the guise of selling their comic.
Frustrated beyond words, Christie takes off by herself into the con, where she runs into a mysterious cosplayer, a handsome guy in dark shades with a few insecurities of his own...
Dramacon is one of several OEL (Original English Language) manga launched by Tokyopop. I know, OEL manga makes people roll their eyes. But try this one before you snub it. Svetlana Chmakova’s grasp of the medium is solid. Her style makes heavy use of manga visual conventions: big eyes and small mouths abound; anger marks, sparkles, and sweatdrops appear during moments of high emotion; and, yes, characters even become chibified. But not content merely to imitate Japanese artists, she has taken these elements and combined them with clean panel layouts and a style all her own.
The story so far will appeal to fans of shoujo first and foremost. Romance definitely plays a central role in this volume -- Will she dump Derek? Will she connect with the cosplayer? -- and there are also hints of a coming of age story, as Christie tries to find her feet not just at the convention but also as a writer. But even fans of anime and manga who do not read much shoujo will find something to enjoy in this one. Between the fun supporting characters, the hidden references to other manga series, and the nods to fan culture, there's something here for every fan.
Volume one introduces us to Christie, an aspiring comic author attending her first convention. With her are Derek, her artist and boyfriend, and two friends, all of whom clearly have prior con experience under their belts. Christie finds the con scene a bit intimidating -- from transportation issues and lost reservations to crazy cosplayers and huge crowds, it all gets to be overwhelming to a newcomer. But her friends don't notice her floundering-- especially not Derek who is too busy flirting with scantily clad cosplayers under the guise of selling their comic.
Frustrated beyond words, Christie takes off by herself into the con, where she runs into a mysterious cosplayer, a handsome guy in dark shades with a few insecurities of his own...
Dramacon is one of several OEL (Original English Language) manga launched by Tokyopop. I know, OEL manga makes people roll their eyes. But try this one before you snub it. Svetlana Chmakova’s grasp of the medium is solid. Her style makes heavy use of manga visual conventions: big eyes and small mouths abound; anger marks, sparkles, and sweatdrops appear during moments of high emotion; and, yes, characters even become chibified. But not content merely to imitate Japanese artists, she has taken these elements and combined them with clean panel layouts and a style all her own.
The story so far will appeal to fans of shoujo first and foremost. Romance definitely plays a central role in this volume -- Will she dump Derek? Will she connect with the cosplayer? -- and there are also hints of a coming of age story, as Christie tries to find her feet not just at the convention but also as a writer. But even fans of anime and manga who do not read much shoujo will find something to enjoy in this one. Between the fun supporting characters, the hidden references to other manga series, and the nods to fan culture, there's something here for every fan.
June 25, 2017
There was a time when Tokyopop was just throwing manga at us like it was candy at a parade and a lot of that manga being picked from their Rising of the Manga Stars contest or whatever. And, let's be honest, a majority of that manga was terrible. It was getting to the point where the manga section was filled with first volumes of really amateur manga that I don't think lasted more than a few volumes. (It probably explains why the company went bankrupt). And the one that I remember making me roll my eyes and cringe the most...was Dramacon.
This comic was so fucking cheesy that I just can't even count how many evens I just can't. The first volume is packed with terrible pacing, horrible characters, and really, really bad attempts at being funny.
First, the main character looks like she's twelve and she's a pushover when it comes to her annoyingly hyper friends or her lame-haircut boyfriend. Second, she gets mad at her lame-haircut boyfriend for flirting with other women, runs off crying, then runs into the Trenchcoat Guy where she falls into his arms and weeps. He makes her mad by calling her a spineless newbie, but he's hot so whatever. Third, after a bunch of shit-I-don't-care about, lame-haircut boyfriend gets piss drunk and jealous after he saw her with the Trenchcoat Guy, and instead of walking the fuck away because you'll never win an argument with a drunk person, she proceeds to argue with a drunk person. He tries to force himself on her but thankfully she escapes. Fourth, instead of, I dunno, calling the police because her boyfriend attempted rape, she lets it all go and enjoys the rest of the Con before leaving with a note instructing her to call the Trenchcoat Guy because there weren't any signs that he liked her. (I will give major props to the artist for the making the Trenchcoat Guy so likable. He was the best part of the comic.)
I'm just wondering how this comic escalated so quickly to the point that it was almost hilarious.
The series did not age well and I don't see it being as popular as it was over a decade ago.
This comic was so fucking cheesy that I just can't even count how many evens I just can't. The first volume is packed with terrible pacing, horrible characters, and really, really bad attempts at being funny.
First, the main character looks like she's twelve and she's a pushover when it comes to her annoyingly hyper friends or her lame-haircut boyfriend. Second, she gets mad at her lame-haircut boyfriend for flirting with other women, runs off crying, then runs into the Trenchcoat Guy where she falls into his arms and weeps. He makes her mad by calling her a spineless newbie, but he's hot so whatever. Third, after a bunch of shit-I-don't-care about, lame-haircut boyfriend gets piss drunk and jealous after he saw her with the Trenchcoat Guy, and instead of walking the fuck away because you'll never win an argument with a drunk person, she proceeds to argue with a drunk person. He tries to force himself on her but thankfully she escapes. Fourth, instead of, I dunno, calling the police because her boyfriend attempted rape, she lets it all go and enjoys the rest of the Con before leaving with a note instructing her to call the Trenchcoat Guy because there weren't any signs that he liked her. (I will give major props to the artist for the making the Trenchcoat Guy so likable. He was the best part of the comic.)
I'm just wondering how this comic escalated so quickly to the point that it was almost hilarious.
The series did not age well and I don't see it being as popular as it was over a decade ago.
March 10, 2024
Szóval ez az a manga, amiről nem tudok objektíven nyilatkozni. Életem első mangája volt, mástól kölcsön, és most némi kutatgatás után megszereztem mind a 3 kötetét. Túl nagy a nosztalgiafaktor és az imádat...
Nagyon szeretem a rajzolást is, a humorát is, és a romantikát is benne. Életemben nem voltam conon, ehhez messze nem vagyok eléggé anime-/mangaőrült ( a mainstreameket nem is nézem/olvasom), és tippre az itthoni egyébként sem akkora volumenű rendezvény, mint a Dramacon conja. De annyira jól esik olvasni!!! Az egyetlen szívfájdalmam, hogy nincs belőle anime.
Nagyon szeretem a rajzolást is, a humorát is, és a romantikát is benne. Életemben nem voltam conon, ehhez messze nem vagyok eléggé anime-/mangaőrült ( a mainstreameket nem is nézem/olvasom), és tippre az itthoni egyébként sem akkora volumenű rendezvény, mint a Dramacon conja. De annyira jól esik olvasni!!! Az egyetlen szívfájdalmam, hogy nincs belőle anime.
February 3, 2008
I love this book to death and I CAN'T WAIT for the third one to come out. It's also one of the very first non japanese written manga books I've ever read and if you've ever read book two IT IS MANGA AND PIZZA IS STILL PIZZA EVEN IF ITS NOT MADE IN ITALY BY AN ITALIAN PERSON
August 25, 2020
I received the omnibus from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. This in the end is the only volume I could read of this comic/graphic novel. It just wasn’t for me.
I was very excited about the omnibus, I had read some parts of the comic already but never the whole thing so I wanted to check it out. However, after just one volume I had enough. It also definitely didn’t help that the characters were mostly eh (with the exception of Matt’s friends).
Trigger warning for: cheating, attempted rape.
There was one thing I absolutely loved and that was the con stuff. I have been to a few cons and had plenty of fun so I could recognise several things in this one. I loved wandering through the dealerroom, check out people’s work in the art alley, dance on music, check out karaoke (too shy to actually participate though), eat all the food (though that was one of the problems with the cons here… the food or the lack thereof), meet friends, maybe do some casual or full cosplay. Going home with all your fun new things and unpacking them. Eating all the pocky. Yum.
The art, while over the top and strange I didn’t mind it that much. There were definitely some good moments in it.
Derek was an ass. For real. You can talk to who you want, that is totally OK, but if you are clearly actively flirting and making eyes at their bodies? Then you are just being a dick and come on you are in a relationship. You should know that this isn’t the kind of thing to do. Stop being so rude and mean towards your girlfriend, do you know how it feels for her that you do these things?
But OH BOY at the part of the drunk argument. Warning for attempted rape. I just wanted to punch him. Bah, horrible person. I feel sorry for his next girlfriend, I hope someone warns them.
Really, Derek reminded me of one of my exes in the flirting stuff and being a dick about stuff.
BUT, I also wasn’t a fan of Christie. She is all preaching to her boyfriend (and for the first part of the book I fully agreed with her), but along the way she almost kisses a guy and then later kisses him fully (OK, he started it but she clearly didn’t mind it for most of the kiss). I am sorry, but flirting is one thing, but kissing? NO. I am sure people will get angry at me, I don’t care. She is not even sorry for the fact she did it and then comes with the whole thing of But you flirt. Yes, that is bad, but GIRL, you kissed a dude. You are clearly also flirting with him. Come on. Stop acting all holy.
Also, I didn’t get why she was still with him as it was clear this wasn’t the first time he was doing this crap…
I also still don’t know how old she is, given how she acts a lot of the time I would say 13? But if I look up 11th grade + American + age in Google it says she should be around 16…
But I did like seeing her discover the con, I know how my first con felt, it was pretty scary, but quite soon you enjoy it and find stuff to like. I loved seeing her meet with a favourite writer and get some fun moments with that there, I hope she later meets her again. I was so happy when she found her place and started enjoying the con.
Plus, urgh at instalove. That is one of those tropes I just could do without in my life. While I did see the attraction somewhere between Matt and Christie… it just went WAY too fast for me. It took me a bit to see that Matt meant well, that he was just hiding behind rude remarks.
The ending was OK-ish, I am glad that the sister did that, because otherwise it will never happen. I am kind of curious how they will make it work and if she actually calls him.
But yeah, I am never going to find out if she does… because again, this was just not for me. 2 stars for the fun con stuff, for seeing a girl discover cons, for some other moments. But that is it.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I was very excited about the omnibus, I had read some parts of the comic already but never the whole thing so I wanted to check it out. However, after just one volume I had enough. It also definitely didn’t help that the characters were mostly eh (with the exception of Matt’s friends).
Trigger warning for: cheating, attempted rape.
There was one thing I absolutely loved and that was the con stuff. I have been to a few cons and had plenty of fun so I could recognise several things in this one. I loved wandering through the dealerroom, check out people’s work in the art alley, dance on music, check out karaoke (too shy to actually participate though), eat all the food (though that was one of the problems with the cons here… the food or the lack thereof), meet friends, maybe do some casual or full cosplay. Going home with all your fun new things and unpacking them. Eating all the pocky. Yum.
The art, while over the top and strange I didn’t mind it that much. There were definitely some good moments in it.
Derek was an ass. For real. You can talk to who you want, that is totally OK, but if you are clearly actively flirting and making eyes at their bodies? Then you are just being a dick and come on you are in a relationship. You should know that this isn’t the kind of thing to do. Stop being so rude and mean towards your girlfriend, do you know how it feels for her that you do these things?
But OH BOY at the part of the drunk argument. Warning for attempted rape. I just wanted to punch him. Bah, horrible person. I feel sorry for his next girlfriend, I hope someone warns them.
Really, Derek reminded me of one of my exes in the flirting stuff and being a dick about stuff.
BUT, I also wasn’t a fan of Christie. She is all preaching to her boyfriend (and for the first part of the book I fully agreed with her), but along the way she almost kisses a guy and then later kisses him fully (OK, he started it but she clearly didn’t mind it for most of the kiss). I am sorry, but flirting is one thing, but kissing? NO. I am sure people will get angry at me, I don’t care. She is not even sorry for the fact she did it and then comes with the whole thing of But you flirt. Yes, that is bad, but GIRL, you kissed a dude. You are clearly also flirting with him. Come on. Stop acting all holy.
Also, I didn’t get why she was still with him as it was clear this wasn’t the first time he was doing this crap…
I also still don’t know how old she is, given how she acts a lot of the time I would say 13? But if I look up 11th grade + American + age in Google it says she should be around 16…
But I did like seeing her discover the con, I know how my first con felt, it was pretty scary, but quite soon you enjoy it and find stuff to like. I loved seeing her meet with a favourite writer and get some fun moments with that there, I hope she later meets her again. I was so happy when she found her place and started enjoying the con.
Plus, urgh at instalove. That is one of those tropes I just could do without in my life. While I did see the attraction somewhere between Matt and Christie… it just went WAY too fast for me. It took me a bit to see that Matt meant well, that he was just hiding behind rude remarks.
The ending was OK-ish, I am glad that the sister did that, because otherwise it will never happen. I am kind of curious how they will make it work and if she actually calls him.
But yeah, I am never going to find out if she does… because again, this was just not for me. 2 stars for the fun con stuff, for seeing a girl discover cons, for some other moments. But that is it.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
September 17, 2020
CW: sexual assault, attempted rape
This is such a cute little convention story, wahh! I don't always LOVE the art style, but it's pretty cute overall. It also made me really miss the craziness of conventions. I love Christie, and her interaction with a manga artist/author she loves was PROBABLY the best part of this entire volume. Seriously, I laughed out loud. I also adore Matt and his sister (whose name eludes me at the moment).
This is the first in a series of 3 books. Apparently each is set a year apart as they meet up at the same convention. I'm definitely going to read volume 2, where Christie comes back with a new (BETTER) artist to partner with and find out Matt has a girlfriend! OH NO!
A digital ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss+ for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
This is such a cute little convention story, wahh! I don't always LOVE the art style, but it's pretty cute overall. It also made me really miss the craziness of conventions. I love Christie, and her interaction with a manga artist/author she loves was PROBABLY the best part of this entire volume. Seriously, I laughed out loud. I also adore Matt and his sister (whose name eludes me at the moment).
This is the first in a series of 3 books. Apparently each is set a year apart as they meet up at the same convention. I'm definitely going to read volume 2, where Christie comes back with a new (BETTER) artist to partner with and find out Matt has a girlfriend! OH NO!
A digital ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss+ for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
July 1, 2023
A cute time capsule of mid/early 2000s anime con culture, complete with the dated joss whedon-y humor and casual misogyny that flourished back then. While it highlights some of the lows, it also clearly has a lot of affection for the con scene and it’s a fun look back on a time when you could actually get snacks at cons and not have to eat shitty Aramark burgers sponsored by the venue or whatever lmao
Christy is the heart of this volume and she’s endearing yet flawed enough to make her a likable, interesting protag that carries the story while we don’t really know any of the other characters very well yet. It’s nice seeing her grow up but there’s clearly still plenty of her story left to tell and it ends on a nice hook for volume 2.
I guess I’m back in my oel manga era now lmao
Christy is the heart of this volume and she’s endearing yet flawed enough to make her a likable, interesting protag that carries the story while we don’t really know any of the other characters very well yet. It’s nice seeing her grow up but there’s clearly still plenty of her story left to tell and it ends on a nice hook for volume 2.
I guess I’m back in my oel manga era now lmao
July 10, 2018
Perfection.
January 24, 2025
4.5 ★
derek is so the worst i am glad of any misfortune that befalls him. this is so fun. sooooo fun. can't wait to read the rest.
derek is so the worst i am glad of any misfortune that befalls him. this is so fun. sooooo fun. can't wait to read the rest.
May 27, 2024
It’s cute but the art is kind of eh? Also why is she in 11th grade and he’s a freshman in college?
May 15, 2025
Oli tosi nostalgista lukea tätä parikymmentä vuotta ilmestyminen ja hankinnan jälkeen.
January 22, 2018
Have you ever read a comic book? If you have, then I suggest reading the manga book, Dramacon by Svetlana Chmakova. This realistic fiction book is about a girl named Christie who goes to her first anime convention with her boyfriend, Derek, and three other friends. Derek is very overprotective of Christie even though he hangs out with other girls, but once he finds out that she has been hanging out with a mysterious cosplayer, things start to get wild. Dramacon was an amazing book that led me to want to learn more about the origin of manga.
I thought that Dramacon was a great book from how it had so much drama and action in it. For example, when Derek finds out that Christie has been hanging out with the mysterious cosplayer, he starts to cause a scene at the cafe`, that is in their apartment building. The cosplayer and Derek start to argue with each other until Christie jumps in and stops everything. “‘Don’t tell me how to talk to my girlfriend!’, Derek yells, ‘While you’re dreaming--how about a pony, too?’ the cosplayer says, ‘Shut up!’” Christie yells stopping everything.(p. 72) Many scenes in this novel are similar to this cafe scene. This book creates a visual sense to the story and plots in it as well. In the beginning of the story, Christie is in her friends’ car with the people that are going to the convention with her. Everyone is talking while Christie is complaining about how the driver hit a raccoon and went through a red light. All throughout the book many events happen that make it so exciting and entertaining.
Svetlana Chmakova is the author of Dramacon. She was born October 7, 1979 in Russia, and moved to Canada at age 16. She wrote the book mostly due to how she attended anime conventions so often. Chmakova thought of the idea of two total strangers coming together when she encountered the same cosplayer at the same convention for two years straight. She didn't speak to the person at all, but instead created a story behind him that linked him to the book that she was writing. This links to the manga book because it sets the plots of the story between Christie and the cosplayer. Chmakova works with the company Tokyopop to help publish her books. She has created other mangas also published by the same company too. Mangas are what seems to be her main genre and that is also what I want to research. I want to know what the origin of the manga genre is and how it has come to be what it is today.
In conclusion, my opinion of Dramacon, is that it is a great book that has much detail and is very entertaining with all the drama and action. I would recommend this book to people who like mangas, comic books, or teen fiction books from how the story takes a realistic feel to it. These type of book contain most, if not all, main points to a normal book. Much may think that sense manga books are similar to comic books, that they are childish or “not-a-real-novel”. Even though some may feel that way, manga books are not so different from other novels. I strongly like mangas and do, recommend them to others.
I thought that Dramacon was a great book from how it had so much drama and action in it. For example, when Derek finds out that Christie has been hanging out with the mysterious cosplayer, he starts to cause a scene at the cafe`, that is in their apartment building. The cosplayer and Derek start to argue with each other until Christie jumps in and stops everything. “‘Don’t tell me how to talk to my girlfriend!’, Derek yells, ‘While you’re dreaming--how about a pony, too?’ the cosplayer says, ‘Shut up!’” Christie yells stopping everything.(p. 72) Many scenes in this novel are similar to this cafe scene. This book creates a visual sense to the story and plots in it as well. In the beginning of the story, Christie is in her friends’ car with the people that are going to the convention with her. Everyone is talking while Christie is complaining about how the driver hit a raccoon and went through a red light. All throughout the book many events happen that make it so exciting and entertaining.
Svetlana Chmakova is the author of Dramacon. She was born October 7, 1979 in Russia, and moved to Canada at age 16. She wrote the book mostly due to how she attended anime conventions so often. Chmakova thought of the idea of two total strangers coming together when she encountered the same cosplayer at the same convention for two years straight. She didn't speak to the person at all, but instead created a story behind him that linked him to the book that she was writing. This links to the manga book because it sets the plots of the story between Christie and the cosplayer. Chmakova works with the company Tokyopop to help publish her books. She has created other mangas also published by the same company too. Mangas are what seems to be her main genre and that is also what I want to research. I want to know what the origin of the manga genre is and how it has come to be what it is today.
In conclusion, my opinion of Dramacon, is that it is a great book that has much detail and is very entertaining with all the drama and action. I would recommend this book to people who like mangas, comic books, or teen fiction books from how the story takes a realistic feel to it. These type of book contain most, if not all, main points to a normal book. Much may think that sense manga books are similar to comic books, that they are childish or “not-a-real-novel”. Even though some may feel that way, manga books are not so different from other novels. I strongly like mangas and do, recommend them to others.
January 15, 2008
I normally don't add anime/manga books that I've read because there's too many in the series (Bleach has 21 and Prince of Tennis is up there too). But Dramacon was soo good, I had to write a review.
It's surprising that I'd like this book in the first place, since it is mainly a romance, which I normally don't like. But Dramacon makes romance realistic. The characters don't automatically fall in love, like with most books. The main character, Christie is a bit of a klutz, and is at her first anime convention selling her manga with her boyfriend and his buddies. Derek (said boyfriend) is a huge flirt and the stereotypical egostitical male. He treats Christie like dirt, and shamelessly flirts with every girl he sees. When she finally confronts him and informs him that she is breaking up with him, Derek becomes violent. She escapes and goes to Matt and his sister, Sandra, who she met earlier, for help. Feelings kinda develop between Christie and Matt, but it ends up not going anywhere (at least for now :) ).
Although my review might make the book seem shallow and superficial, the characters are really well thought out. Matt is a complex character whose defensive personality confuses Christie and the reader. And I liked that there wasn't a "happily ever after." Christie ends up going home, as does Matt, with only their memories of each other. Until the next book that is.
It's surprising that I'd like this book in the first place, since it is mainly a romance, which I normally don't like. But Dramacon makes romance realistic. The characters don't automatically fall in love, like with most books. The main character, Christie is a bit of a klutz, and is at her first anime convention selling her manga with her boyfriend and his buddies. Derek (said boyfriend) is a huge flirt and the stereotypical egostitical male. He treats Christie like dirt, and shamelessly flirts with every girl he sees. When she finally confronts him and informs him that she is breaking up with him, Derek becomes violent. She escapes and goes to Matt and his sister, Sandra, who she met earlier, for help. Feelings kinda develop between Christie and Matt, but it ends up not going anywhere (at least for now :) ).
Although my review might make the book seem shallow and superficial, the characters are really well thought out. Matt is a complex character whose defensive personality confuses Christie and the reader. And I liked that there wasn't a "happily ever after." Christie ends up going home, as does Matt, with only their memories of each other. Until the next book that is.
August 12, 2019
The art in this was charming and I like the idea of a manga style art style being about the con-life style and artist alley creators!
I was really enjoying this as a middle grade read, but I was surprised when some adult situations would just sneak in...One of them being especially a serious topic. I would suggest this read to a bit more mature readers, perhaps young adult? This was not my favorite, but I see it's potential to be interesting and fun. There is no really set audience for this and I think that's why it lost my interest rather quickly. If this was dedicated J or YA read I think it would do better. ~Ashley
I was really impressed with Awkward by the same author and I highly recommend!
I was really enjoying this as a middle grade read, but I was surprised when some adult situations would just sneak in...One of them being especially a serious topic. I would suggest this read to a bit more mature readers, perhaps young adult? This was not my favorite, but I see it's potential to be interesting and fun. There is no really set audience for this and I think that's why it lost my interest rather quickly. If this was dedicated J or YA read I think it would do better. ~Ashley
I was really impressed with Awkward by the same author and I highly recommend!
June 26, 2013
Plot: I love manga about manga lately. I highly suggest Bakuman to those who enjoy Dramacon. This one is about a girl Christie who goes to a con with her boyfriend and falls for a handsome older guy who only has one eye. Her boyfriend is a jerk and they end up in some iffy situations in which this mysterious guy rescues her time and again. The con ends and there's no resolution between the two, but there's always next year. I couldn't seem to put down this book for long the plot really pulled me in.
Characters: I loved Christie and her shy yet outrageous personality. I love how in the book they likened her to intense manga characters that couldn't really exist in real life. Matt is a broading handsome boy who really drew my interest as a reader and I love how opposite he was from Christie. I'm rooting for the two of them to come together at the end of this series. I loved the way the characters were designed and enjoyed their interactions with each other as well as the other characters in the book.
Final Verdict: A fun graphic novel, with some hard topics in the way of relationships. Definitely a series I won't be able to get enough of.
Characters: I loved Christie and her shy yet outrageous personality. I love how in the book they likened her to intense manga characters that couldn't really exist in real life. Matt is a broading handsome boy who really drew my interest as a reader and I love how opposite he was from Christie. I'm rooting for the two of them to come together at the end of this series. I loved the way the characters were designed and enjoyed their interactions with each other as well as the other characters in the book.
Final Verdict: A fun graphic novel, with some hard topics in the way of relationships. Definitely a series I won't be able to get enough of.
May 29, 2025
Arvostelu koko sarjan perusteella:
Okei, tämä vaatii ehkä selitystä. Minua on alkanut viime vuosina kiehtoa yhä enemmän nämä takavuosien länsimaisten piirtäjien “mangasarjat”, joita tuntui tiettyyn aikaan tulevan suomeksi enemmän kuin varsinaista mangaa. Monet näistä ovat kadonneet kirjastosta aikoja sitten, ja koska uusia painoksia ei ole otettu tai tulossa, ainoa keino on metsästää näitä käytettynä. Viime Desucon Frostbitessa ostin Aoi Housen ja Dramaconin itselleni luettavaksi, saa nähdä mitä hienoja ostopäätöksiä teen tulevaisuudessa uteliaisuuteni vuoksi :D Odotin siis aikamoista kuraa ja oletuksena, mutta ei tälle kyllä kykene antamaan yhtä tähteä enempää. Aika kamala sekasotku, joskin con-ympäristöstä on mielenkiintoista lukea. Yllättäen iskevät vakavat hetket tulevat todellakin puskista. Piirtäjän tyyliä voisin kuvailla lähinnä vänkyräksi. Viimeisen osan kirsikka paskakakun päällä on kohtaus, jossa hahmon äiti joutuu vakavaan liikenneonnettomuuteen HAHMON TOIVOTTUA SITÄ RIIDAN PÄÄTTEEKSI!! It’s giving Salkkarit.
Okei, tämä vaatii ehkä selitystä. Minua on alkanut viime vuosina kiehtoa yhä enemmän nämä takavuosien länsimaisten piirtäjien “mangasarjat”, joita tuntui tiettyyn aikaan tulevan suomeksi enemmän kuin varsinaista mangaa. Monet näistä ovat kadonneet kirjastosta aikoja sitten, ja koska uusia painoksia ei ole otettu tai tulossa, ainoa keino on metsästää näitä käytettynä. Viime Desucon Frostbitessa ostin Aoi Housen ja Dramaconin itselleni luettavaksi, saa nähdä mitä hienoja ostopäätöksiä teen tulevaisuudessa uteliaisuuteni vuoksi :D Odotin siis aikamoista kuraa ja oletuksena, mutta ei tälle kyllä kykene antamaan yhtä tähteä enempää. Aika kamala sekasotku, joskin con-ympäristöstä on mielenkiintoista lukea. Yllättäen iskevät vakavat hetket tulevat todellakin puskista. Piirtäjän tyyliä voisin kuvailla lähinnä vänkyräksi. Viimeisen osan kirsikka paskakakun päällä on kohtaus, jossa hahmon äiti joutuu vakavaan liikenneonnettomuuteen HAHMON TOIVOTTUA SITÄ RIIDAN PÄÄTTEEKSI!! It’s giving Salkkarit.
February 7, 2016
Oh, that was extremely nice!
I've already read something by Svetlana Čmakova in the anthology Telling Tales and her contribution was the best. So I kept her under my radar till the day I could put my hands on the whole series.
And boy, I was right!
I really enjoyed the first volume of her series. Christie is a perfect main character and I love the part when she's all sweet and innocent towards Matt one second and all mad and devilish to Derek the next. I really like the art and the way the author could play with her style drawing the characters both in a serious way but also as super-deformed figures.
The plot was quite good, too. I was on the verge of virtually kicking Derek where the sun doesn't shine but in the end Christie herself gives him what he deserves. Eh, eh, eh. :-)
Really looking forward to volume 2.
I've already read something by Svetlana Čmakova in the anthology Telling Tales and her contribution was the best. So I kept her under my radar till the day I could put my hands on the whole series.
And boy, I was right!
I really enjoyed the first volume of her series. Christie is a perfect main character and I love the part when she's all sweet and innocent towards Matt one second and all mad and devilish to Derek the next. I really like the art and the way the author could play with her style drawing the characters both in a serious way but also as super-deformed figures.
The plot was quite good, too. I was on the verge of virtually kicking Derek where the sun doesn't shine but in the end Christie herself gives him what he deserves. Eh, eh, eh. :-)
Really looking forward to volume 2.
May 18, 2009
I have never managed to read a manga past the first page or two. Something about the format bothered me, I had thought. Apparently, I was just reading sub-par stuff, because I unabashedly devoured this in one sitting. It's a girly romance set in an Anime Convention, so I only recommend it if that premise doesn't scare you. But being a ComicCon devotee myself, I could identify with the con humor, and quickly got caught up in the very grounded and realistic characters, and triumphed with them on their succeses. And yes, they go all zany with the anime face effecs, but it's actually used in such a great "addition to the story" layer that I can finally see the appeal of this style.
November 17, 2019
Why do I still like this? I even remembered the name of the love interest, Matt, even though I haven't picked this book up in like, ten years. Matt is such a dream boat. He made my (probably) sixteen-year-old heart flutter and he's still doing it to me today. I also really like the ending, with the promise of more.
This was one of the first American manga series I read and it made me fall in love with doujinshi and western manga. I've slightly fallen out of (Ameri)manga recently because I've fallen into the hole that is (superhero) comic books, but hot damn if Dramacon don't ignite them nostalgia flames.
This was one of the first American manga series I read and it made me fall in love with doujinshi and western manga. I've slightly fallen out of (Ameri)manga recently because I've fallen into the hole that is (superhero) comic books, but hot damn if Dramacon don't ignite them nostalgia flames.
October 20, 2009
A fun sitcom of a manga, as an aspiring young writer travels to her first con and makes friends, deals with relationship issues and keeps crossing paths with a young artist with an attitude that may or may not want to be more than friends.
Brilliant stuff full of likable characters, humor that doesn't feel forced, the joyful chaos that is a con and several moments of 'will they, won't they?' where you really want to know and doesn't feel obvious or forced.
A nice little story that would make a good movie.
Brilliant stuff full of likable characters, humor that doesn't feel forced, the joyful chaos that is a con and several moments of 'will they, won't they?' where you really want to know and doesn't feel obvious or forced.
A nice little story that would make a good movie.
December 10, 2018
I have a few manga series I come back to every few years or so--and Dramacon is one of them! I read this in high school years and years ago. I was delighted by the offbeat humor, the ridiculously over-the-top characters, and gooey Shojo romance. Dramacon is such fun and a lovely tribute to the fun weirdness of anime culture.
April 11, 2008
I don't even know what to say about this, other than the fourteen year old girl inside my was jumping up and down in glee. It's enough to make a girl want to go to an anime con and meet a floppy-haired cosplayer. Awwww.
October 3, 2012
I loved it, it was so cute and so interesting. I kept thinking what is she going to do next. I was so angry when the guy was hanging out with another girl. I was cussing him out....... Then you know the rest happened I was like aww so cute.
August 12, 2016
Surprisingly accurate depiction of Con life, including coffee runs, panic-inducing crowds, and becoming best friends with people you met two hours ago. Unfortunately the accuracy also includes the depiction of sexual assault.
Cute romance (NOT involving sexual assault guy).
Cute romance (NOT involving sexual assault guy).
May 14, 2021
I felt triggered by the relatable first boyfriend "experience" (the gaslighting, the control issues..) but super loved the real love interest in this. Made this a really deep but cute manga. Can't wait to read the rest!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews