DI GI CHARAT THEATER: Dejiko's Summer Vacation

Originally created as the mascot of a gaming store in Japan, Dejiko is an adorable (surprise!) 10-year-old alien from the planet Di Gi Charat. She looks mostly human, except for her cat ears and tail. Her closest companions are a two-dimensional floating smiley face named Gema, and another alien from her planet, a five-year-old named Puchiko who also sports ears and tail and has her own two-dimensional companion. Their adventures revolve around the store Dejiko was created for, Gamers, and the final member of their crowd is a co-worker, a human girl named Rabi-en-Rose with rabbit ears who wears a uniform reminiscent of a French maid outfit. Dynamic b&w sketches depict the heroines' adventures, which center around the trials of being working girls with limited free time and meager funds. Readers see them frolic on the beach and witness the girls' difficulty in coming up with new Gamer merchandise. They follow Dejiko as she pretends to have a personality change and coaches Puchiko through practicing her laser eye beam skills. Those yearning to delve deeply into all things Dejiko will be delighted, as much of the book is devoted to the minutiae of her history and personality. The book includes the first strips she appeared in and a calendar of pithy sayings featuring all the characters. Diagrams explain their personality traits, and a lengthy translation key reveals the nuances of Japanese terms used in the work. Despite its playfulness, this work should have narrow appeal; it's strictly for hardcore fans and readers interested in the origins of new characters. (Nov.)