For this Omake installment, I’m going to do something a little different. Today’s post is about the P.S. Triple books and anthology doujinshi, but instead of just writing about them, I’d like to show you these items alongside some light commentary.
Before that, though, here’s a proper introduction. P.S. Triple was collected into four books over the course of its run. However, seeing as how there were only 120 webcomics total, a lot of the content of these books consists of print-original material! In fact, the first book is the only one in which most of the comics originated online. Also, in addition to the four commercially-released collections, IKa and many other artists put together two “official” anthology doujinshi.
What follows are a bunch of photos showing off some of the contents of these six publications. They are all now out of print, but if you’re interested in acquiring any of them, most are inexpensive and not hard to find on Japanese sites that sell second-hand goods (I recommend Suruga-ya, though a proxy service is required).
There are a lot of photos in this post, so I’ve broken them up into five sections, one for each individual book and both doujinshi. Click on the images below to get started!
All the book and doujinshi covers. Let’s check out Vol. 1!
The covers of the four official books, with their obi removed. As with many other Japanese books, the obi contains promotional information from the publisher.
Here are the back covers of the books. The unfamiliar characters will be introduced later on in these galleries.
Vol. 1 starts off with an author’s note on the inner jacket flap, and a title page.
The first set of comics in Vol. 1 are the twenty full-color strips that Mission One translated for their apps (and that I’ve reposted on this site). The titles Mission One gave to each comic came from these pages.
The webcomics are also given titles on their pages, unlike in their original online postings.
In Vol. 1, the first eighty webcomics are included; again, like in the Mission One apps and on this site. Between sets of twenty comics, there’s an illustration break like this one.
Following the webcomics are four monochrome (but not pixelated) strips. P.S. Triple appeared in the magazine GameSide at one point, so perhaps that’s where these comics originated from?
As is customary for many manga creators, IKa included some autobiographical “behind the scenes” comics toward the end.
There are also guest comics and illustrations in each volume, as well as special features.
The publication info and a bonus color comic that seems to involve the anime Lucky Star somehow. Note that my copy of Vol. 1 is a second printing.
Take off the dust jacket and the covers underneath reveal silhouette comics. This one on the back cover of Vol. 1 is clearly riffing off of the Professor Layton game series.
The Amazon.co.jp limited-edition version of Vol. 2.
A closer look at the phone strap and charms. The charms are of Triple and Whee!, while the strap features a lineup of familiar characters.
The back side of the strap.
Each volume begins with a spread of character profiles. Vol. 2’s newcomers include Go-chan (to Pea’s left), PC Engine-san (black hair), FX-san (blue hair, pink dress), and (hope I’m reading this right) Gear-chan (dark blue pigtails).
The LL (aka XL) form of Dee S. made her debut around this time.
The first of two Fallout 3-related comics. The notes off to the side of each strip seem to be there to explain references and provide commentary in general.
Go-chan, modeled after the PSP Go, as seen in the webcomic.
Some of the books, starting with Vol. 2, also feature 4koma in a format more commonly seen in these sorts of collections.
More special features abound in Vol. 2, including an interview with IKa.
The Amazon.co.jp-exclusive version of Vol. 3, complete with a special cover.
The Triple figure comes in four pieces, including the base. It’s quite easy to assemble.
Here’s the Triple figure with (what else) a DualShock 3 for scale.
Co-B returns! The little heart inside Co-A’s mouth in the last panel is a nice touch. Three guesses as to the game series being discussed, and the first two don’t count.
Some of the new hardware topics in Vol. 3 include the PlayStation Move and Microsoft’s Kinect. The latter seems to have given X-Locks some spooky new powers.
In addition to the regular comics sections, there’s a new full-color one devoted to retro console idols. The new faces this time are 64-san (green hair) and Saturn-san (grey dress).
A guest contribution with an illustration and prose.
Another new section is titled “Regame-san & Imagame-san” and includes both monochrome and full color comics. This series does not seem to be set in Triple’s universe.
On to Vol. 4!
I haven’t shown off a Table of Contents page for any of these books, so here’s the one for Vol. 4!
And here’s the inventory slip, survey(?) postcard, and promo flyer that came with Vol. 4.
Some of the comics in Vol. 4 try a few different things in terms of formatting.
…and not just the color comics, either.
On the right, the end of a guest prose section, and on the left, Sayga– I mean, Megadrive-san.
The latest additions to the retro console idol lineup are Sufami-san (upper left), Game B-chan (lower right), and the aforementioned Megadrive-san.
Regame-san & Imagame-san continues in Vol. 4.
One final author’s note! Unfortunately, it has left Saygah in a melancholy mood.
Here’s some brief glimpses at both of the anthology doujinshi!
The back covers of the anthology doujins.
A detailed illustration on the first anthology’s page of contents. Since it is generally considered bad form to repost a doujinshika’s work without permission, I am only presenting a small sampling of each doujin.
X-Locks fantasizes about what sort of game Dead or Alive could be. Of course, it isn’t what she expected.
The return of the Bar Lynx!
Two (of three) of the pages with contact info for each of the first anthology’s contributors. See if you can spot the references to Earthbound, Gears of War, and Shiren the Wanderer!
The first anthology ends with contributions by IKa himself.
A shoujo-like contribution in the second anthology. The range of styles in both books is pretty impressive.
See what I mean? Another set of comics in a very different style.
As with the first anthology, references to various games abound. Here, Vita-chan is dressed like Kat, the main character in Gravity Rush.
And here’s our final image for this post. This has been my most labor-intensive Omake yet, so I hope you all enjoyed it ^^;
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