Before we go any further, I’d highly recommend watching the demo video above to get an idea of what ComiPo! is and what it can do. It really is quite stunning.
All done? Great! ComiPo! is a digital manga-creation suite, in development at Web Technology Com Corp, based in Tokyo. The suite revolves around the idea of making it so anyone with a PC and can create manga by themselves. As demonstrated in the video, you use a collection of pre-made backdrops and 3D character models rendered to resemble black and white manga images in order to create your content.
ComiPo! comes with a bunch of default 3D models that you can use right off the bat, but you can also create your own characters for use. In addition, once ComiPo! is released commercially, monthly downloadable content in the form of new art assets will be made available for use. The software also includes a filter to give imported images and photos a 2D manga make-over.
Web Technology General Manager, Keiichi Tanaka, says that while ComiPo! can be used by amateurs to create manga, it will also be of use to professional manga-ka for creating storyboard layouts. This, he believes, could impact the need for assistants in the manga field.
While the initial version will not include the custom 3D modeling feature, an updated build set for next year will. Support for languages other than Japanese (including English) are all part of the plan as well. An open-beta of the software will be made available at the software’s official website in November.
ComiPo! is slated for a December release in Japan. Editor-in-Chief of Otaku USA magazine, Patrick Macias, has a detailed write-up and analysis of the software on his blog.
