Bakuman

[Kou]

A much better episode

Spoiler: episode 13

This episode was all about the main characters’ debut into the NEXT magazine, the introduction of Shounen JumpJack’s rating system and Moritaka and Miho finally start exchanging mails with each other.

I’ve heard from a lot of manga readers that the rivalry between our lead characters and Eiji Nizuma is supposed to be very good. In this episode I caught my first glimpse of interest in this. It finally introduces a bit of tension between their manga with the rating system. The differences are thankfully made not too big like you see in some shounen series, and if developed well and interestingly it definitely has potential.

 

[corocoro]

Spoiler: 13

Miyoshi brings some humour to the series, that's for sure! Actually they did work on making the whole thing funnier and less of a drag - even the relationship parts seem to flow better now.
Story wise they managed to get serialised and made up a penname (created by Miyoshi) so that there won't be trouble in school. There's a few more details about how magazines work and the rivalry between editors revealed, most important of all the titbits about the questionnaires. It's also shown that Miyoshi's uncle never got first in a questionnaire, so that's their next goal as well as finishing up the chapters for serialisation, so they can sway Hattori to run with them before they finish high school. They do miss out on getting first place and only manage third, slightly below the second one.
Disheartened they take the name for the first three chapters of their first published manga back with them. They also reorientate themselves toward a mainstream manga.
All in all a very good episode and I hope they continue as strong as this.

 

[Kou]

Remix of OP meh~~~~~~

Spoiler: episode 14

Recap of episode for a minute and 24 seconds >_>. These things are getting longer and longer.

Having said that, though, this is another good episode. It would probably have been even better if it were a bit faster paced, but my opinion of Eiji really changed the moment that he actually stood face to face with Moritaka and Akito. This episode finally had a bit of good tension, where it nicely combined Eiji’s refusal to draw the right manga to Moritaka’s insistence on drawing a mainstream battle manga.

I am liking Eiji's character and personality more.

 

[corocoro]

The anime got a lot better (read: faster paced) in the new season.

Spoiler: 15

We also get to see Miho's training and auditions, so that means more insights. ^^

 

[Kou]

2 episodes in a row~

Spoiler: episode 15

After the eventful previous episode, we’re back to a leisurely pace this week, centred mostly on its aftermath, building up and one new major development: Mio’s debut as a voice actress. The romance itself didn’t really change during the past few episodes due to that strange promise of not wanting to meet each other until they’ve both made their dreams come true, but thankfully that’s about the only thing about this show that’s currently not moving (albeit really slowly).

This episode showed also a bit more about the difference between Nizuma Eiji and our two lead characters. Because he’s on his own, he has this talent of making things up as he goes along, and somehow making it interesting (I’d like to see how that guy handles continuity, by the way), but with two people this suddenly becomes a lot more difficult as you have to make sure that you’re both on the same line of thought.

Spoiler: episode 16

This episode was slooooooow, but some stuff did happen: Akito dived into a bit of a writer’s block, Mio made her first appearance on TV and Moritaka is going to be the assistant of Nizuma Eiji during the summer vacation. That latter was probably the major development of this episode, but the fact that people actually kissed here also is a major breakthrough. As opposed to Moritaka and Mio, Akito and Kaya actually spend time together, which is a much healthier way to develop a relationship.

 

[Kou]

Spoiler: episode 17

This was another one of the very good episodes of Bakuman. The premise was simple: just stuff a bunch of mangaka into a room watch them for 20 minutes. It worked wonderfully and I loved how good they play off each other. Nizuma and Moritaka already were very different, but the creators add two more vastly different characters here, with varying amounts of experience.

I also like how this episode established that Niizuma wasn’t perfect either, and that he actually learns some things from the other characters.

 

[corocoro]

Spoiler: 18&19

Episode 18 is about drawing with Niizumiya and learning the ways of the mangaka. It leads up to major drama in episode 19, where the team disbands.
Hatori tries to gently steer them back together, and succeeds in setting them on the right paths. Miyoshi also tries to interfere, but is less successful.
By the end of the episode the team is back on and they decide to do a high quality name in the next half year - so I guess episode 20 will skip ahead in time a lot. ;)

 

[Terumi]

gotta love the side characters, they outshine mashiro and takagi

 

[Kou]

The subs caught up :3

Spoiler: episode 18 and 19

Anyway, it’s taken a while, but I’m liking this series more and more at this point. After eighteen episodes of development into these characters, it’s paying off quite nicely at this point and turning Akito and Moritaka especially into well rounded characters.

I especially liked the way Hattori subtly tried to get the both of them back together again. I loved it when this guy gets fired up: he just switches back and forth between composed and energetic. Moritaka and Akito also were great in the way that they continue do talk to each other.

Looking forward to see their manga getting serialized.

@ Terumi - need more Nizuma~

 

[Terumi]

Spoiler: ep 20

Finally we see Detective Trap. Haha, one of the most entertaining episodes to date, as we saw Ashirogi Mutou getting on tracks for real after the short split. I was expecting more comedy they may prank on Hattori, but it ended up none. But the apple joke made me laughed like amd, an obvious parody to Death Note, the author previous hit work.

It was also funny to see both the guys crush a girl's crush on takagi, after takagi said he was on-course for marriage, with mashiro butting in saying that hes got a fiancee too. Then, it was anime time with Miho debuting with a song. Takagi and Miyoshi laughed their heads off while Mashiro could only drool over Miho's horrible singing.

Back to serious matters, Hattori isnt yet quite convinced for the duo to be serialised, and stated several conditions. It was hilarious to see our 2 fellows in a slug fest to complete chapters by sacrificing sleep time and school work. In the end, we have 2 sleep-depraved guys who looked like zombies.

Time of reckoning as the date of entries came along. Of course, Ashirogi Mutou didnt disappoint. With celebrations on course, Miyoshi decided to buy ingredients and cook curry, leading to a statement from Mashiro "Miyoshi, I love you!" drawing a dead funny face from Takagi, although Mashiro didnt really meant it for real, it was just on a spur of the moment.

Hoping for more things to come along, with the beauty writer coming along~

 

[corocoro]

Spoiler: 20th

Those apples had me laughing for sure - an unexpected, but nice touch. :P
All the rest is as Terumi said - and apparently they now have to compete against two bishounen mangaka in the Cup.

 

[Kou]

Time flies.

Spoiler: episode 20

Episode 20 moved so fast. It looks like they got into the golden future cup. With only 5 episodes left, I'm pretty sure they will win the cup and get serialized. Pretty sure they can add a lot of stuff even after they get serialized and adding in the risks and stuff for mangakas.

Fudaka is also going to enter the golden future cup, I wonder if Nakai will also enter as we saw he was determined to get serialized also.

One thing this story really shows is that manga writing is a labor of love, because no one who didn't love it would put up with it for long. Look at all the work the boys have to put it with no hope of immediate financial reward, and what guys like Fukuda and Nakai endure to keep at it. And it was interesting to see Miyoshi give up on her dream, devoting herself entirely to supporting Ashirogi Muto. Wasn't there a whole ep about how important it was for her to have a dream?

Azuki's ED for the anime was funny.

 

[Alexeon]

Spoiler: Episode 22

This showdown with the editors went in a direction I did not expect but I think it turned out great. The idea exchange afterward, though, did go like I thought it would. Of course everyone thinks their story is the best.

 

[Terumi]

Season 2 green-lit.
Enough said

 

[Kou]

Adding more, coming this fall.

 

[Terumi]

but definitely a 'anime-orignal' ending....

 

[Kou]

Nah the manga is still ongoing, they can cut off at a certain place since this is sorta slice of life animu.

 

[Terumi]

i know. compare to the other shounen series which got cut after a few arcs due to 2 cour only (nurarihyon)
its good news as season 2 is always welcomed