Bakuman Nintendo DS Game Announced!

This year's 30th issue of Weekly Shonen Jump announced that Namco Bandai will release a Bakuman. game titled, Bakuman.: Mangaka e no Michi (Trans. Bakuman: The Road to Becoming a Comic Artist) for the Nintendo DS!

The official website for the game describes it as a "manga creator success adventure" game. In the game, players will be able to create their own manga. The game is slated to be released this fall in Japan.

Source: Hachima Kikō via Anime News Network

Bakuman 24-25 - FINAL

The long is over! In this thrilling finale, Koogy lost (expected), and Niizuma's prediction about a tie at the Golden Future Cup is correct and lastly, the dreaded serialization meeting. Will Ashirogi Muto's Sneaky Detective TRAP be serialized in Shonen Jack?

If there is one thing I noticed in the last two episodes is that they added quite an amount of filler content. First is that the scene in which Azumi talked with Mashiro was extended into episode 25. To be honest, I find it weird at first since why would the writers decided to extend that simple scene until I saw how they resolved it in the 25th episode. Good job, JC Staff and lastly, more Hiramaru foreshadowing and as a fan, it makes me happy.

Now to the serious stuff, if there is one thing that I really liked in this series, probably the meetings. The meetings show the behind the scenes look on what is happening on our favorite series and how we are able to read it on the said magazine. Those scenes gave this series a unique feel from the other shows along with the aura it is emitting that it cause me to get nervous as I see the characters outside the studio worried about the results of the meeting.

If there is one thing that I can praise about the last two episodes is that it was more aimed with the show's romantic build-up between Mashiro and Azuki. I mean, about time for the two to talk! Also, Azuki was like, doing not much in the series and the last two episodes is the perfect opportunity to play with the two lovers.

Overall, the finale was good. The choice of ending the series half a chapter and adding filler to extent a scene from one chapter for us to have a really good finale was at first, a weird choice but seeing the end result, I am glad that they do it. As for the choice of the arc to end, it is climatic which cause me to crave more Bakuman in the next season to see how our heroes strive with their TRAP serialization.

And next season, we have Miura, more Hiramaru and more TRAP woes! Can't wait!

Images from Random Curiosity, too lazy to get screencaps.

Bakuman 23 – The Golden Future Cup Begins!

Ale cuisine!

Because of the events that happened in the previous episode, they decided to revise their names and pass a better version of it! As our main cast are busy remaking their names, KOOGY is busy… answering the press and doesn’t care about his work. And so, the Golden Future Cup begins.

The earlier parts of the episode shows us how fired up our authors are in their work. Heck, even Aoki who doesn’t look like as fired up as the rest of the boys has her own way to show how determined she is in winning this competition! Sure, she looks cold while she talks with Nakai and while she is doing her names but it is clear how determined she is. But this level of determination is the complete opposite with KOOGY who is now starting to get in my nerves.

Anyways, asides from those things, there is one thing I noticed in this episode. As you all know, I finished reading the manga and now I am waiting for the release of the next chapter online. And in this episode, a character that is not supposed to make his appearance till the anime’s next season makes a cameo! And yes, I love this addition since his “origin story” was only mentioned by his badass/awesome editor!

Back to the cup, I like that they never decided to turn the entries into an actual animated sequence but more like of a panel panning of each manga panel which adds up more to the fact that they are making manga and not an anime. Plus, the graininess and the color of the manga paper that was used in the sequence adds up to the touches that our authors are reading manga.

What’s amazing with the entries is that how the artist made his artwork unique in each manga-ka. It is one of the factors that amazes me with this series, the art of each individual artist. As for the entries themselves, TRAP is interesting as well as Kiyoshi Knight. As for the other entries, I never feel it, especially Colorfusical that looks weird.

Overall, it is one great episode. The use of comic book panels instead of giving us colored illustrations (like that of One in a Million) and animated sequences (like that of Money and Intelligence) adds up to the depth of the series that it is about guys making a manga and fulfilling their dreams. And on the next episode, we have the serialization meeting! Finally! Now I have a clue on which chapter season 2 will start!

Bakuman 22 – Team Fukuda and Comparison

TEAM FUKUDA... GOOOOO~!

In this episode, Team Fukuda consists of Fukuda, Nakai and Ashirogi in which they decided to raid Shonen Jump… err, Shonen Jack HQ because of KOOGY’s announcement and they want him down! Can’t wait for the fireworks to happen!

To sum the entire episode, Fukuda’s written over it! I mean, he started this rally against KOOGY and his personality is around the place! From him arguing his editor till him scaring most of us on how he acted in this episode. Heck, in the later part of the episode in which they decided to compare their names, he made one clear justification about why his work is too violent!

From this entire ruckus, Mashiro is the one who is calm in this situation and just waits till it is the right time for him to say something. Because of his calmness, they were able to solve this situation, which leads up to the next half of the episode in which, since they can’t reverse the decision of the publishers, they just decided to compare their respective names so that they can beat KOOGY.

If there is one thing I liked about this episode asides their individual comments regarding each other’s manga (especially Nizuma’s comments), is Aoki wearing reading glasses! Yes, I have a fetish for girls wearing glasses. Aaanyways, back to this segment, it clearly shows their own respective styles and stories in their manga. If there is one thing that can be praised in this series is that, each manga artist had different art styles that are something. Seriously, how did the artist pull this off?

Overall, it is one good episode. Asides that we have Fukuda all over the place and that Nakai is being too dedicated with Aoki and their manga, we saw better teasers of each manga-ka’s work in the Golden Future Cup and their confidence of their work, which is something. So far, the episode if compared to the previous ones is pretty lame but Fukuda liven it up.

Bakuman 21 – Literature and Music

In this episode of Bakuman, we now meet more rivals for the upcoming Golden Future Cup. Asides that Nakai is back, now partnered with the cute, Aoki Ko! Asides from that, HYDE finally makes his first appearance as KOOGY’s producer!

First impression on Aoki Ko, if there is one thing I liked about her is that she is one cold character. She doesn’t find the works made by her fellow manga-ka, interesting except for one. That alone defined what she is! As for Nakai in this episode, I find him desperate for Aoki’s attention and I find it stupid. I mean, Nakai, you are just her illustrator, don’t take it to the next level if you are sure if she displays emotional output towards you!

As for the entries in the Golden Future Cup that is not Detective TRAP, they are interesting. Kiyoshi Knight’s art was interesting not sure with the story, according to Aoki herself, it is more seinen than shonen, this would be interesting. As for Colorfusical, the story itself is interesting but as for the art, it was weird.

This episode also formally introduces the viewers to KOOGY, the popular singer in the Bakuman universe and his producer is no other than L’Arc~en~Ciel and VAMPS’ HYDE… well on the manga, they never mentioned who is KOOGY’s producer, so yeah. Anyways, I love the concert scene, which was not scene in the manga to further stress out that he is one talented idol.

About the revelation that in the end that he is Makaino Kouji, it was something. Asides that it caused panic with Fukuda and caused to form Team Fukuda to charge on Shonen Jack’s editorial department, it also shows how KOOGY is not confident with his work because he thinks that fans will vote for his manga since well, it is his manga! To be honest, I find it stupid, it clearly shows how stupid he is in thinking that his fans will vote his manga because it is KOOGY’s work and not because of its story and art! What I am trying to say is, I hate KOOGY but not how he did a cover of VAMP’s song, Get Up (now available for download here!).

Overall, it was one heck of an episode. It started out slow but as the episode progress, the tension and the drama started to rise. For those who read the manga, it covers a half of a chapter and another half of a chapter. They are really planning to end the first season somewhere in chapter 38-41!

Bakuman 20 – Detectives (?) and Traps

Great, not another lame fan-made episode title, anyways, in this episode, Saiko and Shujin reunites and starts working on TRAP for six months with Miyoshi’s help… while Hattori is not aware on what is happening!

If there is one thing that I liked in this episode, it is our dynamic duo perfectly playing along with Hattori’s plan, and Hattori, like Light, thinks that everything is according to his plan, heck, he even made a Death Note reference while on it! Asides from him acting like Light in this episode, we also saw how caring he is as their editor that he even send things related to the genre that our duo will do!

In this episode, the ideas for their next work, Detective TRAP has been featured. All I can say is, I love the idea of a detective deceiving his enemies to tell that they are the culprit of the crime! It was igneous, it is something that is not found in your average shonen manga… and I want to read it! And since this is one good concept, hopefully, Ohba and Obata will do a special chapter in the manga regarding TRAP! I mean, they did an Otter 11 Special (which will not appear until second season since it appeared on chapter 90 something), why not do a TRAP special? Also, the character designs are good and the protagonist looked like Saiko, not surprised.

Anyways, Azuki already made her singing debut in this episode… so yeah. Saiko is surprised. Anyways, let’s go back to the important female here in this episode, Miyoshi. It seems that starting in this episode, she will support Ashirogi Muto more compared from before. Asides that she takes notes for every mystery related material that Hattori send, she is starting to act more of Shujin’s housewife in my opinion.

If there is one thing I was surprised in this episode is that, unlike with Sheishua, Shonen Jump and Akamaru Jump being renamed here as Yueishua, Shonen Jack and Shonen Jack NEXT, the competition that our duo will enter for TRAP to be serialized, Golden Future Cup is still called Golden Future Cup! Sure it was minor, but as a guy who has just finished reading the entire manga (all I need to do now is wait the next chapter), I find it surprising.

Overall, this is a good episode, and one of the fun episodes to watch due to Hattori acting like Light and the introductory arc to one of the turning points in the series, the Golden Future Cup. Asides that Fukuda is now pumped out to begin his one-shot, and Ashirogi Muto is now part of the competition, in the next episode, it is time to introduce the other participants in the said competition! And as we have earlier reported that VAMPS and L’Arc~en~Ciel’s HYDE guest stars in the next episode! Wait, I never remembered it happen in the manga!

Bakuman 19 – We are the Two-in-One Manga-ka!

Before watching this episode, I can’t wait to see how their future serialized work, Detective Trap originated and so, I noticed a lot of filler content and that this episode is composed of two-three chapters of the original manga. Therefore,, this is the second part of the secret origins of Ashirogi Muto’s Detective Trap. Wondering where’s part one? It’s on the previous episode that I failed to do a review!

The episode in my opinion felt a bit episodic because they quickly resolve the plot asked in the first few minutes in the episode. Is this the end of the Ashirogi Muto tandem? As the episode continues, they give us hints that even technically, their tandem is disbanded, they are still thinking of the same thing, namely doing a mystery manga in which it is a bit mainstream and would be quite a hit if it were written properly like Death Note!

This is what Hattori abused and started scheming, ala Light Yagami. His plan is for the both of them go on with their lives as manga-ka and create their own name based on what Mashiro cooked up with his “mysterious con artist slash detective” protagonist. Hattori’s scheming is probably, one of the best bits in this episode in which at the very end of the episode Saiko and Shujin decides to deceive Hattori and keep their partnership a secret in front of Hattori for six months while making what is more than the required of names for serialization! Wait; did I just say the last sentence right?

As for the filler content in this episode, I love that they added a scene in which Miyoshi called Miho to tell her that Ashirogi Muto broke up. Also, the montage of the bonding scenes of Saiko and Shujin is a good addition. And my personal favorite, Miyoshi running around to ask Shujin how to write a name and inform it to Saiko! You see, in the manga, Saiko himself asked Shujin how to write a name.

Overall, this is one well-balanced episode. There are boring bits and they are great bits especially if it involves Fukuda being awesome. Yep, Fukuda is cooking up a new name for serialization and one of his manuscripts ended up in a different magazine! As for the Ashirogi Muto focus about their relationship, it’s great. Therefore, in the following episodes, we will see the rise of Detective Trap and the theory that the first season will stop after Detective Trap will be declared for serialization.