Manga Review: Bakuman Vol. 17

Bakuman is the latest collaboration of Ohba and Obata, the creators of the wildly popular Death Note series. Unlike Death Note, Bakuman is more or less grounded in reality, but it is no less entertaining as it follows the ups and downs of a mangaka duo as they strive to make it big in the publishing world!

This series is a personal favorite of mine, and Viz Media has just released Volume 17. (My reviews of earlier Bakuman volumes can be found here.)

Back Cover Blurb

As the veteran manga artists start taking over Weekly Shonen Jump, the younger artists feel the pressure. But what is behind this sudden surge of older artists making a comeback in the magazine? And what is the connection between Azuma and Moritaka’s late uncle?

The Review

When Nanamine got trounced by Team Ashirogi a couple volumes back, I was pretty certain he’d return to the story at some point as a reformed mangaka. Well, he is back, but he’s a bigger sore loser than I thought. The Shinjitsu Corporation manga machine arc feels like a rehash of Nanamine’s previous showdown against PCP. The scope is grander with Nanamine’s father’s money backing him and the various Team Fukuda creators wanting to take him down, but the overall feel of this battle is the same. Even so, the plot keeps you interested with the sorry plight of the older mangaka, and the ultimate outcome has a surprising and rather satisfying twist.

Interestingly, Taro Kawaguchi features prominently in these chapters, and it’s interesting that Ohba-sensei seems to incorporate some of Kawaguchi’s “stand-alone that doesn’t stand alone” technique into Volume 17. While none of the chapters are stand-alone stories, they do revisit a number of things unanswered in the early volumes, such as why Moritaka’s grandfather kept Taro Kawaguchi’s studio untouched all those years.

Ohba-sensei also uses this technique with the editor-in-chief’s unexpected transfer from Jump. While his leaving doesn’t impact Team Ashirogi’s as directly as when they lost and then regained Hattori as editor, it does provide the framework to show how far they and rival Eiji have come. His upcoming departure also sets the stage for the young mangaka to focus on their original rivalry once more, which, after Nanamine’s extreme strategies, will be a refreshing change.

In Summary

Nanamine returns, and he’s more determined to destroy Ashirogi than ever before! Sadly, his methodology hasn’t changed much so the rematch is very similar to their first showdown. However, the final outcome does have an unexpected and interesting twist, and we gain some interesting backstory about Moritaka’s uncle thanks to old-timer mangaka Azuma and the editor-in-chief.

This title is highly recommended for young teens and up.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Best Manga of 2012

So at the close of 2012, Chris, the editor over at the Fandom Post, asked his contributors to write a list of our top five for the year. That was a little challenging for me because I’m pretty bad about remembering exactly what I’ve read and when I’ve reviewed it. But after slogging through my manga pile and my 2012  reviews, these are the gems I pulled out.

1). Bakuman: Viz’s translation of this series is up to its 17th volume, and I still find myself eagerly anticipating each new release. A manga about mangaka might not sound too interesting, but the team of Ohba and Obata has turned Bakuman into a battle manga where the magazine Jump is the battleground their characters use to prove themselves. Although some of the recent challenges for Team Ashirogi have veered into the realm of unrealistic, the plot remains engaging and the main characters relatable even as they grow beyond their teenage years.

2) Bride’s Story: I love so much about this title – its historical setting, Mori-sensei’s exquisite artwork, its vibrant characters. It is a slice of life tale, meaning the story often slows to showcase different aspects of Amir’s culture, such as food and needlework, but a slower pace doesn’t mean a boring story. The bonds Amir forges in her new home draw readers in, and conflict between different tribes and European forces keep the tension up. The main reason Bride’s Story didn’t take first place is the age gap between Amir and Karluk. I don’t have a problem with their marriage per se; arranged marriages are the norm for many cultures. However, Mori-sensei draws Amir as a mature woman while Karluk looks like a little kid so there is a squick factor when Amir develops romantic feelings for him.

3) Spice and Wolf: Like many fantasy stories, Spice and Wolf has a medieval style setting with complex geopolitical elements, but what sets this manga apart is its economics bent. Knights, priests, and kings do exist in this world, but the main characters are a young merchant and his wisewolf companion, who is thoroughly knowledgeable about humans and their business dealings. The pair get into one exciting scrape after another in the pursuit of profit, and as you follow their adventures, you might just pick up some economics principles along the way.

4)  Bamboo Blade: A sports manga about a girls kendo team, this title is both uplifting and funny. Kendo may not be a mainstream American sport, but the quirky cast of Bamboo Blade presents it in a way even newbies can enjoy. Although it does go a bit overboard with its “alternative manga rendition” of events, you can’t help but get swept up in the characters’ enthusiasm as they strive to improve themselves.

5) 07 Ghost: A supernatural action title, 07 Ghost tells the tale of an underdog hero caught in an epic battle between good and evil. It’s definitely shonen fare, but female readers will appreciate the fine looking bishounen that make up the cast.  Go!Comi originally licensed the title but only released the first few volumes before they stopped publishing in October 2009. However, Viz Media has recently picked up the series so hopefully all the adventures of Teito and his friends will finally get translated to English!

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Bakuman Vol. 13

Bakuman is the latest collaboration of Ohba and Obata, the creators of the wildly popular Death Note series. Unlike Death Note, Bakuman is more or less grounded in reality, but it is no less entertaining as it follows the ups and downs of a mangaka duo as they strive to make it big in the publishing world!

This series is a personal favorite of mine, and Viz Media has just released Volume 13. (My reviews of earlier Bakuman volumes can be found here.)

Back Cover Blurb

After being told their current series Perfect Crime Party will not be turned into an anime, Moritaka and Akito start planning on ways to create a second series. Their best chance might be to do well in a new contest where they will compete with their rivals over who can create the best romance story!

The Review

Considering they’re barely into their twenties, Team Ashirogi’s doing extremely well. They’ve gotten a couple titles under their belt and now have a hit series in a major magazine. Many mangaka would consider this success, but for Muto Ashirogi, it’s not enough. Moritaka needs an anime to marry Miho. Having been told that Perfect Crime Party will not be animated, they find themselves in a predicament. If they want an anime, they need to produce a completely new series for publication, but their hands are tied maintaining their current manga. The only solution: figure out how to work on two projects at once.

Ohba’s done a great job of creating new scenarios where Muto Ashirogi have to push beyond their capabilities. This time, Akito is stretching himself writing for artist Shiratori while maintaining Perfect Crime Party. Meanwhile, Moritaka is learning to become an author himself when he takes full responsibility for Muto Ashirogi’s one-shot for the Super Leaders Love Fest. There’s an added level of tension because their additional work forces them to be apart, straining their relationship. It also takes its toll on Akito’s marriage, and Kaya’s reactions to the weird vibe between Moritaka and Akito give readers a heightened sense of how emotionally charged the situation is.

On the other hand, the Super Leaders Love Fest provides fodder for a host of comic moments. Interestingly, it is not a Jump proposition, but a perfect storm of mangaka wanting to tackle romance and Fukuda catalyzing it all at the Jump New Year’s party. By the way, it is kind of cool to see Fukuda convince the editor-in-chief considering all his talk about changing Jump back when he was Eiji’s assistant. Everyone’s motivations for writing romance and their stories vary widely, and the Bakuman creators do a great job of building anticipation for those one-shots. As for the final Love Fest rankings, they are both surprising and satisfying.

Speaking of rankings, this volume includes the results of a character popularity poll taken by Jump. Interestingly, neither Moritaka nor Akito claimed first place, and Hiramaru actually ranked above Akito. For fans of the Otter #11 Creator, they’ll get to enjoy Hiramaru living out his own romantic comedy in Chapter 114. Yoshida’s done a pretty good job of manipulating Hiramaru, but this time Hiramaru turns the tables on his editor by sneaking out for a date with Aoki. Watching Hiramaru man up is hilarious, and although Aoki’s reactions are somewhat far-fetched, the whole scenario is such fun that it doesn’t matter.

In Summary

Bakuman serves up a nice blend of drama and comedy as Team Ashirogi strives toward creating a second series. The tension is reminiscent of when they nearly went separate ways in high school, but now readers get to see them handle the situation as adults with adult responsibilities. But even as Moritaka and Akito strain themselves to the breaking point, there are lots of laughs to be had as the participants of Jump’s Super Leaders Fest tackle a genre that’s a tricky sell in shonen manga – romance!

This title is highly recommended for young teens and up.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Bakuman Vol. 10

Bakuman is the latest collaboration of Ohba and Obata, the creators of the wildly popular Death Note series. Unlike Death Note, Bakuman is more or less grounded in reality, but it is no less entertaining as it follows the ups and downs of a mangaka duo as they strive to make it big in the publishing world!

This series is a personal favorite of mine, and Viz Media has just released Volume 10. (My reviews of earlier Bakuman volumes can be found here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Moritaka and Akito will need to come up with an amazing new manga idea if they ever hope to get back into Weekly Jump magazine, and they only have six months to do it! But with Hattori, their former editor, helping behind the scenes, the duo might have everything in place to create the perfect story.

The Review

When Miura took over as Ashirogi’s editor, I honestly thought Editor Hattori would fade into the Jump office background. However, he’s popped up more frequently in recent chapters, and with Volume 10, he’s back to the forefront as his efforts to help the boys out of their slump moves from indirect to in-your-face direct. To be honest, it’s difficult to believe a busy magazine editor would be that invested in a former artist (and that Miura would follow Hattori’s instructions without question), but Hattori has a chemistry with Ashirogi that Miura doesn’t so it’s good to see them collaborating again. Plus, the chapter where Ashirogi tails Hattori as “research” is ridiculously fun and funny.

There’s actually quite a bit of humor in this installment, ranging from Iwase’s attempts to attract Hattori to newlywed life with Akito and Kaya to wacky glimpses of the other Jump mangaka. However, the question that will keep readers turning the pages is: will Team Ashirogi deliver that genius new series on time? Occasionally, the dialogue gets heavy with manga comparisons and references to rival artists, and it becomes a bit frustrating to get acquainted with the boys’ newest manga idea only for it to get scrapped. At the same time, it also allows readers to experience Ashirogi’s frustration and desperation as they go down to the wire.

So when inspiration finally hits, it’s that much more thrilling watching them hurry to make it to the final serialization meeting. And even that turns into a nail-biting chapter as the editors’ evaluation of the work goes from “ready for serialization” to “capable of surpassing Nizuma.” The scene drags out so long, I seriously would’ve had a tantrum if the final decision wasn’t included in this volume (but it is, thank goodness).

So it’s not a supernatural thriller with cat and mouse games involving death gods, but the Bakuman creators keep things plenty thrilling nonetheless.

In Summary

The events of six months fly in Volume 10! Occasionally, the text gets bogged down with all the references to the various manga titles we’ve encountered thus far, but for the most part, the tension stays high with the boys burning through ideas in their efforts to create a new manga series.

This title is highly recommended for young teens and up.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Bakuman Vol. 8

Bakuman is the latest collaboration of Ohba and Obata, the creators of the wildly popular Death Note series. Unlike Death Note, Bakuman is more or less grounded in reality, but it is no less entertaining as it follows the ups and downs of a mangaka duo as they strive to make it big in the publishing world!

This series is a personal favorite of mine, and Viz Media has just released Volume 8. (My reviews of earlier Bakuman volumes can be found here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Drama swirls around the manga creators as they try to move forward after being canceled from Shonen Jump. Moritaka and Akito work hard on a new comedy story pitch while Aoki and Nakai struggle with some personal issues. But when Kaya uncovers Akito’s meetings with Aoki and Iwase, things might never be the same.

The Review

Certain volumes of this series have really come across as battle manga – and this is not one of them. While Team Ashirogi is still struggling hard for a breakthrough that will allow them to return to the pages of Jump, the overall feel of Volume 8 is romantic dramedy. And it’s not just the boys and their girlfriends. To varying degrees, Iwase, Aoki, Nakai, and the assistant Kato all wind up embroiled in affairs of the heart, and the situations that result have a very high school shojo feel to it. (Not that I’m complaining; I actually enjoy this sort of thing.)

In the midst of all this who’s-attracted-to-whom turmoil, the female characters get a rare opportunity to take the spotlight. The cast is male-heavy to start off with, and with the exception of Miho’s promise to Moritaka at the very beginning, the females haven’t driven the story. In this volume, you really get a sense of their personalities as they react to what appears to be a case of two timing. Kaya, who is often the subject of boob remarks and panty shots, goes beyond simple comic relief. Meanwhile, Miho shows a tough side as she and Moritaka have their first major fight. And Aoki, who started off as a one-dimensional character, goes through a slew of emotions, ranging from embarrassment to anger to despair, that makes her much more relatable. She’s definitely no longer the snob character she started as, but it’s looking like that ice princess role will go to Iwase.

Regarding Iwase, I didn’t think I’d see her again after Akito chose Kaya, but it looks like she’s back for a long haul. The way she gets into the world of manga is a bit of a stretch; for Editor Hattori to use her to re-energize three mangaka he’s not in charge of seems unrealistic. But with Iwase turning into a rival for Akito, things have the potential to get very interesting.

In Summary

Team Ashirogi hits more choppy waters – this time on the romantic front. Akito’s innocent meetings lead to trouble with Kaya and ultimately results in a rift between Masahiro and Miho! The relationships in Bakuman take on a high school shojo feel as the boys struggle to win their girlfriends back and make their return to Jump!

This title is highly recommended for young teens and up.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Bakuman Vol. 6

So one of the things I do writing-wise is review manga, and this first installment is from a series that is a personal favorite: Bakuman! (My reviews of earlier Bakuman volumes can be found here.)

For those unfamiliar with it, Bakuman is the latest collaboration of Ohba and Obata, the creators of the wildly popular Death Note series. Unlike Death Note, Bakuman is more or less grounded in reality, but it is no less entertaining as it follows the ups and downs of a mangaka duo as they strive to make it big in the publishing world!

Back Cover Blurb

Moritaka and Akito’s hard work is paying off, and they start challenging their rival Eiji’s popularity in Shonen Jump. But just as they plan to take the next step, the team is hit with a surprising setback. Moritaka and Akito will need the help of their manga artist friends to overcome this hurdle!

The Review

If you looked at the “In the Next Volume” page of Volume 5, you could probably guess that Moritaka’s health was going to nosedive in this volume. However, it isn’t the typical “collapse from overwork” scenario so prevalent in Japanese plots. It’s a bit more serious and, as such, thrusts the boys into a different kind of challenge. Shonen manga is all about battles, and this time, Ashirogi Muto isn’t up against popularity polls or rivals but the Jump editorial staff!

It’s actually an engaging fight that highlights the conflicting interests of business and art in the manga world. Moritaka’s deceased uncle also makes a kind of return to the story. It does, however, push the limits of plausibility when the other Jump rookie mangaka get involved, turning it from one creative team’s battle into an all-out artist uprising.

Of course, Eiji wants in on the action, but the real surprise is Hiramaru joining the crew. Considering how often the Otter mangaka appears in this volume, he’s still a hard personality to connect with, and he serves as little more than comic relief. As an aside, this is the first volume where the lineup doesn’t introduce any new characters, and even though another allusion is made to Moritaka’s father, he has yet to make an appearance.

Moritaka’s collapse also spurs a different kind of plot development. Just as Miho’s career dilemma drove Moritaka to try to see her so his illness sends Miho rushing to the hospital. Their interaction doesn’t go at all as expected though, and when Miho asks Moritaka just how much he loves manga, the answer completely surprised me. Interestingly, I found it reminiscent of Akito’s confrontation with Kaya and Iwase when he blows up and says he has no time to date. For anyone who needs a reminder that this is a shonen, not a shojo, manga, Miho and Moritaka’s face-to-face in the hospital will do just that.

But even with all the shonen bravado, we get an injection of fluffiness. Until now, we haven’t really gotten much of Miho’s perspective on their romance, and once she explains the exact how and when of when she fell in love, your entire view of their relationship will change.

In Summary

The onset of a serious illness is something that throws a person’s entire life into turmoil, and that’s exactly what happens when Moritaka gets hospitalized. But he’s not so much interested in fighting for his life as he is for his fledgling series! Bakuman’s creators suspend reality in their depiction of artistic passion, especially when Ashirogi Muto’s mangaka friends rally to his cause, but it is an unpredictable and engaging read. Plus Moritaka gets more progress on the romantic front with Miho!

This title is highly recommended for young teens and up.

First published at the Fandom Post.