Manga Review: Dengeki Daisy Vol. 12

Bad boy/good girl love stories are popular in shojo manga, and for those who enjoy a dash of cyber intrigue in their romances, Kyousuke Motomi’s Dengeki Daisy is worth checking out. Volume 12 has recently been released, and you can read on for the review. (Also, for those who are interested, you can click here for my reviews of earlier volumes).

The story centers on orphan Teru Kurebayashi, who, after the death of her beloved older brother, finds solace in the messages she exchanges with Daisy, an enigmatic figure who can only be reached through the cell phone her brother left her. One day, she accidentally breaks a window at school, and as  a result winds up becoming a servant for Kurosaki, the delinquent school custodian. Although brusque and rude, he somehow always shows up in her time of need, and Teru finds herself increasingly drawn to him.

Back cover blurb

Teru and her friends sneak aboard a yacht in order to save Rena and foil Morizono’s plan to sell the new “Jack Frost” virus. The rescue mission turns out to be more than anyone bargained for, however, when Kurosaki runs into a man who makes his blood turn cold…

The RevieW

This being a romance between an impoverished high school student and the school custodian, Motomi-sensei doesn’t have much occasion to draw our main couple in formal attire. So part of me thinks she cooked up this particular arc so she could show Teru and Kurosaki all dressed up. Actually, several characters get that opportunity although others wind up in server uniforms for “Love and Friendship: Operation Rescue Rena.” The story takes on an action spy flavor as Teru and company foil bad guy Morizono’s Neo Jack Frost plot. Motomi-sensei throws in several comic elements such as Teru’s shock-tenna, and as stupid as Morizono is, everything goes exactly according to their plan. That is, until our newest bad guy takes the stage.

The appearance of Antler took me completely by surprise and causes a large shift in the villain roster. Morizono pretty much drops from the lineup, which isn’t surprising considering he was just a rich dumb bully. Akira, on the other hand, is starting to look more like a pathetic victim rather than evil personified. That role gets passed over to Antler, a shadowy figure involved with the original Jack Frost virus.

And he takes on that mantle fairly strongly. Morizono might have had Neo Jack Frost, but Antler claims to have the key to M’s Last Testament. It’s enough to throw not only Kurosaki but Riko, Ando, and Boss into turmoil. And interestingly, Antler’s got a hold on Chiharu and Akira as well. As connected as he is with so many characters, he looks like he’s really going to shake up the story.

In Summary

Love and Friendship: Operation Rescue Rena! Teru and friends launch a multipronged attack to take down Morizono’s Neo Jack Frost. The plan goes off without a hitch – until a new villain rears its head. Motomi-sensei sets the stage for a new, more dangerous challenge with the appearance of Antler and the key to M’s Last Testament!

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Oresama Teacher Vol. #13

Mafuyu is a high school delinquent who wants to turn over a new leaf. So when she transfers schools, she thinks she’ll finally be able to live the life of a normal girl. There’s just one problem: her teacher  Mr. Saeki is a bigger delinquent than she is and is out to take advantage of her fighting skills!

Oresama Teacher is a shojo manga that offers humor of the silly variety. Volume 13 has recently been released, and you can read on for the review. (For those who are interested, you can click here for my reviews of earlier volumes).

Back Cover Blurb

So far every Student Council member who has gone up against Mafuyu and the Public Morals Club has fallen to the team’s superior friendship skills. But Kanon Nonoguchi has a plan to turn their strengths against them! She’s spreading rumors that Midorigaoka girls are in danger and counting on Super Bun to run to the rescue… and right into her trap!

The RevieW

Having added a new member to the Public Morals Club, Tsubaki-sensei returns to the business of introducing Student Council officers bent on thwarting the efforts of Mafuyu and her friends. This time it’s Kanon Nonoguchi. Not only is she super skilled at martial arts, she’s fairly crafty. Her one weakness and major quirk, however, is that she detests men (something Miyabi uses to his advantage despite the fact that he is a guy himself). As such, Kanon has a tendency to exacerbate things, and what starts as a focused investigation on the Public Morals Club’s two mystery members turns into a dangerous conflict with the delinquents at Kiyama High.

All the Public Morals Club members are involved in this arc, but Akki in particular gets to show what he can (and can’t) do. Unlike Hayasaka and Yui, he’s actually perceptive enough to pick up on the actual identity of secret members Natsuo and Super Bun, and Tsubaki-sensei uses him to great comedic advantage when Mafuyu finds herself in a situation where both Super Bun and Natsuo have to be in the same place at the same time. From what he’s shown so far, Akki promises to be a great addition to the club.

Some of the plot is predictable; it’s fairly obvious Natsuo/Mafuyu will somehow win Kanon over, but as things escalate into a Public Morals Club versus Kiyama delinquents brawl, Tsubaki-sensei throws in a surprise: help for the Public Morals Club from not one but two unexpected individuals. Overall, this volume delivers a nice balance of character development, comedy, and action.

In Summary

The Public Morals Club faces its next Student Council challenger, Kanon Nonoguchi. Her target: Natsuo and Super Bun. Tsubaki-sensei lays on the comedy with this man-hating Student Council member trying to get to the bottom of the Public Morals Club’s secret members. It’s pretty obvious Mafuyu will work a change of heart in Kanon, but a couple unexpected allies will surprise fans in the face-off against the Kiyama delinquents.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Dengeki Daisy Vol. 11

Bad boy/good girl love stories are popular in shojo manga, and for those who enjoy a dash of cyber intrigue in their romances, Kyousuke Motomi’s Dengeki Daisy is worth checking out. Volume 11 has recently been released, and you can read on for the review. (Also, for those who are interested, you can click here for my reviews of earlier volumes).

The story centers on orphan Teru Kurebayashi, who, after the death of her beloved older brother, finds solace in the messages she exchanges with Daisy, an enigmatic figure who can only be reached through the cell phone her brother left her. One day, she accidentally breaks a window at school, and as  a result winds up becoming a servant for Kurosaki, the delinquent school custodian. Although brusque and rude, he somehow always shows up in her time of need, and Teru finds herself increasingly drawn to him.

The RevieW

In terms of relationship, Teru and Kurosaki have pretty much settled into the role of the established couple. Certainly Kurosaki’s keeping his passion for his underage love interest in check, but the two are in each other’s space a lot now. One chapter in Volume 11 opens with Teru waking Kurosaki up from his bed. Another opens with a freshly showered and shirtless Kurosaki walking around his living room while Teru’s there. With most of the mystery and tension in their relationship resolved, Motomi-sensei switches to Kiyoshi, Rena, and Rena’s fiancé Morizono to provide the tension, romantic and otherwise.

Volume 11 provides us with our first actual glimpse of Morizono. He’s an arrogant and somewhat dim rich bully with bad news written all over him. He serves the dual purpose of introducing the threat of a new Jack Frost virus and providing Kiyoshi with a villain that he can rescue Rena from.

To be quite honest, Kiyoshi and Rena have completely transformed over the series’ eleven volumes. As Motomi-sensei points out in the author’s notes, the very first chapter of Dengeki Daisy shows Kiyoshi standing behind Teru as she defends him from Rena and the Student Council bullies. In this volume, he wields a bamboo sword to thwart bad guys and lends a sympathetic ear to Rena whenever she gets weepy. As for Rena, she’s gone from spoiled rich girl that everyone hates to spoiled rich girl that everyone loves. The “Everyone Loves You, Rena” snowball fight is somewhat sappy and contrived, but the plot shapes up once Rena gets trapped by Morizono. As a villain, Morizono’s not the sharpest opponent, but he’s got the resources and clout to cause Teru and company problems, and that’s good enough to drive the story forward.

By the way, for Kurosaki fans, one of the extras included in this volume is a guide to drawing Kurosaki’s face.

In Summary

Akira’s been the bad boy of late, but he fades into the background as Motomi-sensei gives readers a new guy to despise: Rena’s fiancé Morizono. Not only is he a bad match, he’s also trying to set loose a new Jack Frost virus on the world. That of course gets Teru and friends involved, especially when Rena gets abducted by Morizono. It’s a little odd having Rena as damsel in distress and Kiyoshi playing knight in shining armor, but I am intrigued to see how Morizono intends to pull off his “engagement party plot.”

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura Vol. 9

Arina Tanemura is a popular shojo mangaka, and one of her works currently being translated into English is Sakura Hime, a magical shojo story that puts a twist on a famous Japanese legend. Volume 9 has recently been released, and you can read on for the review. (Also, for those who are interested, you can click here for my reviews of earlier volumes).

The story centers on Sakura, the granddaughter of the Moon princess Kaguya. As her descendent, Sakura wields the power to defeat Youko, monsters from the Moon, but Sakura’s Moon heritage also means she’s predisposed to becoming a Youko herself…

Back Cover Blurb

Princess Sakura has been staying at the estate of Fujimurasaki, the future emperor. Fujimurasaki tells Sakura he loves her and keeps her hidden from Aoba. Sakura yearns to be reunited with Aoba, but he’s to marry Princess Yuri…

The RevieW

With Volume 9, we get the conclusion of the Princess Yuri introduction arc, which is lighthearted in one respect but heavy on the other. Regarding Yuri’s anger toward Sakura, its basis turns out to be something completely stupid, and she quickly folds as a rival for Oura’s affections, thanks to conveniently well-timed intervention from Fujimurasaki.

On the other hand, we discover that Oura struggles with his own curse. I’d thought his wolf form was the result of magic skills training, but his situation is actually closer to Asagiri’s. I should note that in the pages where Sakura witnesses the effects of Oura’s nightmare, it is unclear which panels depict reality and which are Oura’s thoughts. At any rate, this revelation not only deepens Oura as a character, it heightens Sakura’s feelings for him and adds a layer of urgency and tragedy to their romance.

The story then shifts from politicking to espionage – of sorts. Of Kohaku and Hayate, I’d considered Hayate to be the more capable ninja, but I am reconsidering that assessment. Apparently, Hayate has his weaknesses, and though his interactions with Rurijo were probably intended to showcase his kindness, he winds up looking pathetic as a ninja (and a man). Shuri, on the other hand, makes for a much more impressive ninja. He only appears on three pages in this volume, but that’s enough to get you wondering what kind of game the double agent is playing. Between his and Rurijo’s activities, a rematch with Enju’s forces appears to be imminent.

By the way, Volume 9 includes several extras including bonus funnies and closing remarks from Tanemura-sensei and her assistants.

In Summary

Sakura Hime continues to take a break from Youko attacks and battles with moon people to focus on intrigue and romance. In fact, the only time Chizakura shows up in this volume is when Sakura has a jealous fit. The trouble stirred up by Princess Yuri gets resolved much too easily, and the Rurijo/Hayate chapters make me lose all respect for Hayate as a ninja, but the volume does provide new insight into Oura’s past that makes him a much more interesting character.

First published at the Fandom Post.

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: Oresama Teacher Vol. #11

Mafuyu is a high school delinquent who wants to turn over a new leaf. So when she transfers schools, she thinks she’ll finally be able to live the life of a normal girl. There’s just one problem: her teacher  Mr. Saeki is a bigger delinquent than she is and is out to take advantage of her fighting skills!

Oresama Teacher is a shojo manga that offers humor of the silly variety. Volume 11 has recently been released, and you can read on for the review. (For those who are interested, you can click here for my reviews of earlier volumes).

Back Cover Blurb

Hayasaka has been gloomier than usual since he hasn’t been able to see Super Bun in a long time. Shinobu butts his ninja nose in and suggests Hayasaka and Super Bun go on a date for Christmas Eve. Mafuyu very reluctantly agrees to play “matchmaker,” and dons the rabbit mask to help cheer up her friend. But the date goes much better than she expected! How is she going to deal with Hayasaka now?

The RevieW

Volume 11 starts off with two holiday themed chapters. First, it’s Christmas time, and with Hayasaka in a funk after missing Super Bun’s last appearance, Mafuyu arranges for him to have a date with his hero. Tsubaki-sensei’s gotten some mileage out of Hayasaka’s Super Bun crush, but she milks it for what it’s worth by having a giddy Hayasaka and a self-conscious Super Bun/Mafuyu touring the town doing typical Christmas date stuff. Then it’s New Year’s at home with Mafuyu’s former minions Kangawa and Maizono. The humor in this chapter is a little more difficult for Western readers to understand as most jokes require knowledge of hot pots and Japanese New Year’s traditions, but you do get to enjoy Mafuyu having fun with her old pals.

After ringing in the new year, Tsubaki-sensei picks up with the next challenge to the Public Morals Club: Ayabe Reito. The arc begins well, presenting an enemy with an astounding strength that belies his nondescript appearance. His everpresent guitar case, bouts of illness, and the fact that he’s the only officer that wants out of the Student Council add to his mystique.

Mafuyu’s battles of late have been under the guise of Natsuo or Super Bun so it’s refreshing when Ayabe recognizes her actual capabilities. His directness forces Mafuyu to respond in kind and revert to the intensity of her gang leader days. Tsubaki-sensei truly draws you in as Mafuyu struggles to figure out how to take Ayabe down on her own. Once the secret behind his power is revealed though, it’s a bit of a letdown. The intensity disappears, and their duel devolves into a kind of silliness that leaves you wondering how Ayabe could have ever posed any kind of threat.

In Summary

After some holiday themed comedy, Tsubaki-sensei introduces the Public Morals Club’s next threat: the mysteriously powerful Ayabe. Unlike previous Student Council members, Ayabe recognizes Mafuyu for who she is and forces her to battle him with everything she’s got. But once Mafuyu figures out the trick behind his strength, the ultimate outcome of their fight is rather disappointing.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Otomen Vol. 13

There are many stories about tomboys, girls with boyish tendencies, but what about the opposite? In fact, what would you call a boy with girly interests? The manga answer is: Otomen!

For those unfamiliar with this series by Aya Kanno, “otomen” is a play on the Japanese word otome (乙女), meaning “young lady” or “mistress,” and the English word “men.” The plot centers around Asuka Masamune, the manliest guy in his high school.  However, he has a secret: the things he really loves are sweets, shojo manga, and sewing. He hides this part of his life from everyone until he meets Ryo Miyakozuka, the least feminine girl in school. Volume 13 of the series has just come out and you can read on for the review! (For those interested, you can click here for my reviews of earlier volumes).

Back Cover Blurb

Ryo ends up coaching a high school judo team, but women aren’t allowed at that school! She finds a way around this obstacle, but the real challenge comes when she finds herself facing off against… Asuka?!

The Review

With Asuka finally aware of his dad’s true identity, that leaves Kiyomi Masamune’s anti-otomen attitude and Asuka’s never-quite-dating relationship with Ryo as the main plot drivers for this series. In regard to the Asuka/Ryo romance, it’s been dragging for a while. In Volume 13′s opening chapter, even Ryo’s family expresses concern over the lack of progress between her and Asuka. For readers who’ve been feeling frustrated, Kanno-sensei finally delivers with a Ryo-centered arc in this volume.

The story’s set up to create tension between the couple when Ryo starts coaching judo at Odo Boys’ School but doesn’t tell Asuka. Yet despite Juta’s suspicions and the Odo team captain’s crush, you never really feel that Asuka’s relationship with Ryo is in any real danger, especially when Asuka immediately recognizes the “suspicious boy at Ryo’s house” to be Ryo herself, but it does push Asuka into mopey mode as he wonders if there’s truly anything between him and Ryo.

Ryo for the most part is oblivious–as usual–to the feelings of the men around her, but even she comes to the realization that her actions may have hurt Asuka’s feelings. The resolution is almost a parody of shonen “communicating through fists” with the two of them determined to “clash head-on” in the Odo-Ginyuri judo match. Fortunately for the romantics, a last-minute development changes the match from that of a couple wanting to work things out to a duel between boys interested in the same girl. And when Ryo finally does make up with Asuka, she does it in an unexpectedly romantic way. Sadly, Kanno-sensei cuts that scene short, keeping us from seeing Asuka’s response to Ryo’s Christmas gift, but she makes up for it with a Valentine’s Day chapter guaranteed to delight Asuka/Ryo fans.

In Summary

Finally, progress in Asuka’s relationship with Ryo! Kanno-sensei takes her time getting to it, working around a plot that has Ryo cross-dressing in order to coach a boys’ judo team, but readers get real confirmation of Ryo’s feelings toward Asuka at last. However, Ryo/Asuka fans will be even more thrilled with Asuka’s Valentine’s Day gift at the end of the volume!

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Oresama Teacher Vol. #10

Mafuyu is a high school delinquent who wants to turn over a new leaf. So when she transfers schools, she thinks she’ll finally be able to live the life of a normal girl. There’s just one problem: her teacher  Mr. Saeki is a bigger delinquent than she is and is out to take advantage of her fighting skills!

Oresama Teacher is a shojo manga that offers humor of the silly variety. Volume 10 has recently been released, and you can read on for the review. (For those who are interested, you can click here for my reviews of earlier volumes).

Back Cover Blurb

Yui might be a spy for the Student Council, but he still takes his duties as a member of the Public Morals Club very seriously! When he notices that the club has been a little stagnant lately, he decides to liven things up with some ninja training. But while he’s whipping Mafuyu and Hayasaka into shape, forces on the Student Council are working against him…

The RevieW

Yui’s been fraternizing with the Public Morals Club for a while now. He remains loyal to Miyabi, yet he gets along with Hayasaka and Mafuyu and helped them foil Kosaka’s plot in the previous volume. All of which begs the question, whose side is he really on now? Just as Mafuyu ponders that matter, Tsubaki-sensei introduces a new character who’s taken Yui’s “betrayal” to the Public Morals Club rather personally.

Enter Wakana Hojo. She and Yui share some history that Tsubaki-sensei describes in detail in Chapter 57. Wakana’s like Yui in that she’s fiercely loyal to Miyabi (though for entirely different reasons), and she’s the physical type (her weapon of choice is a bamboo sword). But while Yui’s simpleminded to the point of being an idiot, Wakana’s more complicated and so are her feelings for Yui.

The two face off when Wakana conducts the Student Council’s annual club audit. Unfortunately, the Public Morals Club has been lax in its record-keeping, and for such clubs, the only way to avoid being shut down is to take the Student Council’s stamp of approval by force. For Yui and Wakana, the fight for the stamp has an added layer of emotional complexity because Yui was originally supposed to be auditor. Despite her determined mindset, Wakana’s tough front slips whenever they clash, and though it’s obvious to others that her feelings for Yui are the cause, Yui’s too dense to recognize it.

In the midst of Yui trying to decipher the mysteries of female emotions, there are plenty of comedy and chase scenes with all manner of random clubs popping up to get approval. Super Bun makes an appearance, and Hayasaka, though he’s not the star of this volume, proves surprisingly resourceful in this arc. Tsubaki-sensei also throws in a moment of sexual tension between Takaomi and Mafuyu, but it comes completely out of nowhere and feels forced.

In Summary

Not surprisingly, Volume 10 kicks off with a new challenge for the Public Morals Club and a new Student Council enemy to go with it. What is somewhat unexpected is that Yui plays such a large role in these chapters. In addition to his usual spy wackiness, council member Wakana brings out a side of him that’s probably as close to sensitive as the Miyabi-obsessed, wannabe spy is going to get.

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.