The appeal and evaluation of "Bakuman": The depth of a youth story about aspiring manga artists

Bakuman - A youth story torn between dreams and reality

■Overview of the work

Bakuman is a TV anime series based on the popular manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. Broadcast on NHK Educational TV from October 2, 2010 to April 2, 2011, the 25-episode series is a moving tale of the youth and dreams of two junior high school students who aspire to become manga artists. The original manga was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump and became a huge hit, with a total circulation of over 15 million copies. JCSTAFF is in charge of animation, while NHK Enterprises and Shogakukan Shueisha Productions are responsible for production and writing.

■ Story

Middle school student Mashiro Makoto (Saikou) spends his days with vague anxieties about his future. One day, he is approached by Takagi Akito (Shuujin), a brilliant student in his class. Akito proposes that they team up, relying on each other's best drawing skills, to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a manga artist. However, three years ago, Saikou witnessed the death of his uncle, who was also a manga artist, and had already given up on his dream of becoming a manga artist. Nevertheless, thanks to Akito's enthusiasm and his promise to the beautiful girl Azuki Miho to "get married if their manga is made into an anime," Saikou begins to rekindle his passion for manga.

The two, aspiring amateurs to become professional manga artists, face various difficulties in the process of creating their manga, taking it to the editorial department, and aiming for serialization. As they compete with rivals, negotiate with editors, and confront their own talents, Saikou and Akito grow. Their youth and pursuit of their dreams will inspire and encourage viewers.

■ Characters

Mashiro Saikou : Voiced by Abe Atsushi. He has loved drawing manga since he was a child, and is talented enough to win an award for his paintings. He gave up on his dream after his uncle's death, but after meeting Akito and making a promise with Azuki, he once again finds his passion for manga. He is in charge of the manga duo with Akito.

Takagi Akito (Shuujin) : Voiced by Hino Satoshi. A brilliant student with top grades in his grade, he teams up with Saikou to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a manga artist. Akito is in charge of the original story and uses his literary talent to create the story. He is an avid reader of manga and novels, and is also keen to study.

Azuki Miho : Her voice actress is Hayami Saori. She is a beautiful girl whom Saikou secretly has feelings for and dreams of becoming a voice actress. She readily accepts Saikou's request to marry her when the manga is made into an anime, and continues to support the two of them.

Miyoshi Kaya : Voiced by Yahagi Sayuri. Azuki's best friend, she is an active girl who is good at all sports. After hearing about Azuki from Akito, she supports Saikou and Akito's dream of becoming a manga artist.

Nizuma Eiji : Voiced by Okamoto Nobuhiko. A boy who is said to be a genius manga artist, he is the biggest rival of Saikou and Akito. He was absorbed in drawing manga from a young age and made his professional debut in high school.

Hattori Satoshi : Voiced by Kentaro Tone. He is an editor at Weekly Shonen Jack and is the editor in charge of Saikou and Akito. He has high expectations of the two and sometimes gives them strict instructions.

Editor-in-Chief Sasaki : Voiced by Kenyu Horiuchi. Editor-in-Chief of Weekly Shonen Jack, he once notified his uncle, Taro Kawaguchi, that he was no longer needed. He values ​​the entertainment value of manga, and conveys that spirit to Saikou and Akito.

Hattori Yujiro : Voiced by Nojima Yuji. He is the editor in charge of Nizuma Eiji and an ambitious man who aims to get ahead in the world.

Fukuda Shinta : The voice actor is Suwabe Junichi. Despite his light-hearted appearance, he is a passionate man who came to Tokyo alone to become a manga artist. His love for boys' manga sometimes puts him at odds with the editorial department, but he is a talented artist who has won the Tezuka Award twice.

Takumi Nakai : His voice actor is Tomoyuki Shimura. He is a "newbie" manga artist who has been working as an assistant for many years and dreams of serializing his own manga. He has the technique to quickly and reliably complete even complex backgrounds, and is inspired by his youthfulness.

Aoki Kou : Her voice actress is Kawasumi Ayako. She is a manga artist and college student who has had one-shot stories published in girls' manga magazines. While she is critical of the works of Saikou, Akito, and Fukuda, she is confident in her own work.

KOOGY (Makaino Kouji) : Voiced by Morikubo Shoutarou. He is one of Japan's most popular musicians, and after announcing a hiatus from music, he enters the Golden Future Cup of Weekly Shonen Jack as a manga artist.

■ Staff

Original author : Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata

Director : Kenichi Kasai, Noriaki Akitaya

Series Composition : Reiko Yoshida

Character design : Tomoyuki Shimotani

Art director : Chika Shibata

Color design : Mayumi Tanahashi

Director of photography : Kazuya Iwai

Edited by : Masahiro Goto

Music : Audio Highs

Sound Director : Jun Watanabe

Animation producer : Yuji Matsukura

Animation production : JCSTAFF

Production Supervisors : Kenji Saito, Masahiro Nojima, Tomoya Negishi

Produced by NHK Enterprises

Produced and written by : NHK, Shogakukan Shueisha Productions

■ Theme songs and music

Opening Theme

• "Blue Bird": Kobukuro (episodes 1-24)
• "Those who fight the monster called reality": Yu Takahashi (25 episodes)

Ending Theme

• "BAKUROCK: The Contour of the Future": YA-KYIM (episodes 1-13)
• "Those who fight the monster called reality": Yu Takahashi (episodes 14-24)
• "Blue Bird": Kobukuro (Episode 25)

Insert song

• "Super Hero Legend": Hironobu Kageyama (episodes 1, 3, 18)
• "GET UP": KOOGY (Morikubo Shoutarou) (Episodes 12 and 17)
• "Zettai☆Shojo-ism!!": Saint Visual Girls' Academy Choir (starring Saori Hayami and the Saint Beauty Squad) (episodes 16 and 18)
• "Symphony Before Dawn": Saint Visual Girls' Academy Choir (starring Saori Hayami and the Saint Beauty Corps) (episodes 20 and 22)
• EUPHORIA: KOOGY (Morikubo Shoutarou) (Episode 21)

■ Episode

Each episode depicts the various events that Saikou and Akito face on their journey to become manga artists. Below are the subtitles for each episode.

• Episode 1: Dreams and reality
• Episode 2: The fool and the clever
• Episode 3: Parents and Children
• Episode 4: Time and Key
• Episode 5: Summer and Name
• Episode 6: The carrot and the stick
• Episode 7: Tears and Tears
• Episode 8: Anxiety and Hope
• Episode 9: Regret and Understanding
• Episode 10: 10 and 2
• Episode 11: Choco and NEXT!
• Episode 12: Treats and Graduation
• Episode 13: Breaking News and Honchan
• Episode 14: Battle and Copying
• Episode 15: Debut and Impatience
• Episode 16: A Kiss and a Wall
• Episode 17: Tengu and Kindness
• Episode 18: Jealousy and Love
• Episode 19: Two and One
• Episode 20: Cooperation and Conditions
• Episode 21: Literature and Music
• Episode 22: Unity and Disintegration
• Episode 23: Tuesday and Friday
• Episode 24: The phone call and the night before
• Episode 25: Yes and No

■ Related works

Bakuman is made up of three series. Following the first series, the second and third series were also produced, each depicting the story of Saikyou and Akito's growth and pursuit of their dreams. Each series faithfully adapted the story from the original and continued to inspire viewers.

■ Evaluation and impressions

"Bakuman" has been highly praised as a work that depicts the dreams and reality of young people who want to become manga artists. The realistic portrayal of the original work and the character growth have resonated deeply with viewers. In particular, the difficulties and joys that Saikou and Akito face on their path to becoming manga artists have touched many viewers. The voice actors' performances are also excellent, and they express the characters' emotions realistically.

The anime adaptation was highly praised for keeping the atmosphere of the original work intact. JCSTAFF's careful animation, combined with NHK's production system, made it widely accepted not only by fans of the original work but also by new audiences. In particular, the friendship between Saikou and Akito, and the romance between Saikou and Azuki made a strong impression on viewers.

■ Recommendation points

"Bakuman" is a story about youth chasing dreams, and is a work that can be recommended to many people. The following points are particularly appealing:

• Realistic portrayal of the manga industry : The realistic portrayal of the manga industry, including the practical issues that aspiring manga artists face on the way to becoming a manga artist and their interactions with editors, is appealing.
• Character Growth : The growth of Saikyou and Akito is carefully depicted, leaving viewers in awe. In particular, there are many touching scenes about their friendship and hard work.
• A moving story : The difficulties and joys faced in the process of chasing one's dreams will deeply touch the viewers. The final episode will leave you in tears.
• Excellent voice acting : A stellar cast of voice actors, including Abe Atsushi, Hino Satoshi, and Hayami Saori, deliver realistic portrayals of the characters' emotions.
• Beautiful artwork and music : JCSTAFF's meticulous artwork and Audio Highs' music enhance the atmosphere of the work. The opening and ending songs are particularly impressive.

■How to watch

"Bakuman." can be purchased on DVD and Blu-ray. It can also be viewed on video streaming services. Please check out the following services to see if it is available for viewing.

• Netflix
• Amazon Prime Video
• d Anime Store

■ Summary

"Bakuman" is a moving story of youth torn between dreams and reality that has touched many viewers. It depicts the growth, friendship, and romance of two middle school students aspiring to become manga artists in a realistic way, evoking deep empathy in viewers. The realistic depiction of the original work, the careful animation, and the excellent voice actors combine to create a work of the highest level of entertainment. It is a work that I would recommend to anyone chasing their dreams.