Bakuman 2 - 19 - Lost in Anime

I’ve always felt that the true situation on Bakuman at any given time could be read on Mashiro’s face. That’s why it’s so hard to watch now, because every time he appears in close-up it looks like he’s dying inside.

Is this really the same series whose “slow pace” everyone used to complain about? This season has moved along at a breakneck rate, and this ep was no exception. It started out with the long-teased visit with Miyoshi’s parents, and I ended up getting more wrapped up in that than I expected. It takes some suspension of disbelief to accept all the coincidences in this series, but the fact that Miyoshi’s father was Nobuhiro’s best friend certainly brought some poignancy to events. Anything involving Nobuhiro is welcome, as we haven’t seen much of him this season, and seeing him in middle school (looking heartbreakingly like Mashiro) and as a struggling young mangaka really reconnects the viewer to the heart of what Bakuman is all about. The irony is that Kaya only exists because Nobuhiro never told the woman he loved how he felt about her, and in a way sadness over that tragedy which brought him his own happiness is what leads Miyoshi’s Dad to approve of the marriage. Of course his observation – “we should be with the one we love as soon as we can” – is another irony, given the way Mashiro and Azuki have decided to live their lives. It’s amazing how much the nephew is like the uncle, indeed.

In the world of manga, events are speeding past Ashirogi Muto, leaving them in the dust. +Natural premières to huge buzz, generating a first place ranking and causing the issue to sell out in one day. Crow has an anime and Otters 11 is headed for one (late-night… And poor Hiramaru has a big picture of Aoki over his desk, blissfully unaware he’s lost her to Fukuda). It’s obvious to me that Ashirogi – especially Mashiro – know that Tanto is a blind alley, and can see the handwriting on the wall. But it’s at the New Year’s party that the reality of it really hits home. The editorial department is buzzing about “Natural”, Hattori is the rising star of the department, and most painful of all, Niizuma barely acknowledges Ashirogi’s presence. They’re second-class citizens at their own magazine, despite just having gotten their second serialization, and that makes their “success” all the more hollow.

Niizuma may act the part of a clown, but he has all the intelligence and instinct to back up his talent and relentless energy. He’s lamped out Hattori’s plan easily, Hattori’s behavior at the party the final clue (but I suspect Eiji had already made the connection on his own). Of course Hattori is horrified, because due to the insipid corporate politics at “Jack” he can’t be seen to be publicly supporting Ashirogi. But he needn’t worry, because supporting Ashirogi is what Niizuma wants too – though not by losing to them. He’s figured out what we know – that the best thing he can do for them is to crush Tanto as quickly as possible and make them realize that it’s a waste of their talent. The final blow – and I suspect the thing that would really gut Ashirogi if they found out, so I hope they do – is when Eiji tells Hattori #2 that he’s not even reading their retch manga any more. I’ll say it again – the smartest guy in the room (though Hattori is close) – I wouldn’t read it either.

Of course Hattori has his own problems, though he might not realize it yet – the vile Iwase has turned her sights on him. After stopping by Miyoshi and Takagi’s new apartment to offer false congratulations and gloat over +Natural thumping Tanto in the surveys, she reveals that she’s no longer interested in Takagi (HA!) because he’s no longer talented, and that Hattori is her new crush. She’s a complete jerk, but perhaps in her crude way this kind of disdain can be as much a motivation for Takagi to dump Tanto as Eiji’s disinterest is for Mashiro. You know it has to be killing Takago not just to lose to Iwase, but to lose because she’s actually doing something much better than he is. Tanto doesn’t deserve to be doing better than +Natural, and that’s the worst part.

The whole atmosphere with Team Ashirogi is pretty grim right now. They have a genki new assistant, Ichiriki, but it’s sad to see Takahama reduced to working as an assistant again after Miura has crushed his dreams. Tanto premières at 5th, and settles into a rut in 11th place, and Miura’s claims to the contrary, that just won’t cut it. Fact is, this is great talent striving for mediocrity – everything Miura is pushing them to do (a running gag is the new magic bullet they need to find) is directed towards just doing enough to survive. It’s like watching a racehorse pull a dung cart. Ahsirogi is going to get to the point sooner or later where they admit what they already know inside – they’re wasting their lives by dumbing down their work for a dumb editor. But it can’t happen a minute too soon for me.

11 comments

Snuckerpooks

February 13, 2012 at 10:37 pm

I guess I never really noticed how fast this season is cruising through the manga. They are doing it right though, because some of this material would not span well over 6 episodes as opposed to the ~3 they did (Iwases crazy eye for Takagi time). I can't put my finger on why, but I enjoy the slower pace of the first season.

PS – Kaya rules, you show Iwase! I like how she was active about mentioning her new last name to Ichiriki.

FlareKnight

February 13, 2012 at 10:38 pm

I think now that what Mashiro is doing is at least worlds better than his Uncle. At least he and Azuki both know how each other feel and will wait for each other. Instead of the crazy idea that neither would openly say anything until Mashiro's uncle achieved his goal. This way it's a matter of time rather then the potential for disaster.

You just know something has to snap eventually. It's clear to everyone that this Tanto manga is wasting their talents. Your metaphor that it's like watching a "thoroughbred race horse pulling a dung cart" is pretty accurate. Everyone (minus Miura) knows that this manga is an utter waste of talent and will never be a great success. It may linger forever, but it will never be #1, unless everyone else writing happens to die.

Think they might need a double shock. Losing to Iwase of all people should be enough to crack Takagi though he may need Kaya's help to get more angry then just frustrated. He's losing to someone who doesn't give a damn about manga, who is just there to topple him. I really wanted Kaya to kick Iwase right over the damn railing. For Mashiro I do think Hattori will be necessary to break through this. He's the one person who can bluntly say that even Niizuma has stopped reading Tanto. Combined this should be enough to make them both snap.

Of course I wonder what they will do. I'd guess just end Tanto as fast as they can and fire up for their next actually good serialization.

Anonymous

February 14, 2012 at 12:36 am

no mention of Hiramaru? he a funny character, always with his obsession with Aoki.

admin

February 14, 2012 at 12:44 am

What do you mean? I mention him quite clearly.

Anonymous

February 14, 2012 at 1:39 am

haha, your right. must be reading too fast.

darkkodiak

February 14, 2012 at 12:41 am

Well, I guess for Iwase, if you can't win in love you win professionally. I'm liking all the build up for Ashirogi to turn things around and finally start putting their talents to good use. Especially since the formula that Tanto is relying on is showing its weakness; you can only come up with so many interesting inventions. It does however look like next week will be the episode that will break Ashirogi with Takagi and Kaya's future on the line and with Mashiro talking to Hattori in the preview. If all else fails, I hope that Nizuma will become the #1 mangaka in Jack and will end Tanto for Ashirogi as he clearly does not find it interesting.

I for one feel for Hattori the most because he has to sit on the side lines as the star mangakas that he discovered are being pushed into mediocrity. This makes me hate Miura more than I already do.

Ragez

February 14, 2012 at 1:43 am

i dont think Hiramaru is already lost to Fukuda, with Yoshida-shi as his mentor anything can happen. Fukuda kind like a person who didnt think about romance.

belatkuro

February 14, 2012 at 5:05 am

There's really going so fast here. I'm surprised as well.
It's like they also want this Tanto phase to be over as well lol 😛
Patience, people, patience. Pretty much everyone knows Tanto will end.
How exactly is the thing to look forward to. Should be interesting and there's one thing I'm saving to mention when it comes.

Needs more Eiji and Hiramaru.

totoum

February 14, 2012 at 10:45 am

While this episode indeed puched the accelerator,it was welcomed because the previous had started to slow this down a bit.

I speculated at the start of the season they'd go for a ch91 ending and I was starting to doubt that but with this episode we're now right back on course

Murkel

February 14, 2012 at 11:58 pm

They are skipping quite a few parts. Looks like they want this arc to end just as much as we do 🙂

admin

February 15, 2012 at 12:26 am

Good!

Bakuman 2 – 19

Guardian Enzo

11 comments

Snuckerpooks

FlareKnight

Anonymous

admin

Anonymous

darkkodiak

Ragez

belatkuro

totoum

Murkel

admin

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Lost in Anime

Guardian Enzo

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11 comments

Snuckerpooks

FlareKnight

Anonymous

admin

Anonymous

darkkodiak

Ragez

belatkuro

totoum

Murkel

admin

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