What do you think?
Rate this book
Bakuman [バクマン] #5
バクマン。 5: 文集と写真集
Reads R to L (Japanese Style), for audiences T
Big changes are in store now that Moritaka and Akito have their very own series in Shonen Jump. Hanging out with their favorite manga creators, hiring assistants, keeping track of the weekly reader surveys—life as a professional manga artist is tough! Can these two survive the pressure…?
179 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
20 people are currently reading
523 people want to read
About the author
Tsugumi Ohba
365 books2,876 followersTsugumi Ōba (Profile in Japanese: 大場 つぐみ), born in Tokyo, Japan, is a writer best known for the manga Death Note. His/her real identity is a closely guarded secret. As stated by the profile placed at the beginning of each Death Note manga, Ōba collects teacups and develops manga plots while holding his knees on a chair, similar to a habit of L, one of the main characters of the series.
There is speculation that Tsugumi Ōba is a pen name and that he is really Hiroshi Gamō. Pointing out that in Bakuman the main character's uncle was a one-hit wonder manga artist who worked on a gag super hero manga, very similar to Gamō and Tottemo! Luckyman in all aspects. Also that the storyboards drawn by Ōba greatly resemble Tottemo! Luckyman in style.
There is speculation that Tsugumi Ōba is a pen name and that he is really Hiroshi Gamō. Pointing out that in Bakuman the main character's uncle was a one-hit wonder manga artist who worked on a gag super hero manga, very similar to Gamō and Tottemo! Luckyman in all aspects. Also that the storyboards drawn by Ōba greatly resemble Tottemo! Luckyman in style.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
June 19, 2017
I know that people who aren't that interested in how manga is made will probably start to lose interest in this by around this point, but I'm still loving it. The pressure to continuous pump out gripping stories on a weekly basis is so much. I'm glad they show more people struggling. Also this manga takes me longer to read than any other manga I've read because of the amount of dialogue, but I don't mind it.
April 18, 2016
I really enjoyed this one, but I think this series has a tendency to drag a bit. I think it's caused by the fact that it goes into great detail about what it takes to make a manga and there's so much involved that it causes the story to slow down. I feel like you have to really be interested in the manga industry in order to enjoy this series.
April 8, 2021
the art's great, the story is great, the characters are great, THE HUMOR IS GREAT. I stan *clap clap*
March 1, 2026
Retrouver Bakuman dans ce cinquième volume donne l’impression d’assister à un véritable changement d’orbite. Jusqu’ici, l’histoire avançait avec une progression presque pédagogique, attentive à chaque étape de la formation de nos deux mangakas. Désormais, tout s’accélère. Saikô et Shûjin ont franchi un seuil décisif. Leur série paraît enfin dans le Jump, ils sont rémunérés, entourés d’assistants, invités aux réunions où se croisent auteurs et éditeurs. Ce qui n’était qu’un rêve devient un métier. À travers eux, on comprend que la reconnaissance professionnelle ne marque pas la fin d’un parcours, mais plutôt le commencement d’une épreuve plus exigeante encore. Publier une série n’est qu’une victoire provisoire. La maintenir en vie devient le véritable défi.
Ce cinquième tome se distingue nettement des précédents par un rythme beaucoup plus rapide, presque haletant. Le récit se concentre principalement sur le classement hebdomadaire de la série et sur les stratégies imaginées pour répondre aux réactions des lecteurs. On découvre avec une grande netteté la fragilité d’une œuvre soumise à l’épreuve constante du sondage. Chaque semaine agit comme un verdict provisoire. Le succès n’est jamais acquis et la survie d’une série dépend d’un équilibre instable entre intuition artistique et attente du public. Cette immersion dans la mécanique éditoriale confère au volume une tension particulière, comme si la carrière des personnages se jouait dans un espace de temps dangereusement resserré.
J’ai pourtant ressenti une certaine précipitation dans cette manière de condenser les premières semaines de publication. Les événements s’enchaînent rapidement et l’on devine que les auteurs souhaitent franchir au plus vite cette période d’incertitude initiale. Certes, suivre pas à pas l’élaboration des nemus et la construction minutieuse des chapitres aurait sans doute fini par alourdir le récit. Mais cette accélération donne parfois l’impression que l’on traverse une étape essentielle sans avoir le temps de l’observer pleinement. On perçoit presque en filigrane les hésitations propres à toute série en début de parcours, comme si les auteurs eux-mêmes avaient dû adapter leur rythme et leur approche face à des débuts marqués par des classements encore incertains.
Cette impression d’urgence se retrouve également dans le dessin. Le trait semble parfois moins posé, plus direct, presque esquissé avant d’être affermi. Certaines planches évoquent l’énergie brute des brouillons retravaillés, comme si le lecteur se trouvait plongé au cœur même de l’atelier. Cette relative rudesse graphique ne nuit pas réellement à la lecture, mais elle renforce la sensation d’une course contre le temps, fidèle à la réalité du métier de mangaka où chaque échéance impose son propre tempo.
L’introduction des assistants constitue en revanche l’une des réussites les plus intéressantes de ce volume. Leur présence rappelle que la création d’un manga ne relève jamais d’un effort solitaire. Autour des auteurs gravite une petite communauté de travailleurs de l’ombre dont dépend la régularité de la publication. On devine leur importance sans encore parvenir à mesurer pleinement leur rôle. Le récit les évoque davantage qu’il ne les montre, laissant au lecteur l’impression d’un monde encore partiellement caché, dont on aimerait observer plus concrètement le fonctionnement.
Ce cinquième tome marque ainsi l’entrée véritable des héros dans la vie professionnelle. L’enthousiasme des débuts se mêle à la pression constante du classement et à la nécessité d’avancer sans relâche. En refermant ce volume, on comprend que le plus difficile ne consiste pas à entrer dans les pages du magazine, mais à y rester. Bakuman rappelle alors avec une justesse troublante que derrière chaque série qui dure se cache une lutte silencieuse contre l’oubli.
Ce cinquième tome se distingue nettement des précédents par un rythme beaucoup plus rapide, presque haletant. Le récit se concentre principalement sur le classement hebdomadaire de la série et sur les stratégies imaginées pour répondre aux réactions des lecteurs. On découvre avec une grande netteté la fragilité d’une œuvre soumise à l’épreuve constante du sondage. Chaque semaine agit comme un verdict provisoire. Le succès n’est jamais acquis et la survie d’une série dépend d’un équilibre instable entre intuition artistique et attente du public. Cette immersion dans la mécanique éditoriale confère au volume une tension particulière, comme si la carrière des personnages se jouait dans un espace de temps dangereusement resserré.
J’ai pourtant ressenti une certaine précipitation dans cette manière de condenser les premières semaines de publication. Les événements s’enchaînent rapidement et l’on devine que les auteurs souhaitent franchir au plus vite cette période d’incertitude initiale. Certes, suivre pas à pas l’élaboration des nemus et la construction minutieuse des chapitres aurait sans doute fini par alourdir le récit. Mais cette accélération donne parfois l’impression que l’on traverse une étape essentielle sans avoir le temps de l’observer pleinement. On perçoit presque en filigrane les hésitations propres à toute série en début de parcours, comme si les auteurs eux-mêmes avaient dû adapter leur rythme et leur approche face à des débuts marqués par des classements encore incertains.
Cette impression d’urgence se retrouve également dans le dessin. Le trait semble parfois moins posé, plus direct, presque esquissé avant d’être affermi. Certaines planches évoquent l’énergie brute des brouillons retravaillés, comme si le lecteur se trouvait plongé au cœur même de l’atelier. Cette relative rudesse graphique ne nuit pas réellement à la lecture, mais elle renforce la sensation d’une course contre le temps, fidèle à la réalité du métier de mangaka où chaque échéance impose son propre tempo.
L’introduction des assistants constitue en revanche l’une des réussites les plus intéressantes de ce volume. Leur présence rappelle que la création d’un manga ne relève jamais d’un effort solitaire. Autour des auteurs gravite une petite communauté de travailleurs de l’ombre dont dépend la régularité de la publication. On devine leur importance sans encore parvenir à mesurer pleinement leur rôle. Le récit les évoque davantage qu’il ne les montre, laissant au lecteur l’impression d’un monde encore partiellement caché, dont on aimerait observer plus concrètement le fonctionnement.
Ce cinquième tome marque ainsi l’entrée véritable des héros dans la vie professionnelle. L’enthousiasme des débuts se mêle à la pression constante du classement et à la nécessité d’avancer sans relâche. En refermant ce volume, on comprend que le plus difficile ne consiste pas à entrer dans les pages du magazine, mais à y rester. Bakuman rappelle alors avec une justesse troublante que derrière chaque série qui dure se cache une lutte silencieuse contre l’oubli.
November 28, 2018
Merasakan keseruan mengikuti peringkat mingguan serialisasi dari para mangaka. Bagian paling mengena saat Detective Trap menurun peringkatnya, Saikou dan Shuujin bingung harus tetap bertahan di jalurnya atau mulai mengikuti arus ke battle manga.
Selipan kisah Saikou dan Azuki masih menjadi bumbu manis di tengah telernya para mangaka mengejar deadline.
"Manga adalah pertaruhan. Sukses atau Gagal"
Selipan kisah Saikou dan Azuki masih menjadi bumbu manis di tengah telernya para mangaka mengejar deadline.
June 12, 2017
well. everyone's got there series running.
this volume is but boring not exciting as the earlier ones. i hope the next volume don't disappoint me.
this volume is but boring not exciting as the earlier ones. i hope the next volume don't disappoint me.
November 5, 2019
Mashiro and Takagi had more their ups and downs in this volume, so this made me feel more excited.
Also, I was quite relieved about Azuki and Mashiro. I wish they would talk more to each other in the next volume.
What is good about this manga is that most of the characters tried hard to improve by learning from others. That’s why is easy for readers to have an attachment to any characters.
November 6, 2022
5/5
I finished Bakuman, the series by the duo Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. It is a simple story about a boy (Moritaka Mashiro) in his third year of middle school deciding to become a manga artist on the persistence of his friend (Akito Takagi). Takagi will write the stories while Mashiro will do the art. Together, they tell their ambitions to his crush (Miho Ayuki), who aims to be a voice actress and decide to get married if and when she gets to voice the heroine of their series. A simple premise, but one that allows for myriads of twists and turns. They begin their manga journey with the pen name Muto Ashirogi.
This is a review of the entire series. Please keep that in mind.
The authors introduce various other mangakas with the most important being Eiji Nizuma, Ashirogi Sensei's biggest rival, a 15-year-old manga genius. They face various hardships along the way, from writer's block to unrequited confessions; from copycat imposters to tight deadlines; from all-nighters to hospital stays. It is a heartwarming story which will motivate you to fulfill your own dreams. The ultimate Shonen Manga.
The authors accomplished everything they set out to do. I cannot think of a single thing to improve in this masterpiece. It is short and concise (only 176 chapters), with no redundancies or detours. It also teaches the readers the grueling discipline required to be a mangaka, the hopes and dreams attached with it and the ins and outs of manga publishing. The Editors and the Editorial Department play as much of a role in the story as the mangakas. How the manga and the artist are tied together and how can gleam an insight into the author's psyche by reading their works. How to deal with success and imposter syndrome. How to actually write an engaging manga and what happens when you actually succeed in your dreams. This and so much more is presented in such an engaging manner in the series.
Heartily recommended to everyone. Can't wait to read more!!!
I finished Bakuman, the series by the duo Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. It is a simple story about a boy (Moritaka Mashiro) in his third year of middle school deciding to become a manga artist on the persistence of his friend (Akito Takagi). Takagi will write the stories while Mashiro will do the art. Together, they tell their ambitions to his crush (Miho Ayuki), who aims to be a voice actress and decide to get married if and when she gets to voice the heroine of their series. A simple premise, but one that allows for myriads of twists and turns. They begin their manga journey with the pen name Muto Ashirogi.
This is a review of the entire series. Please keep that in mind.
The authors introduce various other mangakas with the most important being Eiji Nizuma, Ashirogi Sensei's biggest rival, a 15-year-old manga genius. They face various hardships along the way, from writer's block to unrequited confessions; from copycat imposters to tight deadlines; from all-nighters to hospital stays. It is a heartwarming story which will motivate you to fulfill your own dreams. The ultimate Shonen Manga.
The authors accomplished everything they set out to do. I cannot think of a single thing to improve in this masterpiece. It is short and concise (only 176 chapters), with no redundancies or detours. It also teaches the readers the grueling discipline required to be a mangaka, the hopes and dreams attached with it and the ins and outs of manga publishing. The Editors and the Editorial Department play as much of a role in the story as the mangakas. How the manga and the artist are tied together and how can gleam an insight into the author's psyche by reading their works. How to deal with success and imposter syndrome. How to actually write an engaging manga and what happens when you actually succeed in your dreams. This and so much more is presented in such an engaging manner in the series.
Heartily recommended to everyone. Can't wait to read more!!!
April 29, 2020
I’ve been reading people’s reviews of this volume and it seems some people’s interest has ebbed at this point.
Mine most definitely hasn’t. While some people love the insight into the process of manga production, I’m so here for the personal relationships and what’s going on, as well as the production of manga.
I’m so invested that when things don’t go well I’m sad and when they do go well, I get as excited as the characters!! That’s a sign that for me, this is becoming one of my all time favourite stories and one I will re-read!!!
The artwork continues to be on point and the writing is great. My inability to buy into the main relationship has been forgotten really as it’s more realistic as a long distance relationship. I’m also invested in the characters we saw in earlier volumes, not all but some!!
Here for it, will continue to be here for it. I have the next volume but have purchased up to volume 10 so I can continue.
Mine most definitely hasn’t. While some people love the insight into the process of manga production, I’m so here for the personal relationships and what’s going on, as well as the production of manga.
I’m so invested that when things don’t go well I’m sad and when they do go well, I get as excited as the characters!! That’s a sign that for me, this is becoming one of my all time favourite stories and one I will re-read!!!
The artwork continues to be on point and the writing is great. My inability to buy into the main relationship has been forgotten really as it’s more realistic as a long distance relationship. I’m also invested in the characters we saw in earlier volumes, not all but some!!
Here for it, will continue to be here for it. I have the next volume but have purchased up to volume 10 so I can continue.
April 8, 2018
4 stars
Oh noes! If they weren't under enough pressure, now the guys have to deal with a new editor on the eve of the debut of their new Jump series. Ugh! This guy seems a little flaky, and not as knowledgeable as Hattori (who I really, really liked!).
This was a solid entry into the series. Moritaka and Akito are learning that getting their own weekly series isn't a piece of cake. There is the pressure of deadlines, editor meetings, finding assistants, and staying in the top of the rankings, all while trying to attend high school! I was not committed to Bakuman at first, but I like it now.
full review to follow
Oh noes! If they weren't under enough pressure, now the guys have to deal with a new editor on the eve of the debut of their new Jump series. Ugh! This guy seems a little flaky, and not as knowledgeable as Hattori (who I really, really liked!).
This was a solid entry into the series. Moritaka and Akito are learning that getting their own weekly series isn't a piece of cake. There is the pressure of deadlines, editor meetings, finding assistants, and staying in the top of the rankings, all while trying to attend high school! I was not committed to Bakuman at first, but I like it now.
full review to follow
December 21, 2022
I really love all the characters so much and seeing them start to succeed and gain momentum makes me genuinely really happy! We’re still so early on in the series though so I can wait to see where it goes!
Read
August 25, 2017Still loving this series!
March 9, 2020
3.5/5.0
October 2, 2022
Best Volume so far I loved reading it,!
June 28, 2019
In this volume the protagonists Moritaka and Akito had a big change as professional manga artist. They were working very hard to make a good series, and already looked same as professionals for me. Sometimes I forget they are still high school students while reading. I wonder how tough they are, I am older than those two but I don’t think I can work a lot and study at the same time like them.
March 24, 2017
It was pretty good how hard they work and stuff.
December 12, 2018
3.25 stars. The Crow and Trap rivalry is about to get serious 😎
July 21, 2018
In this chapter so many rivals appears in front of Saiko and Shujin, and it makes it exciting more! I cannot miss how they will get involved with Saiko and Shujin, and you cannot too, can you? Personally speaking, I can't stop taking look at Mr. Hiramaru. He's so funny guy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2016
Bakuman has been a very exciting and interesting read. This volume in particular was excellent and is my favourite volume so far. It's detailed and informative, and the humour is priceless. They've cut down on the completely unnecessary and disgraceful fan-service, in fact I don't recall there to be any in this volume.
New characters are introduced and the battle of the best manga intensifies as more than one genius enters the fray!
I gotta say, my favourite characters are Nizuma and Hiramaru at the moment.
I used to like Shujin but over the course of the story he seems to be getting less and less interesting and more and more shallow. He's like: obsessed with fame and it come across as having little or no respect for the art form he apparently loves and has chosen to make a living off despite all the hardships and impracticalities. It would be different if he was doing it solo, but when you have a partner, surely it would be better to have more tact? It's like, degrading their work and effort too, yah know!?
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the series and I'll probably do a review on the series as a whole once I have because volume-by-volume reviews are a little tricky for me.
New characters are introduced and the battle of the best manga intensifies as more than one genius enters the fray!
I gotta say, my favourite characters are Nizuma and Hiramaru at the moment.
I used to like Shujin but over the course of the story he seems to be getting less and less interesting and more and more shallow. He's like: obsessed with fame and it come across as having little or no respect for the art form he apparently loves and has chosen to make a living off despite all the hardships and impracticalities. It would be different if he was doing it solo, but when you have a partner, surely it would be better to have more tact? It's like, degrading their work and effort too, yah know!?
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the series and I'll probably do a review on the series as a whole once I have because volume-by-volume reviews are a little tricky for me.
October 12, 2021
The opening chapters with Takagi condemning Azuki for her having a mental breakdown, and Nakai being a self-destructive stalker with Aoki, are hard to read. Genuinely awful and terrible stuff.
But we get a look at what it's like to be creating multiple chapters in an ongoing series! Anticipating story changes concerning survey results, identifying weaknesses and improving in order to appeal to more readers, and rewriting chapters to incorporate feedback. We also see a new editor, and how characters react to different personalities. It's really cool to see how an actual series run- not just designing a storyboard, or trying to get serialized, but how the stories change week to week.
But we get a look at what it's like to be creating multiple chapters in an ongoing series! Anticipating story changes concerning survey results, identifying weaknesses and improving in order to appeal to more readers, and rewriting chapters to incorporate feedback. We also see a new editor, and how characters react to different personalities. It's really cool to see how an actual series run- not just designing a storyboard, or trying to get serialized, but how the stories change week to week.
May 16, 2015
SPOILERS
I love this series! In this volume, Mashiro and Takagi finally have a series in weekly Shonen jump! When the rankings don't come back as good as they'd hoped, they have doubts about their new editor and if a detective manga can really make it in Shonen jump, should they morph it into a battle manga?
I feel I always say pretty much the same thing about these volumes but the same things remain true: this is a great story on its own and it's a great story for a manga beginner because it details the technical process of how manga comes into being.
I love this series! In this volume, Mashiro and Takagi finally have a series in weekly Shonen jump! When the rankings don't come back as good as they'd hoped, they have doubts about their new editor and if a detective manga can really make it in Shonen jump, should they morph it into a battle manga?
I feel I always say pretty much the same thing about these volumes but the same things remain true: this is a great story on its own and it's a great story for a manga beginner because it details the technical process of how manga comes into being.
November 16, 2015
Seruuuu dg mulainya para mangaka ini, terutama Ashirogi Muto dapat serialisasi. Kadang kesel juga sih, peringkat yg naik turun bikin mood yg baca ikut naik turun. Jadi tau bisnis manga itu berat sekali ya. Ohya, ngakak kejengkang pas bagian Azuki nelpon Mashiro, they are so weirdly cute together hahaha. Apalagi pas Azuki bilang, aku mau tampil polos pertama di depan Mashiro!!! Apaahhh? *mbayangin filmnya, Mashiro, eh, Satoh polos. aku juga mau liyaaatttt!!*. *lah salah gang masuk nih, bukan salah fokus lagi!* ngoahahahahahahahaa...
June 14, 2014
Oh look, a parent shows up at the very end. I was wondering where they went. I mean, you'd think there'd be a parent or two showing seeing as these teens had to sign contracts and begin a career while in high school.....
April 9, 2020
❤
Never thought a manga about manga could be this dynamic.
Also, I really liked the way they confronted the issue of objectifying idols. It's a serious problem and it's good they showed how awful and degrading it is.
❤
Never thought a manga about manga could be this dynamic.
Also, I really liked the way they confronted the issue of objectifying idols. It's a serious problem and it's good they showed how awful and degrading it is.
❤
November 22, 2025
I started with book 5 because that's all I could find. I mostly wanted to see if Ohba could write anything NOT obsessive about death, since I haven't found the anime to watch that instead due to my limited patience with jumping between streaming platforms.
(Obata-sensei's work has been delightfully consistent even when the story was absolutely terrible, though as this series shows, assistants do a LOT of footwork.)
It's actually a lot easier to follow than you might think, jumping in at the fifth book, since it sort of starts at what I assume is a new "chapter" in the characters' lives. About the most confusing thing is the characters on the cover aren't the main ones (two-person team under the pseudonym Ashirogi Muto), so trying to reconcile that with who shows up the most takes a bit of time—the cover characters are in the volume, but more toward the end. After the main team establishes themselves with their new editor, they jump right in to making their detective comic for Shonen Jump.
Which... sounds familiar. (I guess their "Detective Trap" is as though they wrote about L only instead of Light and all the "notebook that kills whoever's name is written in it" stuff.)
So it feels like Ohba and Ogata made a pseudo-autobiography about making the exact manga they had just finished, after scrambling for ideas to keep still being employed, haha.
The bad thing is it sort of drifts into this obsession with numbers from about the middle of the book on, and uncertainty about if they can keep the momentum going, especially as the main writer and artist are STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL and the artist (Mashiro) starts skipping sleep to keep up with the deadlines. Hooray for child labour laws, yes?
(yikes)
There are some other big side events, too, like the one assistant (Nakai) working double-duty as an assistant for another creator (Aoki) despite being told not to BY said creator and basically guilting her into accepting his work, and a big thing about Mashiro's (girl?)friend Azuki coming down with severe depression after a setback in her career that causes Mashiro to nearly drop his deadline work to go see her when she suddenly stops answering her texts/not picking up the phone. The actual Making Detective Trap story quickly dwindles to just "how do we maintain or improve upon status quo," though, so I can see how this didn't have the staying power of the duo's other titles, even if it's more universally approachable than Hikaru no Go (since Go isn't really as popular in the West, but comics and employment are pretty understandable in any region).
Unless it was super popular back in like 2010 and I just missed it due to whatever else was more accessible at the time, I don't know.
Recommended for an insight into the manga industry, though PROBABLY start with the first book unlike me?
Edit to add: It doesn't actually explain "Bakuman" in this volume, so still no idea what it means. Granted, I don't really understand what "Platinum End" is, either, and I watched the whole anime (easier than finding all the books, thanks to streaming).
(Obata-sensei's work has been delightfully consistent even when the story was absolutely terrible, though as this series shows, assistants do a LOT of footwork.)
It's actually a lot easier to follow than you might think, jumping in at the fifth book, since it sort of starts at what I assume is a new "chapter" in the characters' lives. About the most confusing thing is the characters on the cover aren't the main ones (two-person team under the pseudonym Ashirogi Muto), so trying to reconcile that with who shows up the most takes a bit of time—the cover characters are in the volume, but more toward the end. After the main team establishes themselves with their new editor, they jump right in to making their detective comic for Shonen Jump.
Which... sounds familiar. (I guess their "Detective Trap" is as though they wrote about L only instead of Light and all the "notebook that kills whoever's name is written in it" stuff.)
So it feels like Ohba and Ogata made a pseudo-autobiography about making the exact manga they had just finished, after scrambling for ideas to keep still being employed, haha.
The bad thing is it sort of drifts into this obsession with numbers from about the middle of the book on, and uncertainty about if they can keep the momentum going, especially as the main writer and artist are STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL and the artist (Mashiro) starts skipping sleep to keep up with the deadlines. Hooray for child labour laws, yes?
(yikes)
There are some other big side events, too, like the one assistant (Nakai) working double-duty as an assistant for another creator (Aoki) despite being told not to BY said creator and basically guilting her into accepting his work, and a big thing about Mashiro's (girl?)friend Azuki coming down with severe depression after a setback in her career that causes Mashiro to nearly drop his deadline work to go see her when she suddenly stops answering her texts/not picking up the phone. The actual Making Detective Trap story quickly dwindles to just "how do we maintain or improve upon status quo," though, so I can see how this didn't have the staying power of the duo's other titles, even if it's more universally approachable than Hikaru no Go (since Go isn't really as popular in the West, but comics and employment are pretty understandable in any region).
Unless it was super popular back in like 2010 and I just missed it due to whatever else was more accessible at the time, I don't know.
Recommended for an insight into the manga industry, though PROBABLY start with the first book unlike me?
Edit to add: It doesn't actually explain "Bakuman" in this volume, so still no idea what it means. Granted, I don't really understand what "Platinum End" is, either, and I watched the whole anime (easier than finding all the books, thanks to streaming).
May 8, 2018
Bakuman: Yearbook and Photobook continue where the previous tankobon left off and contains the next nine chapters (35–43) of the on-going manga series.
Moritaka Mashiro and Akito Takagi has finally got serialized, however they have to say goodbye to their editor Akira Hattori, having additional responsibilities he couldn’t refuse, taking on Ashirogi Muto would be too much for him, so he introduces them to their new rookie editor, Goro Miura. However, Hattori still has an invested interest in Ashirogi Muto and keeps an eye on Miura from afar to see how the duo is doing.
Ashirogi Muto has little time to celebrate their serialization, because now they have to do something more difficult than getting serialized – staying serialized. The rest of the tankobon concentrates on Ashirogi Muto's new relationship with their new editor and staying in serialization. At first they compete with Eiji Niizuma and Kazuya Hiramaru comparing how they rank with the other two and they are soon joined by Shinta Fukuda and Ko Aoki shortly after. These five continue to work hard to stay serialized and compete with each other.
Three characters of note have been introduced in Bakuman: Yearbook and Photobook: Goro Miura, Kazuya Hiramaru, and Shoyo Takahama – each representing a different part of the manga industry, an editor, competitor, and artist assistant.
Goro Miura is a rookie editor who was assigned to Ashirogi Muto when they just got serialized. He is extremely enthusiastic and optimistic, but rather naïve and somewhat incompetent due to his lack of experience. He is desperate to keep his series he's in charge of to stay serialized in order to protect his job. Ashirogi Muto and Goro Miura have butted heads many times and it really shows the difference between him and Akira Hattori.
Kazuya Hiramaru is another manga genius more of an idiot savant than anything else. Unlike Niizuma, who lived and breath manga from a young age, Hiramaru is introduced as a regular adult working at an office that one day picked up Shonen Jump for the first time in his life and decided that drawing manga would be far less troublesome than office work – he was wrong, because after serializing his very first submission, Hiramaru finds how difficult and different drawing manga is compared to office work.
Shoyo Takahama is one of three artist assistants to Ashirogi Muto, unlike the other two, one who has no dream but to be a professional artist assistant and the other being just content where she is, Takahama had dreams – he one day wants to work for Disney. At nineteen, he is the youngest of the three and closet in age to Ashirogi Muto. I added him to a new character of note, because I like his ambition and hopefully we see him outside as being an assistant to Ashirogi Muto – perhaps a manga series to hit serialization.
While most of the tankobon is just: How did our chapter do? How did we rank? What about our competitors? It is the quiet in-between moments that really make the tankobon and really show the friendship between the manga artists, although waiting for the placing was also quite suspenseful. However, like always, Tsugumi Ohba is verbose in his writing and yet he has brought his loquaciousness to a higher, unknown level in this tankobon.
All in all, Bakuman: Yearbook and Photobook is a wonderful continuation of the on-going series – it ended on a high note for Ashirogi Muto and I can’t wait to read further.
Moritaka Mashiro and Akito Takagi has finally got serialized, however they have to say goodbye to their editor Akira Hattori, having additional responsibilities he couldn’t refuse, taking on Ashirogi Muto would be too much for him, so he introduces them to their new rookie editor, Goro Miura. However, Hattori still has an invested interest in Ashirogi Muto and keeps an eye on Miura from afar to see how the duo is doing.
Ashirogi Muto has little time to celebrate their serialization, because now they have to do something more difficult than getting serialized – staying serialized. The rest of the tankobon concentrates on Ashirogi Muto's new relationship with their new editor and staying in serialization. At first they compete with Eiji Niizuma and Kazuya Hiramaru comparing how they rank with the other two and they are soon joined by Shinta Fukuda and Ko Aoki shortly after. These five continue to work hard to stay serialized and compete with each other.
Three characters of note have been introduced in Bakuman: Yearbook and Photobook: Goro Miura, Kazuya Hiramaru, and Shoyo Takahama – each representing a different part of the manga industry, an editor, competitor, and artist assistant.
Goro Miura is a rookie editor who was assigned to Ashirogi Muto when they just got serialized. He is extremely enthusiastic and optimistic, but rather naïve and somewhat incompetent due to his lack of experience. He is desperate to keep his series he's in charge of to stay serialized in order to protect his job. Ashirogi Muto and Goro Miura have butted heads many times and it really shows the difference between him and Akira Hattori.
Kazuya Hiramaru is another manga genius more of an idiot savant than anything else. Unlike Niizuma, who lived and breath manga from a young age, Hiramaru is introduced as a regular adult working at an office that one day picked up Shonen Jump for the first time in his life and decided that drawing manga would be far less troublesome than office work – he was wrong, because after serializing his very first submission, Hiramaru finds how difficult and different drawing manga is compared to office work.
Shoyo Takahama is one of three artist assistants to Ashirogi Muto, unlike the other two, one who has no dream but to be a professional artist assistant and the other being just content where she is, Takahama had dreams – he one day wants to work for Disney. At nineteen, he is the youngest of the three and closet in age to Ashirogi Muto. I added him to a new character of note, because I like his ambition and hopefully we see him outside as being an assistant to Ashirogi Muto – perhaps a manga series to hit serialization.
While most of the tankobon is just: How did our chapter do? How did we rank? What about our competitors? It is the quiet in-between moments that really make the tankobon and really show the friendship between the manga artists, although waiting for the placing was also quite suspenseful. However, like always, Tsugumi Ohba is verbose in his writing and yet he has brought his loquaciousness to a higher, unknown level in this tankobon.
All in all, Bakuman: Yearbook and Photobook is a wonderful continuation of the on-going series – it ended on a high note for Ashirogi Muto and I can’t wait to read further.
November 30, 2020
Rating: 5 stars
Summary:
Akito Takagi aspires to be a manga writer, but he has poor drawing skills. He approaches his classmate, Moritaka Mashiro to be pair up with him into becoming manga creators. Mashiro rejects the idea at first. Takagi then convinces Mashiro when he brings them to Miho Azuki's house. Takagi tells Azuki about their dream of creating manga. Mashiro, who has a crush on Azuki, then "proposes" to marry Azuki if he is able to create a manga that will later be animated and Azuki will be the seiyuu or voice actor for the anime. The duo then set off their dream, going through many challenges and failures along the way, to create a manga that has potential to be animated.
Review (for the whole manga):
I first read this manga when it was published in a local comic magazine here in Malaysia, known as Kreko. Decided to reread again because I didn't finish the whole manga the first time (because I skipped a few volumes of the magazine, so I missed out some chapters of the manga). This manga is interesting as it shows you the "behind the scenes" of the manga industry in Japan. I have heard some people say that being a mangaka is not an easy job that will rake in money. Mangaka have to compete with many other mangaka from various publication companies. If your manga is no longer preferred by the readers, it will get dropped. All that is depicted in this manga series. Hardwork is sure the no. 1 key to success in this field. Overall, I really like this manga (plus the fact that it's created by the duo who made Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom. ;)
Summary:
Akito Takagi aspires to be a manga writer, but he has poor drawing skills. He approaches his classmate, Moritaka Mashiro to be pair up with him into becoming manga creators. Mashiro rejects the idea at first. Takagi then convinces Mashiro when he brings them to Miho Azuki's house. Takagi tells Azuki about their dream of creating manga. Mashiro, who has a crush on Azuki, then "proposes" to marry Azuki if he is able to create a manga that will later be animated and Azuki will be the seiyuu or voice actor for the anime. The duo then set off their dream, going through many challenges and failures along the way, to create a manga that has potential to be animated.
Review (for the whole manga):
I first read this manga when it was published in a local comic magazine here in Malaysia, known as Kreko. Decided to reread again because I didn't finish the whole manga the first time (because I skipped a few volumes of the magazine, so I missed out some chapters of the manga). This manga is interesting as it shows you the "behind the scenes" of the manga industry in Japan. I have heard some people say that being a mangaka is not an easy job that will rake in money. Mangaka have to compete with many other mangaka from various publication companies. If your manga is no longer preferred by the readers, it will get dropped. All that is depicted in this manga series. Hardwork is sure the no. 1 key to success in this field. Overall, I really like this manga (plus the fact that it's created by the duo who made Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom. ;)
June 14, 2023
Another great volume in a great series. I really enjoy the Nakai and Aoki storyline in this one. His dedication to working with her even if it means working out in the snow. The dramatic reveal of her covering him with her umbrella - it's overdramatic and silly but also heartwarming and fun. I think that's really the core to this manga and I find myself repeating those words each volume. It's just heartfelt and sincere, silly and fun - and that leads to some overdramatic moments but it's never taking itself too seriously.
As always I really enjoy the more serious behind the scenes look at making a manga series as well. Detective Trap's start is fantastic. I love the new editor Miura - he's not as sure as Hattori and I think he makes for a perfect editor for this uncertain time period in the manga's life. He's a bit of a rookie and he doesn't have all the answers. But in making something popular - no one has the answers. It was a smart call introducing that new character during this critical time. It reinforces the sense of uncertainty and the somewhat random nature of generating a hit comic. The editors, the artists, no one really knows what will be popular and how to manipulate the votes. But it makes for such a fun system to gauge how the Ashirogi pair are doing and also how all their rivals are doing.
This volume also introduces Hiramaru of the Otter No. 11 series. He's also a great addition. He brings a very funny side to the story and also highlights some of the insane working conditions of a manga artist.
As always I really enjoy the more serious behind the scenes look at making a manga series as well. Detective Trap's start is fantastic. I love the new editor Miura - he's not as sure as Hattori and I think he makes for a perfect editor for this uncertain time period in the manga's life. He's a bit of a rookie and he doesn't have all the answers. But in making something popular - no one has the answers. It was a smart call introducing that new character during this critical time. It reinforces the sense of uncertainty and the somewhat random nature of generating a hit comic. The editors, the artists, no one really knows what will be popular and how to manipulate the votes. But it makes for such a fun system to gauge how the Ashirogi pair are doing and also how all their rivals are doing.
This volume also introduces Hiramaru of the Otter No. 11 series. He's also a great addition. He brings a very funny side to the story and also highlights some of the insane working conditions of a manga artist.
March 3, 2022
Sexism has always been an issue in this manga but in this volume it takes a turn for the worse.
A female writer in her twenties fires her 33 year old male artist and turns to a new creative partnership. So what does this creepy older man do? Vows to sit outside her window and draw her manga every single night to show how serious he is about the manga. He literally ends up in the hospital because he draws during winter on a park bench since she doesn't feel safe letting him into her home.
So what do the other mangakas say about this? They call her a bitch... they say it's her fault for firing him....
And the end result is she also ends up feeling so bad that she rehires him, saying it's all her fault and she shouldn't have fired him.
Let me ask you this... if a male coworker who was 10-ish years your senior sat outside your house obsessing over an email you wrote or something, and then everyone called you horrible names because you didn't let this creepy basted into your house or re-hire him, would that be fair?
This was really hard to read. I'm questioning whether or not I want to read the rest of the series.
There's also a few other sexist moments but I'm just not going to get into them. If you've read what I've already written, and if you've gotten this far into the series, then you already know what to expect in other chapters and volumes.
A female writer in her twenties fires her 33 year old male artist and turns to a new creative partnership. So what does this creepy older man do? Vows to sit outside her window and draw her manga every single night to show how serious he is about the manga. He literally ends up in the hospital because he draws during winter on a park bench since she doesn't feel safe letting him into her home.
So what do the other mangakas say about this? They call her a bitch... they say it's her fault for firing him....
And the end result is she also ends up feeling so bad that she rehires him, saying it's all her fault and she shouldn't have fired him.
Let me ask you this... if a male coworker who was 10-ish years your senior sat outside your house obsessing over an email you wrote or something, and then everyone called you horrible names because you didn't let this creepy basted into your house or re-hire him, would that be fair?
This was really hard to read. I'm questioning whether or not I want to read the rest of the series.
There's also a few other sexist moments but I'm just not going to get into them. If you've read what I've already written, and if you've gotten this far into the series, then you already know what to expect in other chapters and volumes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2015
Y si, las sospechas son ciertas, ahora Mashiro y Takagi tienen que lidiar con un gran cambio inesperado…un cambio de supervisor.
Y vaya supervisor nuevo que les han asignado, es demasiado entusiasta. Admito que al principio me encontraba como ellos, bastante recelosa, sin embargo a pesar de su personalidad extrovertida se nota que sabe lo que hace, empieza afinar los detalles para comenzar de lleno con la serialización y ser lo más eficiente posible.
Hattori ha sido una gran ayuda para ellos en este proceso y el que ya no se encuentre a cargo de supervisarlos por una parte es una lástima pero por otra el tener ahora a Miura todo lo vuelve inesperado, son este tipo de cambios en la trama que sirven para enriquecer de manera constante la historia porque al parecer no puedes dar nada por hecho.
Por otra parte, ahora que forman parte de la revista, han sido invitados a una fiesta de año nuevo de la editorial, en la cual tendrán la oportunidad de convivir con muchas personas relacionadas con el medio así como de algunos de los que junto con ellos iniciarán una serie en la Jump. Niizuma sigue siendo uno de mis personajes favoritos, su personalidad desenfadada y la seguridad que tiene para adaptarse a cualquier situación me encanta, y no pierde la oportunidad de iniciar amistad con Hiramaru; uno de los nuevos mangakas a quien la editorial le tiene puesta toda la confianza en que será todo un éxito; quien además tiene una personalidad algo quejumbrosa. Ver la interacción que tienen estos dos es sumamente divertida y genial, al parecer es el inicio de una amistad muy particular que hará que quieras que haya más interacción entre ellos dos debido a sus personalidades tan opuestas. Y como no todo podía estar tranquilo, al finalizar el evento se revela algo que traerá un cambio muy importante para un conocido de Mashiro, Takagi y Niizuma.
En este tomo tenemos la oportunidad de conocer un poco más a dos personajes, a Aoki, que en un principio me resulto un personaje prepotente pero que al final demuestra ser un personaje amable, así como a Nakai, quien resulta ser demasiado obstinado en la idea de convertirse en mangaka, tanto que está dispuesto a esforzarse más allá de lo razonable por demostrar su compromiso, algo que en un principio me ha parecido una actitud irresponsable. Aunado a esto lo que sigue es una muestra de la gran amistad que ha ido surgiendo entre todos, y cuando digo todos me refiero a los que como Mashiro, Takagi y Niizuma, se encuentran en este difícil camino de conseguir tener una buena serie y ser los mejores mangakas. Ha sido una manera oportuna de involucrar a los demás personajes y me ha gustado mucho, me han hecho enojar unas cuantas veces pero al final, el resultado es genial.
Ahora bien, en cuanto a lo referente a su nuevo trayecto iniciando la serie hay unas cuantas cosas que me han gustado mucho. Por un lado mencionando a Miura, su nuevo editor, en un principio no era un personaje que me entusiasmara demasiado pero conforme avanza la historia logra demostrar que esta muy comprometido con ellos para hacer que la serie triunfe, no tiene todas las respuestas pero da lo mejor de sí y tiene mucha comunicación con Mashiro y Takagi. Hay conversaciones sumamente interesantes y me gusta que entre todos tomen las soluciones.
También habrá unos cuantos personajes nuevos, los ayudantes, son un grupo muy variado que le aportan más dinamismo a la historia tanto por la personalidad de cada uno como la gran ayuda que le dan a Mashiro, me gusta que en el grupo se haya incluido a una chica y que por consiguiente Miyoshi se vea más involucrada.
Aprenderemos mucho sobre el proceso de cómo mantener una serie, que sin duda es un trabajo muy duro, cada quien tiene un papel muy definido que desempeñar y quieren hacer lo mejor para mantener la serie, el trabajo en equipo es importante así como la comunicación, las desiciones sobre el rumbo de la historia son algo que se presentarán constantemente. Cada personaje que aparece en la historia tiene un papel importante tanto directa como indirectamente y me gusta mucho la amistad que se ha formado entre todos ellos como ya había mencionado anteriormente.
Si tengo alguna queja es con referencia a Miho y Miyoshi.
Me gusta que ahora Miho y Mashiro hayan avanzado un poco más en su comunicación, algo que ha tardado un poco, pero antes de que ésta mejore hay cierta situación que se podría mal interpretar haciendo quedar a Miho como un personaje que debería de mostrar mayor seguridad y no actuar de la forma en que lo hizo, pero para mí su reacción aunque no concuerdo con todo, resulta entendible. Pasa por un mal momento y es obvio que se muestra desanimada, pero pareciera que perjudica a los demás por sentirse así, como si el problema lo debiera resolver ella; tuve esta impresión más que nada porque se ve reforzada a la mala comunicación que hay entre ella y Mashiro, si hablaran más de los que les pasa en el camino por conseguir sus sueños varias cosas se evitarían, al final agradezco que por fin después de esta situación puedan hablar más.
En cuanto a Miyoshi, es de gran ayuda para Takagi y Mashiro, hace muchas cosas porque quiere y siempre esta dispuesta a echarles una mano en lo que necesiten, no es hasta que Mashiro lo menciona que tal vez deberían de ser justos con ella y darle una bonificación por su trabajo, algo con lo que Takagi no esta de acuerdo y es su reacción la que me ha disgustado, haciendo suposiciones posiblemente Miyoshi decline el ofrecimiento pero el que se lo ofrezcan sería un gesto para darle a entender de que saben cuanto hace por ellos y de que lo valoran, pero al final no hacen nada. Espero que más adelante tengan un gran gesto para con ella, puesto que se lo merece y es injusto que no se lo reconozcan.
Con un final bastante interesante que posiblemente haga que Niizuma esté más presente en el siguiente tomo, lo cual me parecería genial y que estoy deseando leer pronto.
Por último, tengo que mencionar dos frases que me han gustado mucho y que van muy ad hoc con esta historia:
"No pienses que es casi imposible, piensa que las posibilidades son infinitas"
"No desees que tu sueño se haga realidad; muévete y materialízalo"
Una genial historia que no me cansare de recomendar.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews