Anime of the Week (2)

Note! If  I didn't mention anything important, then, most probably, I thought it might be a spoiler.

Anime: Bakuman

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Shounen

Episodes: 75
Manga: Bakuman

Mangaka: Tsugumi Ohba (Author) - Takeshi Obata (Illustrator)

MyAnimelist rating (average): 8.57/10

    Bakuman anime has 3 seasons, 25 episodes each.  In this review I’ll be talking about the entire Bakuman franchise, the 3 seasons.

    The story is about the journey of Mashiro and Takagi who aim to be the top mangaka of shounen Jack, the most popular shounen manga magazine, and having a serialized manga adapted into anime. The journey starts with them as middle school students, and goes for ten years where the anime/manga ends. During this journey, they face all kinds of hardships which they need to overcome to achieve their dreams.

   The manga discusses manga industry, what it takes to be a manga artist, what it takes for a manga to succeed, what makes a manga goes to serialization and what makes it stop, what makes a manga get anime adaptation and what makes it not. It addresses manga from mangaka's point of view and editor's point of view. It also shows the significance of the feedback by the readers, through polls and sales, in the process. It also discusses the nature of the relationship between the mangaka and the editor and its effect on the product.

So what's special about this anime?

-First, the anime finishes the manga and that's a good start.

-Second, this one of the most inspiring… no, it's the most inspiring anime I've ever watched. Actually, it's the most inspiring thing I've ever watched. [ But then, this could be because I always wanted to write fiction :D ]

-Generally speaking, the plot is interesting, you could find it repetitive, but that's how manga industry goes, and the outcome is always different. I was never bored with it. On the contrary, It was thrilling.

-The romance in this anime, by all means, is the best I've watched. It's refined and sweet. For someone like me who's not into the romance genre, and only watches Rom/Coms for laughs, that was good.

-The comedy was really good, too. I had my good deal of laughs.

-The characters are just awesome! I loved every single one of them. I'd really love to have people like those in my life. :D

-Bakuman is very informative. I, now understand a lot about manga industry from watching the anime. Also, I became very understanding for the Mangaka and the great effort they make. I'll never be frustrated at a mangaka when they go on hiatus again! 

      -Bakuman had a way of involving me with the main characters. The thrill, the frustration, the suspense, whatever it is they are feeling I can't help but share it with them.

      -Bakuman gave a whole new meaning to rivalry and competitiveness; a meaning that if humans go buy, this world will, definitely be a better place.

      -The art is very good and the characters' designs are well done, very expressive.

      -It's realistic. Achieving dreams is not only through hard work.  Mashiro and Takagi always worked hard, but sometimes they failed. "Managaka are gamblers" and "effort, conceit and luck" were facts and principles -we were always reminded of as factors of success. Actually that's what the name of the manga come from "Bakuman à  bakuchiuchi (gambler) + Manga"

-    -The OST is not very memorable. I liked season one's opening: blue bird and season 3's second ending Yume sketch. The opening, 23:40, was not as good, but as I was approaching the end of the series, I started to mourn everything about it. :D

      Bakuman is a story of friendship, hard work, rivalry and dreams coming true.  I sincerely loved it, I think, because it was as simple as that, the realistic fiction. It could be you, it could be your dream. 

      I recommend whoever enjoyed watching anime and reading manga to watch this. You need to know how the art you're enjoying to your heart's content came to life. You need to know how people sacrificed their time, health and social life to present something that shall please you

My Rating: 9/10

(I don't know if I'm being biased, but that's how much I enjoyed it! :D )