"This is the first time I ever thought I didn't have any time to waste... It's also the first time I've ever dedicated myself to something so seriously."
An average student in his third year of middle school. Mashiro decides to become a mangaka alongside his classmate Takagi following his proposal to his love interest, Miho, under the team pen name Ashirogi Muto.
Expy: He resembles Near and L from Ohba and Obata's previous work. He also occasionally sits in the same pose as L.
Generation Xerox: Mashiro's relationship with Miho mirrors his late uncle's relationship with Miho's mother to a freakish degree with the only exception that he actually spat it out.
Heroic BSOD: At a few points, such as when his dream appears more distant than he thinks, Detective Trap gets canceled and PCP won't get an anime.
Heroic RROD: Pushes himself too far and gets hospitalized while working on Detective Trap
“I’ll regret it if I follow my dreams and fail. But I’ll regret it more if I don’t even try.”
Mashiro's classmate and the smartest student in their class. Takagi comes up with the idea to become a mangaka with Mashiro in order to do something more interesting with his life.
Voiced by: Satoshi Hino (JP), Kevin T. Collins (EN)
Buxom Is Better: Has openly stated that Kaya's breasts are definitely a plus.
Chick Magnet: Miyoshi (Betty), Iwase (Veronica), andAoki (Cheryl Blossom) like him. And Miyoshi is his fianceewife.
Dumb Blonde: Averted, according to Mashiro, his grades were some of the highest in the country.
Education Mama: His mother initially tries to get him to study so that he can "avenge" his father being fired to take the heat for his boss, but when he snaps and declares he'll live any way he wants, she's surprisingly supportive of him.
Expy: He resembles Light Yagami. Lampshaded at one point, when he's in almost the exact pose as one of Light's and mentions Death Note.
Poor Communication Kills: Some of his problems could have been averted more easily by being more open with others, such as telling Mashiro of his plans to make a mystery manga, telling Miyoshi about his meetings with Aoki and telling Mashiro that he's only temporarily planning on helping Shiratori.
The Promise: Takagi and Miyoshi will only get married once Mashiro's and Takagi's manga becomes serialized.
Technician Versus Performer: It's pointed out early on that he's a technician; he's less likely to create a hit than those who draw what they feel like, but easily follows up on one.
The Watson: In the first volume, when he was basically an excited manga fan who didn't know much about the workings of the industry for which he was trying to become a writer.
Miho Azuki
"I want to cherish the promise I made with you about our dream. I'm sure our love and joy will be far larger if we met each other after our dreams come true."
Mashiro's love interest and fellow classmate, who aspires to become a voice actress, specifically for Mashiro and Takagi's anime. Miho agrees to marry Mashiro once they both achieve their dreams.
Hime Cut: With a curved fringe instead of a straight one, as is usually the case.
Hollywood Tone Deaf: She can't sing, despite the insistence of talent recruiting agencies for her to do so. Ironically, Saori Hayami is praised as one of the best singers of her generation of voice actors.
Miyoshi:(laughing out loud) Now I know why she never wanted to go for karaoke!!!
She gets better, later on, and sends Mashiro some of her songs on a disk.
What the Hell, Hero?: Gives Mashiro one for keeping her mother’s love for his uncle secret from her, as well as for knowing about Takagi’s meetings with Aoki and not telling her or Kaya. She gets one from Takagi for not confiding in Mashiro about the photo book or answering his phone call, causing him to start to go to her house and risk missing his deadline.
Yoko Oh No: invoked In-univers. This initially happens when it's revealed that she's dating Mashiro.
Kaya Miyoshi/Takagi
"Is your dream to become a manga artist just a dream between you and Miho? It's a dream for me and Takagi too now. What reason is there for you not to let me help out?"
Miho's best friend and Takagi's eventual girlfriend. Now his wife.
Dumb Jock: Subverted. She isn't exactly stupid, though she's not exactly a genius. She is very athletic and didn't exactly make the best grades in high school (she has an average D grade in grammar, for example).
First Name Basis: With Miho, and later with with Takagi after getting married to him. Around the time she gets married, and takes on Takagi's family name, Mashiro starts calling her by her first name, too.
Takagi: (just been punched by her) I'm sorry. I know it was my fault.
Miyoshi: I know. So let me hit you ten more times.
Takagi: Eh?! What? You pack a punch like three guys together!!
Miyoshi: I'm trained in karate and boxing. So I'll give you a discount. I'll hit you three more times and I'll feel better.
Takagi: Uh... Uh... Okay!
Miyoshi: And when I'm done, we'll start dating.
Takagi: Eeeh?! What's that got to do with it?!
Miyoshi: You said you liked me.
Takagi: Just shut up and hit me!!! (she does so)
The Pollyanna: In comparison to Mashiro and Takagi, at least. She's always the one with the best-case scenario in mind, and gets upset whenever Mashiro enters Eeyore mode.
Miyoshi: Why must he be so pragmatic?!
Takagi: That's the way he is.
The Promise: Takagi and Miyoshi will only get married once Mashiro's and Takagi's manga becomes serialized.
Satellite Character: Miyoshi appears to care more about Ashirogi Muto than her own marriage.
The Watson: Typically the one who has to ask questions for the readers on the manga world.
Mangaka & Assistants
Nobuhiro "Kawaguchi Taro" Mashiro
"I've been able to come this far because she was around. I can continue drawing manga without giving up because I believe she's watching me. She can't see my progress if I was just an ordinary businessman, right?"
Moritaka's deceased uncle, who, like Moritaka, had hoped to marry his childhood love interest after becoming successful himself, but by the time he felt secure in his career, she was already married. After his first series ended, he was unable to follow up with another, and died from overworking himself while deep in debt. This caused Moritaka to abandon his desire to become a mangaka until he met Takagi, confessed to Miho and learned how hard his uncle had worked.
Smoking Is Cool: Tended to smoke fairly often as an adult, and Mashiro remembers his office smelling like cigarettes.
Eiji Niizuma
The author of Crow and now Zombie Gun. He is also the artist for Natural. He sees Ashirogi Muto as his primary rivals. Unlike Takagi, who plans what he writes based on what he can do and what is popular, Eiji writes whatever comes to mind.
The Cuckoolander Was Right: Whenever he's asked to give an analysis on other manga, he's pretty spot-on, as when he predicted the result of the Golden Future Cup in Volume 4 (the one where Mashiro/Takagi, Fukuda and Aoki/Nakai competed together).
The third place is set, but the first and second are tied. I'll say no more in consideration for the third place. (the end result: Ashirogi and Fukuda tie at the first place, while Aoki and Nakai's manga comes in third. In the anime, Mashiro wonders if he and Takagi are third, and make some changes, slightly muddying the waters)
Oblivious to Love: Unwittingly causes Iwase to become attracted to him after he calls her a talented artist.
Pet the Dog: Frequently, but the first bit involved giving most of the prize money for the Tezuka Award to his parents before buying a stereo with the rest.
"I really did fall for him. And I wanted to beat him. When he was giving it his all…"
The second smartest student in Mashiro's and Takagi's class. Iwase has an initial one-sided rivalry with Takagi that eventually develops into feelings for him. She eventually becomes a mangaka and writes Natural+.
Best Her to Bed Her: The smartest girl in school, believes that she and Takagi are now a couple when he gets better grades than her. Too bad he thinks she was just making a friendly competition out of it.
And she still won't quit either. Even proclaiming she'll do manga too just to prove her point.
AND according to Chapter 70, she even seems to be some sort of manga writing genius, more than proving her worth as a rival.
Insufferable Genius: Iwase is very smart, and Takagi freely acknowledges she's quite talented as well, but her very standoffish personality means that a lot of people in-universe have trouble liking her very much (She gets along pretty well with Niizuma, though). Fans are divided over whether this is simply a sexist overtone of people not liking her for being an intelligent, competitive go-getter and a woman or if it's simply that her snobbish personality that turns people off, which has nothing to do with her being a woman.
Tempting Fate: Takagi "breaks up" with her early on because she said that living on manga would get him nowhere, while Miyoshi was supportive of him from the get-go. She even told him he would "regret forever" having decided to keep doing manga as she left. Now look at how her path crosses Takagi's again.
Unknown Rival -> The Rival: Takagi initially doesn’t notice her rivalry, but later acknowledges her skill as a mangaka, and says that it’s nice having her as a rival in Jump.
The author of Otters 11 and later, You can't reach me, who got started as a mangaka after picking up an issue of Shonen Jump and quitting his job to do manga. He realizes that being a mangaka is more work than he thought, but his editor manages to manipulate him into keeping motivated.
Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: Mentions in the middle of a conversation that he has a medical condition that causes him to urinate blood.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Despite the fact he seems to do anything he can to get out of working, he's still quite good at his job. His manga does consistently well throughout the series and the bits they actually show of Otters 11 are genuinely good.
Butt Monkey: His editor's schemes often don't go well for him, as when his editor gives him a necklace to give as a gift to Aoki, he leaves it in his Porsche, which gets towed when he parks it in front of the building.
Determinator: When a drunk and angry Nakai wants to confront Aoki, Hiramaru confronted him personally instead of calling the police. Due to being pretty weak, Hiramaru got thrown around, but he refused to give up for Aoki's sake.
Expy: He's reputedly based on Hideaki Sorachi, the author of Gintama.
Hidden Depths: At first his infatuation with Aoki comes off almost as superficial and pathetic as Nakai's obsession with her... Until we find out Hiramaru actually does respect Aoki as a person and even calls out his editor for using her. When they get together, he actually works towards improving himself. Hiramaru might be completely neurotic, but in the end he is really a Nice Guy who has proved he genuinely cares enough about Aoki to try to change his habits for the better.
Real Life Writes the Plot: Otter 11 seems to be based off Hiramaru's life, with him working at a job he hates, getting along poorly with someone named Yoshida and wanting to live like an otter rather than a human.
Throw the Dog a Bone: He finally asks Aoki to go out with him, and she says yes (as long as he keeps drawing manga). He later did the same for Nakai, hiring him on as an assistant not just in spite of all the Jerkass behaviour Nakai's been showing, but because of it (though they were both drunk/punchdrunk and Hiramaru actually worried he was going to end up like Nakai.)
Takuro Nakai
"I’m sure things would be easier for me if I just accepted myself being a professional manga assistant. But I just can’t give up on my dream of becoming a manga artist."
An assistant who has considerable experience drawing, but has been unable to get serialized for years. He also has the goal of getting a girlfriend, and is attracted to Aoki. He ultimately alienates Aoki by offering to draw for her if she will be his girlfriend, turns Kato, another girl whom he's interested in, away from him after that comes to light, and loses his position as assistant after Takahama's series gets canceled. He ultimately decides to return home to Akita. However, he later comes back as Nanamine's new "super-assistant," until he was fired for accidentally driving away what remained of Nanamine's online correspondents. He is now Hiramaru's asisstant.
Voiced by: Tomoyuki Shimura (JP)
Tropes associated with Takuro:
Determinator: In order to get "Aoki Ko" to work with him, he started drawing, under the snow, risking his own life. He even kept drawing when some people attacked him, and was determined to protect his hand in order to continue
Disappeared Dad: His mother mentions that his father is dead.
Dogged Nice Guy: Played quite straight, especially when he agrees with virtually everything Aoki says, then subverted.
Fat Bastard: When he becomes an assistant for Nanamine, he's devolved into this. The first shot we see of him again is him chomping away at a pizza acting all smug.
Even Fat Bastards Have Standards: Subverted. He knows that what Nanamine is doing is obviously wrong and is horrified at it, because to him, manga is a work you create by struggling and combining your efforts with those of others (makes sense when you consider how much difficulty he's faced in getting serialized) but he goes along with it anyways. This is double-subverted when he decides to break up what's left of Nanamine's advisors.
He gets another Double-Subversion later when faced with a true Moral Event Horizon for him.
Gonk: He's obese and not often clean-shaven, and the manga clearly shows that he's not very attractive. And it gets even worse when he comes back..
Jerkass: While some see him as a Jerk Ass Woobie, there's still the fact that as an assistant for Nanamine, he acts like a real dick to the guys working with him and clearly shows the cuter girls preferential treatment; none of the other assistants seem too fond of working with him as a result.
Just Friends: This seems to be what "Aoki Ko" wanted to have with him. There might have been some sort stronger relationship between them, but he ruined everything when he became a Jerkass
Oh Crap: Gets this when things go wrong, particularly when he sees Aoki Pinky Swear with Hiramaru.
Progressively Prettier: Inverted! Nakai has always been overweight and noticeably older than the other mangaka, but he looked relatively normal in his initial appearance and has since gotten steadily fatter and less attractive. This went into overdrive after He Took a Level in Jerkass and later came back from his time at his mother's house, although this can be justified in that he has not been taking very good care of himself since he became a Jerkass.
Put on a Bus: Returns home and decides to quit manga forever, but could return, since he's not exactly happy with his new life.
Spanner in the Works: Goes to Nanamine's assistants and tries to tell them the truth about the rankings in an attempt to prevent the series from being canceled, but ends up alienating the few who remain.
Yank the Dog's Chain: In Chapter 128, a young girl offers to be a model for his portraits and allows him to take her home...only for it to be revealed that it was a bet between her friends to see if he was desperate enough to follow her.
Yuriko "Ko Aoki" Aoki
The author of Hideout Door, and later, The Time of Green Leaves and The Gift God Gave Me. She initially appears quite cold, and is largely distrusting of men, but after opening up, reveals herself to be a kind person.
Does Not Like Men: Has issues trusting men until she meets Takagi, and even then, only hires female assistants after getting serialized.
Expy: Her hairstyle resembles that of Mello from the duo's previous work. Incidentally, Mello was mistaken for a girl by many during his initial appearance.
It's also stated by Word Of God that she looks like J-Pop singer Kaela Kimura.
First Name Basis: Eventually gets onto this with Hiramaru after they get engaged
Graceful Loser: Tends to take cancellation relatively well.
Not so Different: Sees herself as somewhat similar to Iwase and sympathizes with her desire to reach out to Takagi in spite of believing that going into manga only for that reason is petty. She gets somewhat annoyed when Eiji and Fukuda point out that Iwase is like how she used to be, though.
Oblivious to Love: She is unaware of Hiramaru's feelings for her. When he finally asks her out, she says yes.
Ship Tease: Has feelings for Takagi, might have had feelings for Nakai, and might develop feelings for Fukuda. Hiramaru also constantly tries and usually fails to woo Aoki, but she agrees to go out with him after he finally confesses to her.
Sugar and Ice Personality / Tsundere: Appears aloof at first, but is gradually shown to have a kinder and warmer side to her. She even wonders if Takagi thinks she's a Tsundere at one point, but he suggests otherwise.
Unwanted Harem: Her reason for her distrust towards men.
Shinta Fukuda
"Back when I was working as Nizuma-shisho’s assistant, I said to Ashirogi-kun and Nakai-san, ‘Together, we will change Jump.’ Nizuma-shisho, Ashirogi Muto, Aoki Ko, Hiramaru Kazuya, and Nakai Takuro. Together we can do anything."
Initially one of Nizuma's assistants, he writes Kiyoshi Knight and later, Road Racer Giri. He sets out to change Jump, and forms "Team Fukuda".
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Is quite blunt, but willing to help out when needed. Notably with Nakai, as he's typically fairly blunt about Nakai's poor luck with getting serialized, but while barging in on him in Chapter 67, tells him that he's sacrificing his career and that he likes competing with him. And definitely more of a softie romantic than he would like you to believe.
He even gets Ocular Gushers when he hears about Mashiro's marriage promise.
A fan of the main characters, who hopes to one be serialized with them. He's polite, cheerful and enthusiastic......or so it seems. In truth, Nanamine despises editors, believing they have no ability to judge manga, and plans on making his way to the top by consulting with 50 online correspondents. That plan goes south however as the quality of his manga drops due to varied ideas marring the stories. Nanamine tries to keep it afloat, hiring Nakai to improve the art and even trying to challenge Ashirogi Muto. But ultimately fails and his manga is eventually canceled. His editor however talks him into trying to do manga the legit way and he seems to take it to heart. But he comes back with a more corporate method of his previous plan, this time hiring professional mangakas to help him out.Tropes associated with Toru:
Break the Haughty: Broken as of Chapter 127, and abandons his methods in order to create a manga that will win against Ashirogi Muto.
Cheaters Never Prosper: Both his underhanded attempts to rise to the top fail, and he's ultimately banned from working for Jump. Mashiro, Takagi, Hattori and Kosugi notice that in spite of his methods, he did actually have talent
Corrupt Corporate Executive: After "What is Required" is cancelled, he takes his collaboration philosophy up to the next level, not learning from his mistakes. He basically forms the manga equivalent of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, hiring dozens of ghostwriters to make tons of series, and using washed-out older manga-ka as faces.
You could say he's also been Taught By Experience: First, all his writers are there in person; Second, he makes all the applicants sign Non-Disclosure Agreements; Third, he pays them. If they back out now, it's a breach of contract and job termination for them.
Create Your Own Villain: Turns out he became the way he is purely out of idolizing Ashirogi Muto. Specifically, their "Money and Intelligence" one shot convinced him for life that the real world really did only run on money and intelligence. Mostly money, though, which made him borrow money from his father years ago... and again now to start his Manga-producing company. He's explicitly said he doesn't give a damn about the money, the manga world or even the manga themselves... Nothing but defeating Ashirogi Muto, the mangakas who changed his life. By whatever means nesscesary.
Fan Boy: Of Ashirogi Muto, although he is disappointed in their writing Tanto and going along with their editors.
Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: On the receiving end of two from his editor after he contemplates giving up.
Hannibal Lecture: Gives one to his editor, Kosugi, blackmailing him by reminding him that he needs a success to keep his job and taking advantage of his lack of confidence to browbeat him into going along with his plan.
Heel Face Turn/Heel Realization: Subverted. At first, after his massive fall from grace and a rousing speech from his editor on not giving up, it seems that he's learned the error of his ways. However, he goes back being the same weasel as before, just changing his previous plan to a more corporate angle.
In-Series Nickname: "Usomine" ("Liarmine") after he lies to his online helpers about what rank it is in.
Jerkass: He views most people with contempt and only acts nice to them as long as he needs their help.
Jerkass Has a Point: In one of his fan letters, he points out that the main characters aren't suited to gag manga, although he's hardly the only one to think this and this is before they realize his personality.
Jumping Off the Slippery Slope: Nanamine turns from an overexcited guy with risky but potentially worthwhile ideas to an arrogant jerk who bullies his editor within the span of a few chapters.
Laughing Mad: After getting 19th in the rankings on the chapter in which he competes with Ashirogi Muto.
No Indoor Voice: Nanamine speaks so loudly at his first meeting that the editor at the next booth hears everything.
Not so Different: Believes Ashirogi Muto should understand that editors can't be trusted from having done Tanto at Miura's suggestion, and because they took risks and defied the editorial department to become successful with PCP.
Obfuscating Stupidity: He knew all along that it was wrong to publish Classroom of Truth online, but made a big show of how sorry he was in front of the editor as part of his plan to show his next one shot to him.
The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Chapter 146 all but confirms this trope, when he tells Mashiro that everything success he has with his business is meaningless unless he beats Ashirogi Muto with a manga that he's written, not one by his subordinates or senior mangakas.
Villainous Breakdown: When his manga plummets in the ratings, he orders all the correspondents who criticize him to leave and yells at his editor. When his attempt to compete with Ashirogi Muto fails, and all his correspondents leave, he begins laughing madly and declares that he's finished.
Has a minor one when not only Ashirogi but Azuma, the man he used then fired for his own purposes, manage to beat him in the polls. Considering this was his last chance to work with Jump, the reaction is understandable.
Xanatos Gambit: His plan involves submitting Classroom of Truth, posting it online after it loses. Doing so enables him to recruit 50 people to work on a second one-shot and show it to the editor in chief himself, resulting in him quickly getting serialized. However, once he runs into trouble, it spirals out of control.
Shiratori Shun
One of the assistants for Perfect Crime Party and artist for Rabuta and Peace, which is written by Takagi.
"I'm just an editor, and there is only so much I can help you with. The people who are able to do more than what the editor tells them are the ones who will succeed as manga creators."
The main characters’ first editor, who helps them with their first submissions. He gets replaced by Miura after Detective Trap is first serialized, then returns to being their editor after Perfect Crime Party is serialized. After PCP moves to Hissou Jump, Hattori becomes their editor for their manga Reversi.
Expy: Hattori looks a lot like Hachi, the octopus Fishman of One Piece (a comic he edits).
He also resembles Ryuk in some ways, especially his eyes and hair.
My Card: He gives this to manga artists, along with his e-mail address if he’s impressed, and his cell phone number if he’s very impressed.
One Steve Limit: Has the same name as Yujiro Hattori, Niizuma and Fukuda's editor. The other editors even mention the fact that both Hattoris are in charge of such big name manga.
Xanatos Gambit: His plan to have Iwase team up with Niizuma in order to get Ashirogi Muto and Aoki to push themselves even further.
Goro Miura
"I was hoping we could grow together. I know that’s not a good thing for an editor to say, but I’m not a good editor yet."
Mashiro and Takagi’s editor for Detective Trap and Tanto, and also Takahama’s editor. He later becomes Iwase’s editor. Has an affinity for gag manga.Tropes associated with Goro
Berserk Button: Whenever the main characters question his skill or indicate they trust someone else more.
Inferiority Superiority Complex: He’s often insecure about his own abilities and unsure what to do, but when in disagreement with Mashiro and/or Takagi, will become exceptionally stubborn.
Irrevocable Message: After angrily saying that if Mashiro won’t do gag manga, Takagi should end his partnership with him, realizes that he has already sent materials that would convince them to go into gag manga and thus possibly make them angrier.
It's All My Fault: He believes that he failed to notice Mashiro’s declining health, and is to blame for his hospitalization and Trap’s cancellation
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Red oni to Hattori, as he shows a broad spectrum of emotion, from excitement to anger to depression.
"Saying you haven’t been able to draw what you want to draw is the same as admitting your own lack of talent."
The current editor in chief of Shonen Jump and was Kawaguchi Taro's editor when he was alive. Becomes Editor-in-Chief of Hissou Jump in Chapter 150.Tropes associated with Sasaki:
Brutal Honesty: Says the above quote to Takahama when he asks to change editors because Miura won’t let him draw what he wants, also pointing out that not even veterans can make this request.
No Name Given: Sasaki is his last name, and is rarely used, at that.
Reasonable Authority Figure: For the most part, he’s willing to allow his authors to make their own decisions provided they understand the consequences, and respects determination.
Stealth Mentor: Was asked to look over Mashiro by Kawaguchi Taro.
The author of Crow and now Zombie Gun. He is also the artist for Natural. He sees Ashirogi Muto as his primary rivals. Unlike Takagi, who plans what he writes based on what he can do and what is popular, Eiji writes whatever comes to mind.
The author of Otters 11 and later, You can't reach me, who got started as a mangaka after picking up an issue of Shonen Jump and quitting his job to do manga. He realizes that being a mangaka is more work than he thought, but his editor manages to manipulate him into keeping motivated.
The author of Hideout Door, and later, The Time of Green Leaves and The Gift God Gave Me. She initially appears quite cold, and is largely distrusting of men, but after opening up, reveals herself to be a kind person.
