Bakuman

I'm surprised that there isn't a topic about this manga yet.

Personally this one of my favorite recent manga. It has an engaging, realistic (YMMV), plot. Interesting characters and great art. Though it suffers from a few cases of Values Dissonance. From the same guys that made Death Note, I expect no less.

EDIT: Argh there's already a topic, though it hasn't been touched since July.

Spoilers for chapter 61 Takagi and Aoki are already talking about how to write male-oriented romance/female characters, UST ahoy! Miyoshi is already getting suspicious, I expect her to find out in the next chapter or so. Also Iwase and Takagi meet again at the end of the chapter. So it's a love...square? Oh Shujin you playa.

edited 6th Nov '09 3:49:59 PM by Neo_Crimson

Sorry, I can't hear you from my FLYING METAL BOX!

I'd say it's fairly mild Values Dissonance though. All I remember is that one time when Nakai parked himself outside Aoki apartment, and everyone did think he was crazy at the time, if not for the same reason we would.

Oh and the Takagi/Aoki stuff can't end well. I can feel it

"Canada Day is over, and now begins the endless dark of the Canada Night."

I'd give fair odds that the whole Takagi/Aoki/Miyoshi thing will end amicably. I mean, so far the manga has managed to avert drawn out, Idiot Ball and Poor Communication Kills driven conflict because the characters are reasonable, intelligent people.

...eventually, we will reach a maximum entropy state where nobody has their own socks or underwear, or knows who to ask to get them back.

Courtesy link.

SHIKI is dead.

Yay, Bakuman! I love that manga! I was luckily vaccinated against the Values Dissonance of the drawings from having read the Blue Dragon-manga, where he also did the drawings. Jumping from Death Note to a Shonen fighting manga with lots of fanservice made the jump to Bakuman look like nothing.

Join us in our quest to play all RPG video games! Moving on to disc 2 of Grandia!

This is not necroing. It may be a double-post, but its content is important.  ^*

So, without further ado, the post:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! MIYOSHI!

Join us in our quest to play all RPG video games! Moving on to disc 2 of Grandia!

This was more or less a narrative inevitability, but I still suspect it's going to be resolved relatively quickly. The characters aren't idiots, and so far they've shown pretty strong bonds of trust.

The only way I can see this getting drawn out is if Miyoshi hides the fact that she's found out.

...eventually, we will reach a maximum entropy state where nobody has their own socks or underwear, or knows who to ask to get them back.

Yeah, no way we're getting a Nice Boat ending!

'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?

Due to the Authors' apparent hatred of love triangle bullshit. I doubt this will last too long. Though with Iwase being so delusional, who knows where this could go.

Sorry, I can't hear you from my FLYING METAL BOX!

Miyoshi needs a very, very large hug from multiple sources ASAP.

You can't even write racist abuse in excrement on somebody's car without the politically correct brigade jumping down your throat!

TIME TO START A SHIPPING WAR!!!

Honestly though, even though Iwase a jerk, I prefer her character more than Miyoshi. Miyoshi is really somewhat one of those generic female character. I mean she nice and all, but she hasn't really contribute anything to the story.

Had Iwase been more receptive to manga and Shujin chose her instead, she could at least be giving ideas to them.

Preference now :

Aoki (She obviously has chemistry with Takagi)

Iwase (Could give good ideas to Takagi, I am guess she more like Aoki, a Kuudere not a Yandere)

Miyoshi (Generic character, she almost a fangirl)

edited 14th Nov '09 10:38:32 AM by kalandra

Iwase clearly has character of her own, but she's not particularly likeable. She reminds me of a guy I knew in middle school through high school who was a nerdy know-it-all like me. I wanted to be friends with him, but it seemed like he refused to see me as anything but a rival, so we ended up getting along really badly.

No matter how much chemistry Aoki and Takagi have, I can't see Takagi breaking up with Miyoshi for her. He'd feel like a jerk, and he'd make Aoki feel like a jerk.

...eventually, we will reach a maximum entropy state where nobody has their own socks or underwear, or knows who to ask to get them back.

Not likable in fiction is ok. They are not real people that you have to deal with. They are fictional character, and only fictional character need to deal with them. Iwase IMO could at least give some sort interesting perspective from someone who doesn't appreciate manga.

Miyoshi is likable but she really doesn't do much. You could remove her and there won't even much changes to the storyline.

And talking about the new chapter, even Mashiro/Azuki pairing screams too cliched too me. There probably will be some sort of change in their relationship, but it won't stop being boring.

Not wanting to double post, but you people should really read this week chapter. The drama just went up a notch, and its good.

I agree. Two very hilarious moments:

• "It's no use! No way I can tell her!"
• "It's tough being popular!"

But Dethroning Moment Of Suck for Nakai. This series has some serious Character Development!

'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?

Wow subverted Dogged Nice Guy for the lose. I admit as much as Nakai got on my nerves I had a tad bit of sympathy for him. But after this, it all went down the crapper.

Aoki slapping him was one of the most satisfying moments in the manga.

Sorry, I can't hear you from my FLYING METAL BOX!

Now, thinking more about it, I feel Nakai had gone through Character Derailment.

Really? I didn't think so? I mean, he's completely socially clueless, he doesn't even have a frame of reference to understand how badly he just fucked up.

Honestly, I'm impressed at how the authors have managed to draw this out without derailing all the characters.

...eventually, we will reach a maximum entropy state where nobody has their own socks or underwear, or knows who to ask to get them back.

Everything was solved in one fell swoop, and thus does this arc end!! Also, HILARIOUS: EVERYONE GETS MARRIED

'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?

This one very unsatisfying resolution...

I guess its fits with the characters personalities involve, but still...

Well at least this means that this arc won't get dragged out. But I agree that this feels like a cop-out.

Sorry, I can't hear you from my FLYING METAL BOX!

I'd feel better if Aoki turned out to be faking her enthusiasm and was actually heartbroken.

There's still time, I guess.

...eventually, we will reach a maximum entropy state where nobody has their own socks or underwear, or knows who to ask to get them back.

Aoki is both vicariously enthusiastic and completely hearbroken. Also, she's the prettiest character I've seen in a long time. Never seen Defrosting Ice Queen played with so artfully!

'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?

And Desertopa, my opinion of Nakai remains that he is just some guy unlucky in his love life and career. He might be socially clueless, but he is definitely not a jerk.

That still doesn't excuse him for being so callous.

Sorry, I can't hear you from my FLYING METAL BOX!