Bakuman. 2nd Season

And so, the daily lives and struggles of becoming the Number 1# Shounen Jack mangaka goes on...with harsher trials and tribulations for Ashirogi Muto! LA will say it here and now just to get this out of the way, Bakuman. 2nd Season had exceeded LA's expectations as well as raze LA's worries and problems that Bakuman had in it's first season and THEN SOME, it's amazing...and "near masterpiece" of anime about a duo trying to be the best in the mangaka industry. LA would at the very least start with their trials and tribulations that Ashirogi Muto goes through, from changing editors, tenser rivalry, getting sick, complacency and honing their skills. Ashirogi Muto goes through A LOT of trials, but not just in the manga field, Mashiro and Takagi BOTH goes through some romantic high and lows as well. Let's begin with the first thing that occurs in this second season, mainly being Ashiorgi Muto changing editors from Hattori to Miura. This affects Ashirogi Muto in alot of ways, mainly for them to switch their preferred genre of making manga from their usual serious and tense manga to what Miura likes...as in gag manga. This however both works in their favour but also doesn't, it works in Ashirogi Muto's favour as it does provide the notion of that editors are right in some ways and allowing Ashirogi Muto to trust Miura in trying new fields of making broadening their range, however in doing so two things are not in Ashirogi Muto's favour, their competition with Eijii Niizuma is no longer a thing (due to the first season's rivalry as well as Ashirogi Muto's genre shift itself from serious to gag) and the second and most obvious one is that since Ashirogi Muto is stuck doing gag manga and them not really liking doing a genre their not used to but likes to hone anyways due to their editor as well as their serialization ranking wanting to be stable, it made them complacent in their work and their work not being Ashirogi Muto's typical great and interesting works. Now does LA blame the editor especially Miura, no...he had his reasonings as well...it was his job and he did build on Ashirogi Muto's repertoire of making different manga and Miura did try even with soo much resistance from Ashirogi Muto and even by then by the end of it all Ashiorgi Muto and Miura did evolve as characters by the end of it and what Miura did with Ashirogi Muto wasn't in vain at all. Now about getting sick, this happens ALOT with real life mangaka's as well so this is a true to life situation in anime that happens with Mashiro and really this incident really helped with one of the problems La had with the first season, for those who don't remember in LA's first season review, one of the biggest problems LA had with Mashiro and Azuki's long distance relationship and how they didn't interact as much thus LA didn't really see the appeal to their relationship, this incident as well as one more LA is gonna talk about really brought into light of their growing relationship to the point of FINALLY getting FULLY invested in their relationship. Really Mashiro and Azuki was just missing communicating with each other more as well as them opening up to each other more as well as encouraging them in their respective fields of mangaka and voice actress. The other incident involves Takagi and Miyoshi more however, with Takagi going off in his own and helping Yuriko Aoki with getting a new serialization going and this stirs up problems with Miyoshi thinking he's cheating on her with Iwase (don't ask) and then get Azuki and Mashiro into this and we get a huge misunderstanding which sole blame would go to Takagi all things considered and at the end of this debacle mending the argument between Azuki and Mashiro showing that at the worst of times they are strengthening their relationship even further by the end of it. Thankfully the Takagi incident becomes amended by something LA wasn't expecting them to do and they went with it and LA being a huge Takagi x Miyoshi pairing this was AMAZING for LA and heck even for an anime not entirely focused on a romance, it did the unthinkable and went through with it. Bakuman has ALWAYS had a friendly rivalry with Ashirogi Muto but even their other rivalries outside of Eijii Niizuma had it's highs and lows, the highs being the aforementioned Yuriko Aoki defrosting her ice queen and showing that she has opened up from the first season as well as trying new avenues of manga like Ashirogi Muto did. Aoki also unintentionally causes Iwase from the first season to become a more prominent rival to Takagi specifically when she learns about Takagi doing manga and like the first season wanting to beat him and she becomes even more terrifying when she teams up with HATTORI AND EIJII NIIZUMA HOLY SHIT...that actually scared LA when this came up as a plot point effectively making Iwase an interesting yet unpredictable rival to Takagi and Ashirogi Muto as a whole. Fukuda being the supportive yet brash mangaka for this season was pretty much on supportive duty to the other mangaka's whether it be encouraging them or helping in other matters but especially with Nakai...ohh boy he's a different matter altogether. Nakai is the low in terms of rivalry with him entirely becoming complacent, self-narcissistic and going down the deep end especially with Aoki which LA believes HE is entirely to blame for his situation by the end of this season, he's divisive for sure but also he shot himself in the foot at the same time. Finally add in new friendly rivals like Hiramaru from the first season reduced down to a gag character and not wanting to even want to draw manga but gets conned into it by his scheming editor and Takahama once assistant mangaka to Ashirogi Muto but influenced by them to make manga and we have our roster of rivals, be it friendly or not. LA will say the obvious but with Bakuman's second season's character roster gotten bigger, they still did an amazing job in developing not only the core main cast and evolving them not only through being better mangaka's but also their romantic angle BUT also developing their growing minor cast into likable and memorable characters...LA just loves it about Bakuman!. Bakuman's first season may have looked at how to get serialized into Shounen Ju- Jack but Bakuman. 2nd Season was more or less showing us in it's own way of how to get your serialization going and staying afloat with all the trials and tribulation one expect from mangaka's. Bakuman. 2nd Season tells us soo much about the manga industry and is more or less showing not only the minds of mangaka's and their constant brainstorming to think up new ideas for their mangas to keep going or make it interesting but also showing that editors are also the cogs in this too that makes the manga industry going. LA will say this since LA couldn't say it in the first season but.....Hattori is the best editor ever...Miura is......still great in his own way. In terms of voice acting, once again typical great acting from the entire cast with LA liking the homage they did with Saori Hayami with SKET Dance and everything. For best voice actor, LA actually has several this time, Atsushi Abe and Satoshi Hino as Mashiro and Takagi of course but also Ayako Kawasumi as Aoki (seeing her more dere side of Aoki was great), Nobuhiko Okamoto for Eiji Niizuma because Eijii Niizuma seriously, Sayuri Yahagi and Saori Hayami as Miyoshi and Azuki respectively, Kentarou Tone as Hattori and Ayumi Fujiwara as Iwase. LA really saw no loose ends in terms of voice acting in Bakuman. The animation done once again by JC Staff was on point and pretty much unchanged from the first season though LA saw some pretty great "in-universe manga details" that were much crisper than usual making Ashirogi Muto's manga's shown itself to be honed and skilled by the end of the season than before in a much more effective way to the complete opposite when Ashirogi Muto were doing their gag manga. Character designs were eccentric and…

DISCLAIMER: THIS HAS A POSSIBLE SPOILER FOR SEASON 1. It's hard to say whether this is an improvement over the first season, or that this is just the natural progression from everything they set up in the first season. Nevertheless, the second season has been more enjoyable than the first in every way. Mashiro is more likeable as a character, but that could just be the writers being attentive to the fact that Mashiro is now a university student. We get even better developments and drama than season 1. Now that Ashirogi Muto are serialized, the stakes feel even higher than before. The competition is more fierce now that they are in direct competition with actual professionals, as well as new rivals appearing over the course of the season, ready to pull the rug from underneath them. Everything you would expect from Bakuman is still here but even more ramped up. The tension, the competition, the drive, etc. It's all great. The romance is still poor. Too simplistic and unrealistic. However, on all the other aspects, Bakuman does great. There is a stupid arc but the rest of the show makes up for it.

I binged this season and the first season super fast, stayed up way later then I should have on work days. But I just couldn't stop, the way the characters interact is fantastic Miyoshi is super kawaii. Seeing some Mangaka fall others rise, and still more stabilize is great and is cool to see how the rise and fall of others effect the dynamics among the characters. The sound track is kinda meh overall it is very well used in hyped moments so you always know when something baller is happening or a gag is happening because of the soundtrack 10/10 Fastest bing I have done in years.

Bakuman is a super realistic lens into the life of mangakas, and considering the fact that the people who made Bakuman is also an artist/author pair -just like the main protagonists-, I wouldn't be surprised if this anime was a remixed story about their life after making Death Note, which is hinted at in season 3. With 3 seasons and 75 episodes, Bakuman is obviously pretty long for a realistic work, and if I were to rank them from best to worst: 3, 2, 1. Although I believe season 2 was better than season 1, season 2 had its own faults. The problems I had with season 1 is that I felt that the story was too realistically slow and that they wasted a lot of good story premises. To be frank, I didn't think any of the future story premises -except the last one- were any better than the ones from season 1, but I still sat through everything and listened to the editors when they claimed that Ashirogi Muto's recent manuscripts were "SO GOOD!" However, the problems that I had with season 2 is that there were so many things going on, and I felt that some scenes/problems deserved more time and others less. For example, Bakuman season 2 really showed us all the good in Nakai, only to burn his character into ashes and make him forever hated. In addition, I understand that it was an essential part of the story to show how much power an editor has on a serialization and that they were only trying to introduce and develop Miura as a character, but I feel like they wasted a lot of time with the conflict and I didn't enjoy being forced to sit through the development of Tanto (their gag manga that definitely did not suit Ashirogi Muto). However, although I disagree with some of the pacing and the character/scene devotion, the story was still pretty good, the relationship developments were nice, and season 2 sets up for 3 really well.

3 Seasons Combined Review At first i thought that i should watch all seasons and then write a combined review but after it was all done it was too much to write so instead i will do a (Pro/Con) list for the main elements of the show Story (8/10): Pros: - A good take on the Manga industry although i am sure that the real thing is more complicated than this it was good to have some sort of insight (Simplified as it was) - A good amount of Drama. The whole thing moved to high gear halfway through the second season and it was going up after that. The Romance idea was extremely far fetched but was still great to watch as the lack of day to day interaction actually made it better and less cliché imo - Good comedy Cons: - Some stuff get a little repetitive - It was kind of predictable, so there was no suspense factor for me. - Although the show was trying to show how "cutthroat" the manga industry is. It was extremely lenient with the MC at some points which took away from the realism enjoyment and added to it's predictability I mentioned Characters (7/10): Pros: - A huge cast with many great characters that ranged from completely nuts to simple and lovable - Kaya Miyoshi (Best Girl) :D - Kouji Yoshida (Simply loved his scenes) :D Cons: - Barely noticeable character main characters growth. The anime (in it's 3 seasons) supposedly spanned 10 years but even to it's last episodes i still felt like i was watching a high school drama - Everyone is so fuckin understanding o_O I mean what thae actual fuck. I realize that this a Shounen anime but things need to have a limit - Related to the point above, the show also lacked real assholes. one can have too much "Friendly rivalry" to last a lifetime in this show Art and Animation (8/10): Pros: - For an anime about Manga it offer some really great and different types of art - Environments and character design was good Cons: - It had some issues with size a depth perception Music & VA (7/10): Pros: - Catchy and upbeat OPs and EDs - Good voice acting Cons: - The soundtrack (during the actual anime) was repetitive. I believe it was the same during all three seasons Effectiveness (7/10): It was a good and entertaining show with a good amount of drama and comedy and sweet (Although super imaginary) romance but it was "Too Shounen" if this was an actual term if that aspect was toned down a bit i would have enjoyed a lot more Overall (7.4/10)

Bakuman. Oh how I love thee. You seemed like a simple show about drawing yet you got me hooked. You caused me sleepless anxious nights and cost me about 100$ in manga. Now a season 2? Why not take all my monies? This show is amazing. Don't ignore it lightly. Think of it as a good show to help motivate you in life. Things seem more possible and its amazing how they try and sometimes succeed and sometimes don't. The 2nd season brings more of the good stuff that the first season set up. I will admit I was bored at some parts but there are other parts that easily make up for it. New characters, new challenges, and new adventures await. Whats next for the amazing manga duo? Well watch and find out. Trust me, if you liked the first season then you wont be disappointed. Enjoy it now and then join me in the wait for season 3! =]

Bakuman the second inning. This season was good. This one really really showed the struggles of mangaka. The humour was good as well. What I really like about Takagi and Mashiro, they never give up. It is super hard work. Second season is about how they want to make a manga that makes in impact and beats Niizuma. They make gag manga and stuff but they arent fulfilled with the work. Nowadays people do jobs for money but these people are driven by passion. It is quite mesmerizing. No spoilers but this season is good. The OP was alright The animation is quite good The side stories are also finally progressing!!! Side stories progression is slow. I like this season but I liked first season due to the fact that in the first season they really stepped it up and discovered their passion. It was that spark that really impressed me. This season is a solid 7/10 Thanks! -CyanCheetah

After binge watching both season 1 & 2 I wanted to write my thoughts on season 2, even though it aired a decade ago. ** warning slight spoilers** While the overall growth of Ashirogi as a professional manga team progressed over the course of the season, I felt early Mashiro was depicted as too fanatical and immature. His hospital arc was irresponsible and almost made me drop the series. A 'work yourself to death' mentality is not one I subscribe to. The only reason I continued was because I felt Fukuda was doing major heavy lifting. That being said, I'm glad I gritted through what become a bump in the road for an overall enjoyable season. It was more informative about the manga industry and how their decision making process works. Awesome depictions of rivalry and friendship between characters. I particularly liked how Niizuma's character settled down from an annoying screamer to one with more depth. There is loads of great art and humor, a bit of romance (but definitely aimed at the shounen market) and moments of what I interpreted as self parody of the manga/anime industry. Subject matters such as sexism, fan service and pandering where touched, but with a sense of humor. Fukuda is best boi! I would have liked to have seen stronger female characters, the strongest one so far has come across like a b*tchy snob, which is a pity as she has shown ambition in a male dominant world. I actually found season 1 marginally better, but season 2 ended on such a good note that I gave it same rating. It's a fun watch, and I think even people who don't read manga would enjoy it.

Going into the second season we have a lot of momentum as Ashrogi Muto finally gets their story published, but begin dealing with the new challenges that come with it. For one I think forcing them to work with a new editor is brilliant, and probably a tongue and cheek reference to some real editor the authors had to work with at some point. The story is loosely based on parts of the real careers and experiences with the manga industry of the Ohba and Obata, who also did Death Note. Like the first season it really manages to suck you in and make you so invested in something that you previously would never have cared about. Watching the characters struggle and make deadlines and their passion for the art and the stories they want to tell is all captured so well, to the point it makes me wish some of the in-universe manga were real. With each victory won by the protagonists we feel along with them as they move closer to their goal of having a major publication become an anime. Every episode leaves you thirsting for more, and by the end you'll just be asking "alright, where's season 3?" It's just so good, 9/10

This to me is the best season of the 3. It literally has one of the greatest scenes I have ever seen in an anime with the last episode's ending, and is just a fantastic story all the way through. If you are looking for a heartfelt slice of life that has a fantastic array of characters, interesting story and helps you learn more about Manga and how it is constructed, this show is the perfect one for you (all 3 seasons). It literally has set the mark in what slice of life Manga about being a Mangaka have to top. Nothing since has come close to the all round completeness the show has in capturing your attention but also delivering an amazing story which educates the reader at the same time. The mix of emotions and the fantastic way it still feels real is just wonderful.

In season two of Bakuman, we still follow our boys Moritaka and Takagi as they’re now serialized in Shonen Jack with their successful ‘Detective Trap’ manga, but things don’t go as smoothly as we wanted to. One of the biggest problems of the first season is the relationship between Mashiro and Miho Azuki, most prominently Azuki’s involvement in the plot as she always appeared out of nowhere to forward the plot, however, in this season she has a more prominent role at least within the first half of the run, it isn’t perfect but it has a more natural impact than before. This development comes with a cost though, as in the first half we don’t see much of the usual chemistry between our main protagonists. Also, this first half comes with some problematic social views, particularly with the glorification of uber hard work (it is not presented as simple as that but it kind of goes that route), it also has a few moments where the story blurs the line of toxic behaviors and if they’re portrayed as something good. Let's hospital! Once again the story develops in unexpected ways with a fair share of twists and turns that I would say will take many people off-guard. I have a particular love for how the rivalry between the rival characters was developed this time around, as now we have a more solidified rival cast. In this regard I like a lot how the mental state of the characters and their creations reflect the mood of the story, it is a rewarding experience as it feels as it is nodding my feelings or I’m also unveiling the plot by myself. The plot also focuses on the development of the author and editor. As we see on the final episode of season one Hattori will no longer be their editor and instead, they get Miura, a simple-minded but thoughtful editor that has the best intentions but maybe not the best ways to achieve their goals, at first I wasn’t that on-board with this new change (same as our boys) but in time I was rooting so much for Miura that I believe his arc was my favorite of this season. Getting out some of the issues that didn’t date that good for this day and age, Bakuman season two makes you burn with the desire to be better at what you do and also to worship a good, competitive, and honorable environment, for this I believe is what a great non-battle shonen anime should aim for.