Wasn’t that just a pleasant episode?
The main issue I’ve had with Bakuman over the past few weeks has been pacing. It’s been going too fast and splitting episodes into parts that just didn’t work together combined. This is an episode that actually works with the split focus, and even though I still have issues with the pacing, it’s less noticeable here.
One hand we have Hiramaru and Aoki’s love story. Originally started because of Hiramaru’s huge popularity with the readers of the manga, slowly we’ve been exposed to him (and Aoki) a little more. This season could perhaps be considered his time in the spotlight, as he steadily increased his presence in Bakuman to the point of appearing in numerous episodes.
There’s not really much to say about the romance. It was an adorable and satisfying moment to see two people as shy as Hiramaru and Aoki putting their feelings out in the open. In many ways, this couple resembles Mashiro and Azuki, possibly even inspired by them. Of course their relationship took this long because of Yoshida and his doting father-like ways. Speaking of Yoshida, his absence would not have been excused! He’s been as big a part as Bakuman as Hiramaru, almost like the perfect complimentary character. Again, an influence of character popularity polls but that still doesn’t change anything.
Then we get to the more rushed, yet equally important Ashirogi Muto part of the story. As usual the duo are faced with some kind of conundrum relating to their popularity; their ongoing struggle for an anime adaptation. What they’re experiencing now is the harsh reality of Nizuma’s big advantage. Just like if Oda were to finish One Piece and draw something else, his name alone would guarantee monstrous sales figures. The strategy meeting ended up being just more insight into how to make a manga more popular since the part was where the reassurance came from.
The Tezuka-Akasuka award ceremony seems like the appropriate place for Ashirogi Muto to get their reassurance. As they once stood at that same place where many hopefuls stand. It made sense that the man they’ve been chasing was the one to clear them of their doubts. It was just a cherry on top when they were approached by the anime exec!
As I said, this episode of Bakuman works better than the last few have. I still would have liked for a slower pace for the meeting, to give it more of a regrouping feel but for the most part it was fine. Some other of my problems might come to light in the last five episodes, but I’ll just have to wait and see if Bakuman can avoid them.
3 comments
adamevea
February 24, 2013 at 9:46 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Well i can appreciate your thoughts and feelings about this episode but i just about totally disagree about almost everything. I am close to giving up on this series for good. It has taken a dive for the bottom and is near a burn out in my book. They have lost track of any real value of the story, the endless competition over who is voted the best is boring beyond words and the horrible disgusting ridiculous joke of a relationship between one of the most interesting women in the series who has a brain, and the most disgusting creep of the men is beyond horrible. I was totally grossed out and using the old faithful ferriswheel and forcing her into a romantic attachment that is just abysmal ruined the entire episode for me. To hear the two stars whining about their positoin and the disgusting scene with Nizuma pigging out on food like an animal was ..well very over the top. It looks to me like the directors and the writers want to blow out any possibility of this being a balanced and humane series and just make it into one that tried to prove that the sad but noble career of the dedicated manga artists is worth any sacrifice. So far they have trashed all the decent people and elevated the jerks. and i am very dissapointed. I imagine in the final episodes we will see the original relationship that started it all, yet was always a bizarre joke, be almost lost and then saved at the last moment..or not. I really dont care any more ..i never thought they would trash such a promising series but i am very glad it is almost over. I dont plant to keep my copies of the series, they will go into the trash with the other lost series. too bad, i am sorry, but i doubt they will be able to save it in any siginficant way. I never guessed i would find the school idol series much more interesting but Love Live is far better than this trash.
azeriraz
February 24, 2013 at 10:36 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
There's definitely a frustration that comes with seeing these guys take a big step back by whining once again. I can definitely see it be irksome to some people, but I've grown to accept it.
adamevea
February 24, 2013 at 6:37 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Yes i know the routine is routine..and part of their world..i suppose for them this is a justification for their own lives, the manga artists themselves who are creating this…and that makes sense..to try to feel better about their own isolation and limited lives…but it sure has a negative overall message for kids and others..that it is ok to be trapped in fantasy and sacrifice love and those you care about for your status. I see the more successful anime being the ones with a positive message and happy stories, the world is challenging enough without overwhelming fatalism and tragedy to pull us down. I know i was hard on them but the series had a lot of promise, and sacrificing Aoi to that horrible jerk was just too much for me to bear, I have moved on from this series and no longer care about how it comes out, Miho would be much better to find someone other than Mashiro who does not deserve her at all any more, he had not made any reasonable decisions about their relationship for a long time, and clearly cares more about manga and his status as a manga writer than for love. If he does end up with her in the end it will be thru a cop out by the writers and i suspect they plan some kind of meaningless sacrifice by both of them for their "dream" which was a silly fantasy to start with, getting engaged without knowing anything at all about each other and sitting next to each other in class without talking at all…that was the height of celebrating otaku fear of women and intimacy. In the end, this has become a vehicle to justify Otaku dysfunction, not a possible breakthrough to balance and health with it. Too bad. But there are other fun series to make up for this disappointment and there is always next season :…..lets see that KyoAni is up to. They know how to make a brilliant anime.