Cover of Bakuman vol. 1

Dreaming of becoming a world-renowned manga artist? Think your ideas are better than what’s currently out there? Fueled by the desire to become not only rich and famous, but hopefully able to get that one person’s attention? Then this manga’s for you.

From the creators of Hikaru no Go and Death Note comes Bakuman, a story about two ninth-graders who decide to team up to become world famous manga artists. Decidedly different from the otherworldly suspenseful Death Note or the coming of age story (with a side of Go) Hikaru no Go, Bakuman offers readers a ‘slice of life’  in regards to the two main leads: talented, yet non-motivated artist Moritaka Mashiro and his extremely bright classmate Akito Takagi, who happens to also be an aspiring writer.

In the first volume, we are introduced to the two leads as they are in their last year of junior high and are preparing to take their midterm exams; these tests will determine as to which high schools the students will be entering upon finding out their results. As school lets out early for everyone to focus on their studies, Moritaka accidentally leaves his notebook at school which contains many drawings of various students. Of particular interest are the drawings of Miho Azuki, a girl in both Moritaka and Akito’s class as well as Moritaka’s crush. When Moritaka goes back to school to retrieve his notebook, he finds Akito holding it and says that he will return it if Moritaka agrees to partner up with him to create a manga, due to his talent as an artist.

At first, Moritaka declines as his aim in life is simply to live the status quo and not stand out, despite his passion for art. Through flashbacks, readers learn that Moritaka had been an artist from a very young age and was inspired by his uncle, who also happened to be a famous mangaka, Nobuhiro Masahiro who went by the pen name of Taro Kawaguchi; it is later revealed that Nobuhiro Masahiro died from overworking himself. Eventually, Moritaka warms to the idea after making a spur-of-the-moment promise to Miho, who herself is aspiring to become a voice actress for anime, by promising to marry her if his manga becomes an anime. Breaking the news to his family, which Moritaka was sure would be difficult after the death of his uncle, he finds that both his father and grandfather wholly support the idea and provide him with the means necessary of making his and Akito’s dreams come true: the keys to his uncle’s studio. Working hard throughout their summer, both Moritaka and Akito compile a draft and prepare to present it to an editor of Weekly Shonen Jump.

Filled with amazing artwork, a compelling yet lighthearted story, as well as drafts and notes of actual panels used in the manga, Bakuman provides readers with a very in-depth look into how the manga industry in Japan works. Currently an ongoing series in Japan – with eight volumes of manga released, Viz has brought this story to its English-speaking readers, starting with volume one. If you manage to read the first volume and are hooked (like I am), Viz will be releasing the second volume in November.

Tags: impressions