Anime Reporter keeps the mangaka coverage moving with Bakuman manga Volume 06 (chapters 44-52). For details on the first volume, check out my first Bakuman review here and naturally, heed the giant glaring Spoiler warning below.
Volume 06 sees our intrepid manga creators, (Are they intrepid? I’m not 100% sure what intrepid means. I feel like I might be safe to use it, but I’m just going to make sure. Hold on, I’ll Google it.)
Volume 06 sees our intrepid manga creators, (they are. I guess. It’s pretty close to ‘fearless’ or ‘brave’ and they’re certainly determined and ambitious, so I’ll stick with intrepid.)
Volume 06 sees our intrepid manga creators clawing their way back to success after some less than sterling responses to their very first serialised manga. Detective Trap has been rising and falling in its rankings and the two boys are going to have to pull out all the stops (I’m Googling that expression too, I’ve no idea where it comes from.) They are in fact pulling out all the stops to improve their standing and make the cut when a cancellation meeting looms once more.
Things get a little tense when Mashiro pushes himself somewhat past his limits and his health starts to suffer. This event throws a lot of curveballs when the boys’ editors start to consider pulling their title until Mashiro is back on his feet, and maybe not even then. The duo’s future has never been less certain and the ripples are plain to see. Their mangakas rivals/friends have more than a few things to say on the matter and the effects of this volume should be far reaching and long lasting. Mashiro’s health issues also provide the perfect opportunity for some growth in his relationship with Miho, putting more of a strain on their decision not to see each other and minimising Mashiro’s likelihood of making an anime-worthy series before he’s eighteen.
This volume shows a lot more room for emotional growth than the last couple have, though it does throw out more than a few gender-based generalisations which many readers may find don’t belong in this century. Drama and tension see a notable increase and the plot begins to move with a greater sense of urgency though the only relationships to go through any real changes are Mashiro’s.
Bakuman manga Volume 06 is currently available in English and has been for quite some time now. Ineffable… that’s a good word. I should probably start expanding my vocabulary. I don’t think it’s bad, but I’d feel pretty foolish if I let it stagnate.
Plot: 9
Character Development: 7
Drama: 8.5
Humour: 7
Tone: 7.5
78% – “Solid” – Bakuman Volume 06 ups the stakes in a big way, though it could still really stand to expand its horizons a little bit, giving female characters more than a passing nod here and there. All in all, the plot is taking off in a few aspects and it would really be nice to see that reflected more widely.
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