Full Review

Name: Bukaman,  バクマン
Director/writer: Hitoshi Ohne
Release date: 2015
Number of episodes: 1 (Movie)
Based on Manga: Yes, Bukaman written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. 2008-2012

Summary: High School students Moritaka Mashiro and Akito Takagi strive to create a manga. All long the way the realise it’s not an easy journey and that the industry can be ruthless. There ultimate and outlandish goal is a serialization in the prestigious Shounen Jump.

Who are the main characters? Which actors play them?
Takeru Satoh as Moritaka Mashiro
Moritaka Mashiro is the illustrator. His character is competitive, impatient and driven.

As a child, most of his recreational time in a small studio where his uncle wrote and drew a prominent manga. Inadvertently, Mashiro learnt the process of creating a manga. He is both the illustrator and pseudo leader of the duo. He also carries a flame for fellow classmate Eiji Niizuma.

Ryunosuke Kamiki as Akito Takagi:
Akito Takagi handles the writing side of things. Nothing can illustrated until he formulates and writes a story – which can be problematic if writer’s block arises.

Shota Sometani as Niizuma Eiji:
Eiji, who is also a teenager is a complicated and intriguing character. His manga is consistently has the number one spot in Jump magazine. But at what cost?

Nana Komatsu as Miho AzukiI:
Nana Komatsu was such fun to watch in The White Prince and the Black Devil”. Unfortunately that did not translate well into Bukaman. In this film her character is bland and as the movie goes on, she fades into the background and you forget about her. Her dream is become a voice actress.

Takayuki Yamada as Akira Hattori
Hattori a magazine editor at Jump and becomes Takagi and Mashiro’s greatest ally. He has good intentions, although it sometimes doesn’t come across that way.

Supporting roles
There are many significant supporting characters such as other manga artists and Jump’s CEO. They all e their own struggles and decisions to make.

Thoughts and Observations:
Everything in the movie works well together such as the casting, apt locations, color palette. A particular favorite was the effective use of sound. e.g. The distinct sound of sketching. In addition the color palette, energy, and fun of the movie draws you in, everything works very well together.

Themes:  workaholic, perseverance, teamwork, friendship, following your dreams.

Interesting facts:
Watching this movie triggered an interested in manga. The following years I blew through over a dozen manga. It was important to know somewhere in the world the created poured over every detail to tell a story, one that we get to enjoy. ay detail to convey the