[Review] Bakuman (Live-action)
I just caught the Bakuman movie and literally spent the better half of the show overwhelmed with emotion. Here's my review of the movie, if anyone cares to read it. I had read the manga and wasn't crazy about the series, although I found the plethora of manga trivia interesting. The live action, however, is a different story. Beware: lots of spoilers ahead!
Synopsis: Mashiro Moritaka (Sato Takeru) is your regular high school student who's unsure about what to do with his life and feels no need to do anything about it. Mashiro has a singular talent for drawing; he is also attracted to his reserved yet beautiful classmate, Azuki Miho (Komatsu Nana), and spends time in class secretly drawing various sketches of her. Mashiro seemed content with the status quo until classmate Takagi Akito (Kamiki Ryunosuke) proposes a crazy idea: that they team up to draw manga together. Mashiro initially refuses, citing a lack of interest in the profession. However, when he finds out that Azuki's dream is to become a voice actress, he is finally persuaded to pursue the profession and in the process finds a dream of his own.
Bakuman is a visual feast.
Not only does the movie make use of projection mapping for the first time, the videography intersperses graphics and actors within a single space, creating a different effect for audiences who are used to the reality of Hollywood's special effects. The writing, too, has done the manga justice. Ohne Hitoshi, who has authored hits such as Moteki, fleshes out the characters and makes them more believable and human than their manga counterparts.
Sato Takeru portrays a dorky yet intense Mashiro, who vividly recalls the life (and death) of his dear uncle Kawaguchi Taro (Kudo Kankuro) as he mirrors his uncle's path to becoming a professional mangaka. Kamiki's Takagi is a geekier and more optimistic version of his manga counterpart, he remains a firm believer in Mashiro's ability and their chemistry comes across on screen. One might sense the irony of the scene when Mashiro and Takagi battle against manga genius Niizuma Eiji (Sometani Shota), as they convincingly brandish giant pens and brushes in the place of swords. (Sato and Kamiki were cast as expert Japanese swordsmen in the live action hit, Rurouni Kenshin.)
The remaining characters were also brilliantly casted, with a brash and flashy Kiritani Kenta playing manga-loving yankee cum artist Fukuda. Arai Hirofumi displays an unexpected knack for comedy in his role as the malingering Hiramaru, a reluctant yet talented manga author. Fans of the manga may not agree with Sometani's interpretation of Niizuma Eiji as a creepy prodigy, but will nonetheless enjoy his quirky creation process in the Niizuma lair. Unfortunately, the scriptwriter chose to minimize Azuki's presence in the film to that of a mascot, as opposed to the symbol and driving force she portrayed in the manga.
Above all, the movie remains a tribute to manga. From the Slam Dunk and Dragon Ball references to the ending credits showing some of JUMP's greatest hits, it is a testament to the medium's history that many fans will be able to identify with this movie and reminisce about their youth, as I have.
Trailer with English subs:
Have you watched Bakuman? Did you enjoy the movie or did it fall short of your expectations? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Synopsis: Mashiro Moritaka (Sato Takeru) is your regular high school student who's unsure about what to do with his life and feels no need to do anything about it. Mashiro has a singular talent for drawing; he is also attracted to his reserved yet beautiful classmate, Azuki Miho (Komatsu Nana), and spends time in class secretly drawing various sketches of her. Mashiro seemed content with the status quo until classmate Takagi Akito (Kamiki Ryunosuke) proposes a crazy idea: that they team up to draw manga together. Mashiro initially refuses, citing a lack of interest in the profession. However, when he finds out that Azuki's dream is to become a voice actress, he is finally persuaded to pursue the profession and in the process finds a dream of his own.
Bakuman is a visual feast.
Not only does the movie make use of projection mapping for the first time, the videography intersperses graphics and actors within a single space, creating a different effect for audiences who are used to the reality of Hollywood's special effects. The writing, too, has done the manga justice. Ohne Hitoshi, who has authored hits such as Moteki, fleshes out the characters and makes them more believable and human than their manga counterparts.
Sato Takeru portrays a dorky yet intense Mashiro, who vividly recalls the life (and death) of his dear uncle Kawaguchi Taro (Kudo Kankuro) as he mirrors his uncle's path to becoming a professional mangaka. Kamiki's Takagi is a geekier and more optimistic version of his manga counterpart, he remains a firm believer in Mashiro's ability and their chemistry comes across on screen. One might sense the irony of the scene when Mashiro and Takagi battle against manga genius Niizuma Eiji (Sometani Shota), as they convincingly brandish giant pens and brushes in the place of swords. (Sato and Kamiki were cast as expert Japanese swordsmen in the live action hit, Rurouni Kenshin.)
The remaining characters were also brilliantly casted, with a brash and flashy Kiritani Kenta playing manga-loving yankee cum artist Fukuda. Arai Hirofumi displays an unexpected knack for comedy in his role as the malingering Hiramaru, a reluctant yet talented manga author. Fans of the manga may not agree with Sometani's interpretation of Niizuma Eiji as a creepy prodigy, but will nonetheless enjoy his quirky creation process in the Niizuma lair. Unfortunately, the scriptwriter chose to minimize Azuki's presence in the film to that of a mascot, as opposed to the symbol and driving force she portrayed in the manga.
Above all, the movie remains a tribute to manga. From the Slam Dunk and Dragon Ball references to the ending credits showing some of JUMP's greatest hits, it is a testament to the medium's history that many fans will be able to identify with this movie and reminisce about their youth, as I have.
Trailer with English subs:
Click to viewHave you watched Bakuman? Did you enjoy the movie or did it fall short of your expectations? Share your thoughts in the comments below!