Bakuman Vol. 19 (Chapter 161 - 169) Discussion

Honestly, I'm with fizban. I didn't think much of Ririka's appearance. Remember Naoi Ichiko? Natara Kanra? No? Ichiko was the attractive, flirty classmate of Mashiro's during that reunion dinner, and Kanra was the cute voice actress for Lady Crow. While it'd be cool if Ririka hooked up with one of the many single mangaka in Bakuman, or even just showed up again hanging out with Azuki, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we never see her again.

IMO, Naoi Ichiko, as well as the other classmate, Yamashita (was that his name?), were used by Ohba to bring out the fact that people change over the years. Be it in appearance, character and all that. Their characters, I felt, were being used to show Saikou (and indirectly Shuujin) how far (?) their other classmates had climbed in the social ladder, and so on, whereas the two of them were still chugging along, same as ever, aiming for the same dream they'd been chasing all the way since junior high. Kanra, I admit, I don't remember at all :sweat

I think sufficient panels, even pages, in this chapter were used on Ririka, to make me think that she would actually be someone who reappears later on. In what capacity, and to what degree, we can only speculate. We may be wrong and she never appears again, of course, but this thread is to predict what we think may happen in chapters to come, so wild theories (well... within limits of course) are more than welcome :amuse

I mentioned Ichiko because I recall some people here believing she would become a recurring character, though I saw her as someone who wouldn't be seen again. Kanra however was given a profile in the Charaman book, and the way she talked admiringly about Eiji made me think she would reappear and eventually meet him but that never happened. XD

Personally I don't think the multiple pages for Ririka mean anything, if you look at abandoned characters like Shiratori, Koogy, Shizuka. Haha, but a lot of it is me, reminding myself often that this is shounen manga, and not to hope for dramatic situations or a love triangle. (Was I the only one here disappointed you didn't really get to see Kaya's wedding dress? XD)

Quote:

---

Haha, but a lot of it is me, reminding myself often that this is shounen manga, and not to hope for dramatic situations or a love triangle.

---

I thought the Takagi/Kaya/Aoki triangle was pretty dramatic, although it was more comedy. I was secretly rooting for Takagi x Aoki. Hahaha.

But yeah, I'm in the boat that we're overthinking Ririka's character. She came across as just a plot device to me, to get Ashirogi to go to the party so they would get a confidence boost from Eiji. Since they mentioned they never go each year even when invited. With that said, the chapter was pretty boring. Haha.


P.S: Hope everyone had a nice holiday, and a joyous start to the New Years~

I still think Ririka's going to come back. As I've already mentioned, the love department of Bakuman aka Aoki/Hiramaru is pretty much done for after the wedding (unless they will disappointingly make the two have this shoujo-ish kind of development) and it seems a new love triangle or Ririka/Mashiro/Azuki would get the new role.

Although, I do concede that Ririka was pretty dismissive after learning that her target Mashiro is already taken.

Chapter 162 RAW's out!

Most of the chapter looks "blabla" for me, but on the other hand the end looks very interesting... (Too bad I can't read neither japanese nor chinese.)

spoiler summary

Chapter 162: Hot Springs and One Of Two.

At the end of the party, a guy who looks like Nakai's long lost brother approaches Ashirogi with an anime proposal. They're happy but say it's really upto the editorial department to decide. Nakai's long lost brother knows this of course but just wanted to say hi to the two when he heard Ashirogi Muto was in the house from Eiji.

Of course, Ashirogi is ecstatic after the whole ordeal. Ririka puts in a comment that if Reversi becomes an anime, please allow her to be in it.

The next day at the studio, Shujin brings up Kato's friend, Ririka, who they met at the party. Just stuff that Shujin has been researching about her.

Anyway, Takagi notes that Mashiro should take a break over the New Years holiday. Mashiro definitely can't take something like 2 weeks off, but he plans to have 30th to the 3rd off. Takagi wants Mashiro to go travelling with him and Kaya. To the same place where Takagi had their honeymoon apparently. Takagi says he never has plans over the New Years anyway and a change of scenery might be nice, and so Mashiro agrees to go.

And so, the 31st comes around on the next page after, and everybody's at the hot springs. Mashiro notes how relaxing it is, probably more so because all they ever do is work. When the two come back in to eat, they find Kaya already had a bit of sake and looks slightly drunk. After some drinking, they go play table tennis, and then go back to their rooms for more drinking, and then watching the New Years special for the countdown. Afterwards, Mashiro gives Azuki an SMS and then they all go watch the first sunrise of the new year. Takagi and Kaya each make a wish for the new year. They tell Mashiro should make one too, and he wishes that Shujin and Kaya's relationship stays the same forever. Kaya is touched and starts crying a bit. When they declare they should all come back next year, they should bring Azuki along too. And Kaya declares they should bring kids along next year too, which Takagi says he'll do his best tonight. Lmao. When Kaya finally sleeps, Takagi goes over to Mashiro's room and talk about misc stuffs like what the past 8 year have been like ever since they teamed up to work on manga, their dreams, and how life and being a mangaka is similar. Cue epic Takagi speech.

And after their little break, back at the studio, they've just handed in their manuscript to Hattori. Hattori praises them, and also tells them their second volume will be on sale on the 4th, and that volume 1 has been reprinted up to 500 thousand copies now. They've stopped reprinting volume one of Zombie Gun so they just might be able to catch up now. But Hattori tells them in the recent questionaires it seems Zombie Gun will come out on top. Guess they can't have it all, it's one or the other.

The climatic ending ends with the editorial department discussing the ending of the Crow anime and how they need something to fill in after it ends. Heishi says, "There's no need to discuss this, it'll either be one of these two mangas for sure...".

Lovely New Years-centred chapter. The comedy was gold between the three, and the cliffhanger was awesome.

WHO WILL BE THE ONE TO GET AN ANIME. DUN DUN DUNNN. *makes a poll*

Pfft, they should both get an anime haha.

I'd agree with Zatono on that front. I mean, it's ridiculous to think that one of the two current flagships of Jump wouldn't get an anime, although, we all know that Ohba might come up with some reason...

Awesome chapter. I loved the goofy scenes and was especially touched by Mashiro's wish for his friends' happiness, rather than something for himself, like getting married to Azuki that year.

My guess right now is if Ashirogi get the anime slot, something will hinder Azuki being the lead and Ririka will play it instead. XD But honestly, I can't decide if Zombie Gun or Reversi will get the anime.

Wow after reading the spoiler I can see where Ohba is going with this Ririka. Riversi gets an anime BUT somehow Azuki will fail to get the main female's character role and Ririka will take her place. This is meant to happen to Bakuman if the series is going to be continued for even longer.

Yeah, I can't imagine them both not getting animes as well. I think it's more to do with who will get the all important headstart on each other. With that said, I think it'll go to Zombie Gun first. It makes the grand finale more epic if Reversi wins from behind rather than being first in..um, first.

And let me elaborate on page 4. Takagi was commenting how Ririka's new and only a minor-role typed seiyu (kinda like when Azuki just started out). And how she's got a blog, and that she's pretty so maybe she'll get popular quite quickly. And then Mashiro notes how seiyus and mangakas are similar.

I still think we're overthinking Ririka's character. Maybe we'll see her again with Azuki, but nothing more than something like "Oh I met Ashirogi-sensei once, you're so lucky, etc etc". =/

Ririka was obviously shoehorned into the series as a future plot device to stretch out the story even more. In my opinion they are probably going to get the Anime this time around. But if Azuki plays the heroine and her and Mashiro get married, the series is over. I can understand Ohba's mindset, but I hate the blatant stretching (it's even more obvious because Ohba addressed series stretching a chapter or two ago).

Also, Kaya is definitely getting pregnant soon. There's been too much foreshadowing for it to go nowhere. And imagine all of the forced drama Ohba can use to stretch Bakuman another volume or two.

The only fly in the ointment for Ririka getting the heroine role for Reversi is that we were told earlier on that the mangaka could request a certain seiyuu, and unless they magically sign a deal that would prevent them from having Azuki, who has become a star seiyuu seemingly, and there's no reason that they would do that, Azuki would become the seiyuu of their heroine. No way would a minor seiyuu become picked over Azuki, even if they didn't have their own choice.

Even if Reversi gets the anime, which I don't believe will happen, it's not as if the series has to end. If Reversi got the anime and Azuki plays the heroine, there's still the competition to beat out Eiji and various other stuff. Bakuman can still go on with different plots for ages. However, I think that Bakuman is rapidly hurtling to the end, with only the barest amount of development for Reversi and Zombie Gun. Even freaking Tanto got way more development than either Reversi or Zombie Gun. So many mangas in-universe have gotten significantly more development than Reversi and Zombie Gun that it's apparent that Ohba's just getting to the finish line pretty quickly. We're not even working on the manga chapter by chapter anymore. Chapters are just flying by and everything and there's barely any connection to the series.

The chapter is out! Get it here: http://www.batoto.net/read/_/76657/b...y_red-hawk-neo