Bakuman 3

I did this on J.A.C's request awhile ago, but it wasn't used. So if anyone else wants it, they can use it. ^^

Page 1:

Top text: Already receiving an incredibly big reaction! New Serialization chapter 3! [Bakuman!]

Right box: After I told my parents I wanted to become a Mangaka in the future, Shujin and I went to my Uncle's studio.

Left Box: My Uncle had been a Mangaka, but after he died my Grandfather kept this building as it was and gave it to me.

Shujin: Is it this apartment building?

Saiko: Yeah, the 9th floor.

Shujin: Woah!


Page 2:

Shujin: W...What is all this!? They're just action figurines!

Saiko: My Uncle drew Superhero Manga so he ended up spending all his money on this stuff.

Shujin: You mean 'Gag Superhero Manga'.

Saiko: Are you calling him an idiot?

Shujin: Nah, I respected him.

Saiko: It's packed in pretty tight but look behind one...

Shujin: Hm?


Page 3:

Shujin: Hey, there's Jump!

Saiko: It looks like he has all the issues of Jump during the time his manga was serialized.

Shujin: 1996... so old! But I can read them later.

Saiko: And behind this door is the actual studio!



Page 4:

Shujin: Wow...it's wider than I'd thought it would be.

Saiko: It was a three roomed apartment, but he knocked out the walls to create one big room.



Page 5:

Saiko: So nostalgic...especially the smell of Nicotine. How many times did I hang out here and talk with my uncle?

Shujin: Holy crap, he's got so many comics!
I've got a lot myself, but he's got like 100 times that.

Saiko: It's the same as the Jump from before.
My uncle wasn't a very good artist, so maybe he thought that he could improve himself by studying other manga's.

Shujin: Oh!

Shujin: H-hey, are there any manuscripts around? Can I see some?

Saiko: Sure, there should be some inside this closet...


Page 6:

Shujin: Everything's been organized so neatly into boxes.

Saiko: A nib pen...

Saiko: Most pro's use a G pen, but since I can't I use a Kabura pen.


Page 7:

Shujin: Is it really okay for me to look?

Saiko: Sure.

Saiko: I haven't used a nib pen even once yet.

Shujin: This is the first time I've ever seen a manuscript...
I always thought he wasn't that good but now...I'm worried if you can really do it...

Saiko: I'm not sure yet. But first, before we do that you have to do one of these.

A "Name".

Page 8:

Shujin: This...This is a Name?
I've seen them before on the recruitment page of the Manga Awards.

Saiko: It's basically just a rough draft of a manga.

Saiko: First, you draw one of these, and once you've shown it to the Editor and they give you the OK, then you can start drawing the manuscript. If you don't get given the OK, you've got to redo it, no matter how many times it takes.

Though only the really well-known Mangaka's ever get an okay from just a Name.

Saiko: We're going to have to send a completed manuscript to an Editor just to get noticed.

Shujin: Yeah, I knew that already...


Page 9:

Shujin: Hang on a tic, I have to do all this?
I can't just give you a script?

Saiko: Of course not!

Saiko: You can't copy this.


I said so, didn't I?

Saiko: Of course when I draw it, I'll change around the panels and the composition to suit my thinking.
But you have to give me a base to draw it from.

Shujin: Saiko...
Just like I thought, he's really something.


Page 10:

Shujin: All right! I'll do it!!
I'm all fired up now!

Shujin: Saiko, what kind of manga do you wanna do?

Saiko: I haven't really decided yet.

Saiko: Though, I really like masculine manga.
I don't want to do anything Otakulike or weak.

Shujin: Yeah, I don't want to do anything like that either. None of that sex, rape, abortion or pregnancy crap for me.

Saiko: That's more like a Shoujo Manga or some stupid romance novel...

Add "incurable disease" as well. That's the 'Number 1 Item' to make someone turn on the waterworks.

Shujin: Ah, yeah, sorry.


Page 11:

Shujin: Masculine manga, huh. Like what, for example?
What's your favorite manga?

Saiko: "Ashita no Joe."
(Tn: Literally "Tomorrow's Joe.")

Shujin: That's so old...

Shujin: But it's really famous.

I read it after seeing repeats of the anime, and it made me want to be a boxer when I grew up.

Saiko: Haha, you really are an idiot. But I wanted to be one too.

Shujin: Heh heh!

Shujin: Didn't you say that it was the work of two geniuses, right?

Saiko: Yeah, the writers had about 5 series running at the same time..

Shujin: 5!?

Shujin: You're kidding..! I'm pretty self confident but there is no way I could do that.


Page 12:

Shujin: I've been reading a lot of manga whether I liked them or not, just to see what's popular.
Maybe that's why I mentioned sex, rape, abortion and pregnancy earlier.

Saiko: Shujin, I think you can do it.

Shujin: Huh, really? Why?

Saiko: I'm always talking about my uncle, so sorry, but here goes. He submitted his work for the Akatsuka Awards.

Shujin: That's one of the big manga awards for gag manga, right?

Saiko: The first thing he did was get the manga's which had already won and tried to figure out what was most popular.

At the time, social satire was the best thing going, so he attempted that.

Page 13:

Shujin: And did he win?

Saiko: Yep.

Shujin: He was quite clever and thorough, wasn't he?

Saiko: So I think doing something like that is the best way to get noticed at the moment, and you've already started it.

So what manga's popular at the moment?

Shujin; Well, take Jump, for example...

Sports manga isn't popular at the moment.

I don't know if it's just the times right now, but it's rare for a sports manga to be very successful.
And I haven't played enough sports to write about it...

Saiko: I said I liked "Joe" but that doesn't mean I wanted to draw a sports manga.

Shujin: But there's one thing all the popular series have in common...

Page 14:

Shujin: Swords. (Tn: he actually says "katanas" here istead, but that translates to english as swords... but in the case of Naruto, it makes the most sense as "katana")

Naruto, One Piece, Bleach and Gintama...
A lot of other manga's have swords too.

They also have something else in common- they all have battles and are set in a different reality.

Saiko: I'm not sure I want to do something with swords in it just because it's popular.
I hadn't really thought about it before... but you're right, there definitely are lots around.

Shujin: Me too.
But since the readers aren't analyzing the manga they read like that, so it's not really a matter of noticing or not.

Saiko: Hey, Shujin, what's your favorite manga?

Shujin: It's hard to pick a favorite.
Maybe Dragon Ball...?

Saiko: Your choice isn't that new, either.


Page 15:

Shujin: Dragonball is also a manga written by a genius, right...

or maybe only a genius could draw such good manga?

Saiko: Well, what's the best manga that isn't drawn by a genius then?

Hmmm...this is hard...

Wait, what's the meaning behind us thinking this? Aren't we going to be geniuses?

Saiko:

Shujin: ...You've got a point.
Anyway, since I came all the way here today, I'm going to look at as many Names as I can.


Page 16:

Shujin: Saiko...you said I couldn't copy these...
But some of them are a really good reference, especially where he corrected himself with a red pen. I can't help but think "Ah, I see what he did there."

Shujin: I wouldn't be able to bring these home with me, could I...?

Saiko: That's not a problem as long as you bring 'em back.

Shujin: You serious? How many boxes can I take? They're pretty heavy---

Saiko: Shujin's so serious about this...
I'm sure he'll manage to think up a really interesting story for his Name

Box: Name 3

I've never even used a nib pen before...

How many hours will it take me?

Saiko: Shujin.

Shujin: What?

Saiko: Do you think we'll have an anime by the time we're 18?

Shujin: Hell no.


Page 17:

Saiko: You didn't have to say it like that.

It seems most anime voice actors are like idols, most of them are about eighteen years old.

Shujin: Yeah, right now there are a lot that give that sort of impression.
18 years old, huh...

Shujin: I get it!

Saiko: Mm.
Azuki's really cute, so they'll probably try to promote her for her looks, not her talent.

Shujin: Saiko...

I asked Saiko to join me because I wanted to become a Manga-ka.
The truth is, now I want you and Azuki to get married just as much.


Page 18:

Shujin: All right! An anime before we're 18- let's make that objective our reality!

Ssaiko: Shujin...

Shujin: We can do it! Absolutely!
So, Saiko, where's the Name that goes with this manuscript? I want to compare them.

Saiko: Oh, it should be in one of these boxes somewhere...

Shujin: All right, I'm gonna search for it!

Saiko: I'll help.

Shujin: Thanks.

Saiko: Not just that, how many Name boxes are there? They're stuffed full.

Shujin: Oh, where do I remember seeing this and reading it before...?


Page 19:

Saiko: There's still more inside the closet.

Like this...

I'm just going outside to make a call.

Shujin: Azuki?

Saiko: I told you already, I don't know her number....


Page 20:

Saiko: Dad.

Dad: What's wrong? This is the first time you've called me, isn't it?

Saiko: I'm sorry. It's just, I always thought that my Uncle had committed suicide.

He really was just working around the clock....

Dad: Don't be stupid. That guy wasn't the sort of coward who would kill himself. He was the type who would just grit his teeth and work even harder, never complaining.

Saiko: You're right. I remember now, he was always drawing something when I came over.

Dad: Have you read Moritaka's "Kyoujin no hoshi"?
(Tn: Literally "The Giant's star.")

Saiko: Uh, yeah.

Dad: Well, then, you know Sakamoto Ryouma's famous saying?

Saiko: Yeah.


Page 21:

Dad: You loved "Ashita no Joe", didn't you?

Saiko: ...Yeah
Dad, you don't have to say anymore. Thanks.

Dad: I see. Goodbye.

Saiko: Sakamoto Ryouma's saying was "Even if a man dies in a ditch, he should die facing forwards."
And Yabuki Joe burned up into pure white ashes....

My Uncle also fell forward, burning white hot.

My dad tried to show me how to be a man from famous manga scenes...

I'm not going to be half-hearted anymore.

For manga,

and Azuki Miho,

I'm going to risk my life.