Bakuman 68

Chapter 68

01

Takagi: Ehh!? You told your parents!?
Mashiro: That you're getting married!?
Miyoshi: I didn't tell them about the marriage.
Title: Page 68 Bathroom and Bath
Text on the right: The ritual he has to overcome...!! Speaking with her parents!!

Miyoshi: I just told them I might be bringing my boyfriend over on October 20th.
Miyoshi: The serialization meeting is on the 19th, right? And you promised to enter us in the family register after your manga got serialized.

Takagi: So you're saying I have to ask them for their daughter's hand in marriage the day after we get the serialization?
Miyoshi: Yeah, that's what we planned. Were you lying to me?
Takagi: ...No, I wasn't lying.

Miyoshi: There's still a month until the serialization meeting, so work towards getting ready to do it.
Takagi: O-okay.

Mashiro: Are you really gonna go?
Takagi: The coming meeting has a marriage at stake as well as some serializations...
Mashiro: Don't say it like it's about someone else.

02

Yuujirou: You're helping out Aoki Kou?
Fukuda: Yeah. I didn't think I'd be much of a man if I tried to hide it, so I called you over.
SFX: *draw*
SFX: *draw*
SFX: *draw*

Yuujirou: What do you mean you're helping her?
Fukuda: I'm guiding her in how to do upskirt shots and checking her storyboards by fax.

Yuujirou: That's her editor's job.
Fukuda: A mangaka knows this kind of thing better than an editor.
Yuujirou: If you have the spare time to do that, you should spend it on "Kiyoshi".
Fukuda: Like I've said!!

Fukuda: I won't let "Kiyoshi's" popularity fall. And if it does, it's because you've been making me do unnecessary things.
Fukuda: In fact, I'll make sure to raise "Kiyoshi's" popularity!
Fukuda: How about that!
Fukuda: And just so you know, I don't have any romantic feelings for Aoki Kou.
Fukuda: If I have to say it one way or the other, I would say I hate her.

Yuujirou: I don't believe that you actually hate her.
Yuujirou: Where are you going?
Fukuda: The bathroom.

03

Fukuda: She took part in the Fukuda Group's boycott, so if she's in trouble I have to help her.
Fukuda: Like I said to Ashirogi-kun and Nakai-san when we were still working as assistants at Master Niizuma's place:
Fukuda: We'll change "Jump".

Assistant: So cool!

Fukuda: Master Niizuma,
Fukuda: Ashirogi Muto,
Fukuda: Aoki Kou,
Fukuda: Hiramaru Kazuya,
Fukuda: and...Nakai Takurou.
Fukuda: With us, it's doable.
On sign: Don't open the door suddenly. Knock!!

Yuujirou: Change "Jump"...? Come to think of it, Niizuma-kun wanted the right to end a manga he didn't like if he got the most popular work in the beginning.
Fukuda: That's Master Niizuma for you!

Yuujirou: Oh. But that's a secret.
Assistant: You're being unusually loose with what you say today.

Fukuda: Okay. Then if I get to be the most popular, let me abolish the survey system!
Yuujirou: But then we wouldn't know which mangas were popular.
Fukuda: You can just tell by how well the volumes sell.
Yuujirou: But we wouldn't know the popularity before the volumes came out.

04

Yuujirou: And you can't just say it's fine if the volumes sell.
Yuujirou: The surveys are needed to make sure "Jump" sells.
Fukuda: Well, it's not right to choose your favorite 3.
Fukuda: If there was a manga that every reader found to be their 4th favorite, it wouldn't get a single vote and be at the bottom of the list.

Fukuda: If there are 20 mangas, it would be best to have the readers rank them all from 1-20!
At top of form: Readers
Yuujirou: Hey, hey. We can't make the readers do something that annoying.
Yuujirou: Well, I'm not saying you're wrong, Fuku-kun...
Yuujirou: People in the editorial department are always saying to watch out if your work has the most 3rd place votes.
Yuujirou: If the 3rd most popular one drops to 4th, the votes drop off significantly.
Fukuda: See!! At least have the top 10...or top 5!

Yuujirou: Well, it's no longer possible for "Kiyoshi" to get first in either the surveys or in volumes sold.
Fukuda: D-don't say that so definitively.

Yuujirou: And if you're thinking that you might get an anime, there haven't been any offers. The only one with an offer is "Otters".
Fukuda: "Otters" has an offer...?
Yuujirou: Oh, that's a secret until it's decided for sure, so don't tell anyone.

05

Fukuda: Maybe I should end "Kiyoshi".
Yuujirou: Hey! What are you saying!?

Fukuda: But you just said I can't get first.
Fukuda: I've been doing it for 2 years and it's been hanging down near 10th lately.
Fukuda: And we haven't gotten an offer for an anime.
Fukuda: So maybe I should finish it off and work on my next manga.
Yuujirou: Don't talk like a certain cap I know.

Assistant: Ha ha. There's a group leader like that?
Yuujirou: Yeah. If a work kind of lingers down like this, he either tries to try some trick or to end it and go on to the next. And he does it regardless of the feelings of the author.
Fukuda: I agree with him.
Yuujirou: Don't be stupid. "Kiyoshi" hasn't dropped that far. And there's still a fair chance of an anime coming along.

Yuujirou: Anyway, helping out Aoki-kun's fine. But don't slack off on "Kiyoshi".
Fukuda: Okay.

Yuujirou: The Fukuda Group, huh...? It looks like Ashirogi-kun's cooperating with him, too. If Ashirogi-kun manages to get that serialization...
Yuujirou: Ever since "Trap" ended, Niizuma-kun hasn't been as motivated... It's also been harder to force chapters of "Otters" out of Hiramaru-kun.

Yuujirou: Okay! There's no problem with the Fukuda Group being large.
Yuujirou: If you need anything, just ask.
Assistant: I like how understanding you are, Yuujirou-san.
Yuujirou: Hey, Fukuda-kun. At least close the bathroom door!

06

Sign: Shueisha

Miura: I'm going to go meet Ashirogi-kun.
Editor: Huh? Why are you looking so down when "Tanto" got first?
Editor: His crucial serialization, "B.B. Kenichi" isn't doing so well.

Editor: Hello. This is the editorial department of "Weekly Shounen Jump".
Taninaka: This Taninaka of "Novels Subaru". Is Hattori Akira there?

Editor: Hattori, it's for you.

Hattori: The winner of Rookie of the Year, Akina Aiko?
Hattori: I've heard the name, but, sorry, I haven't read any of her work.

Taninaka: She said she wants to make a manga. A friend from a class of hers made her want to try it.

Taninaka: Of course, if she's no good, you can just say so.
Hattori: But shouldn't you just go through the normal channels to do this?
Taninaka: Just listen.

07

Taninaka: It's pretty interesting.
Taninaka: She's an underclassman to Aoki Kou in college and she was a classmate to Ashirogi Muto in middle school.

Hattori: A classmate?
Taninaka: And while in middle school, she and Takagi-kun were always fighting for the top grades in the school, so she still views him as a rival.

Hattori: So that's why she wants to make a manga?
Taninaka: Yeah. I keep telling her to give up on the idea, but she keeps asking me to introduce her to one of your editors.

Hattori: She sees Takagi-kun as a rival...

Hattori: Understood. Instead of just introducing me, we'll do it as if I'm actually accepting her.
Taninaka: Hm? Oh, I see. Okay.

Hattori: I just have to see...
Hattori: if I can use her.

08

Miura: Okay, let's go with this for the 1st chapter.
Miura: New serializations these days usually go with 50 or more pages, but, with a gag manga, 45 pages is good, so you don't get tired of the tempo.
Takagi: I'll keep thinking of gags and putting them in right up to the serialization meeting.
SFX: *draw*
SFX: *draw*

Miura: You should go with the fortune making things sell well for Chapter 2.
Miura: Cause maybe that'll make the manga sell well.
Miura: Ha ha.
Takagi: But don't you kind of want some reason that the fortune happens to be right?

Miura: Having it just be a coincidence is one of the good parts of this manga.
Text underneath Miura's bubble: Ha ha
Takagi: And ending it with getting a fortune saying he'll drop his money and then having him drop all the money he got seems a bit lackluster to me...

Miura: Well, I think a clichéd ending is fine, but, if you think of a better ending, change it.
Takagi: Okay, I'll think about it.

Miura: But you need to get through the 3rd chapter for the serialization meeting.
Miura: Since we're planning on getting to that 3rd chapter, we should have it ready for the meeting.
Takagi: Eh?

Mashiro: What do you mean?

09

Miura: The vice editor-in-chief's been complaining because there aren't going to be many mangas for the meeting.
Miura: I've looked into it myself...

Miura: The first is "Hustlemin A" that got 2nd when it had a test run in Jump, so it's pretty much guaranteed.
Miura: Next is you two, and since you got 1st in "Akamaru", you're almost guaranteed.
Miura: The next question is whether anything else will start, but other than "Hustle" and "Tanto", there aren't many.
Takagi: I see.

Miura: Oh, Shizuka-kun who got 2nd in "Akamaru" is a possibility, but he had to change a lot, so he might not make it for the meeting.
Miura: And with Aoki-kun who got third, they're aiming for a test run, so it won't be at the meeting.

Takagi: I want Aoki-san to do her best and with Fukuda-san helping her, I thought they would become a powerful rival...
Takagi: but I'm glad hers won't be at the meeting...

Mashiro: With this, we can get the serialization without making the storyboard any better.
Mashiro: We just have to make sure it won't get ended right away this time. For Miyoshi's sake too.

Miura: Since you understand, let's go all out on Chapter 3!
Takagi: Okay.
Mashiro: Yeah.

10

Miura: First let's decide on the item for Chapter 3.
Takagi: I was thinking of something like "see-though-clothes contacts" or a "naked mirror" to be used on Noah-sensei.

Miura: Any guy would want contacts that let you see through clothes. But it might be a little too common an idea.
Takagi: I was actually thinking of having a failed version that would only see through to a Fukusuke's underwear and was useless for seeing normal underwear.
[TN: A Fukusuke is a dwarf statue said to bring good luck and "see-through-clothes" in Japanese is "fuku suke".]
Miura: That's kind of silly, but the pun is nice. But would kids really get that?
Takagi: Oh, that's right.

Takagi: Then how about a chef hat that lets you make even a school lunch into a full course French meal if you wear it.
Takagi: And when he has Noah-sensei help out, he has her wear a maid apron.
Takagi: And when she waits the table while wearing it and a miniskirt, Daihatsu Meijin goes after the miniskirt and...

Miura: Ha ha ha. That's great.
Miura: We still have time, so make it as funny as you can.

Miura: Show me the list of inventions.
Takagi: Well, they're all things I just thought up, so they're not that great.
Takagi: Making them great is my job.

Miura: "B.B. Kenichi" isn't going to become a big hit and if I screw things up it could be ended at the meeting...
Miura: I have to bet on "Run, Daihatsu Tanto"... Since it got first in "Akamaru" it'll make it... This time I'll have a hit.

11

Sign: Shueisha

Hattori: What's your favorite Shonen manga?
Aiko: I don't really have one.
Hattori: Have you read a lot of Shonen manga?
Aiko: I've read "Jump" for 4 years now.

Hattori: 4 years... I took Ashirogi-kun in 4 years ago...

Hattori: May I get to the heart of the issue?
Aiko: And what's that?

Hattori: I heard from Taninaka that you see Ashirogi Muto...That is, Takagi-kun, as a rival. Is that true?
Aiko: Yes.

12

Hattori: I'm not going to ask you why that is.
Hattori: But if you want to surpass him, you just need to do what I tell you.
Hattori: Simply put, you're an amateur when it comes to manga and teaching you from the beginning will take time. Are you willing to do that?
Aiko: If I do what you tell me, I can do it?
Hattori: We won't know until you try.

Hattori: But I was the one who first saw Takagi-kun and Mashiro-kun when they came here.

Hattori: There's a big difference between making a manga manuscript and writing, but I can sense the same talent from you as I did when I first met them.
Aiko: I'm glad!

Hattori: But...these stories about people's emotions where not much action takes place won't make a good manga. We'll really have start at the beginning.
Aiko: Okay.

Hattori: This is what a storyboard looks like. Do you think you can make something like this yourself?
Aiko: No... I can't draw at all...

Hattori: Well, a single panel is about this much and I want you to draw a line for a page's worth.
Hattori: Don't worry about the material yet. I want you to do this for this entire story.
Aiko: Understood. I'll have it done by tonight.

Hattori: She has the will-power. She can do it.
Hattori: No, you just have to have it by tomorrow.
Aiko: Understood.

13

Fukuda: I told you not to do it like this! How many times do I have to tell you before you understand!!

Aoki: Y-you don't have to yell at me like that.

Fukuda: I'm teaching you, so don't complain! I told you not to have the skirt flipping up oddly like that! It doesn't match the rest of your work!
Fukuda: I told you to have her naturally changing clothes or getting in the bath or something!

Aoki: But I have a scene of her changing before she gets in the bath!

Fukuda: Why have a low angle upskirt shot when she's changing to get in the bath? It's not right!
Fukuda: I'm not going to go out of my way to say this politely, okay?
Fukuda: You present a bath scene by having a close up of her panties falling down her leg or her stepping out her panties or something!

Aoki: Wait, I need to write this down.
Fukuda: Just remember it. You go to a good college, right?
Aoki: Shut up! This has nothing to do with college.

14

Fukuda: And no one's going to get caught up in thinking while washing their body.
Aoki: I thought boys would like seeing a girl washing her body.
Fukuda: I'm complaining about the thinking while doing it. To do that, have her in the bathtub. You don't need to show any nudity, just have her head coming out of the water. No one gets caught up in thinking while washing their ass!

Aoki: Don't use the word ass!
Fukuda: Oh, sorry. While washing their butt...
Fukuda: Wait, it means the same thing!!
Aoki: There's a big difference!
Aoki: Okay, while washing her ass...no, in the bathtub. The bathtub...

Fukuda: Okay and in the second half when Shoichirou is thinking about how he wants to go out with a girl, it's a little too light. Make him shyer.
Fukuda: This is for guy's to read. Now fix it by tomorrow, okay!?
Aoki: I can't do it so soon. It'll be tomorrow in one hour!

Fukuda: Don't you want this serialized!?
Fukuda: You'll be doing the story and art yourself! Just go without sleep!
Fukuda: And don't say anything about no sleep being bad for your skin!

Aoki: Okay, I won't say it. I'll do my best. Thank you very much.

Fukuda: Good.

15

Sign:
Jump
Square
V Jump

Editor: Hey, Yoshida-san. Got a second?
Editor2: What?
Editor: I want you to take a look at Aoki Kou's storyboard.
Editor2: She's redrawn it again?
Editor: Yeah, without my asking.

Editor2: What an odd author. The characters have changed a bit, too.
Editor: I know. It's become more and more like a shonen manga.

Editor2: Did she get help from someone?
Yuujirou: That's a pretty sharp observation...
Editor: Maybe. From a friend at college or something.

Editor: So what do you think?
Editor: With this, we could aim for a serialization if she can get a 3rd chapter done in time for the meeting.
Editor2: Yeah, and if it got serialized, assistants would do the backgrounds which would eliminate her biggest weak point.

16

Editor: Yes! Now I have a chance with both Shizuka-kun and Aoki-kun.
Editor2: Well, it won't be that easy. I've never heard of an editor who got 2 mangas going in his first year.

Editor: That's cause they weren't good enough. I'll show you it can be done.
Editor2: Well, do your best.

Miura: No matter hard you try, you can't get 2. Arai-sensei has one, and Ashirogi-kun has one. If you do well, you can get the last spot.

Editor: Yeah, Arai-sensei's in, but I'm not so sure Ashirogi-sensei is such a sure thing.
Miura: They got first in Akamaru.
Editor: The mangas that got 2nd and 3rd in "Akamaru" have made it in the past.

Miura: I won't let you do it. You can only get 1 this time. And I won't meddle in everything like you.
Editor: Getting 2 serializations at once is just a matter of talent.

Hattori: Again with you two.
Miura: Sorry.
Editor: Ha ha

17

SFX: *draw*
SFX: *draw*

Fukuda: Aoki-jou, you must be motivated to be the one to initiate the call.
Fukuda: What is it?
Aoki: The storyboard from the other day did well, and I'm aiming for a serialization now. It's thanks to you, Fukuda-san. Thank you.
SFX: *draw*
SFX: *draw*

Fukuda: She did it...
Fukuda: It wasn't just me. You got advice from Ashirogi-kun and Hiramaru-san, too. It's due to everyone's help.
Aoki: Yes.

Fukuda: So you've done the 2nd chapter already...And the third chapter? Let me see them.
Aoki: Oh, I haven't gotten that far yet. I just wanted to thank you.
Fukuda: Don't call me if you haven't done them. I don't care about your thanks. If you have the spare time, get working on Chapter 2!
Aoki: Okay! It's just, the editor was telling me to practice drawing just people.

Fukuda: Yeah. Your art isn't bad.
Aoki: I'm no where near your level though.
Fukuda: Hey, don't flatter me.

Fukuda: Anyway, the serialization meeting's soon! Hurry up.
Aoki: Yes...I'll do my best. My editor was telling me to do better than Ashirogi-sensei. It's a kind of complicated feeling.
Fukuda: People who are friends and rivals always say that.
Fukuda: Speaking of which, they need to be told that you might have your storyboard at the meeting, too. I'll tell them, so get some sleep and then work on your storyboard.
Aoki: Yes, please do.

18

Mashiro: Oh, Fukuda-san.
Mashiro: It really feels like the Fukuda Group is back recently...
Mashiro: Eh?

Mashiro: Aoki-san's manga is going to be brought up in the serialization meeting?

Fukuda: Yeah. I know you two gave her some advice, but I helped her out on the panty shots and such. She's a formidable rival.
Fukuda: Of course, the best result would be both of you getting a serialization, but don't lose. Do your best!
Fukuda: Master Niizuma and I are waiting.
Mashiro: Right.

Takagi: I didn't think Aoki-san's would be there... Fukuda-san's must have helped a lot. We can't let ourselves lose.
Mashiro: Yeah. No matter how much we've worked together with her, we can't let ourselves lose!

Box: And the days went by.
Box: Both of us managed to get our storyboards done in time for the meeting.

19

Box: The day before the serialization meeting.

Editor: So with 19 editors we only have 8 mangas that they think are ready for serialization.
Editor: Eh? Oh...I'll go give the caps a pep talk.

Editor: Oh, sorry. Can I take a look at your comments on the storyboards? I sent in 2 this time...

Left margin: It looks like the serialization meeting will be a stormy one!!

Editor: Let's see. Shizuka-kun's...
Editor: Oh, not bad.
Editor: Hm?
Editor: Is this bad handwriting yours, Yoshida-san?
Editor: Hey, that has nothing to do with the actual work.

Editor: Now what about Aoki-kun's?

Miura: Ashirogi-kun's... Where's Ashirogi-kun's...?

Miura: Huh?
Editor: Huh?