The WORST episodes of Bakuman
Every episode of Bakuman ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Bakuman!
The series follows talented artist Moritaka Mashiro and aspiring writer Akito Takagi, two ninth grade boys who wish to become mangaka.
#1 - Step and Watch
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/3/2012
Takagi and Shiratori's manga Rabuta & Peace is entered into the serialization committee and it is published in the November issue of Shonen Jack placing 5th in the voting charts. Mashiro decides to use his free time to improve his drawing skill, aiming to reach a level where he can draw two manga simultaneously and be on par with Niizuma. Shiratori's mother disapproves of him drawing manga because of their family's high class reputation causing him to run away from home. His family then comes to the studio looking for him where Shiratori's mother insults everyone there by looking down on their manga artists' abilities. This leads to a heated exchange of words by both parties. Hiramaru and Aoki's serializations are both canceled due to low ratings and enter into an upcoming competition, Super Leaders Fest. Upon learning of this and Niizuma's participation (meaning that he will now be working on three manga) Mashiro decides to enter on his own with a new manga, since he doesn't want to affect Takagi's quality on PCP and Rabuta & Peace. However Takagi states that they will enter together.
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#3 - Time and Keys
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/23/2010
Mashiro shows Takagi all that he has drawn and points out all the mistakes he has made, as well as the finer points of using tools for drawing manga. When Takagi questions him, Mashiro tells him about G-Pens and Kabura pens, making manuscripts, and Taro Kawaguchi's three rules to a successful manga: conceit, doing your best, and luck. When they go to a convenience store, Takagi notices that the latest issue of Jack has a semi-finalist named Eiji Nizuma, a fifteen year old manga creator. The two discuss their high schools, manga, and editors, thus coming to the conclusion that they would finish the manuscript for a manga by summer's end and show it to an editor of Jack. While walking home with Takagi, Mashiro encounters Azuki by chance; while the two are unable to look at each other as they pass, they both turn back to look.
#4 - Monkeys and Marriage
Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/14/2012
Azuki and Mashiro continue to fight with each other over trust. Takagi and Miyoshi both feel extremely guilty, and blame themselves for them fighting. Takagi finally decides to explain what happened to Miyoshi, considering Mashiro and Azuki are too stubborn to apologize to each other. After planning to meet at the zoo, Takagi is met by a crying Aoki, who hugs him, causing Miyoshi to run off. When Takagi finally reaches her, he proposes to her. After a talk with Aoki, they decide to get married after he gets serialized. They invite Azuki to tea, and Azuki forgives Mashiro, much to his confusion.
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#7 - Uncertainties and Expectations
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/20/2010
Takagi comes up with some more ideas, including One Hundred Millionth, a story about people being ranked according to their abilities, and Hattori is impressed with the story, causing Mashiro to wonder if his art is good enough. The story is chosen as one of the finalists, but does not make it to the four chosen for the award or honorable mentions. Shortly afterward, Ishizawa, a classmate, claims that Mashiro's art is holding Takagi down. Takagi gets angry and punches Ishizawa.
#9 - Dumb and Smart
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/9/2010
Mashiro chats with Takagi, who tells him that he chose Mashiro because he is smarter than many of his peers in matters outside of scholarship, and that he believes Azuki has a similar kind of intelligence, with the ability to be appealling to others. Mashiro tells Takagi that he believes his uncle committed suicide, and thus suspects that his parents will oppose him becoming a manga artist. Mashiro's mother says his uncle did not commit suicide, but still opposes his decision until his father and grandfather show support for his dream. Mashiro's grandfather gives him his deceased uncle's studio apartment, and Mashiro brings Takagi to see it.
#12 - Examination and Provocation
Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/8/2012
The serialization committee decides to serialize Aoki's What God Gave Me and Nanamine's What You Need for a Meaningful School Life. As Kosugi begins to be bothered by Nanamine's method, Hattori senses his discomfort and visits Mashiro and Takagi to gain some insight on Kosugi's attitude, which they reveal is due to Nanamine's unorthodox method, enraging Hattori. At the same time, Nanamine calls Akito to gloat about his serialization, but Ashirogi Muto states they will crush his methods using all the hard work they have put into PCP. Unperturbed, Nanamine says that they will let the rankings decide who is superior. Eventually, Hattori confronts Kosugi and is able to lift his spirits by reminding him of his value as an editor. As Nanamine collaborates with his internet acquaintances, some drop out after becoming fearful of his intention to challenge Ashirogi Muto. While Mashiro and Takagi decide how best to contest Nanamine, they realize, that they can best counterattack, by pitting the climax of PCP's current arc against Nanamine's second chapter. Eventually, as Kosugi reviews Nanamine's work and points out the weakness in his background drawings, Nanamine reveals his secret weapon: a returning Takuro Nakai.
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#13 - Early Results and the Real Deal
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/25/2010
Mashiro, at Miyoshi's suggestion, sends an email to Azuki to begin correspondence with her. During the first day of high school, Mashiro and Takagi submit their new pseudonym, "Muto Ashirogi". Hattori is impressed with their work, but Mashiro notices that he is not expecting Money and Intelligence to be serialized, wondering if it is because of his desire that they wait until after high school to get serialized. Money And Intelligence gets first place in the early results of the NEXT polls, but drops to third place in the actual results, with Nizuma's work getting half the votes. This development convinces Mashiro and Takagi that they must make a mainstream work to go for first place, and resolve to make one better than their previous efforts.
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#14 - Summer and Names
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/30/2010
Recalling when he and Azuki turned back to look at each other at the same time, Mashiro tells Takagi that he and Azuki have been on the same frequency for years, indicating that they are connected without having to say anything about it. Azuki's best friend Kaya Miyoshi goes to Takagi to complain about him telling Azuki about her dream, and as she does so, gives indications of romantic interest in Takagi that Mashiro and Miyoshi notice. During the summer, Mashiro and Takagi stay at Mashiro's uncle's office, and work on a manga called The Two Earths. When it is complete, they call the Shonen Jack editorial department.
#17 - Carrot and Stick
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/6/2010
Mashiro and Takagi meet with Akira Hattori, one of the editors at Shonen Jack. He notes that their work has flaws, as it is too text-driven and not drawn in manga style, but they have potential. He tells them that they are better suited to figuring out what could be a hit and drawing that, rather than drawing what they want, and while they are less likely to get a smash hit with that skillset, they are more likely to follow up on one if they do. Hattori gives them his contact information, encouraging them to come to him with their work. At school, the teacher decides to seat boys and girls next to each other, resulting in Mashiro sitting next to Azuki.
#20 - Parent and Child
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/16/2010
Mashiro and Takagi arrive at Mashiro's uncle's apartment, where they look around and Mashiro shows Takagi the manuscripts and storyboards, that the author of a manga series produces before drawing it. Mashiro realizes that his uncle was working extremely hard until his death and vows to approach it with the same resolve. Mashiro and Takagi find letters between his uncle and his friend from childhood, which stop before his hit manga was serialized, and looking at a yearbook photo of her, realized that he had been in love with Azuki's mother. They go to visit Azuki's mother the next day, and learn that she was also in love with him, but never could admit it and fell in love with someone else. Mashiro asks Azuki's mother not to tell her about the relationship between her and her uncle, and he then sets out to make a manga.
#21 - Aims and Evaluation
Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/24/2012
Mashiro and Takagi begin reading The Classroom of Truth and decide that it is an excellent manga despite the fact that it is unorthodox in nature. The serialization committee however, in the end, decide that the manga itself is not suited for Shonen Jack and have it remain a finalist in the competition. Its author, Nanamine Tooru turns out to be a long time fan of Ashirogi Muto and is brought to Yueisha to discuss changing the material of The Classroom of Truth. However, Nanamine releases the manga on the internet which upsets Yueisha's policy but in return he brings them a new manga which the Chief reads and approves as a one-shot immediately, while everyone begins to think highly of him. Later, when Nanamine meets Takagi and Mashiro, he reveals a devious plan where he deliberately collaborates with fellow mangaka on the internet and incorporates their ideas into his work, which he then passes off as his own. He states that he will do what is necessary to rise to the top of Shonen Jack. This new revelation leaves both Mashiro and Takagi angered.
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#22 - Confidence and Resolve
Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/1/2012
As Nanamine's meeting with Mashiro and Takagi continues, he equates them to amateaurs with no self confidence. Realizing that their words are falling on deaf ears, Mashiro adamantly states that sooner or later Nanamine's scheme will be exposed. Nanamine continues to refine the storyboard for his one-shot with help from his internet community, should it get serialized and completely neglects input from his editor, Kosugi. A flashback shows Nanamine being a loner as a child, until he read Ashirogi Muto's Money & Intelligence, spawning his myopic philosophy that anything can be achieved through money alone. As Nanamine's rating gets even higher, Mashiro and Takagi analyze his progress and begin to discuss their successor to PCP. The editorial department continue to marvel at Nanamine's work albeit minor skepticism from Hattori and Kosugi. Eventually Kosugi goes to Nanamine's house for a meeting where Nanamine reveals his method; paying artists to draw his manga after merging their ideas, to a shocked Kosugi and virtually blackmails him into keeping it quiet. Eventually the serialization committee makes their selections.
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#23 - Hint and Best
Season 2 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/3/2012
The team's newest work "Stopper of Magma" is rejected without consideration for serialization. Miura reveals he has been receiving advice from Hattori, who suggests they draw a serious comedy. Muto Ashirogi follow Hattori for inspiration, and develop the idea for their last chance manga.
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