Bakuman.

About Bakuman.

Bakuman. (Bakuman. 2nd Season) blends comedy, shounen and romance by J.C.Staff (2011). Below is a fresh retelling of what the story is about. The setup: With the serialization of their new manga, "Detective Trap," the writer-artist team, Akito Takagi and Moritaka Mashiro, better known by their pseudonym Muto Ashirogi, are one step closer to becoming world-renowned mangaka. For Mashiro, however, serialization is just the first step.

Another thread: Having promised to marry his childhood sweetheart and aspiring voice actress, Azuki Miho, once his manga gets an anime adaptation, Mashiro must continue his to popularize Ashirogi's work. A tremendously competitive cast of ambitious mangaka—including the wild genius, Eiji Niizuma; the elegant learner, Yuriko Aoki, and her older admirer and partner, Takurou Nakai; the lazy prodigy, Kazuya Hiramaru. As they adjust to their young and seemingly untested new editor, the dynamic duo struggle to maintain their current serialization, secure the top stop in Shounen Jack, and ultimately, achieve an anime adaptation of their manga.

With comedy at the core, timing, character chemistry and running gags decide whether it lands. If you count yourself among viewers who want something light between heavier series, put it on your list.

Production & Appeal

J.C.Staff is the studio behind Bakuman., and its direction shapes everything from character design to motion. The comedy focus matters here: timing, character chemistry and running gags decide whether it lands. A community score of 8.4/10 puts it among the better-received comedy titles. It aired in 2011, which makes it easy to place in the wider anime calendar.