Bakuman - Episode 03

Mashiro and Takagi getting the okay from Azuki's mother. I agree with Mashiro lose the hair roles!~

Summary: Moritaka and Takagi go to visit Uncle Moritaka`s old studio. Takagi is amazed by the tremendous amounts of manga. He goes to look at some manuscripts, but Mashiro suggest he sees a neemu. Mashiro explains that a neemu is a rough draft for­ manuscripts. As Takagi keeps on looking at neemus, Mashiro calls his father at the balcony. He talks to his father saying his apologizes about thinking his uncle committed suicide. His father makes him quote a manga character line and hangs up. Mashiro declares he will do his best. Mashiro comes back to the studio and finds hidden letters from his uncle’s love. They swear not to tell anyone about the contents in the letters and begin reading. They find out that his uncle`s lover married someone else before he was able to have his manga serialized and then turned into an anime. The two also discover a photo album and look at his uncle`s love when she was at high school. They find an extreme resemblance to Azuki, and Takagi assumes it is her mother. Mashiro says it is unlikely, so Takagi wants to go to her house again to confirm it. Then suddenly Mashiro`s mother calls saying it is really late, and wants him to go back home. The next day, Mashiro and Takagi visit Azuki`s house after she leaves for her dance lessons. They ring the bell and ask to talk to her mother about Moritaka Nobuhiro. She relishes youth, and begins to let them in. She welcomes them, and Mashiro praises her for her youth-like appearance, but wishes she would give up the hair rolls. She serves tea and starts reminiscing about her high school life with Nobuhiro. She asks them what they want, and they immediately apologize for reading her letters. She is embarrassed, but forgives them. Takagi asks if she love Nobuhiro, and she says yes. She tells them she could not wait anymore though and found another lover to marry. She however regrets that after she saw the TV show his anime, she went to the store and read his manga. Azuki`s mother than asks who is dating Miho, and Takagi points to Mashiro. She relaxes after saying she does not like the hard study types, and Takagi falls to the floor denying he is that type. Mashiro then asks if she will not tell her relationship with his uncle to Azuki, and she agrees. At the park, Mashiro then runs off to start drawing declaring that his dream will become reality.  Takagi then follows him saying he make a neemu.

Impressions: Well they certainly keep following the manga chapter by chapter, as this one was no exception. The first half of the anime was boring. Then the second half got better. I though Nobuhiro’s studio will be more interesting and it certainly was, but they focused on Mashiro and Takagi a bit more then I liked. I hope though they will show the good part when Mashiro starts learning how to draw. The second however was funnier, and I enjoyed watching it. The two reference Death Note again and talk to Azuki’s mother. I was not very pleased with her mother than I thought I would at first, but she looked normal later in the episode to me. Her appearance in the manga was I believed, more stunning. I think it is the brown hair, but I am not too sure. I did not mind the hair rolls in the manga, and I thought they were attractive, but seeing them in the anime, really makes her look dollish. Anyway, the talk with Miho’s mother was more compelling than the conversation with Mashiro and his father. I though they overreacted too much during the second half of the episode, but did a better job in the conversation. Finally, the way Mashiro and his uncle`s love is similar in a way was a nice touch. I thought the overall plot in the first half was kind of unrealistic, but it toned down in the end when Mashiro did not want Miho`s mother to tell her conversing relationship. All in all, not the best showing this show has to offer, but still a solid one.

P.S:  Miyuki`s chest was a lot bigger than I imagined.