Bakuman - Episode 5

We had to wait for it perhaps a little longer than initially hoped, but Bakuman is now well and truly on the right track as we follow its dynamic duo's manga creation dream - although not before finding time to pursue another little love interest angle first.

While Moritaka is still in the land of daydreams after meeting eyes with Azuki and working his way through their life story as a result, Akito is busy actually getting something done - that being his first story ideas, which to be honest both sound pretty damn cool to me.  However, there's at least a small distraction ahead for Akito in the form of Kaya Miyoshi, as a throwaway comment on his part is construed as a virtual confession by Kaya which she considers pretty seriously, making for some awkward moments between the pair of them as the episode goes on.  Could we have another romance going on here?

Away from all of that, we see the two boys making the most of their summer break by working themselves to the bone on their first manuscript, with Akito doing his bit with the writing while Moritaka handles the illustrations with an almost frightening determination.  Cue montage sequences as the pair go about their business, letting the potential fun of the summer hang limply by the wayside as they pursue their dream all the way through to the completion of said manuscript and that nerve-wracking first call to a manga magazine editor.

It certainly seems that Bakuman has now well and truly found its feet - while this episode doesn't do anything spectacular everything it does cover it handles very well indeed, somehow managing to wring a few moments of tension out of such simple things as drawing a line on some paper or a telephone ringing, while succeeding in keeping its cast of major characters as a lovable bunch who you can't help but root for.  I'm sure there's more drama and the like to come, but right now Bakuman is proving to be a satisfying affair sprinkled with interesting moments, and that's good enough to keep me interested.