I waited so much to see this movie. I think I have never waited so much for a movie before. When the cast was announced I was excited. I thought, and still did while watching it, that Takeru should have been Shuujin, and Ryunosuke should have been Saiko, but nevertheless, it was a good movie. The pace was well done, the special effects were very good as well. There isn't a single slow moment in the movie. All actors were spotted on. And the setting! The department looked exactly the same, the clothes were exactly the same. To see the real Shounen Jump building and offices (at least, I think they were the real locations) was as exciting as it was impressive. All those papers.. thousands and thousands of it. All those mangas!
Speaking about mangas, I was so satisfied to see that the manga used in the movie were done by the same mangaka that did BAKUMAN. His style is unique; any fan of his can recognize his work. And to see works like Otter in real life! Otter is a manga written by Hiramaru in Bakuman, and I always wanted to read it, even if it doesn't exist really.
So, the cast. There was a good chemistry between the lead actors, which didn't surprise me since I know they have worked together before. I liked that they could shake hands -or whatever you called that- only when they get serialized. It was a good point. I like that the "love story" with Miho wasn't as pathetic as in the manga/anime. In fact, they talk several times, over the phone and face to face, and it wasn't awkward, just 2 teenagers getting to know each other. She even sends him a photo of her! Something that lame Miho in anime/manga wouldn't have done. I think the scriptwriter or the director disagreed with the portrayal of the main female character in the manga/anime (it was sexist, let's be honest), so they made her less pathetic and less "I wanna be a seijuu to marry you".
Kiritani Kenta as Fukada-san was SPOT ON! He was excellent, he does this kind of character so well! The one who is rebellious and kind of a gangster but with a big heart. By far my favorite. I love his outfits, his expressions, and I am glad his role wasn't tiny. But well, all members of Fukada-team were good: Hinamaru had his moments of depression that did not fail to make me laugh, Nakai-san was there with his big belly helping his friends... True, no Aiko in the story, but it was understandable. Not all characters could be in a 2-hour-movie.
Yamada Takayuki was, I guess, a mix between the 2 editors the boys have, because he certainly wasn't confident Hattori-san. He even wears glasses and has long hair (again, not Hattori-san), and he is smaller than the boys, unlike Hattori-san. If I didn't have to compare, I'll say he was good, but nothing outstanding.
So, what was my main concern: Niizuma Eiji, who is one of my favorite characters, besides having an unique personality. Was Sometani Shouta exactly like Eiji is supposed to be? No. He wasn't as loud, as crazy, and with such weird and funny expressions and movements as Eiji. Was I disappointed? Well, not exactly. To be honest, Eiji is not a character that can be portrayed faithfully in real life, so what Sometani did was good. He did his role well, he did his research: he walked funnily, slouching, just like Eiji. He has a goofy smile, like Eiji. When he has a -metaphorically- battle against Ashirogi-sensei (penname that was never used in the movie, btw... they go by their names), he has the wings and when he is jumping, he does an Eiji-pose. Just with that I am grateful.
In the manga/anime, the guys form some kind of alliance when they encounter problems with their editorial. It begins when Saiko is in the hospital and the director forbids him to keep drawing while he is sick. All the other mangaka (Nakai-san, Aiko, Fukada-san, Eiji) support Ashirogi-sensei. Unfortunately, due lack of time in a 2-hour movie, that alliance could not be done as in the manga/anime. Instead, the guys help Saiko to finish his work. I liked that, that we could see how the guys, although rivals, are all friends. And although Eiji did not help him in drawing (it would have been very OoC) he helps in another way. Very well done, scriptwriter!
I liked the end, that things remain not-finished: Saiko and his relationship with Miho; their career as mangaka... I liked that they have this brainstorming of ideas with a blackboard, because for us fans, it was meaningful. We know what other mangas there will be, so this was like a "to be continued..."
For fans of the manga/anime, and for people interested in how the mangaka's world works, this movie is highly recommended. I am very happy to say that I wasn't disappointed and that I highly liked it.
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