Yellow there and welcome to my read-through of Bakuman Chapter 123: Pizza and Tea in which the return I expected is so so so much worse than I ever imagined.
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Pizza and Tea Summary
The Return (Ugh)
At Nanamine’s studio, an unseen character is openly flirting with his female co-worker which she deflects by mentioning that he’s old enough to be her dad.
…oh no.
The male assistant admires the technique and abilities of this mysterious character. He wishes he had been there for chapter one.
It’s….
Nakai. Eating pizza and looking absolutely heinous. He explains that he didn’t get called until two days ago. He promises that the next chapter will be a beauty.
The female coworker expresses gratitude for him coming to which Nakai laughs…creepily. The other assistant notices the time; the female thought he was so funny she didn’t notice the time.
Two days previous, at the Nakaai household, Nakai’s mother scolds him for being a NEET while he gorges himself on pizza and beer, watching television. She asks when he’s gonna get married and he gets confrontational: hook him up with someone if she wants him married.
She points out that no one wants to marry someone who can’t support themselves and Nakai has an absolute shit-fit. HE HAS PLANS MOM. JESUS. His Mom knows the truth, calls him out on it and in a huff, he gets up to the bar, throwing a massive hissy. She points out that a drinking problem is bad when you’re broke.
At the bar, Nakai is continuously awful as he drowns his sorrow. demanding a whole bottle to drown his self-inflicted sorrows. He admits that his life’s a mess and that he wants to die while smashing the bottle around. The owner gently asks to calm down lest he break stuff. Again. He tells the man to shut up.
Jesus.
At that moment, Nakai gets a call he thinks is from his “hag” of a mom. It’s from Nanamine asking if it is “Takeru Nakai, Author of Hideout Door“.
Nanamine goes in on his charming bit and mentions he just premiered in Jump. He plays into Nakai’s need for validation by thinking he should be living it up in Tokyo and be Nanamine’s chief assistant. Nakai is intrigued, though drunk.
Nanamine goes on: instead of doing things the usual way, he’s hiring – I’m sorry, what? – 14 assistants in rotating shifts; he wants Nakai to keep them in line.
Nakai genuinely wonders if his help is being solicited. Nanamine is emphatic: his skill and *gag* trustworthiness are vital for his “little army”. He’s paying the other assistants peanuts, but Nakai will get a nice fat cut of the proceeds as chief assistant. Nakai remains skeptical.
Nanamine lays it on thick: he heard Eiji wouldn’t be half the mangaka he is today without Nakai’s help. He can’t let Nakai’s talent go to waste!
Nakai asks if any of the assistants are girls.
Fuck.
Nanamine confirms that five of them are.
With a digusting grin on his face, Nakai agrees to the job.
Kill me.
Back in the present Nanamine asks how he’s liking the setup. Nakai asks if he can use any room he wishes. Of course, if he likes, since no one is in the office at night, Nakai can bring anyone he likes over. Friends, girlfriends et. al. Nanamine’s paying for all of it. He’s also willing to negotiate the pay.
Nanamine’s confident it will be a long-running hit, but he wants Nakai’s word that he’ll do one thing: make the art at least as good as Aoki’s God Given, and significantly better than Ashirogi’s PCP.
Nakai’s shocked to hear those names again before smirking to himself: he’s got this. Nanamine’s thrilled, and Nakai explains his past relationship with both Aoki and Ashirogi. Nanamine continues buttering Nakai up about his past but Nakai has a “score to settle” with Aoki.
Nanamine’s trhilled to hear it. He also gives Nakai full firing ability if any of the assistants that don’t meet his standards. He wants Nakai perfectly satsifed.
Nakai asks if he can have another pizza. Nanamine’s all good with it.
Nakai privately muses that he’s aware that Nanamine is using him to undermine Aoki and Ashirogi but is unbothered by the manipulation. Nanamine grins at the fact that pizza has returned to his life.
Ugh.
And now for something completely different
At Aoki’s studio, Aoki let’s the team know that the first chapter is completed. She thanks everyone for their help adn Hiramaru is, ok, adorably enthusiastic about it. One of the assistants asks if Hiramaru is going after this chapter. Hiramuar would love to continue…and this female assistant would love for him to stay.
Hiramaru is flattered adn thinsk maybe he should stay on. Aoki, however, cheerfully disabuses him of that notion: she already found another full time assistnat. This was a last resort.
Hiramaru’s shocked and the other two assistants the two lovebirds alone so they can have fun.
Aoki blushes at the innuendo which the assistants make fun of. Aoki asks if Hiramaru will be leaving as well. Hiramaru pulls an absolute chad face and feeds her a super romantic line which makes Aoki blush even harder and the girls tease her even more. They wish the two a good night, and the assistants wish the couple a great night, having a giggle fit.
I’m having a cuteness overload.
After the two leave, Hiramaru and Aoki are alone, and decide to have some tea bedause they are still awkward, introverted mangaka.
Hiramaru wonders if they’re actually just tea friends and talks about ideas for a new manga.
Confessions
On Thursday, October 9th, Hattori commends the boys for an excellent third chapter to their current arc; it’s the perfect chapter to wield against What You Need. The boys think it was required after their convo with Nanamine.
Hattori mentions that both Aoki’s and Nanamine’s series are beter than expected. The boys review Aoki’s new series – which will be paired with the first chapter of this arc. They both admire that the series is simultaneously uplifting and features more battle elements — it’s getting more Shonen.
Uh huh. I wonder what else they could be referring to.
Shujin thinks it’s even better than the one-shot; even though the setting is the same, the aesthetic difference saves it. Saiko is more focused on Nanamine’s debut which is more of a danger to their series. They have to wait for the series to be released to find out.
Meanwhile, Nanmine is over the moon with the quality of Nakai’s work. Nakai takes the compliment in stride.
At the same moment, a female assistant looks for help with the ink and screentones. Nakai takes a look and assess the issue before deciding to take care of it directly himself.
Then a male assistant walks up with questions about Nanamine’s vague isntructions. Nakai tells the guy to piss off, in so many words.
Two other – male – assistants see the double standards and how Nakai gives preferential treatment to cute girls and, rightfully, call him a pig.
Meanwhile, Nanamine discusses with the chatroom about Nakai’s abilities as an assistant. Chapter two is going to look even better than the first. The other chatters admire Nakais’s ability, except for bosss who thinks he’s not good at drawing people. They discuss chapter four and get ready for the results of chapter one to start making adjustments.
At the same moment, Nakai gives the go-ahead for the assistants to go home. As they leave, he decides to order an after-work pizza for good measure. An extra large with corn, bacon, shrimp and…somehow, more ingredients.
The pizza costs — are you kidding me? – 4,860 yen (close to 50 usd) and he doesn’t have enouhg money to cover it. He knocks on Nanamine’s door to get more cash. No answer.
He goes into the room to find Nanamine in the chatroom discussing the future of the story and the development of the narrative.
Nakai’s curious as to what’s going on. He sees the chatroom discussing up to chapter 10 and whether they should use the survey and puts the pieces together.
Nakai is, commendably, shocked that Nanamine is using other people to come up with stories for his manga. Nanamine finally notices him and scolds him for intruding.
He tells him the money situation for pizza and is given the money to order it. Nanamine wonders what’s wrong. Nanamine sees what he sees and confesses his little secret to him. He thinks it’s innovative.
Nakai, for one single solitary moment not a giant, noxious, gas bag immediately pegs it as wrong. He remembers all the time he spent working with Aoki, with Fukuda, with Takahama with Eiji to make sure hteir work was to the editors standard. That’s how manga is made.
At the same moment his pizza arrives.
Nakai, despite his misgivings, tells Nanamine exaclty what he wants to hear and praises his forward thinking nature. Nanamine dismisses him.
Nakai has a moment of remembrance form when he left. How everyone wanted him to pursue hi s dream and not give up.
He puts the pizza down. Opens it. then eats shamelessly, double fisting slices to quell the feelings.
Second Place
On Friday, October 16th, Shujin gets the news that God Given came first with the final results and PCP got fourth. Kaya’s thrilled and wants to congratulate Aoki on her success. Saiko recognizes that with fourth place for chapter one, they’re going to do well with chapter three of the arc. The real question, however, is how many votes What You Need will get with its first chapter. The real contest wont begin until chapter two. Kaya is sure that What You Need will get first with its first chapter without question. She thought it was good in the sample issue she read.
Shujin agrees, begrudgingly, and Saiko is similarly agnostic.
This is the kind of petulance I can get behind.
Shujin points out that it’s just too packed tight with too many ideas. It lacks focus.
On Tuesday, October 20th, the early results for What You Need come in and Miura’s shocked that it only got second. The one-shot “Of nerves” beat it out. Kosugi abruptly announces that Nanamine’s done with chapter three and that he need to go get it.
Miura’s confused as to why bad news about his series makes him happy, and good news sad. Hattori points out that second is a great ranking.
Miura recognizes the obvious issue, though.
At Nanamine’s studio, Nanamine is shocked to learn he made second place. Kosugi warns him it might be even lower than that when the final results come out.
Nanamine’s confused: God Given got first in both early and final results. He questions how such a “stupid” manga got first while he only got second.
Kosugi sees an opportunity: he put too many ideas in at once. The story lost focus. Kosugi offers ot help him with chapter three. It’s not too late before he has to ink.
Nanamine considers. Smirks. Then rips up the results. He accuses Kosugi of questioning him because of his work style and not the more obvious reason that his work is not as good.
He goes on: Kosugi was only able to criticize his method anyway. Second is still a great ranking and he’s a crazy editor to treat it like a failure. It was just too brilliant for readers to follow. His “minions” will give him plenty of ideas because they are manga veterans.
Not just Jump either, but the whole gamut of various manga for everyone. It did especially well for people who don’t touch grass and are online a lot.
As he throws the torn results in Kosugi’s face he goes on: his demo is older than the average jump reader so it obviously went over their heads. He’ll need to take a more direct approach. Something you can enjoy with art alone. the art has improved with chapter two. Now he just has to dumb down the story for the audience.
Kosugi gets righteously angry on the others behalf: it’s not the readers fault that his writing is weak. Nanamine ends the discussionw ith No . 51. He agreed to follow Nanmine’s lead and he will go, now. Kosugi leaves.
Nanamine returns to the chat room and lets them know that they got first in the early results. The chatroom explodes with praise and self-congratulation at having done it. JJ notes the one-shot also got first. They celebrate their victory.
The boys review the results: What You Need gets second place. PCP chapter two gets fourth. Kaya’s hopeful and Saiko thinks it ‘ll work but he’s concerned.
The art in chapter two of What You Need is way better, now. Shujin notices it too. It’s like he’s a whole new guy.
He lies to them about the final results as well: they got first in the final result as well. they believe they’re going to conquer Jump.
Nanamine believes that with the dumbed down story and the better art, they’ll take down PCP for sure.
On that hopeful? (see: delulu) note, the chapter ends.
Pizza and Tea Reaction
Oh Nakai
Sigh.
Give me a second. I need to–
Ugh. Ughhhhhh. Fuck.
*goes to grab something to drink, remembers that my apartment doesn’t contain alcohol, curses in frustration*.
I’ve been dreading this return for a while now, and I knew it was coming. I’ve made comments about it being inevitable. I also made some comments about 40ish chapters ago when I thought the return would also be accompanied by an ultimate reconciliation with Aoki and pairing them up – which I’m pretty sure will not happen, I pray to god it doesn’t, at least – but now that it’s here.
Oh, Nakai. You poor soul.
Now, I want to be really clear about what I mean by that because I’m not giving this fucker an inch. He’s become the apotheosis of metastasized parasitic failure. Every base impulse a person can indulge in, every moral failing, he seems to have embraced every one and become a truly heinous, bitter creature. He’s not Walter White, but in the context of this story he doesn’t need to be to be even worse.
What strikes me most about this return is his character design. He’s gotten an update and it’s so bad (that means good) and so tragic because it’s a representation of everything that Nanamine could become if he’s not careful.
The previous character design was fat, but in line with this darker arc, his fat has taken on a gluttonous character. The lines of his face are crueler, and shinier, and the way he eats more overtly noxious. Stuffing food in his mouth and yelling at people. Getting violent.
And being so round it’s bordering on parody.
And that’s before we get into how awful his behavior has become.
This version of Nakai has become unmoored from all the things that kept him tethered to decency. His time back home has made him more extreme and less filtered. He’s radicalizing.
Which makes his return so much worse. Because now where he was kind of playful and hopeful previously, now he’s just shamelessly hitting on the girls in Nanamine’s staff; and they’re exploiting his horniness for preferential treatment. He’s being preferential with them and using his power over them in ways that are so openly creepy it’s hard to stomach.
I am so sad, y’all, that this is how Nakai returns.
I don’t see a way out for him. I don’t see a happy ending to this character. And I don’t think I want to.
But I am scared of what he might do if he’s cornered, when shit inevitably hits the fan and he can’t drown his sorrow in openly emotional eating of entire pizzas.
I will say, however, the depiction of hopelessness as emotional eating was an effective thing. especially when he found out how Nanamine is running things. I know it’s a glimmer of decency, but I’ll take it. Because otherwise the tragedy of this failed character is too much for me. Nakai is also a pitch perfect example of the ways in which narcissists can easily weasel their way into your life with charm. The way he both exploits his poor assistants, feeds Nakai’s ego, and gives him whatever he wants at least at this point is classic non-romantic love bombing and, sadly, it’s an effective way for narcissists to get someone under their wing.
But anyway.
Hiramaru and Aoki Are Cute, but Awkward
Picking up with the “Oh god, Hiramaru and Aoki are actually a thing and it’s kinda cute but mostly jesus christ” part of the story, I will admit that I continue to be unsure of where this is going, or whether Hiramaru and Aoki are actually suited for each other.
That tea party at the end was fucking awkward and also a part of my general schtick with “You need to build memories with loved ones for really truly good relationships to form over time” and this is a lesson that these two are still learning.
With that said, it’s still very cute. Especially when the two assistants (wingwomen) hype Aoki up for a cute little tea date with her beau. And in this case, beau is the most appropriate word of all.
I also think it’s a green flag on Hiramaru’s part that he’s not actually trying to rush anything and listening to others. Even though I found it pretty fucked his motivations for wanting to LITERALLY MARRY aoki, he did take the advice of the assistants in the previous chapter and did not mention that and it looks like he’s actually looking for ways to talk to her.
So, to my continued shock, Hiramaru represents one of the healthier romantic dynamics in the series thus far. Not by a lot, and it’s not a high bar, but he’s trying. God bless him. The fact that he’s uncertain on their relationship is less weird, and more adorable since he doesn’ta actually seem to be pushing her to be anything other than a tea friend, at this point.
All good things.
I also cannot get enough of Bishojo hiramaru, I didn’t mention it last chapter but it’s fucking hysterical. Especially when Aoki falls for it hook line and sinker.
The healthiest dynamic is obviously Shujin and Kaya; followed in a close second by Aoki and Shujin during their emotional affair (LOL).
Anyway…
Nanamine’s Dowwnwards Spiral has truly started
Again, in this chapter, the boys are more sidelined than ever before and I’m not complaining. They are really just reacting to everything going on with Nanamine and are just there to provide commentary.
I like the mini commentary on Aoki’s manga getting more shonen. Because it feels very apropos of the fact that this manga is in a shonen frame of mind. It’s also a nice recognition of how environment can have a broad and powerful effect on how we form and develop and Aoki, being surrounded by shonen mangaka, is obviously going to start adopting shonen-isms in her work.
But yeah, they aren’t really doing the heavy lifting, that’s Nakai and Nanamine (ugh).
And in Nanamine’s case, his downfall has now. officially. started.
Hell yeah.
The moment he got second place on his first chapter, I had a feeling his response would be the narcissist calling card: it’s clearly not my fault that this happened, everyone else is just stupid.
I’ve commented previously that Nanamine’s approach to solving problems is very in character with his narcissistic streak: instead of doing some soul searching and asking himself if there are ways he can improve, he assumes that there are very minor, simple fixes that need to be implemented for his ultimate continued “success.”
Now I’m not being entirely fair with this assessment: this is something that people who are people pleasers also engage in and this chapter rubbed me a specific kind of wrong way because I have been guilty of trying to put band-aids on solutions that are much deeper problems that require focus and slow work to overcome.
And the band-aids usually make things worse, for the record. The cognitive mistake one makes when trying to apply these band-aids stems, in part, from the belief that these are personal failings rather than a reflection of something in the work.
It’s a paradox, but bear with me.
Because Nanamine believes himself perfect, any symptoms of imperfection are dissonant with his personality and therefore attack him personally. It’s not the fact that everyone has pointed out to him that his story is overpacked with ideas and needs to be given some breathing room and coherence; it’s not Kosugi’s good notes about characters being distinctive.
People are dumb.
The idea that his work could be at all bad is so unacceptable to Nanamine that he has to distort reality to fit his vision and not the other way around.
We’ve already seen defections from his crew, and now that he’s actively lying to them, it’s only going to get more chaotic and awful for him. The more he tries to control reality the more it will swirl out of his control. And we already see that.
But I really want to highlight how effective this storytelling technique is for this particular battle because it’s a more realistic Light Yagami. In real life, Narcissists can be very charming and CAN be successful, but very often their narcissism is their own worst enemy. If Light Yagami actually had the Death Note, he would have been found out very quickly because he is, again, also a narcissist. But the narrative had to pretend he wasn’t to work.
Here they don’t have to pretend, and it’s glorious.
Lies built on lies usually lead to collapse after a short period of time.
I also like how hte seeds of the destruction of the chatroom are already blossoming via his lie. One plot point this isn’t clarifying is whether the rankings are put out to the world – I thought it was the TOC – but the people reading the magazine in the chatroom would have access to that and would obviously see it got second place, so that feels like a plot hole.
But regardless, if Nanamine doesn’t change course and it does even worse, it will get out. And that chatroom will get ANGRY.
Not to mention if he changes course narratively with What You Need it’s also going to backfire because it’s going to seem muddled and messy, rather than thought out and good.
Speaking of being wrong.
Kosugi’s Spine
My read of Kosugi has actually been somewhat off the mark. He’s still putting up with Nanamine from a position of weakness, which is kinda lame, but he’s actually sticking to his guns and calling out Nanamine’s bullshit.
Granted, because of the prolonged psycho-analysis I’ve been doing on Nanamine to process my own dealings with narcissists, Kosugi is only antagonizing him and having him retreat further from reality and fall prey to his own lies and deceptions.
Not super bueno.
However, I admire the fact that he is at least trying to penetrate the thick shell of deluision that is protecting Nanamine from the truth, and by extension the 50 other people (48, I guess, now). Kosugi is doing his best, although the hasn’t yet stood up for himself in a way where it’s clear that his spine will take over any time soon.
It is also, unfortunately, a realistic truth of being involved with someone like this. It can be hard to escape. And Kosugi, god help him, is more willing because of his belief in Nanamine as a mangaka and his desire to be a good mangaka. Which is also a trap for people involved with narcissists: that they are capable of real change.
And I’m still not sure I personally want any redemptions for him or Nakai. Nakai is so far gone, and I always like it when people change for the better through their own work.
But honestly, Nakai is so terrible now and Nanamine is so broken that if they are redeemed it’s going to feel forced. And it’s going to go against the bang up tone of the manga as well.
But I guess we’ll have to see.
Until next time,
Peace
