Good day to you sir, good day and welcome to my read-through of Bakuman Chapter 131: Copycat and Unconscious, in which a new threat shows me how complex being an editor is.

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Copycat and Unconscious Summary

State of Mind

Saiko wakes up to a text from Miho asking if everything is okay given the news about PCP. Saiko lets her know that he’s not bothered by it and he’ll be fine.

A little later, Saiko is again woken up by Miho’s texts: even if Saiko is fine, she’s worried about Shujin. He’s more sensitive than Saiko, and he’s the writer, so he’s making up the stories. She has asked Kaya to cheer him up should he be depressed. Saiko remembers that Shujin called him the moment he saw the news, and Miho is a good judge of people. He wonders if Shujin is more worried than he is. He has to support his friend, regardless.

Saiko turns on the TV to see a talking head discussing the existence of PCP and its unsuitability for children. IT EVEN HAS PERFECT CRIME IN THE NAME!

Meanwhile, at Shueisha, Sasaki is profoundly annoyed. Yoshida and Yamahisa discuss why: PCP’s copycat. Yoshida wonders why the copycat would annoy Sasaki specifically. Yamahisa clarifies that it’s not the copycat that is the issue, but the way the news is spinning a direct connection between the copycat and PCP. He shouted at Sakura TV at the top of his lungs for using PCP without getting permission to do so. Yoshida thinks he’s tough.

Sasaki asks to talk to Hattori as he comes in. Hattori—and a rubbernecking Miura—wonder if he did something wrong. Miura thinks he might be told to censor PCP.

Aida and Kosugi rip into him: Sasaki is going to tell Hattori to let Ashirogi do as they please. It’s the copycats who should be ashamed and the news station for sensationalizing the story. Miura defends himself limply.

Good job, Miura.

Editors and Mangaka

In a private office Sasaki asks if Hattori has discussed the issue with Ashirogi yet. Hattori has decided to hold off for the time being: He doesn’t want the boys to think that Shueisha is treating it like a major issue. He’ll laugh it off if they ask, as well.

Sasaki offers leadership advice: it’s best that the mangaka don’t see Jump panicking over it. But more importantly, the mangaka’s mental state is of greater concern at this juncture. Hattori is confident the boys wouldn’t get tripped up by something like this. Sasaki is a little less confident: mangaka and editors react differently to these sorts of things, and the editor has to monitor his creators carefully.

Hattori promises to do so.

At the studio, the boys work in silence. Saiko thinks Shujin seems fine and hasn’t mentioned the news today. He wonders if Shujin’s avoiding the topic. He asks if Shujin is okay about the bank robbery.

Shujin admits it’s a pain in the ass but there’s nothing to be done about it. Saiko agrees and is glad to know that, but Shujin looks a bit more beset than he lets on as he reminds himself that thinking about it not going to do him any good.

On January 28th, Hattori approves the final draft and is okay with the storyboard for the two-chapter Valentine’s Day arc. It’s time for the next meeting.

At that moment, Shujin interjects: they don’t have to change anything, do they?

Hattori’s surprised that Shujin is concerned but reminds himself not to panic. Hattori literally laughs it off and references the panel from which the copycat took his suggestion: They don’t do it because it would be harmful. He lets them know that the editorial department also took the news to task for it.

Hattori reiterates his stance that the crimes should not be impossible to do; they should be something kids want to imitate. The editors will decide what ultimately ends up in the magazine so he wants him to push the boundaries.

Saiko is jazzed to hear that and thinks he’s right. Shujin seems relieved and offers a chapter about White Day to follow up the Valentine’s Day chapters. Hattori thinks that’s fine since seasonal events are a staple of school stories. It shouldn’t lose votes as long as Shujin’s story is solid.

Slipping-up

Hattori approves the White Day story and the group part for home.

After locking up the studio, he bikes over to Hattori and asks, once again, whether they have to change anything. Hattori is certain and recognizes that this is affecting Shujin more deeply than he is willing to admit. He reminds Shujin that PCP doesn’t promote crime; it’s about a battle of wits and gimmicks. He also reminds Shujin they’ve received complaints since the beginning, but it’s still popular: the readers get it.

Shujin remembers that this is also the reason the series won’t get an anime. He muses to himself that his chances of getting an anime now are zero. Hattori’s concerned and asks if Shujin wants to talk to the Editor-in-Chief about it. The editors haven’t discussed censoring anything, and Sasaki will confirm it.

Shujin puts on a happy face: he’s fine, and he’ll keep doing what he’s been doing. Hattori looks forward to it.

But as he walks away, his face is even more troubled.

Four days later, Shujin gives the storyboard to Saiko for “Operation White Day.” Saiko reviews it and is troubled by what he sees. He gives Shujin the okay and promises to start making storyboards.

Shujin notices but plays along and heads out for the night.

After he’s gone, Saiko calls Hattori to review the storyboards Shujin sent him. Something about it is bugging him. Hattori doesn’t understand until he receives the faxed storyboards. Something is slightly different than before. Saiko thinks it looks like the series, but there’s no fun in the crime. They’re just handing out candies to girls in secret. Saiko wonders if the crime affected him.

Hattori is cautious: They may be biased to see it that way. He then remembers Shujin’s promise to make an even more elaborate story for PCP and asks Saiko for patience. Saiko agrees to it, but his hunch is right.

Eighth Place

On Valentine’s Day, the final report comes in at 8th place. The boys are stunned. They’ve always been in the top five. Saiko asks if it’s the White Day chapter.

Correct.

When asked why, Hattori is shocked Shujin hasn’t realized: He’s been avoiding writing anything that comes close to a real crime. Shujin freaks out: He’s been writing stories the same as always. He’s not avoiding anything.

Hattori is shocked that he seems serious. He thinks his unconscious might be trying to keep him from writing stories people will complain about. Even if he has no intention of doing so, his brain is going on auto-pilot. Saiko agrees: something has changed in the last month.

Shujin gets freaked out and decides to write something consciously that will be a crime he won’t want people to imitate. Saiko thinks that’s an overcorrection; Hattori thinks that’s exactly what Shujin needs to do. If he’s been avoiding it unconsciously, he’ll now need to be conscious about what he’s creating.

Saiko’s surprised, but Shujin’s fired up to fix it.

On his way home, though, he’s still concerned.

First Place

Meanwhile, at Eiji’s, Yujiro praises Eiji’s consistent second-place finish lately. As Yujiro takes the final draft for printing, Eiji asks what the gap between first and second is.

Yujiro is surprised by Eiji’s sudden interest in votes, but he gives him the skinny: 50 votes or so. Eiji thanks him for coming as Yujiro leaves, confused.

Meanwhile, Shujin stews in his room and gets a call from Fukuda.

Fukuda tears him a new asshole for the last few weeks of chapters: he hasn’t been himself. Fukuda’s angry that the copycat has gotten under his skin. Shujin replies that he’s not freaked out which puts Fukuda at ease: he wants to beat PCP in an honest battle, not just because it tapered off.

Shujin’s worried that even Fukuda notices the issue.

At that moment, Kaya comes in. Her fever has relapsed, so she goes to say good night to him. She’s concerned by the look on his face, though.

Shujin asks if they had kids whether she would want them copying from PCP. Kaya takes a secondand then does what Hattori did: she promises to raise a kid who can tell right from wrong. Shujin is not reassured but wishes her good night anyway.

He sits down to write.

Meanwhile, at Eiji’s, Yujiro is shocked that Eiji isn’t ready with his storyboard.

Watttt.

This is unprecedented. Eiji’s always ready to create something in a flash. It’s not that Eiji can create the storyboard he usually does, but if he does that, he’ll only get second place. He can’t create a storyboard that will get first place.

Yujiro remembers the *Gasp* CHEKHOV’S CANCELLATION (and the radically different Eiji design from the beginning) and wonders if Eiji is finally planning to proceed.

Eiji confirms that, yes, he is going to get first place.

YUSSSSS

On that hype note, the chapter concludes.

Copycat and Unconscious

Oh Shit Oh Shit Oh Shit

It’s happening. I should wait until the end of this read-through but it’s happening? now? it’s happening now?

I honestly thought Eiji was going to save this for closer to the very end of the series as a way for Ashirogi to get out of making PCP so they could make a new series that would get a manga.

But we’re about 40ish chapters out, so it would make sense to finally release the kraken initiate the cancellation.

If Eiji is serious about this, it is going to be huge.

My current guess is that he’s doing this to motivate Ashirogi, to a degree, because they’re slipping. But maybe there is more to it since Eiji seems to be in a seriously contemplative mood.

SQUEEE.

I’ve been waiting for this to be deployed because it’s an endgame element that’s been conspicuously absent for most of the story, like Breaking Bad’s Ricin subplot. It’s just been sitting there waiting to be deployed at the right time.

But it still feels early, so I’m not sure what Eiji’s actual play here is. I’m pretty sure that this is to spur the boys onward to prevent their cancellation, at least that’s how its framed right now.

Although I’m hopeful, it will lead into a Death Note-like series to cap the story. Fingers crossed.

Speaking of PCP on the cusp, however

A Shujin Arc

I guess I should have realized we were due for a Shujin-centered arc, given how much screentime a bunch of other characters have gotten lately—Nanamine, Nakai, Hiramaru, et al., and Saiko, of course.

At this juncture, this might be an interesting arc to explore if only because it covers an important kind of arc that would have to come up eventually: creativity ruts caused by depression.

What a hyper-specific thing to cover eventually, but I think it could be good.

Although this feels like somewhat familiar territory, not gonna lie.

It feels a bit like the end of Tanto, where Shujin was stressed out about not being able to come up with stories and started going crazy until he ultimately ended Tanto because he couldn’t do it.

I hope that’s not the case, but you never know—maybe they’ll do something different with it. That said, we’re off to a good start with this arc because a.) it’s a novel way to freak Shujin out and b.) It’s actually a fairly realistic portrayal of the writer’s block, where it’s something emotional and external that blocks your abilities rather than some internal struggle.

And even though Shujin is way more brash than Saiko, I don’t think we’ve ever been told explicitly that he’s actually more sensitive. But that would totally make sense. There is a certain degree of sensitivity to others that one needs to be able to write good stories. I’m not just blowing smoke up your ass because I’m sensitive.

You need to be able to take the perspective of people who are totally unlike you and then convincingly make them do stuff that people will see and say, “That’s what a real person would do.” Of course, that requires some level of sensitivity on the writer’s part.

It’s actually kind of clever, given that Saiko has been playing the sensitive one lately, but in this case, he has been the more Okay with and mature part of the company. He recognizes this is something outside of his control, and he’s just rolling along with it, while Shujin is taking it a bit more personally.

I like that angle; I also like

Complexifying the Editorial Relationship

As this series progresses, one of its greatest strengths, aside from spilling the tea on what it’s like to make manga, is how it characterizes the truly complex set of expectations and roadblocks an editor has to navigate to make a successful manga.

In the West, as we’ve been over ad nauseam now, the editorial relationship is kind of poo-pooed in favor of a purely artistic choice. We’ve gone over why that’s dumb, especially with the last run of chapters (Jesus).

But here we see a different kind of complexity: the extent to which Editors have to protect their mangaka and avoid being swayed by the court of public opinion.

I was expecting Sasaki to have a shit fit – he’s done it several times before – but it never occurred to me that despite the conservative bent to Jump manga in certain regards – like their masthead and keeping things below an R-rating narratively (even if it’s frustrating) at the same time, the editors would still be interested in protecting the mangaka and making sure they do the best work possible.

It presents a unique insight into the complexities of management: You have to be aware of your subordinates’ strengths and play to them, but you also can’t let them go too far with their impulses because you have to keep the ship afloat.

So, the fact that Sasaki is more explicit about putting the boys at ease despite the dubious morality of the story they write is a nice reminder that editors are people, too, and they’re not dumb. They didn’t get these jobs through sheer dumb luck, and they often have to balance what’s good for the magazine as a whole against what’s good for the mangaka.

I think there is evidence of this in real life, too. They let Fujimoto get away with literal murder in Chainsaw Man, and even though it’s probably toned down from an earlier version of the story, they let it go because it is narratively consistent with the world he’s created.

So it was really nice to see that they want the manga to go full speed ahead even though it is controversial and impacted by that. I wasn’t expecting that.

I also want to shout out

Hattori being a real one

Hattori continues to be the best *uwu* at basically being a huge fucking bro and making good choices. This management thing is a tough needle to thread: to what extent do you let your subordinates know the truth of a situation?

I used to think that being fully transparent was the best approach in every case. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that knowing all the facts doesn’t make people better prepared for a situation; it usually makes things worse.

Because anxiety is contagious, and morale is super important to seeing something through. The moment someone detects worry among the higher-ups, it can infect those below and create a panic.

Panics are also contagious, and they can lead to emotional decision-making that could have disastrous consequences if not managed successfully. People need to be in a good headspace to function.

Radical thought.

So, I appreciate the tough spot Hattori has been put in. He knows it’s a complex situation, but if he allows Shujin to see how freaked out Jump actually is – and they are, believe it or not – then he will only take it more personally and do worse work.

This is a really bang-up depiction of the challenges of leadership.

But to speak on Saiko for a bit.

Saiko’s the anchor for once

It was interesting to see how Saiko was taking Shujin’s usual role as the emotionally centered protagonist. Usually, Saiko—being the main protagonist—is the one who is emotionally off kilter when confronted with the events that surround him. But because narrative design requires that only one character struggle at a time, obviously, he can’t freak out at the same time as Shujin.

Now, do I think PCP is going to be canceled?

It’s probably not. We’re just a bit too far out from the end of the series for that to be the case just yet. And it’s unclear whether PCP would be considered their third cancellation, so it’s narratively too dangerous for them to pull the trigger on it with 40 chapters left in the story.

Sidenote: I know they didn’t map out exactly how many chapters it would ultimately be. But I live in the time when the series is done. neener neener.

So Saiko is going to hold steady. Especially since he’s admirably taking charge of the situation as Shujin becomes more internal because of the chaos surrounding him. Saiko has to be Shujin’s rock in this case.

But I like the sequence in which he discusses the storyboards for White Day with Hattori. It felt very real when you’re concerned about someone and talk about them behind their back, but not in a malicious way. It shows that Saiko is a little more centered, even if he is a bit shaken.

I also like that Hattori recognizes that they are in a situation where they are predisposed to see the worst possible outcome, so he wants Saiko to be cautious about how he reads into the situation. This is some very delicate character work going on here, and it’s all very effectively done.

That said.

Shujin’s Struggle was confusing

I think this is a translation issue, but I could not understand what Shujin meant when he said he’d consciously write something that would make people not want to commit crimes. It just doesn’t make sense since he’s trying to write something that people would want to imitate. Or is he trying to bring out his unconscious consciousness?

It doesn’t work like that, buddy, you know that, come on.

But yeah, seeing Shujin pretend everything is ok, and then internalize the not okay-ness, and then reveal how worried he actually is felt painfully real. And I appreciate it. Good work.

But in any event, Shujin’s mental block is affecting the story, and I’m worried about its impact on PCP. It’s dropping, and Eiji is gearing up to get first. We also know he is going to get first. It’s narratively preordained.

What is going to happen from here?

I’m pretty sure PCP is going to survive. But will it ever return to what it once was? Or are we going to get a new series?

Now that I think about it, this might be a good lead into a new series for the boys. However, that would, again, require that PCP’s “end” not be canceled, and I just don’t know if that’s going to happen.

I haven’t really talked about the copycat. But, uhm, fuck them. They suck. There’s not much to say since they’re just a plot point. Really.

I did like Miura getting yelled at for being a goof ass, though.

But I’m rambling.

Until next time,

Peace