Hey there brotato, and welcome to my read-through of Chapter 173: Moment and Final Volume, in which the narrative pulls some bullshit, and there’s some really cool metafiction, and I have a crisis.

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Moment and Final Volume Summary

IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING

Picking up directly from the last chapter, Saiko lies on the floor, while Kaya and Shujin congratulate him. He can finally get married.

He’s in disbelief.

Kaya and Shujin agree that Saiko should call her immediately, and Shujin suggests proposing immediately.

Saiko, still dazed, picks himself up and remembers they are running a manga and need to get to work. Shujin thinks, regardless, that he should call his girl that night. Kaya’s getting excited.

(lol)

Meanwhile, at the Azuki household, Mina and Miyuki congratulate Miho. Mina’s sad that Miho’s going to get married, but it’s amazing that she accomplished her dream.

Miyuki also remembers Miho’s crush on Saiko in elementary school (d’awww). Mina asks for the deets. Mina was a toddler, and probably doesn’t remember, but Miho saw a drawing Saiko made in fourth grade and wouldn’t stop looking at it and blushing.

Mina’s in disbelief: Saiko is really it for her. Mina’s even more shocked since she’s dated so many guys. She stops talking when shse realizes the present company. But Miyuki – the chill mama – points out that everyone’s relationships are different.

Miho thinks about the drawing from 4th grade and her lifetime of love for Saiko. D’awwww.

At Fukuda’s, the boys celebrate Miho’s total victory; Bike Assistant thinks it wasn’t just her acting, but her sincerity that was on full display. Fukuda decides to call Saiko to congratulate him.

Yasuoka longs for a girlfriend, even more than before, because of all this. He also wonders why Fukuda – handsome successful manga artist doesn’t have a GF.

Fukuda wants to know why, too.

Same, buddy, same.

No More trouble for Jump. Right? Right??

Miura congratulates Hattori and looks forward to attending the wedding soon. Hatori thinks it will be a private affair (God, I hope Miura isn’t invited). Miura sees the light. Hattori’s glad it went okay, regardless.

Heishi’s relieved that Ashirogi can focus on Reversi without any more trouble, now. Right, Hattori?

Hattori’s silence is telling.

Back at the studio, the assistants all congratulate a grateful Saiko on the news. Kato is excited for Saiko and expresses her own wish to get married, but no one’s going to ask her.

Ogawa and Moriya say nothing and melt into the distance like the bros they are, and Orihara laughs hysterically, pissing Kato off.

Frankly, she deserves it, but whatever.

Later that night, Hattori reviews the final draft and thinks Saiko’s art has gotten even better. The story is picking up, too. Hattori then sees something and asks: How many chapters are left? Also, can they keep it running until the premier of the anime?

He wants an honest count of chapters left. Ideally, if Shujin gets it his way, fewer than 10 chapters are left. So it would end at the beginning of July. Hattori pieced it together, and now that they’re this close, he’ll have to tell the higher-ups. He can’t hide it anymore.

Hattori notes they got the anime, they got the girl, but the manga will end before the anime starts. Is that what they want?

Yup.

Hattori says it’ll be hard, but he’s going to try to convince the higher-ups.

Shujin wonders if he should do his best, but also remembers Saiko must be eager to talk to his fiancée, so he decided to leave. Kaya congratulated Miho over the phone.

Well, Ackthusally.

Now alone, Saiko prepares to TEXT HIS CONGRATULATIONS TO MIHO. Bro. What is you doing? Call her.

He decides to do just that.

Her heart picks up speed as he calls. he congratulates her, and the two dingbats stand in companionable, if awkward, silence. Miho points out they’re having the same conversation they had when Reversi got turned into an anime. Miho thinks congratulations are kinda secondary to their whole, y’know, dream, thing. Saiko apologizes, cutely.

I’ll give it a pass.

Saiko thinks there’s something he has to say properly.

Miho prepares herself, body ready.

Before Saiko wants to make something clear.

I’m sorry, what?

He specifies that their *stupid* contract is not technically completed until the anime airs, and he hears Miho’s voice as Naho on the TV.

Wat.

Mihos charmed by his strictness and definitely not mad anxiey about accomplishing his dreams. When Naho speaks on TV, he’ll come pick Miho up.

Saiko then revises that: that was a bit extreme. He’ll come see her. Jesus Christ what a dingbat. He asks her to continue her hard work in the meantime.

A Favor House (Atlantic)

The next day, Shujin thinks, by most reasonable accounts, almost a decade is a pretty short time frame to achieve one’s dreams. He then rolls over to indulge in the hot goss about Saiko’s proposal. How’d it go?

He didn’t ask her. Shujin thought Saiko wanted his dream to come true; he should tell her.

Saiko thinks their dream has not technically come true, just yet.

Uh huh. uh huh. Okay.

It’ll only officially be true when the anime airs. Saiko did tell her that he would see her when it airs, though. Shujin wants a guarantee that he’ll propose then and there. Saiko says nothing.

Jesus Christ.

Shujin’s okay with it.

Saiko also has a favor to ask of Shujin; he needs about tree fiddy.

Or, in more normal words: can he have some money? Shujin think sthat even though Saiko bought the studio, he’s still pretty flush. Saiko thinks he has about the same amount as Shujin. Shujin, understandably, wants to know why Saiko needs more than that.

Saiko wants to “greet” Miho the best way possible: with a house.

Eek.

Shujin points out that you don’t have to buy a literal house just because Miho is used to it. Saiko is aware, but….

Shujin is fine with it. He’ll lend all the money he needs.

Goddamn, bros for life. Hope that the loan has some interest in it.

Shujin wanted to get Saiko a wedding gift; he’ll still get him something in addition to the loan.

This is a friendship so intense I doubt its reality.

No way!

Three days later, Hattori delivers the news about Reversi to Heishi: the series is to end in 10 chapters, and they want the perfect ending even though the anime will air in several months.

Heishi gives him a definitive, absolutely fucking not.

He wants them to work on it at least while the anime is running.

We can see where this is going.

Hattori expresses the creator’s wish. Heishi cuts through the bullshit: an editor’s job is to keep the readers happy and to keep a series running as long as possible. Also, what will the anime staff do once they learn that the series is over before it begins? He wants Hattori to find a way to keep Reversi going for as long as they can.

Back at the studio, Hattori confirms that his suspicions were correct: they want the boys to keep working on Reversi as long as possible, at least until the anime starts.

Shujin is already firm on ending the series and already has the conclusion set up. Hattori understands, but that hasn’t changed the calculus.

A compromise with the editorial team is to take a couple of weeks off, then start a second arc of the series. Hattori offers to take more time with the second arc, and they can create something as good or better than the first part.

Shujin is uncertain about a second arc.

You Can End It Whenever You Want to

Hattori quotes himself. ” You can end it whenever you want to. If we get any complaints, I will take responsibility for it”. He feels bad for going the exact opposite direction on this after making that bold claim.

Hattori gets candid: they’re going to be animated soon; as their editor, he wants them to continue the series so they can beat Eiji and Zombie Gun in graphic novels and surveys. Shujin agrees that surpassing Eiji has always been their dream. Even so–

Hattori interrupts: Zombie Gun is going to be an anime one day; if they continue working on the series until then, they might see who the best of the best is. Shujin doesn’t think it’s right to force a series to continue for that reason alone.

Shujin asks for Saiko’s input. He’s been quiet. Saiko thinks they should keep going and end the current story. He’s not going to change his mind about that. If, as the writer, Shujin can continue a second arc that’s better than the first, he’ll do the art for it. However, he admits that it will be difficult to create a story that’s better than the current one.

It’s Shujin’s decision.

Shujin asks for time to think about it.

Hattori is fine with it and reminds him that the editorial team wants him to continue working on it if he can. Shujin asks: if they choose to end it now regardless, the editorial team isn’t going to accept that. Hattori promises to take responsibility and will do what he can to convince the bosses.

Shujin asks if ending it in July means the tankobon comes out in August. Hattori confirms it, the tankobon’s are sent to print pretty much as soon as possible, so people will still buy them.

Shujin chews on that, and Hattori offers to continue this conversation next week; he asks them to think about it. They thank him as he departs.

After he leaves, Saiko thinks she wasn’t acting like himself: he said he wanted the series to keep running after everything he said before. Shujin sees the writing on the wall: Hattori is between a rock and a hard place, and due to the anime announcement, it’s even tougher to get themselves out of this situation.

Saiko wants to beat Eiji, but he thinks it’s meaningless to do so if it’s only for a short time after the anime airs.

Shujijn decides to go home and asks if the only thing keeping them from continuing is whether he can come up with a second arc.

Saiko will agree only under the condition that it is better than the first arc. Shujin agrees and decides to leave.

He calls Hattori

Shujin’s Plea

Shujin asks where Hattori is and asks to speak to him alone. He meets Hattori at the train station and announces that the series will last 8 more chapters. He parrots what Saiko said about the bump in sales from the anime running.

Shujin has to defeat Eiji now. He has to put everything into the end of this series—eight more chapters to create the perfect ending. The final volume will go on sale before the anime starts, and they will beat Zombie Gun with it.

He wants to have Saiko get married as the most popular manga artist in Jump.

Hattori’s silent, then breaks out into a proud papa’s smile. That’e xactly what he wanted to hear from Ashirogi. He’s the editor, leave it to him. Their job now is to focus on creating the greatest ending ever!

On that climactic note, the chapter concludes.

Moment and Final Volume

Well well well

If it isn’t me being periodically correct about things from time to time.

I will admit, when I am right, I am DAMN right.

Okay, that’s not even remotely true.

But also, we’re back to fuckin’ MANGA, baby. And another word we haven’t seen in about 20 read-throughs because I’ve been so caught up in the success train of going from Reversi’s conception to now:

METAFICTION BABY LET’S GET IT

So, yeah, this was kinda a gimme plot point because, well, the series has made no secret of the fact that it is a largely autobiographical take on the steps that led to the creation of Death Note, with some shonen spice thrown into he mix.

That’s a good name for a song.

So obviously, one of the greatest failings of Death Note would prove to be the final hurdle of the series. And that hurdle, in the most deliciously meta-fictional way possible, is

THE ENDING

So yeah. I love that. I’m going to rub my face all up in that btich for twenty seconds and just feel how good it is to obliterate the fourth wall by having the climax be about a climax.

Now, I’m going to call bullshit on Shujin not being able to come up with a better arc. I feel like the character is creative enough to come up with more complicating factors around thought control. Like there’s a gray demon who can rewrite personalities, or another black demon who can see what kind of thoughts are being manipulated and serves Weiss.

There are so many ways they could handle it.

But this is the end of Bakuman. I have to assume the editorial team was much more… let’s just say, aware that this series was going to have a fixed ending than Death Note, and so they let it slide that it’s less than 200 chapters, which is still an incredible run if you read this magazine long enough. A lot of series don’t cap at a hundred.

But because we’re at the end of hte series, the dream is complete, and all that’s left is to definitively beat Eiji (I so fucking called it goddamn this feels good. I feel it so rarely), of course the way to beat him is to have the perfect ending and to have the editorial team do what they didn’t do in real life and let Reversi die a natural death.

And as I’ve said before

Manga Rarely Stick the landing

So, like, I’m not actually confident that they will get their dream to end the series on their own terms. I can almost certainly see the next chapter being Hattori going to bat for them and trying his damnedest, maybe even Sasaki getting involved, or the boys themselves, and finishing their request to end a series.

But there’s an equally good chance that they’ll still have to do a secondary arc to close out the series to remain faithful to reality.

And not for nothing, we already had the perfect ending with Crow. This is a wish-fulfilling power fantasy – albeit one with a very limited niche – but it’s still a wish-fulfilling power fantasy

Because, as manga readers are well aware – at least in Shonen Jump – getting a truly satisfying conclusion – one that dots the i’s and crosses the t’s and is emotionally resonant, and is perfectly paced is extremely hard to find.

And it’s for reasons I’ve discussed and what Heishi said here: the job of an editor is to keep circulation up by having series run for as long as possible, not merely to creatively satisfy their creator’s whims.

And this often results in some narrative wonkiness as the story reaches its final arc. Whether that’s tretching the final arc way too long like Gintama (even though that’s a fave) or My Hero Academia, or rushing the last battle because the mangaka is well and truly exhausted, so the final fight is concluded very quickly relative to everyhting else like Bleach; or the story has been going so long past it’s narrative ceiling that the powerups have become meaningless and the battle is emotionally empty like Naruto.

Sticking the landing is hard, and the magazine is incentivized not to finish the story when the story is done, but when it’s losing popularity or the mangaka is at wits’ end.

It’s brutal.

So it makes sense that the series is trying to outcrowd Crow by having the perfect ending and finally, definitively beating Eiji with a perfect run (i.e. starts in 1st and maintains an average of first place for its whole run).

I do believe Shujin has an idea of how to maintain the popularity of the final volume.

Push the release of the tankobon back a month

So yeah, the conversation with Hattori about the tankobon’s release date felt like an important little titbit. Given taht he final volume could come out in August a month before the anime and the abit of printing things as quickly as possible. They might be able to juice the final volume for leverage – assuming they get it – by releasing it during the anime’s run in September.

While that won’t appease Heishi for obvious reasons, it would have a profound multiplier effect on the sales of that one volume, which is one of the metrics they need to beat Eiji; that and beating him in Surveys.

So I think, perhaps, the final volume’s sale on the anime’s release date is going to build extra anticipation for it and lead to a cascade effect for sales.

The final battle itself will be spectacular, even if they have to make an act 2 as they did in real life.

I imagine we might get a glimpse into the conclusion of the series, and if that is anything like Death Note – by which I mean they explain the original ending they have in mind – then there is opportunity for a second, more disappointing, but satisfactorily wrapped up arc where the rise of Schwarz leads to his downfall.

But this is a shonen manga, so I truly have no expectations of it ending in a kind of bittersweet way. Ultimately, Shonen Jump peddles in dreams and victory.

So it’s probably going to be that.

But as the series has done a great job of showing, this follows real life pretty closely. So it could happen.

Look, I’m just hedging my bets, okay?

But digressing from the manga, just a bit. There are a lot of things that are being set up for these final three chapters, including Shujin’s Loan, which might have a distinct impact on his interest in continuing the series.

Extra Stakes With Miho

I’ll take the stupidly unnecessary strictness of the dream to justify the final few chapters of the narrative for 1000, Alex.

Yeahhhhh, so I know that they’ve set up several things here – we know that the final page of Chapter 175 is going to be Saiko pulling up to Miho’s place like Chapter 1 and taking her in his arms and maybe even kissing her cheek if we’re going to get smutty about it.

I say Chapter 175 because if you read manga long enough, you know the final chapter is the epilogue.

And we also know that Shujin is going to lend him money for a house, which, despite how much money they have, he doesn’t have enough for. This might impact their decision to draw more of Reversi since they will stop making money outside of royalties for tankobon sales and licensing for ancillaries.

And we know that we’re going to get to September by Chapter 175 because that’s when the terms of their deal will finally be sealed, and the story will officially be 100% done.

And even if they do a second arc, they’ve already established a clear victory condition: beat Eiji definitively with the final volume of the first arc of Reversi.

BUT GODDAMN, I’m so tired of Saiko being a little bitch boy about marrying Miho.

I have to preface with all those preconditions of their now quite literally inevitable marriage because while it felt emotionally real that Saiko’s equivocating on the proposal because he’s nervous, it also reeked of the narrative machinery coming loose and seeing what’s moving underneath.

But because I am feeling good about this chapter, for reasons I will articulate below, I will give it a pass

Saiko’s Hesitation

So I think Shujin’s gift is going to be winning the top spot of Jump for all time for Saiko’s marriage, but aside from the annoyance that was Saiko pushing off their dream’s resolution yet again, fortunately, the way it was written felt authentic

Because, look, if you wait for a dream long enough, there are two distinct phases of that dream coming true.

The first is the excitement: YOU DID IT. YOU GOT EVERYTHING YOU ASKED FOR. LET’S CELEBRATE.

But then there’s the second part, the harder part, where it becomes real, and you have to do something about it.

Part of the beauty and tragedy of having dreams is that they are not real. You don’t have to touch them. They don’t smell bad. They don’t have weird contours. They are in your mind in a state of complete perfection for all time.

But when those dreams turn to something real, their flaws happen. Or you don’t know what to do. You enter a new phase of your life where that dream is no longer relevant in the same way because it’s been achieved.

And I’ve accomplished enough long-term goals in my life – some massive, some small – that I can tell you it’s very disorienting when you finally achieve something that you’ve waited your whole life for.

When I wrote a million words in a month – but more importantly – when I finished the draft of a series I had been writing since I was a teenager on the cusp of 30, I felt profoundly lost for months afterward. I just didn’t know what to do with myself. And I’m still sort of adrift after having written that book for 10+ years. I want to revise it someday and publish it here because I’m stupid ambitious.

But I devoted so much of my youth to it. And then it was done. And it scared me. And it hurt. And nothing came of it.

Same with the effect of finishing a long series: the depression that comes when you finish a really good series is real. You feel anomy, change.

And so Saiko, being a bit hesitant about actually nailing his dream emotionally, makes perfect sense, even though it is just a narrative setup for the climax of the series.

He is nervous because he has what he wants now. Miho too.

And just a tangent

Miyuki’s da bestest

So it was only a line during the opening sequence, but having her not judge Mina’s dating habits – girl apparently gets around goddamn – and not making Miho feel bad for having one love her whole life was so ridonkulously wholesome that I’m inclined to almost think Ohba doesn’t have a problem writing women.

It also emphasizes the length of time that Shujin considers reasonable for Saiko’s dream, which, for the record, is true—10 goddamn years.

Mina was a toddler when this series started.

I was still in my late 20s.

And now Mina’s dating, and the series is coming to a close. And Miyuki’s not being judgmental but rather celebrating the diverging paths her daughters are taking in their romantic and professional lives.

That’s simply good parenting. And it’s tragic that Taro never got the chance to bag Miyuki. Truly tragic

But I was 28 when I started writing this series.

And now I’m close to 35. Or will be after posting, based on scheduling.

I’m almost Not ready, and why I’m giving this a pass

So even though I find the plot mechanics needlessly dense just to give us an excuse for more chapters, I also love that final page. Because it feels like one of my favorite moments in all of storytelling.

I think I’ve said that like fifteen times in this blog, but just bear with me, okay?

There is a moment right before the final throwdown – like literally a few moments before – where you feel this sense of momentum. This sense of inevitability. The storm is raging, and everything has been building to it. this. moment.

And this thrust is electric. It’s like suddenly everything that’s been building up is converging. It’s on rails, and all the characters are focused on finally sealing the deal. There’s yelling, adn action, and the status quo is broken. And the story hits the peak of its emotional resonance.

There’s also this grandiosity to it because there’s nothing left to lose. It’s like the reveal of the secret except now, instead of a private darkness being bared, it’s the Antagonist and Protagonist finally duking it out for all the marbles.

It feels epic

It feels super fucking epic. There’s momentum to it. And it’s glorious

And that final moment where Shujin announces that it’s time to beat Eiji. That’s the moment. the final moment before the climax, where everything meets and coalesces into the thing the story has been building to the entire time.

Bakuman doesn‘t get to have one cataclysmic final punch or showdown like Gurren Lagann or Outlaw Star, where the engines rev up, and everyone’s grinning like an idiot because there’s nothing left to learn and nothing left to do but throw the fucking punch that’s going to send the enemy robot to the stratosphere.

Rather, it’s just an announcement that they’re going to do their best and write the best damn ending.

I’ve been more meditative on how long this series has taken to write because I am, more than anyone else reading this series, acutely aware that when it’s over, a not insignificant portion of my life will have concluded.

To be perfectly frank, this series has never been my top priority. That has always been art, music, movies, and the rest.

But I’ve written it for so long. I have been with these characters for so long. That this moment hits so much harder than it has any right to.

I don’t know what I’m going to do when I finally catch that final chapter, and there are no more read-throughs to write. No more summaries to sit down and churn out. No more reactions.

I’m not prepared,

But I’m going to give it my all, just like Shujin. We’re going to beat Eiji.

And then Saiko’s going to marry the girl.

And then, well, we’ll figure it out from there.

Love you guys,

Stray Thoughts

–The moment Heishi said,”Ashirogi’s done causing me trouble, right? right?” I got Padme meme flashbacks. Comedy gold. Especially Hattori’s nervous reaction

–I didn’t mention it, but seeing the various factions congratulate the happy couple was wonderful. But I particularly liked the responses of Kato and Miura because the series rubs in your face how unlikeable these two are. Seeing Miura make the assumption that he would get invited to the wedding, only for Hattori to shoot that shit down immediately, and then seeing Kato complain about being unwed and having her other assistants know exactly why is perfect. It’s not because she’s ugly, it’s because she’s an inappropriate asshole. And she’s earned her singledom.

–Poor Fukuda man. Dude absolutely deserves love, by contrast.

–Also, Poor Heishi again, dude cannot catch a fucking break with these two. And his job is to keep the magazine afloat, not just make good manga. There is a distinction to be had between those two things.

–Also, Miho is totally getting herself ready for Saiko to propose, only to get shot down immediately. I hated it, but it was comedy gold.

Until next time,

Peace