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(Shitto to Ai)
"Jealousy and Love"
The one thing that sticks out about Bakuman is how it manages to always come back and give me shivers down the back of my spine. But the best part is how the show manages to instill those shivers without using blatant power-ups or crazy plot twists. Something about the story and how its slowly starting to all come together is just perfect.
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The sound of your name (Watashi no Namae o Ageru ~The sound of your name~)"I'll Give You My Name ~The sound of your name~"
Chiba has a seriously prickly personality, but her straightforward albeit a bit tactless attitude is admirable in my opinion. Romance can be a particularly awkward topic to broach when you are one of the parties involved, but she goes for the no-nonsense flat-out confession, and maintains her line even after being rejected.
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(Haisko ni wa Nazo no Yrei ga Iru)
"A Mysterious Ghost Is in the Abandoned Warehouse"
Kujou, I believe the word you're looking for is fabulous. Grevil has lost his fabulous.
Zazie's got his work cut out for him against Jeel.
(Ushinawareta Shindan)
"Lost Heart Bullet"
Surprisingly, there was an updated opening sequence this episode, though it would probably more correct to call it the actual second opening sequence since the other one was a collage of scenes shown before. Along the same lines, this new one doesn't really foreshadow what we're in store for in the upcoming episodes, but it's oh so pretty to watch.
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She is Rana Linchen
The other main heroine of the series makes her debut, earlier than expected after Ingrid's backstory was glossed over last time. Hailing from Tibet, Rana Linchen and her bubbly personality is portrayed surprisingly well by Hanazawa Kana, more so than I was anticipating anyway.
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(Chinmoku no Kyoushitsu)
"The Silent Classroom"
It never ceases to amaze me how interesting and different school is in Japan. Besides sixth grade being considered part of elementary school, I totally envy just how much fun those school health days, Valentines Day chocolate, and parent introduction days must be. Something that kids in Japan consider normal just looks so interesting to those outside the culture.
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(Batsu Geemu)
"Punishment Game"
This has to be one of the few series where the character interactions provide a lot more entertainment than the actual plot, and Touma's return to Academy City made this one of the best episodes this sequel in that regard. The huge cast of characters are a lot of fun to watch, especially when they all come together with their various nuances.
