A Dangerous Journey to the Magical World This action-packed 10-part drama is dedicated to the fabulous world of Japanese manga, manga artists and those who modestly keep in the shadows helps the manga meet readers. These workers, invisible to the world, are editors of publishing houses, they direct artists and promote their works to the market. We enter this world from the main entrance of the editorial office of the manga magazine Vibes along with the charming main character of a young girl Kokoro Kurosawa. She used to be an athlete, practiced judo, sports experience will be useful to her in a new field. After all, the editor must run fast, and instantly make decisions, and hold the punch. At first, Kokoro's pioneering enthusiasm is confusing, but you soon come to terms with it and begin to enjoy the charge of energy splashing from this girl. Here I must say about Haru Kuroki who played this role, those who have seen her previous work (for example, the hippopist Janice from the “Eagles of Jurisprudence 2” or the trusting heroine of the “Bride of Rip Van Winkle”) will be amazed by a completely new image of the actress, in the role of the clockwork Kokoro it is almost impossible to recognize – bravo Haru!
Kokoro is the only girl in the male editorial team. A few words about her colleagues - so the Editors: different in character, temperament, age, they of course think about ratings and sales (of the notorious additional circulation - the second edition, the highest recognition for a drawn novel), but still each of them in its own way serves the Goddess Manga. So, 30-year-old Zen Buddhist Yokibe-san is a plump-toothed Jo Odagiri in a small but interesting role. Yokibe curator Kokoro and her role model. Calm, detached/balanced, he tries to always be above the fight, but inside this tycoon also rage passions, from series to series new colors are added to the image and closer to the finale of the series, this character is revealed before our eyes as a lotus bud. Artists who worked on the drama to all the heroes came up with their own style of clothing, Kokoro dresses in a funny retro-drum style, Yokibe always wears glasses, in strict, slightly Chinese-style shirts, long hair is taken in a bundle like a Sikh cache. Each of the editors is dedicated to one of the series, something about the mysterious Yokibe we learn in the 5th series, to his line adjoins the story of the elderly head of the publishing house and his stunning karmic worldview. The next character is the eccentric fat Mibu Heita in this role, the famous character actor Yoshiyoshi Arakawa. Mibu is a lover of doshiraks and T-shirts with prints, in fact a kind guy, with his cocks, but in love with manga since childhood. He is dedicated to the 3rd episode, in which we learn about the difficult relationship between Mibu and his sponsored handsome manga, about their friendship, which is tested for strength. It is impossible not to say about the most unpleasant character harmful, poisonous as a wasp sting - Yasu, actor Ken Yasuda perfectly coped with his role. A lover of jumpers in the aspen strip Yasu oozes cynicism and secretly watches the enthusiasm of the novice Kokoro, watching with envy, approval, but also with the desire to set the band. Why Yasu became such a malware we learn in the 6th series (the weakest drama series). The department is also headed by a colorful type - the head of Wada / Yutaka Matsushighe, in the appearance of an elderly uncle, in glasses, to test explosive choleric, but for the team and the common cause of the mountain. The world of editors is also joined by cute characters: a young guy from the sales department (still unconsciously fascinated by cute Kokoro), and a crazy, small saleswoman from a large bookstore, but the editor must also monitor the sales of manga in stores.
Now about Mangaki - the drama shows a variety of artists: here and the aged, but not losing creative momentum master Mikurayama (Kohinata Fumia), and his already ageing assistants (and everyone has their unsatisfied ambitions behind them); the eccentric, spoiled by the success of the mangaka Takahata is always experiencing because of his sexy girlfriend (in this role the unusually ugly Kenichi Takito); and the beginning mangaka Kinu, a girl who did not want to wait for success, painstakingly working on her own book, and almost satisfied with the young mangago-mangatimist (Konokamikogogogo). There is an old manga-alcoholic in this world who has been published, but remembers his former glory, which is even more painful. However, the most attractive image in this bouquet of manga artists was created by a young actor Kento Nagayama, his gothic gloomy hero Nakata Haku immediately attracts attention. Curtained with hair, sad, sometimes aggressive, very closed Nakata, constantly overcomes his bad painting technique and his mental problems from an evil childhood, of course, sometimes he behaves like a demon, but he still empathizes. Much attention is paid to the Nakata manga, the plot of which is directly related to its dark side, with its complexes and dark fantasies. Paradoxically and logically, it is with Kokoro so positive, friendly that Haku forms a creative tandem.
The general level of the drama is high, visually everything is invigoratingly bright, interiors, costumes are all stylish and realistic, they are confused with manga, work in workshops, volumes of already printed comics, and the creation of a concept of covers, and we will visit the otaku festival where publishing houses open young talents. Musical design is also suitable, in the opening funny animated character Kokoro.
Bottom line: Japanese comics is a huge diverse world, of course, the creators of the drawn story have long become the heroes of the manga (immediately recalls the popular multi-volume "Bakuman" vividly depicting the life of young mangacs, and the basis of the "Second Edition" is also Naoko Matsuda's manga), attract filmmakers (" Otaku Lovers" 2004, "I Hate Tokyo" 2013) and television (documentary cycle of Urusawa Naoki "Urasawa Naoki no Manben" in which you can see in detail the work of famous manga-huda). "Second Edition" still reveals to us the creative cuisine of this magical world, its tears and joys invisible to the world, and does it interestingly, talentedly and somehow unexpectedly fresh. We're looking forward to season two.