Plot/Story

Azuma Kazuma is an ordinary boy with a big dream... and that is to make Japan. Now... that sentence probably doesn’t make a whole lot of sense... is the boy planning to make the country??

However, it becomes obvious once we learn that "pan" is the Japanese word for bread (which they took from the French)... so Japan is actually a horrible (read; Great!) pun... its Ja-bread - or Japanese bread...

Now that that’s out of the way... I’ve probably lost a reader or two... but fear not... that’s their loss. Yakitate!! Japan is an excellent manga that never fails to entertain as Azuma goes through trial after trial in order to make Japan that will be recognised by the world.

Characters

Azuma - The main character and elite (tho unorthodox) bread maker. It’s his dream to create Japan and he has a solution for almost every bread related problem.

Kawachi - The token Kansai character... But he’s more than that, I hold this character in high regard... tho he is at times foolish and comes off as a bastard in the first few chapters

Suwabara - Elite bread-making Samurai. Looks very evil... in fact... acts very evil. He’s a fun character tho.

Pierrot - A clown... but not just any clown... but the most awesome clown ever created in a manga (beating out even Hisoka of Hunter X Hunter [who isn’t really a clown anyway]) Rocketing into first place on my character lists this man makes the manga greater by a factor of two.

Kuroyanagi - Evil bread adjudicator. Is a big fan of insulting people, crushing people’s hopes and suffering from strange and (semi)logical reactions from eating good bread. (This guy ranks as my second favourite character)

Tsukino - Cutest character in the manga. Shes the illegitimate child of the owner of Pantasia.

Ken - Afro wearing manager of the Pantasia Southern Tokyo branch store. His French bread is widley regarded. Has a strange past and associates with such amusing characters as A master Assassin/Noodle chef and a genius baker from a rival store (who is quite amusing [and scary])

Drawing Style

Great art, well defined. No two characters look alike. Backgrounds are well drawn and the strange and odd reactions that Kuroyanagi and Pierrot have after eating bread are all of high quality. The volume covers are also very well drawn.

Enjoyment

I guarantee you will find something to enjoy in this manga. From the wide range of characters, to thier personality quirks, to the super-bad/good puns, to Azuma's struggle to make Japan...

Theres something to amuse you. Check it out. You will love it

Overall

Top class. Full marks... go read it now!

(Written by Takashi Hashiguchi)