I heard that apparently Robot x Laserbeam is getting axed after another chapter or so. And honestly? It doesn't surprise me.

While Tadatoshi Fujimaki hit the jackpot with Kuroko no Basket's success, Robot x Laserbeam doesn't bring anything new to the table. It seems like he's rehashed a lot of tropes and cliches that he's used before, and this manga doesn't really incite any emotion in me. I don't care about any of the characters (except perhaps Youzan) and I'm also not interested in the sport or the matches with how it's being presented either, even though the art is pretty good.

The story started out decently enough, but once Fujimaki wrote in a timeskip that jumped from the beginning of Robot's first year at high school to being an adult pro, it was essentially over. For a sports manga, skipping all of the high school years just to focus on the pro world is basically suicide. It kills all of the necessary aspects of a sports series, such as teamwork/partnership, friendship, and most importantly, the mental and emotional growth of teenagers.

I get the feeling that Kuroko no Basket's fame has held Fujimaki back a little bit, because instead of breaking through his shell to explore new ideas with Robot x Laserbeam, it ended up being nothing really special.

It's a shame, honestly.