Shows
MangaroosEp. 44 - Tokimeki Tonight vol. 1, by Koi IkenoBeing a teen in love is hard -and it's even harder when your mom is a werewolf and your vampire dad forbids you from dating humans! But with a lone wolf hunk as hunky as Makabe, falling in love might be the only way out for our hero, Ranze Eto. Wacky hijinx abound in the Looney Tunes of shojo manga, Tokimeki Tonight!Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2024-09-061h 11MangaroosEp. 43 - Kagurabachi vol. 1, by Takeru HokazonoKagurabachi is the manga for anyone who's read Jujutsu Kaisen and wished it was good. It's a cinematic pastiche. A rush of styles and influences exploding onto the page by super-talented newcomer Takeru Hokazono that all just barely manages to hang together, like a dirt bike humming along at full throttle, as long as you never stop to think about it. Goldfish sword power!Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2024-08-3049 minMangaroosEp. 42 - The Summer Hikaru Died vol. 1, by MokumokurenThis may not be news to you, but one of Alex's secret missions throughout the history of Mangaroos has been to get Mark and Jayson to read a BL manga. Well, it's finally happened! And all three of us have nothing but good things to say about the experience. The Summer Hikaru Died isn't only a BL story, though. It's also an extremely effective tale of eldritch horror and creeping dread. What would you do if your best friend came back, and you knew they were dead, but you still loved them enough to keep hanging out w...2024-08-2357 minMangaroosEp. 41 - Jujutsu Kaisen vol. 1, by Gege AkutamiJujutsu Kaisen: modern Shonen Jump classic, or merely the inspiration for an amazing anime adaptation? We'll get to the bottom of this mystery, while also discussing gnarly old finger-shaped convenience store snacks, and finding out exactly what "Jujutsu Kaisen" really means!Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2024-08-1658 minMangaroosEp. 40 - Spacewalking with You vol. 1, by Inuhiko DoronodaThe Roos review another winner of the Manga Taisho Award, Spacewalking with You (Kimi to Uchū o Aruku Tame ni). Self reflect on your personal difficulties in life and overcome them together with us, just like best buds Uno and Kobayashi do in this story :) It’s boys supporting one another through friendship and understanding what makes each one of them not "normal". This episode is guaranteed to make you feel so nice and fluffy inside that you’ll want to write a diary entry about it in your notebook.Get in touch with us!E...2024-07-291h 11MangaroosEp. 39 - Fullmetal Alchemist vol. 1, by Hiromu Arakawa (feat. Alistair)Mangaroos double dips for the first time ever for the much-beloved Arakawa-sensei!FMA expert Alistair takes time from his pilgrimage across Shikoku to take over as guest host on a grainy green payphone to ask the Roos tough questions like what type of alchemist they would be and what exactly makes up a human body. A must listen for any FMA fan!See Alistair’s adventures: https://www.instagram.com/alistairwalks/Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere els...2024-07-171h 06MangaroosEp. 38 - Skip and Loafer vol. 1, by Misaki Takamatsu (feat. Minami Sakai)Every day's a little more colorful when Mitsumi's around! Misaki Takamatsu's Skip and Loafer is a love story, in that it is a story that you will fall in love with, unless you have a heart of stone. Come and listen to us gush about our sparkly darling.Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2024-05-281h 00MangaroosEp. 37 - Fist of the North Star vol. 1, by Tetsuo Hara and BuronsonComing to you live from the Saizeriya in the heart of beautiful downtown Gunma! We're talking about one of the behemoths of Japanese pop culture, Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken), and yes we make all the requisite "you wa shock" jokes and "a-ta-ta-ta-ta" sound effects - don't worry. Also discussed: post-apocalypse bondage gear, Mad Max and its availability in 1980s Japan, and more surprising Alex origin story lore. You don't want to miss this one.Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2024-04-3057 min
Wolf PodcastEpisode 004: Burning ChromeWelcome to the fourth Wolf Podcast.Today I’m talking with Jayson Young from the Mangaroos! It’s a great show where the hosts read the first issue of a manga in Japanese and then discuss it in English. Check it out!We’re talking William Gibson’s Burning Chrome, his short story collection. There are some intersections between some of these stories and the Sprawl Trilogy I previously discussed. The collection is…well, not our favorite! Let’s just leave it at that for now.We discuss our various issues with Gibson’s stories and...2024-04-171h 24MangaroosEp. 36 - Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic vol. 1, by Shinobu OhtakaMagi is an endearing shonen adventure story with a charming little protagonist. It's got magical creatures, dungeon exploration straight out of a classic JRPG, and best-in-class reaction shots. It is also, somewhat inexplicably, the second flute-centric manga we've covered for the show. How did that happen? Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2024-04-1551 minMangaroosEp. 35 - Dogsred vol. 1, by Satoru NodaWith all the classic sports manga series that have come and gone over the years, it's a wonder that it's taken this long for a really great hockey series to hit the ice. And since Mangaroos is one-third Canadian, we're legally obligated to talk about it! We're giving Dogsred, by Satoru Noda, a five minute major penalty... for stealing our hearts! There's no crazier sport than hockey, so who better to tell the tale of a rogue former figure skater turned curious hockey-liker than Satoru Noda, creator of the uniquely crazy Golden Kamuy?Join us a...2024-04-021h 06MangaroosEp. 34 - Kingdom vol. 1, by Yasuhisa HaraFIRST: We had to pay tribute to the late Akira Toriyama. The world lost a true legend earlier this month. SECOND: Yasuhisa Hara's epic historical action series has been appearing in Weekly Young Jump since 2006, and it's a global sensation. Everyone you know either reads ONE PIECE, or Kingdom, or both. Even Japan's Princess, Akiko of Mikasa, is a self-confessed die-hard Kingdom fan. But the question is, is the first volume any good? Opinions vary! Discussed in this episode: Do you have to be good at drawing to make a successful manga? Do manga authors do...2024-03-151h 19MangaroosEp. 33 - Daemons of the Shadow Realm vol. 1, by Hiromu ArakawaFor fans of manga, Hiromu Arakawa needs no introduction. She's responsible for the mega-ultra-successful and popular Full Metal Alchemist, as well as the acclaimed Silver Spoon, among other works. Now, here comes Arakawa Sensei's latest series, Daemons of the Shadow Realm, to delight and bewilder us in equal measure. The first volume is a bit of a jumble. We've got gunfights, fish-out-of-water hijinks, and possibly a Japanese folklore-based take on Pokemon? It doesn't quite all hang together, but it's clearly the work of a master chef combining tastefully luxurious elements together in a creative way, so we'll just have...2024-03-031h 04MangaroosEp. 32 - The Promised Neverland vol. 1, by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka DemizuThe Promised Neverland, by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu, begins with a simple question: What if an orphanage was also a factory farm that produced food for demonic otherworldly entities? As high concepts for shonen manga series go, that's about as compelling as they come. No wonder this series became a multimedia phenomenon in the waning days of the pre-Covid era. It also features some truly badass metal album cover-style artwork, which couldn't have hurt. (Stay tuned to the end of this episode for a musical surprise!)Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@g...2024-02-111h 07MangaroosEp. 31 - EVOL vol. 1, by Atsushi Kaneko Atsushi Kaneko is an underground manga hero for a reason, revered around the world, and especially in Europe. EVOL is his wild, punk rock take on anti-super heroes and the decaying of our social fabric. In it, we find teens in mental institutions who are fed up with the hopeless world around them, heroes who uphold corrupt political agendas instead of justice, and a weird, melting moon. It's explosive and cynical. Black and white with no shades of gray. It also may or may not be Sonic Youth fan fiction. You decide!Get in touch with us!2024-02-041h 05MangaroosEp. 30 - Vagabond vol. 1, by Takehiko InoueIt's no secret that Takehiko Inoue is one of the undisputed masters of the manga art form, so it's about time we gave one of his works the Mangaroos treatment. Vagabond is an epic historical action manga, with some of the most gorgeous art to ever grace a page. It is violent and passionate and breathtaking. We discuss whether sexy cougar Okou is, in fact, TOO sexy. We ponder how it might feel if your kid’s good for nothing friend took him to Sekigahara and whether you might sic a posse on him in resp...2024-01-201h 21MangaroosEp. 29 - To Your Eternity vol. 1, by Yoshitoki OimaThe English title of this book is To Your Eternity, but in Japanese it's called 不滅のあなたへ (Fumetsu no Anata e). Whatever you like to call it, Yoshitoki Oima's second hit series isn't quite like anything else, in any medium. The elevator pitch is impossible. Child meets immortal thing in the forest. Alien thing becomes all different stuff, including a wolf, and meets a boy. Is this a story about people trying to go ice fishing, who then get lost? In some ways, it is that. In many ways, it isn't.Even just the first chapter of volume one is a...2024-01-121h 05MangaroosEp. 28 - Pyu to Fuku! Jaguar vol. 1, by Kyosuke UsutaJaguar is an eccentric man with a shock of red hair, a heart full of passion, and a recorder (flute). He took Japan by storm in the early 2000s, and we are all richer for it, even if we don't realize why or how. In this life, you are either a guitar person or a recorder (flute) person. A hip hop ninja, the inherent hilarity to be found in earnestly reciting poetry, trying to find comfort when using a punching bag you found in the trash as a pillow. This manga is truly something special.G...2024-01-051h 10
The Getting Lit PodcastCloud Atlas feat. Jayson YoungSend us a textJayson Young, writer and co-host of the Mangaroos podcast, joins me to talk about David Mitchell's novel about stories, life, death, perception, rebirth, and reincarnation: Cloud Atlas. We also talk about the 2012 film version by Tom Twyker and the Wachowskis.Jayson's substack: https://jaysonyoung.substack.com/Listen to Mangaroos: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mangaroos/id1669595294?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=lt_pSupport the show2023-12-171h 26MangaroosEp. 27 - Witch Hat Atelier vol. 1, by Kamome ShirahamaDo you wear a hat with a brim or not? We explore this question and whether art is magic in this episode about Witch Hat Atelier! Discover which witch Mark and Jayson feel affinity for as we discuss plot elements maybe beyond volume one (but no spoilers). Give this a listen and find out what makes this manga so worthy of its many awards.Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-12-161h 13MangaroosEp. 26 - Witch Watch vol. 1, by Kenta ShinoharaThe time has finally come for Jayson to rave about his favorite current ongoing manga series! We all know how he feels about it, but what about everyone else? Is Witch Watch a subtle and hilarious love letter to manga as an art form? Or is it just I Dream of Genie in manga form? Ha! That question is impossible to answer unless you are a senior citizen, because no one under the age of 30 knows what I Dream of Genie even is! But regardless of your age, snuggle up and listen in, as we discuss this sweet, magical...2023-12-011h 01MangaroosEp. 25 - Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun vol. 1, by Tsubaki Izumi (feat. Minami Sakai)The fourth Mangaroo is back! We're always happy to have Minami Sakai drop by Mangaroos Mansion, because she provides us with hard-earned manga industry insider knowledge. And what better manga to apply that wisdom to than Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun? This is a comedy series known for its inside-baseball takes on Shojo manga tropes and the manga production process. In this episode, we learn about the art of Kishōtenketsu storytelling, sloppily dissect Japanese comedy styles, and witness a Shojo manga bromance blossoming before our very eyes. IMPORTANT NOTES: Minami mentions that the PV and MangaPark s...2023-11-241h 10MangaroosEp. 24 - A Bride's Story vol. 1, by Kaoru MoriIf you've never read A Bride's Story before, then throw all your preconceptions about it out the window. Unless one of those preconceptions is about it being an absolute masterpiece—keep that one. We're talking perfectly paced action scenes. Impeccable, intricate line work that recreates the craftsmanship of a bygone age. Historical fiction on a recognizably human scale. The inherent badassery of goat horns. Kaoru Mori is a genius.Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-11-131h 17MangaroosEp. 23 - Bleach vol. 1, by Tite KuboWe're back! This week we're discussing one of the so-called "Big Three" from the Shonen Jump boom of the early-2000s. Bleach is a rock and roll song in manga form. It's a battle manga with supernatural flair. It's a wildly incoherent blend of ideas and styles that somehow just works... For the most part!Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-11-061h 09MangaroosMangaroos season two is coming... soon-ish!A million thanks and hearts and sparkles to everyone who's listened to Mangaroos so far! We really appreciate every one of you. Speak to you again soon! And in the meantime... Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-10-1801 minMangaroosEp. 22 - Kininatteru Hito ga Otoko ja Nakatta vol. 1, by Sumiko AraiWE'RE BACK. Did you have a fun summer vacation? We did! And now we're back to discuss Kininatteru Hito ga Otoko ja Nakatta (The Guy She Liked Wasn't a Guy At All!) by Sumiko Arai, a Twitter sensation published in book form! (Twitter still existed when we recorded this episode.) This manga brings you the awkwardness of high school crushes, the importance of music to the teen psyche, and all of the lime green you can handle. Can its charm survive the transition from social media to the printed page?! Get in touch with us!Email: m...2023-08-211h 12MangaroosEp. 21 - Erio to Denki Ningyou (Erio and the Electric Doll) vol. 1, by Mujirushi Shimazaki and KuroimoriThe war against AI is over, and humanity is attempting to rebuild, having suffered devastating defeat. And what's crazy is, that's also the plot of this manga! Erio is a naive young woman with unusual electric powers, in a world where electricity is outlawed! She's in love with a heartless murder robot who depends on Erio for said electricity! It's a 1950s screwball comedy that looks like steampunk Hayao Miyazaki. Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-07-171h 10MangaroosEp. 20 - Kindergarten Wars vol. 1, by You ChibaA kindergarten for the children of the world's super-elite, where the staff are all ex-prisoner lethal assassins? What could possibly go wrong! Kindergarten Wars combines the unconventional work/life dynamics of Spy x Family with the over-the-top violence of Chainsaw Man, and throws in some shojo manga tropes for comedic effect. It's quite a combination, but how well does it work? Listen in to find out!BONUS: Stick around to the end, when the Roos reveal their favorite manga read for the show so far. Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.com2023-07-041h 20MangaroosEp. 19 - Usuzumi no Hate (Mission in the Apocalypse) vol. 1, by Haruo IwamuneWhat would YOU do if you were the only person left in society? Would you go looking for survivors with a weird little mouse creature as your companion? Eat super-spicy instant curry while driving around blasted-out cityscapes? Or just watch old movies on an endless loop? Come reflect on the fragility of existence and "a story of loneliness and beautiful ruins," and let's do some beautiful Rooin' of our own.Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-06-261h 07MangaroosEp. 18 - Parallel Leap Syndrome vol. 1, by Nobuyuki TakahashiScience fiction, romantic comedy, and slapstick cartoonery all co-exist in the same beautifully-drawn timeline, in Parallel Leap Syndrome by Nobuyuki Takahashi! What moment in your life would you return to, as many times as it took, just to get it right? Which tired old rom-com tropes need to be left in the past for good? Are you a Haruko or a Satoimo? Find out, alongside your favorite Mangaroo-yaros.Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-06-151h 07MangaroosEp. 17 - Tonari no Hyakkai Kenbunroku (Mysterious Encounters in My Neighbourhood) vol. 1, by Yoshiko WatanukiStep into the spirit world with us as we take a look at a brand-new series, Tonari no Hyakkai Kenbunroku, by Yoshiko Watanuki. Points discussed: creepy peach girl, wallets stolen by ghosts, neighbors and whether or not you're entirely sure they exist, falling in love with an older man, and the difference between true romance and fujoshi bait (it exists!). Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-06-091h 05MangaroosEp. 16 - Ajin: Demi-Human vol. 1, by Gamon Sakurai (and Tsuina Miura)Drawing motorcycle action this well is such a flex. In what may or may not be the last episode in our "thrillers" arc (we're not sure), we discuss Ajin: Demi-Human. Presenting a vision of immortality that can best be described as "badass," Ajin is a story about a select group of humans who cannot be killed, but can project "black ghosts" who, uh, look like cool creepy mummies and fight with balletic grace. And some of them can scream real loud? Channel your inner 14-year-old disaffected boy, and get lost in the turbulence with us.G...2023-06-0156 minMangaroosEp. 15 - My Home Hero vol. 1, by Naoki Yamakawa and Masashi AsakiExperience the kind of suspense that could only happen when a white collar, mystery-loving dad takes on the yakuza, in volume one of My Home Hero! What would you do if you found out your child was dating a violent criminal? How well would each Mangaroo deal with covering up a murder? And what's the deal with thought bubbles?Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-05-1658 minMangaroosEp. 14 - Blood on the Tracks vol. 1, by Shuzo OshimiThis week, it's all about deeply creepy mom stuff, as the Roos discuss the first volume of Shuzo Oshimi's psychological horror story, Blood on the Tracks. Also discussed: Gunma prefecture, Kyoko Fukada, passive dads, mystery insects, and sticky ickies.Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-05-061h 04MangaroosEp. 13 - Marathon Man vol. 1, by Masaharu InoueMark's bringing the nostalgia to our lives this week with Marathon Man, a manga from the early 90s by the iconic Masaharu Inoue. Can a deadbeat dad earn the respect (and custody) of his son by reclaiming his former marathon-running glory? Discussed: unequipping your party members in Final Fantasy IV, how to make dads cry, and accepting gifts from unknown relatives! This podcast has nothing to do with the 1976 American thriller film directed by John Schlesinger.Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-05-011h 10MangaroosEp. 12 - Haikyu!! vol. 1, by Haruichi FurudateHaikyu!! is one of the most beloved Shonen Jump properties in recent years, a consensus pick for the Best Sports Manga Hall of Fame, and easily the premier high school volleyball manga in history. But, is volume one any good? Listen in to find out, and stick around for hot takes on Little Giants, Wingless Crows, and what it takes to be a real tosser. Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-04-2156 minMangaroosEp. 11 - Dance Dance Danseur vol. 1, by George AsakuraGet enamored with the glamour! This week, we discuss a manga that captures the fluid grace and athleticism of ballet. But George Asakura's Dance Dance Danseur isn't only a visual spectacle! It addresses issues, too. What does it really mean to be "masculine"? How do the choices we make at a young age come to define who we are? Does Swan Lake even have a plot, and if so, what is it? Find out, along with the Roos!Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-04-1655 minMangaroosEp. 10 - Ooku: The Inner Chambers vol. 1, by Fumi Yoshinaga (feat. Minami Sakai)This week we're joined by the illustrious Minami Sakai, creator of 爆死して乙女ゲーに転生したので推しルートを攻略します！("I Bombed a Pull So Bad it Yeeted Me into an Otome Game, so I'm Gonna Clear My Best Boy's Route!")Fumi Yoshinaga's Ooku: The Inner Chambers offers an elegant and thought provoking first volume. What if the Tokugawa Shogunate had been run entirely by powerful women? How would society respond if three quarters of the male population was wiped out by a virulent disease? And why is working in corporate Japan surprisingly similar to being part of a harem? Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.com2023-04-091h 11MangaroosEp. 9 - Sayonara Sorcier vol. 1, by HozumiYou're familiar with the works of Vincent van Gogh, but are you aware of his younger brother, Theodorus? Well what better way to learn about both of them than a slice of life josei manga! This week the Mangaroos get educated. How much sensuality is appropriate when playing chess in public? Who or what was Tolouse-Lautrec? And what even is art anyway, man?Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-04-021h 02MangaroosEp. 8 (not 7) - Ya Boy Kongming! vol. 1, by Yuto Yotsuba and Ryo OgawaWhat happens when the celebrated Three Kingdoms statesman and military strategist Kongming is transported to the nightlife scene in modern-day Shibuya? A whole lot of nonsense, mostly, and some lovingly illustrated butts! Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-03-2356 minMangaroosEp. 7 - Space Pirate Captain Harlock vol. 1, by Leiji MatsumotoIt's a special episode this week, in celebration of a lost legend, Leiji Matsumoto. Leaving behind an immeasurable impact on the history of manga, Matsumoto is best known for his work in the 1970s, including Space Battleship Yamato and Galaxy Express 999. But we chose to spend time with perhaps his most enduring character, Captain Harlock (or Herlock, depending on who you ask). It's a surprising first volume in many ways, and as we found out, the 70s really were a different time. Join us as we discuss political progressiveness, lumpy drunken space hobos, and a Muppet-like bird with a...2023-03-181h 14MangaroosEp. 6 - Snowball Earth vol. 1, by Yuhiro TsujitsuguFreaky space monsters, a crash-landing on a frozen planet, and advice from a robot on how to make friends. What more do you need, really? This effervescent and Evangelion-inspired debut from Yuhiro Tsujitsugu is a chaotic blend of elements that just barely hangs together, and yet somehow, it works!Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-03-0953 minMangaroosEp. 5 - The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague vol. 1, by Miyuki TonogayaWe all have a crush on Fuyutsuki-san. That's all you really need to know! Also discussed: snow, office romance, and a surprising amount of folklore. Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-03-031h 00MangaroosEp. 4 - Black Night Parade vol. 1, by Hikaru NakamuraWhat's worse? Working a dead-end convenience store job, or being kidnapped by a creepy, faceless Santa demon and being forced to help ruin Christmas for children around the world? That's just one of the questions posed in this week's episode, in which we discuss Black Night Parade, by Hikaru Nakamura, of Saint Young Men fame! This manga was recently adapted into a live-action movie in Japan, and hey, there's no better time to discuss Christmas manga than late February, right!?Get in touch with us!Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.comEverywhere else: @mangaroos2023-02-241h 02