Manga Tak

Arboral Year 1294. It was an age when wars were fought over the spires. In the shadows of the battlefield lies one young boy, shunned by the mercenary troupe he accompanies because of a single horn growing from his head and bleeding out from a wound in battle, he desperately tries to sound the retreat... only for his song to unlock something within him he didn't know was possible. 

His name is Luca and he is one of the Branch-hexed. In a world plagued by war, all he wants is to stop using music as a tool for war and play for pleasure, but first he must help The Pontiff, the head of religion called Spiralism, defeat a mysterious power known only as The Garland. Does Luca have what it takes? And even if he succeeds, will The Pontiff keep his word?

On this week's episode, Mat is joined once again by SonMangaKing to chat about Vol. 1 of The Bugle Call: Song of War written by Mozuku Sora and illustrated by Higoro Toumori. Join us as we discuss the book's clear influences in other Seinen fantasy, how Luca's powers are used to dazzling effects on the page and why we'll be reading on with the story despite some initial apprehension! 

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Show Notes

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Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama

Berserk! by Kentaro Miura

Vagabond by Takehiko Inoue

Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura

Chainsaw Man by Tatsuki Fujimoto

Claymore by Norihiro Yagi

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Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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When the quirky green haired Yotsuba and her father, Yousuke Koiwai, move in next door, the Ayase family don't know what to think. What soon become apparent to them (and us as readers) though is that this little girl is a ray of sunshine who's childlike curiosity and ability to find wonder in the most mundane of subjects is an infectious sight to look up! 

This week, Mat is joined once again by AC MacDonald of Twistwood Tales to discuss Yotsuba&! by Kiyohiko Azuma. We discuss the Mangaka's past hit Azumanga Daioh and how Azuma's start in Yonkoma bleeds into his long form comic work, why this series is a masterclass in character writing, and why we think this series is a home made soup for the soul!

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Show Notes

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Find the interview with Kiyohiko Azuma on Mangabrog here.

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Manga / Comics

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Azumanga Daioh by Kitohiko Azuma 

Hunter x Hunter by Yoshihiro Togashi (listen to the previous pod here)

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Waterson

Garfield by Jim Davis

Wash It All Away by Mitsuru Hattori (listen to the previous pod here)

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Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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In a secret ninja village, a young orphan is ostracised by the people around him for an unknown reason. Determined to prove them all wrong, this young boy fights against all odds to surpass them all and become the greatest leader the villlage has ever known. His name is Naruto Usumaki and this is his story...

This week on Manga Tak, Mat is joined by professional chef Andrea Piras to serve up the last of the big 3: Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto. Join us as we discuss how we both discovered the book as kids, how we feel it compares to the other titles that make up the 'big 3' before asking the ultimate question: would we recommend this book to a young reader today?

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Show Notes

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The link to the Kishimoto interview referenced during the podcast via fanverse.

Follow Andrea's Copenhagen Pop-ups!

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Manga

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Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama

Dr. Slump by Akira Toriyama

My Hero Academia by Kōhei Horikoshi

Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami

Bleach by Tite Kubo

One Piece by Eiichiro Oda

Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata

Full Metal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa

Ghost In The Shell by Masamune Shirow

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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Yan's Trilogy concludes with it's exciting (orange) third volume, so Mat and Georgie (aka Mainly.Manga) jump on the mic to talk about Chang Sheng's latest work. 

Now the story's over, was it everything we hoped it would be? Was this super hero thrill ride all killer, no filler? Or did it stumble trying to keep so many plot points afloat? Listen along and find out!

Thanks again to Titan Manga for providing advanced reading copies of the book!

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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Music has the power to take it's listener on a journey, and whether it's a recording of a song in an unknown language, or a scratchy bootleg from a rooftop jam session, you can find it all at Miyama Records! Sit back, relax and join us as we take a record journey of our very own!

This week, Mat is joined once again by Georgie (aka Mainly.Manga) to discuss Record Journey by Ryoichiro Kezuka. Right from the off, we dive into the strengths of this book's art and it's anthology style story set up! From there, we weigh up the books pros and cons of it's nostalgic storytelling style, before getting into a list of other music manga we'd love to see make its way into print in English!

Thanks to Titan Manga for sending advanced copies of the book for review before it's May 26th release date!

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Show Notes

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Otomachi Record by Ryoichiro Kezuka

Wandering Island by Kenji Tsuruta

Kids on the Slope by Yuki Kodama

Boku Wa Beatles by Kaiji Kawaguchi & Tetsuo Fujii

Shiori Experience by Yuko Osada & Kazuya Machida

Blue Giant by Shinichi Ishizuka

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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A man with white hair in a long, brown overcoat wanders from place to place, offering help to problems with no clear solution. His name is Ginko and he is a Mushishi: someone wise in the ways of Mushi. What are Mushi? Beings beyond our comprehension, that can only be described as life in it's purest form. They sometimes unintentionally cause harm to humans, and so Mushishi wander Japan to offer aid..

This week, Mat is joined once again by Lea to discuss Mushishi by Yuki Urushibara. Join us as we discuss the differences between the original Del Rey editions and the new hardback collectors editions from Kodansha, how the book seamlessly blends melancholic vibes with slice of life storytelling, and how the stories somehow manage to be uplifting despite their similarities to campfire horror!

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Show Notes

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God Bless The Mistaken by Nio Nakatani

Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou by Hitoshi Ashinano

Suiiki by Yuki Urushibara

Wandering Island by Kenji Tsuruta

Kino's Journey by Keiichi Sigsawa and Kouhaku Kuroboshi

Girls' Last Tour by Tsukumizu

Touring After the Apocalypse by Sakae Saito 

The Apothecary Diaries by Hyūganatsu

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe

Pet Shop of Horrors by Matsuri Akino

The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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In the prestigious Rigarden School of magic, young wizards hone their skills with a wand, hoping one day to ascend to the world's greatest honour: becoming one of the Magia Vander - the protectors of all. But one young man, born without magical ability, is set to change that. Wielding a sword instead of a wand, young Will Serfort aims to take on the world, graduate with honours and sit beside his childhood companion, Elfaria, as part of the Magia Vander. But with no magical ability, can Will make the cut?

This week Mat is joined by Zane Reid from the Undisputed Anime podcast to talk about Wistoria: Wand and Sword by Fujino Ōmori and Toshi Aoi just in time for the anime's second season! Join us as we get into the book's obvious comparison points, it's incredible artwork and discuss at great length about how in a time of top tier fantasy manga, the world needs more B-tier books!

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Show Notes

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Mashle: Magic and Muscles by Hajime Kōmoto

Black Clover by Yūki Tabata

Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama

Witch Hat Aterlier by Kamome Shirahama

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe

Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui

Black Torch by Tsuyoshi Takaki 

Heart Gear by Tsuyoshi Takaki

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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Facing extinction, an alien race travels to Earth and decides to blend in amongst the population to rediscover the technological secrets it has lost. After scanning the planet's inhabitants and declaring it's rulers to be cats, they descend upon the planet... Mumu, one such invader finds himself in the home of Sakurako Umeyashiki, a freshman university student who's a bit of shut in. Together, the two become proud members of the Human Regeneration Study Group in order to understand technology better!

This week on Manga Tak, Mat is joined by Ginta1jm to discuss the sci-fi comedy/explainer manga Me and The Alien Mumu by Hiroki Miyashita. Join us as we deconstruct this book and put it back together again, talking about it's similarities to other explainer manga, how effective it's comedy can be and why this might just be the cat manga Mat's been searching for all his life!

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Show Notes

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Find Ginta's Tiktok here

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Manga

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Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue

Dr. Stone by Riichiro Inagaki & Boichi

Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction by Inio Asano

Mujina Into The Deep by Inio Asano

Set it and Forget it! by Kakaru, Kiri Tono & Five-star Rice Meister Rie Shibuya

Yotsuba&! by Kiyohiko Azuma

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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Ping Pong. For two young boys, Smile and Peco, it isn't just a game. For Peco, it's a way of life. For Smile, it's a way of keeping close to his childhood friend... but it soon becomes apparent that they both must walk their own paths in order to grow as players and as people. But with Peco so convinced he's invincible, and Smile not really invested in the game, will the two ever achieve their potential?

On this 100th episode, as requested by you, the audience, I'm joined once again by tattooist and comic book artist CROM to discuss the epic Ping Pong by Taiyō Matsumoto. Join us as we gush about the book, ruminate on it's characters and reflect on where this book falls on our personal listings of Matsumoto's work!

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Show Notes

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Interview with Matsumoto from 1995

Bird King Vol. 4 by Daniel Freedman & CROM 

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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Locker Loyed, one of the underground's best snipers, it forced to take early retirement after a job gone wrong. In the assassination industry, these things happen! Fortunately for Locker, his handler tells him that there's a support group for people like him, but as he soon learns maybe his past isn't quite done with him...

On this Manga Tak-ked On (i.e. a Bonus Episode), Mat is joined one again by Georgie to discuss the newly released Unemployed Killers Support Group by RIO, published in English by Titan Manga!

Join us as we give our quick takes on the book's unconventional take on hitmen, it's blend of dark and slapstick humour, as well as it's incredible art style! 

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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