Manga Tak

Ten hopeful candidates embark on a test to survive for 53 days aboard an abandoned space shuttle to earn themselves a place at the prestigious Cosmo Academy. However, once inside the airlock they realise something is amiss: they are now eleven. Can they put their suspicions aside in order to pass? Or will the threats they face cause them to give into despair and abandon the test, and with it, their chances of getting into the academy?

On this week's episode, Mat's joined not only by Georgie (aka Mainly.Manga) but also Pippa (aka StrawberryShojo) to talk about Moto Hagio's groundbreaking 1975 sci-fi shojo manga They Were 11! Join us as we discuss our feelings on sci-fi, the book's titular mystery, and, perhaps more importantly, it's core themes of gender and personhood!

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Show Notes:

Rachel Thorn interview with Moto Hagio.

Who is Björn Andrésen?

Death In Venice

Moto Hagio's other work in English: The Poe Clan - Otherworld Barbara - The Heart Of Thomas - A Drunken Dream - Lil' Leo

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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In a world populated by mechanical 'creatures' and humans, where the lines between man and man-made are blurred, a girl called Hyaku straddles the line between human and mechanical. Fuelled by rage, she is targeting the high profile krechs of the underworld to seek vengeance, and her stolen body parts! Will it ease her pain? And more importantly, in doing so, will she regain her humanity?

On this week's episode, Mat's joined once again by Tom to discuss Search and Destroy by Atsushi Kaneko, published by Fantagraphics in partnership with MSX! We get into our knowledge of the source material, Osamu Tezuka's Dororo, reflect on the nature of 'covers' and 'homages' to pre-existing works, as well as gush about the themes and incredible art on display in the book!

It's an episode not to be missed, and for the curious, the first chapter can be found online here for free!

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Show Notes - 

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Documentaries:

The Atsushi Kaneko Documentary from Archipel.

Podcasts:

Mangasplaining!

American Illustrators / Cartoonists:

Daniel Clowes

Charles Burns

Frank Kozik

Lowbrow Art

Mangaka:

Moto Hagio

Inio Asano (and Goodnight Pun Pun)

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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This is the story of Shuuko, Eika, Misaki and Shio: four best friends who share an apartment together in the heart of the city. While they might share a roof, they all face individual problems! For Shuuko, it's the societal pressure to get married, for Eika, it's how to climb the corporate ladder. Misaki's trying to figure out her situation-ship and Shio's in a panic about how to balance her work / life balance now she's become a freelancer. 

Is isn't easy being in your twenties, but at least they've got each other!

On this week's episode, Mat's joined once again by Tsutsudae of Undisputed Anime to discuss You Can't Live All on Your Own by Mizoko Tsuno. We get into how we feel about this first volume of the three part series, which of the women's stories most resinated with us and our hopes for Mizoko Tsuno's future after reading her first work!

Thanks to the folks at Tokyo Pop for providing a digital review copy of this book!

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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After the failure of his last project, Mr. Shiozawa quits his job as a Manga editor after 30 years and ponders his next move. But try as he might, the medium he loved, the calling he devoted his professional life to, has a hold on him that he isn't quite ready let go. Suddenly he finds himself deciding to put together 'the perfect manga' and to do so, he's going to need a little help...

This week on Manga Tak, Mat is joined by Dave 'Ziggy' Greene  (of Jam) to discuss Taiyō Matsumoto's Tokyo These Days. We scratch below the surface of the book to delve into it's metaphors, how we both found an unexpected connection to it's emotional core, and why it might just be the closest look you'll ever get at working in a creative field on a manga page.

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Show Note Links

Taiyō Matsumoto Interview from No. 5's Digital Publication (Mangasplaining)

Behind the scenes of Tokyo These Days (Mangasplaining)

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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On this Manga Tak-ked On (i.e. a Bonus Episode), Mat is joined one again by Georgie (aka Mainly.Manga) to talk more on Yan by Chang Sheng now that Volume 2 has dropped!

Join us as we discuss how our fears over volume 1's huge setups were mislead, the book's ability to ramp up an already action packed first volume, and honestly just how much enjoyed the middle instalment of this trilogy! 

Thanks once again to Titan Manga for sending us advanced copies of this book, available now wherever good comic books are sold!

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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In the year 2080, Christmas a thing of the past: declining birthrates have meant fewer children, changes in climate have distorted the seasons and the disappearance of Santa has relegated 'The Most Wonderful Time of the Year' to an ancient tradition. But on December 25th, the conditions have been met to break the curse robbing the world of old Saint Nick, with the death of Kazushige Sanda revives Santa for a new era! Can this descendant of Santa help Fuyumura find their missing classmate Ichie Ono? And more importantly, can he bring back Christmas to children the world over?

On this week's Manga Tak, Mat's joined one again by Georgie (aka Mainly.Manga) to talk about the latest work by Paru Itagaki, Sanda! We compare this latest madcap manga to Itagaki's other work, discuss why making Santa into a Shonen protagonist makes perfect sense and how it's tone strikes the perfect mix of Tim Burton and Roald Dahl! 

Thanks to Titan for providing advanced review copies! 

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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In a world where everyone has a 'quirk' the gives them super human abilities, a young boy called Izuku Midoriya who is born without one may have to give up on his dreams of becoming a super hero. That is until one day after trying to rescue a classmate, he is given the opportunity of a lifetime by the world's Number 1 Hero, All Might: Will Midoriya accept his quirk, a mysterious ability called 'One for All' and with it, the mantle of hero?

This week Mat's joined once again by Tom to discuss the Weekly Shonen Jump mega hit, My Hero Academia, as we gear up for the end of it's English print run and the final season of it's anime. We get into what works and doesn't, discussing it's obvious similarities to not only other Shonen Jump titles but also Western Super Heroes, as well as dissecting Horikoshi's cinematic eye and the series' on-target humour. 

Show Notes: 

A summary of the  Horikoshi x Kishimoto interview mentioned on the pod.

Tom's Website

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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Sometimes all it takes is a kiss to send you spiralling. Years after putting an unrequited college love behind her, Sayuri Terazono is a working professional at a prestigious company. Her life is forever changed one day when that girl from college, Risa Nakayama, shows up at Sayuri's office as a new hire in her team! And all it takes is one bold move from Risa makes Sayuri question everything: becayse while a kiss can send you spiralling, it can also be the key to open your heart.

This week, Mat is joined once again by Siddharth Gupta (aka LumRanmaYasha) of Manga Mavericks to discuss not on Senpai no Kohai, the excellent Yuri Doujinshi by Hanakage Alt, published by Red String, but their new venture: the exciting Manga Mavericks Books!

Join us as we take a look at this beautiful book: discussing not only it's Kickstarter origins and reprint, but delving deeper into how in roughly 100 pages, the book tells a complex story of a blossoming romance and really drills down into Sayuri and Risa's feeling to great effect. 

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Looking to read it ? Why not request a copy from your local comic shop? Or purchase one online from the following sites:

Print -

US  - Manga Mavericks Books / Merry Manga Co

EU - Sendai Books

CAN - The Beguiling 

Digital -

Manga Mavericks Books

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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Worn down by the daily grind of being a 40 something salary-man, Sasaki has found a cure to his working blues: the warm smile of Ms. Yamada at the local S Mart. However after arriving late one day after a grueling shift, he misses his chance to see Ms. Yamada, but somehow ends up behind called behind the super market for a smoke instead by 'Tayama' an employee he's never met before... or at least, so he thinks! 

This week Mat is joined once again by Georgie (aka mainly.manga) to discuss Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You by Jinushi, published in English by Square Enix. We clear the air about smoking as a plot device, why this isn't quite an age-gap romance and how despite a seemingly gloomy cover, what awaits inside the book is a charming comedy with endearing characters! 

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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At a loss after no longer being able to find delicious Guyabano juice in their local world food store, a plan is quickly hatched and travel booked. The location? The Philippines. The Goal? To hunt down, and devour, a Guyabano fruit. Guyabano Holiday, the titular story of Panpanya's story collection, is just one of the surreal and dreamlike short stories that await you, dear listener! 

This week, Mat is joined once again behind the brains behind Twistwood Tales, AC MacDonald, to discuss this wonderful collection of short stories! We try to define just what qualities make Panpanya's work so special, the grim prospects of eating Balut and how the childlike sense of whimsy is only intensified by their pencil, proxy character.

Show Notes.

Remember to listen to episode 24 for more Panpanya as I talk to Maria Salgado about Invitation From A Crab.

The Danish NYE tradition that is 'Dinner For One'.

The UK's 'Real Robot's Magazine.'

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!

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