Mangaroos

This 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.

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Mark'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.

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Haikyu!! 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.  

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Get 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!

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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? 

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You'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?

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What 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! 

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It'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 mysterious and tragic past. 

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Freaky 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!

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We 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. 

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