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April is for fools, so be sure to join Gee and Ray for this episode as we talk about the huge range of comedy manga! From gag series to 4-panel, sitcoms and the bizarre, humor can come in all types---but some is definitely more effective than others! Are poop jokes the peak of comedy, or overly crass? Just how many times can the same joke be told before it's dead?? We talk about series new and old, popular and forgotten, whilst answering all your questions!!

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And if you can't get enough of me, Gee, be sure to follow me on Twitter

This month we're spotlighting Gee's favourite mangaka: Fumi Yoshinaga!! From her humble beginnings as a BL artist, to the critically acclaimed Ooku: The Inner Chambers, All My Darling Daughters and What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Yoshinaga has spent her career writing beautifully imperfect characters, struggling, surviving and thriving in their lives. With her adoration of food, love of historical settings, and biting wit, there's a lot to love with her work. So join us as we discuss the many, many wonderful stories Yoshinaga has shared.

Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pictures and Twitter

And if you can't get enough of me, Gee, be sure to follow me on Twitter

February is here, and Ray and I are talking about the josei demographic! We're answering your questions about manga for women, and the many amazing series we've gotten in English over the years. From Princess Jellyfish to Haru's Curse, come discover your favourite new series about women being women (and everything that entails!!)

Series mentioned in this episode: Princess Jellyfish, Tokyo Tarareba Girls, Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey, Haru's Curse, My Broken Mariko, Ooku, My Darling Daughters, pink, Helter Skelter: Fashion Unforward, In Clothes Called Fat, Sakuran, Buffalo 5 Girls, Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen, Everybody's Getting Married, Between the Sheets, Descending Stories, Phantom Tales of the Night, Chihayafuru, Maiden Railways, Perfect World & Sweat and Soap

Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pictures and Twitter

And if you can't get enough of me, Gee, be sure to follow me on Twitter

@TalesofColor's question: - The Story of Saiunkoku - Princess Jellyfish, Akiko Higashimura - Maiden Railways, Asumiko Nakamura - All My Darling Daughters, Fumi Yoshinaga - Haru's Curse, Asuka Konishi - Perfect World, Rie Aruga

@lesbopymihys: Q1: - Kageki Shojo! The Curtain Rises, Kumiko Saiki Q2: - Kids on the Slope (Sakamichi no Apollon), Yuki Kodama - Chihayafuru, Yuki Suetsugu - A Savage God Reigns (Zankoku na Kami ga Shihaisuru), Moto Hagio - The Poe Clan: Dreams of Spring, Unicorn, and The Secret Garden (Poe no Ichizoku: Haru no Yume, Unicorn, Himitsu no Hanazono), Moto Hagio - Bou ga Ippon, Fumiko Takano

@365daysof801: Q1: - The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese/The Carp on the Chopping Block Jumps Twice, Setona Mizushiro - Fumi Yoshinaga (Ooku, Antique Bakery, etc) - Natsume Ono (ACCA 13, Ristorante Paradiso, etc) - Haruko Kumota (Descending Stories: Rakugo Shinju, Itoshi no Nekokke, etc) - JUNKO (Kiss Him, Not Me, Mr. Mini-Mart, etc)

Q2: - Helter Skelter and Pink, Kyoko Okazaki - In Clothes Called Fat, Moyoco Anno - All My Darling Daughters, Fumi Yoshinaga - Sakuran, Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen, Buffalo 5 Girls, Moyoco Anno - NANA, Paradise Kiss, Ai Yazawa - A, A', Otherworld Barbara, Moto Hagio - Ooku: The Inner Chambers, Fumi Yoshinaga  

@rinreadsmanga's question: - My Androgynous Boyfriend, Tamekou - A Sign of Affection, suu Morishita - Sweat and Soap, Kintetsu Yamada 

@LumRanmaYasha: Q1: - Akiko Higashimura (Princess Jellyfish, Tokyo Tarareba Girls, Blank Canvas) - Haruko Kumota (Descending Stories: Rakugo Shinjuu, Itoshi no Nekokke) - Moyoco Anno (Sakuran, In Clothes Called Fat, etc) - Kyoko Okazaki (Helter Skelter, Pink) Q2: - Phantom Tales of the Night, Matsuri - My Broken Mariko, Waka Hirako - With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child, Keiko Tobe - Everyone's Getting Married, Izumi Miyazono - An Incurable Case of Love, Maki Enjoji - Kaze Hikaru, Taeko Watanabe

@TakutoAnimeCafe: Q1: - Princess Jellyfish - All My Darling Daughters - Maiden Railways - Sakuran - In Clothes Called Fat - Haru's Curse - Paradise Kiss Q2: - Ooku - Descending Stories  

@cursed_kona question: - My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness, My Solo Exchange Diary, Nagata Kabi - Haru's Curse - Helter Skelter - Otherworld Barbara - My Broken Mariko - Erica Sakurazawa manga (esp. Between the Sheets)

@storiedshelves: Q1: - Haruko Kumota - Akiko Higashimura - Moyoco Anno (I meant her when I mentioned a calendar too lol whoops) - Mari Okazaki (Suppli) - Matsuri (Phantom Tales of the Night) - Moto Hagio (A Savage God Reigns) - Chica Umino (Honey and Clover, March Comes In Like a Lion which just got licensed thank you Denpa) - Fumi Yoshinaga Q2: - Chihayafuru - Perfect World - Everyone's Getting Married

Phosphophyllite is a little ditzy and direct, and wants nothing more to fight against the violent Lunarians who come to Earth to capture them and their friends. Unfortunately, Phos isn't that tough, literally, and can shatter under a strong breeze if not careful. So, under the direction of ever-calm Kongo-sensei, Phos starts writing a natural history of the land, which quickly steers them off course into learning the vast secrets of life for the Lustrous, and the truth behind the never-ending feud with the Lunarians. What happens when rocks have feelings? What truly makes us human? Welcome to this sensational sci-fi seinen series, where Haruko Ichikawa asks the existential, Land of the Lustrous. 

Joining us this episode is our wonderful guest Tales, to help us start the new year the best we can!!

Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pictures and Twitter

There were just SO many exciting new books to talk about this year, so  we've put together just a few of our favourites that didn't quite make  the list. All of these are still wonderful and worth the read!  

In this podcast we talk about:

And also mention:

Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pictures and Twitter

And if you can't get enough of me, Gee, be sure to follow me on Twitter

It's the end of the year, so that means Ray and I can spotlight some of our favorite new series from the past year!! From an exciting amount of romance manga, to the creepy horror of inhuman monsters, how many of our standout series did you read this year?

In this podcast we talk about:

Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pictures and Twitter

And if you can't get enough of me, Gee, be sure to follow me on Twitter

**TIMESTAMPS**

(0:00) Introduction

(4:53) @storiedshelves questions (unexpected favorites and licenses we're hoping for)

(22:29) Ray's No. 5

(28:25) Gee's No. 5

(37:02) @365daysof801 question (comfort reads)

(47:17) Gee's No. 4

(54:20) Ray's No. 4

(1:09:44) @dynamicdylan26 question (Yes, No, or Maybe and BL light novels) and top 5 of 2020

(1:13:07) Ray's No. 3

(1:28:15) Gee's No. 3

(1:35:58) @brainchild129 question (trends we'd like to die in the new year, and trends we'd like to see continue)

(1:43:25) Gee's No. 2

(1:53:50) Ray's No. 2

(2:08:31) @mommaluvsmanga top 5 of 2020

(2:10:59) @uchuushelf question (titles we're most excited for in 2021)

(2:15:07) Gee's No. 1

(2:28:45) Ray's No. 1

November is the month of giving thanks and eating food (and unfortunate  rewriting of Native American history), so for this episode we're doing  another creator spotlight: Natsume Ono!! How will her European aesthetic and love of baked goods translate on the page? And how many of her  titles have YOU read in English?  

In this podcast we talk about:

Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pictures and Twitter

And if you can't get enough of me, Gee, be sure to follow me on Twitter

November is the month of giving thanks and eating food (and unfortunate  rewriting of Native American history), so for this episode we're doing  another creator spotlight: Natsume Ono!! How will her European aesthetic  and love of baked goods translate on the page? And how many of her  titles have YOU read in English?

In this podcast we talk about:

Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pictures and Twitter

And if you can't get enough of me, Gee, be sure to follow me on Twitter

It's October yet again, so this month Ray and I will be covering the weird and wonderful world of horror manga!! From the popular to the niche, we talk about how much horror manga available in English, the history of the manga genre in Japan and some of the most influential titles. From the terrifying classic The Drifting Classroom, to the ever-expanding Higurashi: When They Cry franchise, be sure to give some of these spooky books a try 🎃

Commission your very own personal Shintaro Kago portrait here 

In this episode we talk about:

Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pictures and Twitter

And if you can't get enough of me, Gee, be sure to follow me on Twitter

**TIMESTAMPS**

(0:00) Introduction

(6:51) The Drifting Classroom, Kazuo Umezz

(25:30) Cat-Eyed Boy, Kazuo Umezz

(30:31) The Bride of Deimos, Etsuko Ikeda and Yuuho Ashibe

(40:18) Helter Skelter, Kyoko Okazaki

(50:08) Kasane, Daruma Matsuura

(54:53) PTSD Radio, Masaaki Nakayama

(59:23) Phantom Tales of the Night, Matsuri

(1:09:08) Higurashi: When They Cry/Umineko: When They Cry, Ryukishi07 and various artists

(1:14:23) Question Time!

This month Ray and I will be talking about the wonderful mangaka Yuhki  Kamatani, and their titles; both those available in English, and  Japanese only. Whether its the fast-paced action of Nabari no Ou, the  captivating care of growing up in Shonen Note, or the brilliantly nuanced and inclusive LGBT series Our Dreams at Dusk, Kamatani's works have capture people's attention in Japan and overseas for longer than  many may realise! Let us know your thoughts on this brilliant creator!!

Read Anime Feminist's article on Yuhki Kamatani

Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pictures and Twitter

And if you can't get enough of me, Gee, be sure to follow me on Twitter