Author Archives: dakazu

Ya Boy Kongming!

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Ya Boy Kongming!

A manga about how famed strategist of the Three Kingdoms, Kongming, is reborn and sent from ancient China to modern day Japan where he helps a young singer become successful.

This is one of those collaboration ideas for manga that you get in a lot of the commercial manga from Kodansha but I’m all for this one. I love the Three Kingdoms and taking Kongming into modern Japan hilarious, dumb, and fun. There’s actually a really nice platonic relationship between Kongming and the struggling young singer Eiko. Watching Kongming reutilized his genius strategies to help Eiko succeed is just ridiculous enough to be entertaining.

Also huge props to whoever came up with the English title. Perfectly captures the mood of the Japanese title Paripi Koumei!

Available in English from Kodansha.

~dakazu

Gekikara Kachou

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Gekikara Kachou

A manga about a section manager who pretends to enjoy spicy to appeal to his hot food loving subordinate.

This is a decent food manga with a humorous premise. Watching the section manager sweat buckets while the subordinate smiles sadistically is the main gimmick of this series. I personally have no tolerance for spicy foods so the information about all the actual spicy dishes served at real restaurants around Japan is wasted on me. Also I don’t live in Japan.

Available to read online in Japanese on Pocket Magazine.

~dakazu

Funso Deshitara Hatta made

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Funso Deshitara Hatta made

A manga that follows geopolitical risk consultant Yuri Hatta as she travel around the world solving problems.

This is an interesting manga but I have some issues with it. Mostly that I’m too “smooth brained” to both understand the world issues Hatta solves and also to know if it’s real or bullshit Motohiro Den is making up. While I think it’s unique to make a manga about solving modern geopolitics but it’s a slippery slope if you’re misrepresenting current on-going issues. Unfortunately my limitations on Japanese vocabulary mean I can’t understand what’s going on most of the time. I wish there was an English version and that I could let Seamus read it for me. The opening chapter even has Hatta defeating a North Ireland white supremist as she worries about the results of Brexit.

Available to read online in Japanese on Comic Days.

~dakazu

362 – Triple Dip 54 – Uncle From Another World, Mieruko-chan, Eniale & Dewiela

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362 – Triple Dip 54 – Uncle From Another World, Mieruko-chan, Eniale & Dewiela

Ryan aka RUSH is back to fill in for Morgana and Seamus! He’s been reading Mashle: Magic and Muscles, Claymore, BEASTARS, BLAME!, World Trigger, and more to impress Darfox-sempai! Afterwards, Ryan helps us check out Uncle From Another World, Mieruko-chan, and Eniale & Dewiela for a Yen Press Triple Dip!!!

Save 20% off Manscaped products by using our discount code: MANGAMAC

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Maguro Shoujo

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Maguro Shoujo

A manga about a failed idol who gets sent to work on a tuna boat to payback the debt she accumulated.

This is a strange manga.

You follow the idol as she works alongside other cute girls as they go tuna fishing in treacherous oceans. There is a lot of fanservice of the girls being slimed by fish guts and other slimy stuff. Reading this manga felt like being exposed to Hideyuki Ishikawa’s eccentric fetish.

I’m not here to kink shame anyone. If this book appeals to them but since I was only interested in learning about tuna fishing, rereading Maguro Tosabune would probably be better for me.

~dakazu

Love After World Domination

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Love After World Domination

A manga about the leader of a sentai squad who secretly dates a villainess from the evil organization that’s trying to take over the world.

This is a really fun romantic comedy. The premise is not original but there are lots of good jokes about sentai shows are mixed in with a sweet romance between the hero and the villainess. The other characters among the sentai squad and evil organization are also a lot of fun. This is well written by Hiroshi Noda and really well drawn by Takahiro Wakamatsu. There’s an anime adaptation coming in 2022 which also looks great. Hopefully we’ll get an English release soon as well.

~dakazu

Donald Onsen Monogatari

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Donald Onsen Monogatari

A manga about how Donald Duck, José Carioca, and Panchito Pistoles get sent from America to Japan for an internship at a hot spring resort.

This is another strange Disney/Kodansha collaboration that’s similar to Tono-sama to Stitch. The story just follows Donald and his buddies as they learn lessons in service while working at the Japanese resort. It’s inoffensive but also nothing stands out to make it interesting. While I do really like Meru Okano‘s take on Disney characters, I’d rather see them working on a different project.

~dakazu

Silkscreen

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Silkscreen

A manga about a bittersweet romance between a lesbian and genderqueer teens.

We’ve discussed this on a previous episode.

I’m a fan of Isaki Uta‘s work and this doujinshi is another beautifully drawn short story. The theme of seeing another through a curtain works really well with these two characters. The flashback to their teenage breakup interspersed with them chatting as adults is especially well done. Highly recommended.

Available in English from Irodori Comics Lite!

~dakazu

Sa-Dou

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Sa-Dou

A manga that introduces different ways to enjoy sauna life.

This is such an interesting manga and yet another example of how subculture booms in Japan are directly represented in media. Currently in Japan, there is a surge of focus on how great saunas are. This manga follows a few characters as they introduce different saunas and stories related to the sauna-lifestyle and its benefits. Katsuki Tanaka‘s lighthearted art style works well with conveying the heat of saunas, the chill cooling of water baths, and the relaxation you get from resting in between on lounge chairs. This is good entertainment that effectively makes you want to try out a sauna and they’ve even adapted it into a Japanese drama.

~dakazu

Ousama Ranking

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Ousama Ranking

A manga about young prince Boji who despite being born weak and deaf, wants to become a king to enter into the world ranking of kings.

We’ve discussed this on a previous episode.

I absolutely love this manga. Sousuke Touno originally wanted to be a storybook artist and it shows. There’s such a simple design for the characters and the world that is very familiar to a fairy tale. I also love how so many characters are the exact opposite of what you would find in a fairy tale. One of the sweetest relationships is between prince Boji and his stepmother Healing. The anime will be starting fall 2021 and I’m really excited to see it!

Available in Japanese on Manga Back.

~dakazu