Author Archives: dakazu

Neko wo Hirotta Hanashi

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Neko wo Hirotta Hanashi

A manga about a man who saves a cat-like creature that is probably a monster but he loves it anyway.

We’ve discussed this on a recent episode.

If ever there was a manga made for Morgana, this is it. The creature is both extremely cute and disturbing with it’s one eye, three legs, tentacle mouth, and sneezing tail. On top of all of that it’s the size of a bear. Despite all of that the creature loves its human owner and it’s just so sweet and wholesome.

This manga is horror, comedy, and iyashikei all at once and so very good. Atarou Terada has found a winning combination with this book. I love it.

Available to read online in Japanese on Comic Days.

~dakazu

363 – Triple Dip 55 – Dai Dark, Cat Eyed Boy, Otherside Picnic

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363 – Triple Dip 55 – Dai Dark, Cat Eyed Boy, Otherside Picnic

It’s time for another month of horror themed episodes for this year’s October Extravaganza! We’re kicking off Night One of the festivities with a Triple Dip on Dai Dark, Cat Eyed Boy, and Otherside Picnic! Also, dakazu reads another version of Kasane along with Taeko Uzuki’s newest book that was eighteen years in the making!!!

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Sawanabe Zombie

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Sawanabe Zombie

A manga about a man who becomes a zombie but retains his consciousness.

We’ve discussed this on a previous episode.

This is a great short story. The zombie genre is overplayed but Kakio Tsurukawa kept things entertaining with some really hilarious moments. Tsurukawa does not shy away from the violence so just be prepared for a good amount of gore.

Available in English digitally from Star Fruit Books.

~dakazu

BIBLIOMANIA

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BIBLIOMANIA

A manga about a young girl named Alice who awakens in a strange mansion and is told to stay in place by a strange being called Snake. As she traverses through the mansion looking for an escape, she encounters strange worlds created from the desires of the residents of each room.

We’ve discussed this on a previous episode.

This is just an absolutely stunning book. Some ideas here are not totally original but the execution is what brings everything together. The art by MACCHIRO is so well crafted and fascinating to look at and the unique worlds ORVAL created on the desires of various room residents are so interesting to read. A mix of science fiction storytelling and horrific visuals. I would compare this work to Tsutomu Nihei’s BLAME! as far as visual eye candy.

Available to read online in Japanese on KAI-YOU.

~dakazu

Shonen no Abyss

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Shonen no Abyss

A manga about a high school boy who lives a miserable existence in a small rural town he will never be able to leave. He recognizes the new employee at the convivence store is a idol he loves and she suggests they end their lives together.

This manga is dark and depressing! I suppose I should’ve expected that since this is Ryo Minenami‘s current series, and they don’t shy away from dreary themes. Minenami’s art and storytelling here is extremely effective and making you uncomfortable. It doesn’t help that almost every character presented is an awful human being. The awfulness of everyone actually separates it as fiction. It is so overly dramatic that it circles around from being humorous back to being miserable again. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who sensitive about suicide, mental health, or domestic and sexual abuse.

Available to read online in Japanese on Tonari no Young Jump.

~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