319 – One Shot 32 – Tokyo Tarareba Girls Returns
This week we’re excited to return to the “what if?” ladies with Tokyo Tarareba Girls Returns! What has happened to Rinko, Kaori, and Koyuki since the ending of Tokyo Tarareba Girls? Akiko Higashimura gives us the answers with this sequel that the hosts have been dying to read!!!
Continue readingTime Paradox Ghostwriter
A manga about a talentless manga artist who ends up plagiarizing a god-tier manga sent from 10 years in the future.
We’ve discussed this on a previous episode.
The latest manga to debut in Weekly Shonen Jump and then end in 14 chapters. I feel bad for the writer Kenji Ichima but especially for the artist Tsunehiro Date. Date has not had success with any of his previous series of Cross Account or Tokyo Wonder Boys. Date is very talented and I was really impressed by their art of this series but unfortunately didn’t gain any popularity which lead to it’s cancellation. It joins the long list of series that have come and gone from the Weekly Shonen Jump lineup.
You can read it on Manga Plus while it’s still available.
~dakazu
Kitaro
A manga about the last survivor of the ghost tribe, Kitaro, and his adventures dealing with Japanese yokai.
Shigeru Mizuki‘s representative work. Mizuki adapted the Hakaba Kitaro character created by Masami Ito and Keiyo Tatsumi from his days doing kamishibai street theater. This series helped popularize monsters and creatures from Japanese folklore. It has been adapted into numerous anime adaptations and is well known in popular culture today. The original manga by Mizuki is still interesting to read today, albeit simple in story as it was intended for children. Revisiting Shigeru Mizuki‘s work always makes me appreciate his art work, especially considering he comes from the generation of manga artists who drew everything themselves.
Kitaro is iconic and still worth reading today. Collections are available in English from Drawn & Quarterly.
~dakazu
318.5 – Halloween Bonus Candy Taste Test
Happy Halloween everyone! We have a tasty bonus episode to end our October Extravaganza! Morgana, Darfox8, and dakazu taste a variety of Hawaiian favorite sweets like Li Hing Mui and also some of the worst rated candies as well!
Continue readingVenus in the Blind Spot
A collection of horror stories by Junji Ito.
We discussed this on a recent episode.
This book is the latest Junji Ito story collection put out by VIZ. I liked this collection better than Smashed: Junji Ito Story Collection as it has fan favorite stories of The Enigma of Amigara Fault and Human Chair. However the titular story didn’t have the same horror flair Ito is usually known for.
The other stories don’t quite stack up to the hits in Shiver: Junji Ito Selected Stories but this book also contains beautiful color pages that include illustrations from Ito’s adaptation of No Longer Human. Overall, this is another great book for Junji Ito fans to own.
~dakazu
Cat Eyed Boy
A manga about a strange cat eyed boy who is hated by humans and demons.
I rather enjoyed this manga! I liked how the titular cat eyed boy was morally grey and how is sometimes ambivalent towards the plight of humans. He even sides with the monsters if the humans are evil and deserve to be punished. I can see the appeal this series would have to young readers, as cat eyed boy isn’t your straight forward hero. Kazuo Umezu‘s monster designs are creepy and he does include violence but I wouldn’t say it’s extreme enough for a content warning. I’m glad this series is available from VIZ.
~dakazu
Fuan no Tane
A collection of short creepy stories.
We’ve discussed this on an older episode.
Here’s another horror series by Masaaki Nakayama. He did this prior to PTSD Radio but its almost exactly the same. Lots of 4-7 page shorts that end with a person coming face to face with a creepy looking apparition. I still find Nakayama’s work to be a little half-baked because they always end right after the confrontation and you don’t get to see the aftermath. I’m legitimately curious about tracking down a Masaaki Nakayama horror series that isn’t short form like this or PTSD Radio.
~dakazu
Blood on the Tracks
A thriller manga about a son who is obsessed with her son.
We’ve discussed this on a recent episode.
It’s great that Chi no Wadachi is now official available in English from Vertical! Shuzo Oshimi has created the slowest of slow burns that just builds dread without using any spoken dialogue. Oshimi’s use of subtle glances and closeups are enough to put you on edge as you turn each page! The story has gone into so crazy places that I can’t wait for English readers to experience. I highly recommend this book if you love tense thrillers!
~dakazu
318 – One Shot 31 – Venus in the Blind Spot
We’re wrapping up October Extravaganza with the master of manga horror himself, Junji Ito! We’re reviewing his latest collection of spooky stories in Venus in the Blind Spot! Join us as we discuss our favorite stories from the book and share our admiration for Ito himself!!!
Continue readingJagan wa Gachirin ni Tobu
A horror manga about a deadly giant owl called Minerva who can kill anyone just by looking at them. After the American government captures the owl and then it escapes, an old hunter is the only hope for survival as Minerva wreaks havoc upon Tokyo.
We’ve discussed this on a recent episode.
This is one of Kazuhiro Fujita‘s manga he did for a seinen magazine. Because it ran in Big Comic Spirits it doesn’t have his usual shonen action manga themes of friendship and courage. Instead, Fujita is able to focus solely on a some really amazing fights between the hunter and a truly horrific monster.
Minerva the giant owl is easily the best part of this book. The winged beast zips around the sky and it’s humongous eyes continuously cry bloody tears. Fujita does some great creepy moments by drawing characters reflected in Minerva’s eyes, showing that they’re in peril. I think this series stands up to Fujita’s most creepy content from Ushio and Tora. It’s a shame it’s not available officially.
~dakazu