496 – Manben Machinations 2 – Kazuhiro Fujita, Akiko Higashimura, Shin’ichi Sakamoto

496 – Manben Machinations 2 – Kazuhiro Fujita, Akiko Higashimura, Shin’ichi Sakamoto

This week we talk about SPY X FAMILY CODE: WHITE, She Likes Gays, but Not Me, Parasyte: The Grey, and more! Then, we examine three episodes of Manben to see how Kazuhiro Fujita, Akiko Higashimura, and Shin’ichi Sakamoto create manga!!!

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387 – Triple Dip 60 – Is Kichijoji the Only Place to Live?, Queen Emeraldas, Manga Diary of a Male Porn Star

387 – Triple Dip 60 – Is Kichijoji the Only Place to Live?, Queen Emeraldas, Manga Diary of a Male Porn Star

On this episode we discuss BEASTARS vol. 17, Kazuhiro Fujita’s new Black Museum series, and the end of Dr. STONE! Then it’s time for a truly eclectic Triple Dip with Is Kichijoji, the Only Place to Live?Manga Diary of a Male Porn Star, and Queen Emeraldas!!!

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380 – Recommendation Round-up 1 – Short Series

380 – Recommendation Round-up 1 – Short Series

Seamus was available this week so we’re switching up our schedule and doing a new show called Recommendation Round-up! We present short series that we think you should buy, such as Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s JourneyQueen EmeraldasCrocodile Baron, and more! dakazu also made a special quiz about Ryo Haneda’s Black Guard!!!

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318 – One Shot 31 – Venus in the Blind Spot

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!!!

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Jagan wa Gachirin ni Tobu

Jagan 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

Ushio and Tora

Ushio and Tora

A manga about the boy Ushio who releases the monster Tora from his imprisonment in his storage basement from the Beast Spear that grants humans incredible power in exchange for their soul. Now Ushio must battle demons while keeping Tora in check.

We’ve discussed this on an older episode.

An absolute masterpiece of shonen action horror manga from Kazuhiro Fujita. Fujita ends up cramming all his ideas into his debut series, for better and for worse. While some story arcs drag a bit, all of them contain amazingly horrific art work that still creeps me out today.

Unfortunately the manga has never been officially licensed but you can watch the excellent anime adaptation while praying for a release like Morgana does!

~dakazu

271 – Fantasy Magazine – Horror

271 – Fantasy Magazine – Horror

This week we launch our new format called Fantasy Magazine! Morgana, Darfox8, and dakazu have all drafted non-licensed or out-of-print series to create their ultimate horror-themed manga magazine! Listen in as we present our picks of Petshop of HorrorsDai Dark, and Jisatsutou and then debate whether or not they fall under the category of horror!!!

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270 – One Shot 25 – The Ghost and the Lady

270 – One Shot 25 – The Ghost and the Lady

On this episode Morgana loves the wholesome Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World while dakazu reads Nagata Kabi’s newest book and absolutely hates the illogical Kunihachibu. We also discuss updates to piracy litigation and Japanese censorship laws. Finally, we dive into Kazuhiro Fujita’s historical ghost story about the Man in Grey and Florence Nightingale in The Ghost and the Lady!!!

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Karakuri Circus

Karakuri Circus

I’ve been re-reading this classic shonen adventure series by Kazuhiro Fujita. It’s a damn shame that they’re skipping over so much of the story with the current anime adaptation but it’s also fascinating to see how they decided which scenes to include and piece together. I’m just really bummed what they did with Lise and now she’s just there with the Nakamachi circus without an introduction. It reminds me how jarring Hakyuu Houshin Engi was earlier this year.

Still a fantastic series that gets me every time.

~dakazu

215 – Ode to Kirihito part 2

215 – Ode to Kirihito part 2

This week we wrap up our Retrospective review of Ode to Kirihito by Osamu Tezuka!

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