Coming to you live from the Saizeriya in the heart of beautiful downtown Gunma! We're talking about one of the behemoths of Japanese pop culture, Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken), and yes we make all the requisite "you wa shock" jokes and "a-ta-ta-ta-ta" sound effects - don't worry. Also discussed: post-apocalypse bondage gear, Mad Max and it…

Magi is an endearing shonen adventure story with a charming little protagonist. It's got magical creatures, dungeon exploration straight out of a classic JRPG, and best-in-class reaction shots. It is also, somewhat inexplicably, the second flute-centric manga we've covered for the show. How did that happen? Get in touch with us! Email: mangaroospod…

With all the classic sports manga series that have come and gone over the years, it's a wonder that it's taken this long for a really great hockey series to hit the ice. And since Mangaroos is one-third Canadian, we're legally obligated to talk about it! We're giving Dogsred, by Satoru Noda, a five minute major penalty... for stealing our hearts! T…

FIRST: We had to pay tribute to the late Akira Toriyama. The world lost a true legend earlier this month. SECOND: Yasuhisa Hara's epic historical action series has been appearing in Weekly Young Jump since 2006, and it's a global sensation. Everyone you know either reads ONE PIECE, or Kingdom, or both. Even Japan's Princess, Akiko of Mikasa, is a s…

For fans of manga, Hiromu Arakawa needs no introduction. She's responsible for the mega-ultra-successful and popular Full Metal Alchemist, as well as the acclaimed Silver Spoon, among other works. Now, here comes Arakawa Sensei's latest series, Daemons of the Shadow Realm, to delight and bewilder us in equal measure. The first volume is a bit of a …

The Promised Neverland, by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu, begins with a simple question: What if an orphanage was also a factory farm that produced food for demonic otherworldly entities? As high concepts for shonen manga series go, that's about as compelling as they come. No wonder this series became a multimedia phenomenon in the waning days of t…

Atsushi Kaneko is an underground manga hero for a reason, revered around the world, and especially in Europe. EVOL is his wild, punk rock take on anti-super heroes and the decaying of our social fabric. In it, we find teens in mental institutions who are fed up with the hopeless world around them, heroes who uphold corrupt political agendas instead…

It's no secret that Takehiko Inoue is one of the undisputed masters of the manga art form, so it's about time we gave one of his works the Mangaroos treatment. Vagabond is an epic historical action manga, with some of the most gorgeous art to ever grace a page. It is violent and passionate and breathtaking. We discuss whether sexy cougar Okou is, i…

The English title of this book is To Your Eternity, but in Japanese it's called 不滅のあなたへ (Fumetsu no Anata e). Whatever you like to call it, Yoshitoki Oima's second hit series isn't quite like anything else, in any medium. The elevator pitch is impossible. Child meets immortal thing in the forest. Alien thing becomes all different stuff, including a…

Jaguar is an eccentric man with a shock of red hair, a heart full of passion, and a recorder (flute). He took Japan by storm in the early 2000s, and we are all richer for it, even if we don't realize why or how. In this life, you are either a guitar person or a recorder (flute) person. A hip hop ninja, the inherent hilarity to be found in earnestly…

Do you wear a hat with a brim or not? We explore this question and whether art is magic in this episode about Witch Hat Atelier! Discover which witch Mark and Jayson feel affinity for as we discuss plot elements maybe beyond volume one (but no spoilers). Give this a listen and find out what makes this manga so worthy of its many awards. Get in touc…

The time has finally come for Jayson to rave about his favorite current ongoing manga series! We all know how he feels about it, but what about everyone else? Is Witch Watch a subtle and hilarious love letter to manga as an art form? Or is it just I Dream of Genie in manga form? Ha! That question is impossible to answer unless you are a senior citi…

The fourth Mangaroo is back! We're always happy to have Minami Sakai drop by Mangaroos Mansion, because she provides us with hard-earned manga industry insider knowledge. And what better manga to apply that wisdom to than Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun? This is a comedy series known for its inside-baseball takes on Shojo manga tropes and the manga produ…

If you've never read A Bride's Story before, then throw all your preconceptions about it out the window. Unless one of those preconceptions is about it being an absolute masterpiece—keep that one. We're talking perfectly paced action scenes. Impeccable, intricate line work that recreates the craftsmanship of a bygone age. Historical fiction on a re…

We're back! This week we're discussing one of the so-called "Big Three" from the Shonen Jump boom of the early-2000s. Bleach is a rock and roll song in manga form. It's a battle manga with supernatural flair. It's a wildly incoherent blend of ideas and styles that somehow just works... For the most part! Get in touch with us! Email: mangaroospodcas…

WE'RE BACK. Did you have a fun summer vacation? We did! And now we're back to discuss Kininatteru Hito ga Otoko ja Nakatta (The Guy She Liked Wasn't a Guy At All!) by Sumiko Arai, a Twitter sensation published in book form! (Twitter still existed when we recorded this episode.) This manga brings you the awkwardness of high school crushes, the impor…

The war against AI is over, and humanity is attempting to rebuild, having suffered devastating defeat. And what's crazy is, that's also the plot of this manga! Erio is a naive young woman with unusual electric powers, in a world where electricity is outlawed! She's in love with a heartless murder robot who depends on Erio for said electricity! It's…

A kindergarten for the children of the world's super-elite, where the staff are all ex-prisoner lethal assassins? What could possibly go wrong! Kindergarten Wars combines the unconventional work/life dynamics of Spy x Family with the over-the-top violence of Chainsaw Man, and throws in some shojo manga tropes for comedic effect. It's quite a combin…

What would YOU do if you were the only person left in society? Would you go looking for survivors with a weird little mouse creature as your companion? Eat super-spicy instant curry while driving around blasted-out cityscapes? Or just watch old movies on an endless loop? Come reflect on the fragility of existence and "a story of loneliness and beau…

Science fiction, romantic comedy, and slapstick cartoonery all co-exist in the same beautifully-drawn timeline, in Parallel Leap Syndrome by Nobuyuki Takahashi! What moment in your life would you return to, as many times as it took, just to get it right? Which tired old rom-com tropes need to be left in the past for good? Are you a Haruko or a Sato…

Step into the spirit world with us as we take a look at a brand-new series, Tonari no Hyakkai Kenbunroku, by Yoshiko Watanuki. Points discussed: creepy peach girl, wallets stolen by ghosts, neighbors and whether or not you're entirely sure they exist, falling in love with an older man, and the difference between true romance and fujoshi bait (it ex…

Drawing motorcycle action this well is such a flex. In what may or may not be the last episode in our "thrillers" arc (we're not sure), we discuss Ajin: Demi-Human. Presenting a vision of immortality that can best be described as "badass," Ajin is a story about a select group of humans who cannot be killed, but can project "black ghosts" who, uh, l…

Experience the kind of suspense that could only happen when a white collar, mystery-loving dad takes on the yakuza, in volume one of My Home Hero! What would you do if you found out your child was dating a violent criminal? How well would each Mangaroo deal with covering up a murder? And what's the deal with thought bubbles? Get in touch with us! E…

This week, it's all about deeply creepy mom stuff, as the Roos discuss the first volume of Shuzo Oshimi's psychological horror story, Blood on the Tracks. Also discussed: Gunma prefecture, Kyoko Fukada, passive dads, mystery insects, and sticky ickies. Get in touch with us! Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.com Everywhere else: @mangaroos…

Mark's bringing the nostalgia to our lives this week with Marathon Man, a manga from the early 90s by the iconic Masaharu Inoue. Can a deadbeat dad earn the respect (and custody) of his son by reclaiming his former marathon-running glory? Discussed: unequipping your party members in Final Fantasy IV, how to make dads cry, and accepting gifts from u…

Haikyu!! is one of the most beloved Shonen Jump properties in recent years, a consensus pick for the Best Sports Manga Hall of Fame, and easily the premier high school volleyball manga in history. But, is volume one any good? Listen in to find out, and stick around for hot takes on Little Giants, Wingless Crows, and what it takes to be a real tosse…

Get enamored with the glamour! This week, we discuss a manga that captures the fluid grace and athleticism of ballet. But George Asakura's Dance Dance Danseur isn't only a visual spectacle! It addresses issues, too. What does it really mean to be "masculine"? How do the choices we make at a young age come to define who we are? Does Swan Lake even h…

This week we're joined by the illustrious Minami Sakai, creator of 爆死して乙女ゲーに転生したので推しルートを攻略します！("I Bombed a Pull So Bad it Yeeted Me into an Otome Game, so I'm Gonna Clear My Best Boy's Route!") Fumi Yoshinaga's Ooku: The Inner Chambers offers an elegant and thought provoking first volume. What if the Tokugawa Shogunate had been run entirely by powe…

You're familiar with the works of Vincent van Gogh, but are you aware of his younger brother, Theodorus? Well what better way to learn about both of them than a slice of life josei manga! This week the Mangaroos get educated. How much sensuality is appropriate when playing chess in public? Who or what was Tolouse-Lautrec? And what even is art anywa…

What happens when the celebrated Three Kingdoms statesman and military strategist Kongming is transported to the nightlife scene in modern-day Shibuya? A whole lot of nonsense, mostly, and some lovingly illustrated butts! Get in touch with us! Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.com Everywhere else: @mangaroos…

It's a special episode this week, in celebration of a lost legend, Leiji Matsumoto. Leaving behind an immeasurable impact on the history of manga, Matsumoto is best known for his work in the 1970s, including Space Battleship Yamato and Galaxy Express 999. But we chose to spend time with perhaps his most enduring character, Captain Harlock (or Herlo…

Freaky space monsters, a crash-landing on a frozen planet, and advice from a robot on how to make friends. What more do you need, really? This effervescent and Evangelion-inspired debut from Yuhiro Tsujitsugu is a chaotic blend of elements that just barely hangs together, and yet somehow, it works! Get in touch with us! Email: mangaroospodcast@gmai…

We all have a crush on Fuyutsuki-san. That's all you really need to know! Also discussed: snow, office romance, and a surprising amount of folklore. Get in touch with us! Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.com Everywhere else: @mangaroosद्वारा Mangaroos

What's worse? Working a dead-end convenience store job, or being kidnapped by a creepy, faceless Santa demon and being forced to help ruin Christmas for children around the world? That's just one of the questions posed in this week's episode, in which we discuss Black Night Parade, by Hikaru Nakamura, of Saint Young Men fame! This manga was recentl…

This week the Mangaroos discuss growing up on a tiny island, making manga about manga, and whether they are or are not three high school girls following their dreams! Kono podcast ga sugoi! Get in touch with us! Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.com Everywhere else: @mangaroosद्वारा Mangaroos

In this second, much better sounding episode of Mangaroos, we discuss the hilarious and sometimes surreal Onna no Sono no Hoshi. Shirt collar trends? Drawing eyebrows on dogs?? Eternal Kaoru!?? This episode's got it all! Get in touch with us! Email: mangaroospodcast@gmail.com Everywhere else: @mangaroos…

In this, the very first episode of Mangaroos, we're starting with a big one. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. Sure, it's a global multimedia phenomenon now, but we're going back to where it all started: the first volume of the manga. Join us as we discuss Tanjiro's super sense of smell, Taisho era fashion trends, and Nezuko kicking a demon's head of…