Manga Log

This week's manga log: "Descending Stories," written and illustrated by Haruko Kumota.  Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList):   Yotarou is a former yakuza member fresh out of prison and fixated on just one thing: rather than return to a life of crime, the young man aspires to take to the stage of Rakugo, a traditional Japanese form of comedic storytelling. Inspired during his incarceration by the performance of distinguished practitioner Yakumo Yuurakutei, he sets his mind on meeting the man who changed his life. After hearing Yotarou's desperate appeal for his mentorship, Yakumo is left with no choice but to accept his very first apprentice. As he eagerly begins his training, Yotarou meets Konatsu, an abrasive young woman who has been under Yakumo's care ever since her beloved father Sukeroku Yuurakutei, another prolific Rakugo performer, passed away. Through her hidden passion, Yotarou is drawn to Sukeroku's unique style of Rakugo despite learning under contrasting techniques. Upon seeing this, old memories and feelings return to Yakumo who reminisces about a much earlier time when he made a promise with his greatest rival.  Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is a story set in both the past and present, depicting the art of Rakugo, the relationships it creates, and the lives and hearts of those dedicated to keeping the unique form of storytelling alive. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.             Next series: “The Promised Neverland,” Pt. 3 [Final] Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "Nodame Cantabile," written and illustrated by Tomoko Ninomiya.  Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList):  Shinichi Chiaki, the perfectionist son of a famous pianist, is in his fourth year at Momogaoka College of Music, hoping to achieve his secret dream of being a conductor. His admiration for his father led him to pursue a career in music. As much as he wants to return to Europe, his phobia of flying traps him in Japan where he now lives. One night, he passes out, and ends up being taken in by Megumi "Nodame" Noda. Upon first glance, Nodame is a talented pianist, but she is also slobbish and eccentric. What's even worse is that she is his neighbor and he ends up forced to work with her. Though it sounds like a recipe for disaster, Chiaki is drawn to this girl who makes him remember the love for music he once held. Just what does the future hold for this musical duo?  Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.            Next series: "Descending Stories," written and illustrated by Haruko Kumota. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "Tsuredure Children," written and illustrated by Wakabayashi, Toshiya.  Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList):    Love is not simple. It is complicated, frustrating, often incomprehensible—and it is something that many high school students are all too familiar with. Love takes on countless forms, but it is an emotion common to different kinds of people: childhood friends, tsunderes, classmates, delinquents, and student council presidents. Love can also flourish between unlikely pairs who bury their feelings deep within them, making it harder and harder to say that one notorious phrase in the human language... "I love you." Tsurezure Children follows the journeys of numerous different couples and their romantic escapades. From the butterflies of a confession to the failed attempts at a first kiss, this story sheds light on the challenges and triumphs of young love. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.           Next series: Next series: "Nodame Cantabile," written and illustrated by Tomoko Ninomiya. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "Love Hina," written and illustrated by Akamatsu, Ken. Description (courtesy of MangaDex):   Keitaro has had great difficulty getting into the university of his choice and no luck in meeting women. In a desperate effort to go into seclusion and study for his entrance exams, he volunteers to take over running his grandmother's hotel. His plans are ruined when he discovers that the "hotel" is actually an all-girls dormitory... and some serious distractions ensue. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.          Next series: "Tsuredure Children," written and illustrated by Wakabayashi, Toshiya. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "The Drops of God," written by Kibayashi, Shin, and illustrated by Okimoto, Shuu.  Description (courtesy of MangaDex):  The main character of the manga, a young man called Shizuku Kanzaki, discovers the beauty of wine after his father, a famous wine critic, dies and leaves an unusual will: a description of 12 wines he considers to be the best in the world, comparing them to Jesus Christ’s disciples. The first person to find these “disciples” will inherit the father’s wine collection, a contest that pits Shizuku against his adoptive brother, Issey Tomine, who works as a wine critic. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.         Next series: "Love Hina," written and illustrated by Akamatsu, Ken. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "Golden Kamuy," written and illustrated by Noda, Satoru.  Description (courtesy of MangaDex):    In the early twentieth century, Russo-Japanese War veteran Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto scratches out a meager existence during the postwar gold rush in the wilderness of Hokkaido. When he stumbles across a map to a fortune in hidden Ainu gold, he sets off on a treacherous quest to find it. But Sugimoto is not the only interested party, and everyone who knows about the gold will kill to possess it! Faced with the harsh conditions of the northern wilderness, ruthless criminals and rogue Japanese soldiers, Sugimoto will need all his skills and luck—and the help of an Ainu girl named Asirpa—to survive. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.        Next series: "The Drops of God," written by Kibayashi, Shin, and illustrated by Okimoto, Shuu. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "Shinobi Life," written and illustrated by Konami, Shouko.     Description (courtesy of MangaDex):   Energetic and strong-willed, Beni doesn't care if she lives or dies as long as her death will result in embarrassing her arrogant father! But one day, she suddenly encounters Kagetora, a ninja who's fallen from the sky and swears complete loyalty to her -- as her bodyguard. Kagetora has time traveled from a long, long time ago, and has devoted his life to protecting Princess Beni. Little does Kagetora know that this Beni is not the real princess... Can true love and honor survive after a centuries-long time warp -- in a crazy modern world? Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.       Next series: "Golden Kamuy," written and illustrated by Noda, Satoru. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "Yona of the Dawn" follow-up episode.  Heavy spoilers up to the end of Volume 7 (or Chapter 41). This is also where the anime adaptation ends.  Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.       Next series:  "Shinobi Life," written and illustrated by Konami, Shouko Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "Beck," written and illustrated by Sakuishi, Harold.    Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList):  Yukio "Koyuki" Tanaka wasted away his middle school days listening to Japanese pop music and apathetically trudging through life—until a casual run-in with the enigmatic guitarist Ryuusuke "Ray" Minami. Through this encounter, Koyuki realizes what he has been missing all this time as Ray introduces him to western rock music and jumpstarts his desire to play guitar. Although various struggles plague his path to rock fame, Koyuki refuses to abandon the passion that gave his life purpose, balancing it together with school, work, and friends. Beck tells the story of the love and trial that accompanies pursuing a professional career in music as Koyuki and Ray work toward realizing the guitarist's dream of the ultimate band. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.       Next series: Yona of the Dawn Pt. 2   Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "Demon Slayer," written and illustrated by Gotoge, Koyoharu.   Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList): Ever since the death of his father, the burden of supporting the family has fallen upon Tanjirou Kamado's shoulders. Though living impoverished on a remote mountain, the Kamado family are able to enjoy a relatively peaceful and happy life. One day, Tanjirou decides to go down to the local village to make a little money selling charcoal. On his way back, night falls, forcing Tanjirou to take shelter in the house of a strange man, who warns him of the existence of flesh-eating demons that lurk in the woods at night. When he finally arrives back home the next day, he is met with a horrifying sight—his whole family has been slaughtered. Worse still, the sole survivor is his sister Nezuko, who has been turned into a bloodthirsty demon. Consumed by rage and hatred, Tanjirou swears to avenge his family and stay by his only remaining sibling. Alongside the mysterious group calling themselves the Demon Slayer Corps, Tanjirou will do whatever it takes to slay the demons and protect the remnants of his beloved sister's humanity. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.      Next series: Yona of the Dawn Pt. 2  Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

Re-upload. Sorry, this originally had show notes but I had to delete the episode that went live and repost it. I was working this through my phone and wasn’t about to re-type all of the notes on my small keyboard LOL. Technical difficulties stink :( --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "Land of the Lustrous," written and illustrated by Haruko Ichikawa.  Description (courtesy of Wikipedia):     Land of the Lustrous is set in a far, distant future where the Earth had been struck six times by meteorites, ravaging it in the process. All of the remaining land was reduced to a single coast, whereas nearly all life was destroyed. Over vast stretches of time, a new race of sentient lifeforms emerged; immortal jewels that take the form of people. Phosphophyllite (Phos) is weak (with one of the lowest hardnesses) and considered useless by their peers. Phos asks their aloof but wise colleague Cinnabar for help after they receive an assignment to create a natural history encyclopedia, thus beginning their friendship and personal growth. Meanwhile, the "jewel people" are at war with the Lunarians (Moon people) who want to take advantage of their luxury value. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.     Next series: Inuyashiki Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

Hey guys! Just letting you know I’m safe and sorry for leaving you in the dark for so long! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "The Promised Neverland" follow-up episode. Heavy spoilers up to the end of Volume 12 (or Chapter 106). Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.      Next series:  "Land of the Lustrous," written and illustrated by Haruko Ichikawa.  Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

Important. Please listen. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

Returning in January. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "Cardcaptor Sakura," written and illustrated by the manga group Clamp. Description (courtesy of MAL):    Sakura Kinomoto is your garden-variety ten-year-old fourth grader, until one day, she stumbles upon a mysterious book containing a set of cards. Unfortunately, she has little time to divine what the cards mean because she accidentally stirs up a magical gust of wind and unintentionally scatters the cards all over the world. Suddenly awakened from the book, the Beast of the Seal, Keroberos (nicknamed Kero-chan), tells Sakura that she has released the mystical Clow Cards created by the sorcerer Clow Reed. The Cards are no ordinary playthings. Each of them possesses incredible powers, and because they like acting independently, Clow sealed all the Cards within a book. Now that the Cards are set free, they pose a grave danger upon the world, and it is up to Sakura to prevent the Cards from causing a catastrophe! Appointing Sakura the title of "the Cardcaptor" and granting her the Sealed Key, Keroberos tasks her with finding and recapturing all the Cards. Alongside her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji, and with Kero-chan's guidance, Sakura must learn to balance her new secret duty with the everyday troubles of a young girl involving love, family, and school, all while she takes flight on her magical adventures as Sakura the Cardcaptor. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.     Next series:  "Land of the Lustrous," written and illustrated by Haruko Ichikawa. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Flying Witch, written and illustrated by Chihiro Ishizuka.  Description (courtesy of MAL):   In the witches' tradition, when a practitioner turns 15, they must become independent and leave their home to study witchcraft. Makoto Kowata is one such apprentice witch who leaves her parents' home in Yokohama in pursuit of knowledge and training. Along with her companion Chito, a black cat familiar, they embark on a journey to Aomori, a region favored by witches due to its abundance of nature and affinity with magic. They begin their new life by living with Makoto's second cousins, Kei Kuramoto and his little sister Chinatsu.  While Makoto may seem to be attending high school like any other teenager, her whimsical and eccentric involvement with witchcraft sets her apart from others her age. From her encounter with an anthropomorphic dog fortune teller to the peculiar magic training she receives from her older sister Akane, Makoto's peaceful everyday life is filled with the idiosyncrasies of witchcraft that she shares with her friends and family. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.    Next series: "Cardcaptor Sakura," written and illustrated by the manga group Clamp.    Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Sweetness & Lightning written and illustrated by Gido Amagakure.  Description (courtesy of MAL):  Since the death of his wife, Kouhei Inuzuka has been caring for his young daughter Tsumugi to the best of his abilities. However, with his lack of culinary knowledge and his busy job as a teacher, he is left relying on ready-made meals from convenience stores to feed the little girl. Frustrated at his own incapability to provide a fresh, nutritious meal for his daughter, Kouhei takes up an offer from his student, Kotori Iida, to come have dinner at her family's restaurant. But on their very first visit, the father and daughter discover that the restaurant is often closed due to Kotori's mother being away for work and that Kotori often eats alone. After much pleading from his pupil, Kouhei decides to continue to go to the restaurant with Tsumugi to cook and share delicious homemade food with Kotori.   Amaama to Inazuma follows the heartwarming story of a caring father trying his hardest to make his adorable little daughter happy, while exploring the meanings and values behind cooking, family, and the warm meals at home that are often taken for granted. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.   Next series: "Flying Witch," written and illustrated by Ishizuka, Chihiro.   Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Vinland Saga, written and illustrated by Makoto Yukimura. Description (courtesy of MAL):  Young Thorfinn grew up listening to the stories of old sailors that had traveled the ocean and reached the place of legend, Vinland. It's said to be warm and fertile, a place where there would be no need for fighting—not at all like the frozen village in Iceland where he was born, and certainly not like his current life as a mercenary. War is his home now. Though his father once told him, "You have no enemies, nobody does. There is nobody who it's okay to hurt," as he grew, Thorfinn knew that nothing was further from the truth.  The war between England and the Danes grows worse with each passing year. Death has become commonplace, and the viking mercenaries are loving every moment of it. Allying with either side will cause a massive swing in the balance of power, and the vikings are happy to make names for themselves and take any spoils they earn along the way. Among the chaos, Thorfinn must take his revenge and kill the man who murdered his father, Askeladd. The only paradise for the vikings, it seems, is the era of war and death that rages on. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.  Next series: "Sweetness and Lightning," written and illustrated by Gido Amagakure.  Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "The Ghost in the Shell" written and illustrated by Shirow, Masamune.  Description (courtesy of MAL): In a near future, technology has firmly taken root into society at large. Cybernetic implants are nothing uncommon and robots roam as plentiful as humans, all connected through their ''ghosts'' to the electronic datastreams of the net. Major Motoko Kusanagi and the Public Security Section 9 find themselves in a constant battle with the newly created wave of technological terrorists and cyber-hackers. But things take a turn once Motoko gets involved in a certain case involving an extremely dangerous ''ghost''hacker nicknamed the Puppeteer, as she dives deeper and deeper into the limitless reality of the net, to reach her own startling conclusions.  Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: "Vinland Saga," written and illustrated by Makoto Yukimura. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: "Blade of the Immortal" written and illustrated by Hiroaki Samura.   Description (courtesy of Amazon):   A cursed, seemingly immortal warrior aids a young girl in her quest for revenge, as the students of a brutal new sword school tear a bloody path across Japan. Hiroaki Samura's massive manga series spawned an anime run, a spinoff novel, an art book, and a live-action film! Samura's storytelling tour-de-force also won Japan's Media Arts Award, several British Eagle Awards, and an Eisner Award, among other international accolades. Intense and audacious, Blade takes period samurai action and deftly combines it with a modernist street idiom to create a style and mood like no other work of graphic fiction. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.   Next series: Ghost in the Shell Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Beastars, written and illustrated by Paru Itagaki. Description (courtesy of Wikipedia): The story takes place in a world of modern, civilized, anthropomorphic animals with a cultural divide between the carnivores and herbivores. The series takes its name from the in-universe rank of Beastar, an individual of great talent, service, and notoriety. Legoshi, a large gray wolf, is a timid and quiet student of Cherryton Academy where he lives in a dorm with several other carnivorous students including his outgoing Labrador friend, Jack. As a member of the school's drama club, Legoshi works as a stagehand and supports the actors of the club headed by the star pupil Louis, a red deer. Out of nowhere, someone is brutally murdered and devoured in the night setting a wave of unease and distrust between the herbivore and carnivore students. At the same time, Legoshi has a fateful encounter with Haru, a small dwarf rabbit, and begins developing complex feelings for her. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: "Blade of the Immortal" written and illustrated by Hiroaki Samura. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

The podcast is back! Next episode: Beastars. Oct. 4th. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

Returning in September (tentative). --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Drifting Dragons, written and illustrated by Taku Kuwabara.  Description (courtesy of Kodansha):  The draking vessel Quin Zaza soars through the skies, hunting dragons that hide in the clouds. A single big catch means full coffers and all the meat they can eat, while failure means an empty wallet and an even emptier stomach. Join us as we log the crew’s grand adventures, chasing dreams of the sky, dragons, and gourmet cooking! Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.  Next series: "Blade of the Immortal" written and illustrated by Hiroaki Samura. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: The Seven Deadly Sins, written and illustrated by Nakaba Suzuki.  Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList.net): The "Seven Deadly Sins," a group of evil knights who conspired to overthrow the kingdom of Britannia, were said to have been eradicated by the Holy Knights, although some claim that they still live. Ten years later, the Holy Knights have staged a Coup d'état and captured the king, becoming the new, tyrannical rulers of the kingdom. Elizabeth, the king's third daughter, sets out on a journey to find the "Seven Deadly Sins," and to enlist their help in taking back the kingdom. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: Drifting Dragons, written and illustrated by Taku Kuwabara. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Lone Wolf and Cub, written by Kazuo Koike, and illustrated by Goseki Kojima.  Description (courtesy of Wikipedia):    Lone Wolf and Cub chronicles the story of Ogami Ittō, the shōgun's executioner who uses a dōtanuki battle sword. Disgraced by false accusations from the Yagyū clan, he is forced to take the path of the assassin. Along with his three-year-old son, Daigorō, they seek revenge on the Yagyū clan and are known as "Lone Wolf and Cub". Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.      Next series: The Seven Deadly Sins, written and illustrated by Nakaba Suzuki.  Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Fruits Basket, written and illustrated by Natsuki Takaya.  Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList.net):   Tooru Honda is an orphan with nowhere to go but a tent in the woods, until the Souma family takes her in. However, the Souma family is no ordinary family, and they hide a grave secret: when they are hugged by someone of the opposite gender, they turn into animals from the Chinese Zodiac!  Now, Tooru must help Kyou and Yuki Souma hide their curse from their classmates, as well as her friends Arisa Uotani and Megumi Hanajima. As she is drawn further into the mysterious world of the Soumas, she meets more of the family, forging friendships along the way.  But this curse has caused much suffering; it has broken many Soumas. Despite this, Tooru may just be able to heal their hearts and soothe their souls. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.     Next series: Lone Wolf and Cub, written by Kazuo Koike, and illustrated by Goseki Kojima. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Grand Blue Dreaming, written by Kenji Inoue and illustrated by Kimitake Yoshioka.   Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList.net):  Among the seaside town of Izu's ocean waves and rays of shining sun, Iori Kitahara is just beginning his freshman year at Izu University. As he moves into his uncle's scuba diving shop, Grand Blue, he eagerly anticipates his dream college life, filled with beautiful girls and good friends. But things don't exactly go according to plan. Upon entering the shop, he encounters a group of rowdy, naked upperclassmen, who immediately coerce him into participating in their alcoholic activities. Though unwilling at first, Iori quickly gives in and becomes the heart and soul of the party. Unfortunately, this earns him the scorn of his cousin, Chisa Kotegawa, who walks in at precisely the wrong time. Undeterred, Iori still vows to realize his ideal college life, but will things go according to plan this time, or will his situation take yet another dive? Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.    Next series: Fruits Basket, written and illustrated by Natsuki Takaya. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Toriko, written and illustrated by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro.   Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList.net): Hamburgers that grow out of the ground like four-leaf clovers, mountain ranges carved out of ice cream, and warm servings of mac and cheese that stew deep within the stomachs of volcanoes fill the landscape. This world of delectable natural wonders has reached a prime age of exploration—the Gourmet Age! Citizens and chefs alike aspire to taste and prepare the finest dishes, while adventurers called "Gourmet Hunters" seek out delicious rare ingredients. Possessing a unique set of skills, the wild and passionate Gourmet Hunter Toriko is infamous for discovering 2% of all known ingredients. Together with his friend Komatsu—a highly skilled chef working at a five-star hotel—Toriko strives to complete his Full Course Menu of Life. But it isn’t going to be easy; in order to obtain the most delicious ingredients, Toriko must battle against obstacles like deadly monsters, evil organizations, and food itself!  Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.   Next series: Grand Blue Dreaming, written by Kenji Inoue and illustrated by Kimitake Yoshioka.  Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Blame!, written and illustrated by Tsutomu Nihei.   Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList.net): Killy is a man of few words. He wanders, seemingly endlessly, through a lonely, gargantuan labyrinth of concrete and steel, fighting off cyborgs and other futuristic nightmares, searching only for something called Net Terminal Genes. And he has a very powerful gun, which he uses without hesitation whenever anything resembling danger rears its ugly head. Who is this quiet, violent, determined man and what are these Genes he seeks? The small communities he finds tucked into the crevices of this towering, dystopic ruin hardly give him leads on his treasure, driving him to find larger enclaves of civilization where people can reveal more about the world he lives in and the quarry he seeks. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod.  Next series: Toriko, written and illustrated by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro.  Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Yona of the Dawn, written and illustrated by Mizuho Kusanagi. Description (courtesy of Amazon): Princess Yona lives an ideal life as the only princess of her kingdom. Doted on by her father, the king, and protected by her faithful guard Hak, she cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, Soo-won. But everything changes on her 16th birthday when she witnesses a loved one's murder! With Hak’s help, Yona flees the palace and struggles to survive while evading her enemy’s forces. But where will this displaced princess go when all the paths before her are uncertain? Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: Blame!, written and illustrated by Tsutomu Nihei.  Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: To Your Eternity, written and illustrated by Yoshitoki Ōima. Description (courtesy of Kodansha): A new manga from the creator of the acclaimed A Silent Voice, featuring intimate, emotional drama and an epic story spanning time and space, To Your Eternity is a totally unique and moving manga about death, life, reincarnation, and the nature of love. A lonely boy wandering the Arctic regions of North America meets a wolf, and the two become fast friends, depending on each other to survive the harsh environment. But the boy has a history, and the wolf is more than meets the eye as well … Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: Yona of the Dawn, written and illustrated by Kusanagi, Mizuho Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: We Never Learn, written and illustrated by Taishi Tsutsui.   Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList): His late father always said that a useless man should strive to be useful, so to that end, third-year high school student Nariyuki Yuiga dedicated himself to becoming a high-achieving student in his school, despite his history of poor grades. In order to give his destitute family a better life, his ultimate goal is to obtain the special VIP nomination, a prestigious scholarship covering all future university tuition fees. Although Nariyuki could feasibly be a shoe-in for the nomination, he is constantly overshadowed by classmates Rizu Ogata and Fumino Furuhashi in mathematics and literature, respectively. To his delight, Nariyuki receives the nomination, but there's a catch: he has to tutor his two star classmates, who are each hopelessly mediocre at the other’s subject of expertise! To make matters worse, the subjects they are horrible at are the same subjects they want to pursue for their future. As the time to submit university applications draws nearer, Nariyuki must find an effective tutoring method for the girls before it’s too late. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: To Your Eternity, written and illustrated by Yoshitoki Ōima. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku, written and illustrated by Kaku, Yuuji. Description (courtesy of Anime News Network): The manga centers on Gabimaru, once exalted as the strongest ninja, but who has now quit his trade, violating the laws of his village. After being captured, he claims he has nothing left to live for. However, due to his superhuman levels of training, he has inadvertently survived multiple executions, from attempts at beheading to burning at the stake. The executioner Sagiri Asaemon tells him that he has lingering attachment to life, and issues him a mission to win his acquittal: to find the elixir of immortality. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: We Never Learn, written and illustrated by Taishi Tsutsui.  Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Mushishi, written and illustrated by Urushibara, Yuki. Description (courtesy of Kodansha): Some live in the deep darkness behind your eyelids. Some eat silence. Some thoughtlessly kill. Some simply drive men mad. They are known as mushi—creatures that came into being shortly after life emerged from the primordial ooze. They still exist parallel to our own lives and can only be seen by a select few. As a mushishi, Ginko is one of the few who are aware of their existense, and this young man with a sardonic smile roams from place to place with the knowledge and skill to aid those unwittingly affected by mushi. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku, written and illustrated by Kaku, Yuuji Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, written by FUSE, illustrated by Taiki Kawakami, with character designs by Mitz Vah.  Description (courtesy of Kodansha): Mikami’s middle age hasn’t gone as he planned: He never found a girlfriend, he got stuck in a dead-end job, and he was abruptly stabbed to death in the street at 37. So when he wakes up in a new world straight out of a fantasy RPG, he’s disappointed but not exactly surprised to find that he’s not a knight or a wizard but a blind slime demon. But there are chances for even a slime to become a hero… Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: Mushishi, written and illustrated by Urushibara, Yuki.  Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Battle Angel Alita, written and illustrated by Yukito Kishiro. Description (courtesy of Wikipedia): The series is set in the post-apocalyptic future and focuses on Alita, a female cyborg who has lost all memories and is found in a junkyard by a cybernetics doctor who rebuilds and takes care of her. She discovers that there is one thing she remembers, the legendary cyborg martial art Panzer Kunst, which leads to her becoming a Hunter Warrior or bounty hunter. The story traces Alita's attempts to rediscover her past and the characters whose lives she impacts on her journey. The manga series is continued in Battle Angel Alita: Last Order and Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, written by FUSE, illustrated by Taiki Kawakami, with character designs by Mitz Vah. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Children of the Sea, written and illustrated by Daisuke Igarashi. Description (courtesy of VIZ): When Ruka was younger, she saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now she feels drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora. They were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea as she does. Ruka's dad and the other adults who work at the aquarium are only distantly aware of what the children are experiencing as they get caught up in the mystery of the worldwide disappearance of the oceans' fish. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: Battle Angel Alita, written and illustrated by Yukito Kishiro. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: One Piece, written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList): Gol D. Roger, a man referred to as the "Pirate King," is set to be executed by the World Government. But just before his demise, he confirms the existence of a great treasure, One Piece, located somewhere within the vast ocean known as the Grand Line. Announcing that One Piece can be claimed by anyone worthy enough to reach it, the Pirate King is executed and the Great Age of Pirates begins. Twenty-two years later, a young man by the name of Monkey D. Luffy is ready to embark on his own adventure, searching for One Piece and striving to become the new Pirate King. Armed with just a straw hat, a small boat, and an elastic body, he sets out on a fantastic journey to gather his own crew and a worthy ship that will take them across the Grand Line to claim the greatest status on the high seas. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: Children of the Sea, written and illustrated by Daisuke Igarashi. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Tomie, written and illustrated by Junji Ito. Description (courtesy of VIZ): Tomie Kawakami is a femme fatale with long black hair and a beauty mark just under her left eye. She can seduce nearly any man, and drive them to murder as well, even though the victim is often Tomie herself. While one lover seeks to keep her for himself, another grows terrified of the immortal succubus. But soon they realize that no matter how many times they kill her, the world will never be free of Tomie. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: One Piece, written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Sweet Blue Flowers, written and illustrated by Takako Shimura. Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList): Fumi Manjoume, an introverted, bookish teenage girl, is beginning her first year of high school at Matsuoka Girls' High School. She enters the school year with her heart broken by a previous relationship. At about the same time, she reconnects with her best friend from ten years ago, Akira Okudaira, who is now attending Fujigatani Girls' Academy as a first-year high school student. As they reconnect, they both deal with their own respective romantic problems, and help each other get through them. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, the podcast e-mail:mangalogpod@gmail.com, or the podcast Twitter @mangalogpod. Next series: Tomie, written and illustrated by Junji Ito. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Berserk, written by and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList): Guts, a former mercenary now known as the "Black Swordsman," is out for revenge. After a tumultuous childhood, he finally finds someone he respects and believes he can trust, only to have everything fall apart when this person takes away everything important to Guts for the purpose of fulfilling his own desires. Now marked for death, Guts becomes condemned to a fate in which he is relentlessly pursued by demonic beings. Setting out on a dreadful quest riddled with misfortune, Guts, armed with a massive sword and monstrous strength, will let nothing stop him, not even death itself, until he is finally able to take the head of the one who stripped him—and his loved one—of their humanity. Feel free to send your thoughts and questions via the Anchor app, or the podcast e-mail: mangalogpod@gmail.com. Next series: Sweet Blue Flowers, written and illustrated by Takako Shimura. Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Boruto - Naruto Next Generations, written by Ukyō Kodachi and illustrated by Mikio Ikemoto. Description (courtesy of VIZ): Naruto was a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief. He achieved his dream to become the greatest ninja in the village and his face sits atop the Hokage monument. But this is not his story... A new generation of ninja are ready to take the stage, led by Naruto's own son, Boruto! My podcast e-mail will be created soon, but for now, please feel free to send your thoughts via the Anchor app! Next series: Berserk Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Dragon Ball, written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama. Description (courtesy of VIZ): Before there was Dragon Ball Z, there was Akira Toriyama's action epic Dragon Ball, starring the younger version of Son Goku and all the other Dragon Ball Z heroes! Meet a naive young monkey-tailed boy named Goku, whose quiet life changes when he meets Bulma, a girl who is on a quest to collect seven "Dragon Balls." If she gathers them all, an incredibly powerful dragon will appear and grant her one wish. But the precious orbs are scattered all over the world, and Bulma needs Goku's help (and his super-strength)! With a magic staff for a weapon and a flying cloud for a ride, Goku sets out on the adventure of a lifetime... My podcast e-mail will be created soon, but for now, please feel free to send your thoughts via the Anchor app! Next series: Boruto - Naruto Next Generations Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Dr. Stone, written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Boichi. Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList): The science-fiction adventure follows two boys' struggle to revive humanity after a mysterious crisis has left everyone in the world turned to stone for several millennia. My podcast e-mail will be created soon, but for now, please feel free to send your thoughts via the Anchor app! Next week's series: Dragon Ball, by Akira Toriyama --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Tokyo Tarareba Girls, by Akiko Higashimura Description (courtesy of Kodansha): "I spent all my time wondering 'What if?' Then one day I woke up and I was 33." Rinko doesn't think she's that bad-looking, but before she knew it, she was thirtysomething and single. Now she wants to get married by the time the Tokyo Olympics rolls around in six years, but … that might be easier said than done! My podcast e-mail will be created soon, but for now, please feel free to send your thoughts via the Anchor app! Next week's series: Dr. Stone, by Riichiro Inagaki (writer) and Boichi (artist). Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Edens Zero, by Hiro Mashima Description (courtesy of Wikipedia): Edens Zero centers around Shiki Granbell, an orphan who is raised by sentient animatronics on a deserted theme park planet in the Sakura Cosmos. The park is visited by two space adventurers, Rebecca and her cat companion Happy, whom Shiki befriends while they are there recording videos for the video-sharing website B-Cube. Following this, Shiki joins Rebecca and Happy to explore the universe in the hope of making new friends for himself. My podcast e-mail will be created soon, but for now, please feel free to send your thoughts via the Anchor app! Next week's series: Tokyo Tarareba Girls, by Akiko Higashimura Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction, by Inio Asano. Description (courtesy of Amazon): It’s just an everyday apocalypse. Three years ago the aliens invaded Tokyo. Nothing was ever the same again. But after a while, even impending doom starts to feel ordinary. The Japan Self-Defense Forces are still looking for a way to combat the alien threat, but so far conventional weapons have had no effect. Maybe it’s time to try something unconventional. Meanwhile, Kadode Koyama and her best friend avidly track the aliens’ movements on social media and less enthusiastically study for college entrance exams. When the end of the world looms overhead, you learn to take things one step at a time. My podcast e-mail will be created soon, but for now, please feel free to send your thoughts via the Anchor app! Next week's series: Eden's Zero, by Hiro Mashima Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message

This week's manga log: The Promised Neverland. Description (courtesy of MyAnimeList): At Grace Field House, life couldn't be better for the orphans! Though they have no parents, together with the other kids and a kind Mama who cares for them, they form one big, happy family. No child is ever overlooked, especially since they are all adopted by the age of 12. Their daily lives involve rigorous tests, but afterward, they are allowed to play outside. There is only one rule they must obey: do not leave the orphanage. But one day, two top-scoring orphans, Emma and Norman, venture past the gate and unearth the horrifying reality behind their entire existence. ​With only a few months left to pull off an escape plan, the children must somehow change their predetermined fate. My podcast e-mail will be created soon, but for now, please feel free to send your thoughts via the Anchor app! Next week's series: Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction Music: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE. Please support him! (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uXHaVENo6E) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangalog/message