Claim OwnershipManga Tak
Subscribed: 7Played: 108
Subscribe
© 2025 Manga Tak
Description
A Weekly Manga Podcast where we discuss the finest 1st volumes of manga to help you chose your next favourite title and build your collection!
49 Episodes
Reverse
"Strange beasts and monsters, secret treasure hoards, undiscovered wealth... mystical places, unexplored frontiers... 'the mysterious unknown'... there's magic in such words... for those captivated by its spell... They are called 'Hunters'." Beginning with those captivating yet foreboding words, Yoshihiro Togashi's Hunter x Hunter has gone on to delight generations of Shonen readers over the course of its 27-year run. Renowned for its deconstruction of shonen tropes and infamous for its leng...
In the nostalgic labyrinth of Kowloon Walled City, realtor Reiko Kujirai stands out as a woman hungry for change in a place clinging to the past. Her colleague Hajime Kudou—stubborn, traditional, and oddly charming—represents everything she's trying to leave behind. As these opposites find themselves increasingly drawn together, something mysterious lurks beneath their budding connection, a secret that could make their romance impossible. Join Mat and special guest Georgie (aka Mainly.Manga)...
The Trouble Shooter agency doesn't just solve problems—they OBLITERATE them! Join us as we dive into Yuto Sano's adrenaline-pumping world of "Gokurakugai," where monster hunting isn't just a job, it's an art form. This week, Mat is joined once again by Lea to dissect what some consider to be the next big Shonen series! We'll be unpacking: the jaw-dropping artwork that leaps off every page, it's excellent characters and how in almost every frame, we see a flicker of classic shonen woven into ...
When a tyrant god's reign is prophesied to fall, does it herald salvation—or apocalypse? Three centuries ago, the God of Thunder committed the ultimate betrayal: murdering the Heavenly Emperor and seizing the throne of Tenkai for himself. His reign has brought nothing but darkness and cruelty to the celestial realm. Now, a lone stargazer's prophecy speaks of a being with the power to split the heavens asunder. Is this mysterious figure the long-awaited saviour who will free Tenkai from oppre...
The cops claim it. The Yakuza fight for it. Gangs and hoodlums bleed for it. But everyone in Treasure Town knows the truth: these streets belong to two orphaned kids named Black and White. Their legendary story, still hailed as manga royalty three decades later, isn't just about survival—it's about the soul of a city itself. This week, Mat welcomes acclaimed comic artist CROM (Raiders, Bird King) for a deep dive into Taiyō Matsumoto's urban masterpiece, Tekkonkinkreet. They'll unpack how thi...
Is Negi Haruba's dark take on sentai heroes a revolutionary deconstruction like 'The Boys,' or just another forgettable genre flip? This week, Mat welcomes back Zane Taichou from Undisputed Anime to dive deep into Kodansha's provocative manga sensation 'Go! Go! Loser Ranger!' Together, they unpack the series' subversive themes, examine whether those Garth Ennis comparisons hold water, analyze what makes the storytelling so captivating, and deliver their verdict on whether the anime's f...
What happens when you take a tale written by 'The God of Manga' and let the 'Master of Suspense' retell it? Well, you only get one of the greatest works of Manga ever written! On this week's episode, Mat is joined once again by his podcasting partner in. crime Tom, to talk about an undisputed masterpiece: PLUTO: Urasawa x Tezuka by Naoki Urasawa, published in English by Viz Media. This week there's no doubt in our minds: we want you to read this book if you haven't and we're going to tell you...
On this week's episode, Mat's joined by Pippa (aka StrawberryShojo), to talk about a Classic work of Historical Fiction / Shojo Manga, The Rose of Versailles by Riyoko Ikeda, published in English by Udon Entertainment. Join us as we talk about the book's place in history, scratch the surface of it's themes, and get sucked in by all of the drama! Suffice to say, it's a premium release of a classic work that's worth picking up! Join us to find out why! Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our ...
On this Manga Tak-ked On (i.e. a Bonus Episode), Mat is joined one again by Undisputed Anime's TsuTsuDae, to talk about his complete 180 on modern High School Shōjo Manga, Honey Lemon Soda by Mayu Murata, published in English by Yen Press. Join us as we get into a spoiler-tastic (upto Vol 6. from 00:04:00 on) episode where Tsu tells us where Honey Lemon Soda really put Shōjo sparkles in his eyes, and why Mat is now regretting talking to him, as it's been added back onto the 'to read' list as ...
On this week's episode, Mat's bacon is saved emergency guest TsuTsuDae of the Undisputed Anime Podcast, to talk about the long running Shonen classic, D.Gray-Man by Katsura Hoshino. Join us as we talk about the book's long history, how it balances mature themes with lighthearted moments, and get nostalgic for the bygone era where the local comic book shop dictated what you read... Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music! Find us on: X: Manga Tak Pod Bluesky: Manga Tak Pod Insta...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined by Fred Tornager to discuss a comic book about comedy: and the excellent Show-Ha Shoten! by Akinari Asakura & Takeshi Obata, published in English by Viz Media. Join us as we 'dissect the frog' of comedy, gush about Obata's artwork, then talk about what works and doesn't in the first volume of the 'Bakuman of Manzai Comedy'. Find the 'Unpacking Japan' episode Mat discusses in the intro with professional Manzai comedian, Nick-niisan, here. Thank...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined once again by Georgie to discuss the lastest work from two legendary Mangaka: Trillion Game by Riichiro Inagaki and Ryoichi Ikegami, published in English by Viz Media. Join us as we discuss the Mangaka's careers, how this series fumbles a little while finding it's feet, but how despite some of those early missteps ends up winning us over! Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music! Find us on: X: Manga Tak Pod Bluesky: Manga Tak Pod Instagram: ...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined once again by one half of the Undisputed Anime Podcast, TsuTsuDae, to talk about some modern High School Shōjo: Honey Lemon Soda by Mayu Murata! Join us as we talk about why the book didn't quite hit for us but how we see glimmers of hope in it's bubbly surface, how it measures up to similar books like Kimi Ni Todoke, and discuss the leading man's many, many hats... Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music! Find us on: X: Manga Tak Pod...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined once again joined by Ramzee to discuss Asadora! the latests book from 'The Master of Suspense' Naoki Urasawa. Join us as we talk about the book's themes of what it means to live, how a plucky young girl can embody the spirit of Japan, and how Urasawa's cartooning blends humour and tragedy to great effect! Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music! Find us on: X: Manga Tak Pod Bluesky: Manga Tak Pod Instagram: Manga Tak Pod
On this week's episode, Mat is joined once again by his podcasting partner in. crime Tom, to talk about one of our favourite manga, Trigun by Yasuhiro Nightow, recently re-published in english by Dark Horse Comics and getting the deluxe treatment it deserves! Join us as we discuss the various forms Trigun has taken over the years since it's debut in Monthly Shonen Captain almost 30 years ago, what makes a great Manga MC and how even if you're new to the world of Vash the Stampede, there's so...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined one again by Zane Taichou from Undisputed Anime, to talk about the latest title from Weekly Shonen Jump to receive an anime: Sakamoto Days by Yuto Suzuki Join us as we discuss how Hitmen never really get to retire, if we think the mash-up of Gag Manga and Action really work for us, and how sometimes the best works need to grow into their potential! Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music! Find us on: X: Manga Tak Pod Bluesky: Manga Tak...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined once again by LumRanmaYasha to discuss THE GREEN YURI aka The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't A Guy At All by Sumiko Arai Join us as we discuss the how the book blends together romance and music, how it's signature neon green is used for more than just branding, and find out exactly what it feels like to see yourself as 'the old man' character in a book about young love! Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music! Find us on: X: Manga Tak Pod ...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined once again by AC MacDonald, creator of Twistwood Tales, to discuss the wonderful, comedy manga CITY by Keiichi Arawi of Nichijou fame. Join us as we figure out our plans to relocate to a CITY where comedic characters live increasingly funny lives, dine at it's finest restaurants on a diet of tapas-like gags, before getting our serious faces on to discuss duck-lips and world building! A link for those curious to the Python Sheep Sketch discussed, a...
This week, Mat is joined by comic book creator and publisher Mitch Proctor (aka Bon Idle) to talk about the second of 'The Big Three' to grace the podcast: Bleach by Tite Kubo! Join us as we get into why we love the book, and the series, in general! We even get slightly off topic once or twice to discuss some other Shonen titles, demographics in general and even discover a perfectly British metaphor for anthology manga offerings! Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music! F...
This week, Mat is joined by Ida from Denmark's biggest Anime, Manga and Cosplaying convention, J-Popcon to talk about Adachitoka's Shonen smash hit Noragami: Stray God. Join us as we delve into a world of lost souls, Gods for hire and the things living in the spaces in-between! We also talk through our slightly conflicted feelings on the manga: how it managed to hook us without using conventional methods, it's interesting world building and the things that we think would make us stick around...
Mat is joined once again by AC (aka @ProdTally) to talk about another great work from Rumiko Takahashi: this time it's her short horror series, Mermaid Saga! Join us as we talk through the what makes a great 'immortal' story, how the book fairs compared to other classics of the genre in other mediums and why we won't be sharing any of the colour spreads on Instagram... Find the interview translated by Rumic World mentioned in the podcast here for further reading! Thanks to...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined once again by 'The Lord of Shojo' Georgie, to discuss the excellent Josei (?) skateboarding manga 'Sketchy' by Makihirochi, published in English by Kodansha. Join us as we discuss the best Melancholy Moments, how this book proves we need more MCs in their 30's, and why it's a book you can absolutely judge by it's cover, in an episode full of big cat energy. Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music! Find us on: X: Manga Tak Pod Bluesky: Manga Tak P...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined by Budjette Tan, writer of horror/crime komik Trese, to talk about 'The Summer Hikaru Died' by Mokumokuren. Join us as we discuss why we're both suckers for an intriguing book title, the wonders of being surprised by the unexpected and why we love a good use of sound effects to build tension! Find Budjette on BlueSky and Instagram here! Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music! Find us on: X: Manga Tak Pod Bluesky: Manga Tak Pod Instagram: Manga ...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined one again by the one and only Zane Taichou from Undisputed Anime, to talk about the next big thing in Weekly Shonen Jump: Kagurabachi by Takeru Hokazono, published in English by Viz Media! Join us as we discuss how Hokazono blends his love of Western Cinema and modern manga together, the buzz around this book from day 0, and whether or not the hype of it being 'one of the next tentpoles of Weekly Shonen Jump' was on the money or not! Thanks to Juliano Zu...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined by Maria Salgado to talk about the closest thing we'll likely ever get to an 'indie manga' in English: An Invitation From a Crab by Panpanya, published by Denpa! Join us as we talk about Panpanya's focus on vibes over story, how they create breath taking comics with mixed medium, and more importantly, how they create comics that are full of whimsey, nostalgia and maybe even a little loneliness! Find the Mangasplaining episode on the same book (includin...
Stop us if you've heard this one before, but this week Mat is joined once again Tom to talk about another classic manga: The Birth of Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki, published in english by Drawn and Quarterly. Join us as we talk about the Mizuki's incredible art style, his unique way of assembling a story and how in a book all about Kitaro, it's actually a rat-man who managed to steal our hearts! Find the NHK documentary talked about several times over the course of the pod here, and for non-Br...
A historical manga on Heliocentrism? Really? Well don't be alarmed dear listener, because there's more to this manga than meets the eye! This week, Mat is joined by storyteller / cartoonist Ramzee, to talk about the manga by Uoto that is the basis for the NHK/Netflix anime of the same name. Join us as we discuss this manga's seemingly unusual theme, how it uses science both as the story's engine and it's protagonist, and perhaps most shockingly of all, how you don't even need to like astrono...
A manga about intelligent machines replacing humans in the work force sounds like something brand new to reflect today's headlines: but what if I told you that My Name is Shingo was originally published in 1982? This week, Mat is joined by the Lord of Shojo, Georgie (aka @Mainly.Manga) to talk about a classic manga from Kazuo Umezu. Join us as we discuss how this book played with our expectations at every turn, how young love makes you walk into walls and why you should never let two graphic...
On this week's episode, we're dusting off another classic! Mat is joined by one again by Tom to talk about a seminal text of action / battle genre, Fist of the North Star. Written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara. Join us as we talk about the book's impact on Manga as a whole, including it's influence on works like Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and Berserk!, how hyper is the 'hyper violence' in the book, as well as discussing great eyebrows and many manly tears... Thanks to Juliano Zuca...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined by LumRanmaYasha to talk about a triple header of firsts for the podcast: Yuri, Food and Josei, with She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat by Sakaomi Yuzaki. Join us as we talk through the books representation of identity, how food is the perfect engine for emotional storytelling, not to mention how joyful it can be to see two people just chow down! (Sorry again about the audio hick-ups folks - it won't happen again!) Thanks to Juliano Zucareli...
Want to hear all about the Manga behind the hottest new Anime of the Fall 2024 line up? Well, look no further! Mat is joined by the hosts of The Undisputed Anime Podcast, ZaneTaichou AND TsuTsuDae to talk about one of our favourite current Manga titles, Dan Da Dan! Join us as we talk about the book's impact, how it blends incredible art and humour to tackle difficult subjects, not to mention getting into the weeds on how we view different creators and their creations... Thanks to Juliano Zuc...
Just in time for the launch of the new anime reboot from Mappa, Mat is joined once again by AC (aka @ProdTally) to talk about another of Rumiko Takahashi's works: this time it's the undisputed classic, Ranma 1/2! Join us as we talk through Ranma's cultural context and history, both in Japan and as one the trail blazing first manga to crack the Western market, how it differs from Urusei Yatsura, and more importantly, why it's such a beloved work the world over! Warning: Light Spoilers...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined by Christophe Galati to discuss Hayao Miyazaki's epic Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Originally published in the pages of Japan’s premier otaku magazine, Animage, Nausicaa is Miyazaki’s Manga Magnum opus. Like his movie of the same name, Nausicaa is the story of the titular princess from a small kingdom, who finds herself thrown into a war fought between rival nations over an ancient weapon. Set against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic...
On this week's episode, Mat is joined by Bar (aka InkByBar) to discuss Kodansha's epic football / soccer manga, Blue Lock. First published in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine back in 2018, Blue Lock, written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and drawn by Yusuke Nomura, is a Football Battle Royale mange in which to craft the world’s best striker, 300 Japanese high schoolers are asked to join the Blue Lock program in the hopes of producing the next top striker to help Japan win the World Cup. It’s an ins...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined by Nick (aka RetroBreak) to discuss Insomniacs After School by Makoto Ojiro. First published by Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirit, Insomniacs After School is a seinen manga by Makoto Ojiro. It's the story of Ganta Makami, an insomniac high school student who struggles socially thanks to his constant state of tiredness. His life changes one day when he stumbles across Isaki Magari, a fellow student and insomniac, napping in the school's ab...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined once again by Tom to discuss the classic Go Nagai horror manga, Devilman! After Toei Animation requested a lighter version of his manga, Demon Lord Dante, that could be turned into an anime, Go Nagai created Devilman. Given specific direction to make the manga darker, Nagai launched a more adult work in Kodansha’ Weekly Shōnen Magazine in 1972, just a month before the anime was due to air. Devilman is the story of Akira Fudo, a high school student ...
On this week's episode, I'm joined by my good friend, illustrator and graphic designer, Crystal to discuss Kaiju No. 8 by Naoya Matsumoto. First published digitally on Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ app, Kaiju No. 8 is a series written and illustrated by Naoya Matsumoto. It’s the story of Kafka Hibino, a kaiju-corpse cleanup guy who still dreams about making it into the Japan Defence Force, an elite military unit who eliminate the Kaiju that terrorise the country, to fulfil a childhood promi...
On this week's episode, I'm joined by Graphic Designer / Comic artist Jibé to discuss the classic manga The Ghost in The Shell by Masamune Shirow. Originally published from April 1989 to November 1990 in Kodansha’s Young Magazine, The Ghost in the Shell is considered a seminal work not only in the manga sphere, but as a foundational piece of the cyber punk genre. It is the tale of cyborg super agent Major Motoko Kusanagi and the Public Security Section 9 counter-cyberterrorist organisa...
On this week's episode, I'm joined by Lea from Faraos Cigarer in Copenhagen to discuss the excellent God Bless the Mistaken by Nakatani Nio! Originally published in ASCII Mediawork’s Dengeki Daioh magazine in Japan, God Bless the Mistaken is the 2021 follow up to Nakatani Nio’s incredibly popular Bloom Into You. Rather than Yuri romance though, God Bless the Mistaken is a sci-fi slice of life story in which Kon Wataya becomes a research assistant of his landlord, Kasane Himesaki, the world’s...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined (for real this time!) by Zane of the Undisputed Anime Podcast to chew the fat about Delicious in Dungeon by Ryōko Kui! Originally published in Enterbrain’s Harta magazine from 2014 to 2023, Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui is a manga that undoubtedly became the smash hit of the Spring 2024 anime season. The story follows a party of young adventurers determined to fight their way back through a dungeon to save a fallen comrade. There’s just one pro...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined once again by Tom to discuss the under rated single volume story by Akira Toriyama, Sand Land! Originally serialised in Shonen Jump between May and August of the year 2000, Akira Toriyama’s Sandland is a 14 chapter, single volume work set on a barren Earth where Demons and Humans co-exist. In this world, the only known water supply is controlled by a greedy king, so a sheriff called Rao enlists the help of Beelzebub and Thief to look for a lo...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined by the Tsu Tsu Dae, co-host of the Undisputed Anime Podcast to discuss our first Shōjo title, Orange! Launched in Shueshia’s Bessatsu Margaret magazine in March 2012, Orange is a manga by writer / artist Ichigo Takano. It's a story of teen angst, time travel and a the challenges of mental health. While the latter aren't your typical Shōjo plot points, Orange is considered to be a modern classic of the genre. Join us to hear why we both love t...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined by the AC MacDonald, creator of Twistwood Tales, to discuss the excellent Akane Banashi! Started in Shonen Jump back in February 2022, it's the story of a teenager who wants to become a Rakugo performer (aka a Rukugo-Ka) to prove the worth of her father's art after his explosion from the Arakawa school. Join us as we discuss why we both adore this manga, the joys of stories about stories and how the manga inspired Mat to seek out a real Rakugo per...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined once again by Tom to talk about one of our favourites: Fullmetal Alchemist. Launched in 2001 in Square Enix’s Monthly Shonen Gangan, Fullmetal Alchemist is a corner stone of early 2000’s shonen manga. It’s the story of Edward and Alphonse Elric, two brothers with a gift for alchemy, on a quest to find the philosophers stone to right the wrongs of their youth and restore their bodies after a failed attempt to bring their mother back to life using th...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined by Alex (aka snesdrunk) to talk about the wonderful Frieren: Beyond Journey's End by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe As the title suggest, the manga is the story of Frieren, the titular Elven mage, who at the beginning of the story has defeated the Demon King with her fellow adventures and brought peace to the land. But Frieren, being an elf, will long outlive the rest of her former party. Decades after their victory, at the funeral of one o...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined by Ian Sta. Maria (takbotikbalang) to talk about the excellent Battle Angel Alita by Yukito Kishiro! Originally published in Shueisha’s Business Jump from 1990 to 1995, Gunmu, or Battle Angel Alita as we know it in the West, is a Cyber Punk epic about an amnesiac female cyborg called Alita. Who after being revived by cyber doctor Daisuke Ido, sets off on a quest to uncover her forgotten past on the streets of Iron City. Join us as we chat about wh...
On this episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined by AC (aka ProdTally) to talk in depth about Rumiko Takahashi's Urusei Yatsura. It’s the story of Ataru Moroboshi, an extremely unlucky and lecherous guy who is randomly selected by a computer to face off against an alien race, known as the Oni, in a game of tag to prevent them taking over the world. His opponent? The daughter of their leader, the vivacious Lum. And that’s only the start of it! Join us as we chat about what we love abo...
Join us we set sail on a new podcasting adventure called Manga Tak! On this first episode, Mat talks with his long time podcasting partner Tom to discuss Eiichiro Oda's classic: One Piece! One Piece is the story of Monkey D. Luffy, a young man who embarks on a quest to seek out Gold Roger's ultimate treasure, the One Piece, and fulfil his dream to become the King of Pirates! Join us as we talk about one of our favourite Manga series' of all time and why we think that even if you're in...
On this pilot episode of Manga Tak, Mat is joined by Zane from Undisputed Anime to talk in depth about Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen Zero. The story follows Yuta, who is a high school student haunted by his childhood sweetheart, Rika. After a tragic accident, Rika is turned into special grade, vengeful curse that forces Yuta to keep his distance from everyone for fear of what she’ll do to them. After an incident at his old school, Yuta is taken in by Satoru Gojo and enrolled in Tokyo J...
Comments
Top Podcasts
The Best New Mark Levin Podcast Right Now - March 2025The Best New VINCE Podcast Right Now - March 2025The Best New Joe Rogan Experience Podcast Right Now - March 2025The Best New Sports Podcast Right Now - March 2025The Best New Business Podcast Right Now - March 2025The Best New News Podcast Right Now - March 2025The Best New Comedy Podcast Right Now - March 2025The Best New True Crime Podcast Right Now - March 2025
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States