Shojo & Tell: A Manga Podcast

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Preview Guide 5: Fushigi Yugi: Byakko Senki Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

This is a review of Fushigi Yugi: Byakko Senki volume 1, a new series by Yuu Watase that's going to be released by Viz.

Whether you've read the original Fushigi Yugi and Genbu Kaiden or not, you should be hype for the latest (and last) installment in Yuu Watase's beloved series. Byakko Senki is set slightly after Genbu Kaiden and follows Suzuno as she struggles with the sudden loss of her parents and being the destined priestess inside The Universe of the Four Gods. Fushigi Yugi has always been dark, but this first volume is the heaviest of the series yet. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and her boytoy Asher run through all the heavy events of this volume and about what they're excited to see in the future. (Which brother is Tatara?!?!)

REFERENCES

Fushigi Yugi: Byakko Senki volume 1 is being released by Viz Media's Shojo Beat line in August 2020. Please note that at this time, the series is on hiatus and no other volumes exist.
Watase has come out as x-gender, which is a nonbinary gender. The Shojo Beat Tumblr says Watase's pronouns are still she/hers. (We sometimes used "they" in the podcast.)
It's interesting to read this after having just covered Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time
Mentions:
- Previous Fushigi Yugi series (obviously; beware of spoilers!)
- Arata: The Legend, Watase's shonen series
- Redwall
- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
- The Chronicles of Narnia
Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT US

Asher on Archive of Our Own: dashery
Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

Haruka Pt. 2 (with Asher Sofman) Jul 16, 2020

Show notes

Covers volumes 10–17 of Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time by Tohko Mizuno.

We’re back to discuss the second half of Haruka, a manga series based on one of the earliest otome game franchises. Suddenly, the story remembers it’s a romance, and all eight of the guardians realize they're vying for the priestess Akane’s heart. And she starts to see all of them as the sexy menfolk they are. (Except Yasuaki, who is still the best. But he's a golem (or is he a homunculus?), so we get it.) Shojo & Tell host Ashley and her boytoy Asher discuss Yorihisa and Akane’s relationship and the representation of the Demon Clan and gush about their favorite characters. Thanks to the two people who listen to this episode! You know who you are.

REFERENCES

The Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time manga is out of print (published in English by Viz Media's Shojo Beat line), and the games were never brought over for English audiences. You can watch the anime legally on Tubi, though. (Watch at least the opening theme song! It's really dope.)
Haruka is essentially an inferior Fushigi Yugi
Haruka is mainly an otome game franchise. Read Anime Feminist's article that's a beginner's guide to otome games.
Ashley watched the Haruka anime back in the day because Tenma and Yorihisa shared voice actors with Van and Allen from The Vision of Escaflowne
Sometimes you get the animation quality of Fruits Basket remake, but most of the time in shojo anime, you.... just don't...
For some reason Yu-Gi-Oh! came up a lot
Oni v Yokai v shikigami
Yorihisa's brother looks like Dark from DNAngel
Homunculus v golem
Read The Golem and the Jinni
Asher will not be the guest for the eventual Takane & Hana episodes
Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT US

Asher on Archive of Our Own: dashery
Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

The next episode will be about Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa.

Haruka Pt. 1 (with Asher Sofman) Jul 02, 2020

Show notes

Covers volumes 1–9 of Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time by Tohko Mizuno.

Haruka (perhaps more widely known as Harukanaru Toki no Naka de) was one of the first-ever otome games, and it launched a franchise that spun off into manga and anime adaptations as well. Though the series didn’t gain popularity in the United States, we thought HARUKA was important to cover for its historical context. In this episode, Shojo & Tell host Ashley and her boytoy Asher journey back to the Heian era with Akane (a normal high school girl who’s a priestess in this alternate timeline), Tenma, and Shimon (two of Akane’s classmates that end up being her guardians) to meet even more hot men vying for Akane’s heart. (And fighting a war against a clan of demons.) It’s basically a much worse Fushigi Yugi. But Yasuaki and Eisen make it all worth it. Well… almost.

REFERENCES

The Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time manga is out of print (published in English by Viz Media's Shojo Beat line), and the games were never brought over for English audiences. You can watch the anime legally on Tubi, though. (Watch at least the opening theme song! It's really dope.)
Haruka is essentially an inferior Fushigi Yugi
Haruka is mainly an otome game franchise. Read Anime Feminist's article that's a beginner's guide to otome games.
Comparisons made to elements of Haruka and better franchises:
- Tenma = inferior!Kyo Sohma
- Shimon = inferior!Peeta Mellark
- Eisen = inferior!Nuriko
- Akane = inferior!Kagome
  - We could keep going but you get the point
Who's the 8th Digidestined?
The Four Gods in Digimon
Just War Theory
Ashley hates Ignis from Final Fantasy XV, while Asher loves Ignis
Okay there's also inferior!Clow Reed
Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT US

Asher on Archive of Our Own: dashery
Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

The next episode will be about the second half of Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time (volumes 10–17).

Fruits Basket Another (with Jacob Chapman) Jun 17, 2020

Show notes

Covers all three volumes of Fruits Basket another by Natsuki Takaya

Would you like to have another basket of fruit? Natsuki Takaya shows us what the kids of everyone from the original Fruits Basket cast are like in this sequel to the blockbuster series. Another centers around Sawa Mitoma, aka NegaTohru, as she suffers abuse from her single mother and meets the Sohma kids in high school. In this podcast, Fruits Basket fanatic Jacob and Shojo & Tell host Ashley get into whether this sequel series stands on its own, whether it's worth reading, how Takaya handles the same themes but with different power dynamics between the characters, and of course, and who the best Sohma kid is. (They may all love each other, but remember: The curse is family.)

REFERENCES

Fruits Basket another is available from Yen Press
You can listen to our podcasts about the original Fruits Basket series here
We assume that Hatsuharu and Isuzu's kids are named after Riku and Sora from Kingdom Hearts
Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT

Jacob on Twitter: @weebservations
Support Jacob on Patreon or through Ko-fi
Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

NOTE: We recorded this episode before the passing of Anime News Network's Zac Bertschy, who was Jacob's former partner.

The next episode will cover volumes 1-9 of Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time by Tohko Mizuno, with guest Asher Sofman.

Angelic Layer (with Aisha Soleil and Asher Sofman) [Shonen Exception #2] Jun 03, 2020

Show notes

Covers all five volumes of Angelic Layer by CLAMP.

What if battle shonen, but for GIRLS? That's the premise of Angelic Layer, where young girls get to fight with super-cool dolls that they control with their minds (OK, Ohjiro can play too). Upon coming to Tokyo, Misaki immediately becomes smitten with this game and learns the ropes very quickly. Shojo & Tell host Ashley, her boytoy Asher, and guest Aisha discuss the gender dynamics of the manga (moms can play with VR tech too!!), the fanfiction-y nature of CLAMP’s works, and who the best deus and angel are (Sai! Wizard??).

REFERENCES

Angelic Layer is currently out of print, but you can find copies of the Dark Horse edition floating around
Other CLAMP works:
If you want to hear more podcasts about CLAMP works, you should listen to CLAMPcast in Wonderland
Aisha's series about smutty manga: Thirsty Thursday
Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT US

Asher on Archive of Our Own: dashery
Follow Aisha on Instagram and Twitter @MommaLuvsManga
Watch Aisha's manga reviews on her YouTube channel
Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

The next episode will cover Fruits Basket Another with Jacob Chapman.

Beast Master (with Asher Sofman) May 20, 2020

Show notes

Covers both volumes of Beast Master by Kyousuke Motomi

"There is a beast inside of each of us that protects the things we hold dear." That’s the driving force behind this short story from Kyousuke Motomi (Dengeki Daisy, QQ Sweeper). It follows Yuiko as she tries to tame the beast of a boy named Leo. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and her boytoy Asher discuss how moar money leads to moar problems in Leo’s family, why English is wrong for having “fear” and “hatred” be separate words, how this story of domestication and bestiality compares to manly man menfolk literature from the likes of Jack London and Ernest Hemingway, and how the lion testicles are a metaphor for manhood. Plus, we revel in the one-shot, "Cactus Summer Surprise."

REFERENCES

Beast Master is available from Viz Media's Shojo Beat line
Other works by Motomi: Dengeki Daisy, QQ Sweeper
Western comparisons:
Other anime/manga references:
Character lookalikes:
- Mowgli from The Jungle Book
- Elmyra Duff from Tiny Toons
Misc:
Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT US

Asher on Archive of Our Own: dashery
Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

Ao Haru Ride Pt. 1 (with Shojo Beat Senior Editor Nancy Thistlethwaite) May 08, 2020

Show notes

Covers volumes 1–7 of Ao Haru Ride (aka Blue Spring Ride) by Io Sakisaka.

Ao Haru Ride is the story of sweethearts Futaba and Kou after they were separated in middle school and reunited in high school. On this special episode, Nancy Thistlethwaite (the editor of the series for Viz Media's Shojo Beat!) delves into the enduring appeal of Io Sakisaka's work, how Ao Haru Ride pays homage to We Were There by Yuki Obata, and explains the use of some unexpected slang. This is also the first time the podcast has covered a series that is currently still publishing in English.

REFERENCES

Ao Haru Ride is currently being published by Viz Media's Shojo Beat line
Other works Nancy has edited: Ouran High School Host Club, Vampire Knight, Not Your Idol, An Incurable Case of Love, The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Fushigi Yugi: Byakko Senki
Other Io Sakisaka works: Strobe Edge, Love Me, Love Me Not
Ao Haru Ride pays homage to We Were There
Other manga mentioned: Shortcake Cake, Daytime Shooting Star
Anime mentioned: Yuri!!! on Ice, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken
YA books and authors mentioned: Meredith Russo, John Green, Rainbow Rowell, Angie Thomas, The Hunger Games, Divergent, Twilight, Children of Blood and Bone, The Wicked King

CONTACT US

Nancy runs the Shojo Beat Twitter: @shojobeat
You can ask questions and make licensing requests on Shojo Beat's Tumblr: officialshojobeat
Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

The next episode will be about the short series Beast Master by Kyousuke Motomi.

That Wolf-Boy is Mine! (with letterer Sara Linsley) Apr 22, 2020

Show notes

Covers all 4 volumes of That Wolf-Boy is Mine! by Yoko Nogiri

That Wolf-Boy is Mine! is a lot cuter and more innocent than its title suggests. Four hot boys can shapeshift into animals in a story that's a much lighter and faster FRUITS BASKET. Sara Linsley, the letterer of the series, explains what exactly a letterer does in manga, and why she loves working on Yoko Nogiri's series so much. Discussion topics include: Who is best boy (of course!), how cool Komugi is (so cool), and how actually, wolves are way bigger than that.

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

REFERENCES

That Wolf-Boy is Mine! is available from Kodansha Comics
Other series Sara has worked on: Love in Focus (Yoko Nogiri's other series), Waiting for Spring, LDK, Love Me, Love Me Not, the upcoming Fushigi Yugi: Byakko Senki
Other manga and anime mentioned: Tramps Like Us (Kimi wa Petto), Maid-Sama!, Wolf Children, Fruits Basket, Boys Over Flowers, Beastars
Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in New Mexico is very cool
Terry Pratchett had a lot of fantastical thoughts
Yoko Nogiri's newer series, which was mentioned in the episode as not being licensed yet, was licensed recently. It's called Those Not-So-Sweet Boys can comes out in January 2021.
Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT US

Sara on Twitter: @salinsley
Sara's website: http://sara.pizza/
Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

Next episode will cover volumes 1-7 of Ao Haru Ride by Io Sakisaka.

Meteor Prince (with Asher Sofman) Apr 08, 2020

Show notes

Covers both volumes of Meteor Prince by Meca Tanaka.

A wild and whacky ride awaits in this super-short series about an alien named Io (who is essentially Tamaki Suoh from Ouran High School Host Club) looking for his soul mate, Hako, on Earth. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and her lover Asher dive deep into the use of soul mates in literature and have an excessively silly shipping corner. Remember: You and me, baby, ain't nothing but mammals, so let's do it like they do on the Discovery Channel. (But is Io a mammal??)

REFERENCES

Meteor Prince is available from Viz Media's Shojo Beat line
Meca Tanaka's other work, The Young Master's Revenge, is also available from Shojo Beat. We also have a podcast about it.
Other manga mentioned: Wake Up, Sleeping Beauty, Basara, Princess Jellyfish, Ouran High School Host Club, Fullmetal Alchemist
Random things: Shaun of the Dead, "The Bad Touch" by Bloodhound Gang
Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT US

Asher on Archive of Our Own: dashery
Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

Preview Guide 4: Not Your Idol Apr 02, 2020

Show notes

This is a review of Not Your Idol volume 1, a new series by Aoi Makino that's going to be released by Viz.

Not Your Idol tackles the ups and downs of idol culture in Japan (as you can probably tell from the title). It follows a girl named Nina, who was once the leader of the idol group Pure Club. At an event for Pure Club, she was attacked by a supposed fan, which leads her to drop out of the group and start dressing as a boy to protect herself. That's only the beginning of the drama, though. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and basically a cohost Asher give their thoughts about what a promising start volume 1 is for the series. (With a warning that Not Your Idol is also pretty upsetting.)

REFERENCES

Not Your Idol is coming out in May. Please preorder the series if you're intrigued!
Other series recently released or coming out soon from Shojo Beat: Love Me, Love Me Not, Prince Freya, and Fushigi Yugi: Byakko Senki
Series mentioned: A Silent Voice, Beast Master, and Takane and Hana
Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT US

Asher on Archive of Our Own: dashery
Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

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