Shonen Flop

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#11 Mitama Security: Spirit Busters (ft. Tom Weekes) Oct 19, 2020

Show notes

Mitama Security: Spirit Busters is a gag manga about Rena Haze, a teenage girl who's haunted by over 100 spirits. To manage these spirits, she's protected by Joh Mitama, a member of Secureity (a pun on rei which means spirit). Joh, however, is afraid of ghosts and as such is very ineffective at his role. Lucky for them, it turns out the spirits are mostly harmless and actually quite beneficial. As such the series follows their day-by-day ghost-related hijinks such as basketball, cooking, and even going on dates.

Show Notes:

Episode art by Alia Gestl (IG: aliagestl)
Be sure to review us on iTunes to get a shoutout on the next episode! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shonen-flop/id1516326666
The Nerd Alternative: t.co/IUiL6Ts6RY?amp=1
Blanime Podcast: t.co/zKGxc9fZCj?amp=1
A Few Bad Apples: linktr.ee/afewbadapples
Save the Pickle Fundraiser: savethepickle.com/
MiloMacrame Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/MiloMacrame

MAL Description:

High school student Rena has always been able to see ghosts. She's gotten so used to it by now that it doesn't even bother her anymore. But suddenly, a SecuREIty agent name Mitama appears and vows to protect Rena! This action comedy series is out of this world!

Shonen Flop Recommends #9: Inuyasha Oct 19, 2020

Show notes

So, last episode we covered Bone Collection, which is absolute trash. However, aspects of the manga (the constant gags, the romance plot, a boy and a girl as the two protagonists, frequently pulling from Japanese culture and mythology) reminded me of a way better series: Inuyasha.

The main plot follows Kagome, a young schoolgirl who falls down a well into an alternate dimension that is also ancient Japan (don't think too hard about it). There she meets Inuyasha, a half-dog demon. Or a half-demon dog? He's a half-demon but the demon part is part dog. I think. It makes more sense if you're familiar with Japanese mythology, which I barely am. Anyway, Kagome and Inuyasha commence traveling across feudal Japan in search of shards of the Shikon jewel, which when reassembled will grant its owner any wish. Also, Kagome is the reincarnation of Inuyasha's girlfriend Kikyo who got tricked into pinning him to a tree with an arrow for like 50 years but if I start going into detail with the story this article will never end.

Inuyasha is notable because it's one of the few franchises to successfully appeal to boys and girls at the same time. There are really cool fight scenes with big flashy attacks and Inuyasha has a massive cool anime sword, which I thought was really cool when I was a teenager. But on the other hand, the series has romance, pretty boys, and a surprising amount of strong female characters (probably because it was written by a woman), which ensured the series had a large following among teen girls too. It really is a show that has something for everyone.

Inuyasha is 167 episodes long and can be streamed on Hulu.

#10 Bone Collection (ft. Sarah Hedrych) Oct 05, 2020

Show notes

Bone Collection is set on a version of modern-day earth where people have to worry about regular attacks from yokai - a kind of Japanese spirit. Protecting humanity is exorcists, humans able to use spiritual energy and talismans. The main character is Jinai Kazami, an exorcist who is notable for having almost no spiritual energy. To make up for this he is able to use a forbidden technique which lets him team up with yokai by borrowing their power.

Show Notes:

Episode art by Alia Gestl (IG: aliagestl)
Seikima-II - BIG TIME CHANGES: youtu.be/l8l4D3nhgKE
Mission Ignition: missionignition.libsyn.com/wrapped-up-like-a-burrito
Sarah's pet snake's IG: silvernuggetbp
Our special on Act-Age, talking about sexual assault from Shonen Jump Authors: soundcloud.com/shonenflopcast/act-age
Anime Brothers Podcast: @AnimeBrothersPC
Catching up on Cinema: catchinguponcinema.com
Mechanical Anime Reviews: mechanicalanimereviews.com
We Get Dubbed: @wegetdubbed
Ko-hi Beans Podcast: @kohibeans_

MAL Description:

Although the Jinnai clan are well-renowned exorcists, the youngest son Kazami is nothing but an embarrassment to the family. Unable to wield basic spells or combat youkai adequately, Kazami is seen as a talentless exorcist. Despite possessing the powerful "Youkai Spell," a skill that temporarily utilizes any youkai's power, he has been banned by the exorcist society from using it as fraternization between the two races is strictly prohibited. One night, Kazami fatefully encounters Paira, a strange yet cute girl from the youkai realm. In an attempt to protect her from another youkai, Kazami is faced with little choice and uses the forbidden spell to borrow her power. With overwhelming strength, he dispatches the foe with ease and learns that Paira is actually an SSS-class youkai known as "Gashadokuro." Having grown tired with the youkai world, Paira has always wished to become human, something that may be possible with Kazami's ability. Thus, she makes a deal with him: if he uses the "Youkai Spell" to help turn her human, she will marry him. Going along with the arrangement, Kazami can finally become a powerful exorcist who can protect people; but in turn, he must keep his uneasy relationship with Paira a secret from the prying eyes of the exorcists.

Shonen Flop Recommends #8: Shaman King Oct 03, 2020

Show notes

In our upcoming episode, we will be discussing Bone Collection. Not to spoil the episode but we don't like it. It's a shame because the concept of supernatural entities teaming up with powerful spiritualists reminded me a lot of Shaman King, a manga that was very important to me as a kid. I first discovered it in the initial American run of Shonen Jump when I was 13 and immediately fell in love.

Shaman King follows Yoh Asakura, a hilariously easygoing kid who doesn't explicitly smoke weed but acts as he does. Yoh is a Shaman, a mystic whose purpose is to help wayward ghosts satisfy their desires so that they can move on to the next world. He does this by allowing them to possess him, giving them the ability to interact with the real world using his body as a medium. Of course, since this is a shonen manga, Yoh primarily teams up with a legendary samurai named Amidamaru. This gives him incredible fighting abilities so that he can participate in the Shaman Fight, a worldwide tournament to decide the Shaman King (title drop), a ruler with immense power over the future of the planet.

Shaman King is an immediately enjoyable manga with a lot of fun fight scenes and great characters. The manga mixes a ton of different mythologies together in order to best represent the Fight as a worldwide phenomenon, and it's pretty effective. The art is angular, dynamic, and expressive, and it's hard not to like perennially chill Yoh and the equally fun supporting cast.

The Shaman King anime does have a dub but it was done by, ugh, 4Kids. It isn't as bad as their One Piece dub where they gave the characters bizarre voices and had to censor out blood and guns in essentially every episode but it still isn't good. They did their standard fair of making every other line a terrible joke and changing most Non-English names into easily pronounceable American ones, and they're very silly. Manta becomes Morty, Hao becomes Zeke, and Horohoro becomes Trey Boarder (???). Plus 4Kids always changed the musical score and turned it into the same generic cheesy orchestral music that they used in all of their shows. Just go with the subs on this one.

Update: Oh silly me how could I forget to mention the earth shattering news: Shaman King is getting a new anime adaptation to be released in 2021! I can only hope it gets the Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Hunter X Hunter treatment and becomes the best version of Shaman King out there.

Shaman King was written and drawn by Hiroyuki Takei and is 35 volumes. You can read it for free with an Amazon Prime subscription at ComiXology. The new Shaman King anime adaptation is scheduled to be released in April of 2021 and is being made by BRIDGE.

Shonen Flop Recommends #7: One-Punch Man Sep 26, 2020

Show notes

One of the things we constantly said during our recent Mashle recommendation episode was how much it reminded us of One-Punch Man. But what is One-Punch Man? Well, it's one of the best animes of the 2010s which also serves as a brilliant satire of shonen manga as a whole.

In a world that's constantly under threat from monsters and aliens, elite super-powered heroes have become pillars of society. We follow Saitama, a bald goofy guy who dons a cape and yellow pajamas. Despite his appearance, he nevertheless is by far the strongest person in the universe. The show's title refers to how he can literally defeat every enemy in one punch, which is a source of frustration for Saitama, who is constantly looking for a challenge.

Saitama is a great character but the real magic of One-Punch Man comes from the supporting cast. Most of the people who gradually begin to surround Saitama are heroes that are unbeatable compared to most of their peers but are totally outclassed by Saitama. You'd think that a show where the main character is invincible would completely defuse any sense of danger, but the opposite winds up being true because, sure, Saitama can win, but what about the other heroes? When Genos, Saitama's protege, gets in an intense fight, you genuinely don't know if he'll be able to succeed or if Saitama will have to somehow show up.

Also, the fights are absolutely incredible. The first season especially is gorgeously animated and drawn, with some truly massive battles. It's one of the most intelligent and clever anime out there, it's hilarious, and it's just fantastic. Check it out. One-Punch Man is based on a manga by ONE and Yusuke Murata that is based on a webcomic by ONE, both of which are still ongoing. You can watch it on Netflix or Hulu in English or Japanese.

#9: Mashle: Magic and Muscles (ft. Adam Tetramore from The Shonen Fiasco Show) Sep 21, 2020

Show notes

As a change of pace, this episode is about an ongoing series you should check out!

Mashle: Magic and Muscles is set where magic is a part of everyday life. Main character Mash, however, is one of few not able to use magic. To compensate, Mash instead has trained his body to a superhuman level. His life is uprooted when the police discover he's unable to cast magic - a crime punishable by death. However, he makes a deal that if he becomes the top student at the prestigious Easton Magic Academy the "Divine Chosen", they'll look the other way, bribed by the riches that title provides.

You can find us on:

Twitter: @shonenflopcast
Facebook: facebook.com/shonenflopcast
Our website: shonenflop.com
For business inquiries, you can reach us at shonenflop@gmail.com

Show Notes:

Episode art by Alia Gestl (IG: aliagestl), thank you Mully from the Mashle discord for his idea of using the boneicorn in the art!
Be sure to review us on iTunes to get a shoutout on the next episode! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shonen-flop/id1516326666
The Shonen Fiasco Show: https://shonenfiasco.captivate.fm/
American-Manga series Grey: thegreyroom.org
The Chaotic Silly Podcast: @chaoticsilly
Mitch Loves Anime: linktr.ee/TalkinAnime
Career Crossroads Podcast: careercrossroads.buzzsprout.com

Shonen Flop is hosted by David Weinberger and Jordan Forbes, where each episode they look at a manga that ran in Weekly Shonen Jump that couldn't quite make it. Listen in to find out what the manga did wrong, what it did right, how the series could have turned itself around, and ultimately was it a flop or not.

MAL Description:

To everyone else in his magic-dominated world, the young and powerless Mash Vandead is a threat to the gene pool and must be purged. Living secretly in the forest, he spends every day training his body, building muscles strong enough to compete with magic itself! However, upon having his identity exposed and his peaceful life threatened, Mash begins his journey to becoming a "Divine Visionary," a role so powerful that society would have no choice but to accept his existence.

And so, in order to maintain his peaceful life, the magicless Mash enrolls in the prestigious Easton Magic Academy, competing against the children of some of the most powerful and elite in the realm. Lacking the very skill needed to survive at Easton, magic, Mash appears to already be at a disadvantage to his fellow classmates. In order to achieve his goals, Mash will have to fight his way through every trial using his fists alone, overcoming magic with muscles, all for the illustrious title of Divine Visionary!

Shonen Flop Recommends #6: Cromartie High School Sep 19, 2020

Show notes

In our next episode of Shonen Flop, we'll be covering Mashle: Magic and Muscles, a satirical comedy manga making fun of Harry Potter and the growing trend of magical high school anime like Little Witch Academia or The Irregular at Magic High School. The latter is a random anime I've never heard of that I found by googling "magical high school anime." Since I'm too lazy to come up with a proper segue, this seems like a good excuse to talk about Cromartie High School, which is a surrealist comedy series that also takes place in high school. Cromartie is a weird show. Well, maybe that's not totally accurate. Cromartie is a silly show.

Cromartie High School is mostly an ensemble cast and it doesn't really have a "plot," but the main character is Takashi Kamiyama, a straight-laced average student who transfers to the school of delinquent gangsters in order to seem smart by comparison. The students of Cromartie High are aggressive laconic punks who secretly have hearts of gold. They all have strong chins, intense furrowed brows, and look at least 35 (despite being 16). Notable attendees include a robot that no one seems to notice is mechanical - even though he's clearly a robot, a gorilla who plays acoustic guitar, and Freddy Mercury. No, there isn't any explanation for why the late great singer of Queen is a Japanese high school student and frankly, if you need one then Cromartie High School may not be the anime for you.

The secret to Cromartie's success comes from how the characters play everything as straight as an arrow, reacting to each silly thing that happens with the gravity of a terminal illness. Trying to figure out the name of a song that's stuck in a character's head is treated like a school-wide crisis, and concludes with the entire student body humming it in a performance in the auditorium. Why? Don't worry about it, it's great.

If you're not sure whether or not the show is for you, watch this clip. It's the first gag in the first episode, and it does an amazing job of laying out the kind of humor this show has. If that style of humor appeals to you as much as it does to me then you'll probably enjoy the rest of Cromartie High School.

Cromartie High School is based on a manga created by Eiji Nonaka. You can watch it subbed or dubbed on Crunchyroll.

Shonen Flop Recommends #5: Cowboy Bebop Sep 11, 2020

Show notes

It feels kind of redundant to write an article recommending Cowboy Bebop. It's the perennial "anime for people who don't like anime" because it's so damn cool that it transcends its own medium. It regularly appears at the top of all-time-great lists and it earns those placements with ease. Sure we had fun reading Samurai 8 for our most recent episode, even giving it the coveted "not a flop" status, but let's be real: Cowboy Bebop is the reigning champion of space anime.

The show centers around the bounty hunter crew of the spaceship Bebop. Spike Spiegel, a comedically laid back space cowboy, is the closest thing to the main character. He and his partner Jet, a grizzled ex-cop with a robot arm, are the two original members of the team. Soon, however, they're joined by Faye, a seductive con artist, Ed, a child super hacker, and Ein, a Corgi.

Cowboy Bebop does have an overarching plot, but it's really more an anthology of short stories. This format really works out in Bebop's favor because those stories are great. Like if Star Trek were a western, each episode introduces you to a new planet with great characters and a new enthralling conflict. The best parts, however, are when that week's situation draws out the main characters' backstories. And the music. Oh my god, the music. From the iconic jazzy intro song "Tank," to the incredibly varied score that changes styles drastically to fit each episode, the music is easily one of the biggest reasons to watch Cowboy Bebop.

See you around space cowboy.

Cowboy Bebop was created by Shinichirō Watanabe. You can watch it subbed or dubbed on Hulu.

#8: Samurai 8 (ft. Gabe Robinson) Sep 07, 2020

Show notes

Samurai 8 is set in a Star Wars-esque fantasy-sci fi world in which humanity has become scattered amongst the cosmos. Maintaining the peace are the samurai. These powerful warriors are a combination of magic and cybernetics. They consist of those who have died, but had strong enough will to create a new body created from the energy of their fighting spirit, and wield their soul as weapons.

Show Notes:

Episode art by Alia Gestl (IG: aliagestl)
Be sure to review us on iTunes to get a shoutout on the next episode! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shonen-flop/id1516326666
Asura's Wrath final boss: youtu.be/4szm4xiEjQo?t=1145
The Weekly Cooldown: wkcooldown.com
Act-Age Continuation Project: discord.com/invite/XF325aC
The Anime Kings Podcast: anchor.fm/animekingspodcast
A Podcast Most Fowl: twitter.com/PodcastMostFowl
Mission Ignition, the best podcast on the show Van-Pires: twitter.com/bethevee

MAL Description:

He can't run! He can't eat hard food. You can't get any weaker than the boy named Hachimaru. But his dream is to become a samurai. For a boy who can't even survive without the help of his father, that dream seemed impossible. But when a samurai cat appears before him, his whole life will change! A legendary manga creator and a rising star come together to bring you this science fiction samurai epic!

Shonen Flop Recommends #4: Kaguya-sama: Love Is War Sep 04, 2020

Show notes

One of the themes that SWOT, the subject of our latest episode, tried to play around with was romance in a highschool setting. Its questionable attempt might be making you, the reader, wonder how an anime/manga can do the job properly. Look no further than Kaguya-sama: Love Is War aka Kaguya Wants to Be Confessed To.

Love is War might look like a typical high school romance, but it has a twist: the two main characters both have a crush on each other, but neither wants to look weak by being the first to confess. This leads to a battle of wits, as they try and manipulate each other into admitting they have feelings. They have to do this while balancing the responsibilities of being the student body president and vice-president, respectively, of a prestigious highschool.

The series shows how important strong writing is for the genre. For instance, even things that would normally be mundane - like who should hold an umbrella when the main characters are trapped in the rain - are played out like the cat-and-mouse mind games you see in more serious shows. Further selling the writing is the fantastic cast of characters. From the blissful but simple-minded secretary Chika (of the infamous Chika Dance) to the anxiety-riddled treasurer Ishigami. Everyone has their own unique motivations outside of moving the plot forward, which makes the cast feel fleshed out. Also, the opening theme is damn catchy.

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War is written by Aka Akasaka and is still ongoing. You can catch up on the manga on the VIZ site, or watch it subbed or dubbed on Crunchyroll.

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