Shonen Flop

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Shonen Flop Recommends #3: Parasyte: The Maxim Aug 29, 2020

Show notes

In our most recent episode, we talked about how SWOT failed at its attempt to be an action manga set in high school. The manga "Parasyte", and especially its 2014 anime adaptation "Parasyte: the Maxim" shows how the idea can be done fantastically, while also adding some unique horror elements.

Based on an extremely popular and influential manga from 1988, Parasyte is the story of Shinichi Izumi, a high school student who wakes up one day to find that his right hand has been replaced with a shape-shifting talking parasitic entity known as Migi. The story slowly spins out of control as it's discovered that everyday people have been totally taken over by the parasites. Together Shinichi and Migi must fight to stop a secret invasion by other parasites while Shinichi struggles to retain his humanity as they become more and more conjoined. The paranoia and tension skyrockets as the show turns into a combination of John Carpenter's "The Thing" and John Carpenter's "They Live."

As a horror anime, the show does have blood and gore as well as plenty of body horror, but in terms of the genre, it's pretty tame. It uses just enough to get its point across and isn't overly excessive, but if that stuff really bothers you then maybe skip this. Also if you've played Resident Evil 4 you might just notice a few similarities between the parasites in that game and the ones in Parasyte (and by "a few similarities" I mean RE4 basically just copied them for Las Plagas.)

Parasyte: The Maxim was created by Madhouse and is available on Netflix and Hulu. The original 1988 Manga was written by Hitoshi Iwaati and currently is published in North America by Kodansha Comics.

#7: SWOT (ft. Audrey from Pod of Greed) Aug 24, 2020

Show notes

SWOT (a Japanese term for a nerd who studies too much) is a battle manga about academic genius Manabizaki Kyou. He's a brand new student at the notorious Skeleton Highschool, who's transferred to improve his chances of getting into Tokyo University. However, It turns out that Skeleton Highschool isn't known for its academic rigor, but rather for the constant student brawling. Kyou and his group of friends now have to become the strongest fighters in the school to bring peace, all while balancing their studies.

Show Notes:

Be sure to review us on iTunes to get a shoutout on the next episode! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shonen-flop/id1516326666
Super Eyepatch Wolf on Baki: youtube.com/watch?v=bTMMdMVFRWE
Our guest Audrey's show, Pod of Greed: pod-of-greed.pinecast.co
Audrey's upcoming project The Teticulation's Twitter: @TheReticulation
Be sure to watch Dorohedoro on Netflix: netflix.com/title/80991903
Danny K's podcast: soundcloud.com/dannyfckngk
Below the Line from Kevin LaBuz: kjlabuz.substack.com
The ARGonauts podcast: theorangegroves.com/argonauts
Play Comics (keep an eye out for the episode featuring David): playcomics.com

MAL Description:

Transfer student Manabizaki Kyou is a swot, a person who spends too much time studying. His dream is to attend Tokyo University and then work for NASA! He will soon discover, however, that the high school he's transferred into, which was once very prestigious, has taken in delinquents from the surrounding schools. Now it is full of violence and gang fights. Luckily, Manabizaki has a surprising skill at fighting, particularly when he's defending the peace of his study area. Through this strength he'll find his new friends, a weak boy called Iwashida and a legendary delinquent girl, Hasuno Nene, who makes him feel things that, for the first time in his life, he can't explain...

Bonus Episode 1: Act-Age Aug 23, 2020

Show notes

Shonen Flop is now on Soundcloud! Check out our first bonus mini-episode on Act-Age.

Shonen Flop Recommends #2: Solo Leveling Aug 21, 2020

Show notes

We talk a lot about manga on our podcast, but in truth, comics are a worldwide phenomenon. For instance, Dark Mage, the comic we covered on our most recent episode (at the time of this writing), is actually not a manga but a "manhwa," a comic from South Korea. If that episode got you interested in that medium then you should check out Solo Leveling.

Solo Leveling is set in a world where monsters have begun to invade our world, leading to certain people, hunters, gaining the ability to fight them. The main character is Sung Jin-Woo, considered by his peers to be the weakest of the hunters. However, after surviving a terrifying encounter with a high-level monster, video game-style menu screens start appearing to him, giving him instructions on how to get stronger.

Like Dark Mage, Solo Leveling is an action manhwa that takes place in a world heavily influenced by games. While Dark Mage was all about Dungeons and Dragons, Solo Leveling instead takes influence from MMORPGs like World of Warcraft. Everything from how the hunters team up to take on dungeons, how their parties consist of traditional gaming roles like tank and healer, to how Jin-Woo is able to tell how strong monsters are by the text color of their names, serves to reinforce the video game spirit. This creates a very interesting fusion of a setting that isn't quite like anything I've read before.

Unlike Shonen Jump manga, which is intended to be printed in black-and-white physical books, Solo Leveling is a "webtoon," meaning that it was created specifically to be read on a computer or phone screen. The result is some truly incredible fully colored art, which is formatted in panel arrangements that would not be possible in a physically printed comic that you'll have to read for yourself to see.

Solo Leveling at the time of writing has 114 chapters. You can read the first 15 for free via the official release here. It's drawn by Dubu and written by Chugong, who also wrote the web novel 'Only I Level Up' which the series is adapted from.

Shonen Flop Recommends #1: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Aug 14, 2020

Show notes

Let's say that after listening to our episode on Dark Mage, you still (for some reason) don't want to read it, but the theme of eastern-magic-vs-western-magic or the concept of the main character living with a disability intrigues you. That sentence was a contrived way of segueing into telling you to watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Brotherhood is the second anime adaptation of the manga Fullmetal Alchemist. It's the story of the Elric brothers, two young boys who try to use the power of alchemy (a genuine science in their world) to bring their mother back from the dead. The attempt fails and the brothers suffer severe consequences as a result. The older brother, Edward, loses an arm and a leg, while his younger brother, Alphonse, loses his entire body and has his soul transferred into an empty suit of armor. Together, they dedicate themselves to getting their bodies back by searching for the legendary "philosopher's stone". English Harry Potter fans know what's up.

I just binged the whole series in two days, I didn't want to stop watching it, I'm just so in love with these characters. I cried a lot. The series is great even if you're completely unfamiliar with the series or even manga/anime as a whole. If you, like me, enjoyed the first adaptation, then you owe it to yourself to check this series out too. The first anime, Fullmetal Alchemist (2003), finished production before the manga was finished, meaning that the show's creators had to invent a completely different plot when they started outpacing the manga's author (think Game of Thrones except it wound up still having a good ending). The result is that Brotherhood is a vastly different story than the one that first ran on Adult Swim when we were kids. These are, without a doubt, the best versions of these characters, and this story deserves to be experienced.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is 64 episodes, available in both English dub and Japanese with subtitles, and you can find it on Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll, and VRV.

#6: Dark Mage (ft. Jake Hawkins) Aug 10, 2020

Show notes

Dark Mage is the tale of Dok Go-Sung, a powerful warrior in an Asian-inspired fantasy world. However, on the verge of death after an intense battle, he's saved by a group of wizards that take him to their homeworld, Truvania to help fight against a group of evil dragons and their army of monsters.

Show Notes:

You can reach us at Twitter @shonenflopcast or email us shonenflop@gmail.com
If you're enjoying Shonen Flop and want to support us or even just access exclusive content like bonus eps, warmup audio, or deleted scenes consider becoming a Patron patreon.com/shonenflop. Your support is extremely appreciated!
Our merch store has new designs! Get Shonen Flop art, including this episode's cover art, on a shirt, mug, print, or whatever else might catch your eye teepublic.com/t-shirts?ref_id=22733
Become a member of our community by joining our Discord. You can hang out with us, play games, and even join our comic book discussion club! Find it at discord.gg/4hC3SqRw8r
Dark Mage was based on a series of books by Kim Jung Ryul, and was drawn by Kang Jae-Sin
Special thanks to Alia Gestl's for creating this episode's art (IG: aliagestl), Nigel Francis for funding the piece, and Tim Plumadore for handling social media for the show
Keep an eye out for a Podcast Most Fowl, hosted by Jakey @misterjakeypoo, and check out his recommendation Yi Soon Shin
Jubilee Roasting Co: jubileeroastingco.com
BMO streaming: twitch.tv/bennypmo
Snowflake Sports Podcast: facebook.com/pg/SnowflakeSportsPod

#5: Guardian of the Witch (ft. Kamijace) Jul 27, 2020

Show notes

Guardian of the Witch is set in a fantasy world in which humanity lives in walled cities to protect themselves from roving monsters (evils). These cities are protected by teenage girls (witches) that have been given magical powers by merging them with the essence of evils (seeds). Our main character, Fafner, is the guardian of the fire-witch Manasfa. However, after rejecting orders to kill the witch due to impending corruption by her seed, they escape the city in search of a cure.

Show Notes:

You can reach us at Twitter @shonenflopcast or email us shonenflop@gmail.com
If you're enjoying Shonen Flop and want to support us or even just access exclusive content like bonus eps, warmup audio, or deleted scenes consider becoming a Patron patreon.com/shonenflop. Your support is extremely appreciated!
Our merch store has new designs! Get Shonen Flop art, including this episode's cover art, on a shirt, mug, print, or whatever else might catch your eye teepublic.com/t-shirts?ref_id=22733
Become a member of our community by joining our Discord. You can hang out with us, play games, and even join our comic book discussion club! Find it at discord.gg/4hC3SqRw8r
Referenced art: https://imgur.com/gallery/42jGkB9
The Weekly Cooldown: https://wkcooldown.com (check out episode 100 which David's featured on)
Alia Gestl's Instagram: aliagestl
Michael McNulty's Instagram: macnult_
The Magic Conch podcast: malumpictures.com/podcasts/the-magic-conch/
Manhattan Physical Therapy: manhattanptandpain.com
Josh Lieberman's poetry Youtube Channel Menachemical: youtube.com/channel/UCXr3dNnPuBAhBHDxIWPZ_wg
Remember to wear a mask!

MAL Description:

In a world full of Evils, humanity's only hope is the inhuman power of the witches. The city of Berne is on the frontline of the demons and there to protect it is the witch Manasfa and the kingdom's strongest knight Fafner. But what cruel fate awaits these two? A dark fantasy story featuring witches and knights begins now!

#4: Beast Children (ft. Dan Pecora) Jul 12, 2020

Show notes

This week's Shonen Jump Manga is Beast Children, the tale of Sakura Shishigaya, a high school freshman with dreams of playing rugby after being inspired by professional player Onotora Ikki. Sakura is determined to play, despite his small size, and we follow his growth as both a player and as a person. He's committed to being a great rugby player and taking on his rival, Yukito Ikki, son of Onotora.

Show Notes:

You can reach us at Twitter @shonenflopcast or email us shonenflop@gmail.com
If you're enjoying Shonen Flop and want to support us or even just access exclusive content like bonus eps, warmup audio, or deleted scenes consider becoming a Patron patreon.com/shonenflop. Your support is extremely appreciated!
Our merch store has new designs! Get Shonen Flop art, including this episode's cover art, on a shirt, mug, print, or whatever else might catch your eye teepublic.com/t-shirts?ref_id=22733
Become a member of our community by joining our Discord. You can hang out with us, play games, and even join our comic book discussion club! Find it at discord.gg/4hC3SqRw8r
Popularity Analysis and examples of poor art: https://imgur.com/gallery/oWPQjdw
Snowflake Sports: https://open.spotify.com/show/7BZpNKVJxXooh7kAKqzUvn?si=2NVi7oR3TtycL-4MGHNeLA
The Weekly Cooldown: https://wkcooldown.com
Below the Line from Kevin LaBuz: https://kjlabuz.substack.com

MAL Description:

Despite having never played the sport, short-statured Sakura Shishigaya is dedicated to rugby in every way. After watching the late professional Onotora "The Beast" Itsuki play on the field, Sakura has been inspired to take up the game. However, as the sole member of his middle school's rugby team, he is unable to practice nor experience the sport with other players.

Yet when he encounters Onotora's son Yukito, Sakura seizes the chance to overcome his predicament. Though initially dismissive of Sakura's ability, a quick sparring match manages to impress Yukito. In return, Yukito reveals that he will be attending Hyakkengawa, enticing Sakura to follow suit in hopes of joining the same team. But, when Sakura enrolls into the high school, Yukito is nowhere to be found.

Nevertheless, Sakura believes that Yukito led him to the school for a reason. At Hyakkengawa, the rugby team has been mentored by the one and only Onotora, and, in Sakura, they have met the newest member of their family.

#3: Robot × LaserBeam (ft. Nigel Francis) Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

Robot x Laserbeam is the tale of socially-awkward highschooler Roboto "Robot" Hatohara. While initially resistant to joining his high school's golf team, it's discovered that Robot has the uncanny ability to hit golf balls perfectly straight - his "laserbeam". After a heated match against one of the best amateur players, Miura Youzan, Robot becomes inspired to continue their rivalry and become a professional player himself.

Show Notes:

You can reach us at Twitter @shonenflopcast or email us shonenflop@gmail.com
If you're enjoying Shonen Flop and want to support us or even just access exclusive content like bonus eps, warmup audio, or deleted scenes consider becoming a Patron patreon.com/shonenflop. Your support is extremely appreciated!
Our merch store has new designs! Get Shonen Flop art, including this episode's cover art, on a shirt, mug, print, or whatever else might catch your eye teepublic.com/t-shirts?ref_id=22733
Become a member of our community by joining our Discord. You can hang out with us, play games, and even join our comic book discussion club! Find it at discord.gg/4hC3SqRw8r
Dorian Green as bigfoot
Putt-Putt Perfection
Mission Ignition
Sapphire, a WLW Mermaid Zine - raising money for BLM
The Weekly Cooldown
The Shonen Fiasco Show

We also want to give a special thanks to Adi Ravi for his help in explaining golf.

MAL Description:

Robato Hatohara is a serious, inflexible, and clueless first-year student at Eiai Academy. His lack of expression and social awareness combined with robotic mannerisms have earned him the nickname "Robo." The only person who enjoys talking to him is Tomoya Nakata—his lone friend and member of the school's golf club. Nakata has tried to recruit Hatohara into the club on several occasions, but failed due to the other's complete disinterest in the sport. While out at a driving range together, Hatohara hits a shot as straight as a laser beam using Nakata's finicky golf club, achieving a hole-in-one. This stuns his friend as well as Youzan Miura—an up-and-coming young professional golfer whose swing style has earned him the nickname "Samurai." Following a brief case of mistaken identity, Miura and Hatohara find themselves playing against each other, upon which the former learns that the latter is a complete amateur who has no desire to play golf. Impressed by his opponent's innate talent, Miura requests that Hatohara reach his level and challenge him. With a newfound goal to strive for, the deadpan Hatohara sets off to secure a regular position on Eiai's golf team, in hope of teeing off against his rival again.

#2: Golem Hearts Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

Set in a world in which people utilize magical golems to help automate tasks such as cooking, construction, or even haircuts. Golem Hearts is about Noah, a unique golem that looks and acts like a human. Going so far as to eat and sleep. After an attack on Noah's home village which almost kills his "father", Noah sets out into the world. He's determined to become the second greatest golem creating magician (Arcanist) that's ever lived - second only to his father.

Show Notes:

Referenced images
Sapphire, a WLW Mermaid Zine - raising money for BLM
Art show featuring Jordan's Bernie Sander's artwork
The Weekly Cooldown
Help keep the show running by joining the Shonen Flop Patreon at patreon.com/shonenflop. Get perks like early access to content, bonus episodes, and polls for what we cover next
Get Shonen Flop merch, including this episode's cover art, on a shirt, mug, print, or whatever else might catch your eye https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shonen-flop?ref_id=22733
Become a member of our community by joining our Discord. You can hang out with us, play games, and even join our comic book discussion club! Find it at https://discord.com/invite/4hC3SqRw8r

MAL Description:

In the world of Golem Hearts, creatures known as golems have become integrated with society, performing all sorts of tasks. These golems are created by the widely-respected "sorcery scholars," and obey the commands of their human masters without question. Noah is a sorcery scholar who strives to become the second best of his kind.

To that end, he travels far and wide to study unique golems around the world. This journey leads him to a certain island, where he encounters a girl named Mary and her golem Murray. As the two get acquainted, we begin to discover that there may be more to Noah than meets the eye.

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