Read Right to Left

This month, Read Right to Left celebrates its fourth birthday by dissecting a favourite of the hosts, The Heart of Thomas. Join Gee and Ray as we unpack this seminal work of manga, which helped shape the comic medium itself and establish the flourishing BL genre. Hear our thoughts on the characters and their interwoven relationships, and how trauma shapes each of them. Discover why this manga has...

This month, join Gee and Ray for a deep dive into digital manga app Mangamo! With a variety of series across genres and demographics, this subscription service collects manga for all types of readers! Hear our thoughts on the tent pole Mangamo-exclusive series available, and whether we loved or hated it! In a market filled to saturation, will this service provide what readers are looking for? Hear...

This month, join Gee and Ray for the postponed launch of Gee's (Light) Novel Corner as we talk about the smash-hit sensation danmei, Heaven Official's Blessing . As Ray experiences her very first danmei series, we dive into this fast-growing medium and English market, as well as the love story between god and ghost king specific to this tale. Will these star-crossed lovers make it work, an...

This month, join Gee and Ray as we talk about the classic ESPer sci-fi, To Terra ... Once again diving into the Year 24 group, this short-but-memorable series about the fight between humanity and the psychic Mu in a far-flung future evokes genre staples of the 70s, whilst feeling relevant to the modern day. As Jomy and Soldier Blue fight for survival against a genocidal algorithm, will Earth be th...

This month, join Gee and Ray as they spotlight CLAMP, the group of mangaka responsible for some of the most popular and influential series of the 90s and 2000s -- from Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits, xxxHOLIC, Magical Knight Rayearth and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle . With decade(s) of smash-hit sensations, this group has tackled every demographic and a variety of genres; becoming some of the most well...

This month Gee and Ray start 2023 with the wonderful seinen romance Sweat & Soap by Kintetsu Yamada, a series built from much more than the (potentially) skeevy premise. This cult favourite stars one of the most healthy and communicative relationships in contemporary romance series, and should be unmissable for those in search of mature love stories. So join us as we start the new year diving...

Once again this December, Ray and Gee spotlight their favourite new  series for the year! From mysterious crime dramas to gut-twisting  classic horror, and a whole breadth of honourable mentions, come listen  to our picks for the year!! Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pictures and Twitter And if you can't get enough of me, Gee, be sure to follow me on my YouTube Channel and Twit...

This month, join us as we discuss Haruko Kumota's fantastic josei drama, Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu ! From his childhood up until his death, Yakumo Yurakutei VIII has upheld a very particular expectation of rakugo -- but things start to shift once he accepts his very first apprentice, and as the final years of the Showa Period come to a close. This intimate character study of...

This Halloween Season, join Gee and Ray as they dive into (some) of the works from horror titan, Junji Ito! From the spiralling madness of Uzumaki , to the unending space of Remina, to the smelly chase of Gyo , Junji Ito has become the representative of horror manga in the English-speaking market -- but how effective are the many, many series we have available when being read by non-fans? Is there...

This month, join Gee and Ray as we spotlight our own history with anime and manga, and the experiences that have led us to this point. From the wave of first-gen Pokemon cartoons, to the hodge-podge of manga available from school libraries, the two of us reflect on an adolescence of weebiness and fandom outside of the hyper-trendy, social media-fuelled experience found in the anime and manga commu...

Welcome back to the grand return of the Read Right to Left podcast, with a very special spotlight episode about one of our favourite mangaka: Moto Hagio!! This phenomenal woman is a part of the legendary Year 24 Group, who helped shape the modern manga industry, practically established the BL genre, and inspired generations of future artists thanks to her notable works, including Heart of Thomas,...

Human stories bridge the gap between creator and reader, as we see a peek into the lives of strangers. For some, this is a intimate look at some of life's worst struggles, and for others it's the hopeful or joyful celebration of life. Either way, the stories in memoir remind us as readers of the diversity of life and experiences, and help us discover and learn about things we've never lived -- or...

This month Gee and Ray are spotlighting the debut manga series Nabari no Ou from one of the hosts' favourite mangaka, Yuhki Kamatani. This ninja-action shounen stands out from the crowd in Kamatani's signature style, but still remains hidden from most fans' radar. So join the discussion on this outstanding drama, as we dive into this early work and find the strengths (and weaknesses) within. Follo...

This month, Gee and Ray are spotlighting some of the series that have disappeared part-way throughout the years. From niche classic shojo, to some of the biggest hits in Jump, the English manga market has seen difficulties from bankruptcy to low sales to legal troubles, all leading to series ending up incomplete in English.  Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pictures and Twitter And if you...

As the seasons change, come join Ray and Gee as we dive into the mysterious and contemplative stories of a traveling Mushi doctor as he helps cure conditions caused by the strange entities known as mushi in Yuki Urushibara's ten volume series, Mushi-shi ! From horrific spore children to mischievous rainbows to singing seashells, the manga (and anime adaptation!) is a beautiful collection of folklo...

Kaoru Mori is well known for her lush artwork and brilliant characters, but most of all for the beautiful love stories she crafts. For this Valentine's month, Ray and Gee take a deep-dive into the catalogue of this fantastic seinen mangaka, spotlighting their favourite couples, the perfection of simplicity, and Mori's perfect depiction of the ongoing human craving for love and connection she explo...

We're starting 2022 by deep diving into some of Shueisha and Viz's lesser know series available on their simulpub service for English-speaking territories: The Shonen Jump app!! From long-time fan favourites to hidden gems to things that were definitely cancelled for a reason, the catalogue of comics from this foundational publisher on their cutting-edge service has something for everyone to enjoy...

Once again this December, Ray and Gee spotlight their favourite new  series for the year! From sweet shojo love stories to action-packed  sci-fi horror, and a whole breadth of honourable mentions, come listen  to our picks for the year!! In this episode we talk about: A White Rose in Bloom, Asumiko Nakamura Blue Box, Kouji Miura Boy Meets Maria, Peyo Boys Run the Riot, Keito Gaku Ca...

This month, we're joined by the fabulous Ellie from Religiously Nerdy to talk about the good, the bad, and the weird of Manga About Manga. Whether it's poignant autobiographical comics like Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist Journey, the psychological oddity of Opus, or the shonen 'tournaments' of Bakuman , there are all sorts of manga featuring the creation of manga and the day-to-day of the peopl...

This month Ray and Gee are joined by the wonderful LumRanmaYasha to talk Fruits Basket!!! From talking about the themes of cycles of abuse, to deep diving into our favourite characters, come join us in our discussion of one of the classic 90s shojo. lumranmayasha website: https://bit.ly/3bvxfyb twitter: https://bit.ly/3juapse podcast: https://bit.ly/3jv9tyg * Follow Ray on her channel Whimsical Pi...

This month we've put another of our favourite creators in the spotlight: Taiyo Matsumoto! From the critically-acclaimed sports drama Ping Pong , to the quirky exploration of childhood fears and friendships in Go Go Monster, this mangaka's catalogue is as varied as it is perfected! So whether you're a long-time fan, or have never read Matsumoto's work, join us this month as we praise (and criticise...

This month, join us as we explore the many genres and styles of music manga! From rock and roll, to smooth jazz, to concert piano, music has been captured and shared in manga for decades--to varying degrees of popularity and success. How exactly is an audial art captured in illustration? How important is familiarity in genre to a series' success? Which music series are our favs? Follow Ray on her...

This month we're joined by two very special guests: Matt from Star Fruit Books, and Emuh from Glacier Bay Books, as we spotlight the small press publishers in the manga community. We talk about their exciting releases, under-represented indie artists, and the nitty-gritty realities of publishing! Find Star Fruit Books on their website and Twitter Find Glacier Bay Books on their website a...

This month we look at one of Ray and Gee's favourite ongoing manga, Yona of the Dawn ! Following the adventures of a young princess, her bodyguard and the four dragon warriors fated to help her, she is on a journey of growth and self-actualisation after she's ousted from the throne by her cousin. We jump in discussing both the serious moments and shenanigans that ensue, and hopefully share our lov...

Sometimes you just want something short and sweet to read, without flipping through dozens upon dozens of chapters. Enough story to really sink your teeth into, but not so much it outstays its welcome! So for this month, we're spotlight manga that conclude at five volumes or fewer. From spunky Shonen Jump fare, to weighty personal dramas, join us on uncovering a few titles that you might've missed...