We Appreciate Manga

Takeshi Obata of Death Note fame does his take on 'All You Need is Kill', which spawned the Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt Hollywood movie 'The Edge of Tomorrow' a.k.a. 'Live, Die, Repeat'. On this episode James and Steve talk about the characters, themes and more!  Skip synopsis @ 9:14 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com 086: All You Need is Kill vol .1 Original Story by Hiroshi Sakurazaka Art by Take...

Fans of Astro Boy, Buddha and Blackjack will be happy to know that today's episode is all about the manga god that is Osamu Tezuka! After reading his manga biography we talk about the precedent he set for the industry and detail the process of how the artist makes manga. Besides discussing the all-important issue of him being a furry or not. Skip synopsis @ 8:20 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com...

Today's episode is about Yoshihiro Tatsumi. The man who coined the term "Gekiga" and deliberately chose to make a new type of sequential art. One that explores the darkness and hardship of an adult, working class world. Thus continuing our season where we cover manga about being a manga artist. skip summary @ 5:14 084: A Drifting Life By Yoshiro Tatsumi Translation by Adrian Tomine Yoshihiro Tatsu...

James and Will talk about the concluding volume of Shunju Aono's adult slice of life manga. Although the manga itself has some upsetting themes, and the genre isn't as popular compared to shonen stories, it however proves to be a genuinely heart-warming experience that deserves to be read and talked about. Skip synopsis @ 4:35   Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   083: I'll Give It My All Tomorro...

Today's episode makes an argument that villains in slice of life manga could be better than Shounen manga villains, and how high school toilets can be quite trepidatious! Skip the plot summary @ 4:36 and feel free to join in on the conversation by emailing to WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   082 – I'll Give It My All… Tomorrow vol. 4 Chapters 17 to 22, '19 Years Younger' and 'Midlife Crisis' with bon...

The boys continue reading Aono's slice of life manga, as the story explores the main character's impact on those around him. And after 80 episodes and reading 18 manga, we finally see our first instance of a trans-female character. Here's hoping many more surprises and new stories are told and read! Skip synopsis @ 3:06 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   081: I'll Give It My All… Tomorrow vol. 3...

James and will continue reading Shunju Aono's slice of life manga, reflecting on their own attitudes around women and their fathers. At the end of the episode, they review the conclusion to the Evangelion Rebuild movies 'Evangelion 3.0 +1.0: Thrice Upon a Time'. Beware of spoilers and sensitive subject matter! Skip the manga's plot synopsis @ 5:53 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   080: I'll Giv...

Continuing with our season of manga about being a manga artist, we talk about the first volume of Shunju Aono's fictional story 'I'll Give It My All.. Tomorrow', (Orewamada Honkidashitenaidake). Where a 42 year-old Salaryman quits his job to become a successful manga artist. How delusional is such a man is something we will find out. Skip synopsis @ 5:08 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   079: I...

James and Steven talk about Inio Asano's Downfall, a manga about a manga artist who is miserable with how their life has turned out. Can you be happy making a hit manga? Or is their a wrong way to do it? Throughout the episode we speak of mindfulness, sex work, artist block and depression, listener discretion is advised. Skip synopsis @ 6:00   Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   078: Downfall By...

Not for the light hearted. You ever felt like you don't know how to grow up or that you just don't want to? This maybe a manga for you, a cautionary tale about the pride of youth and the depression of letting your dreams be your master, instead of mastering them! Inio Asano's Solanin. 077: Solanin By Inio Asano Translation by JN Productions Lettering by Analiese Christman English publication by Vi...

Our cyborg season ends with possibly the most influential cyberpunk manga. One that would inspire the creators of the Matrix movies with its mix of action and Cartesian philosophy. Known by its native title, Koukaku Kidoutai, "Mobile Armored Riot Police" it lives up to both names!  Skip summary @ 13:06 076: Ghost in the Shell By Masamune Shirow English translation by Frederic L Schodt , Toren Smit...

What type of podcasters would we be if we didn't cover horror manga before All Hallow's Morning? So, for this spooky time of Halloween, James and Will talk about the classic horror villain that is Tomie! Skip synopsis @ 8:43 075: Junji Ito's Tomie By Junji Ito English translation by Naomi Kokubo With Lettering by Eric Erbes After the funeral of one Tomie, an entire classroom is shocked to see her...

James tells Steven about the two non-cannon endings of Battle Angel Alita, draws comparisons between the James Cameron / Robert Rodriguez movie adaptation and the anime, as well as bring up how much the mangaka suffered from burnout. Over all, this was an amazing cyberpunk treat and it's fair to say both dudes have a crush on Alita. Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com 074: Battle Angel Alita vol. 9...

Only near the conclusion of the original manga run do Steven and James find out that they have been reading different translations. Which spurs talk about the differences between the two. Including the original video anime. Which also had two separate English translations! Skip synopsis @4:30 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com 073: Battle Angel Alita vol. 8 Chapters 42 to 47 "One Last Broadcast" a...

We talk about more characters and moments in the cyberpunk epic, Gunnm, including a very supernatural dude who uses psychometry. Plenty of coil guns and stone tape theory talk in this one. skip summary @5:00 and remember, BLM always and forever. Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   072: Battle Angel Alita vol. 7 Chapters 36 to 41 "The Grounding" and "Dual Man" By Yukito Kishiro Translation by Step...

Volume 6 a.k.a. the TUNED arc follows Alita as she joins a ragtag group of mercenaries. And James and Steve can't help but compare it to films like Aliens, War movies and Westerns, not bad for a cyberpunk story, no? Skip summary @6:27 071: Battle Angel Alita vol. 6 Chapters 30 to 35 "Judgement Day" and "Rainmaker" By Yukito Kishiro Translation by Stephen Paul Lettering by Scott Brown   Synopsis Af...

James and Steve discuss which other actors would have played a good Desty Nova, story-wise Zapan returns to settle the score. So basically, we get Karma as a theme! Skip plot summary @5:51   Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   070: Battle Angel Alita vol. 5 Chapters 23 to 29 "Lost Sheep" and "Lion and the Lamb" By Yukito Kishiro Translation by Stephen Paul Lettering by Scott Brown   Synopsis Zapa...

The conclusion to the Motorball arc where we see lots of CONTENT WARNING violence and the first example of gratuitous nudity in the cyberpunk manga; interestingly it's not from Alita! Skip synopsis @ 4:31 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   069: Battle Angel Alita vol. 4 Chapters 18 to 22 'Martial Ball' (a.k.a. "Head Banger's Ball" in some translations) and 'Ars Magna' By Yukito Kishiro Translati...

Alita demonstrates more of her badassity in the beginning of the 'Motorball' arc, which featured prominently in the James Cameron/Robert Rodriquez movie. Skip synopsis @ 4:04  Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com 068: Battle Angel Alita vol. 3 Chapters 13 to 17 'Killing Angel' and 'Second Stage' By Yukito Kishiro Translation by Stephen Paul Lettering by Scott Brown   Synopsis:   Devastated by her lo...

A deep dive critique into the cyborg fantasy that is Battle Angel Alita a.k.a. Gunnm! Alita fights a werewolf that wears shades, as you do, but is her love strong enough to save Yugo? Sorry for the technical issues guys, promise next week will have better audio! skip summary @ 6:26   Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   067: Battle Angel Alita vol. 2 Chapters 7 to 6, 'Tears of an Angel' and 'Guilt...

Our Cyborg season continues as we cover 'Battle Angel Alita', also known by its original Japanese title 'Gunnm'. This manga would go on to inspire James Cameron to produce a Hollywood adaptation. Skip synopsis @ 4:32 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   066: Battle Angel Alita vol. 1 Chapters 1 to 6, 'Rusty Angel' and 'Battle Angel' By Yukito Kishiro Translation by Stephen Paul Lettering by Scott...

Will gives his short review of the latest Evangelion movie before we talk about the hefty themes of Chobits, we compare the anime to the manga as well as find time to to talk about our fave anime filler episodes (Dragonball Z makes that list). Skip plot synopsis @ 10:15 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   065: Chobits vol. 8 Chapters 82 to 88 By CLAMP Translation by Shirley Kubo Lettering by John...

Spoilers ahead as James and Will discuss the penultimate volume of the CLAMP manga, the one where we find out exactly who Chi a.k.a. Elda and her sister Chobit, Freya, really are. Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   064: Chobits vol.7 Chapters 73 to 81 By CLAMP Translation by Shirley Kubo Lettering by John Clark   Synopsis: Upset from the events of the previous volume, Minoru explains to Yuzuki t...

Inspired by CLAMP's story of androids falling in love, Will and James talk about self-confidence, body positivity and the warm glow of love. Skip the plot summary @5:19 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   063: Chobits vol.6 Chapters 61 to 72 By CLAMP Translation by Shirley Kubo Lettering by John Clark   Synopsis: (Note: Characters that are Persecom androids will be referred to as PC for short) Wh...

Chi finally stands up for herself, expressing the importance of consent! But the way CLAMP handles a more action heavy approach to these chapters gives our hosts a good opportunity to critique the story. Skip plot summary @ 1:55 Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com   061: Chobits vol. 5 Chapters 49 to 58 By CLAMP English translation by Shirley Kubo   Topics: Finding Chi The purpose of characters, es...