Manga Mavericks

Caleb Cook calls in to the show to share the story of how he became the translator of the most popular manga in North America! Caleb covers his career journey from the beginning, sharing his experiences living in Japan during his time in the JET program, his early translation work for Yen Press and UDON, and finally, the circumstances that led him to become the translator of big Shonen Jump hits like My Hero Academia and Dr. Stone! Plus, we discuss Caleb’s awesome Twitter Threads and Sculptures, and answer a ton of fun Q&As like what Quirk we’d name after a Dr. Stone chapter title and more! PODCAST BREAKDOWN: 00:22 - Intro & Updates News: 07:56 - May Bookscan List 12:33 - Gintama has FINALLY ended 20:29 - Food Wars manga moves to Jump Giga, anime gets 4th season 25:55 - New additions to the Shonen Jump Vault: Red Sprite, Hi-Fi Cluster, Love Rush, Stealth Symphony 32:54 - Yen Press licenses Shadow Student Council Vice President Gives Her All & more 35:25 - Comixology adds Mars and You’re

We've got another awesome interview to share with you! We're delighted to be joined by David Brothers to discuss his awesome career journey from comics blogger to manga editor at Viz Media! David details his early blogging days at 4thletter, his duties as Brand Manager at Image, and what it's like to edit series like JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and We Never Learn!  We also talk to David about his thoughts on representation in comics, the future of digital comics, and his philosophy on comics criticism. Plus we answer a ton of listener Q&As, discussing the best moments of Vagabond, why So I'm a Spider, So What? is so good, how to use the word "affected" correctly, and a whole lot more! PODCAST BREAKDOWN: 00:00 - Intro David Brothers Interview: 02:33 - Introducing David Brothers 03:17 - David’s Blogging Days 11:15 - David’s Comic Book Origin Story 14:23 - David and Akira 22:58 - The Interiority of Characters 29:11 - David’s Approach to Comics Criticism 33:15 - David’s Stint in Games Journalism 35:41 - Davi

On this episode of Manga Mavericks, Colton and Lum catch up on the four newest series to debut in Shonen Jump, including the long awaited return of Masashi Kishimoto and his newest series 2 years in the making, Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru! The other batch of series discussed on the show include shogi manga Double Taisei by Kentaro Fukuda, rugby manga Beast Children by Kento Terasaka, and controversial dystopian manga Tokyo Shinobi Squad by Yuki Tanaka and Kento Matsuura! Which of these new series will the Mavericks take a liking to the most (and why is it Samurai 8)!? Listen to the episode and find out! Join us next week as we interview longtime member of the comics industry, David Brothers, as well as manga translator, Caleb Cook the week after that! Or you can listen to both interviews in full ahead of time by becoming a patron! PODCAST BREAKDOWN: 0:00:00 - Intro News: 0:01:19 - Boruto Moves to V Jump 0:03:24 - Mewtwo Returns gets manga adaptation 0:05:01 - Cross Infinite World licenses Labyrint

On this episode of Manga Mavericks, its back to basics as Colton & Lum finally get back to covering some manga news, and in under 2 hours! They talk about everything from all the Shonen Jump series that are ending, to more new licenses from Yen Press and Seven Seas, and much more! Our titular Mavericks may mostly spend this week catching up on news and things, but stay tuned for next week when they cover all of the new series that have made their debut in Jump, including Masashi Kishimoto's Samurai 8, but until then, enjoy! PODCAST BREAKDOWN: 0:00:00 - Intro/Podcast Updates News: 0:06:17 - Best Selling Manga Series for the First Half of 2019 0:17:27 - Monthly Bookscan List for April 0:21:21 - Hell Warden Higuma has ended 0:24:20 - Teenage Renaissance! David has ended 0:25:10 - I'm From Japan! moves to Saikyo Jump 0:27:14 - Food Wars Ending Soon 0:31:58 - Gintama Ends on June 17th (For Real This Time) 0:37:14 - World Trigger takes 1 month hiatus 0:39:30 - 3rd Part of Slayers Novel Series Has D

On this episode of Manga Mavericks, Colton & Lum continue their series of interviews as they sit down with Dr. Mari Morimoto, manga translator and veterinarian! Mari talks about her career spanning 25 years and experiencing the growth of the manga industry, as well as her experience in interpreting for other Japanese guests at cons such as Toriyama and Kishimoto! Mari even discusses her time working on the upcoming Rose of Versailles English release from Udon Entertainment and so much more! PODCAST BREAKDOWN: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:04:16 - Interview /w Dr Mari Morimoto 2:03:48 - Wrap-Up Enjoy the show, and follow us on twitter at @manga_mavericks, on tumblr at mangamavericks.tumblr.com, and on Youtube! You can also follow the hosts on Twitter at @sniperking323 and @lumranmayasha. If you’d like to help support the show financially you can pledge to our Patreon and receive some awesome rewards like our Patreon-exclusive Bonus pods! If one-time donations are more your speed you can donate to Colton’s Ko-fi h

On this episode of Manga Mavericks, Colton & Lum continue their series of interviews throughout the month of May! This next one featuring Eisner Award nominated comic artist, Joey Weiser, author of a lot of titles, such as Mermin and Ghost Hog! Ghost Hog being Joey's latest new title about a boar named Truff who faces a journey in coping with loss and learning the importance of forgiveness and acceptance. We sit down with Joey to talk about his new work as well as some of the rest of his bibliography, what kind of manga he enjoys and how they and his other interests influence his work! Its a fun conversation filled with a lot of interesting anecdotes, and we hope you enjoy listening! Ghost Hog is available now at wherever comics are sold, so go out and get your copy today!! PODCAST BREAKDOWN: 0:00:00 - Intro/Patreon Updates/Housekeeping 0:09:36 - Interview /w Joey Weiser! 0:18:04 - Joey's Drawing Process 0:21:32 - How Joey Got into Manga and the Influences on his Works 0:38:18 - Joey's Various Side Proje

2019 marks the centennial anniversary of the Yuri genre, celebrating 100 years of girls in love challenging the expectations placed upon them by patriarchal definitions of love and gender. To commemorate the legacy of the genre and the stories that’ve been told, we interviewed Erica Friedman, a Yuri historian and tastemaker who has been at the center of the fandom for over two decades. Erica is the founder of Yuricon, an organization dedicated to uniting the community through fan events and scholarship, and has written extensively on Yuri on her blog Okazu, which has reached its 4000th post after over 16 years! Erica’s planning an incredible number of events to celebrate 100 Years of Yuri with the community, including numerous convention appearances and a Yuri pilgrimage in Japan in the fall, all leading up to the release of her comprehensive book on Yuri set to come out in 2020! We chat with Erica about the work she’s done growing a proactive community around Yuri, the history of the genre and its fan cult

Previously on Manga Mavericks, Lum and Colton, along with special guests, Buggy and Hovin, discussed We Never Learn and what they liked or disliked (but mostly liked) about Jump's latest romcom series! And this week's episode, they do even more of that! As Lum gathered We Never Learn-themed questions from all over the internet, so that they could once again hold another study session! We tackle such test questions as who will end up with who by the end of the series? What does the series have going for it compared to other harem romcom series in Jump's past? As well as the most daunting question....who is best girl!? PODCAST BREAKDOWN: 0:00:00 - Intro/Patreon Announcement !0:14:53 - We Never Learn Q&A's!! 0:15:27 - First Impressions of the Anime 0:30:33 - Twitter Questions 0:59:39 - Discord Questions 1:29:00 - Reddit Questions 2:13:43 - The Most Important Question...!! 2:24:28 - Wrap-up! Enjoy the show, and follow us on twitter at @manga_mavericks, on tumblr at mangamavericks.tumblr.com, and now on Yout

Last week we sadly lost two influential mangaka whose works have become cultural institutions. Kazuhiko Kato, more popularly known by his pen name Monkey Punch, and Kazuo Koike have both passed away due to pneumonia. It’s bittersweet that Koike’s final tweets were reminiscing on his friend and rival, as both of their iconic series competed for popularity in Weekly Manga Action over nearly 50 years ago. His very last internet words were “I’m really going to miss him,” and we at Manga Mavericks feel the same about both creators. Lupin the Third is a franchise we both adore and one that has endured and entertained generations. Many of Koike’s works, including Lone Wolf and Cub, are absolute classics, and his legacy and influence on the medium can be seen through the numerous talents he helped nurture like Rumiko Takahashi and Tetsuo Hara, among many others. Both creators’ influence extend beyond manga, having even influence film directors abroad like Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino through film adaptation

Hello darlings! We're the #LumSquad, a podcast hosted by @LumRanmaYasha and @ProdTally devoted to the wonderful and wacky world of Rumiko Takahashi's Urusei Yatsura! As longtime Manga Mavericks fans know, Urusei Yatsura is LumRanmaYasha’s favorite manga, and they’ve been wanting to make a podcast about it for a long time. Teamed up together with AC, the leader of Twitter’s #LumSquad and the #DailyLum, we’re starting up a new monthly podcast dedicated to discussing the series! In our inaugural episode, we introduce ourselves, our history with the series, and our thoughts on the first volume of Viz Media’s new omnibus editions of the series! Plus, we analyze the complicated character of the lecherous simpleton Ataru Moroboshi, and answer a ton of Q&As, including what episodes we’d recommend to newcomers and how…”effable” is Mendou! Let’s put weird and weird together, because space is super weird, and we’re going to talk about it! PODCAST BREAKDOWN: 00:00 - Introducing the #LumSquad! 03:40 - Meet the

On this episode of Manga Mavericks, Lum & Colton are joined by Buggy from DaLadyBugProductions, as well as Hovin from Stammer Stream, to discuss Weekly Shonen Jump's We Never Learn from Taichi Tsutsui! A harem romcom that is more then meets the eye, as ordinary but hard working high school student, Nariyuki Yuiga, has to tutor two of the smartest girls in school in subjects that stump them completely, all in order to receive a VIP recommendation to the college of his choice! How have Colton & Lum's feelings have changed on the series since it's debut back in 2016, and why is it worth reading despite certain..."aspects"? We discuss our opinions on the cast and how the reliability of their struggles may resonate with the target readership, as well which of them may or may not be queer and why. Next week, we discuss the latest in manga news, as well as some new simulpubs from Manga Plus! The week after, we'll be answering your We Never Learn questions (we had too many to go over on this episode), but for

On our last episode, we exposed the GHIBLI CONSPIRACY - subliminal messages covertly sown into Hayao Miyazaki’s films to brainwash the children of the world! We discussed the secrets hidden in each of the films shown during GKids’ 2017 Ghibli Fest, covering all except for one, Howl’s Moving Castle. Now, to celebrate its 15th anniversary, GKids has brought Howl back to the big screen, giving us a chance to close the case on the conspiracy once and for all! We discuss the film’s anti-war messages, its themes of independence and self-perception, and just exactly what that madman Miyazaki is really mad at… AT LONG LAST, THE TRUTH WILL BE REVEALED!!!!!!! Enjoy the show, and follow us on twitter at @manga_mavericks, on tumblr at mangamavericks.tumblr.com, and subscribe to us on Youtube. You can follow the hosts on twitter at @LumRanmaYasha and @VLordGTZ. Don’t forget to also like and subscribe to us on Youtube and iTunes and leave us reviews to help us curate the show and create better content! If there are any to

You thought we were done releasing all the podcasts we recorded in 2017. You were mistaken. Very mistaken. Throughout 2017, the Mavericks attended GKids and Fathom Event’s first Ghibli Fest, hoping to unfurl the secrets behind Hayao Miyazaki’s animated masterpieces. Instead, they discovered something different… something darker. A conspiracy. THE GHIBLI CONSPIRACY. This podcast was a mistake. Like anime. But enough is enough. The truth must be heard. Brace yourselves, because once you listen, you’ll never be able to look at these films and the man behind them the same way again. CONTENT WARNING: Our conversation features disturbing and mind-blowing dissections of your childhood favorites. Don’t listen unless you can handle THE TRUTH!! PODCAST BREAKDOWN: 00:00 - An Introduction to the Ghibli Conspiracy 03:31 - My Neighbor Totoro 22:22 - Kiki’s Delivery Service 44:24 - Castle in the Sky 1:01:46 - Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagilostro 1:07:20 - Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind 1:30:55 - Spirit

On this episode of Manga Mavericks, Lum & Colton sit down to interview Jason Thompson, the former senior editor of Viz Media's North American print Shonen Jump Magazine! Jason goes over his time at Viz and what it was like to be tasked by Shueisha themselves to bring Shonen Jump overseas! What was it like editing manga in the 90's? What is Akira Toriyama like in person? What is it like being an actual manga character!? Listen to the podcast and find out, as we go over all of Jason's manga career! PODCAST BREAKDOWN:0:00:00 - Intro0:02:36 - Jason Thompson Interview:0:04:33 - Jason's Appearance in Fairy Tail0:06:56 - Jason's Other Projects!0:10:43 - Viz and Shonen Jump's Early Days0:32:38 - Putting Shonen Jump Magazine Together (Features, Manga, etc)1:05:41 - Shonen Jump Launch Event (Meeting Toriyama)1:09:58 - Jason Steps Down as Editor in Chief1:14:07 - The Manga Market & Industry Then and Now1:47:22 - Fan Q&A's: Which Manga were Licensed at the Publisher's Request?2:04:19 - Who is the Target Audi

The newest Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel film certainly left the Mavericks with some feelings! We dissect the latest installment in the franchise, the story it's trying to tell, and how effectively it's doing so in comparison to previous iterations. Plus, we recount our theater experiences, lament terrible audiences at anime screenings, and have a difficult argument over the film’s usage and depiction of sexual assault in Sakura’s character arc. We might lose ourselves in the discussion a bit, but hey, that’s just Fate! CONTENT WARNING: Our conversation features a heavy discussion of the sexual assault and self-harm depicted in this film. Viewer discretion is advised. Enjoy the show, and follow us on twitter at @manga_mavericks, on tumblr at mangamavericks.tumblr.com, and subscribe to us on Youtube. You can follow the hosts on twitter at @LumRanmaYasha and @VLordGTZ. Don’t forget to also like and subscribe to us on Youtube and iTunes and leave us reviews to help us curate the show and create better conten

After the last couple of banger retrospective podcasts we’re taking a breather! It’s a back-to-basics news-focused episode with reviews of the latest two Shonen Jump simulpubs, The Last Saiyuki and Yui Kamio Lets Loose, thrown in for good measure! That’s not all, because we’ve also got some great listener e-mails to read and community shout-outs to give! So while this might be a short episode, but it’s dense with goodness! Were Lum and Colton surprised by what were the Top Manga franchises last fall? Are we excited for Viz’s new Viz Originals imprint? Will Lum realize they’re pronouncing Yui Kamio’s name wrong? All this in more in another great show! Be sure to take our latest survey to let us know how you feel about us starting a Patreon for the podcast! With Patreon about to make some changes in the next couple weeks, it's become imperative that we start up a Patreon sooner rather than later, and your feedback will help us figure out what tiers and rewards we should provide. Even if you don’t plan on dona

On this episode of Manga Mavericks, Lum & Colton gather their friends together for another big Shonen Jump discussion, this time on Shueisha's Manga Plus app and website and the many new simulpubs it has to offer!! Listen as Maxy Barnard (Friendship Effort Victory) gushes about Kaito's latest series, Blue Flag, or Patrick "TheComicFiend" (Super Senpai Podcast) talk about survival thrillers like Arata Primal and Soloist in a Cage, or Vlord as he rejoices in new favorites like Teenage Renaissance David and Hinomaru Sumo finally being simulpubbed making almost all of Shonen Jump currently available in English! We talk a lot about Manga Plus and highlight its differences from Viz Media's Shonen Jump app as well as talk more about that app as well now that we're three months out from it's launch! What do we love about about these apps and what do we have issues with? You'll have to listen and find out! PODCAST BREAKDOWN:0:00:00 - Intro0:03:24 - The Results of our Best Boy poll!0:05:28 - The State of Shonen Ju

Do you believe in destiny? Then let there be light, because we’re reviving a podcast recorded in the past! Last year we recorded a retrospective of Hiroyuki Takei’s soulful battle manga Shaman King with Maxy Barnard to celebrate the series’ 20th anniversary. Computer problems have delayed the release of this episode for a little over half a year, but now we’re finally able to share it with you in all its glory! We discuss the themes and philosophy that makes Shaman King a timeless classic, and highlight what makes its characters and storytelling so memorable along the way. To wrap it up, we answer over a dozen Q&As, recounting the best and worst parts of the series, what makes Shaman King stand out compared to other shonen series, and whether it should still be considered a Shonen Jump classic among many others! But the biggest question of all is...will we sing the dub opening? You won’t need to look around you or look beyond for the answer - listen to us and we’ll tell all! Podcast Breakdown: 00:00

Last week we discussed what the Academy thought were the best movies of 2018, so now it’s our turn! Both Lum and VLord count down their top ten favorite films of 2018, highlighting twenty films overall! Do either of us have any of this year’s Best Picture nominees on our lists? Is Lum’s list mostly animated films again or did some live-action stuff sneak in there? When Broly? Listen and learn as the Mavericks celebrate the best movies made last year! Enjoy the show, and follow us on twitter at @manga_mavericks, on tumblr at mangamavericks.tumblr.com, and subscribe to us on Youtube. You can follow the hosts on twitter at @LumRanmaYasha and @VLordGTZ. Don’t forget to also like and subscribe to us on Youtube and iTunes and leave us reviews to help us curate the show and create better content! If there are any topics, series or mangaka you would like to see us talk about on the show, drop us a line in the comments below, or e-mail us at [email protected]! Thanks for listening!

On this episode of Manga Mavericks, Lum & Colton are joined by Ashley McDonnell, host of the Shojo & Tell shojo manga podcast, to discuss My Love Story!! from Kazune Kawahara & Aruko, about a macho but lovable and reliable teenager named Gouda Takeo, who's always used to the girls he likes confessing to his best friend Sunakawa, until one day he finally finds a girlfriend of his own and his springtime of youth officially begins!! Join the mavericks as they discuss their shojo manga to be covered on the podcast and its portrayals of real and healthy relationships of all kinds! As well as listen to Ashley and Colton even duke it out in an impromptu Manga Fight over who is best boy! Enjoy! PODCAST BREAKDOWN: 0:00:00 - Intro News: 0:00:33 - Monthly Bookscan List for January  0:04:31 - Happiness Ends March 9th 0:05:21 - Mikio Ikemoto Plans Boruto to be Complete Within 30 volumes 0:07:04 - Gintama Manga Continues Through Official Gintama app 0:11:57 - Arata Primal launches on Manga Plus 0:14:02 - Rose