Shojo & Tell: A Manga Podcast
121 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 days ago - ★★★★★ - 49 ratingsA manga discussion podcast focusing on shojo (and josei!) series that make your heart go doki-doki. Covering classics like CLAMP’s “Cardcaptor Sakura” and Yuu Watase’s “Fushigi Yuugi” to newer favorites like Kazune Kawahara’s “My Love Story!!” and Hiro Fujiwara’s “Maid Sama!”
Shojo & Tell host Ashley McDonnell discusses one series per episode with a rotating shojo superfan. We're recreating all those impassioned rants you'd have with your friends about your favorite series, just in podcast form.
Shojo [or shoujo] manga: Japanese comics made for young women. A breath of fresh air after reading over 100 volumes of “One Piece.” The underappreciated sibling of all those same-y never-ending shonen titles.
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Episodes
Miyuki-chan in Wonderland and The One I Love (with Asher Sofman)
April 17, 2024 04:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBThis episode discusses Miyuki-chan in Wonderland and The One I Love by Clamp A short episode to discuss two short Clamp works. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and her husband/journey-through-all-of-Clamp-buddy Asher recognize that hentai Miyuki-chan was perhaps.... just not at all for them. And also isn't meant to be taken seriously anyway. Which is good, because neither Ash really enjoyed it. Then there's The One I Love, which feels like a strange gender experiment gone wrong. To quote Asher: It ...
Legal Drug (with Asher Sofman)
March 27, 2024 04:00 - 58 minutes - 53.4 MBCovers all three volumes of Legal Drug by Clamp Get ready to get high. And horny. And gay. And paid. Okay, to be honest, we're not sure what the drug is, or that it's legal, but hey, we're here to talk about it anyway. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and her husband Asher continue their Clamp journey with Legal Drug, which is technically complete, in the same way that QQ Sweeper is complete (which is to say: Not at all, because there's a sequel, Drug & Drop, and it's been on hiatus for forever). N...
The Poe Clan (with Vrai Kaiser and Megan DeYarman)
March 06, 2024 16:00 - 1 hour - 72.8 MBCovers all of the original The Poe Clan series by Moto Hagio It's time to talk about the gay vampires who built shojo manga. Year 24 author Moto Hagio, one of the most influential names in shojo, tells the tale of the Poe clan, a group composed of immortal vampirnella who turn the young siblings, Edgar and Marybelle, into one of their kind. Edgar turns his classmate, Alan Twilight, into a vampire, and the two go gallivanting through the forest like fairies. (Okay, they go on other adventure...
Juline Manga Discussion (with Megan DeYarman of Manga Test Drive)
January 10, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 56.8 MBThis episode discusses all volumes (1-5) of Juline by Narumi Kakinouchi. When you think "shojo manga," you typically don't think "ninjas." But that's just a stereotype, and we're here to defy stereotypes. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and Megan DeYarman, of the sites Manga Test Drive and Renaissance Josei, talk about Juline, a manga series from animator Narumi Kakinouchi (of Vampire Princess Miyu fame). The titular Juline, along with other young female ninjas Bakuya and Seika (and inevitable mal...
Cowboy Bebop Shojo Manga Discussion (with Asher Sofman)
December 28, 2023 05:00 - 59 minutes - 54.9 MBWe discuss the two shojo manga versions of Cowboy Bebop: Cowboy Bebop by Hajime Yatate [Sunrise staff] and Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star by Cain Kuga Ask an anime fan above the age of 30 what their favorite anime is, and chances are high they'll say Cowboy Bebop. The music, the animation, the mood — it's iconic. And then there are the two shojo manga iterations of Cowboy Bebop, which have largely been lost to the sands of time (and then, there's the Netflix live action version...). Shojo and ...
The Vision of Escaflowne (with Asher Sofman) [Shonen Exception #5]
December 13, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 97.1 MBThis episode discusses all volumes (1-8) of The Vision of Escaflowne by Katsu Aki The Vision of Escaflowne is the anime that got Shojo and Tell host Ashley into anime. It sparked one of only a handful of great obsessions in Ashley's life. It's probably the reason this podcast exists at all. Katsu Aki's shonen manga version of the story is..... not like the anime you know and love. It's explicitly billed as a shonen series, and it's all downhill from there. Instead of being a badass track ...
Preview Guide 6: Lord Hades' Ruthless Marriage
November 23, 2023 18:57 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBWondering if you should pick up Lord Hades' Ruthless Marriage by Ueji Yuho? Ashley and Asher discuss the first volume of this new manga published by Yen Press, in which Lord Hades has been shot by one of Eros' arrows and thus is fated to fall in love. But not without a lot of hijinks happening first, harem manga style. This is a short review of Lord Hades' Ruthless Marriage volume 1. REFERENCES Lord Hades' Ruthless Marriage is available from Yen Press Other Greek mythology-inspired media...
Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts Pt. 2 (with Mackenzie of Mac Loves Manga)
September 02, 2023 16:00 - 1 hour - 101 MBThis episode discusses volumes 8–15 of Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts by Yu Tomofuji. Sariphi has gone from ritual sacrifice to acting queen, but she's still working to gain the respect of members of beastkind. In this episode about the back half of Tomofuji's series, Mackenzie from Mac Loves Manga and Shojo and Tell host Ashley break down the highlights. We get to talk more about our favorite hyena boy, Lante, and his heartwarming worldviews; crotchety Anubis and the amazing j...
Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts Pt. 1 (with Mackenzie of Mac Loves Manga)
July 27, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 91.4 MBThis episode discusses volumes 1–7 of Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts by Yu Tomofuji. Sariphi goes from ritual sacrifice to acting queen consort in the span of only a few volumes. The real problem? She's a human living among beastkind, hiding the secret of the part-human beast king while trying to win over the hearts and minds of people who look nothing like her. Tomofuji's series pushes boundaries, and Mackenzie from Mac Loves Manga is here to fully break them down. Mackenzie j...
Codename: Sailor V (with Honey and Vixen)
June 29, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 78 MBDiscusses all of the manga Codename: Sailor V by Naoko Takeuchi. Before there was Sailor Moon, there was Sailor V. Or... maybe? Is that how the timeline lines up? Well, anyway. We're continuing our journey with the Sailor Guardians by discussing the prequel/sequel/???? to Sailor Moon, which is all about Minako/Sailor Venus. Minako superfans Honey and Vixen explain how Usagi and Minako differ, why Sailor Venus is their favorite Sailor Guardian, and why everyone should be on Team Minako. Shoj...
Sailor Moon Pt. 2 (with Anne LaRose, creator of Shojo Power)
May 09, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 81.8 MBThis episode discusses the second half of the Sailor Moon manga by Naoko Takeuchi. We're back to talk about the Infinity, Dream, and Stars arcs of the beloved Sailor Moon series. Now that all the Sailor Guardians are here, Shojo & Tell host Ashley and Anne LaRose, who runs the Shojo Power blog analyzing Sailor Moon, reveal their vastly different favorite Guardians. As a n00b to the series, Ashley wonders what is even going on with the Sailor Stars. And why there's a creepy circus. And what ...
Sailor Moon Pt. 1 (with Anne LaRose, creator of Shojo Power)
April 23, 2023 16:00 - 1 hour - 81.3 MBThis episode discusses the first half of the Sailor Moon manga by Naoko Takeuchi. It's our 100th main episode(!!), so we finally suck it up and cover one of the biggest shojo series of all time: Sailor Moon. To start off, Shojo & Tell host Ashley makes a shocking confession, which Anne LaRose, who runs the site Shojo Power dedicated to analyzing Sailor Moon, takes in stride. From there, Ashley and Anne respond to listener feedback on what makes Sailor Moon so beloved, rank their favorite Sa...
Clamp School Detectives (with Asher Sofman)
April 06, 2023 16:00 - 1 hour - 79.7 MBA discussion about all three volumes of CLAMP School Detectives by CLAMP. We're rounding out the unofficial Clamp School trilogy with CLAMP School Detectives, which is actually a shojo series! Nokoru, Suoh, and Akira (from Man of Many Faces) make up the elementary student council representatives at Clamp School, and they're determined to help any maiden in distress. Shojo and Tell host Ashley and her husband, Asher, discuss how Clamp School is a dystopian totalitarian state disguising itsel...
Duklyon: CLAMP School Defenders (with Asher Sofman) [Shonen Exception #4]
March 04, 2023 23:47 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBA discussion about the two-volume series Duklyon: CLAMP School Defenders by CLAMP. Another two-volume shonen gag manga from CLAMP, an even sillier and shorter Shojo & Tell episode than usual. The CLAMP School Defenders Kentarou Higashikunimaru and Takeshi Shukaido are trying to protect the institution from the Imonoyama Shopping District Association. From there, an alien romance commences. Duklyon is strange, comedic, and a loving send up to tokusatsu shows. Most of this episode is just As...
Man of Many Faces by CLAMP (with Asher Sofman) [Shonen Exception #3]
February 18, 2023 20:41 - 56 minutes - 52 MBA discussion about the two-volume series Man of Many Faces by CLAMP. This is a two-volume gag manga about a gentleman thief who's in elementary school named Akira. He has two moms who look identical to each other. He's part of the Clamp School Detectives. He's in love with a kindergartener named Utako. It might be one of the best romantic relationships in any Clamp manga. Wait, what? Shojo and Tell host Ashley and her husband do their best to crack the case as to why this strange, should-be...
Alice 19th (with Chika and Giana from Shoujo Sundae)
January 30, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 84.7 MBThis episode discusses all seven volumes of Alice 19th by Yuu Watase. Sisters Alice Seno and Mayura Seno end up falling for the same handsome boy, Kyo, and their fight for his affection threatens to destroy the whole world. That's a bit of an oversimplification, but the general gist of Watase's Alice 19th. Chika and Giana from the podcast Shoujo Sundae join Shojo and Tell host Ashley to talk about the battle between the Lotis Masters and Maram Masters, where words are turned into magical bu...
Twinkle Stars (with Colleen from Colleen's Manga Recs)
January 04, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 60.2 MBThis episode discusses all of Twinkle Stars by Natsuki Takaya Welcome, hoejos, to the first Shojo and Tell episode of 2023, with special guest Colleen. We're here to discuss Natsuki Takaya's TWINKLE STARS, which is the only series Takaya has completed since she finished this little series called Fruits Basket. (That is, aside from Furuba spinoffs.) Prepare your tear ducts, because it dives just as hard — if not harder — into twisted family dynamics like Furuba. We answer burning listener qu...
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku (with Ellie from Religiously Nerdy)
November 27, 2022 15:42 - 1 hour - 72.1 MBThis episode discusses all volumes of Wotakoi by Fujita. Gather 'round, gamers, and let you freak flag fly, fujoshi: Wotakoi is the lighthearted, reassuring read all otaku need. It follows six young adults as they navigate fandom and romance, to hilarious, heartwarming effect. Ellie from the Religiously Nerdy podcast joins to discuss our three main couples, answer a slew of listener questions, and generally identify aspects that make the series so relatable. (Ashley, unfortunately, relates ...
Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san (with Asher Sofman)
October 29, 2022 23:42 - 45 minutes - 42.1 MBCovers all 4 volumes of Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san by Honda. Ever wanted to know what it's like to work in a bookstore? Well, your friendly neighborhood bookseller, Honda-san, has some funny stories to share and will teach you about wholesalers. Oh, and Honda's a skeleton. Of course. Honda relays many hijinks at their Kin*kuniya or B**k*ff in Tokyo, particularly in regards to foreign customers. The Ashes compare the anime and the manga, talk about issues surrounding book distribution a...
Marmalade Boy (with Lucy from CLAMPcast)
October 27, 2022 02:03 - 1 hour - 106 MBDiscusses all eight volumes of Marmalade Boy by Wataru Yoshizumi. Marmalade Boy is a quintessential shojo that has it all: Swingers! Step-sibling romance! Student-teacher relationships! And it does it all in a fast-paced eight volumes. In this episode, Lucy from the CLAMPcast podcast and Shojo & Tell host Ashley answer a ton of listener questions, which cover topics ranging from Marmalade Boy’s place in shojo history, our feelings about Meiko and Namura, how Miki and Yuu’s parents rank agai...
Absolute Boyfriend (with Asher Sofman)
October 05, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 68.7 MBThis episode discusses all six volumes of Absolute Boyfriend by Yuu Watase. The Ashes are back to do a compare and contrast between two shojo heavyweights, Yuu Watase and CLAMP. Last episode we covered Chobits even though it's a seinen series, partially because we're determined to read every CLAMP series, and partially because we knew Absolute Boyfriend appears to have taken heavy inspiration from Chobits and shojo-ified it. We talk about how Absolute Boyfriend handles sex and A.I. compared...
Chobits (with Asher Sofman) [Seinen Exception #2]
September 11, 2022 19:36 - 1 hour - 92.7 MBThis episode discusses all eight volumes of Chobits by CLAMP. We're continuing our journey through CLAMP with their most provocative, perverted, and problematic series yet: The sci-fi series Chobits, where personal computers (persocoms) take the form of cute high school girls with cat ears. Hideki, peak schmuck boy, finds a free one in the trash, and he names her Chi, and then he may or may not fall in love with her, even though she behaves like a child. Talk about awkward. Asher and Ashley...
Love Com (Lovely Complex) Pt. 2 (with Loyola Rankin)
August 27, 2022 19:52 - 1 hour - 90.9 MBThis episode discusses volumes 9–17 of Love Com by Aya Nakahara. We're back with a walkthrough of the highs and lows of the second half of Love Com, where we no longer see height. Height means nothing when it comes to true love. (Or... does it?) Ashley and Loyola discuss the appearance of Kohori, how Otani and Risa broke up (!!) then got to back together (!!!) and slept together (!!!!) — but no not in that way, they haven't even kissed four times in a row yet (?!?!). We have one of the most...
Love Com (Lovely Complex) Pt. 1 (with Loyola Rankin)
July 24, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 88.4 MBDiscusses volumes 1–8 of Love Com by Aya Nakahara. Ashley and Loyola are here to discuss the first half of the romantic comedy Love Com, aka Lovely Complex, which is the romcom that all other romcoms should aspire to. We gush about how cute Risa and Otani are, the impeccable comedic timing, the emotional levity that hits home, and so much more. Loyola is subjected to Ashley making her take the quizzes at the end of volume 8, to hilarious results. REFERENCES The Love Com manga is available...
The Story of Saiunkoku (with Dee of Josei Next Door)
July 05, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 76.5 MBDiscusses all 9 volumes of The Story of Saiunkoku, written by Sai Yukino and illustrated by Kairi Yura. ASHLEY: I'm like, 'I could have been a better person if I'd read [The Story of Saiunkoku] 10 years ago.' DEE: That's how we should have ended the no spoiler section! 'Read this manga, it will change your life.' In this episode, we're going to historical China for a semi-supernatural, extremely feminist manga adaptation of a light novel series. Dee, who makes the Josei Next Door blog and...
Flower in a Storm (with Asher Sofman)
June 13, 2022 04:00 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBWife and husband duo Ashley and Asher are back to talk about the short comedic manga Flower in a Storm. While neither would say they really loved the story of rich-boy Ran going after super-strong Riko, Ashley, at least, thinks it shows lots of promise from the author, and is a funny parody of mid-2000s shojo manga tropes. But the real standouts are the two unrelated short stories that are included. REFERENCES Flower in a Storm is available from Viz Media's Shojo Beat line The only other ...
Planet Ladder (with Asher Sofman)
June 03, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 71.4 MBCovers the entire series of Planet Ladder by Yuri Narushima. Wife and husband duo Ashley and Asher discuss the wild ride that is PLANET LADDER. They're not quite sure what happened, but they both know Bambi is the best. Also, there's a giant chicken. Surely you want to know more? REFERENCES Planet Ladder is out of print. It was published by TokyoPop, and you can find used copies on places like eBay. Planet Ladder is inspired by The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Other series mentioned: The...
Shortcake Cake Pt. 2 (with Olive St. Sauver)
May 08, 2022 22:47 - 1 hour - 80.6 MBA discussion of volumes 7–12 (the second half) of Shortcake Cake by Suu Morishita. Ashley and Olive are back to process what the heck happened in the back half of Morishita’s series. They discuss Rei and Riku's family drama, Riku and Ten and Chiaki’s relationship (how is Riku not canonically confirmed bi??), the use of tension in Morishita's works, and much, much more. Because so much happened in these six volumes, and the reader is definitely not prepared for all of them. REFERENCES Shor...
Shortcake Cake Pt. 1 (with Olive St. Sauver)
April 14, 2022 16:00 - 1 hour - 68.6 MBThis episode covers volumes 1–6 of Shorkcake Cake by Suu Morishita (that's the first half). The duo that makes up Suu Morishita burst onto the English manga scene in recent years with Shorkcake Cake and A Sigh of Affection. In this episode, Shojo & Tell host Ashley and manga reviewer Olive discuss what makes SCC a breath of fresh air, from Ten's kind frankness, to Chiaki's dorkiness, to Riku's fumbling sincerity. Then again, there's also Rei, who's been going Goblin Mode since before it was...
After Hours (with Asher Sofman) [Seinen Exception #1]
February 10, 2022 05:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MBWe discuss all three volumes of After Hours by Yuhta Nishio. Welcome to the club. Emi knows nothing about dance music. Kei is a DJ with manic pixie dream girl energy. Emi gets sucked into Kei's world in this series that's basically a 101 lesson in EDM. "Isn't this a seinen manga?" Yes, yes it is. But Shojo & Tell host Ashley has a soft spot for these lesbian DJs, so we're covering it anyway! Ashley and her husband, Asher, discuss the particular moment in music time the series is in response...
Takane and Hana Pt. 2 (with Kelly Quinn Chiu)
January 23, 2022 22:00 - 1 hour - 90.1 MBCovers volumes 10–18 of Takane and Hana by Yuki Shiwasu (that's the second half of the series). Takane is 27. Hana is 17. They're arranged marriage partners, and they're finally read to admit that they're in love. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and librarian Kelly are back to discuss how this age-gap romance wrapped up its story with a blissfully minimal amount of squick but still a high amount of disappointment. That's what the drama was between Takane and his mom and the whole Takaba corporatio...
Takane and Hana Pt. 1 (with Kelly Quinn Chiu)
December 17, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 88.6 MBCovers volumes 1–9 of Takane and Hana by Yuki Shiwasu. Hana is a perfectly average high school girl. Takane is a 26-year-old scion of a conglomerate. Together, they are arranged marriage partners (but they're definitely not dating!!). Kelly returns once again to talk about an age-gap romance — one that both she and Ashley are highly positive on. In this episode about the first half of the series, Kelly and Ashley try very, very hard to articulate how the series never (well, almost never, an...
The Rose of Versailles (with Erica Friedman)
November 17, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 101 MBCovers all 10 volumes plus the 10th anniversary side stories of The Rose of Versailles by Riyoko Ikeda (that's the five omnibus volumes released by Udon!) It's hard to overstate how significant The Rose of Versailles is to the history of shojo manga and beyond. In this episode about Riyoko Ikeda's masterpiece, Erica Friedman, the editor of the English edition of the series, details the legacy of Oscar François de Jarjayes, the ultimate girl prince. Erica answers listener questions about the...
SP Baby (with Asher Sofman)
October 27, 2021 04:00 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBCovers both volumes of SP Baby by Maki Enjoji. We're back with another Enjoji title! This time, it's a classic bodyguard romance, full of tragic backstories and sexual harassment. Tamaki joins the Security Police for Kagetora, the prime minster's nephew, against her better judgment (she really needs this job) and of course, romance ensues whether the heroine wants it or not. Ashley and Asher discuss how Tamaki's extreme form of accountability is actually refreshing, while Kagetora manages t...
An Incurable Case of Love (with Alex Yates)
October 10, 2021 19:59 - 1 hour - 69.1 MBCovers all 7 volumes of An Incurable Case of Love by Maki Enjoji. We're back with a cute josei series! It's like Grey's Anatomy, but with a more contained cast and a lot more sexual harassment from the patients. Sakura has had a crush on Dr. Tendo since she saw him save a stranger in the streets, but when they finally start working together, he's not exactly the kindly doctor she imagined him to be. Shojo & Tell host Ashley is joined by Alex Yates of The Yona Podcast to talk about this blos...
Hana-Kimi Pt. 3 (with Ashley Hawkins)
September 08, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 67.5 MBCovers volumes 16–23 of Hana-Kimi by Hisaya Nakajo. Welcome back for the final Hana-Kimi episode! The Ashleys are back to discuss how wild this ride has been: The strange results of the final character poll, what the series says about gender, how it compares to other gender-bending series, and of course, finally, the ships. Also: Can you believe this manga kept up the premise of Mizuki's gender being a secret the ENTIRE TIME? We just don't get manga like this anymore! REFERENCES Hana-Kim...
Hana-Kimi Pt. 2 (with Ashley Hawkins)
August 19, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 63.6 MBWelcome back to Osaka High and the middle third of Hana-Kimi. Shojo and Tell host Ashley is joined by Manga Librarian Ashley to talk about all the hijinks that ensued here. What’s the tone? Gil’s still here?! How can Mizuki assume Sano doesn’t know she’s a girl when she sleeps with him in the same bed half the nights and she’s got her boobs pressed up against him? Mizuki grew up in Berkeley, California? You know what, that makes a lot of sense, actually... REFERENCES Hana-Kimi is available...
Hana-Kimi Pt. 1 (with Ashley Hawkins)
July 29, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 84.7 MBCovers volumes 1–8 of Hana-Kimi by Hisaya Nakajo. We're throwing back and throwing down with a big-time, gender-bending shojo classic: Hana-Kimi, aka, the precursor to Ouran High School Host Club. Mizuki Ashiya moves all the way from America to Japan, in high school, without express permission from her parents, just to be with her favorite high-jumper, Izumi Sano, a boy she's never met. Even better: She has to disguise that she's a girl so she can attend Sano's all-boys school. Who approved...
RG Veda (with Asher Sofman)
July 17, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 72.3 MBCovers all of RG Veda by CLAMP. This hyper-violent fantasy series was CLAMP's first traditionally published work — and it shows. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and her boytoy Asher talk about the highs and lows of this high-concept series about destiny and the power of love (what else is new?). All good boys are praised, and Yasha is not on the list. REFERENCES RG Veda is available from Dark Horse Listen to Clampcast's more in-depth RG Veda episodes! Religious texts mentioned: Rig Veda Maha...
Earthian (with Vrai Kaiser)
June 17, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBCovers all of Earthian by Yun Kouga. Anime Feminist writer Vrai Kaiser joins Shojo & Tell host Ashley to discuss this late 1980s boys' love hot mess of a manga. Earthian starts off as a sort of mashup between Pet Shop of Horrors and The Good Place and ends somewhere way, way off from that. Vrai and Ashley discuss all the religion that is (and isn't) happening with the Catholicsploitation, how sweet Chihaya and Kagetsuya's relationship actually is, how many of the ideas the series presents (...
Waiting for Spring Part 2 (with Kelly Quinn Chiu)
May 20, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 90.9 MBCovers volumes 8–14 of Waiting for Spring by Anashin. We’re back to talk about the second half of Waiting for Spring, aka, Girly Kuroko's Basketball. Kelly and Ashley discuss how Towa and Aya are in a philosophical fight over what strength is, how well-handled Ryuji and Nana's relationship is, and just what about Waiting for Spring makes it so special. Also a lot of complaining about Aya. He's 17. He doesn't know anything! Waiting for Spring is available from Kodansha. Kelly used to have ...
Waiting for Spring Part 1 (with Kelly Quinn Chiu)
April 22, 2021 14:42 - 1 hour - 80.8 MBCovers volumes 1–7 of Waiting for Spring by Anashin. The wait is finally over! We're FINALLY talking about the basketball boys! Waiting for Spring is one of the most wholesome shojo series around and will have you smiling like a fool. Librarian Kelly and Shojo & Tell host Ashley discuss why Towa is the best, why Aya does not deserve to be in second place in the character poll (rude to Mitsuki and Ryuji), how you shouldn't write real-people fanfiction, and much more. It's basically Kuroko's ...
Ao Haru Ride Pt. 2 (with Shojo Beat Senior Editor Nancy Thistlethwaite)
April 07, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 63.8 MBCovers volumes 8–13 of Ao Haru Ride by Io Sakisaka. One year after recording about the first half of Ao Haru Ride, we’re back on the bandwagon to talk about the ending. Shojo Beat Senior Editor Nancy and Shojo & Tell host Ashley talk about every single confession and rejection scene, consistently compare the series to WE WERE THERE, bring up one too many times that [SPOILERS] it’s annoying that Kou was hit by a car, and so much more. Like, get out of here, Kikuchi. Kou and Futaba forever. ...
Utena: After the Revolution (with Rose Bridges)
March 11, 2021 05:00 - 46 minutes - 43 MBCovers all the short stories in Revolutionary Girl Utena: After the Revolution by Chiho Saito For the 20th anniversary of Revolutionary Girl Utena, we were gifted this volume of short stories (one for Touga and Saionji, another for Juri and Shiori, the final for Miki and Kozue) that function as a "sequel" of sorts to the Utena anime (not the manga). Anime scholar Rose Bridges comes back on the Shojo & Tell to talk about Utena without Utena (sort of?). Rose and Ashley debate which story of t...
Pet Shop of Horrors (with Morgana Santilli)
February 12, 2021 22:35 - 1 hour - 76.3 MBCovers all 10 volumes of the original Pet Shop of Horrors series by Matsuri Akino. Welcome to Count D's pet shop, where you can find the rarest pets that will make your dreams come true — and might just murder you, too. Horror fan, Yen Press employee, and Manga Machination's co-host Morgana Santilli explains why this wish shop fantasyland appealed to her so much growing up, and what makes Akino's work so special. Morgana and Shojo & Tell host Ashley also discuss: What is Count D? Is he good...
Tokyo Mew Mew (with Cy Catwell)
January 24, 2021 18:21 - 1 hour - 107 MBCovers all of Tokyo Mew Mew and Tokyo Mew Mew a la Mode Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi. In the early 2000s, this series about a team of five young girls infused with the DNA of rare animals fighting aliens bent on reclaiming the Earth became a phenomenon. Tokyo Mew Mew is supposed to get a new anime adaptation in the year 2021, so we decided to read the original magical girl series and its sequel. Mew Mew superfan Mercedez Clewis expounds on why the series left such a lasting impact on her an...
Tokyo Mew Mew (with Mercedez Clewis)
January 24, 2021 18:21 - 1 hour - 107 MBCovers all of Tokyo Mew Mew and Tokyo Mew Mew a la Mode Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi. In the early 2000s, this series about a team of five young girls infused with the DNA of rare animals fighting aliens bent on reclaiming the Earth became a phenomenon. Tokyo Mew Mew is supposed to get a new anime adaptation in the year 2021, so we decided to read the original magical girl series and its sequel. Mew Mew superfan Mercedez Clewis expounds on why the series left such a lasting impact on her an...
Socrates in Love (with Asher Sofman)
December 30, 2020 18:04 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBA discussion about the manga adaptation of Socrates in Love by Kyoichi Katayama and Kazumi Kazui Get ready to cry at this one-volume melodrama about a teenage couple torn apart by a tragedy. Socrates in Love follows Sakutaro and Aki as they go from being friends to lovers, but have their happiness cut short through illness. Chaplain-in-training Asher Sofman and Shojo & Tell host Ashley discuss how love and death are intertwined, how people grapple with suffering and illness, and other such ...
All My Darling Daughters (with Asher Sofman)
December 05, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 58.7 MBCovers All My Darling Daughters by Fumi Yoshinaga This one-volume manga about three generations of women in a family is masterfully told and extremely relatable. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and boytoy Asher discuss their favorite stories from this collection of five, dwell on the theme of love being a form of discrimination, and fret about how to avoid some of these parenting pitfalls when raising children. A content warning for the second story: There's an age-gap romance between a teacher a...
After School Nightmare Pt. 2 (with Mouna Toure)
November 13, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 71.1 MBCovers volumes 6–10 of After School Nightmare by Setona Mizushiro Welcome back to discuss the second half of a manga that is full of twists and turns. This episode, cartoonist Mouna Toure and Shojo & Tell host Ashley have more questions than answers after that whirlwind of an ending. Like, was there ever a real Ai?? Were there two Mashiro Ichijos? No, seriously, _what was up with Sou and Ai_? Mouna and Ashley reprise certain topics, like intersex representation, in light of After School Nig...