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Shojo & Tell: A Manga Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Ashley McDonnell
A 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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- Aug 9, 20261h 52m
Red River Manga Discussion Part 1 (with Asher Sofman)
Red River by Chie Shinohara has finally gotten an anime adaptation, so, just as everyone else is talking about it right now, we, too, are entering the fray of the ancient Hittite Empire. Shojo & Tell host Ashley is persuaded by her husband, Asher, that he's the guy fit for discussing this iconic series, because his rabbinic studies give him an informational edge. The Ashes debate what the relentlessness of sexual assault against Yuri culturally signifies, wonder at the limits of historical fiction, and get wistful about isekai of yore. On sillier notes, Ashley fawns over Yuri and praises Prince Kail for being so corny. This episode covers the first third of the series. REFERENCES Red River is available from Viz Media's Shojo Beat line The Red River anime is streaming on Crunchyroll Other anime/manga series mentioned The Vision of Escaflowne Fushigi Yugi Sword Art Online Sailor Moon Snow White with the Red Hair Hot Gimmick Fruits Basket Mars The Prince of Egypt is the source of all truth Books mentioned: Horse by Geraldine Brooks The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness Songs mentioned: "A Horse with No Name" by America "Yuri the Only One for Me" by LeetStreet Boys Ishtar Syrian civil war Outro: "Tokimeki no Doukasen" (Fushigi Yuugi ending theme) + Fruits Basket (2019) episode 3 dialogue CONTACT Shojo & Tell on Bluesky, Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter Ashley on Bluesky
- Jun 19, 20262h 38m
Please Save My Earth Manga Discussion Part 2 (with Autumn)
We pick up right where we left off, and... It's not what you expect. At all. Rin is up to Rin machinations. Shion did exactly what you thought he did. Jinpachi is suddenly kinda sinister. Alice is struggling with her memories, in more ways than one. Daisuke exists. Tamura is still the best (Mikuro is a close second). Shojo & Tell host Ashley and special guest Autumn talk their overall thoughts on the ending of this slow-burn mystery/drama, delve into the worldbuilding presented by Mokuren's past (so you DID have cool flying spaceship jawns!), poke gentle fun at some new back-half characters, and of course, wonder "WHY?" about a slew of ridiculous ships. REFERENCES Please Save My Earth is available digitally from Viz Media Other anime/manga series mentioned Sailor Moon Red River Hana-Kimi Boys Over Flowers From Far Away The Vision of Escaflowne A Sign of Affection Fushigi Yugi Hot Gimmick Outro: "Tokimeki no Doukasen" (Fushigi Yuugi ending theme) + Fruits Basket (2019) episode 3 dialogue CONTACT Autumn's blog: https://notanotakunao.blogspot.com/ Shojo & Tell on Bluesky, Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter Ashley on Bluesky
- May 27, 20262h 20m
Please Save My Earth Manga Discussion Part 1 (with Autumn)
It's 1980s Japan. Saki Hiwatari is telling a story set in the extremely near future, in 1990s Tokyo (now nostalgic past). A group of teens start to meet up because they all have dreams of a past life where they were people who were the size of human pinkies and they lived on the moon. Why do they have these dreams? What happened in their past life? It's an epic drama and drawn-out science fiction mystery for the times! Shojo & Tell host Ashley and shojo manga superfan Autumn get into themes of fate and cyclical wrongs with this singular series. The discussion mostly centers around how punchable Rin/Shion is, but hey, we swear there's other fun stuff packed in here, too. REFERENCES Please Save My Earth is available digitally from Viz Media Other anime/manga series mentioned Saint Seiya Tokyo Babylon The Vision of Escaflowne Banana Fish A Sign of Affection X/1999 Fushigi Yugi Paradise Kiss Legend of the Galactic Heroes Devilman Maid-Sama Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle Hot Gimmick Black Jack Hunter x Hunter YuYu Hakusho Rocky is rated PG when it probably shouldn't be (it should be PG-13) "This is a work of fiction" disclaimer history: Started in the 1930s in novels as a result of a defamation lawsuit Outro: "Tokimeki no Doukasen" (Fushigi Yuugi ending theme) + Fruits Basket (2019) episode 3 dialogue CONTACT Autumn's blog: https://notanotakunao.blogspot.com/ Shojo & Tell on Bluesky, Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter Ashley on Bluesky
- May 3, 20262h 16m
Full Moon o Sagashite Manga Discussion (with Laura Spicer)
There are few authors more synonymous with "shojo" than Arina Tanemura. We've done Tanemura works before. But Full Moon is peak Tanemura. Which is not to say it's a masterwork. For those who don't idolize Tanemura and are wondering what Full Moon is about, the series follows a 12-year-old girl named Mitsuki who wants to be a singer so she can reconnect with her childhood crush, whom she met when they both lived at an orphanage, but she can't become a singer because she has throat cancer that, if left untreated, will kill her. Some shinigami show up telling her she only has one year left to live, and she somehow convinces the shinigami to turn her into a 16-year-old so she can become the idol of her dreams before she dies. Are you keeping up? Tanemura fan Laura Spicer joins Shojo & Tell host Ashley once again to go through the whirlwind of a manga to, first, figure out what even all happened here, and second, to determine what the good emotional beats are. REFERENCES Full Moon is available digitally from Viz Media's Shojo Beat line The Full Moon anime is available on blu-ray Tanemura's other projects Phantom Thief Jeanne Idol Dreams idolish7 The Gentlemen's Alliance Sakura Hime Time Stranger Kyoko Music mentioned +44 Linkin Park Evanescence Within Temptation t.A.T.u. Maaya Sakamoto Yui Horie AKB48 Morning Musume Ayumi Hamasaki Other anime/manga series mentioned Fruits Basket Sailor Moon Cardcaptor Sakura Ouran High School Host Club Yona of the Dawn Hana-Kimi A Condition Called Love Not Your Idol Oshi no Ko The Vision of Escaflowne Outro: "Tokimeki no Doukasen" (Fushigi Yuugi ending theme) + Fruits Basket (2019) episode 3 dialogue CONTACT Laura on Bluesky, Instagram Shojo & Tell on Bluesky, Tumblr
- Mar 3, 20261h 11m
Mixed Vegetables Manga Discussion (with Asher Sofman)
Hanayu wants to be a sushi chef, but her father expects her to take over the family pastry shop. Hayato wants to be a pastry chef, but is expected to take over his family's sushi restaurant. Uh, you can see where this is going, right? Shojo & Tell host Ashley and her husband Asher discuss this romantic comedy series in which these 15 year old children place the weight of the world on their shoulders. Mixed Vegetables may be a mixed bag, but hey, maybe that's your cup of tea (to mix metaphors). REFERENCES Read Mixed Vegetables digitally on the Viz Media app Other manga/anime mentioned Maid-Sama Kimi ni Todoke Full Moon o Sagashite Yuu Watase Locations in Japan mentioned Kagoshima Okinawa Hokkaido How Japan’s Female Sushi Chefs Are Claiming a Seat at the Counter (Conde Nast Traveler 2022) Koseki Outro: "Tokimeki no Doukasen" (Fushigi Yuugi ending theme) + Fruits Basket (2019) episode 3 dialogue CONTACT US Shojo & Tell on Bluesky, Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter Ashley on Bluesky
- Jan 21, 20261h 7m
Horimiya Manga Discussion, Part 2 (with Caitlin Moore) [Shonen Exception #6]
Caitlin and Ashley are back to discuss the second half of Horimiya, aka, all the bits that don't matter. Like, it's a miracle this episode is over an hour long, because the two spend most of the time talking about *checks notes*: Sawada, Iura, and Watabe. And they're definitely the most interesting characters in this whole series, right? Especially Iura.Jokes aside, Caitlin and Ashley spend time going over the chapters they did like (and some they really didn't), plus there's a shipping corner with an 11th hour bombshell dropped. Just like the second season of the Horimiya anime, this episode isn't boring, but it might also not be necessary. Tune in to hear for yourself.REFERENCESHorimiya is published by Yen PressOther manga/anime mentionedMaid-Sama!Outro: "Tokimeki no Doukasen" (Fushigi Yuugi ending theme) + Fruits Basket (2019) episode 3 dialogueCONTACT USShojo & Tell on Bluesky, Tumblr, Instagram, and TwitterCaitlin's writings at Anime Feminist and Anime News NetworkCaitlin on BlueskyAshley on Bluesky
- Oct 10, 20251h 22m
Horimiya Manga Discussion, Part 1 (with Caitlin Moore) [Shonen Exception #6]
Finally, we're here to talk about the shonen elephant in the shojo room: Horimiya. Look at almost any list of "best shojo anime," and you're bound to see Horimiya near the top of it. But, just so we're all clear: Horimiya isn't a shojo series. It is, however, a very good shonen romance series.Shojo & Tell host Ashley and Anime News Network and Anime Feminist writer Caitlin dig into why people often mistake Horimiya for a shojo series and how the series lovingly subverts a lot of stereotypical romance tropes through the main couple, Hori and Miyamura, and many of the B couples, especially Remi and Sengoku. There's a lot of gushing over how relatable Hori is (seriously, so relatable). But most importantly (regrettably?): Ashley and Caitlin delve into what makes the sex scene so touching and how nice it is to see an authentic teenage exploration of kink.REFERENCESBuy Horimiya from MangaMart, a family-run manga store offering some of the most competitive prices around (affiliate link)Horimiya is published by Yen PressOther manga/anime mentionedFushigi Yuugi: Genbu KaidenMillennium SnowAttack on TitanSword Art OnlineBlack BirdHot GimmickMonthly Girls' Nozaki-kunFushigi YuugiBoys Over FlowersKodochaMarmalade BoyFull MoonOutro: "Tokimeki no Doukasen" (Fushigi Yuugi ending theme) + Fruits Basket (2019) episode 3 dialogueCONTACT USShojo & Tell on Bluesky, Tumblr, Instagram, and TwitterCaitlin's writings at Anime Feminist and Anime News NetworkCaitlin on BlueskyAshley on Bluesky
- Jul 16, 202551 min
Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand Manga Discussion (with Asher Sofman)
Get ready to go to the beach in this emotionally affecting, short josei series. Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand by Yoko Komori follows Tokiko, a sixth grader whose parents are recently separated; as a result, she moves with her dad from Tokyo to the small beach town where her mother grew up where legends of merfolk are still honored. As she grapples with her new normal, Tokiko is also looking for a particular merman for saving her from drowning. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and her husband Asher dive deep into Tokiko's family dynamics, whether or not one citizen of the town is actually real, and the consequences of pathological lying. REFERENCESBuy Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand from MangaMart, a family-run manga store offering some of the most competitive prices around (affiliate link)Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand is published by Viz Media's Signature lineOther manga/anime mentionedHorimiyaOutro: "Tokimeki no Doukasen" (Fushigi Yuugi ending theme) + Fruits Basket (2019) episode 3 dialogueCONTACT USShojo & Tell on Bluesky, Tumblr, Instagram, and TwitterAshley on Bluesky
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About Shojo & Tell: A Manga Podcast
A 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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