Mudai Manga and Book Club
The Mudai Manga and Book Club podcast explores the stories, comics, and novels coming out of Japan. From the newest Shonen Jump sensation to classics of manga’s early days, from brutal historical action series to fantastical romances to just the dumb fun of goofy Isekai stories and everything and anything in between, join us as we find series new and old to enjoy and explore together.
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Video Episodes Available on Youtube at Mudai Manga and Book Club
Email us at: MudaiMangaBookClub at Gmail.com
Episodes

Wednesday Aug 27, 2025
Wednesday Aug 27, 2025
Let's be fair, if you were reincarnated as an infant with perfect memory of your previous life, your first few years would be equally awkward as they are for Rudeus; I believe there's a reason we don't have consistent memories until we are two or three years old as humans. But that's besides the point as today we talk about the first volume of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (the light novel), one of the early examples of the isekai genre. Beyond that, Louie also goes over his thoughts on the first volume of the Clockwork Planet manga, and Tom gets to figure out how to talk about the newest Mission: Yozakura Family without spoiling the action spy in the midst of one of it's biggest reveals so far. All that and more on this episode of the Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast!
Follow us on Bluesky at The Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast
Video Episodes Available on Youtube at Mudai Manga and Book Club
Email us at: MudaiMangaBookClub at Gmail.com
Main Theme: Sunrise by Meizong & Yeeflex
Music provided by Argofox:Meizong & Yeeflex - Sunriseyoutu.be/-GurRvqxg3I
Additional Music:
Phat Phrog Studio - Echo Nexus
Phat Phrog Studio - Resistance
Ovani Sound - Rythmic Vol 3: Business

Wednesday Aug 20, 2025
Wednesday Aug 20, 2025
Life is not a straight line, and today we look at a lighter take on that with My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S Rank Adventurer by MOJIKAKIYA, volumes 1 of the light novels or volumes 1 and 2 of the manga. Having read both between us, though, we do get pretty far into the weeds on the differences between the two versions, and cover the range of normal seeming weirdos that inhabit the adventurers guild and the small village of Orphen. (Don't take this description too seriously, we make dumb jokes too).
In our what we read, we also cover a whole, massive range of stories, such as more silly-seriousness with the Elden Ring manga and another few quick summaries of the Mushoku Tensei novels from Louie and a whole smattering of things from Tom such as Soara and the House of Monsters, Survival in Another World with my Mistress manga because reading the whole story once wasn't enough apparently, the insane hilarity that is Life With An Ordinary Guy Reincarnated as a Total Fantasy Knockout volume 7, and even (gasp) something not Japanese with James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time which Tom is eminently unqualified to speak on but muddles though the best he can because it is so good. All that and more in this episode of the Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast!
Follow us on Bluesky at The Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast
Video Episodes Available on Youtube at Mudai Manga and Book Club
Email us at: MudaiMangaBookClub at Gmail.com
Main Theme: Sunrise by Meizong & Yeeflex
Music provided by Argofox:Meizong & Yeeflex - Sunriseyoutu.be/-GurRvqxg3I
Additional Music:
Phat Phrog Studios - Echo Nexus
Dark Fantasy Studio - Together
Ovani Sound - Lo-Fi - Water

Wednesday Aug 13, 2025
Wednesday Aug 13, 2025
What does exceptional magic, exceptional art, and the technical definition of "the brim of a hat" all have in common? This week's episode, where we take a look at the opening arcs of Witch Hat Atelier (chapters 1-7, or volumes 1 and the first chapters of volume 2) by Kamome Shirahama. To go with it, we have an exceptionally large collection of things we've read this week too, including Tom working through the entire light novel series of Survival in Another World With My Mistress and DanDaDan volume 14, while Louie finally gets into Don't Toy With Me Miss Nagatoro and completes another six novels of Mushoku Tensei, along with many others.
Follow us on Bluesky at The Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast
Video Episodes Available on Youtube at Mudai Manga and Book Club
Email us at: MudaiMangaBookClub at Gmail.com
Main Theme: Sunrise by Meizong & Yeeflex
Music provided by Argofox:Meizong & Yeeflex - Sunriseyoutu.be/-GurRvqxg3I
Additional Music:
Phat Phrog Studio - Echo Nexus
Phat Phrog Studio - Resistance
Dark Fantasy Studio - Together

Wednesday Aug 06, 2025
Wednesday Aug 06, 2025
Time to close the case as we return to the aquatic police comedy drama for the second half of Hard Boiled Cop and Dolphin by Ryuhei Tamura (specifically, the second half of volume 3, along with volumes 4 and 5). And this time, we get to the bottom of the mysterious sea cult, the history of Orpheus, the mysterious captain behind Japanese Police Force's Section 7, Chako's mysterious powers, the dolphin trainer with the new, mysterious leg, and about 37 other things in this jam packed second half. Besides that, we spend, well, a lot, because we read a lot and there's a lot to talk about: Tom finished all of Coppellion (all 26 volumes) and the middle third of Issak (6-13), while Louie bounced through a whole bunch of series, from the newest volume of Dai Dark (#8) to Soara and the House of Monsters (volume 1) to The Invincible Shovel (volume 1 as well). It's a massive episode this week, so grab your scuba gear and dive in.
Follow us on Bluesky at The Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast
Video Episodes Available on Youtube at Mudai Manga and Book Club
Email us at: MudaiMangaBookClub at Gmail.com
Main Theme: Sunrise by Meizong & Yeeflex
Music provided by Argofox:Meizong & Yeeflex - Sunriseyoutu.be/-GurRvqxg3I
Additional Music:
Phat Phrog Studio - Resistance
Phat Phrog Studio - Echo Nexus
Phat Phrog Studio - Machines of the Night
Note: a small section of The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" is used during this episode as a joke, and is being used here under the guidelines of fair use, as it pertains to the song's original use in the US crime drama CSI Miami.

Wednesday Jul 30, 2025
Wednesday Jul 30, 2025
Congratulations! You were sold at a black market auction for 5 million British Pounds to a being who has a poor understanding of humanity and has a dog skull for a head with large horns coming out of each side. . . . Look, I realize part of this is to make a funny joke and break the ice for the series we're about to talk about but that actually is a massive positive for main character Chise Hatori in the Ancient Magus' Bride, chapters 1-7 (or volume one and about half of volume two). Tom also takes some time to run down the entire second half of All Rounder Meguru, both talk about the fun of the recent Otr and the Flame chapters, and Louie gets into Battle Angel Alita and it's big-eyed Hollywood movie.
Follow us on Bluesky at The Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast
Video Episodes Available on Youtube at Mudai Manga and Book Club
Email us at: MudaiMangaBookClub at Gmail.com
Main Theme: Sunrise by Meizong & Yeeflex
Music provided by Argofox:Meizong & Yeeflex - Sunriseyoutu.be/-GurRvqxg3I
Additional Music:
Phat Phrog Studio - Machines of the Night
Phat Phrog Studio - Cyber Chill
Phat Phrog Studio - Echo Nexus

Wednesday Jul 23, 2025
Wednesday Jul 23, 2025
The strategy guide lands in the world of itself; it really truly fell of a truck, huh? This week we look at the first volume of I Picked Up This World's Strategy Guide by atchi ai, a full color manga that Tom really, really thought wouldn't take long to talk about. But, despite it's goofy premise, the narrative does have some fun twists to share. Beyond that, Louie works through So I'm a Spider, So What's? manga, Tom finally gets caught up with the Housekeeping Mage novels, and both continue to gush on Otr and the Flame and The Creepy and the Freaky.
Follow us on Bluesky at The Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast
Video Episodes Available on Youtube at Mudai Manga and Book Club
Email us at: MudaiMangaBookClub at Gmail.com
Main Theme: Sunrise by Meizong & Yeeflex
Music provided by Argofox:Meizong & Yeeflex - Sunriseyoutu.be/-GurRvqxg3I
Additional Music:
Phat Phrog Studio - Cyber Chill
Phat Phrog Studio - Echo Nexus
Dark Fantasy Studio - Together

Wednesday Jul 16, 2025
Wednesday Jul 16, 2025
Marry me if you want to live. . . . because today we review the start of the excellent shonen series Mission: Yozakura Family by Hitsuji Gondaira, specifically the introduction and Flower Bin arcs (chapters 1-9). Meanwhile, in our reading section, Louie is exposed to the first two books of Darling in the Franxx and more of the excellent Dinosaur Sanctuary, while Tom tries to explain the continued strangeness of Housekeeping Mage and also the entirety of Teppu's amateur MMA series. . . . We read a lot, ok?
Follow us on Bluesky at The Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast
Video Episodes Available on Youtube at Mudai Manga and Book Club
Email us at: MudaiMangaBookClub at Gmail.com
Main Theme: Sunrise by Meizong & Yeeflex
Music provided by Argofox:Meizong & Yeeflex - Sunriseyoutu.be/-GurRvqxg3I
Additional Music:
Phat Phrog Studio - Machine's of the Night
Phat Phrog Studio - Echo Nexus
Phat Phrog Studio - Resistance

Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
Today, a bonus episode; during our recent small topics episode one particular piece ended up being a much bigger and more involved conversation. "Pick five series, comics, manga, books, whatever, that show who you are." And so, Tom and Louie both cover their set: Tom, the five series that had the biggest impact over his life, and Louie, five series that are never leaving his collection.
Follow us on Bluesky at The Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast
Video Episodes Available on Youtube at Mudai Manga and Book Club
Email us at: MudaiMangaBookClub at Gmail.com
Main Theme: Sunrise by Meizong & Yeeflex
Music provided by Argofox:Meizong & Yeeflex - Sunriseyoutu.be/-GurRvqxg3I
Additional Music:
Phat Phrog Studio - Cyber Chill
Phat Phrog Studio - Echo Nexus

Wednesday Jul 02, 2025
Wednesday Jul 02, 2025
It's time to fight with all your might, in a realistic way, with the first two books of All Rounder Meguru, by Hiroki Endo. Tom walks us through this high school amateur MMA series beginning with the first two books, both to share joy of watching the amazing fights and training montages. but also to help ease the somewhat odd opening turns in the narrative. Louie takes a short, spoiler free moment to talk about Rain Code+ now that he has completed it, and continues to say he will for sure finish Deadrock. All that and more in this new episode of the Mudai Manga & Book Club Podcast.
Follow us on Bluesky at The Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast
Video Episodes Available on Youtube at Mudai Manga and Book Club
Email us at: MudaiMangaBookClub at Gmail.com
Main Theme: Sunrise by Meizong & Yeeflex
Music provided by Argofox:Meizong & Yeeflex - Sunriseyoutu.be/-GurRvqxg3I
Additional Music:
Phat Phrog Studio - Cyber Chill
Phat Phrog Studio - Echo Nexus
Dark Fantasy Studio - Together

Wednesday Jun 25, 2025
Wednesday Jun 25, 2025
This week, we go meandering on all sorts of ideas as we have a collection episode of various ideas, topics, and conversations we thought would be interesting, but aren't worth a full episode. When, and how often, do you, or should you, reread manga? A return of the quiz show, now with 50% more remembering to give points, as Louie tries to understand Japanese superstitions. Tom reveals a plan to catch up on reading all those books he bought, but really for real, probably. . . . maybe.
Follow us on Bluesky at The Mudai Manga and Book Club Podcast
Video Episodes Available on Youtube at Mudai Manga and Book Club
Email us at: MudaiMangaBookClub at Gmail.com
Main Theme: Sunrise by Meizong & Yeeflex
Music provided by Argofox:Meizong & Yeeflex - Sunriseyoutu.be/-GurRvqxg3I
Phat Prong Studios - Echo Nexus
Phat Prong Studios - Cyber CHill
Dark Fantasy Studio - Together
Phat Prong Studios - Resistance
Phat Prong Studios - Machines of the Night






