natsuki takaya

This 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 questions like "which page made you cry the most?", marvel at the star imagery, and of course, make endless comparisons to Fruits Basket. Which Takaya series is better? You'll have to listen to find out.

CONTENT WARNING: Suicide

REFERENCES

• Twinkle Stars is available from Yen Press
• We make frequent comparisons to Takaya's other series, Fruits Basket, which we previously covered:
  • FB episode 1
  • FB episode 2
  • FB episode 3
• Other series mentioned:
  • Kimi ni Todoke
  • Basara
  • Kodocha
  • An example of the servant/high school student dynamic: A Girl and Her Guard Dog
• Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT US

• Colleen on Twitter: @manga_nostalgic
• Colleen on YouTube: @ColleensMangaRecs
• Colleen on TikTok: @colleensmangarecs
• Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
• Ashley's Tales of Xillia fanfic: Well Suited

Covers all three volumes of Fruits Basket another by Natsuki Takaya

Would you like to have another basket of fruit? Natsuki Takaya shows us what the kids of everyone from the original Fruits Basket cast are like in this sequel to the blockbuster series. Another centers around Sawa Mitoma, aka NegaTohru, as she suffers abuse from her single mother and meets the Sohma kids in high school. In this podcast, Fruits Basket fanatic Jacob and Shojo & Tell host Ashley get into whether this sequel series stands on its own, whether it's worth reading, how Takaya handles the same themes but with different power dynamics between the characters, and of course, and who the best Sohma kid is. (They may all love each other, but remember: The curse is family.)

REFERENCES

• Fruits Basket another is available from Yen Press
• You can listen to our podcasts about the original Fruits Basket series here
• We assume that Hatsuharu and Isuzu's kids are named after Riku and Sora from Kingdom Hearts
• Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT

• Jacob on Twitter: @weebservations
• Support Jacob on Patreon or through Ko-fi
• Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
• Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

NOTE: We recorded this episode before the passing of Anime News Network's Zac Bertschy, who was Jacob's former partner.

The next episode will cover volumes 1-9 of Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time by Tohko Mizuno, with guest Asher Sofman.

A bonus episode discussing the release of the first two episodes of the new FRUITS BASKET anime in theaters and the performance of PRETTY GUARDIAN SAILOR MOON: THE SUPER LIVE in Washington, DC for the start of the Cherry Blossom Festival. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and friendo Asher delve into the highs and lows of these shojo special events.

REFERENCES

• Fruits Basket in theaters
• Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live to start the Cherry Blossom Festival
• Our list of iconic shojo anime: Cardcaptor Sakura, Sailor Moon, Ouran High School Host Club, Revolutionary Girl Utena, and the original Fruits Basket
• The shojo anime we could think of more recently that have more than one season: Full Moon o Sagashite, Kimi ni Todoke, and Shugo Chara
• Outro song: “Smile Its Me!” by Danosongs

CONTACT US

• Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram
• Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

Covers volumes 17-23 of Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

The curse has finally broken! And did you hear there’s going to be a new Fruits Basket anime?! Great. We don’t talk about that on this podcast! (This is a manga podcast, after all. And this episode was recorded before the announcement.) But don’t worry, massive Furuba fan and Anime News Network editor Jacob Chapman and Shojo & Tell host Ashley find plenty to talk about in the last third of the series (this concludes our trilogy of podcasts!). Jacob explains why Akito is such a compelling character, and he and Ashley delve into the series’ handling of gender overall. But most importantly, Jacob and Ashley finally get to talk about ALL THE SHIPS (including some that didn’t sail) in the most massive Shipping Corner to date. Obviously, Kyo and Tohru OTP.

NOTE: Apologies for the subpar audio quality in this episode. The Skype connection was worse than usual, and unfortunately Jacob’s local track was corrupted. There is at least one instance where Jacob cut out for several seconds. It is easy to infer what he said from where he picks up, but it’s still not great. Sorry again!

Click here for a transcript of this episode

LINKS

• Announcement about the new Fruits Basket anime
• Fruits Basket is available from Yen Press in a very nice collector’s edition
• Fruits Basket Another is also available from Yen Press
• The original 2001 Fruits Basket anime is available from Funimation
• Jacob’s Fruits Basket radio drama can still be listened to here
• An in-depth Twitter thread from Jacob comparing Yen Press’ editions to the original Tokyopop releases
• You can stream Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on Crunchyroll
• Banana Fish is available from Viz Media. We did podcasts about it.
• Outro song: “For Fruits Basket” by AmaLee (an English cover of the Fruits Basket anime opening). Download this song and AmaLee’s other great covers in iTunes here.

SOCIAL

• Jacob on Twitter: @itsbonedaddy
• Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook
• Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

If you have any comments or questions about the episode, email us at shojoandtell@gmail.com, reach out to us on your preferred social media network, or comment on the episode page.

Covers volumes 9-16 of Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

Massive Furuba fan and Anime News Network editor Jacob Chapman is back to discuss the middle third of Takaya’s classic with Shojo & Tell host Ashley. Most of the dark, dark Sohma family secrets have been revealed this time around, and Tohru is in turmoil over Kyo’s fate. But we’re saving most of the Kyo talk for the third and final podcast! This time, Yuki’s struggles shine after his confrontation with Akito. The particular pains of motherhood — with Tohru’s mother complex and many of the Sohma’s crummy parents — are scrutinized at length. And Jacob explains how Fruits Basket accurately captures the cyclic nature of abuse. It’s a heavy episode, but then, there’s also talk about how the play “Sorta Cinderella” is very funny. Try not to cry too much, alright?

Click here for a transcript of this episode

LINKS

• Fruits Basket is available from Yen Press in a very nice collector’s edition
• The Fruits Basket anime is available from Funimation
• Jacob’s Fruits Basket radio drama can still be listened to here
• Here's a random Fruits Basket/“She’s So High” AMV just to prove the point
• An in-depth Twitter thread from Jacob comparing Yen Press’ editions to the original Tokyopop releases
• Surely you remember Disney’s Tangled?
• Book about sand and sand mafias: The World in a Grain
• Outro song: “For Fruits Basket” by AmaLee (an English cover of the Fruits Basket anime opening). Download this song and AmaLee’s other great covers in iTunes here.

SOCIAL

• Jacob on Twitter: @itsbonedaddy
• Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook
• Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

If you have any comments or questions about the episode, email us at shojoandtell@gmail.com, reach out to us on your preferred social media network, or comment on the episode page.

Covers volumes 1-8 of Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

At the height of the mid-2000s manga boom in the US, there was no bigger series than Fruits Basket. And this story about orphaned Tohru Honda and the Sohma family curse has endured, getting a very special rerelease in recent years. For a series this influential, we brought on one of the biggest Furuba fans of all: Anime News Network editor Jacob Chapman. We discuss why Fruits Basket left such a lasting impression, who our favorite Sohmas are, how Tokyopop and Yen Press’ translations compare, what the curse really is, Kyo’s “true” form and the search for what’s real, Furuba’s message about belief in others, particularly as it relates to religion and family, and much, much more. Most importantly, obviously, we answer the question: Yuki or Kyo? And just think: This is only the first of three episodes about Takaya’s masterpiece.

Click here for a transcript of this episode

REFERENCES

• Fruits Basket is available from Yen Press in a very nice collector’s edition
• The Fruits Basket anime is available from Funimation
• Jacob’s Fruits Basket radio drama can still be listened to here
• An in-depth Twitter thread from Jacob comparing Yen Press’ editions to the original Tokyopop releases
• Other manga Jacob keeps up with (since he doesn’t read that much manga): Attack on Titan, To Your Eternity
• Other big shojo titles popular during Fruits Basket’s heyday: *Skip Beat, *Boys Over Flowers
• Quiz Segment: Can We Guess Your Chinese Zodiac Based On Your Taste In Food? [Buzzfeed]
• Outro song: “For Fruits Basket” by AmaLee (an English cover of the Fruits Basket anime opening). Download this song and AmaLee’s other great covers in iTunes here.

SOCIAL

• Jacob on Twitter: @itsbonedaddy
• Shojo & Tell on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook
• Ashley on Twitter: @AshMcD00

If you have any comments or questions about the episode, email us at shojoandtell@gmail.com, reach out to us on your preferred social media network, or comment on the episode page.

Discusses the first volumes of Fruits Basket Another by Natsuki Takaya and Sacrificial Princess & the King of Beasts by Yu Tomofuji

Welcome to our first preview guide! What's a preview guide, you ask? Our preview guide episodes will cover the first volume of newly released shojo/josei series (in the US), providing first reactions about the manga (mixing review with our normal discussion format). These will be shorter episodes that come out in addition to our normal bi-weekly, in-depth series discussions. More shojo talk! What could be better?

Our inaugural series are Fruits Basket Another and Sacrificial Princess & the King of Beasts. Honestly, you know what you’re getting just from those titles alone, but Shojo & Tell host Ashley and her bestie Asher Sofman tell you their likes and dislikes and hopes and dreams. Can the world handle yet another Fruits Basket (without the gimmick that made the original such a success)? Does this new riff on Beauty and the Beast have a uniquely compelling hook? Find out from the Ashes.

LINKS

• Fruits Basket Another is available from Yen Press
• Sacrificial Princess & the King of Beasts is also available from Yen Press
• Sacrificial Princess reminds Asher of Red River, which is available from Viz Media
• Yonkoma manga
• Outro Song: “Like Swimming” by Broke For Free, a really awesome electronic music producer your should support!

We’re doing a giveaway along with this episode! It's open until 8pm Wednesday, August 8th! Follow us on social media and/or listen to the episode for entry details.

SOCIAL

• Follow Shojo & Tell on Twitter @shojoandtell
• Follow Shojo & Tell on Instagram @shojoandtell
• Follow Asher on Tumblr @asherdashery
• Follow Asher's new project, The Thousand Tree, on Tumblr
• Follow Ashley on Twitter @AshMcD00
• Follow Asher and Ashley's other podcast Podigious (about Digimon) on Twitter @podigious