Episode 51 - Monster by Naoki Urasawa

05/19/25 • 74 min

Save the child or save the mayor?

A split-second decision in an operating room forever alters Dr. Kenzo Tenma's life, sending him spiralling into a nightmare beyond imagination. When the doctor chooses to follow his conscience rather than hospital politics, he unwittingly unleashes a chain of events that will haunt him for years to come.
In this week's episode, Mat is joined by illustrator and comic book artist Zen K to go into the operating room to dissect Naoki Urasawa's Monster. Together they probe the moral complexities, breathtaking suspense, and haunting characters that have earned this manga its reputation as one of the greatest psychological thrillers ever created.

Discover why this 30-year-old manga by "Japan's Master of Suspense" is still worth reading and why it remains as relevant as ever.

Find the Naoki Urasawa interview mentioned in the podcast here.
Buy Zen's comics digitally here and physically here!

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!
Find us on:
X: Manga Tak Pod
Bluesky: Manga Tak Pod
Instagram: Manga Tak Pod

Save the child or save the mayor?

Discover why this 30-year-old manga by "Japan's Master of Suspense" is still worth reading and why it remains as relevant as ever.

Find the Naoki Urasawa interview mentioned in the podcast here.
Buy Zen's comics digitally here and physically here!

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!
Find us on:
X: Manga Tak Pod
Bluesky: Manga Tak Pod
Instagram: Manga Tak Pod

Previous Episode

Episode 50 - Yu-Gi-Oh by Kazuki Takahashi

When an unassuming high schooler solves the mysterious Millennium Puzzle, he unleashes more than just ancient Egyptian magic—he becomes the vessel for a vengeful spirit with a fondness for deadly shadow games! Yet beneath the dark exterior, Yugi Mutou seeks not vengeance but connection, transforming his supernatural curse into a force for friendship.
Step into the forgotten realm of Yu-Gi-Oh's origins with Mat and Marvin as they excavate the first volume of Kazuki Takahashi's groundbreaking manga. Long before card battles dominated the franchise, death games ruled supreme—where losers didn't just forfeit life points, they forfeited their lives!
Discover the manga's surprising roots as we dissect its quintessentially Shonen theme of friendship. We'll unravel the series' unique premise and debate the burning question: Would this shadow game saga have ever reached Western shores if not for its strategic pivot to trading card combat?
Join us for a nostalgic journey back to where it all began—when "It's time to duel" meant something far more sinister than a card game!

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!
Find us on:
X: Manga Tak Pod
Bluesky: Manga Tak Pod
Instagram: Manga Tak Pod

Next Episode

Episode 52 - Manhole by Tetsuya Tsutsui

When a grotesquely disfigured man emerges from the depths of a city manhole only to collapse and die on the crowded streets of Sasahara, veteran detective Ken Mizoguchi discovers that some nightmares are all too real. What begins as a bizarre crime scene transforms into a race against a biological apocalypse when the autopsy reveals a horrifying truth: the victim harboured a contagious parasite that robs humans of their desires.

On this week's episode, Mat's joined once again by Tom Parry to deep dive into Tetsuya Tsutsui's Manhole, now available in English from Kana. Join them as they explore the book's cinematic style, it's unique portrayal of a pandemic, and how Tsutsui uses police procedural tropes to craft a unique and unsettling story!

Thanks to Juliano Zucareli for our theme music!
Find us on:
X: Manga Tak Pod
Bluesky: Manga Tak Pod
Instagram: Manga Tak Pod