Preview Guide 4: Not Your Idol

Preview Guide 4: Not Your Idol

Author: Ashley McDonnell April 2, 2020 Duration: 24:46
This is a review of NOT YOUR IDOL volume 1, a new series by Aoi Makino that's going to be released by Viz. NOT YOUR IDOL tackles the ups and downs of idol culture in Japan (as you can probably tell from the title). It follows a girl named Nina, who was once the leader of the idol group Pure Club. At an event for Pure Club, she was attacked by a supposed fan, which leads her to drop out of the group and start dressing as a boy to protect herself. That's only the beginning of the drama, though. Shojo & Tell host Ashley and basically a cohost Asher give their thoughts about what a promising start volume 1 is for the series. (With a warning that NOT YOUR IDOL is also pretty upsetting.)

Host Ashley McDonnell invites you into a space dedicated entirely to the heartfelt, dramatic, and wonderfully complex world of shojo and josei manga in Shojo & Tell: A Manga Podcast. Each episode dives deep into a single series, from foundational classics that defined the genre to contemporary hits that are shaping its future. You’ll hear Ashley and a different guest-each a dedicated superfan-break down the stories, characters, and artistic choices that make these series resonate so powerfully. It’s less a formal review and more like the energetic, detailed conversations you’d have with a friend who loves these stories just as much as you do, full of personal insights and genuine enthusiasm. Whether you’re looking to revisit beloved titles like "Cardcaptor Sakura" or "Fushigi Yuugi" or discover newer joys such as "My Love Story!!," this podcast serves as both a celebration and a critical appreciation. The discussions capture that specific thrill of connection when a fictional world feels utterly real, making every episode a chance to geek out over the narratives that make your heart race. Tune in for thoughtful analysis, shared nostalgia, and a welcoming community built around a shared passion for these impactful stories.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Shojo & Tell: A Manga Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Hana-Kimi Pt. 1 (with Ashley Hawkins) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:29
Covers 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…
RG Veda (with Asher Sofman) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:57
Covers 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-co…
Earthian (with Vrai Kaiser) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:12
Covers 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…
Waiting for Spring Part 2 (with Kelly Quinn Chiu) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:10
Covers 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…
Waiting for Spring Part 1 (with Kelly Quinn Chiu) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:11
Covers 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 smilin…
Utena: After the Revolution (with Rose Bridges) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:53
Covers 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,…
Pet Shop of Horrors (with Morgana Santilli) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:17
Covers all 10 volumes of the original PET SHOP OF HORROR 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. H…
Tokyo Mew Mew (with Cy Catwell) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57:02
Covers all of TOKYO MEW MEW and TOKYO MEW MEW A LA MODE by 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 reclai…
Socrates in Love (with Asher Sofman) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:40
A 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 Saku…