Xan Spiraken/Spiraken Review Podcast
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spiraken.bsky.social
Xan Spiraken/Spiraken Review Podcast
@spiraken.bsky.social
Manga loving Podcaster since 2008, Literature Seller, Avid Gamer, Creative Madman and your average geek/nerd/otaku.
He/him
Find out more at www.spiraken.com
So for 2026, I am adding something new to the spiraken book Club and manga review.
More insta and tiktok posts. Follow us on Instagram @spiraken and tiktok @xanspiraken
To see what's going on
January 1, 2026 at 3:58 PM
Reposted by Xan Spiraken/Spiraken Review Podcast
#Japanuary is the perfect month to start diving deeper into all things Japanese. Start with a free daily snack of classic modern Japanese fiction - a new taster every day in January.
Check out RJL'sreading project for #JanuaryinJapan 2026. 31 days of free-to-read short stories or excerpts from novels, encompassing a short history of modern Japanese fiction. I'll post a new short story every day, and you're welcome to read along!
January in Japan 2026 - Read Japanese Literature
RJL presents a list of 31 translated Japanese short stories you can read on-line for free, organized into a brief history of modern Japanese literature.
readjapaneseliterature.com
January 1, 2026 at 3:11 PM
Happy New Year Everyone. I hope that your 2026 is wonderful, fun and productive. We need to stay optimistic.
Remember "you are wonderful, you deserve to be wonderful, and you contain multitudes." #happynewyear
a happy new year greeting card with fireworks in the background
ALT: a happy new year greeting card with fireworks in the background
media.tenor.com
January 1, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Check out our book review of Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. A compelling story that suffers a few narrative bugs over character development. youtu.be/5V200IhBblk?...
#booksky #spiraken #bookclub #tomorrowx3
Spiraken Book Club: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow –A Spoiler-Light Chat on Games & Friendship
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 31, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Marathoning some of the missed movies of 2025.
Just watch Phoenician scheme. One of the better Wes Anderson movies. In my top 15 of the year.
a man with a bandage on his head is sitting at a table and says my reasons
ALT: a man with a bandage on his head is sitting at a table and says my reasons
media.tenor.com
December 29, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Merry Christmas everyone.
May your day be festive and bright. I'm off to read the new lone wolf and cub omnibus #merrychristmas #lonewolfandcub
December 25, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Just read **"Kamudo"** by Akira Himekawa. In a utopian society, a boy born with a dragon's hand trains in martial arts, facing rivalry & threats. A solid new fantasy set before the age of Man.

Full review: youtu.be/cMbkcFnNbFg

#MangaSky #MangaReview #Kamudo #AkiraHimekawa #Kodansha #Spiraken
Dragon Claw, Human Heart |Kamudo | Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 610
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 24, 2025 at 5:48 AM
So Entry 4 for the 45x45 project will be Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. I need a fiction/non-fiction recommendation for Entry 5 from an author whose last name starts with A! Any ideas?

#BookTok #BookClub #Spiraken45BooksBy45
December 23, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Ready for a dragon ride? Join the #SpirakenBookClub for Book 3! We discuss Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing. It gets airborne on a well-known path but cruises on autopilot. Are you Team Xaden or Team Dain?

Watch: youtu.be/YSqdXLuZW2Q
#FourthWing #BookTok #Romantasy #45x45Project #ehlersdanlossyndrome
Spiraken Book Club: Fourth Wing Review
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Check out Book 2 in the 45x45 project! The #SpirakenBookClub discusses Antonio Xerxensky's "An Infinite Sadness"—diagnosed with a compelling premise but suffering an identity crisis & chronic melancholia. Join the conversation!

Listen: youtu.be/HNtQytoPtUc
#BookTok #BookReview #booksky
Diagnosing Despair: Spiraken Book Club Reviews An Infinite Sadness
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Reposted by Xan Spiraken/Spiraken Review Podcast
🥊#NewMangaDay is here with new Print & Digital Releases!🥊

💖Read this week’s new debuts, including series like #AshitanoJoeFightingforTomorrow 4, #ThatTimeIGotReincarnatedasaSlime 28, #YoureAllMineTonight #AKIRA Hardcover Collection 5, #AConditionCalledLove 16 & more

https://kodansha.us/calendar/
December 23, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Join Xan for a dive into manga history! Check out our look at Osamu Tezuka’s "Lost World"—the God of Manga’s first SF work that feels dated but set the standard. (Dinosaurs and guns!)

Review: youtu.be/J6lsZJqWegA
#Tezuka #LostWorld #ClassicManga #MangaHistory #SciFi #Spiraken
Dinosaurs In SPACE!!!! |Lost World | Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 609
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 6:16 PM
"Tower Dungeon" 🗼⚔️ A grimdark fantasy from the creator of Blame!. Follows a farm boy on a perilous quest up a lethal tower. The atmosphere is masterfully oppressive, but the pacing feels experimental.

Review: youtu.be/aHncWp2cLOo

#TowerDungeon #Nihei #Manga #DarkFantasy #Spiraken
The Climb That Consumes | Tower Dungeon | Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 608
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 6:06 PM
🚀 The #SpirakenBookClub is relaunching! Our 1st pick for the 45 by 45 project is Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary.

The gravity of this story pulls you in and holds you til the very end. Join our spoiler-free discussion!

Watch: youtu.be/poNxbh2Kf58
#ProjectHailMary #AndyWeir #BookClub #SciFi #BookTok
The Last Scientist in the Universe | Spiraken Book Club Reviews Project Hail Mary
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Our review of "Akane-Banashi" 🎭 Akane's quest for vengeance is compelling, though some background characters feel thin. A unique, beautifully drawn dive into a rich art form.

Full review: youtu.be/VaexfJWWD2g

#AkaneBanashi #Manga #Rakugo #MangaReview #Spiraken
The Art of Storytelling| Akane-Banashi | Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 607
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 5:59 PM
"My Hero Academia: Vigilantes" 👊 The excellent, grittier prequel. A mature, street-level story that brilliantly expands the MHA world for an older crowd.

Full review: youtu.be/Fo-b6XVUKJI

#MHA #Vigilantes #MangaReview #Spiraken
Heroism Without a License | My Hero Academia: Vigilante | Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 606
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Reposted by Xan Spiraken/Spiraken Review Podcast
🙏
December 23, 2025 at 2:05 PM
"Kaiju Kamui" It pulls heavily from NGE & Pacific Rim, feeling like a well-drawn but predictable homage of familiar tropes, conspiracies, and revenge plots.

Review: www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9B_...

#KaijuKamui #MangaReview #Mecha #Kaiju #Spiraken
Flesh and Fury Mecha | Kaiju Kamui| Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 605
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
www.youtube.com
December 23, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Yuki Urushibara's "Mushishi" Collector's Omnibus 🌿 A masterclass in atmosphere. Hauntingly beautiful, philosophical, and timeless.

Listen to our full review: youtu.be/MjG-pM2rrpk?...

#Mushishi #Manga #Podcast #Spiraken #Review
Between This World and Another | Mushishi Collector's Edition | Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 604
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 5:29 PM
"Tank Chair" by Manabu Yashiro! 🎙️ A comatose assassin fights from a high-tech wheelchair. His sister must provoke him with murderous intent to awaken him. Violent, original, and utterly gripping action.

review here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os2y...

#MangaReview #Podcast #TankChair #ActionManga
Violence as a Cure | Tank Chair | Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 403
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
www.youtube.com
December 23, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Just read "Mr. Megaman" – a thoughtful, humanizing take on what happens when Megaman and the Robot Masters retire. A surprisingly poignant reflection on purpose, aging, and finding peace.

Full review: youtu.be/ZxlLHdQ0PHA

#MangaReview #Megaman #MrMegaman #MangaTok
When A Video Game Icon Gets A Day Job | Mr Megaman| Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 602
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 5:30 AM
Ep 601 "Cats With Jobs" 😸 A delightfully silly, full-color manga where cats are chefs, dentists, wrestlers, detectives & more. A perfect, charming escape into a world of feline professionalism. Pure fun!

Review: youtu.be/Lwaq5ETNku8

#MangaTok #MangaReview #CatsWithJobs
Paws, Paychecks, and Purrfection |Cats With Jobs | Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 601
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Check out our 600th episode where we review Chained Soldier.
youtu.be/nddEmJxPA0o?...
Is it isekai or is it Ecchi Harem Drama. Let's find out
#manga
Our 600th Episode| Chained Soldier | Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 600
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 5:24 AM
Check out our Cats Eye Omnibus review youtu.be/cjmKtGJwdTA?... #manga
Art of the Heist | Cat's Eye (Omnibus Ed) | Spiraken Manga Review | Ep 599
YouTube video by Spiraken Review Podcast
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 5:22 AM