Morgana
@morgana.mangamaven.com
Manga Maven.
Sales Specialist at Yen Press.
Co-host of Manga Machinations podcast.
Mother.
Tired josei protagonist.
She/her.
Sales Specialist at Yen Press.
Co-host of Manga Machinations podcast.
Mother.
Tired josei protagonist.
She/her.
My kindergartner is learning about Kandinsky in her art class...
September 16, 2025 at 11:01 PM
My kindergartner is learning about Kandinsky in her art class...
My daughter's excellent (and aesthetically cohesive) selections for bedtime reading tonight.
August 29, 2025 at 12:11 AM
My daughter's excellent (and aesthetically cohesive) selections for bedtime reading tonight.
Spotted at the YMCA Little Free Library.
July 19, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Spotted at the YMCA Little Free Library.
Spotted at the YMCA Little Free Library~
July 12, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Spotted at the YMCA Little Free Library~
A quick roundup of a few favorite things I've made this year. Most recently was the red/burgundy/teal granny square top, next most recent was a rainbow cardigan for my daughter, and way back in February, the coziest granny cardigan in the world.
July 10, 2025 at 1:16 AM
A quick roundup of a few favorite things I've made this year. Most recently was the red/burgundy/teal granny square top, next most recent was a rainbow cardigan for my daughter, and way back in February, the coziest granny cardigan in the world.
On the subject of manga I've never completed but which held away over a huge part of my life, Yu-Gi-Oh! is a huge one for me. I have read a lot of it, but not necessarily in order...but I know the story, and the imagery has influenced my art and writing for decades.
November 15, 2024 at 1:24 PM
On the subject of manga I've never completed but which held away over a huge part of my life, Yu-Gi-Oh! is a huge one for me. I have read a lot of it, but not necessarily in order...but I know the story, and the imagery has influenced my art and writing for decades.
Now is the time I must confess that I've never read all of Sailor Moon. However, this Tokyopop edition was my very first manga, at a time when I had already been watching the cartoon for several years. To say it was influential for me is a vast understatement.
November 15, 2024 at 1:21 PM
Now is the time I must confess that I've never read all of Sailor Moon. However, this Tokyopop edition was my very first manga, at a time when I had already been watching the cartoon for several years. To say it was influential for me is a vast understatement.
Henchgirl is a hilarious homage to magical girls, super villains, and manga. This is the first of Gudsnuk's work that I read, and I've enjoyed everything I've read of hers since. Highly recommend if you love Sailor Moon and also frequently sympathize with the baddies.
November 15, 2024 at 1:20 PM
Henchgirl is a hilarious homage to magical girls, super villains, and manga. This is the first of Gudsnuk's work that I read, and I've enjoyed everything I've read of hers since. Highly recommend if you love Sailor Moon and also frequently sympathize with the baddies.
It's hard to pick a favorite Moyoco Anno book, but Sakuran was the first I read. Her art, her treatment of women characters (and especially sex workers) with both gentleness and tragedy...Anno is a master. The handful of color pages in this volume are electric and lovely, as well.
November 15, 2024 at 1:17 PM
It's hard to pick a favorite Moyoco Anno book, but Sakuran was the first I read. Her art, her treatment of women characters (and especially sex workers) with both gentleness and tragedy...Anno is a master. The handful of color pages in this volume are electric and lovely, as well.
Back to comics! Cursed Pirate Girl is a feast of a series, with such intricate, mind-blowing ink work and absurd characters and ideas... it's perfect. Very classic Alice in Wonderland or Peter Pan in some ways, truly avant-garde in others. Pure joy.
November 15, 2024 at 1:15 PM
Back to comics! Cursed Pirate Girl is a feast of a series, with such intricate, mind-blowing ink work and absurd characters and ideas... it's perfect. Very classic Alice in Wonderland or Peter Pan in some ways, truly avant-garde in others. Pure joy.
I suspect Dorohedoro doesn't need much of an introduction, but we read the whole series on the podcast and it's just...beyond words. Totally wild premise, hyper-violent while simultaneously full of heart...and I love Noi. So much.
November 14, 2024 at 12:22 PM
I suspect Dorohedoro doesn't need much of an introduction, but we read the whole series on the podcast and it's just...beyond words. Totally wild premise, hyper-violent while simultaneously full of heart...and I love Noi. So much.
I found Parade (with fireworks) on clearance at a comic shop and fell so deeply in love with it. It is the story of Cavallaro's grandparents as they live through World Wars and the rise of Fascism in Italy. It was especially effective for me because of my own grandparents' history.
November 14, 2024 at 12:12 PM
I found Parade (with fireworks) on clearance at a comic shop and fell so deeply in love with it. It is the story of Cavallaro's grandparents as they live through World Wars and the rise of Fascism in Italy. It was especially effective for me because of my own grandparents' history.
More excellent manga by women: Talk To My Back follows a mother and wife as she grinds through the day to day. I really loved the depiction of her relationship with her daughters, the push and pull between unending love and frustration that's so unique to parenthood.
November 14, 2024 at 12:10 PM
More excellent manga by women: Talk To My Back follows a mother and wife as she grinds through the day to day. I really loved the depiction of her relationship with her daughters, the push and pull between unending love and frustration that's so unique to parenthood.
Gekiga is very hit or miss for me, but gekiga written by women?? Sign me up! This was my first foray into this kind of manga, and I loved everything about it--the art, the exploration of women's sexuality, the historical anxiety of Tsurita's lifetime. A very special book.
November 13, 2024 at 10:11 PM
Gekiga is very hit or miss for me, but gekiga written by women?? Sign me up! This was my first foray into this kind of manga, and I loved everything about it--the art, the exploration of women's sexuality, the historical anxiety of Tsurita's lifetime. A very special book.
I have to admit that I have gotten far in this series, but Stray Cat & Wolf is my favorite of the Mitsubachi Miyuki manga we publish at Yen. I love her artwork and her oddball protagonists. In this case, I'm also a sucker for the bad boy who is actually a gentleman trope~
November 13, 2024 at 10:09 PM
I have to admit that I have gotten far in this series, but Stray Cat & Wolf is my favorite of the Mitsubachi Miyuki manga we publish at Yen. I love her artwork and her oddball protagonists. In this case, I'm also a sucker for the bad boy who is actually a gentleman trope~
What's Michael? is an utter delight of a cat comedy manga. It's half ruminations on cat companionship, half outrageous fantasy starring cats...if you like Heathcliff, I would definitely recommend this. Kobayashi is a master of crazy facial expressions!
November 13, 2024 at 9:53 PM
What's Michael? is an utter delight of a cat comedy manga. It's half ruminations on cat companionship, half outrageous fantasy starring cats...if you like Heathcliff, I would definitely recommend this. Kobayashi is a master of crazy facial expressions!
Back to something more recent, Bloody Sweet! I love vampire romance (when it's done well), and this is a fun, sexy vampire story with...a weird girl protag! Yay for more things Morgana loves. Gorgeous full-color art, this is another of my favorites from Yen.
November 13, 2024 at 5:51 PM
Back to something more recent, Bloody Sweet! I love vampire romance (when it's done well), and this is a fun, sexy vampire story with...a weird girl protag! Yay for more things Morgana loves. Gorgeous full-color art, this is another of my favorites from Yen.
I haven't actually read Only the Ring Finger Knows in AGES, but this was a formative BL in my youth. I am such a sucker for "they wear matching rings/earrings/somethings but no one knows they're an item," and I think it might be this manga's fault...
November 13, 2024 at 5:15 PM
I haven't actually read Only the Ring Finger Knows in AGES, but this was a formative BL in my youth. I am such a sucker for "they wear matching rings/earrings/somethings but no one knows they're an item," and I think it might be this manga's fault...
I love stories with weird girl protags, and The Wallflower is my absolute favorite of this type. Love Hayakawa's art, love Sunako to death, really wish the series had, like...proper romantic closure? The series has some warts, but I can't help my fondness for it.
November 13, 2024 at 5:12 PM
I love stories with weird girl protags, and The Wallflower is my absolute favorite of this type. Love Hayakawa's art, love Sunako to death, really wish the series had, like...proper romantic closure? The series has some warts, but I can't help my fondness for it.
Every AFAB of a certain age has a favorite CLAMP title, I feel. Mine is Legal Drug. More of that good good 90s/00s gay subtext, lots of CLAMP's signature color symbolism, plenty of beautiful men and a bit of a ridiculous premise.
November 13, 2024 at 5:09 PM
Every AFAB of a certain age has a favorite CLAMP title, I feel. Mine is Legal Drug. More of that good good 90s/00s gay subtext, lots of CLAMP's signature color symbolism, plenty of beautiful men and a bit of a ridiculous premise.
I like to pitch Silver Diamond as "a cross between Alice in Wonderland and Dune, but make it gay." This was unfortunately never completed in English, so I yearn for the rescue so that I can finish reading it...fun fantasy nonsense with a lot of "subtext."
November 13, 2024 at 5:04 PM
I like to pitch Silver Diamond as "a cross between Alice in Wonderland and Dune, but make it gay." This was unfortunately never completed in English, so I yearn for the rescue so that I can finish reading it...fun fantasy nonsense with a lot of "subtext."
Another revered mangaka, Shigeru Mizuki feeds my love of yokai and vintage manga with Kitaro. Love a little boy born in a cemetery whose dad is a walking eyeball that lives in his empty eye socket. Plus, all the toilet humor you could ever want, because this is spooky stuff for all ages~
November 13, 2024 at 4:45 PM
Another revered mangaka, Shigeru Mizuki feeds my love of yokai and vintage manga with Kitaro. Love a little boy born in a cemetery whose dad is a walking eyeball that lives in his empty eye socket. Plus, all the toilet humor you could ever want, because this is spooky stuff for all ages~
My favorite from the recently passed Umezz, Cat-Eyed Boy also tickles all my "sympathetic monster" fancies, as well as my general love of cats, hah! Good, pulpy monster stuff, morality plays/just deserts, cute and mischievous protag...what's not to love?
November 13, 2024 at 4:42 PM
My favorite from the recently passed Umezz, Cat-Eyed Boy also tickles all my "sympathetic monster" fancies, as well as my general love of cats, hah! Good, pulpy monster stuff, morality plays/just deserts, cute and mischievous protag...what's not to love?
We need more Kazuhiro Fujita in English! The Ghost and the Lady weaves the tale of Florence Nightingale and her (very fictional) relationship with the ghost of a soldier. Gorgeous, weird art, spooky nonsense, really fun characters...Fujita is kinda nuts in the best way.
November 13, 2024 at 4:39 PM
We need more Kazuhiro Fujita in English! The Ghost and the Lady weaves the tale of Florence Nightingale and her (very fictional) relationship with the ghost of a soldier. Gorgeous, weird art, spooky nonsense, really fun characters...Fujita is kinda nuts in the best way.
Don't let the adorable artwork fool you, Pantheon is NOT for kids haha. I've always loved ancient Egypt, and this is actually an excellent overview of the civilization's origins, creation myth, etc. And it's a bit raunchy and lots and lots of fun. Art and colors are top-notch as well!
November 13, 2024 at 4:34 PM
Don't let the adorable artwork fool you, Pantheon is NOT for kids haha. I've always loved ancient Egypt, and this is actually an excellent overview of the civilization's origins, creation myth, etc. And it's a bit raunchy and lots and lots of fun. Art and colors are top-notch as well!