Sparkler Monthly Podcast

In this upbeat roundtable with editors Lillian and Lianne, Heldrad discusses her epic shojo comedy Orange Junk…which is coming to Kickstarter with a LOT of paperbacks soon! Learn more about the Spanish edition of the comic (including the characters’ Spanish names <3) and upcoming romantic drama?! And don’t miss Heldrad’s special Orange Junk merch livestream […]

Visual novels, the story-heavy style of video game best known in Japan, have a growing fanbase in the West–both for translated titles and English-original productions. “Otome” visual novels aimed at women have exploded in the last 5-10 years, and no one knows them better than our staff! Join this roundtable with Sparkler’s Jill, Lianne, Leah, […]

In this roundtable with editors Lillian and Lianne, Eurika Yusin Gho–the hilarious creator of Magical How?–discusses her comic, boys in skirts, and what we can all look forward to in later chapters! She’s just getting started on Gabe and Booker’s epic journey… Get this podcast on iTunes! Leave your comments, questions, or suggestions for future […]

From Voltron to Disney to Ninja Turtles to Avatar/Korra, the Sparkler editors discuss Western animation and its cross-pollination with anime. Also, which weird cartoon characters you crushed on when you were little?! Get this podcast on iTunes! Leave your comments, questions, or suggestions for future podcasts in the comments field below!

Now that we’re nearing the end of Year 3, the editors reflect on the past of the magazine – and its hopeful future. Year 4 will need a Kickstarter, which is coming soon…but at least they can reveal a few surprises for it now. :D Get this podcast on iTunes! Leave your comments, questions, or […]

In this month’s creator roundtable, we’re joined by Emily Compton and Onorobo to discuss their illustrated novel Dusk in Kalevia! This charismatic pair talk to their editor Lianne Sentar about their supernatural spy novel and other projects they’ve worked on, including Hiveswap and Starfighter: Eclipse. Get this podcast on iTunes! Leave your comments, questions, or […]

It’s another creator roundtable, this time with the prolific two-member comic team KaiJu (Mahou Josei Chimaka, Inhabitant of Another Planet, and The Ring of Saturn)! Kate Rhodes and Jennifer Xu – the two heads of this delightful comic-creating monster – talk to their editor Lillian Diaz-Przybyl and moderator Jill Astley about the benefits and challenges […]

[Trigger warning: Discussion of sensitive topics including sexual abuse.] Jennifer Doyle of Knights-Errant, Lianne Sentar of Tokyo Demons, and comics editor Lillian talk about the nuance and catharsis of character suffering–both in their own work and in broader fiction. Also featuring delightful teasers for future Knights-Errant and Tokyo Demons/Ghosts chapters! Get this podcast on iTunes! […]

Sparkler Audio Director Rebecca Scoble is joined by editors Lianne Sentar and Jill Astley for a discussion of audio dramas in Japan – including Drama CDs and Situation CDs – and how they influenced Sparkler’s own audio productions. Includes a preview of our newest Situation Audio Drama: Bad Chemistry! Leave your comments, questions, or suggestions […]

The Sparkler editors discuss the magazine’s new tabletop RPG system, some of which is already available in beta, as well as the first live game we’re streaming on Twitch with Jen Lee Quick (creator of Off*Beat, Witch’s Quarry, and Gatesmith): the campaign ESPU. Your future at a military university for psychics awaits! An audio segment […]

  In this creator roundtable with their editor Lianne, authors Ellery Prime of Gauntlet and Jenn Grunigen of Skyglass discuss their books, their process, their illustrators, and more! Fans and fellow writers, you’ll love this behind-the-scenes peek into the light novel process. Leave your comments, questions, or suggestions for future podcasts in the comments field […]

Sparkler editors Lillian Diaz-Przybyl and Lianne Sentar are joined by web/design head Lissa Pattillo to discuss their many years working in the translated manga industry. From the 1990s to present day, the manga industry has both changed drastically…and not at all. :) Leave your comments, questions, or suggestions for future podcasts in the comments field below!

Editors Lillian, Lianne, Rebecca, and Jill discuss female characters in fiction–what makes a great one, beloved examples, and how to deal with some of the challenges in this strangely tricky topic. Leave your comments, questions, or suggestions for future podcasts in the comments field below!

Editors Lillian, Lianne, and Rebecca discuss Dungeons & Dragons, how to design a shojo-based campaign, and Sparkler Monthly’s upcoming gaming project! Leave your comments, questions, or suggestions for future podcasts in the comments field below!

Sparkler Monthly staff members Lianne, Rebecca, and Jill have a talk about video games from a fangirl perspective–everything from Japanese-language otome games to modern FPS’s to that weird cat simulator everyone’s playing on their phones. Leave your comments, questions, or suggestions for future podcasts in the comments field below!

Interview with Knights-Errant creator Jennifer Doyle!

Western comics vs manga, and the trouble with josei.

Plans for 2015 and the future of Sparkler!

Love and sex in the Female Gaze.

Roundtable with Off*Beat and Witch's Quarry creator, Jen Lee Quick!