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Manga With Josh

Manga With Josh

By: Joshua Rodriguez
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Welcome to Manga With Josh, the show where manga obsession isn’t just accepted — it’s celebrated. Join Josh each episode as he explores standout series, unforgettable arcs, wild theories, and the creative minds behind the pages. If you love manga or want recommendations that hit, this is the place to be.

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Episodes
  • Episode 23 - Heavenly Demon Sovereign

    Episode 23 - Heavenly Demon Sovereign
    Jun 9 2026

    🎙️ Manga With Josh — Episode 23

    Heavenly Demon Sovereign — A Murim Story Built on Hard Work

    One of the things I love about manhwa is how easy they are to read. The long scrolling format, vibrant coloring, and cinematic panels make them incredibly accessible. One thing I don't love, however, is when a series goes on hiatus between seasons and leaves readers waiting months for new chapters.

    Thankfully, Heavenly Demon Sovereign has finally returned for its second season.

    In this episode, I take a look at a series that surprised me with how grounded its progression feels. The story follows a young mortician whose life changes forever after the man who raised him is killed by martial artists. Seeking revenge and a new purpose, he joins the Heavenly Demon Cult and begins a difficult climb through its ranks.

    What stood out to me most was the way the protagonist develops. Rather than becoming overwhelmingly powerful overnight, readers get to watch him learn, observe, adapt, and gradually improve. His growth feels earned, and the story spends time showing how he thinks through problems rather than simply overpowering them.

    The series also explores the politics and hierarchy within the Heavenly Demon Cult. Different factions, internal conflicts, and competing interests create challenges beyond simple martial arts battles. Combined with the recent time skip heading into Season 2, it feels like the story is entering a much larger stage.

    📖 What We Talk About

    The return of Heavenly Demon Sovereign for Season 2

    The mortician protagonist and his path into the Heavenly Demon Cult

    Why earned progression is more satisfying than instant power

    The importance of observation, adaptation, and learning

    Cult politics, factions, and internal power struggles

    How the series compares to other popular murim stories

    ⚔️ Why This Series Stood Out To Me

    A lot of modern action manhwa rely on systems, reincarnation mechanics, or overwhelming power growth. Heavenly Demon Sovereign takes a different approach. The protagonist succeeds because he studies, learns, and gradually earns his place in a dangerous world. That slower progression makes every achievement feel meaningful and keeps the story engaging long after the initial premise is established.

    💭 Final Thoughts

    If you're a fan of murim stories and want something focused on martial arts, personal growth, and long-term progression, Heavenly Demon Sovereign is worth checking out. With Season 2 now underway, it's a great time to jump in and see why so many readers were excited for its return.

    📚 About the Show

    Manga With Josh is a podcast dedicated to discovering manga, manhwa, and webtoons that deserve more attention. From hidden gems to well-known classics, each episode explores what makes a series memorable and why it might deserve a place on your reading list.

    As always, this is Manga With Josh — where we explore manga you may not have heard of, but probably should have
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    4 mins
  • Episode 22 - My Own Manhwa

    Episode 22 - My Own Manhwa
    Jun 2 2026

    🎙️ Manga With Josh — Episode 22
    From Reader to Creator — The Stories Behind My Own Manhwa Series

    Most episodes of Manga With Josh are dedicated to exploring manga and manhwa created by other writers and artists. This time, I’m turning the spotlight on two series that I created myself: The Iron Fist Chronicles and I Died and Became the Heavenly Demon.

    After years of reading manga, manhwa, and web novels, I found myself wanting to create stories that captured the elements I love while adding my own perspective. In this episode, I talk about the inspiration behind both series, the tropes I wanted to play with, and why I decided to take the leap from reader to creator.

    Whether you’re a fan of fantasy adventures, dungeon crawling, cultivation stories, or simply curious about the writing process, this episode offers a look at the ideas, characters, and worlds that became my own books.

    📖 What We Talk About

    Why modern manga and manhwa inspired me to start writing my own stories

    The origins of The Iron Fist Chronicles

    A boxer reincarnated into a fantasy world with almost no magic

    Adventure ranks, quests, dungeon crawling, and party building

    The story behind I Died and Became the Heavenly Demon

    Murim settings, cultivation, comedy, and character growth

    How both series were inspired by the genres I enjoy reading

    The transition from manga fan to author

    ⚔️ Why These Series Stood Out To Me

    Creating these books gave me the opportunity to explore familiar concepts in my own way. Rather than focusing on overpowered protagonists from the start, both stories center on characters who must earn their progress through persistence, mistakes, and growth. They reflect many of the reasons I fell in love with manga and manhwa in the first place while allowing me to contribute something of my own to the genres that inspired me.

    💭 Final Thoughts

    This episode is a little different from the usual format, but it felt like the right time to share the stories I’ve been working on and the creative journey behind them. If you’ve ever thought about creating something inspired by the media you love, I hope this episode encourages you to take that first step.

    📚 About the Show

    Manga With Josh is a podcast dedicated to discovering manga, manhwa, and webtoons that deserve more attention. From hidden gems to well-known classics, each episode explores what makes a series memorable and why it might deserve a place on your reading list.

    As always, this is Manga With Josh — where we explore manga you may not have heard of, but probably should have.
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    6 mins
  • Episode 21 - The Smiling Boxer

    Episode 21 - The Smiling Boxer
    May 12 2026
    🎙️ Manga With Josh — Episode 21The Smiling Boxer— Heart, Hard Work, and the Return of Real Boxing ManhwaThere’s something refreshing about finding a boxing series that simply wants to be about boxing again. Not reincarnation. Not status windows. Not hunters, rankings, or overpowered systems. Just a story about someone trying to fight their way toward a better life. That’s what immediately stood out to me about The Smiling Boxer. Even though it’s still relatively new, the series already carries the emotional sincerity that made older sports manga memorable in the first place.In this episode, we take a look at Kang Chan, a young man raised in a rural mountain village who turns to boxing after outside developers threaten the elderly villagers who helped raise him. What begins as a simple underdog story slowly becomes something more personal — a story about resilience, responsibility, and trying to become someone capable of protecting the people who matter most.What surprised me most is how much this series reminded me of Hajime no Ippo. Not because the stories are identical, but because of the feeling behind them. Kang Chan trains obsessively, pushes himself constantly, and slowly improves through hard work instead of shortcuts. At the same time, the pacing feels much more modern, with shorter fights, faster progression, and the clean scrolling format that works so well for webtoon storytelling.🥊 What We Talk AboutThe premise behind The Smiling BoxerKang Chan’s motivation and personalityWhy the series feels emotionally different from many modern action manhwaComparisons to Hajime no IppoThe role of boxing in the story beyond just fightingWhy sports manga and manhwa still work so wellFaster pacing in modern webtoon storytellingThe meaning behind the title The Smiling BoxerWhy grounded stories stand out in today’s manhwa landscape📖 Why This Manhwa Stood OutWhat really makes The Smiling Boxer work is how sincere it feels. Kang Chan is not trying to become an overpowered legend or save the world. He wants to help the people who raised him and become someone they can be proud of. That emotional simplicity gives the story a very different tone compared to a lot of current action manhwa.The series also avoids many of the trends dominating the genre right now. There are no system mechanics, no reincarnation twists, and no endless power scaling. It’s just a boxing story built around effort, discipline, and emotional growth. In a strange way, that makes it feel more unique than many of the louder series currently releasing.🎧 Final ThoughtsThe Smiling Boxer reminded me why sports stories continue to work no matter the generation. At their best, they are never just about winning fights or competitions. They are about identity, perseverance, and the people pushing themselves toward something bigger than they were before.This manhwa may still be early in its run, but it already has a strong emotional core, and I’m genuinely interested to see where Kang Chan’s journey goes next.📚 About the ShowManga With Josh is a podcast where we explore manga and manhwa ranging from classics to overlooked series, discussing storytelling, themes, characters, and the ideas that make these works memorable long after finishing them.As always, this is Manga With Josh — where we explore manga you may not have heard of, but probably should have.🎙️ Manga With Josh — Episode 21The Smiling Boxer— Heart, Hard Work, and the Return of Real Boxing ManhwaThere’s something refreshing about finding a boxing series that simply wants to be about boxing again. Not reincarnation. Not status windows. Not hunters, rankings, or overpowered systems. Just a story about someone trying to fight their way toward a better life. That’s what immediately stood out to me about The Smiling Boxer. Even though it’s still relatively new, the series already carries the emotional sincerity that made older sports manga memorable in the first place.In this episode, we take a look at Kang Chan, a young man raised in a rural mountain village who turns to boxing after outside developers threaten the elderly villagers who helped raise him. What begins as a simple underdog story slowly becomes something more personal — a story about resilience, responsibility, and trying to become someone capable of protecting the people who matter most.What surprised me most is how much this series reminded me of Hajime no Ippo. Not because the stories are identical, but because of the feeling behind them. Kang Chan trains obsessively, pushes himself constantly, and slowly improves through hard work instead of shortcuts. At the same time, the pacing feels much more modern, with shorter fights, faster progression, and the clean scrolling format that works so well for webtoon storytelling.🥊 What We Talk AboutThe premise behind The Smiling BoxerKang Chan’s motivation and personalityWhy the series feels emotionally different from many ...
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    5 mins
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