I Love You, Mana

This pid is my absolute favorite. I started listening when City Pages recommended this “fever dream” of a show, and throughout the pandemic gradually came to understand what these lads are all about. I barely play Magic at all, but listening to this show feels like I’m back at a middle school sleepover just hanging out and playing with my best buds. I look forward to a new ep every week, and I’ve even made the pilgrimage to Pinos, which every true mana pamper should do. Thanks for all the years of great pid, gentlemen! Eli

But he really likes this show. In fact he can’t stop talking about what Mike, Zach, Tor, and Belly get up to every week. He doesn’t even mind that the podcast (or “pidcast” as they say for some reason) is barely about magic at all. From what I’ve heard it’s mostly random riffing and inside jokes- but that’s what makes it special. Also there’s something about ramen and wild rice soup which I don’t really understand from 2nd hand accounts. In summation, it’s kind of like Scry Me A River but dumber, and even less about magic. And more about soups. 5 stars.

Hard to put into words the high praise I have for this podcast. The boys hop on the mics and get down to business, answering your burning questions like: (1) what war crimes from his Army days has Mike’s dad admitted to in what he thought would be a private letter, (b) what’s going on with the cool birds outside of Tor’s house, or (iii) can Zach laugh or otherwise react with emotion without his neighbor’s dog that was gifted to him barking in response? The Belly rounds out the Core Four, making sure that at least 10%, but no more than 25%, of an episode is about Magic (for more than that, you’ll have to check out the ILYM Presents series), even if it’s just an update on his hunt for the Holy Grail of the perfect Dwarf EDH deck. With a cold open you can set your watch to and a host of zany improv characters that almost never take things off the rails even slightly, you can count on good riffs, good times, and maybe even an update on everyone’s favorite children’s card game (but to be honest, if you’re really looking for that, join the Discord).

If you love magic and love having a good time then this is not a podcast to miss! A great show, with fun knowledge and a fun community!