We are back for Part 5 of our entitled where we will be looking at the period in the 2010s when KyoAni took complete control of their source material and began creating anime based on light novels they themselves published! That effort began with 2012’s a series that starts out as a very funny, very silly odd-couple comedy between a boy trying to leave his youthful obsessions behind and a girl still embroiled in playing pretend, before gradually becoming a startlingly rich, incredibly touching story about how fiction and fantasy help us process grief. It’s another Kyoto Animation home run, one that sneaks up on the viewer but lands its punches with startling power. We discuss the 12-episode first season from 2012 in today’s episode, but will be back later in Part 5 to discuss the show’s second season and movie sequel.  Enjoy, and come back next week for our review of and its feature film follow-up,  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:30  Intro and History: 0:01:30 – 0:45:52 Eyecatch Break: 0:45:52 – 0:46:29 Chuunibyo Season 1 Review: 0:46:29 – 2:40:53 End Theme: 2:40:53 – 2:41:55  Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://www.jonathanlack.com https://www.jonathanlack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

2h 40m

Apr 01

Akira Toriyama, creator of and and illustrator of the franchise, passed away this week at the age of 68. His influence on our lives, like those of millions around the world, has been incalculable, so we’re devoting today’s entire show to discussing his incredible body of work and the way it changed anime, manga, video games, and global popular culture. We discuss how we first discovered why he was such a peerless read some of the statements that have poured in from other manga authors and collaborators, and respond to some listener comments. And after that, we bring back a segment from 2022 in which Sean and Jonathan rank all the story arcs in the franchise, giving us a chance to dive into and celebrate his most famous work.   Enjoy.  Time Chart (JS) Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:15 Remembering Akira Toriyama: 0:01:15 – 2:12:41  Ranking Dragon Ball Story Arcs: 2:12:41 – 3:12:07  Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Subscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation   Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms: https://weeklystuffpodcast.com https://weeklystuffpodcast.com/ Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Music by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/  

3h 12m

Mar 12

Part 4 of our is called and today’s second part tackles the ‘Mystery’ part of that title with 2012’s singular slice-of-life mystery anime Adapted from the ‘Classic Literature Club’ novels by Honobu Yonezawa, follows ‘energy conservationist’ Hotaro Oreki as he tries to glide through high school without giving anything much effort, only to be drawn into the orbit of the perpetually curious Eru Chitanda, with whom he begins solving low-stakes mysteries left and right. It’s an amazing and very unique story, and it’s brought to life with perhaps the most beautiful animation in the history of TV anime – which sounds like hyperbole until one lays eyes on this amazing series, which is another certified masterpiece from Kyoto Animation.  Enjoy, and come back in two weeks on March 10th for Part 5 of the season, and our review of the 2012 anime  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:30  Intro and History: 0:01:30 – 0:49:30 Eyecatch Break: 0:49:30 – 0:50:08 Hyouka Review: 0:50:08 – 3:26:51 End Theme: 3:26:51 – 3:27:53  Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://www.jonathanlack.com https://www.jonathanlack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 28m

Feb 26

Part 4 of our is called and we begin with one of Kyoto Animation’s most beloved cult classics, and also perhaps the weirdest show ever made: based on the manga by Keiichi Arawi, which follows three high-school girls, a genius child inventor, the robot big sister she invents for herself, a talking cat, and many more increasingly strange characters in a very bizarre world of madcap, gorgeously-animated comedy. is purely gag-focused, more than any show we’ve reviewed here before, but it's also incredibly creative and wildly accomplished as an animation production, and gives us a ton to talk about. We go over the show’s history, discuss what makes it so special, and each count down our Top 10 Favorite Segments!  Enjoy, and come back next week for our review of the equally-singular slice-of-life mystery show from 2012! TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:30  Intro and History: 0:01:30 – 0:46:47 Eyecatch Break: 0:46:47 – 0:47:22 Nichijou Review: 0:47:22 – 1:43:44 Top 10 Nichijou Segments: 1:43:44 – 3:00:22 End Theme: 3:00:22 – 3:01:24  Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://www.jonathanlack.com https://www.jonathanlack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 1m

Feb 19

Part 3 of our is‘And today, we’re finishing our journey with Hokago Tea Time by following the girls to London for an overseas adventure in Released in 2011 to more or less unprecedented success for this type of anime, the feature film continuation of the series is one of the franchise’s finest hours, lushly animated, absolutely hilarious, and incredibly heartfelt, revisiting the events of the series finale to deepen the perspective of the original four club members – Yui, Ritsu, Mio, and Mugi-chan – on a bigger scale than we ever saw in the TV series. It's a fantastic movie, and a great way to close our After School Tea Time adventures. Enjoy, and come back on February 11th for the start of Part 4 of our Kyoto Vacation, with our review of the comedy classic TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:30  Intro and History: 0:01:30 – 0:35:47 Eyecatch Break: 0:35:47 – 0:36:22 K-On! The Movie Review: 0:36:22 – 2:28:28 End Theme: 2:28:28 – 2:29:29 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://www.jonathanlack.com https://www.jonathanlack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

2h 29m

Jan 29

Part 3 of our is‘And today, we’re discussing the 27-episode second season from 2010, which follows Yui, Ritsu, Mio, and Mugi-chan in their third and final year of high school, with second-year Azusa facing the prospect of being left behind after they all graduate. It’s an incredible season of TV, filled not only with outstanding episodes, but telling a deeply-felt, beautifully observed story about the transitional moment that is graduation, and how people balance becoming adults while maintaining childhood friendships and passions.  Enjoy, and come back next week as we say goodbye to the light music club with our review of the feature film, TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:30  Intro and History: 0:01:30 – 0:57:38 Eyecatch Break: 0:57:38 – 0:58:15 K-On!! Review: 0:58:15 – 3:06:28 End Theme: 3:06:28 – 3:07:30 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://www.jonathanlack.com https://www.jonathanlack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 7m

Jan 22

Part 3 of our is‘And for the next three weeks, we’re reviewing what may be Kyoto Animation’s most popular series to date: the musical slice-of-life anime sensation following the girls of the Sakuragaoka High School light music club! The 14-episode 1st season follows Yui Hirasawa as she learns the guitar and joins bassist Mio Akiyama, drummer Ritsu Tainaka, and keyboardist Tsumugi Kotobuki, ostensibly to play and practice music, but mostly to drink tea and eat snacks. The season follows the characters’ first two years of high-school, with another guitarist, Azusa Nakano, joining in their second year, and of course includes the greatest teacher in the history of fiction, Sawa-chan-sensei, as their unorthodox club leader. It’s a beautifully animated, stupendously funny, extremely sweet season of television with some great music, and the debut directorial work of the great Naoka Yamada – and an absolute pleasure to talk about on the podcast.  Enjoy, and come back next week as we review the second season – with two exclamation points – TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:30  Intro and History: 0:01:30 – 0:52:29 Eyecatch Break: 0:52:29 – 0:53:04  K-On! Review: 0:53:04 – 3:13:54 End Theme: 3:13:54 – 3:14:56 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://www.jonathanlack.com https://www.jonathanlack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 15m

Jan 15

It’s December 25th, and Christmas has finally come to Otaku Town – and with it, the final episode of Part 2 of our For today’s very special episode, we are finishing our journey through the world of with the 2010 film the nearly-three-hour climactic story in Kyoto Animation’s beloved adaptation of Nagaru Tanigawa’s light novels. It’s an absolute masterpiece of a film, telling its story of Kyon waking up in a world without the SOS Brigade patiently and tenderly, and building to a series of incredibly powerful emotional climaxes. It is also a truly beautiful Christmas movie in the vein of or and one of the very best of its kind, making it the perfect film to celebrate the holiday and ring out what has been a very big 2023 for !  Have a Happy New Year, and we will see all of you in 2024 for Part 3 of our “Moe Money, Moe Problems: After School Tea Time with the Girls of K-On!”  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:31 Intro and History: 0:01:31 – 0:38:17 Eyecatch Break: 0:38:17 – 0:38:54 The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Review: 0:38:54 – 3:12:20 End Theme: 3:12:20 – 3:13:22 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ 「コイノMIKUルデンセツ」- Music by Satoru Kosaki, Lyrics by Yutaka Yamamoto, Arranged by Thomas Lack feat. Hatsune Miku  “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 13m

Dec 25, 2023

Part 2 of our chronicles ‘and that holiday is drawing ever nearer with Season 2 of Aired in 2009, this season collected the 14 episodes originally produced in 2006, re-arranges them in the story’s chronological order, and then intersperses 14 new episodes amidst them, to make for a new 28-episode version of the series. We already talked about 8 of those episodes in last week’s in-depth, extra-long breakdown of the infamous ‘Endless Eight’ arc, and in this episode, we look at the one-off episode “Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody,” the 5-part “Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya,” and discuss how this series plays viewed in chronological order in this specific 28-episode package. One thing’s for sure: When it comes to Haruhi Suzumiya, nothing happens exactly as expected, and there are surprises around every corner.  Enjoy, and come back next week as we review the final chapter of the saga, the 2010 film  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:31 Intro, History, and Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody: 0:01:31 – 0:47:37 Eyecatch Break: 0:47:37 – 0:48:12 The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya Review: 0:48:12 – 2:02:40 End Theme: 2:02:40 – 2:03:42  Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/

2h 3m

Dec 20, 2023

Part 2 of our chronicles ‘and in this episode, we do an extremely deep-dive into the single craziest experiment ever attempted in commercial anime: The infamous ‘Endless Eight’ arc from Season 2. We will be talking about the rest of that show’s second season from 2009 in next week’s episode, but as we worked our way through these episodes, we realized the Endless Eight were something special, and needed a different approach. Often dismissed as “the same episode repeated eight times,” the Endless Eight is actually a collection of Kyoto Animation’s best directors independently tackling the same basic story, but with completely different animation, voice acting, and music, with a constantly varying tonal and thematic approach, and it makes for a fascinating, perspective-altering work of avant-garde art. To do it justice, we recorded once a day for eight days, watching each of the eight episodes individually and then discussing each at length before moving on to the next one. The result is one of the longest episodes we’ve ever recorded, but also one of the best – and if you haven’t dived into the full ‘Endless Eight’ experience before, we hope this episode makes for the perfect viewing companion.  Enjoy, and come back next week as we review the rest of Season 2, in the story’s chronological order! TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:31 Intro: 0:01:31 – 0:07:29 Endless Eight I: 0:07:29 – 0:23:17 Endless Eight II: 0:23:17 – 0:43:29  Endless Eight III: 0:43:29 – 1:19:20  Eyecatch Break: 1:19:20 – 1:19:57 Endless Eight IV: 1:19:57 – 2:01:10 Endless Eight V: 2:01:10 – 2:41:24 Endless Eight VI: 2:41:24 – 3:10:09 Endless Eight VII: 3:10:09 – 3:40:42 Endless Eight VIII: 3:40:42 – 4:37:14 End Theme: 4:37:14 – 4:38:16  Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/

4h 38m

Dec 13, 2023

Part 2 of our chronicles ‘and following the wild success of Kyoto Animation moved on to one of the defining slice-of-life anime comedies, 2007’s Simultaneously a very dry, down-to-earth ‘atmospheric’ show and an absolutely absurd slice of post-modern anime surrealism, is a singularly entertaining show. Based on the 4-panel manga by Kagami Yoshimizu, in anime form quickly takes on a life of its own as the artists at Kyoto Animation find themselves reacting to the phenomenon and the changing shape of anime fandom within the text of the show, and also saw some behind-the-scenes turmoil as original director Yamamoto Yutaka was fired after just 4 episodes. We dive into all of that history, discuss our favorite jokes and characters, and celebrate the delirious insanity that is on this jam-packed episode!  Enjoy, and come back next week as we review the infamous ‘episodes from Season 2! TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:30  Intro and History: 0:01:30 – 0:38:59 Get F’d Yamamoto Yutaka: 0:38:59 – 1:08:20 Eyecatch Break: 1:08:20 – 1:08:55 Lucky Star Review: 1:08:55 – 3:16:12 End Theme: 3:16:12 – 3:17:14  Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 17m

Dec 06, 2023

Part 2 of our chronicles ‘beginning with a look at the first season of Based on the light novels by Nagaru Tanigawa, is a seminal work of 21st century anime, with the first 14 episodes from 2006 creating an absolute sensation with major impacts on the future of the industry. It’s also an incredible set of episodes, presented in an out-of-chronology ‘shuffle order’ mixing stories from all over the timeline in with a 6-part adaptation of the eponymous first light novel. It’s a structure that throws the viewer in the deep end, but also leads to a deeply compelling engagement with these off-beat characters and their very strange world, one that pays emotional dividends by the end. We talk about all of that, the history of the series, and the idea behind on this very exciting episode!  Enjoy, and come back next week as we review the 2007 ‘slice of life’ comedy   TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:31 Intro and History: 0:01:31 – 1:05:34 Eyecatch Break: 1:05:34 – 1:06:12 Haruhi Season 1 Review: 1:06:12 – 3:15:44 End Theme: 3:15:44 – 3:16:46 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/

3h 16m

Nov 29, 2023

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the first movie based on a game that is one of our all-time favorites here at . We reviewed each of those films as they released over on , and hold them in extremely high regard as some of the greatest video game adaptations of all time, in any medium – and an undeniably great work of anime. So this week, as a special Thanksgiving bonus, we’re bringing back our original moviereviews, re-edited and remastered, for  That continues today with the fourth and final film, ! This conversation was originally recorded on August 21st, 2016. We dive in great depth not only into this final film itself, but also to the series as a whole, and how vastly it has surpassed whatever expectations we initially had. was, is, and shall always be a great game – but this four-part film series has, miraculously, earned a place on the shelf alongside it, something that is a welcome surprise indeed. Enjoy, happy thanksgiving, and we will be back next week to resume our with our review of  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:14 Intro: 0:01:14 – 0:06:04 Eyecatch Break: 0:06:04 – 0:06:40 Persona 3 Movie 4: 0:06:40 – 1:38:22 End Theme: 1:38:22 – 1:39:25 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “Welcome to Japanimation Station” Original Music by Thomas Lack, Lyrics by Sean Chapman, featuring Hatsune Miku. “Happily Ever After” Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

1h 39m

Nov 23, 2023

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the first movie based on a game that is one of our all-time favorites here at . We reviewed each of those films as they released over on , and hold them in extremely high regard as some of the greatest video game adaptations of all time, in any medium – and an undeniably great work of anime. So this week, as a special Thanksgiving bonus, we’re bringing back our original moviereviews, re-edited and remastered, for  That continues today with the third film, ! This conversation was originally recorded on February 16th, 2016, and it finds our investment in these films only growing deeper, as tackles one of the trickier stretches of the game to adapt, and finds an incredibly effective lens through which to view the story via the character of Ryoji. If anything, these movies just keep getting better.  Enjoy, and come back tomorrow for our review of the fourth and final movie,  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:14 Intro: 0:01:14 – 0:04:04 Eyecatch Break: 0:04:04 – 0:04:38 Persona 3 Movie 3: 0:04:38 – 0:52:56 End Theme: 0:52:56 – 0:53:58 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “Welcome to Japanimation Station” Original Music by Thomas Lack, Lyrics by Sean Chapman, featuring Hatsune Miku. “Happily Ever After” Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

53m

Nov 22, 2023

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the first movie based on a game that is one of our all-time favorites here at . We reviewed each of those films as they released over on , and hold them in extremely high regard as some of the greatest video game adaptations of all time, in any medium – and an undeniably great work of anime. So this week, as a special Thanksgiving bonus, we’re bringing back our original moviereviews, re-edited and remastered, for  That continues today with the second film, ! This conversation was originally recorded on April 11th, 2015, and the movie left us absolutely shaken, both by its pitch-perfect delivery of one of the most devastating moments from the original game, and by the incredible animation and direction throughout. If the first film was surprisingly great, this is where the film series starts to play its hand as a true anime masterpiece.   Enjoy, and come back tomorrow for our review of the third movie,  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:14 Intro: 0:01:14 – 0:03:32 Eyecatch Break: 0:03:32 – 0:04:07 Persona 3 Movie 2: 0:04:07 – 1:06:12 End Theme: 1:06:12 – 1:07:14 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “Welcome to Japanimation Station” Original Music by Thomas Lack, Lyrics by Sean Chapman, featuring Hatsune Miku. “Happily Ever After” Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

1h 7m

Nov 21, 2023

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the first movie based on a game that is one of our all-time favorites here at . We reviewed each of those films as they released over on , and hold them in extremely high regard as some of the greatest video game adaptations of all time, in any medium – and an undeniably great work of anime. So this week, as a special Thanksgiving bonus, we’re bringing back our original moviereviews, re-edited and remastered, for  That begins today with the first film, originally released this week 10 years ago! This conversation was originally recorded on May 22nd, 2014, and as you’ll hear, the movie took both of us by surprise for just how strong its adaptational choices, animation, and direction were across the board, setting the stage for a 4-part film series that punches far above its weight.  Enjoy, and come back tomorrow for our review of the second movie,  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:14 Intro: 0:01:14 – 0:07:15  Eyecatch Break: 0:07:15 – 0:07:49  Persona 3 Movie 1: 0:07:49 – 1:02:38 End Theme: 1:02:38 – 1:03:40  Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “Welcome to Japanimation Station” Original Music by Thomas Lack, Lyrics by Sean Chapman, featuring Hatsune Miku. “Happily Ever After” Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

1h 3m

Nov 20, 2023

Part 1 of our ‘comes to a close with the second and final season based on the legendary visual novel by Key VisualArts. And after speaking for 3.5 hours about the first season, we somehow go even longer on the second, which follows Tomoya and Nagisa progressing into adulthood and becomes an ever-deeper, richer, and more emotionally impactful experience as it goes along. These are, simply put, some of the finest episodes of anime ever made, from storytelling through all aspects of the production, and it takes a full four-hour podcast to really start sinking our teeth into all of it.   Enjoy! We will be off next week for Thanksgiving, and returning on November 28th for Part 2 of our with our review of Season 1 in its original ‘shuffle’ broadcast order!  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:30  Intro and Review Part 1: 0:01:30 – 1:09:16 Eyecatch Break: 1:09:16 – 1:09:52 Review Continued: 1:09:52 – 3:48:02 End Theme: 3:48:02 – 3:49:04  Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 49m

Nov 15, 2023

Part 1 of our ‘continues with 2007’s the first entry in a two-series journey adapting the legendary visual novel by Key VisualArts. And it is, immediately, a major artistic leap for Kyoto Animation, a stunningly animated, beautifully written, alternatingly hilarious and poignant portrait of high school friendship and romance. Before we even arrive at the darker, bolder narrative turns of the second season, the series’ first half has us wondering if we’re watching one of the greatest anime ever made. This one is the complete package, and we break it all down in detail, sharing the history behind the visual novel and the team at Kyoto Animation behind the anime, breaking down the story, characters, and animation, and generally gushing about a truly incredible work of art.  Enjoy, and come back next week as we review the second half of the saga with  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:30  Intro and History: 0:01:30 – 0:50:11 Eyecatch Break: 0:50:11 – 0:50:48 Clannad Review: 0:50:48 – 3:33:36 End Theme: 3:33:36 – 3:34:38 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 34m

Nov 08, 2023

Part 1 of our ‘continues with our review of a fascinating snapshot of two groups of storytellers finding their way: The team at Key VisualArts, for whom was their first original visual novel, and the artists at Kyoto Animation, who had already made the year before, and were now working with double the episode order and an even more confident sense of style. Sean and Jonathan disagree on exactly how effectively it all comes together, but there’s no doubt there’s a lot of artistry and passion on display, and that is – pardon the pun – a key stepping stone in the Kyoto Animation legend.  Enjoy, and come back next week as we review the first season of one of the most beloved anime of all time!  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:30 Intro and History: 0:01:30 – 0:52:13 Eyecatch Break: 0:52:13 – 0:52:47 Kanon Review: 0:52:47 – 3:14:09 End Theme: 3:14:09 – 3:15:11  Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 15m

Nov 01, 2023

Part 1 of our kicks off with ‘a series of episodes on Kyoto Animation’s adaptations of the acclaimed visual novels by Key VisualArts. We begin with 2005’s the strange, sad, and surprising tale of a wandering boy, a girl obsessed with dinosaurs, an empathetic crow, and a winged girl in the sky. is a hard show to describe, but it’s a powerful watch, adapting the hit visual novel into 12 episodes (and 2 OVAs) that put Kyoto Animation firmly on the map. We discuss the history of Key VisualArts leading up to the creation of and tell you all about the KyoAni staff that created the show before diving deep into one of the weirdest, most beautiful, and most devastating shows we’ve ever reviewed.  Enjoy, and come back next week as we review the 24-episode series based on Key’s first visual novel! TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:30 Intro and History: 0:01:30 –  Eyecatch Break: 0:56:43 – 0:57:19  Air Review: 0:57:19 – 3:08:40  End Theme: 3:08:40 – 3:09:42  Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 9m

Oct 25, 2023

Welcome to JAPANIMATION STATION’S KYOTO VACATION, the fourth season of our podcast and our biggest adventure yet! We are taking a journey through the works of Kyoto Animation, one of the most respected and beloved anime studios in Japan, reviewing shows like and much more. But before we talk about any specific works, we wanted to take a step back and discuss the history of Kyoto Animation itself, because it’s a fascinating story stretching back to the earliest days of anime, and one that explains a lot about how the studio came to have the style and structure it is known and respected for. Even if you’ve never watched one of these shows before, this is a story you’ll definitely want to hear, and a great way to kick off our Kyoto Vacation.  Enjoy, and come back next week as we review Kyoto Animation’s first original, solo production, 2005’s  TIME CHART: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:29 Intro and Preview to Season: 0:01:29 – 0:37:35 Eyecatch Break: 0:37:35 – 0:38:11 The History of Kyoto Animation: 0:38:11 – 1:54:12 End Theme: 1:54:12 – 1:55:15 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Read the book in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Follow newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ “re:CAPTURE” and “Happily Ever After” – Original Music & Lyrics by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

1h 55m

Oct 18, 2023

  The third season of Japanimation Station comes to a close with the jam-packed final installment of The Classic Adventures of Lupin the 3rd! We start by taking a look at Lupin’s first live-action adventure, 1974’s Strange Psychokinetic Strategy. This is one of the earliest Lupin adaptations period, created between the first and second anime before the franchise had become enduringly popular, and it’s a surprisingly creative, if narratively scattershot, madcap comedy, putting Lupin in a white jacket and throwing him into a series of increasingly ludicrous scenarios. Then, Jonathan gives us an exhaustive (maybe even obsessive) guide to the best Lupin the 3rd soundtrack albums and the wide world of Yuji Ohno’s Lupin the 3rd Jazz releases. And finally, Sean and Jonathan play a game drafting all our favorite Lupin characters for a hypothetical heist!    Thanks so much for listening to Season 3 of Japanimation Station. We’ll see you later this fall for the debut of Season 4, Japanimation Station’s Kyoto Vacation, where we’ll be looking at the output of one of anime’s greatest studios, Kyoto Animation!    Time Chart: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:20 Strange Psychokinetic Strategy: 0:01:20 – 1:09:05 Eyecatch Break 1: 1:09:05 – 1:09:38 Jonathan’s Guide to Lupin Music: 1:09:38 – 1:50:51  Eyecatch Break 2: 1:50:51 – 1:51:22 Season 3 Wrap-up: 1:51:22 – 2:12:21 Eyecatch Break 3: 2:12:21 – 2:12:49 Lupin Family Draft: 2:12:49 – 2:35:17 Season 4 Preview: 2:35:17 – 2:39:49  End Theme: 2:39:49 – 2:41:04    Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast   Follow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/   Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/   “Welcome to Japanimation Station!” Lyrics by Sean Chapman, Music by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

2h 41m

Aug 23, 2023

  For the penultimate episode of Japanimation Station Season 3, we’re looking at a selection of Lupin the 3rdfilms and specials from the brink of the new millennium! Starting with 1996’s Dead or Alive, a theatrical feature directed by Lupin creator Monkey Punch himself, which sees our favorite thief embroiled in a narratively messy but visually stunning adventure on a very strange island. 1997’s Island of Assassins is a lesser Lupin special, weirdly violent but without any particular bite, while 1998’s Tokyo Crisis is one of our absolute favorites, a Zenigata-led, uproariously funny comedy with fantastic guest performances by Megumi Hayashibara and Kōichi Yamadera. And finally, we end our examination of Lupin the 3rd anime with 2002’s Episode 0: The First Contact, an origin story caper for the entire Lupin gang that sees the franchise taking its early steps into digital animation, with mixed results.      Enjoy, and come back next week for our season 3 finale, where we’ll be reviewing the 1974 live-action Lupin adaptation, Strange Psychokinetic Strategy, and celebrating all this season’s Lupintic adventures!     Time Chart: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:20 Intro: 0:01:20 – 0:15:04 Dead or Alive: 0:15:04 – 1:15:59  Eyecatch Break 1: 1:15:59 – 1:16:33  Island of Assassins: 1:16:33 – 1:45:56 Eyecatch Break 2: 1:45:56 – 1:46:18  Tokyo Crisis: 1:46:18 – 2:32:12  Eyecatch Break 3: 2:32:12 – 2:32:37 Episode 0 First Contact: 2:32:37 – 3:08:44 End Theme: 3:08:44 – 3:09:59    Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast   Follow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/   Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/   “Welcome to Japanimation Station!” Lyrics by Sean Chapman, Music by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 9m

Aug 16, 2023

  As Lupin the 3rd rounded the corner of the 1980s into the 1990s, the character and the series was in a period of transition. The 1987 OVA film The Fuma Conspiracy featured some of the franchise’s greatest animation, but also had a completely different voice cast than Japanese fans had come to know and love. The series went back to the tone and style of Part II for the 1989 Osamu Dezaki-directed TV special Bye Bye Lady Liberty, with Yasuo Yamada, the original voice cast, and the red jacket in tow, and it was a huge success, creatively and commercially, kicking off an annual string of feature-length TV specials that continued through 2013, including 1993’s Voyage to Danger, which saw the one-time-only return of Part I director Masaaki Osumi to the franchise. Sadly, Yasuo Yamada grew ill and passed away in 1995, just before the release of the first theatrical film in 10 years, Farewell to Nostradamus, with Kanichi Kurita stepping into those impossibly large shoes as his replacement, and doing such an amazing job that he continues to voice Lupin to this day! We cover all 4 of these feature-length Lupin experiences in today’s episode, analyzing a period where everything is in flux for Lupin III, and the possibilities are endless!    Enjoy, and come back next week as we look at Lupin’s adventures on the brink of the new millennium with a selection of films and specials from 1996 to 2002 – Dead or Alive, Island of Assassins, Tokyo Crisis and Episode 0: First Contact!    Time Chart: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:20 Intro: 0:01:20 – 0:06:57  The Fuma Conspiracy: 0:06:57 – 0:49:06 Eyecatch Break 1: 0:49:06 – 0:49:38 Bye Bye Lady Liberty: 0:49:38 – 1:51:46 Eyecatch Break 2: 1:51:46 – 1:52:10 Voyage to Danger: 1:52:10 – 2:35:28 Eyecatch Break 3: 2:35:28 – 2:35:54 Farewell to Nostradamus: 2:35:54 – 3:27:49  End Theme: 3:27:49 – 3:29:04    Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast   Follow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/   Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/   “Welcome to Japanimation Station!” Lyrics by Sean Chapman, Music by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 29m

Aug 09, 2023

  With Lupin the 3rd Part III, Lupin officially the enters the 1980s and he’s got a new attitude, a new look, and a new jacket – a pink one! The Pink Jacket Adventures, as this series has come to be known, is one of the weirder and wilder chapters in Lupin history, with Yuzo Aoki leading a talented team of animators to create a take on Lupin that’s both uniquely stylish and highly varied, with character designs shifting from episode to episode and sometimes scene to scene, and the series’ second half employing a particularly cartoon-y, Looney Tunes-esque approach to motion and mayhem. Meanwhile, iconic Japanese New Wave director Seijun Suzuki wrote one of the boldest and most bonkers Lupin episodes of all time, and co-directed The Legend of the Gold of Babylon, the Part III film released in 1985, which we also discuss on today’s show alongside 20 episodes from Part III (see the full list below). It’s one of the most memorable periods for Lupin the 3rd, and also one of the most rewarding.    Enjoy, and come back next week as we look at a transitionary period in the history of Lupin with a selection of films and specials from 1987 to 1995 – The Fuma Conspiracy, Bye-Bye Lady Liberty, Voyage to Danger, and Farewell to Nostradamus!     Time Chart: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:20 Intro & History: 0:01:20 – 0:10:44 Lupin VIII: 0:10:44 – 0:22:46 History Continued: 0:22:46 – 0:50:06 Eyecatch Break 1: 0:50:06 – 0:50:38  Episode-by-episode Review: 0:50:38 – 3:01:47 Eyecatch Break 2: 3:01:47 – 3:02:14 The Legend of the Gold of Babylon: 3:02:14 – 3:52:09  End Credits: 3:52:09 – 3:53:24   Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast   Follow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/   Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/   “Welcome to Japanimation Station!” Lyrics by Sean Chapman, Music by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/   Full list of episodes watched:    1 - "The Gold Is Beckoning Lupin" 3 - Greetings to Hell’s Angel  7 - The Man Called Death Gurve  11 - The Ruby Sheds Bloody Tears 13 - Variations on Getting Carried Away 18 - Showtime Reeks of Death  23 - Operation: Beirut Mobile Bank Robbery 24 - Sleep Peacefully, Friend 27 - Codename: Star of Alaska 28 - The Star of Alaska is a One-way Ticket to Hell 30 - A Cocktail Named Revenge 31 - A Turnabout, a Comeback, and a Reversal 34 - "Manhattan Crisis" 37 - "Pops Boils over with Rage" 38 - Leticia who Loved Lupin 40 - A Lotto Ticket to Riot 44 - "Our Papa’s a Thief" 46 - Soaring on Scrap Wings 49 - The Day Pops Got Adopted  50 - "Orders to Destroy the Atomic Sub Ivanov"

3h 53m

Aug 02, 2023

  Before he left the world of Lupin behind and went off to change the course of anime history forever with Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Hayao Miyazaki returned to TMS for a final set of Lupin the 3rd projects that have become iconic anime classics: The 1979 feature film The Castle of Cagliostro, and episodes 145 and 155 of Part II, “Albatross – Wings of Death” and “Farewell, O Dearest Lupin!”, distributed in the US in the 1990s as Lupin III’s Greatest Capers. These were the first pieces of Lupin media commercially available in America, and Cagliostro in particular is the most frequent entry point for Lupin newcomers. While Miyazaki’s more heroic, chivalric vision of the character is a bit of an outlier, there’s a reason Cagliostro has such magnetic appeal, as it’s one of the single greatest animated films ever made, a perfectly paced action adventure fueled by some of the most virtuosic animation to ever grace the silver screen. An influence for all sorts of movies all around the world, it’s a true classic, and so are Miyazaki’s two episodes of Part II, with “Albatross” in particular taking the director’s love of airplanes to astonishing new heights, and setting an impossibly high bar for how good TV animation can be.    Enjoy, and come back next week as we enter the Pink Jacket era and review Lupin the 3rd Part III and the 1985 film The Legend of the Gold of Babylon!    Time Chart: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:20 Intro: 0:01:20 – 0:11:32 Eyecatch Break 1: 0:11:32 – 0:12:03 The Castle of Cagliostro: 0:12:03 – 2:27:07 Eyecatch Break 2: 2:27:07 – 2:27:39 Greatest Capers Episodes: 2:27:39 – 3:16:35 End Theme: 3:16:35 – 3:17:50    Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast   Follow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/   Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/   “Welcome to Japanimation Station!” Lyrics by Sean Chapman, Music by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 17m

Jul 26, 2023

  Airing from 1977 to 1980, the second Lupin the 3rd TV anime – retroactively titled “Part II” – produced a whopping 155 episodes, and with the iconic red jacket and the entire five-person crew (Lupin, Jigen, Fujiko, Goemon, and Zenigata) in tow for every adventure, this is the series that firmly cemented Lupin III as an enduring anime icon, and set the tone for many of his future capers. For today’s episode, we watched a selection of 27 episodes – see the full list below – and experienced a wide range of adventures, from Lupin and company stealing a vintage bottle of wine on Christmas, to Jigen helping a ballerina defect to the West, to ‘Pops’ Zenigata springing a daring trap for Lupin on the highway, to Goemon surviving a shockingly violent bout of torture, to two whole episodes devoted to an extremely surprising (and very funny) alternate history of Jesus Christ himself! Part II is truly a wild ride, with some absolute masterpiece episodes displaying some of the greatest animation in TV history, and almost always providing a big dose of fun.    Enjoy, and come back next week as we review Lupin’s most famous adventure with Hayao Miyazaki’s 1979 classic The Castle of Cagliostro, and look at the two episodes Miyazaki directed for Part II, Albatross – Wings of Death and Farewell, O Dearest Lupin!    Time Chart: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:20 Intro, History, and Part II Overview: 0:01:20 – 0:57:57  Eyecatch Break 1: 0:57:57 – 0:58:30  Episode-by-episode review, part 1: 0:58:30 – 2:22:00  Eyecatch Break 2: 2:22:00 – 2:22:29  Episode-by-episode review, part 2: 2:22:29 – 3:45:25 End Theme: 3:45:25 – 3:46:40    Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast   Follow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ “Welcome to Japanimation Station!” Lyrics by Sean Chapman, Music by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/   Full list of episodes watched (Japanese title/English title)    1 - "Lupin the Third's Gallant Appearance" / "The Return of Lupin the 3rd" 12 - "A Gift for the President" / "The Sleight Before Christmas" 13 - "The Great Chase in San Francisco" / "I Left My Mind in San Francisco" 20 - "Cornered Lupin" / "Hell Toupee" 21 - "Goemon's Revenge" / "The Last Mastery" 25 - "Encounter With the Deadly Iron Lizard" / "The Lair of the Land-Shark" 26 - "A Rose and a Pistol" / "Shot Through the Heart" 27 - "Where Did the Cinderella Stamp Go?" / "The Little Princess of Darkness" 30 - "The Wind in Morocco is Hot" / "Morocco Horror Picture Show" 32 - "Lupin Dies Twice" / "Lupin the Interred" 34 - "Lupin Who Turned Into a Vampire" / "But your Brother was Such a Nice Guy" 36 - "Uncover the Secret of Tsukikage Castle" / "The Riddle of Tsukikage Castle" 38 - "The Sweet Trap of ICPO" / "Happy Betrayals to You" 48 - "Lupin Laughs at the Alarm Bell" / "Vault Assault" 57 - "Computer or Lupin?" / "Alter-Ego Maniac" 58 - "The Face of Goodbye at the National Border" / "Gettin' Jigen with It" 66 - "Order: Shoot to Kill!!" / "Beauty and the Deceased" 69 - "The Woman Pops Fell in Love With" / "Zenigata Getcha into My Life" 85 - "The ICPO's Secret Plan" / "The Secret Order of ICPO" 94 - "Lupin vs. Superman" / "Lupin Vs. Superman" 97 - "Find Lupin the First's Treasure" / "Searching for Lupin I's Treasure" 99 - "The Scattered Magnum" / "Fighting Jigen" 112 - "Goemon's Close Call" / "Danger! Goemon" 114 - "The Secret of the First Supper" / "The Secret of the First Supper" 129 - "In Jigen, I Saw the Gentleness of a Man's Soul" / "The Kindness Of Jigen is Seen" 148 - "The Target Is 555 Meters" / "The Target is Five Hundred and Fifty Five Meters Away" 151 - "The Arrest Lupin Highway Operation" / "To Arrest Lupin, the Mission at Highway"

3h 46m

Jul 19, 2023

  In 1978, Lupin the 3rd made the leap to the big screen with his first animated feature film, and while the second Lupin movie, 1979’s Hayao Miyazaki-directed The Castle of Cagliostro, is the more famous film, The Mystery of Mamo is arguably the single piece of Lupin animation that cuts closest to the heart of the character and the tone, humor, and storytelling style that makes Lupin the 3rd so enduring. It’s a globetrotting adventure that takes the audience all around the world, makes fantastic use of all five regular characters, has a wonderfully anarchic sense of humor, and is spectacularly animated from start-to-finish, a virtuosic feat from franchise stalwarts like Yuzo Aoki and Yasuo Otsuka. And it even has a thoughtful thematic core saying something surprisingly profound about Lupin as a character and the way he moves through the world, making for a movie that isn’t just uproariously funny and consistently surprising, but actually kind of poignant. It’s an absolute classic, and one that’s a delight to discuss on today’s episode.    Enjoy, and come back next week as we dive into Lupin’s longest-running and most successful anime, Lupin the 3rd Part II.    Time Chart: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:20 Intro, History, and Review Part 1: 0:01:20 – 0:57:23  Eyecatch Break: 0:57:23 – 0:58:08 Review Part 2: 0:58:08 – 2:26:58  End Theme: 2:26:58 – 2:28:13   Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast   Follow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/   Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/   “Welcome to Japanimation Station!” Lyrics by Sean Chapman, Music by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

2h 28m

Jul 12, 2023

“I’m a greedy person. There’s so much I want to do with Mom and all of you.”    Weekly Suit Gundam is back to review the second and final season of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury, which brings the story to a close with a rousing, jam-packed set of episodes that’s darker, richer, and more action-filled than the first season. This is the first mainline Gundam series besides Reconguista in G to tell its story in just 2 cours, but that doesn’t mean it’s a thinner or less complicated show, as our super-sized conversation in today’s episode attests to. With so many amazing characters, stellar animation and music, and a story that revisits classic Gundam scenarios and iconography while also challenging and moving beyond them, Witch From Mercury is a show with a lot on its mind, and a lot to break down.     Enjoy, and be sure to tune in for Japanimation Station Season 3, “The Classic Adventures of Lupin the 3rd,” airing Tuesday nights at 7pm CT on YouTube!    Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast   Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/ Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/ Follow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/ “Tobe! Gundam” performed by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Band in Shinjuku, Tokyo, February 2016. Originally composed by Takeo Watanabe with lyrics by Rin Iogi and performed by Koh Ikeda.  “Gundam Stands its Ground” originally composed by Takeo Watanabe & Yushi Matsuyama. “Mobile Suit Gundam” Arcade (1993) arrangement composed by Nadya Doi.  

2h 59m

Jul 11, 2023

Welcome to Season 3 of Japanimation Station: The Classic Adventures of Lupin the 3rd! This season, we will be exploring the countless capers of one of the most enduring icons of anime from his very first animated appearance in 1969 up through the dawn of the 21st century. In today’s season premiere, we go through the history of Monkey Punch’s original Lupin the 3rd manga, the creation of the 1969 pilot film, and finally do a deep dive on Lupin’s first anime TV series, 1971’s Lupin the 3rd, retroactively referred to as Part I. It is one of the most fascinating, unique, and compelling shows we’ve ever seen, a series essentially divided in half between early episodes helmed by Masaaki Osumi, which are more adult and irreverent a la Monkey Punch’s manga, and the later caper-centric episodes directed by the men who would go on to found Studio Ghibli, Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki! Both visions of the series are equally accomplished, and the series sees a wide range of animation giants pass through its doors – including Yasuo Otsuka and Osamu Dezaki – and by the end, Lupin the 3rd has started to settle on a template that will serve it well for decades to come.  Enjoy, and come back next week as we review Lupin’s first animated theatrical film, the 1978 classic The Mystery of Mamo!    Time Chart: Theme Song: 0:00:00 – 0:01:20 Intro to Season and History of Lupin: 0:01:20 – 0:42:14 Lupin the 3rd Part 1 History and Review: 0:42:14 – 2:06:15  Eyecatch Break: 2:06:15 – 2:07:03  Episode-by-episode Review: 2:07:03 – 3:22:59  End Theme: 3:22:59 – 3:24:14    Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWeeklyStuffPodcast   Follow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content!  https://weeklystuff.substack.com https://weeklystuff.substack.com/   Visit our website and subscribe to Japanimation Station on all podcast platforms: http://japanimationstation.com/   Subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcast platforms: http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com http://www.weeklystuffpodcast.com/   “Welcome to Japanimation Station!” Lyrics by Sean Chapman, Music by Thomas Lack, featuring Hatsune Miku. https://www.thomaslack.com https://www.thomaslack.com/

3h 24m

Jul 05, 2023