Drink #025: The Flying Penguin,
A Revolutionary Girl Utena & Mawaru Penguindrum Discussion

Kunihiko Ikuhara is undoubtedly one of our favorite directors so it seemed only fitting for us to devote a podcast to two of his most recognizable masterworks. For each show we brought on a guest to talk with us a bit about the selected show. We started with Clarissa from the Anime World Order podcast to chat about Revolutionary Girl Utena. As she recently did a paper for grad school on the show she seemed the only logical choice for a guest to talk about pink-haired crossdressers. After that we talk with Patz from Insert-Disc about Ikuhara’s recently concluded work, Mawaru Penguindrum. With both titles we do an in-depth analysis of characters and themes and don’t hold anything back on the spoiler side of things. If you have not finished either series be warned that we give away pretty much anything that could possibly be. If you want a review just know that both shows are 100% recommended so you can just watch them and then come back and listen to the podcast.

RSS Feed     -     iTunes Feed

(Listen)

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:

The Flying Penguin

• 1 1/2 oz vodka
  
• 1 1/2 oz white rum
  
• 1 1/2 oz gin
  
• 1 splash Angostura® bitters
• 5 oz pink grapefruit juice
• 1 oz lime juice
• 1 1/2 oz sugar syrup

Preparation:

Pour 1.5 ounces each of Vodka, White Rum and Gin into a highball glass over two ice cubes. Add a good spash (approx .25 ounces) of angora bitters and swirl with a metal stirring rod. Add 5 ounces of Pink Grapefruit Juice. Add 1.5 ounces of sugar syrup. Slice a fresh lime into a slice approximately 1/2 of an inch wide. Cut in half, squeezing one half directly into the drink (then drop the squeezed lime half in). Make a small nick 2/3rds of the way up the second halfof lime and use to rim the glass then as a garnish. Include a metal stirring rod.

Drink #002: Heart of Fire,
Go Nagai VS. Gurren Lagann

RSS Feed     -     iTunes Feed

This is THE match-up of manly madness made for men who marvel at mechanical monsters. The battle for the hearts and minds for those who love robot designs. A grudge match started in the land of the rising sun but ends in the home of the stars and stripes. In the red corner we have the dreamer from Wajima and the father of the Super robot, Go Nagai and Mazinger Z. In the white corner we have and the kings of boob bounce that are ready to pounce, Gainax and Gurren Lagann.

Actually this is an examination of why  Gurren Lagann is so popular with anime fans in the U.S. and Shin Mazinger only really has a fandom among Go Nagai fans despite seeming like shows that have almost identical appeal. What are the key factors that earn one show such a broad audience but keep people out of the other even though both show are awesome.

(Listen) (Show Notes)

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drin

Heart of Fire
* 1 to 2 measures Whiskey
* Tabasco sauce to taste 

Serve whiskey of choice in a shot glass, add a few drops of Tabasco sauce, and down in one swallow. Speedy intoxication may be the intended result for this fiery cocktail, but go easy with it, as not only the whiskey but also the capsaicin in the peppers in the Tabasco sauce can have adverse side effects if taken to excess.

Drink #024: The Last Word,
Looking Back on 2011

Once again the end of the year means the jet setting billionaires Hisui and Narutaki attend their yearly collaboration to muse on what has occurred in the anime and manga industry during the course of 2011. This year finds them looking at the coast Monaco from Narutaki’s private yacht as they open up a bottle of Dom. Romane Conti 1997, dig into Wagyu steaks prepared by Koumei Nakamura, and reflect on some of the biggest events of 2011. As they digest their meal they talk about the quake, the closing of Borders, and the other events that shaped the year and reflect on how these events will reverberate on the year to come. Come, open up a bottle of your finest vintage, and reflect with them on your memories of 2011.

RSS Feed     -     iTunes Feed

(Listen) (Show Notes)

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:

The Last Word

• 3/4 oz gin
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
• 3/4 oz maraschino liqueur

Preparation:

Drink #023: Royal Shakespeare,
The Art of Storytelling

The pacing is off. The characters never grow. The story is derivative. These are all common complaints thrown around about shows. Sometimes they are right  on the money but other times you wonder if people have seen the same show as you. This month we look at the art of storytelling. What makes a good story and how can you examine a story in a way that maximizes the depth of reading without sacrificing your enjoyment of the material. 

RSS Feed     -     iTunes Feed

(Listen) (Show Notes)

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:

Royal Shakespeare

0.5 oz  Butterscotch Schnapps
1.0 oz  Irish Cream
0.5 oz  Jack Daniels

In a shot glass pour the Butterscotch Schnapps and Jack. Float the Bailey’s Irish Cream on top, or just mix it all together.

Drink #001: Bloody Mary,
A Discussion of Strong Female Characters

RSS Feed     -     iTunes Feed

We decided to go back to the roots of the blog for our inaugural podcast. We start off with the initial question: Is anime actually filled with good, strong female characters or is that dream much like a Satoshi Kon movie? The discussion then unfolds as we look at what our initial expectations of strong female characters were when we started watching anime, the realities of the medium, and its future.

(Listen) (Show Notes)

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink

Bloody Mary
* 1 oz. to 1 1/2 oz. (30-45 ml) vodka in a Highball glass filled with ice.
* Fill glass with tomato juice
* 1 dash celery salt
* 1 dash ground black pepper
* 1 dash Tabasco
* 2-4 dashes of Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire sauce
* 1/8 tsp. horseradish (pure, never creamed)
* Dash of lemon or lime juice
Garnish with celery stalk.

May be shaken vigorously or stirred lazily, as desired. Garnish with a celery stalk; a skewer of olives, pickles, carrots, mushrooms, or other vegetables; or even meat or fish (salami, shrimp, etc.) and cheese. Occasionally, pickled asparagus spears or pickled beans are also used.

In this episode of the Bonus Round, we tackle the first season in the Initial D franchise. Funimation has recently re-released the earlier series that were once property of infamous TokyoPop. This is the story of tofu delivery boy Takumi who’s driving skills have unwittingly become a thing of legend. He gets swept up in street racing in his town thanks to some friends and rivals. There aren’t a ton of sports series focusing on car racing but with Initial D around you shouldn’t really need much else. There is also a trailer at the beginning of the podcast for the upcoming U.S. film release.

Anime3000 – Bonus Round – Initial D Season 1

With the success of the S.W.A.T. reviews last season we’re trying it again with the autumn line up. The premise of these reviews is simple: watch the first episode of a series and then immediately sit down to record a review mini-podcast. The reviews are five- to ten-minutes long and entirely off the cuff. As always we only review new shows (so no sequels or continuations) and try to avoid anything that just looks outright awful. These are the last two (for us) of the new season:

Listen – Episode 1 of Guilty Crown from Production I.G with the opening ”My Dearest” by supercell and is streaming on Hulu.

Listen – Episode 1 of UN-GO from BONES with the opening “How to Go” by School Food Punishment and is streaming on Crunchyroll.

Episode #49- NYCC/NYAF Part 1 with Kate, Sean, & Twitterless Ron

Drink #022: Berliner Weisse mit Schuss,
A Legend of the Galactic Heroes Discussion

RSS Feed     -     iTunes Feed

In this episode, we discuss the epic, the legendary, the greatest anime space opera Legend of the Galactic Heroes. With so much material, we couldn’t do it alone so we invited Caleb from Otaku USA and Vinny from All Geeks Considered to help us out.

(Listen) (Show Notes)

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:

Berliner Weisse mit Schuss

1 ounce red-raspberry flavored syrup (or green Waldmeister sweet woodruff syrup)
16 ounces light German wheat beer

Pour a 1 oz schuss of waldmeister or raspberry syrup into a large wheat-beer glass. Slowly add 16 oz cold Berliner Kindl Weisse or other light German-style wheat beer.

As we continue to work on more NYCC coverage, we bring you this little break which is still kind of related! We talk DC’s New 52 first issues on the First Issue Podcast! Everyone felt pretty enthusiastic about it though none of us read all 52 like some more ambitious folks. We run the gamut from delighting in Green Lantern’s portrayal in Justice League to utter confusion about Legion to disagreements about which Batman title was best.

25 weN s’CD eussI tsriF

As a helpful tip: they don’t seem to be updating the website as often as necessary, especially for Japanese guest info. For autograph sessions check here.

Pre-NYCC Podcast

RSS Feed     -     iTunes Feed

Friday:

11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Meet Me At The Arcade
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Aniplex of America Panel
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm: DC ALL ACCESS: Batman
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Mythbusters: Anime Edition
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm: The State of Mecha
4:15 pm – 5:00 pm: The Venture Bros.
5:15 pm – 6:15 pm: ComiXology Open Discussion: Everything Digital!
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Hiro Mashima and Kodansha Comics
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm: Mark Hamill Spotlight
8:45 pm – 9:45 pm: Vertical, Inc. Industry Panel

Saturday:

11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Fate/Zero Screening (by Aniplex of America)
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: DC ALL ACCESS: Justice League
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm: DC ALL ACCESS: Superman
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm: Makoto Shinkai in Conversation with Roland Kelts
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm: MARVEL Television Presents
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Womanthology
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Winter Is Here: Epic Fantasy Takes The Throne
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm: CBLDF: Defending Manga
8:15 pm – 9:00 pm: Black Dynamite
9:00 pm – 10:00 pm: Tell Your Friends! The Live Show!

Sunday:

10:15 am – 11:00 am: SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark
11:00 am – 1:00 pm: Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm: MARVEL: The Incredible Hulk
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Anime News Network
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm: DC ALL ACCESS: Young Justice

With the success of the S.W.A.T. reviews last season we’re trying it again with the autumn line up. The premise of these reviews is simple: watch the first episode of a series and then immediately sit down to record a review mini-podcast. The reviews are five- to ten-minutes long and entirely off the cuff. As always we only review new shows (so no sequels or continuations) and try to avoid anything that just looks outright awful. These are the next five shows of the new season:

RSS Feed     -     iTunes Feed

Listen – Episode 1 of Persona 4 is from AIC A.S.T.A. with the opening “Pursuing My True Self” by Shihoko Hirata.

Listen – Episode 1 of Gundam AGE is from Sunrise with the opening “To Tomorrow” by Galileo Galilei.

Listen – Episode 1 of Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai is from AIC Build with the opening “Friends Making Group ★★☆” by Marina Inoue, Kanae Itou, Nozomi Yamamoto, Misato Fukuen, Kana Hanazawa, and Yuka Iguchi.

Listen – Episode 1 of Future Diary is from asread with the ending “Blood Teller” by Faylan.

Listen – Episode 1 of Ben-to is from David Production with the opening “LIVE for LIFE ~Ookamitachi no Yoru~” by Manami.

With the success of the S.W.A.T. reviews last season we’re trying it again with the autumn line up. The premise of these reviews is simple: watch the first episode of a series and then immediately sit down to record a review mini-podcast. The reviews are five- to ten-minutes long and entirely off the cuff. As always we only review new shows (so no sequels or continuations) and try to avoid anything that just looks outright awful. These are the first four of the new season:

RSS Feed     -     iTunes Feed

Listen – Episode 1 of Phi Brain – Puzzle of God is from Sunrise with the opening “Brain Diver” by May’n.

Listen – Episode 1 of Chihayafuru from Madhouse with the opening “YOUTHFUL” by 99RadioService and is streaming on Crunchyroll.

Listen – Episode 1 of Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere from Sunrise with the opening “TERMINATED” by Minori Chihara and is streaming on Anime Network.

Listen – Episode 1 of You and Me from J. C. Staff with the opening “ByeBye (バイバイ)” by 7!! and is streaming on Crunchyroll.

We return to the Kaleido stage in this episode of the Bonus Round on Anime3000 in which we talk about the second season of Kaleido Star and the accompanying OVAs. In season 1, Sora is able to perform the Legendary Great Maneuver with Layla and save the Kaleido Stage. In season 2, dubbed “New Wings” we find that due to her injury Layla has retired from the circus and become a full-time actress. Now Sora must find her own way on the stage but she is unsure of what direction to head in. A rival by the name of May Wong and the icy perfectionist Leon Oswald join the troop and bring further complications. Does Sora have what it takes to be a true Kaleido Star? Then it’s Extra Stage and Legend of Phoenix, OVAs about Rosetta Passel and Layla Hamilton respectively. As a special bonus we have a shocking in-depth expose about May Wong at the beginning of the review.

Anime3000 – Bonus Round – Kaleido Star Season 2 + OVAs

Finally a podcast where I get to talk about Fate/Extra CCC for an hour. Oh wait. That would be horrible. So instead I did an appearance on the Eroge Bus podcast with the Digital Bug from Reisen Goes to School by Bus. The main topic is Kara no Shoujo which I already discussed the demo of on the blog but now we talk about the full release from MangaGamer. It is an unusual erotic detective visual novel with a strong emphasis on the player actually solving the mystery. We also discuss visual novel news and upcoming releases in the visual novel world. Also since it is me Type-Moon comes up like 20 times and we discuss Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney. I might also eat up the news that Key’s Rewrite sold way below expectations like sweet candy.

Eroge Bus – Episode 3

I suppose I should have a picture of what I actually spent a bulk of my time talking about.

Show #96 – Makoto Shinkai Press Conference

Anime 3000 presents The Speakeasy Podcast:
Drink #021: Golden Dream, Digital Revolution

In this episode, we talk about the digital revolution! Anime for the last couple of years has started getting on board with the digital age, and this year we’ve seen manga start to do the same thing. The systems aren’t perfect but steps in the right direction. We discuss different methods and what we like best plus give some suggestions about what we’d like to see in the future.

(Listen)

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:

Golden Dream

3/4 oz cream
3/4 oz orange juice
3/4 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Galliano

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

On the Reverse Thieves blog and the Speakeasy Podcast we try to talk about some of the finest titles that anime and manga have to offer. But occasionally we do guests spots on other podcasts and talk about utter trash. This time I went on the Eeeper’s Choice podcast and recounted my journey through Rio: Rainbow Gate! with Philip and Doctor from the SSAA Podcast. It is everything you expect from an anime base on a pachinko game franchise AND LESS!

Like a Bird of Paradise! Rio: Rainbow Gate roundtable

Anime 3000 presents The Speakeasy Podcast:
Drink #020: The GaoGaiGar, Learning to Love Robots

With our special guest Carl from Ogiue Maniax, we look at one of the most off-putting genres in anime. Mecha is one of the few not phonographic genres that people easily decide they despise. At the same time, it is a genre that has a fanatical base of fans that can turn away anyone who is not  predisposed to liking robot shows. This is the podcast for anyone who has tried a mecha anime and decided they do not go together. This is also for anyone who is trying to get their more skittish friends to watch robots. We present a selection of shows that have enough robots to qualify as mecha while not being too down the rabbit hole. You might not find yourself building Gundam models while watching Mazinkaiser SKL but you might also not run away any time you see Valkyrie on the screen.

(Listen)

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:

GaoGaiGar

First, separately mix each of these:
Robot
Orange Lion
Bullet Train
Drill
Stealth Bomber

Simultaneously pour the robot and Orange Lion into a large glass while shouting FUUUUSIOOOON!!!
Once the pouring is complete shout the name of your new drink: Gai! Gar!
Then wait for Final Fusion to be approved.
Once Final Fusion is approved and the Program Drive has been activated shout FINAL! FUUUSIOOOON! and pour the Drill, Bullet Train, and Stealth Bomber into the GaiGar as heroic music swells in the background. Once this is complete loudly shout to the heavens the name of your King of Drinks: GAO! GAI! GAAAAARRRR!

Just as I was going to bed, I saw the Reverse Thieves sign in the sky signaling it was time for me to podcast (or a text message . . . I forget). So I teamed up with Basil and Kevin from the OSMcast! to tackle Saturday, the biggest day of Otakon 2011. We talk about the highs and lows of our experiences including premieres, guests, porn, detectives, gals, and ultra violence! During the breaks Basil interviews the average fans and sees how they are experiencing the East Coast’s biggest anime event. Listen and hear why we all try to return to Otakon every year without fail.

OSMcast: Otakon 2011 8-22-2011

This is a bonus segment of the Speakeasy Podcast we like to call Crime Scene Investigations. These are random bonus podcasts that we record live from various events. There is no regular schedule for these. We will put them up as quickly as we can when the opportunity for one occurs. We suspect they will mostly be from conventions but we might work in some interviews and conversation from NY events as fate allows.

In this edition of Crime Scene Investigations, we talk about our experiences on Friday at Otakon 2011 with Basil and Kevin of the OSMcast, Patz from Insert-Disc and Podlabor, and Carl from Ogiue Maniax. There is discussion of the Otakon Game Show, Angel ScandyS, Makoto Shinkai, Masao Maruyama, CLAMP, Remembering Satoshi Kon, and Art of Akira. Of course we discuss memes, sandwiches, and the little things we both love and hate at the convention. By the way check out the transformation of opinion over the Ice Cold Water guy from this to this.

Crime Scene Investigations #002 – Otakon 2011

Pre-Otakon podcast

Our tentative panel schedule:

Friday:

09:00: Best Manga You Never Read (That’s us!)
10:00: Japanamerica
11:00: Remembering Satoshi Kon
12:30: Bunkraku premiere
01:30: Journey through the CLAMP Universe
03:00: Angel ScandyS Q&A
04:00: Japan’s Apocalyptic Imagination in Anime, Manga and Art
05:00: Otakon Game Show: Qualification Quiz!
06:00: Fandom & Criticism: The Art of Active Viewing
08:00: Otakon Game Show!
11:00: Bad Anime, Bad!!
12:30: Let’s Play Ero-ge!

Saturday:

09:00: Gyaru Culture Revealed: Destroying the Myths
10:00: Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below premiere
10:00: Masao Maruyama Q&A
11:00: Noboru Ishiguro Q&A
12:00: Mythbusters: Anime Edition
01:00: Special Surprise premiere
03:00 Investigating Detective Anime (That’s us!)
04:00: Vertical Industry Panel
05:30: Atsuhiro Iwakami Q&A
05:30: Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos premiere
07:30: Underrated Mecha Anime
09:00: Bandai Entertainment After Dark!
11:00: Cyborgs, Cybernetics and Metal Men
12:30: Anime’s Craziest Deaths

Sunday:

09:00: Toei Tokusatsu, 35 Sentai & 40 Years of Kamen Rider
10:30: Japanese Directors & Producers
12:30: Japan’s IP (Intellectual Property) Problem
12:30: Kylee concert

For everyone who has a long trip to Otakon I have decided to give you another Pre-Otakon podcast for your journey. I returned to the Nigorimasen! podcast hosted by Tom alongside Patz from Insert Disc and Donald from Otaku no Podcast. It is like two podcasts in one as we talk about the 2011 Summer anime season in the first part and our Otakon plans in part 2. We start by gushing about the anime we loved this season and cursing the foul names of the anime that hurt us. Thankfully none of us sat through Titty Chop (aka Manyuu Hikenchou) so our brains were still intact for this podcast. After that we strategized for out Otakon battle plans. There is quite a bit to do and see in Baltimore this weekend so hopefully we will give you some good tips and make you aware of events you might have overlooked.

Nigorimasen Podcast #12: Low-Rent Victorique

Last week I got together with Patz from Insert Disc and Carl from Ogiue Maniax to record an episode of Podlabor that had been anticipated for a while. Where in we gush about Brave Police J-Decker, a giant robot show from the early 90′s that we all just recently watched to completion. I had talked about it a little on the blog, but this recording was way more fun! Check out the podcast, check out J-Decker, they are both a good time!

Podlabor Episode #6 – Brave Up J-Decker

Four years into the blog has taught us, to a degree, what works and what needs changing. When we started the blog the season reviews were some of the most popular posts but as time went on we have seen a distinct decline in interest. A large part of that has to do with Anime News Network now doing a seasonal review and in a very timely fashion. In response, we sat down to decide how to revamp the seasonal review to stay relevant. Our idea is to do micro-podcasts instead of a whole article. The premise behind the S.W.A.T. (Season Watching Anime Taskforce) reviews is simple: watch the first episode of a series and then immediately sit down a record a review podcast. The reviews are five- to ten-minutes long and entirely off the cuff. The reviews have been going up on Anime3000 but in case you missed them there we collected them here for your listening pleasure.

Blade: We review the classic tale of a half-vampire VS. vampires. Now with extra Marvel/Madhouse blandness.

Blood-C: We review the OTHER vampire vs vampires anime. Now with CLAMP. Which sadly does not help.

Bunny Drop: We review the tale of an ace sniper and pathological lair who is a brave captain of the sea. Sorry. That is Usopp Drop.

Croisee in a Foreign Labyrinth: We review (up soon!) an anime about France that is not The Rose of Versailles. We are as shocked as you are.

God’s Notebook: We review the spiffy keen NEET detective agency. The main character is a Speaker for the Dead.

The IDOLM@STER: We review a show about idols in training that is better than you would think it would be. That does not make it good.

Mawaru Penguindrum: We review the new Kunihiko Ikuhara anime. In fact, we are wondering why you are not watching this RIGHT NOW!

Mayo Chiki!: We review what proves that on all lives a little rain must fall. If you watch this, there shall be a downpour of sadness on your heart.

The Mystic Archives of Dantalian: We review (up soon!) the autobiography of Otaku USA’s Caleb Dunaway.

No. 6: We review the most obtuse remaking of Patrick McGoohan’s The Prisoner.

Sacred Seven: We review (up soon!) a Tokusatsu show cleverly disguised as an anime. But with maids, butlers, mecha, and Greek mythology.

Uta no Prince-sama Maji Love 1000%: We review a show about idols in training that is better than you would think it would be. But is also actually good. We cannot forget to mention: Norio Wakamoto. ‘Nuff said.

Yuruyuri: We review a show of boy-friendly lesbians in training that is just as bad as you would think it would be.

Anime 3000 presents The Speakeasy Podcast:
Drink #018: Sherlock Holmes,
On the Trail of Detective Anime Pt. 1

As part of our ongoing initiative to promote detective anime and manga we will be doing a series of Speakeasy podcasts about the wide world of detective works. This first part is a primer to the world of sleuths, gumshoes, private eyes, flatfoots, shamuses, snoops, and spies. We start with the origins of modern detective fiction in Japan and take a very brief look at the development of detective manga. We then offer some tools for the analysis of mystery stories and some titles everyone should know. There is no real schedule to when these episodes will come out but be assured that there will be more episodes like this one in the future. If you have any area of the genre you would like covered just let us know otherwise it will be our whims that dictate the course of this series. Until then . . . the game’s afoot!

(Listen)

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:

Sherlock Holmes

• Ice
• 1 1/2 ounces single-malt Scotch, preferably Laphroaig
• 2 ounces chilled brewed Lapsang souchong tea
• 1 ounce Honey Syrup
• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir well. Double strain into a chilled coupe.

Anime 3000 presents The Speakeasy Podcast:
Drink #018: Ghostbuster,
A Kekkaishi Introduction

As impossible as it sounds there is actually a shonen fighting anime and manga that goes overlooked despite the fact that it is really good. That series is Kekkaishi. As a show with a protagonist with a power and personality that is outside the norm, a strong female lead with skills different but equal to the main character, and an actually developed romantic subplot that is constantly in the narrative but not overwhelming, it is sad to see it so overshadowed. With the manga ending, the anime finishing its run on Adult Swim, and the box set finally coming out in English it seems like the perfect time to do a little analysis on this series and what sets it apart from the pack. Stop complain about shonen fighting and support something that actually approaches the genre well!

(Listen)

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:

Ghostbuster

It is a revolutionary episode of the Bonus Round on Anime3000 where we talk about part one of the 1997 J.C.Staff show Revolutionary Girl Utena. This is a license rescue and remaster of the classic deconstructionist shojo anime by Nozomi Entertainment. The story centers around Utena a girl who has decided to become a prince to find the man who saved her in the past. She becomes involved a game of surreal duels with the enigmatic student council over the doll-like Anthy. The Student Council Saga introduces many sinister mysteries with some comedy to help break the tension. To put the bonus in the bonus round we have a commercial for a new product from the Mumbai Curry Company before the review. It has the commercial debut of Evan Minto from Ani-Gamers.

Anime3000 – Bonus Round – Revolutionary Girl Utena DVD Set 1: Student Council Saga

Don’t worry. We will return for Part 2: The Black Rose Saga.

Just as a heads up for everyone in the Tri-State area we will be attending AnimeNEXT 2011 this year as both press and panelists for all three days. Hisui will be appearing on five panels this year and Narutaki will be on three so you can see the Reverse Thieves every day of the convention if it so pleases you. The big Japanese guest for us this year will be Satoru Nakamura, who is another amazing Production I.G guest following up last year’s Kenji Kamiyama. If anyone has questions for him just leave a comment and we will be sure to ask at one of his panels.

We recorded a micro-podcast (less than 12-minutes long) detailing our plans in case you don’t feel like reading this post.

AnimeNEXT Preview podcast

Our tentative panel schedule:

Friday:

Anime in the 90s and Spoiler Alert
Tenshi ni Narumon : Anime Under the Radar
The Best Of Martial Arts Fight Scenes 2: The Rematch
Best Manga you Never Read (both Reverse Thieves)
Investigating Detective Anime (both Reverse Thieves)
Vertical Manga: The Seinen Revolution Continues
Production I.G Panel
Type-Moon: Unlimited Panel Works (Hisui’s Solo Mission)
Anime Incorrect! (18+)
Bad Anime, Bad!

Saturday:

The Anime Geek Glossary
JoJo’s Posing School
Fandom & Criticism: The Art of Active Viewing (Hisui & the Ani-Gamers)
Suminagashi: Floating Ink
Fanthropology: Behind the Study of Fandom
Fandom Podcasting: An Overview
A Complete History of Manga
Production I.G Discussion
One Piece Podcast Panel
Otaku on a Budget
Giant Robot Rumble
Totally Subversive Toons (18+)
These Are A Few Of My Favorite Scenes

Sunday:

Anime Opening/Closing Themes
Real Men Watch Shoujo (Both Reverse Thieves)
NoN. D.E. Fan Films
Square Enix

In our newest contribution for the Bonus Round on Anime3000, we look at the first half of the 2009 Satelight show, the Guin Saga. An adaption of a classic Japanese fantasy series that ran for over a 130 volumes by scarily prolific author Kaoru Kurimoto. Guin Saga is the story of Guin a man with amnesia who is trapped in a leopard mask that helps the prince and princess of a fallen country as he tries to regain his lost memories. But as the Mongauli army peruses them they are forced deeper into the cursed land of Nospherus. We clearly enjoyed the books but how does the anime stack up? As a bonus we also have a dramatic reader from a “lost” book in the series. As a bonus besides your normal Thieves we have Otaku USA’s Caleb Dunaway as Remus, Patz from Insert-Disc as Istavan, and Carl Li from Ogiue Maniax as the narrator.

Anime3000 – Bonus Round – Guin Saga Part 1