Otaku in Review

Episode 102: High Def Sparkles

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:43:01 +0000

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This week we discuss the next evolution of the Podcast thanks to our host Mevio suspending our hosting account without warning. Please resubscribe at our new iTunes feed above and direct download the show from the link at the bottom of the page. We also discuss Michael’s new figures, and the quality of American sitcom cartoons. In news Funimation discontinues 4 DVD/blu-ray titles, Sentai Filmworks adds Zettai Karen Children and Getbackers, Tite Kubo’s Bleach enters final arc, Sailor Moon reaches No. 1 graphic novel in US bookstores, 1st Madoka Magica episode to be streamed dubed, and Black Rock shooter to be streamed in 8 subbed languages. In our main segment Michael gives his first impressions of the Kimi Ni Todoke blu-ray release and I give a hopefully spoiler free review of Mawaru Penguindrum.

Episode 101: De Geso!

Scott Spaziani — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:12:30 +0000

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This week, in order to break some kind of record, we talk about Skyrim once again including all the My Little Pony mods that are now available. In our main segment we review the second season of Squid Girl! and come to the obvious conclusion that we need more Squid Girl! In news Apollon reunites Cowboy Bebop Director and Composer, Funimation suspends Dragon Ball Z blu-ray production, NISA licenses daily lives of High School Boys anime, U.S. Librarians rank top ten teens graphic novels, Niconico to stream High School dxd; Symphogear; milky holmes 2, Cave Akai Katana shooter to be released in the US, Right stuf to release the original Dirty Pair Features, and Funimation to change combo packaging to Blu-ray size.

Why Episode 101 is late

Scott Spaziani — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:06:16 +0000

I went to upload the Podcast on Saturday morning, as I normally do, and our service (Mevio.com) seemed to have a bug. It wouldn't let me access the form I normally fill out to post a new episode. Sunday came and still the same error. It wasn't till this morning that I went through a different "upload" link, their site is a horrible mess, that I was informed my account was suspended. The steams are still playable and back episodes can still be downloaded but I can't upload any new content to that feed. It seems like there are dozens, maybe hundreds, of Podcasts in the same boat as us. Mevio did a mass banning and while many of those who were affected have attempted to contact Mevio support for answers, including myself, we have yet to receive an answer.

If this isn't resolved soon (and probably if it is resolved) I will be forced to move to a new service, this time probably self hosted, and change the Podcast RSS feed. Watch my twitter feed and the blog for any updates and thanks for being loyal listeners to the podcast.

Episode 100: Evolution of a Podcast

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:03:59 +0000

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This week we celebrate our 100th Episode by inviting former co-host Jon Ingoglia from Out of Time Productions to reflect on close to two years of podcasting. We talk about some of our favorite moments, give some inside information on how Jon and Michael got involved in the show, and celebrate the Podcast’s rapid growth in the last year. In news Sentai Filmworks licenses Another and Listen to me Girl’s I’m your father, Some Entertainment licenses Galaxy Express TV and Bobobo bo bo bobo, Funimation licenses High School DxD, and Jast USA is looking into licensing Steins;Gate.

Scott’s My Figure Collection
Michael’s My Figure Collection
Jon’s My Figure Collection

Episode 99: Winter Preview 2012

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:52:50 +0000

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It’s our quarterly season preview show with returning guests Greg, thedigitalbug, from Risen Goes to School by Bus and Jon Ingoglia from Out of Time Productions! We haven an insanely fun time as we go over these new shows for Winter Season 2012:

Knight in the Area
Daily Lives of High School Boys
Amagami SS+
Kill Me Baby
Brave 10
Nisemonogatari
Recorder and Randsell
Ano Natsu de Matteru
Poyopoyo
Listen to me girls, I'm your father
Familiar of Zero F
Lagrange - The flower of Rinne -
Mouretsu Pirates
Another

In news Media Blasters reveals Fushigi Yugi box set, Maiden Japan licenses Polyphonica Crimson S, Sentai Filmworks licenses Motto to Love ru Trouble and Zero no Tsukaima F, Crunchyroll finalizes their Winter simulcasts, Heavens Lost Property Forte changed to DVD only release, and Crunchyroll now offering 1080P streams.

Episode 98: Goodbye Bandai

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:03:00 +0000

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We’re back from our Winter break with our tales from video game adventures, illnesses, and complaining about game of the year awards. Our main topic is, of course, Bandai’s announcement to stop releasing DVDs and an analysis of the interview with Ken Iyadomi. In news Sentai Filmworks licenses Moretsu Pirates, Someday Dreamer, and Ano Natsu de Matteru; NIS America licenses Natsume Yujin Cho and Brave 10; Phantom Breaker to be released in the west, Crunchyroll licenses all the shows, and Hollywood reporter reports Live Action Akira production is shut down.

Episode 97: The Best Anime of 2011

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:14:13 +0000

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It’s our annual Best of the Year podcast! Michael and I are joined by an all star cast featuring Dustin Christianson from Bakacast, Alain Mendez from Reverse Thieves, and Kristina Pino from Japanator and Tomopop. We run down the best, and worst, shows of the year and have a damn good time doing it.

Episode 96: Hands off my Internets

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:25:35 +0000

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It’s a super low key show with only two days left to Christmas. We talk about some SOPA issues as well as the PSVita. Also, Michael’s holiday party and I’m going to bake cookies! In news Barnes and Noble’s Nook offers Viz manga, Crunchyroll to steam Secret Agent Erika, J-manga adds Hiroki Kusumoto King-moon manga, and North Korea’s great successor described as manga fan.

Episode 95: Fairy Tails and Melodrama

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:58:16 +0000

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This week on the Podcast we talk about Fairy Tail and the first half of Hanasaku Iroha. Also, the new Star Wars MMO and why I hate Mattress stores. In news Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu will soon be removed from Crunchyroll, Makoto Shinkai makes some television ads, Shining Hearts RPG to get TV anime, next Mamoru Hosoda film is coming next summer, and Madoka Magica wins media arts award.

Episode 94: K-On! It just prints money

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 19:34:22 +0000

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This week we review the manga Arata: The Legend and Naoki Urasawa’s Pluto. Also, new workout routines and the Steve Jobs biography. In news NISA to release House of Five leaves, more Manga Gamer hard copies, Sailor Moon tops graphic novel sales for third month, Dragon Age anime has star studded cast, and the K-On! film tops Japanese boxoffices in its opening weekend.

Episode 93: Why we blog

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 21:31:53 +0000

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This week we discuss the reasons for why we write anime reviews and what drives us to keep blogging. Before that, Michael talks about his new car and the end of Saints Row the Third while I praise the Muppet movie and curse the confusing art of mattress shopping. In news Bandai is shutting down it’s online store, aniplex confirms Fate/Zero boxset, Miyazaki’s newest work is not for everyone, discotek adds Panda go Panda, Restrictions life on Maine man arrested for explicit anime, Sentai Filmworks adds Grave of the Fireflies, and Crunchyroll has over 70,000 paid subscribers.

Happy Thanksgiving

Scott Spaziani — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:58:00 +0000

We weren't able to record a show this week due to the holiday, travel, and other related issues. We shall return next week with more pointless bickering, Skyrim stories, and in depth My Little Pony discussions…. I mean anime… yeah, we'll talk about anime….

Episode 92: Mobile Suit Gundam Double Fail

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 23:35:11 +0000

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This week Michael talks about the Hatsune Miku concert screening while I rant about the god awful first seven episodes of Double Zeta. Also, we talk about why we haven’t been blogging recently; for me: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and for Michael: Saints Row the Third. In news Media Blasters licenses Kite for blu-ray and announced a Squid Girl blu-ray is on the way; also Tiger & Bunny is getting two movies!

Episode 91: Moe Moe Shonen

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 19:43:36 +0000

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This week Micheal reviews the first ten volumes of Rosario + Vampire while I discuss the seventeenth volume of Hayate The Combat Butler. Also, Michael’s issues with MangaGamer have been resolved and I talk about the lackluster Dead Rising 2. In news, Sentai Filmworks adds A Channel and Un-Go, Madoka Magica films announced as a trilogy, and a man is sentenced to a year in prison for uploading Gundam Unicorn episode 3.

Episode 90: Usagi Drop should stay Usagi Drop

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 17:13:31 +0000

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This week it’s reverse reviews with Michael discussing the beautiful Usagi Drop while I take on the time travel moe show Steins;Gate. Also, Michael chronicles his experience with Mangagamer tech support, and we talk about the current season shows we’re watching. In news, K-on! sells more than 15 billion yen worth of merchandise on top of getting their own set of postage stamps, New Working!/Wagnaria! projects are in the works, and Manga Gamer announces Harem Party.

Episode 89: So Many Clouds

Scott Spaziani — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:37:02 +0000

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It’s a special Makoto Shinkai episode of the Podcast with Michael reviewing 5 Centimeters Per Second while I take on Shinkai’s newest film Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below. In news Sentai Filmworks licenses Phi-Brain and Mashiro-Iro Symphony, Madoka Magica gets boxer briefs, and Hatsune Miku Live party 2011 concert to screen in US. Also, my lack of caffeine and Michael’s review of Go Go Nippon.

Episode 88: The Anime con that wasn't

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 18:48:41 +0000

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Micheal returns from his ExtraLife marathon and the Uncharted 3 re-release event and I am back from New York Comic Con 2011. We discuss how the convention went, the anime ghetto, and my interview with the incredible Makoto Shinkai. In anime news we talk about the Funimation - NicoNico deal and Aniplex releases Madoka Magica’s pricing structure. In the second half of the show we’re joined by Ed Sizemore from Manga Worth Reading catches us up on the Manga news from NYCC including Viz’s new Shonen Jump digital push. Finally, Charles Dunbar from Study of Anime joins the panel to disucss how Comic Con fails to appeal to Anime fans. If this Podcast wasn’t long enough, I also bring you interviews from the Comic Con show floor.

Episode 87: Fall Season 2011

Scott Spaziani — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:08:25 +0000

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Once again we bring former co-host Jon Ingoglia from Out of Time Productions and Greg from Reisen goes to school by Bus and the Eroge Bus podcast to discuss the new anime for Fall 2011. Also, is NYAF going to be worth it this year and Tokyopop may be returning to the publishing business.

The shows we discuss:

You and me
Horizon in the middle of nowhere
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai
Chihayafuru
Fate/Zero
Hunter X Hunter
Persona 4
Gundam AGE
Mirai-nikki
Magi-koi Samurai Girls
Ben-to
Maken-ki
Cube Cursed Curious
Phi-brain

Episode 86: Tigers, Bunnies, and Girlfriends! Oh my!

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:47:09 +0000

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This week I bring you a review of the hit superhero anime Tiger and Bunny and Michael talks about Jmanga’s current sale and some of the titles he picked up. Also, we morn the loss of Technology icon Steve Jobs. In news we have a ton of licenses with Funimation, Nozomi, and and Sentai filmworks licensing shows for release and Crunchyroll steaming the Fall shows Fate/Zero, Wagnaria Season 2, Kimi to Boku, Hunter X Hunter, and Chihayafuru.

Episode 85: EHHHHHH!?

Scott Spaziani — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 21:21:39 +0000

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This week we give our final impressions of the hilarious Nichijou. Also, getting credit cards stolen, Bluetooth headphones, and the tragedy of Anime Vice. In news Sentai Filmworks licenses Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere, Persona 4, and Maji de Watashino Koi Shinsai, Squid Girl invades Japanese theme park, and Kiki mashups.