Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball franchise is one of the most beloved in the world. Three great shows, a lot of video games of varying quality but with a huge fanbase all the same, and... then a black sheep. Even in a series where the missteps are treasured, there is one thing the community rejects: Dragon Ball GT. Aired immediately after the end of Z,…

The unknown journey ends, and reveals that there wasn't much mystery there at all, really. Jen, Kyrie, and Six slump in their chairs and marvel at how hard this game has flopped, and to what degree it's poisoned what came before, for them. Is Rufus the hero of this game? Do you ever see a dog and decide it must mean you're in a different dimension?…

The penultimate episode is here, and things just keep turning for the worse for our hosts. We deal with some very contrived plots, ponder over the nature of meta-narratives and it's failings, and gripe about the side missions. It's almost over, so it can't get much worse... right? A huge thank you to Jackson (@headfallsoff) for helping us with a ch…

Snow and ice conjure hardship to the human mind. Bitter winter, and its challenges- something so many of us know well. It's something we can all relate to, and find hard. That's why ice-type gyms are so often near the end, but not actually the last dungeon: you want a relatable challenge, and clear communication that things are getting hard. But fo…

After a slight upturn in quality at Gongaga, Chapter 10 breaks everyone's spirits as the gang makes their way into Cosmo Canyon. It also happens to be the most racist chapter in the whole game! Fun!! A huge thank you to Jackson (@headfallsoff) for helping us with a chapter breakdown for this series, and giving us clear stopping points!…

We tackle only one chapter in this episode, but boy is it a DOOZY. We travel to Gongaga, encounter too many bosses, and Tifa finds herself in the belly of the whale. Not like metaphorically like in the Hero's Journey, like a big damn whale monster. This chapter is weird. A huge thank you to Jackson (@headfallsoff) for helping us with a chapter brea…

Our podcasters finally arrive in chapter 6. Jen and Six call for some time off for some fun in the sun. Kyrie disapproves, but is outvoted. A lot of minigames later, a boss fight happens. Chapter 7 happens. Our podcasters arrive in chapter 8. Jen and Six call for some time fun in the Gold Saucer. Kyrie disapproves, but is outvoted. A lot of minigam…

A quick jog to Chargestone Cave becomes a LONG slog through the cave itself as we deal with an onslaught of story, trainer battles, and an obnoxiously high encounter rate. Then it's on to Mistralton City, a city that- wait. That's it? There's no city here! Oh well. Off to Celestial Tower? Then the gym? I'll be honest- not Black & White's strongest …

After defeating a giant snake, the gang finds themselves deep in some mines, spilling out into the Junon area. We face off with some Turks, explore the world, and get into one big confusing parade. This game is certainly making... choices. A huge thank you to Jackson (@headfallsoff) for helping us with a chapter breakdown for this series, and givin…

Six and Kyrie are back to settle it. One number was never enough, so we have come back to scour the Dragonball Xenoverse 2 cast to try and stump the mighty dragon Shenron. Things get a little silly. Recorded in honor of Akira Toriyama's 69th birthday.By Scanline Media

One of the most eagerly anticipated releases of the year, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth cast a long shadow over the release schedule. Not only that, but our coverage plans, too: with press getting early copies, dropping reviews day-and-date with the launch, what merit was there to us crunching and rushing to release a podcast about it a week later (and…

Six took some time to go to the movies! Attending the LA Premiere, Six was able to see the US release of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom! Kyrie and Six hash it out about what is, all told, a pretty strange and fascinating movie. We talk about cool robots, bad wars, and the experience of attending the premiere. This was supported by our patrons over…

For all the hype about the music, Driftveil is no great shakes. Ha! Cuz Quake Badge? It's a... yeah, ok. Driftveil City is a quiet town, and this is a quiet episode, as we partially foil an unclear Team Plasma plot before being forced to surrender the culprits back to their organization, check out a nice little market that doesn't sell anything we …

Take a breath, y'all! Dragon's Dogma 2 released a few hours ago, so we're good! No more big video game releases for 2024, we can all go home! And hey, while you're at home, chillin, why don't you listen to what we've been up to? Kyrie has been digging Vanillaware's latest, the strategy RPG Unicorn Overlord. Jen has answered the siren call of presti…

After, let's face it, a down episode, we're back up as we head to Nimbasa City, the electric city! Sports! Musicals! A ferris wheel! A roller coaster! Plus sand, a castle (but not a sandcastle), a spoOoOoky forest, and lots of new pokemon! We're feasting this week, and even N being sorta inappropriate and definitely a weirdo can't bring us down. Al…

It all comes down to this: Best Game. Game of the Year. Call it what you like. We play a lot of games, and every year we make ourselves pick an overall winner. And people keep telling me 2023 was an incredible year for games, so surely this is gonna be a really hard list to cut down! The Nominees Are:The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomParanor…

When Scanline Media started, we wanted to focus on games. But over the years, from doing weekly anime podcasts and where our general interests as a site went, anime and manga became so much of our coverage. Here are the anime and manga that stood out to us as some of the best of the year. The Nominees Are:GunbusterTenchi UniverseTrigunRecord of Lod…

In our longest category, we decided to let 2023 sing it's heart out. These tracks, be them anime OP or standalone songs, struck a chord with us. The Nominees Are:Iron Lotus (Library of Ruina)Anger's Remorse (Alan Wake II)Yoton Yo (Alan Wake II)Dark Ocean Summoning (Alan Wake II)This Road (Alan Wake II)Herald of Darkness (Alan Wake II)Togenkyo Alien…

Little trainers in the big city! Our journey through PokéNew York hits a milestone as we finally reach PokéNYC! Big streets! Huge buildings! Lots of people! S... urprisingly little to do! I mean, don't get me wrong- there's more to do here than like a, a Nacrene City, or an Accumula Town, or something, but... lotta empty space! Lotta "skyscrapers" …

Today in Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, 2B was released as the latest DLC character! Don't expect thoughts on her in this episode recorded last Thursday, but we have plenty of other thoughts about the cast of GBVSR, the modes and tutorials, the missteps, and the future of the game. Our artwork for the show is drawn by @WistWhistley! You can find …

Instrumental tracks have often gotten the short end of the stick in our Gimmick Awards, and it's high time we changed that. These tracks backed some unforgettable moments or created an unmistakable atmosphere in 2023, and the following stood out to us. The Nominees Are:H.T. (Trigun)It's Pizza Time! (Pizza Tower)Theme of Kai (Gravity Circuit)Mystery…

Every year, we fight over fighting games. We're enthusiastic about the genre (that's an understatement) and it's a delight to see the new ideas and spins on characters that surface as new games and DLC release. Sometimes, it's the little things that make all the difference: a few tweaks to a classic character to reinvent them. Sometimes it's an ent…

The original Granblue Fantasy Versus, high-budget fighting game adaptation of the popular gacha game Granblue Fantasy was... imperfect, to phrase it kindly. Netcode, balance, systems, there were some shortcomings that could use addressing. Unfortunately, the game hit at the worst possible time, and its life was squashed out of it- not given a chanc…

Most fictional writing runs on characters, and it is to these characters that fandoms attach themselves. It's these personalities, and often their visual designs as well, that people find so magnetic. Well, we're not looking for the most magnetic person here: some of these folks are not exactly easy to stan! That's fine. We're here for broken peopl…

I am open to other perspectives, but a lot of the love of games to me is down to how it feels to hit a button. When the jump feels bad, the game is bad. When the jump feels good, the game is good. That's oversimplifying, intentionally. But so many games ARE just a collection of button presses, and how good they feel to hit. Platformers, action game…

Five final monsters, and then the Hunters may rest. We've gone through every mainline Monster Hunter and talked about the big boss beasts, and now all that remains is Sunbreak. Will Malzeno make it big? Will Lunagaron pass our inspection? It's time to rate a few last friends, and then close down shop until the next Monster Hunter. Not that the Quor…

Our tour through the Unova Region continues! Travel Famous Route 3, see Complete Nothing Wellspring Cave! Drop by Nacrene City for a soda- but only if it's Wednesday, otherwise the local cafe won't serve you??? Check out the museum, see the home of famous artist Burgh! Then it's off to Pinwheel Forest- after you swing by the Challenge Rock of cours…

While we have catagories for entire games and shows, it's important to hightlight the moments too. Sometimes the entire work isn't a winner, but that's what can make a moment more remarkable. These moments from games, shows, and real life stood out in 2023. The Nominees Are:"We Sing" (Alan Wake II)The volume slider/"Always remember me" (Paranormasi…

I don't mean to shock anyone, but I, Six, am a bit of a jaded exhausted 30-something. Depending on who you are, you might consider that a redundant descriptor. Regardless, a lot of my experience these days is seeing a game or anime release, and knowing pretty quickly whether or not I will care. And, frankly, usually being right! Not that this is an…

2023 was... listen. We're here to celebrate. To have fun. But it wasn't a great year, all in all. There was a lot of dark shit. And when talking about it, even in a fun "year end podcast" situation, it's easy to get grim and depressed about everything. It's not that that's wrong. It's worth dwelling on the world's ills. But the Gimmick Awards aren'…

Everyone is asking, "what will the Generation 10 Pokemon games be like?" Always, we look to the horizon. That's not a bad thing: to neglect the future is to neglect progress. But it hasn't always been a step forward, has it? Are you going to be the first person to claim Sword & Shield were better than Sun & Moon? Do you really think Diamond & Pearl…

Ok. So we know what characters we're looking for from the gacha. We know what characters we can't get from the gacha. And we know about some truly spectacular dresses, though that's not particularly helpful. There's nothing left but to roll the gacha. Again. And again. And again. ...Hey Kyrie did we want to set like a MAX, or- This is the latest in…

Granblue Fantasy hits its tenth anniversary this year. For the mega-popular gacha game, what better celebration than a bunch of other products to hook in those who aren't into the gacha? This has inspired Granblue the Animation, the action RPG Granblue Fantasy: Relink, and yes, Granblue Fantasy Versus, and its sequel Rising. As you might expect, th…

Scott Pilgrim, huh? I dunno what anyone sees in this guy. Regardless this new Netflix anime follows a new story in the Scott Pilgrim series, commenting on the series impact on culture, reflections on the characters, and a lot of video game and anime references. We bring on Jackie of Ultimate Despair Reprise to gush about this new anime. Spoilers ah…

As the holiday season ramps up, we here at Scanline are prepared for a yearly ritual: playing all the games that we feel like we should have an opinion on before we record the Gimmick Awards, our yearly Game of the Year (and more than game) awards. That makes this the last stop of us just chatting normal games before we dizzy ourselves with our obl…

The Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1, and Saturn were a pivotal moments for video games. 3D video games had arrived in full force, and the industry has never turned back. But Jennifer, Kyrie, and Six turned back the clock to dive into nearly 50 games that defined the generation, and we decided to sort the best of the best.…

Fighting game tournaments are great, and a LOT of work to run. Shoutouts to the tournament organizers, the streamers, the casters, and more that make these tournaments run. But think about this for a moment: if a King of Fighters XV tournament is hard to run, how difficult is it in-universe to get these lunatics with magic powers and demonic posses…

It's time for the curtain to fall on Monster Hunter Rise. Six, Allen, Minovsky, and Crass assemble one more time to finish up the new monsters of Monster Hunter Rise. It's only four creatures, but we manage to go over an hour debating the merits of some particularly interesting beasts. Next time: Sunbreak. After that? Well, I guess we'll see. ...Th…

Around here, Bethesda's games are pretty divisive. We can all agree they're deeply flawed games, but to what extent their unique charms prevail against those weaknesses varies person to person. Jen still holds some affection for Skyrim, Six can't stand it, and neither have anything but disdain for Fallout 4. So what's the vibe with Starfield, their…

It feels gross to start our pod with Monstro. Why is there a level of Kingdom Hearts set inside a whale's stomach? ...No, I get why literally speaking, I've seen Pinocchio, it's just... ah nevermind. Let's just talk Heartless, shall we? Oh, hang on, I'm getting a call.... Our podcast art is done by Robin (@CourageousRobin on Twitter), though that's…