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In each episode of Oldtaku no Radio, Ink and Jared Nelson don a new lens to delve into a specific cartoon series, animated movie, or game that's affected one or both of them and pull it apart before your very ears to explain why. Ink's drunken-master style of theorizing and Jared's combination of foreign experience-based insight and raw smarts make a ton of information fun to swallow. Episodes run about an hour each (unless the hosts gets overexcited and get caught up in their own or each ot ...
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Reuniting for the annual Anime Secret Santa project, Jared and Ink stuff your stocking with opinions about 2004’s Planetes via a special episode of Oldtaku no Radio. Thank you, Santa!!! The choices originally presented to Ink were Stars Align, Planetes, Godzilla Singular Point, and Project Blue Earth SOS. When Ink told Jared Planetes was gifted, th…
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Jared, Ink, and Phillip continue their dive into Satoshi Kon’s anime career with Millennium Actress. Joined by the movie’s number one superfan, Evan “Vampt Vo” Minto, the hosts discuss this movie of movies about movies and memory: those who make them, those who love them, and how both nations and individuals are changed by them. Stream Millennium A…
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In Primal, a caveman and dinosaur travel alongside one another through the unrelenting nature of prehistory. Director Genndy Tartakovsky (Samurai Jack), in a true return to form, ups his minimal dialog ante by almost completely eliminating it and leverages his visual storytelling expertise to evolve the bonds between the travel companions as they f…
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Oldtaku no Radio’s celebrating Halloween a little early this year with Lily C.A.T. Gather around a campfire or shine a flashlight up towards your chin as Jared and Ink pick apart this 1987 OVA from Hisayuki Toriumi and Studio Pierrot about impostors, aliens, and rot. Stream the Sub and Dub of Lily C.A.T. via Retro Crush, IMDb, or Amazon Prime. Dire…
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For this episode, Jared and Ink talk about Kaiji – the anime about a hapless loser with a heart of gold (and a gambling problem). This anime from 2007, which adapts part of Nobuyuki Fukumoto’s original manga, is competitive gaming like you’ve never seen before and still stands out visually and thematically among its peers. So listen in and find out…
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Inspired and made possible by the magic of Pili’s glove puppetry as well as the bloodthirsty mind of Gen Urobuchi, Thunderbolt Fantasy is a wuxia tale about sword keepers, wandering swordsmen, tricksters, assassins, demons, and just about everything else you could ever want as a fantasy fanatic. Listen in as Jared, Ink, and special guest Grant Jone…
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We’re going way, way, way back to live in the present by talking about something set in the future: Space Battleship Yamato 2199. Leading us on this journey of appreciation and learning regarding all things Star Blazers are experts Tim Eldred and Dave Merrill. Strap in for a ton of knowledge and quite possibly the fastest “Actually…” ever recorded …
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What better to follow our episode about a formative sitcom than a genre satire? This month, Jared and Ink focus on Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, which adapts some of the 4-koma by Izumi Tsubaki. Comedy runs high, and romance can’t seem to find a foothold in these tales about a high school mangaka, the girl who adores him, and the loons that surround t…
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Oldtaku’s digging into an ’80s classic with the Kimagure Orange Road TV series, which stars an incredible array of talent across the board. Jared and Ink are pleased as punch to welcome back Dawn of the Anime Nostalgia Podcast for some class, in-depth insight, and a whole lot of giggles. Listen in and hear for yourself why this anime, based off of …
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Eight years and a ton of effort went into this re-telling of an ancient tale about a bamboo cutter who finds a thumb-sized princess inside a bamboo stalk one day. Join Jared and Ink as they discuss The Tale of Princess Kaguya, the final movie directed by the late Isao Takahata of Studio Ghibli, and why this monogatari is still so powerful. Stream T…
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After an economic bubble burst in Japan, the Tennouzu Group buys a city and a nation by catering to its leaders’ perversions. The underground (literally) club that serves the basest desires of the rich and powerful is only open to those willing and able to pay lifelong yearly dues to the tune of ¥24,000,000 … ¥120,000,000 if they want to see others…
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Three bums talk about three homeless people who find a baby. For our second installment of our Satoshi Kon episodes, Phillip rejoins us to talk about the Christmas (should-be) classic: Tokyo Godfathers. We were a little giddy with holiday spirit, so please forgive us our mania. Stream Tokyo Godfathers on Crackle. Buy Tokyo Godfathers via RightStuff…
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For Oldtaku no Radio’s very first golden ticket request, we’re reviewing Q Hayashida’s Dorohedoro manga (Volumes 1 & 2) as well as MAPPA’s adaptation of the same as directed by Yuichiro Hayashi. Dive deep into za hole with us as we talk lizard men, buff babes, masked sorcerers, and the insanely engaging world that is Dorohedoro. The Dorohedoro mang…
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As if 2020 wasn’t scary enough, we’re checking out a vintage 2004, 3-part OAV from Director Akiyuki Simbo and Studio Daume. Le Portrait de Petite Cossette is a gothic romance about a blood pact between a stemware-bound ghost and an aspiring artist who works in his uncle’s antique store. As always, the devil’s in the details, which are what we dive …
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Six years after the end of its second season, the Chihayafuru anime that adapts Yuki Suetsugu’s josei manga returned for its third season. After what seemed like a lifetime, Jared and Ink discuss this anime, at length, on their own show for the very first time (believe it or not). There is a general section up front, to cover what Chihayafuru’s all…
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Space Brothers #0 tells the tale of two aspiring astronauts who just happen to be siblings. Mutta, the older brother, has fallen behind his younger brother, Hibito, in working towards their childhood dream of going to the moon. Meanwhile, Hibito is experiencing doubt about his own direction while training as a mission substitute. An anime prequel m…
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Memories is a 1995 anthology movie (one feature comprised of multiple vignettes) that showcases directorial efforts of Koji Morimoto (Magnetic Rose), Tensai Okamura (Stink Bomb), and Katsuhiro Otomo (Cannon Fodder). Despite short run times, each of the three stories provides plenty to talk about. Join Jared and Ink and special guest Kory as they di…
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Talk about a deep dive! This episode, Jared and Ink talk about Science Saru‘s original animated movie, Masaaki Yuasa’s Lu Over the Wall. This movie centers around a withdrawn Tokyo transfer student who accidentally draws out like-minded, music-making friends as well as a music-seeking mermaid – the local legends about which both scare his fellow po…
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Take to the animated skies (and bars and secret beach hideouts and so much more) with Jared and Ink as they talk about Ghibli’s 1992 feature, Porco Rosso. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, this movie depicts a post-WWI man-turned-anthropomorphic pig – a war pilot-turned-deserter/bounty hunter. The movie, while warmly humorous throughout, tackles such iss…
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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a gelling of past and present; an awakening; a transition (multiple transitions, really); and a handoff. But this movie, as an experience, is ultimately a visually enthralling, action- and emotionally packed exploration of what being a hero means to self and community and the means by which it takes for that to …
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As the song goes, “You always hurt the one you love,” and our takes on Dennou Coil (alt. Den-Noh Coil) are definitely not sparing. Scott Spaziani rejoins our humble ‘cast as we break down what endears this much-overlooked darling of a Sci-Fi series to us and explore some of its weaker points. This original story from Mitsuo Iso began production in …
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Finally, a Shinkai film that makes Children Who Chase Lost Voices look good! How does Makoto Shinkai twist “boy meets girl” this time? How do Jared and Ink tweak their takes on the auteur’s output this time? The answers are as predictable as weathermen are accurate in our most recent episode, and you have a front row seat to Gallagher-style hot tak…
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This episode of Oldtaku no Radio welcomes Erica Friedman for a review of “a story of survival,” Kase-san and Morning Glories – both the anime adaptation and the manga! The anime’s a short affair about a developing relationship, but there’s a lot to learn and love about choices made in its adaptation as well as its source material’s publication. Len…
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It’s time again for Anime Secret Santa, and a certain special someone left us one heck of a present to unpack: Patlabor! While we were given the OVAs and movies to review, we had more than enough to talk about with just the OVAs, so we’ll get around to the movies on a bonus episode or three. We talk about the OVAs as a collection in general and the…
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The works of Satoshi Kon are few but powerful, and his directorial debut, Perfect Blue, is no exception. This adaptation of Yoshikazu Takeuchi’s novel, Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis, is a psychological thriller that follows the career of pop star and aspiring actress Kirigoe Mima. It’s biting commentary on idol culture and the ugly dangers t…
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There are several reasons why Higurashi When They Cry consistently finds itself on so many must-watch series when October rolls around, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a show for everyone. Listen in as Jared and Ink are joined by AGP’s @QX20XX and Reverse Thieves’ Alain Mendez to dig into the origin and makeup of this iconic series about a series o…
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If you don’t remember MTV back in the ’90s, when it was 98% music and 1% Kurt Loder, then you definitely don’t remember the other 1% – the ballsy, experimental animated shorts of Liquid Television and the longer, more serial (but not any less weird) shorts of the Oddities animation programming block. Join Jared and Ink as they reflect upon their te…
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Looking for one of the cutest stories about a tortured artist? Look no further than Barakamon, which focuses on a professional calligrapher (who knew?) who butts heads with the Tokyo art crowd and is sent to live on a remote island to cool his head and refine his art. Doesn’t sound cute? Just wait until you meet the village brat Naru … not to menti…
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The Transformers toy line is legendary, and the car-toon it inspired was hugely popular with many of the kids growing up in the ’80s. But when one set of toys outwears its welcome in the marketplace and a new set of toys is ready to be sold, there remains a question of transition. The answer is a HUGE animated movie showcase that surprised just abo…
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Get ready for Jojo’s Bustzarre Assventures as Jared and Ink talk about the 2016 sports parody Keijo!!!!!!!! by Xebec with special guest Basil from OSMcast. This shonen anime, which adapts a portion of Daichi Sorayomi’s manga (alt title: Hip Whip Girl), centers around a fictional sport wherein girls in bathing suits do battle atop different floating…
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Originally meant to accompany our PEZ episode for a grand, post-apocalyptically themed episode, we’re talking about the whimsical despair that is Girls’ Next Tour! This anime features Takaharu Ozaki adapting Tsukumizu’s manga (which we also discuss! …briefly) about two friends, Chito and Yuri, exploring the world into which they’ve been thrust by w…
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We’re talking this episode about Hiroyuki Asada’s PEZ – a small, full-color manga with big heart, impact, and presentation – published and distributed in the USA by Denpa LLC. For something a little different, we are also excited to be able to talk with the Denpa’s Ed Chavez! The interview is a lot longer than the review, but it does also touch on …
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We’re d-elvin’ deep into some serious fantasy nerding with The Record of Lodoss War OVAs, which are base on a novel series based on a D&D campaign published in a magazine back in 1986! Joining the party on this, our epic quest, are the goodly gentlemen from All Geeks Considered: Vinnie and Diego! (Ink is definitely the acrobat in this episode.) The…
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With this witch-driven fantasy feature, does Studio Gah-jibly offshoot Studio Ponoc merely ape its mentor’s style? Is there more? Does it matter? Join Jared and Ink as they wring the berry essence of this studio’s debut from their combined viewing experiences. Mary and the Witch’s Flower is currently streaming on Netflix. Direct Download – RSS Feed…
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We’re doing a Type Moon thing! And who better to help us on our exploration of this very memorable eight-plus-part OVA series about a paranormal investigation agency than Alain/Hisui of Reverse Thieves infamy. After exploring a bit about how this property came to be via the general leanings of its creators, we dive into each of the OVAs as they are…
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In This Corner of the World Adapting the original manga by Fumiyo Kouno, MAPPA’s In This Corner of the World depicts the life and times of people in Kure and Hiroshima during World War II. The show’s protagonist – an easily-distracted, artistically-inclined, young woman – marries into a family in a nearby city. The audience watches her grow from ch…
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Oldtaku no Radio’s Halloween Special Flowers of Evil Hiroshi Nagahama’s anime adaptation of Shuzo Oshimi’s Flowers of Evil manga is infamous among anime fans for its art and pacing choices, but does it deserve the vitriol? Join Ink, Jared, and special guest (and horror movie expert) Chris from Taiiku Podcast as they examine the similarities and dif…
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There are some pretty high expectations for The Dragon Prince given that it is the brain-child of Aaron Ehasz (head writer for Avatar: The Last Airbender) and Justin Richmond. Thankfully, this fantasy-set tale of unlikely allies from different halves of a war manages to capture the charm of ATLA while forging a mostly different world populated with…
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Imaishi Gone Wild! After all the mentions on previously published podcasts, we’re finally, on this first day of Autumn 2018, releasing our Dead Leaves podcast. Get it? (We knew you would.) This proto-TRIGGER production is a visual smorgasbord of sex and violence with a fairy tale structure and American comic book stylings. Dead Leaves is a divisive…
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There’s no denying Rumiko Takahashi’s Urusei Yatsura — a school-set, shounen rom-com that leverages a love for mythology and puns — is a staple of manga and anime history. Beautiful Dreamer, the second Urusei Yatsura movie, proves that a tiger indeed can change its stripes. But is it for better or worse? Oldtaku no Radio proudly welcomes Anime Nost…
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You don’t have to be a furry to get a warm fuzzy or burst into tears from Mamoru Hosoda’s Wolf Children. This two-hour movie follows the life of a young woman named Hana as she moves from adolescent to mother to working widow. As emotional as Jared and Ink were while watching, both sit down to pick apart just how the movie accomplished its emotiona…
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Anthology films — feature-length presentations comprised of multiple, stand-alone stories — afford their contributors great artistic freedom and, quite often, crucial visibility. Robot Carnival, which was initially released mid-1987, gathers some names you have probably heard of before, but for many, this was their debut. Including the bookend anim…
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Airing wayyyyyyyyy back in 2006, Ergo Proxy is the story of a bored, privileged goth girl (Re-l) and her flamboyant autoreiv companion, Iggy, in an oasis cursed to be both cradle and catacomb. Romdo is a domed city and, to its inhabitants, the last viable living space on an otherwise toxic planet. But there’s an influx of immigrants from the outsid…
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Kids on the Slope sees Cowboy Bebop‘s Shinichiro Watanabe (director) and Yoko Kanno (music) adapt Yuki Kodama’s manga about youths in 1960s Japan (Kyushu) who find each other and themselves through jazz. As MAPPA’s first production, KoTS needed to make a splash. Its musical performances, VA work, art, storyboarding, choreography, characterization, …
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Not a lot is known about O-ei, Katsushika Hokusai’s third daughter, and that’s what makes Miss Hokusai less an interesting biopic than dramatic historical fiction. This movie, which adapts Hinako Sugiura’s original manga, paints a portrait of an artist in vignettes and brings to light a historical figure who lived in the shadows for a good deal of …
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The Eccentric Family, which adapts the novels of Tomohiko Morimi, is directed by Masayuki Yoshihara and features animation production via P.A. Works. The story focuses on the Shimogamo family, which is comprised of shape-shifting tanukis, in a fictionalized but superbly rendered Kyoto which is also inhabited by tengus and humans. The Eccentric Fami…
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Adapting the novel by Shion Miura, The Great Passage tells the story of an editorial crew assembling a dictionary. Exciting stuff, right? Well, actually this simple tale of ordinary people who love words and all they can do is as gripping and dramatic as it can be visually beautiful. Sadly, not too many people have experienced this imagery-heavy an…
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Time for a deep cut to some awesome mecha designs and ’80s rock music! Jared finally gets robot-anime h8ter Ink to sit down and watch all eight Bubblegum Crisis OAVs. Come for Jared’s idol debut and stay for some great discussion and reminiscing with special guest Doug Weinman about this late-’80s, early-’90s cyberpunk series that packs some seriou…
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Welcome to Anime Secret Santa, a gift exchange run by our friends at Reverse Thieves where the gifts are anime review recommendations! For their first Reverse Thieves Secret Santa entry, Jared and Ink stare into the bleak and violent landscape of Casshern Sins. This reboot of the 1973 anime Casshan follows an immortal, amnesiac robot named Casshern…
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Released in 2003, the first Kino’s Journey anime is an episodic affair that centers around an AI-imbued motorad named Hermes and its rider, a traveler named Kino. They visit country (town) after country and stay no more than three days at a time to observe the inhabitants and their customs. The series, based on a series of light novels (…no wait, k…
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