Show #57 – Season Two! Crystal Triangle Review! 206-338-3790

Show #057 Explicit! Direct Download:

Our voicemail number expired!!! The number we say in the show is totally wrong! Call this instead: 206-338-3790

OP:Nrrd Grrl” by MC Chris
ED: Bookins Theme Song by Jared Nissim

News:
Erin has a new job!
We moved into a new apartment!

It is now more true than ever that Erin might be a hipster. Can you be a hipster and an otaku at the same time? Patrick Macias
might be evidence of this.

We are getting married!

Promo: R5 Central Podcast with Ninjaconsultants guest hosting.

Erin absolutely refuses to go into David’s Bridal because of the heart shaped apostrophe.
Noah won’t set foot in a commercial jewlery store, because it turns out diamond engagement rings are a giant scam!

Here is a Wired Magazine article about the archaeological dig in Turkey that Noah mentions.

Noah later opted not to steal a ring from the dig, because he’s seen Midnight Express

Engagement ring facts at Wikipedia

Article on the Byzantine Empire

Erin now works at 4Kids, home of the American dub release of Yu-Gi-Oh! and One Piece.

We’ll be going to Anime Boston and New York Comic-Con

We have coverage from New York ANime Festival and Anime Weekend Atlanta

Review: Crystal Triangle — it’s not that crazy.

Conspiracy tropes from the 1980s:

Lovecraft Mythos (owing at least partially to the publication of the Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson, popularized by the game Illuminati
by Steve Jackson Games.

The
Nemesis star
(or comet) which proposed a wandering celestial body whose near contact with earth would destroy it (known to Erin from the Silver Nemesis episode of Dr. Who)

The Dark Moon (or counter-moon), supposedly the second, unseeable (and therefore arcanely powerful) moon of the Earth.

Erin on CBS news
Erin’s stickk.com profile.

Action Items:
Request my books on Bookins
Buy my manga on amazon.com

Want some free things? We have free things you may want:

  • Random Maison Ikkoku leaflet comics Claimed!
  • Random promotional anime DVDs Claimed!
  • Hello Kitty ocarina Claimed!
  • 108 piece “One Piece” jigsaw puzzle  Claimed!

Noah talks about the Japan Society of New York film series: Dawn of Japanese Animation
He attended the Action and Adventure day. There was even a Benshi
There will be a DVD released of this stuff, but it isn’t out yet, so no link.

FAQ: We know about Shawnimals Ninja Consultant
Noah opines that he cares more for Ninja Poo than the horrible Korean movie Doggie Poo.

One more Action Item:
Anime and Manga Podcast Omnibus!

Show #55 – Naruto Vs. Avatar Vs. Johnny Quest

Show #055 Direct Download:

OP: Naruto Shippuden’s most recent OP
ED: OP and ED of the original Johnny Quest
cartoon

My mom is the guest of this not-very-christmassy christmas episode. We talk about Sailor Moon vs. She-Rah, Godzilla, Starman, and strong female characters.

Show #54 – AWA AWO Panel with Daryl Surat and Paul Chapman

Show #054 Direct Download:

OP: “Born” by Miwako Okuda, the opening theme from Le Chevalier D’Eon
ED: “Over Night” by Aya, the end theme from Le Chevalier D’Eon

Noah and I announce our plans for New York Anime Festival which is next weekend: December 7th, 8th, and 9th.

Recorded live at Anime Weekend Atlanta 2007, (Erin’s con report here), this was originally scheduled as Anime World Order’s podcasting panel, but we filled in along with Paul “Fear the Gooberzilla” Chapman from The Greatest Movie Ever Podcast. We mostly gossip about AWO, and briefly review Le Chevalier D’Eon. Noah makes fun of the state of academic writing. I hope he’s prepared to defend himself in academic papers.

Our T-shirts are still for sale, by the way! Email ninjaconsultant @ gmail . com – $12 for U.S. orders, $14 international, and if you’re attending NYAF, they’re just $10. Buttons of the same design are just 25 cents each, plus 41 cents postage.

Show #53 – Interview with Jason Thompson

Show #053 Direct Download:

OP: “Conan the Librarian” from the Weird Al movie UHF
ED: Dungeons and Dragons cartoon opening

An interview with Jason Thompson, author of Manga; The Complete Guide

Terminology for this show: The Four Types of Manga; Shonen, Shojo, Josei, and Seinen

Jason Thompson’s Top Five North American Manga Experts:
1. Frederik Schodt (author of Dreamland Japan and Manga Manga!)
2. Matt Thorn (Shojo expert and manga teacher in Kyoto’s Seika University)
3. Carl Gustav Horn, living god (Thompson’s words, not ours), chief manga editor at Dark Horse
4. Ed Chavez of the MangaCast
5. Casey Brienza of AnimeInsider

Honorable Mention:
Trish Ledoux or Toshifumi Yoshida for older manga
Tina Anderson for boys love
Toren Smith (post-interview addition)

Epic Interview on the Comics Journal we refer to
Interview on the MangaCast from earlier this summer
– Who is Trish Ledoux?
– Jason’s comic for Wired Magazine
Jason’s Comics:
– Yak Fist (which sadly does not exist!!)
The Stiff (currently on hiatus)
King of RPGs
– The Deadliest PR Guy in the World (co-written with Patrick Macias)
Patrick Macias used to be Jason’s roommate
Macias’s interview with Jason
Videogames played at Viz:
Ultima Online
Counter-Strike

Manga the Complete Guide ratings for titles mentioned in this show:
Title MtCG Stars
Stray Little Devil 2 stars
Saint Tail 2 stars
Bondage Fairies 4 stars
Akira 4 stars
Happy Mania 4 stars
Antique Bakery 4 stars
Tramps Like Us (Kimi Wa Pet/You’re My Pet) 3 stars
Over the Rainbow (bad josei) 1.5 stars
Wedding Eve (Review in Otaku USA issue 3) 2.5-3
Dream Hotel 1.5 stars
Nurse Call (Referred to as Ender’s Call in the show) 3
Erica Sakurazawa: Angel 2.5 stars
Erica Sakurazawa: Aromatic Bitters (second volume is not translated) 3.5 stars
Peach Girl 4 stars
Peach Girl: Sae’s Story 2.5 stars
Division Chief Kosaku Shima (salaryman manga) 2.5 stars
High School Girls 2.5 stars

RPGs Mentioned:
Shadowrun
The Dying Earth
Skull & Bones; Pirates Edition

Show #51 – Top Five AMVs of All Time

Show #051 Direct Download:

OP: Mamboleo by Elisa
NPR Story Excerpt (played in full at the end of the show)
Mummer’s Dance by Loreena McKennit.

ERIN’s List

  1. Vlad PohnertMemories Dance
    *same video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrK3VYEKANs
  2. istivShonen Bushidou
    Spirit Never Dies by Masterplan
    *same video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3eIsyTORRk
  3. Right Now Someone is Reading this Titledokidoki
    Right Now by Van Halen
    *same video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZujpIv8_pmQ
  4. Kevin CaldwellEngel, EngelRammstein
    *same video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVQaixvlMwo
  5. Absolute DestinyI Wish I Was a Lesbian
    I Wish I Was a Lesbian by Loudon Wainwright III
    *same video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptC9N9YJ24Y

NOAH’S LIST

  1. Jigoku no VideoShirow Learns to Fly
    Learning to FlyPink Floyd
    *UPDATE: *remastered youtube version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC5f8JP8_wA this was remastered by yoshi1013 (un-remastered available here)
    1. (Cornpone is/was an early fan video group… from way back when!)
  2. Kevin CaldwellBelieve
    Believe by Franka Potente
    *same video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu35zNVrB2w
  3. Vlad PohnertMemories Dance
    *same video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrK3VYEKANs
  4. Hold Me Now
    Håll Om Mig – by Nanne Grönvall
    *same video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9197GTl1ASg
  5. MousePotato (Black Sun Productions) – Nightmare (Cut the Zac reference)
    Counting Bodies like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums by Perfect Circle
    *same video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iziK7pXej0g

Jigoku no Video = Rich Lather

Promo: Fear the Gooberzilla
(Oktoberfest) – The Big Month of Dick

Promo: Animefe.com – note that after a long downtime, they’re not hosting our forums, apparently.

DecoyNaruto’s Technique Beat
Seizure of Power (instrumental) by
Marilyn Manson
*same video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J52FFA2_flo

NO SUBTITLES IN YOUR AMV – unless they are funny

CHARACTERS SHOULD NOT TALK UNLESS LIP-SYNCHING
(SkyeBox, we’re looking at you!)

2001: A Space Odyssey

Run Lola Run

Cosby Show

Simpson’s Cosby Quote (remix)
(quote originally from Simpson’s episode 2F32 ‘Round Springfield

ERIN’S HONORABLE MENTION

ED: NPR Show Featuring AMVs
Mamboleo (reprise)

Show #50 – Even the Answerman is Wrong Sometimes

Show #050 Direct Download:

Show 50 is also available in a lower quality format (in case you have a Nano or something) follow the link and add “LQ” to the end of the filename. It sounds much better as a 30 MB file, trust me.

“Even the Answerman is Wrong Sometimes” is based on a Japanese saying “Even a monkey falls out of a tree sometimes!”

We’ve been traveling a lot this year:

Japan
Michigan (twice)
Boston (a bunch of times)
roadtrip across America
L.A. (twice)
Baltimore
San Diego
Cedar Point
Atlanta
– Erin commutes to Connecticut 4 days a week.

We’ve been watching:
Nana anime & (manga)
Le Chevalier d’Eon the anime as opposed to the manga. We love Chevalier and have to do a response to Dave & Joel’s review.
Claymore
Toppa Ten Gurren-Lagann (probably the breakout hit of the season)

Misc.
– Buy Otaku USA issue 2!
– Jason Thompson wrote The Complete Guide to Manga, available this October.
– Thompson also does a webcomic/doujin called “King of RPGs”,
– Thompson used the “Yakfist” example. Sadly, “Yakfist” does not exist! (Yet.)
– You can listen to 100 manga magazines in 60 minutes on the Mangacast
Shaenon Garrity writes Narbonic and the Overlooked Manga Festival
– Speaking of “Yakfist”, the movie “Zebraman” was really awesome!
– We recently watched Ratatouille (Recommended)

Japanese Lesson for this episode:
– Hisashiburi da ne? (Long time no see! Or, it’s been a while! What every badass says to the hero from off-camera before making a big entrance)
Sentai (guardian)
– Bakamono (monster) —> THIS DOES NOT MEAN MONSTER! IT MEANS “STUPID PERSON!”
– Shinpai Ja Nai (don’t worry)
Tenshi Ja Nai (I’m no angel)
– Alien Ja Nai! (I’m not an alien!)

Noah Vocab:
“Hackles” as in “His hackles stood up.”

On The Answerman:
– There will never be another episode of Weiss Krutz, Berserk, or Dragon Half.
– My moment of fame on Answerman’s column (yellow butterflies question — it’s at the bottom!)
Alison’s relabeled Azumanga comic
– Our beef with him is that he said that AMVs are not legitimate art.
– Here’s the episode of AWO with Zac bitching about Otakon 2006.
The March 2nd 2007 Answerman column that I read on our show.

AMV Related
Our crappy archives
– Show link to the complaining about AMVs 2nd episode.
– We owed one to dokidoki.
– The winning “Does L Creep You Out” AMV from Anime Expo.
The Princess Tutu Hol Om Mig Video

Auteur Film Theory and Art Theory
The Auteur theory
The Dada Movement
– R. Mutt a.k.a. Marcel Duchamp
Young Adult Novel by Daniel Pinkwater, featuring “The Wild Dada Ducks”, it’s in the compelation “Five Novels by Daniel Pinkwater”
– The movie “Art School Confidential”

Things the Answerman Thinks are Unfunny but Ninja Consultants Still Find Hilarious:
Lolcats
All Your Base Are Belong To Us
Tired Catchphrases
Chuck Norris Facts

LOLZ INTERNET

Show #49 – Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! Elite Beat Agents and Macho Cheerleaders

Show #049 Direct Download:
押忍!闘え!応援団! Elite Beat Agents and Macho Cheerleaders

With special guest Ed Chavez!

Brought to you by Yanjing Beer – the official state beer of China!

OP: Tomoyasu Hotei“Thrill”
ED: The Blue Hearts“Linda Linda”

Special Guest: Ed Chavez from the MangaCast

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osu%21_Tatakae%21_Ouendan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elite_Beat_Agents

Trying to describe this game makes it sound like we’re playing Taboo.

Videos of people playing this game on youtube.

Features J-pop music and Visual-Kei bands, like L’Arc-en-Ciel

What is an Ouendan?

What’s a Yanki?

You can read my review of Kamikaze Girls, the book and movie, here. Yankis play a prominent roll.

Also in Japanese Schoolgirl Inferno, the new book on Japanese fashion by Patrick Macias.

In Yu Yu Hakusho, Yusuke and Kuwabata are on the verge of Yanki-dom.

(the Yu Yu Hakusho dub is terrible by the way – one of the worst)

Ouendan wear Haramaki and Hachimaki

The way they dance is almost like Para Para – but manlier.

Sometimes Ouendan cheer on love confessions! Where did the Japanese fascination with confessing one’s love start? Was it the Tale of the Genji?

The Manga Love Roma actually starts with a love confession.

To we Americans, Osu Tatakae Ouendan is as realistic as Katamari Damacy!

Taste of Tea has some Ouendan in it, here’s my review of the film. But there, they run off with the local Bosozoku

The end of the previous season of Naruto featured Naruto as an Ouendan:

Are there Ouendan in Water Boys?

Erin: Water Boys is not the Fireman series, called Fireman and released in English by Viz – there’s also a live action drama. Called Sea Monkeys, or Omisaru or Water Dogs

Noah: The live action drama may not be called Water Boys, but it *is* called Fire Boys, which yes, is an adaptation of Megumi no Daigo, but still, it isn’t *called* Megumi no Daigo. So there.

Megumi No Daigo! (Firefighter Daigo of Company M!) is not actually a musical, but the show Noah is thinking of is TV drama adaptation called Fire Boys

Are high school teachers in Japan much younger than uh… mine were?

We talk about High School Girls. How old is Hottie Odagiri? What about Macho Matsuo? Mario-sensei?

Ed compares Noah’s realistic Super Mario Bros. fanfic to Old Boy.

Thank You, But Our Princess is in Another Castle!

Tale of the Heike (Hickey)?

Show #46 – James Interview Part 3: Bring Me the Head of Apollo Smile, A Cautionary Tale

Show #046 Direct Download:

OP: Theme from Gunbuster, remixed for the Para Para Max US Mix volume 2, also available on amazon for $3. ED: Theme from Gunbuster 2, aka Diebuster, “Groovin’ Magic”, by ROUND TABLE featuring Nino.

The Apollo Smile Story

Otakon Mystery Anime Theatre 3000 gave us Jupiter Smirk, and Neptune Sneeze.
A list of live MST3K performances by fans.
Super Monsters

Sci Fi channel was running Iria at the time
– James will find and kill you if you don’t like the original Gunbuster
– Not to be confused with Gunbuster 2
Ninja High School T-shirt
Antarctic Press was there, man
– The Korean Animation Museum
The Kimchee Museum!

There is no U.S. release of Wonderful Days / Sky Blue at this time because it was made on a government grant. How will I make my “Shot Through the Heart” AMV to the scene where one dude gets shot in the heart?

Tree of Palme, also made on a grant.
– James licensed half a show once. Gerald is pissed.

Remember: You are never greater than the anime. But it’s OK to use DVDs to block bullets, etc.

Don’t pull an Apollo.

Show #45 – James Interview Part 2: Japanese Prison

Show #045 Direct Download:

OP and ED: “Don’t Make Me Wild Like You” remixed by Yoko Ishida, theme from Ranma 1/2, remixed for the Para Para Max US Mix volume 3, also available on amazon for $8

Doing Time” is a manga available from Ponet Mon/Fanfare that won a lot of awards. It’s also a movie.

Things that are illegal in Japan:
Guns
Large pocket knives
Assisted Suicide
– Marijuana mailed to you from “Bob Marley, NY”

Upside to Japanese prison: Significantly less shanking, sodomy.
Downside: Controlled head turning, nudity.

Promo: Dragon Radio

– Erica runs Yuricon, and was at Comiket with a table.
– We’re really looking forward to the all-adult Providence convention
Otakon 1998 was the Army of the 12 Otaku T-shirt (photos?) [Actually, it was 1996]
– It was the only 4-day Otakon [Actually 1995 was the four day Otakon]
– There was a Golddigger Cosplayer

Promo: Randomization Podcast

Otakon 1999
– First year with girls
– First year at the Baltimore Convention Center
– The place was freaking empty, not like 2006

– Otakon 2000
– Big shift in gender and age
Tokyopop’s Authentic Manga Line begins
Borders and Barnes & Noble start carrying manga

Photos: Otakon 1999 vs. 2002 vs. 2006

The comic book bubble was in the 1990’s, wherein people bought collectors edition covers thinking that the books would be worth money someday, which they weren’t.

Thanks to that idiocy the comic market closed, and there were no new comics readers until Tokyopop brought girls back into the mix. More recently comics have undergone a resurgence, because graphic novels can be found in bookstores, and also because of Marvel’s big Hollywood movies based on comics that get comic readers back into comic book shops. (Noteably; Spiderman, V for Vendetta, X-Men, and even Ghost World and American Splendor, all sold thousands more books than would’ve sold otherwise.)

– James has 1st edition Ranma 1/2 comics