Anime Roundtable

Legendary Manga Translator Fred Schodt honours us by becoming our first major guest to do the Roundtable in this special sit down taped last Saturday afternoon at Anime North

We begin with Fred and Mike looking back on his first visit to Anime North back in 1998 (the second one), and a panel they did together about History in Anime and Manga. And how Mike first told him about Rurouni Kenshin during that panel (3:30)

Then Fred talks a little bit about the honours he has received from the Japanese Emperor (Order of the Rising Sun: Gold Rays and Rosette) and the Japan Foundation, and how in receiving the latter he ended up meeting now Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako a year and a half ago, and how he was a fan of Astroboy (9:05)

We then start to talk about two of his Anime North panels, first about his friendship with Astroboy’s creator, Osamu Tezuka relaying a few stories about him (17:35)

Then we talk about his panel about the Four Immigrants Manga which he published in 1998 (around the time of his first AN appearance). Fred gives a quick biography of Henry Kiyama, how he came across his work, and how he became very close friends with the Kiyama family. Also we talk about the recent musical adaptation of the book (24:50). In the process of the conversation Mike recalls some stories of his own grandfather (34:27)

We then give a preview of Fred’s final panel about his own thoughts on manga translation, the history, and where it stands today. Which we’ll talk about in episode 12 (38:32). Mike then brings up Fred’s lecture at the Japan Foundation after AN ’98 on the actual manga culture in Japan then, and what it might be like today in light of digital consumption (40:21)

The conversation ends off with Fred’s reaction to seeing Anime North 21 years later as we watched con goers pass by the AN Office’s Display room (52:00). And Mike gives a final thank you by telling Fred about another story as he gave him a stamp commemorating the Vancouver Asahi baseball team, which we mentioned back in episode 8 (58:10)

Mike Nicolas and James Austin. With Special Guest Frederik L Schodt

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Twitter: @animeroundtable

Check out our webpage for full show notes and links

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2019/06/02/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-presents-a-conversation-with-frederik-l-schodt-may-25-2019/

On our second night at Anime North, we’re joined by Jesse Betteridge from the Zannen.ca Podcast. He gives his impressions of Anime North, as well as recap his panels at the convention (3:40). Then we get into a longer discussion about the Anime convention scenes in both Toronto and Vancouver, and what to maybe expect from the International Fan Festival as they attempt to settle into Toronto (Vancouver’s Anime Revolution is put on by the same group). Also Jesse makes some very interesting observations between Anime North and Anime Evolution, the former Vancouver convention, and how Anime North isn’t too big on having too much of an industry presence (20:20).

That sets up Norm McEvoy’s annual appearance, which explains a few things. In addition Norm reminices about AN’s early days, and how it became the institution on Dixon Rd, and likely why it works there (1:03:25). Norm also remembers Dick “The Destroyer” Beyer and his influence on Japanese Pro Wrestling and Pop Culture (1:18:35). Then to end it off, Kevin gives a promo for the Toronto Japanese Film Festival. And Mike previews the sit down conversation with Fred Schodt (taped earlier in the day) , which will be put up very soon (1:52:56)

Mike Nicolas, Jesse Betteridge, Kevin Ng, with James Austin

Web: animeroundtable.com

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @animeroundtable

Check out our website for more details and links

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2019/05/26/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-11-may-25-2019/

Editor’s Note: This version of the episode has been updated with edits to take out as much of the stammering (“umm”s, “ahh”s, and “like”s) as possible, and keep the episode easy to listen to. Expect this type of editing in future episodes

Mike became so tired and confused by the time we taped this episode, he wasn’t sure if this was episode 10 or digest 3.

Night one at Anime North starts off with the final touches for a hopeful special guest later during the con. Then becomes pretty much an open mic episode as Mike and James invite a volunteer to tell us about his day one before Mike, James, and then Kevin do the same (4:50). With Mike doing a preview of the Fred Schodt sit down by talking about his first panel on the Four Immigrants manga, and Jesse Betteridge’s panel on Anime Deaths (39:45), and Kevin talking Nominoichi (43:40). Mike and Kevin then invites one of the con goers to the mics, who talks about the lack of DVDs in the dealers room (47:50), and the Black Folks Like Anime Too panel (51:54). Then we end off looking ahead to day two (1:00:22)

And who would have thunk it, trying to edit out all of the “umms” and “ahhs” and other types of stammering took out almost five minutes from the orginal product. Five minutes you can have back, you’re welcome….are we that bad?

Mike Nicolas, James Austin. With Sukhee Hong, Lawrence Black, and Kevin Ng

animeroundtable.com

[email protected]

@animeroundtable

And don't forget to check our website for further show notes and links

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2019/05/24/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-10-may-24-2019/

Today’s secret word is “icon”

So after struggling to open our ramune and partake in some Japanese snacks, Mike tells a story about giving a ramune to Veronica Taylor at FanExpo more than 15 years ago (4:55), we acknowledge the New Japanese Emperor and what lies ahead in the Reiwa Era (12:55) and how that name is linked with an adult visual novel (24:20). Then we get to the heart of the episode with our International Fan Festival report (25:32), the screening of Fate/Stay Heavens Feel with Mike making observations living up to his nickname and Japanese guests being incognito in Toronto (33:10). Thoughts on the scheduling of events and autographs (41:30), the Fate/Stay actors talk show (49:00) and recording session (51:00). Ayako Kawasumi’s Q&A (58:05), thoughts on Mecha Ude and crowdfunding productions (1:04:50), Kevin at the IFF Anisong concert Saturday evening (1:09). And did Crunchyroll fuel the video rooms through an offline HD (1:19:45)? And IFF’s spot in a landscape that includes an institution like Anime North (1:20:55)

Then we turn to James and Kevin’s excellent TCAF adventure…and if you thought autograph chasing was hard at IFF and AN (1:36:45). And the bullets, Crunchyroll picking up some Discotek titles (1:55:10), an impression of the first episode of the new Fruits Basket anime (1:59:05), the trailer for Makoto Shinkai’s latest movie Weathering with You (2:10:05), and Moh finally talks about seeing the Code Gease movie (2:12:20). Then we end off by previewing Anime North (2:19:50), with more Nominoichi from trying to get into the Nominoichi (2:25:10). Come join us for a live taping of the Roundtable on Friday and Saturday night at AN

Wow that was long…but not as long as Avengers: Endgame

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Mohamed Sharmarke, Kevin Ng

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@animeroundtable

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Check the website for more details and links:

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2019/05/17/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-9-may-17-2019/

Unfortunately “Be brief not boring” isn’t the motto as Mike decided to take the mic late night and tell a few stories as the Easter weekend begins, and the night before the International Fan Festival. In it he gives his thoughts on the latest developments concerning the live action Cowboy Bebop and Rurouni Kenshin adaptations (0:44), frustrations with Kimagure Orange Road almost as maddening as Kasuka Kyosuke (9:22), and Japanese Curling and video games (19:33)…dedicating about 10 minutes to each story. Plus an announcement at the very end

Imagine how this would have gone if Austin was on…although Mike blames this more on deciding to plug in the mic at 1am. Maybe he should go back to writing a script for these in the future

Check out the blog for more information

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2019/04/19/6ixtalk-on-mikes-mind-april-19-2019/

With the announcement of Fred Schodt’s appearance at Anime North in May, Mike wanted to start by trying something different and tell a sincere story about his first appearance more than twenty years before…but he forgot to plug in the soundboard. After plugging in the board, we pull the plug on the Vic Mignonga talk by getting Kevin and Moh’s thoughts (10:15). Then we come back to the talk about adapting Japanese works again in light of the Alita: Battle Angel movie, was it one of those things that came a few years late? Spoiler alerts there…like as if no one here knows the basic story (21:19). And that sometimes importing a North American story into Japan have similar dillemas (43:30). Mike reflects on finally finishing the Toradora anime, with James and Kevin broadening that into a longer discussion about the light novel market in North America (55:20). Then James finishes it off with an epic bullets segment on how the former couple of the great anime streaming divorce in the fall have moved on with their lives dating new people (1:31:10), and the Fate/Stay Night movie (2:01:15)

Then one more tejime to seal the deal…well the idea sounded good…

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Web: animeroundtable.com

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @animeroundtable

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Kevin Ng, Mohamed Sharmarke

Check the website for more details and links

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-8-march-16-2019/

Mike wanted to get some sort of taping done for February. Having failed that, he’s now pretty happy to get that checked off for March right away

James comes in for a free form digest talk, and a warm up for episode 8 later this month. In it we bring up Mike’s lone day at Podcamp Toronto last weekend (4:10), personal anecdotes and thoughts on the Vic Mignogna scandal (25:22), and Mike’s more solid thoughts Marie Kondo’s popularity (1:02:20). We thought we’d be done with those, but then Mike made the mistake of asking James about what’s on his Crunchyroll queue and current issues with the app (1:14:15), and then Mike makes some final NHK recommendations and the events calendar (1:30:30)

Mike Nicolas, James Austin

More Information and links on our website

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2019/03/02/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-digest-2-march-1-2019/

In the interest of starting the New Year on a memorable note, we decided to have five of us around the table…which is already a bad idea. And when one of them is Neil returning after six months…it made having five even more complicated. And considering that it’s the first time young Moh and Kevin are doing the show with Neil…and we had donuts and other edibles around the table…it was over before it started

So now that you’re curious to know what happened on the anime talk, honestly Mike is too. In between all of the filler we did briefly remind ourselves about holding Anime North in Toronto’s west end (13:30), further streaming video thoughts including Mike’s initial thoughts after subscribing to Crunchyroll (17:00), the constant issues of ads on free tiers, a disturbing difference between Crunchyroll searches on both Apple and non Apple devices (36:00), a thought concerning the Japanese businesses mentioned before (56:25), the group’s inital reactions to watching Battleship Tiramisu and the Misinformed YouTube video on anime (1:01:32), Neil’s reaction to the Netflix pick ups mentioned back in episode 6 (1:21:45), upcoming anime theatrical releases (1:30:50), Kevin giving a thought on the end of the Shonen Jump magazine in North America (1:49:20), and a really odd thought about the Marie Kondo phenomenon which Mike knows he’ll talk about a little more in the future (1:51:45)…but right now he really needs to take a candy

Mike Nicolas, Neil Sinclair, James Austin, Mohamed Sharmarke, Kevin Ng

Check the website for more details and links

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2019/01/20/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-7-january-18-2019/

So Mike has something on his mind, but was nowhere close to the studio mics. So he plugged in his smartphone earbuds to make the following to end off 2018

In it he asks a few questions about what to do about older DVDs as he preorders the blu rays of the same show. Looks for suggestions as he finally subscribes to other streaming services. And makes a few NHK reccomendations. All for your New Year’s listening pleasure

Mike Nicolas

Check out the website for more details and links

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2018/12/28/6ix-talk-on-mikes-mind-december-28-2018/

After being gone for two months, we begin with Mike giving a first impression of Oomomo, the newest entry in the trend of 100yen shops and Japanese retailers in the Toronto area (4:50). Then we take another look at the Funimation/Crunchyroll split and the broader story of what’s to come in streaming services (16:06). After sparing a thought concerning the Overwatch League (1:01:55), we do the official return of the Bullets Segment (1:06:18). In it we talk about Evangelion and Netflix (1:06:58), the live action Cowboy Bebop and Netflix (1:18:48), the reboot of the Fruits Basket anime (1:33:14), the missed items on the Toronto Anime Community Calendar (1:38:01), the Toronto International Fan Festival (1:51:01), and the Reel Asian Film Festival (1:59:14). Then we end off with some thoughts Fred Patten, John Rogers, and Stan Lee, who all passed away around the same time back in November (2:11:33)

Listeners will no doubt pass out before the end of this episode. The question is will it be because of alcohol poisoning, or boredom

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Kevin Ng, Mohamed Sharmarke

Check out the website for more details and links

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2018/12/28/6ix-talk-on-mikes-mind-december-28-2018/