Anime Roundtable

So after Adam takes a few drinks, some impressions of day two as well as Adam’s appearance on Bite TV with The Conventioneers. After we talk about the Christopher Handley guilty plea and what it’ll mean in the future. Anime North organizer Norm McEvoy then sits for the bullets segment, talking about Taro Aso with Miss Japan, some Funimation news from other conventions, and even what Japan likes to drink. All this while Adam has his eye on one of the girls in the audience (and you know what that’s likely to mean). The landmark 75th episode at where else…Anime North.

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Adam Grant, Enrico Bianco, with appearance by Norm McEvoy

Night number one from Anime North, so of course we start off with first day impressions along with wondering how the H1N1 flu and the recession have affected the attendance numbers. Then we talk a little bit more about elitism and fan behaviour in light of recent incidents. Among the bullets, Capcom releases, publishers getting into the used book trade, and even thoughts on an OVA bringing together some of the more beloved characters in history….while Mike braces himself for the Saturday taping.

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Megan Swaine, Geoff Greig

So with Anime North about 10 days away, the gang talks about what we’ll be doing there…at the end. But before that, thoughts on the flu (which has now hit the Roundtable), Star Trek, the anime bubble, the vultures around CPM, and Sakura Wars sort of making it to North America. This time sort of in order.

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Adam Grant, Megan Swaine

After a week off, Mike is so rusty that everything he talked about this week is really a blur. He does remember Megan returning, and quite a bit of the conversation centering on her ex. Then he recalls some stuff about further eManga prospects, and Pirate Bay. And that’s before the bullets, which he can’t recall as this is being written. Mike realizes he’ll have to listen to that again to find out what they were, and suggests you guys do the same too.

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Adam Grant, Megan Swaine

This week, after complaining about the Toronto transit system and a brief history about SNK (while playing various Samurai Shodown games), we start with two items, one about Amazon and its treatment of mature material, the other about the Philippines and its version of a loli porn ban. In the bullets, James singles out a few shows in the new anime season, comment on Viz finally acting on long awaited anime properties, and Viz acting on a new manga property from an old favourite.

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Adam Grant

Mike decides to take a week off from taping, and returns after dragging James and Adam to see Dog Sees God, and spends the entire first segment reviewing it and talking about fan fiction in the process. Then we tape the bullets twice because of technical difficulties with Mike’s MacBook, where we talk about Taro Aso’s economic stimulus plan for Japan (built on straw pillars), threats to mangaka, manga re-releases, and perhaps some High School Panic. Also some further Apple thoughts, and an Easter Carol Mike said he had been searching for.

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Adam Grant

Mike rationalizes this episode as something to nicely prepare him for the headache that’ll be taping at Anime North. The episode takes many different tangents as there is no real topic this week. Mike does remember talking quite a bit about the mini convention that passed last weekend in Toronto, the end of yet another Anime magazine and the coverage of it, and something about one of Adam’s favourite hentai game titles getting an official english release (nicely in line with it being episode 69). Also some thoughts on the play “Dog Sees God” which was mentioned last episode, a quick overview of the MacBook now recording this show, and the results of the contest with answers and the winner. Of course not necessarily in that order.

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Adam Grant, Brent Chittenden

The return to York University, and the likely retirement episode for the iBook that had recorded the show over the past three years. After talk about the York strike aftermath, James’ latest adventures with the exchange student from Osaka, and a tangent about anime DVD re-releases, we’ll take on the second part of the Ryerson lectures and Jaqueline Berndt’s talk about Japanese aesthetics and identity in anime. Bullets wise, we’ll chime in on the latest on a teen who went off with a “family friend” convention hopping, and the Curse of the Colonel Sanders statue. Then we end off on suggestions on where and when to listen to this show, and some recommendations for stuff going on in Toronto.

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Adam Grant, Geoff Greig

So after Mike does a final check of the equipment, James begins this week with stories about the Japanese exchange student currently at his place. Then we get to the Japan Foundation lectures at Ryerson and talk about Kaichiro Morikawa’s discussion about the Otaku communities making their own space and how Akihabara changed to accommodate, and comparisons with other social spaces. In the bullets, French and English being French and English, and a not so novel stress relief idea in Akihabara getting a novel twist.

If you listen closely to the intro, you might here Mike giving off something that sounds like a burp in between sentences.

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Adam Grant, Geoff Greig

Minna no motome o kotaeru ga...

Mike dropped his jaw and had to pick it up while listening to this again. But here it is, as good as it’ll get, all of what was recorded for the now infamous episode #50. Along with an intro and further thoughts from Mike nine months later. We didn’t get all of it, but you’ll know quickly that Neil and Adam were sooooo on that night, and gave the audience there what they were hoping for, and nearly gave Mike a stroke. Mike figures he’ll be stocking up on the Pocky for this year’s Anime North episodes.

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