Fanthropological

This week, the Nicks tackle iconic 90s nerdy show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They'll talk about the emergence of genre television, what Buffy means as a Strong Female Characters & how the whole world now sounds like 90s teens!

Here are some of the sources we used for the episode:

[The Importance of Being the Zeppo: Xander, Gender

Identity and Hybridity in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Mark Camron](http://www.whedonstudies.tv/uploads/2/6/2/8/26288593/camron.pdf)

[Buffy Summers: Third-Wave Feminist Icon](https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/07/how-buffy-became-a-third-wave-feminist-icon/493154/)

[The Complex Feminist Legacy Of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’](https://decider.com/2017/03/09/the-complex-feminist-legacy-of-buffy-the-vampire-slayer/)

[How Buffy the Vampire Slayer transformed TV as we know it](https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/3/10/14857542/buffy-the-vampire-slayer-explained-tv-influence)

[10 Ways Buffy The Vampire Slayer Changed the World](https://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/buffy-the-vampire-slayer/262778/10-ways-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-changed-the-world)

More information about Epic Film Guys' Livestream for the Cure can be found [here](https://fundraise.cancerresearch.org/fundraiser/1947095)!

Z's Beowulf blog can be found [here](https://bloggersbeowulf.com/)!

G's Bandcamp page is [here](https://fragileair.bandcamp.com/)!

### Fandom Facts

“The series narrative follows Buffy Summers (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar), the latest in a line of young women known as "Vampire Slayers", or simply "Slayers". In the story, Slayers or the 'Chosen Ones' are "called" (chosen by fate) to battle against vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness. Buffy wants to live a normal life, but as the series progresses, she learns to embrace her destiny. Like previous Slayers, Buffy is aided by a Watcher, who guides, teaches, and trains her. Unlike her predecessors, Buffy surrounds herself with a circle of loyal friends who become known as the "Scooby Gang".”

–Wikipedia - Buffy the Vampire Slayer

* The Buffy subreddit has us covered this week for fan data; [in a survey conducted in 2017](https://www.reddit.com/r/buffy/comments/7eipxc/rbuffy_2017_survey_results/) (you can also check out [one from 2013 to compare](https://www.reddit.com/r/buffy/comments/1i9pwc/official_rbuffy_survey_results/)), here is some interesting tidbits:

* Gender: _Unlike_ much reddit data we see, the results are pretty evenly split with about 51% female, 47% male, and 1% as non-binary, intersex, agender, or genderqueer.

* Age: Most fans are 25-34 (i.e. grew up with the show; 44%) and there are more fans younger than 25 (36%) than there are over 34 (19%)

* Least favourite season: #1 (38%)

* Most favourite season: #5 (30%; Introduction of Buffy’s sister, Dawn)

* Most folks [watched the show from the beginning](https://i.imgur.com/BJWKdiu.png).

* If you look through the tag cloud of non-Whedon shows that people also like, [huge amount of diversity](https://i.imgur.com/gz7NSW1.png) (anything from Desperate Housewives to Evangelion, Band of Brothers to Critical Role)

* Google trends data only goes back to 2004, which is not too long after the show ended in Spring 2003. [Interest in the show has gone downhill pretty linearly from 2004 to 2007, and much more slowly from then until now](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=Buffy%20the%20Vampire%20Slayer). Surprisingly, a lot of interest from Canada, UK, Ireland, and Australia (in that order)... and then the United States.

* It was one of the first shows on the WB network

### First Impressions

#### T:

I remember watching Buffy in late elementary school (middle school, if I had one). I think I followed the show pretty steadily until some point probably mid-way into high school when Buffy went to college. It was… pretty popular, or at least it felt that way because I remember one of my teachers, admittedly, a fairly young teacher, was also a big fan of the show (and she really latched on to the female empowerment part of the show). I think for me, it was the cast of characters that really got me interested, and how the story rolled out. Yes, I probably had a crush on Buffy, Cordelia, and Willow, but at the same time, Giles and his dry humour were great, as was Xander’s goofiness (and I think the Scooby-do-esque monster of the week thing kept me interested too).

#### Z:

I never watched Buffy while it was airing. Probably too busy with video games (discovering emulation, later getting deep into RPG Maker 2000). But, I heard about it all the time in university at Artz Haus -- about the musical episode, about how the show was so awesome, I’m sure I heard the names Willow and Tara a few times, and yet I never actually saw any of the show then either. It wasn’t until I was commissioned to write a review for an episode for a collection in the “Outside In” series Robert Smith? Is behind in 2018 that I finally sat down and watched the episode “Smashed”. Though I did see the movie when it came to VHS...and as a ~7 year old not at all a fan of horror I remember it being one of those movies meant to be funny and turn tropes on its head, but not knowing those tropes (just that zombies and vampires were scary), I’m pretty sure I found it scary and therefore bad.

### Observations

_What we thought about the thing / fandom after reviewing it. Try to make this more of a review style._

### Conclusions

_Any concluding thoughts on the fandom._

### Famous Last Words

What did we have to say about next week’s topic, RWBY, with only our first impressions? \

**G: **Does the fandom care that its a web series and not a television show?_ \

_

**T: **How influential is the art style in drawing people in? Are there folks who still watch it despite the animation style?_ \

_

**Z: **It looks like an anime… but is Western produced … are there fans who prefer the Japanese dub?

## Where can you find us?

Pretty much everything we do is `something/thenickscast`, but specifically...

* If you're looking for this podcast (Fanthropological), you can find it at [Fanthropological.com](https://fanthropological.com) or on different podcatchers including [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVp8MBIUyCqlKyZn79iHn), [Apple Podcasts](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210?mt=2), [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnBvZGlhbnQuY28vZmFudGhyb3BvbG9naWNhbC9yc3MueG1s) and many others!

* Keep up-to-date with our latest goings-on on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast), or [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast), all `@thenickscast`

* We also occasionally create extra content about fandom including convention coverage and interviews on [YouTube.com/thenickscast](https://youtube.com/thenickscast)

* We have some fine merchandise available at [shop.thenickscast.com](https://shop.thenickscast.com) (and we'd love your support!)

* If all else fails, you can email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

## What is "Fanthropological"?

Every week, Fanthropological delivers about an hour of fandom-related "fanalysis" covering a different fandom every week and giving you hard data, history, special guests, and, of course, speculation!

We cover topics spanning the gamut of anime, manga, comics, video games, comics, movies, books, television, and, in general, geek culture.

## Credits

* All music and sound for this week's episode were provided by Nick Green!

Anthony of the [Transformers University podcast](http://tfu.info) joins us to clear the air about what Transformers fandom is actually like… and about how the fandom may be held together with duct tape.

You can here our original take here: [https://fanthropological.com/transformers](https://fanthropological.com/transformers)

## Where can you find us?

Pretty much everything we do is `something/thenickscast`, but specifically...

* If you're looking for this podcast (Fanthropological), you can find it at [Fanthropological.com](https://fanthropological.com) or on different podcatchers including [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVp8MBIUyCqlKyZn79iHn), [Apple Podcasts](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210?mt=2), [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnBvZGlhbnQuY28vZmFudGhyb3BvbG9naWNhbC9yc3MueG1s) and many others!

* Keep up-to-date with our latest goings-on on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast), or [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast), all `@thenickscast`

* We also occasionally create extra content about fandom including convention coverage and interviews on [YouTube.com/thenickscast](https://youtube.com/thenickscast)

* We have some fine merchandise available at [shop.thenickscast.com](https://shop.thenickscast.com) (and we'd love your support!)

* If all else fails, you can email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

## What is "Fanthropological"?

Every week, Fanthropological delivers about an hour of fandom-related "fanalysis" covering a different fandom every week and giving you hard data, history, special guests, and, of course, speculation!

We cover topics spanning the gamut of anime, manga, comics, video games, comics, movies, books, television, and, in general, geek culture.

## What is Livestream for the Cure?

Since 2017, Nick and Justin of the [Epic Film Guys](http://www.epicfilmguys.com/) have dedicated a block of time each year to livestream their podcast and other content in order to raise funds for the Cancer Research Institute. This organization researches immunotherapy with the goal of curing all forms of cancer. They are among some of the most reputable charities out there with a rating of 92% on [CharityNavigator.org](https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3417).

Last year's Livestream for the Cure 2.0 (**check it out [here](https://fundraise.cancerresearch.org/fundraiser/1583313)**) was a resounding success. In 30 hours live on the air, the Epic Film Guys raised over $5,000 for cancer research and an additional $780 for Perry Johnson, a fellow podcaster who guested on the event and was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer shortly before it began. Because they smashed their goal and because of their amazing community of peers and fellow podcasters, they decided this year’s event should be even bigger and better.

The 3rd Annual Livestream for the Cure will be held from May 17th through the 19th, and the Epic Film Guys will be live for FORTY hours as they try to hit their biggest goal yet and raise $7,500. The event will be held live at[ https://twitch.tv/epicfilmguys](https://twitch.tv/epicfilmguys) and will include dozens of fellow content creators and podcasters who are joining them to reach this common goal.

They will be live for 40 hours from the following times (all are EST):

**May 17th: 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM**

**May 18th: 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM**

**May 19th: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM**

Follow the event on[ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/events/1303610656446934/) or follow[ @livestream4cure](https://www.twitter.com/livestream4cure) on Twitter for updates and guest information. Links for merchandise (all proceeds go toward the total) and other information will be coming in the near future. To make a donation before and during the event, visit [LivestreamfortheCure.com](https://fundraise.cancerresearch.org/fundraiser/1947095).

Let's make this the biggest year for the Livestream for the Cure yet! Together, we can make a difference!

## Credits

* This is the part in the credits where we respectfully thank [Starbomb](https://starbomb.com/albums) for not suing us: ending track, “Robots in Need of Disguise” from “Player Select” used under [“Hey streamers! You have our permission to use our music while you stream.

# Description

In 1993, special agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder began their quest for irrefutable proof of the existence of the paranormal and popular culture has never been the same.

## Episode Outline

**Topics:** the importance of fan-fiction to the X-Philes community, the strength of the community over the decades it has existed, creators’ interactions with the 90s fandom, fans’ reactions to the recent reboots, can a fandom survive without new content?

### Fandom Facts

* “The series revolves around Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who investigate X-Files: Marginalized, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. Mulder believes in the existence of aliens and the paranormal, while Scully, a medical doctor and a skeptic, is assigned to make scientific analyses of Mulder's discoveries to debunk his work and thus return him to mainstream cases.”

-[Wikipedia - The X-Files](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_X-Files)

* Unfortunately, [Google Trends data only goes back to 2004](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=%2Fm%2F07g9f), and season 9, the last season to air before a long break, ended in 2002. From that data, it looks like interest has been on the decline, but spiked in 2008 (_The X-Files: I Want To Believe_), 2016 (Season 10), and a much smaller spike than either in 2018 (Season 11).

* Couldn’t find data, but from this note from Fanlore (originally a Tumblr post, [A Note about the X-Files Fandom](https://fanlore.org/wiki/A_Note_about_the_X-Files_Fandom)):

* “The X-Files' prime Nielsen demographic targets were 18-49. That was the most popular viewing age for the show. … The average viewer was in their mid- to late-20s. They had jobs and families that came home to watch TV together at the end of the day. The people who wrote most of the classic fan fiction we have today were in their 20s at the time, or 30s.”

### First Impressions

**G:** Never something that he got into, G regarded *The X-Files* as simply that show that came on after *The Simpsons*. Really aware of it primarily through other bits of pop culture that reference it.

**T:** He watched a little bit of the later seasons of the series’ first run when the episodes were fun (e.g.: the gang finds a genie and has various wishes granted), but never really became invested in it.

**Z:** It was something that he was only ever really aware of through other bits of pop culture. In more recent years, it’s seemed a little interesting to him, but not enough for him to seek any of it out.

### Observations

Overall, the fandom seems to be as strong as ever, if perhaps shrinking. But, as Z observed, as long as the show is on services like Netflix, it will probably find an audience among those who are interested in shows that blend soap opera and (paranormal) conspiratorial mystery elements.

Fan fiction still seems to be very important to the community, perhaps because the series’ continuity is lacking in some areas or because, as of this recording Mulder and Scully have yet to be in an explicit romantic relationship.

Also, in the current culture of binge-watching, the series’ general “monster-of-the-week” format helps it to fit right in.

### Conclusions

**G:** There’s simply too much of it to catch up on, and, because it’s mostly a “monster-of-the-week” kind of show, he wasn’t convinced it would catch and keep his interest.

**T:** He had watched a few episodes of the series recently and found himself entertained. If he can make the time to do so, he’ll probably watch more of it, maybe some of the earlier seasons.

**Z:** Admittedly, it might scratch the same itch his near annual *Twin Peaks* rewatches do. But, he was not convinced that it would be quite as good as *Peaks* because it was too much of a mainstream success (yep, Z played the hipster card). Though, at some point, he said that he would maybe see if it could prove him wrong.

### Famous Last Words

What did we have to say about next week’s topic, *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*, with only our first impressions?

**G:** Lot of fans of Joss Whedon… did Buffy lay the groundwork for any other of his works? Or do the fans consider it set apart? Why?

**T:** How did the Buffy fandom change after the whole Joss Whedon controversy (especially as he’s helming the reboot, I believe)?

**Z:** Aside from whatever controversy there might be around the show’s creative head, is Buffy something that fans regard as easy to go back and watch? OR is it horribly date?

## Where can you find us?

Pretty much everything we do is `something/thenickscast`, but specifically...

* If you're looking for this podcast (Fanthropological), you can find it at [Fanthropological.com](https://fanthropological.com) or on different podcatchers including [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVp8MBIUyCqlKyZn79iHn), [Apple Podcasts](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210?mt=2), [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnBvZGlhbnQuY28vZmFudGhyb3BvbG9naWNhbC9yc3MueG1s) and many others!

* Keep up-to-date with our latest goings-on on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast), or [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast), all `@thenickscast`

* We also occasionally create extra content about fandom including convention coverage and interviews on [YouTube.com/thenickscast](https://youtube.com/thenickscast)

* We have some fine merchandise available at [shop.thenickscast.com](https://shop.thenickscast.com) (and we'd love your support!)

* If all else fails, you can email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

## What is "Fanthropological"?

Every week, Fanthropological delivers about an hour of fandom-related "fanalysis" covering a different fandom every week and giving you hard data, history, special guests, and, of course, speculation!

We cover topics spanning the gamut of anime, manga, comics, video games, comics, movies, books, television, and, in general, geek culture.

## Credits

* All music and sound for this week's episode were provided by Nick Green!

This week, this Nicks have a look at the hot new (3-year old) shounen anime that's sweeping the world - Boku no Hero Academia! They'll talk about the strengths and weaknesses of ensemble shows, what the superhero craze looks like reflected through and Japanese mirror and whether or not anyone axtually likes Mineta!

[Click here](https://fundraise.cancerresearch.org/fundraiser/1947095) for more information on the Livestream for the Cure!

### Fandom Facts

“My Hero Academia … follows Izuku Midoriya, a boy born without superpowers (called quirks) in a world where they have become commonplace, but who still dreams of becoming a hero himself. He is scouted by the world's greatest hero, who shares his quirk with Izuku after recognizing his potential, and later enrolls him in a high school for heroes in training.”

* The BNHA subreddit is pretty popular: Within the first three months of the subreddit’s creation, it went from almost 300 000th to somewhere in the 15 000’s ([and is now ~1400th most popular subreddit)](http://redditmetrics.com/r/BokuNoHeroAcademia).

* Someone did a fan survey with general interests in the anime [on the subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/BokuNoHeroAcademia/comments/6uqpvz/results_of_the_my_hero_academia_anime_demographic/) (circa 2018). Of the over 400 responses, here are some interesting bits:

* Best aspect of BNHA: The characters (53%), the overall concept (28%)

* 11% dislike generally shonen (the remainder are either indifferent or like shonen)

* 47% have read the manga in its entirety

* 7% dropped the show completely; 5.8% strongly disliked it or hated it

* There was also this fan survey which was more about the characters [which had some demographics](https://www.reddit.com/r/BokuNoHeroAcademia/comments/6655jk/bnha_sub_survey_final_results_highly_indeep/) (and a thousand responses)!

* Predominantly male (76.4%), with some female representation (20.6%)

* Overwhelmingly young: 85%+ under 24 (20-24: 42.7%; 17-19: 33.2%)

* Favourite character: Izuku Midoriya (39.2%), Katsuki Bakugou (21.5%), Toshinori Yagi (18.8%)

* Main weakness of the show: Too many characters (46.5%), some characters have limited development (33.6%)

* Interest in BNHA is definitely on the rise, and [it’s the most popular it’s been … ever](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=%2Fm%2F012ccg16,%2Fm%2F0g27s9,%2Fm%2F030l0z,%2Fm%2F01_f03) (which isn’t surprising, since it’s still coming out).

* BUT while it is popular, it hasn’t surpassed Naruto (too big to show) or One Piece (on the decline), even if it is overcoming series like Bleach and Fairy Tale.

* According to Fandometrics, BNHA was the #1 Anime and Manga fandom, and #5 fandom overall for 2018.

### First Impressions

#### Z:

Before I started watching the series I figured that it was just another shonen series that G was really into because he’s a fan of superhero stuff. Admittedly, even watching through the first episode or two I wasn’t quite convinced that it was anything more than just another Dragon Ball, another sprawling shonen series poised to seize the world’s imagination the way that Naruto or One Piece did. But then, I think it was something said during Deku’s initial training (or maybe just the quirkiness of seeing all the Star Wars references in place names -- neat, but...why!?) or maybe his heroism in trying to save Bakugo from the sludge villain, after that bit of the show demonstrated its heart I was in for the long haul.

#### T:

Beyond know that it is popular, and seeing it crop up in spots like the Anime Feminist, I didn’t think much of it other than that it might be the next Fairy Tale / Bleach / Naruto / Dragonball Z / Shonen show. G heavily recommended it and I watched the first season, and while there were still heavy shonen tones, I got a better appreciation of it, and liked the vibe (X-men, but anime) and that it wasn’t all focussed on just the protagonist.

### Observations

_What we thought about the thing / fandom after reviewing it. Try to make this more of a review style._

### Conclusions

_Any concluding thoughts on the fandom._

### Famous Last Words

What did we have to say about next week’s topic, The X-Files, with only our first impressions? \

**G:** Is The X-Files about the characters or the concepts?_ \

_

**T: **What was the impact of Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) on the show?_ \

_

**Z:** After his appearance in Twin Peaks… was anybody looking forward to seeing David Duchovny dressed as a woman on the X-Files?

## Where can you find us?

Pretty much everything we do is `something/thenickscast`, but specifically...

* If you're looking for this podcast (Fanthropological), you can find it at [Fanthropological.com](https://fanthropological.com) or on different podcatchers including [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVp8MBIUyCqlKyZn79iHn), [Apple Podcasts](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210?mt=2), [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnBvZGlhbnQuY28vZmFudGhyb3BvbG9naWNhbC9yc3MueG1s) and many others!

* Keep up-to-date with our latest goings-on on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast), or [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast), all `@thenickscast`

* We also occasionally create extra content about fandom including convention coverage and interviews on [YouTube.com/thenickscast](https://youtube.com/thenickscast)

* We have some fine merchandise available at [shop.thenickscast.com](https://shop.thenickscast.com) (and we'd love your support!)

* If all else fails, you can email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

## What is "Fanthropological"?

Every week, Fanthropological delivers about an hour of fandom-related "fanalysis" covering a different fandom every week and giving you hard data, history, special guests, and, of course, speculation!

We cover topics spanning the gamut of anime, manga, comics, video games, comics, movies, books, television, and, in general, geek culture.

## Credits

* ["Music"](http://google.ca) by [X](http://google.ca) used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

* All other music and sound for this week's episode were provided by Nick Green!

What is it about the show that has managed to keep it relevant for over thirty years, even far from its home? And what exactly is the appeal of the show? Is it the lo-fi, retro-ness of it through a nostalgia filter? All this and more on this week's episode!

## Episode Outline

### Fandom Facts

* It is currently in its 26th (ish) season with almost 900 episodes since 1993. It is based on the Super Sentai meta-series in Japan that started in 1975 and has been running over the same timespan.

* Interest in the various Power Rangers series has been [relatively constant since 2004](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=%2Fm%2F017dbx) though it has had some ups and downs and is on a bit of a downward trend right now.

* There are almost 6000 fan works related to Power Rangers [on Archive Of Our Own](https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Power%20Rangers/works) (about ⅓ Gen, ¼ F/F, and ¼ M/M)

* The Power Rangers subreddit [has about 20k followers](https://www.reddit.com/r/powerrangers/).

### First Impressions

#### T:

I couldn't tell you exactly when I started watching the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers… and I also couldn't tell you exactly when I stopped (though I feel like it was just before Zeo… so not long). I loved it; I think my parents still have a VHS of the first episode that was purchased from somewhere (that's right, legit, and occupying the WHOLE VHS). I imagine it had a lot to do with the general interest in karate, ninjas, martial arts, giant robots, and underneath it all… Japan? Plus, it didn't hurt that I felt I could relate to the Blue ranger, and that the show aired just before (and just after school) at an influential time in my life (middle school). I remember going to the movie (with Ivan Ooze) and enjoying it… but I don't know why I stopped watching it either.

#### Z:

I remember Power Rangers hitting the small screen at the time in my life when I still only had 4 channels at home. As a result, I never really got into it. But, my slightly younger cousins living in the city with their whopping tens of channels were all about the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. I remember seeing a few episodes with them, but even as a child of 8, something about the aesthetic pushed me away from the show rather than bringing me into it. The Super Mario Super Show with its Legend of Zelda cartoon (another piece of media exclusive to visits to my city-dwelling relatives) was way more interesting to me then.

### Famous Last Words

What did we have to say about next week's topic, Boku No Hero Academia / My Hero Academia with only our first impressions?

#### **G:**

Is it the new DBZ? Is that ok?

#### **T:**

Are there fans working on the in-universe science of the show?

#### **Z:**

Does anyone like Mineta?

## Where can you find us?

Pretty much everything we do is `something/thenickscast`, but specifically...

* If you're looking for this podcast (Fanthropological), you can find it at [Fanthropological.com](https://fanthropological.com) or on different podcatchers including [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVp8MBIUyCqlKyZn79iHn), [Apple Podcasts](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210?mt=2), [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnBvZGlhbnQuY28vZmFudGhyb3BvbG9naWNhbC9yc3MueG1s) and many others!

* Keep up-to-date with our latest goings-on on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast), or [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast), all `@thenickscast`

* We also occasionally create extra content about fandom including convention coverage and interviews on [YouTube.com/thenickscast](https://youtube.com/thenickscast)

* We have some fine merchandise available at [shop.thenickscast.com](https://shop.thenickscast.com) (and we'd love your support!)

* If all else fails, you can email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

## What is "Fanthropological"?

Every week, Fanthropological delivers about an hour of fandom-related "fanalysis" covering a different fandom every week and giving you hard data, history, special guests, and, of course, speculation!

We cover topics spanning the gamut of anime, manga, comics, video games, comics, movies, books, television, and, in general, geek culture.

## Credits

* All other music and sound for this week's episode were provided by Nick Green!

This week, we take a departure from our regular fandom discovery and examination, and instead, travel to a bold, familiar new (old?) world. More importantly, we give a small taste of an exciting new podcast we'll be launching in May!

## Where can you find us?

Pretty much everything we do is `something/thenickscast`, but specifically...

* If you're looking for this podcast (Fanthropological), you can find it at [Fanthropological.com](https://fanthropological.com) or on different podcatchers including [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVp8MBIUyCqlKyZn79iHn), [Apple Podcasts](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210?mt=2), [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnBvZGlhbnQuY28vZmFudGhyb3BvbG9naWNhbC9yc3MueG1s) and many others!

* Keep up-to-date with our latest goings-on on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast), or [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast), all `@thenickscast`

* We also occasionally create extra content about fandom including convention coverage and interviews on [YouTube.com/thenickscast](https://youtube.com/thenickscast)

* We have some fine merchandise available at [shop.thenickscast.com](https://shop.thenickscast.com) (and we'd love your support!)

* If all else fails, you can email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

## What is "Fanthropological"?

Every week, Fanthropological delivers about an hour of fandom-related "fanalysis" covering a different fandom every week and giving you hard data, history, special guests, and, of course, speculation!

We cover topics spanning the gamut of anime, manga, comics, video games, comics, movies, books, television, and, in general, geek culture.

## What is Livestream for the Cure?

Since 2017, Nick and Justin of the [Epic Film Guys](http://www.epicfilmguys.com/) have dedicated a block of time each year to livestream their podcast and other content in order to raise funds for the Cancer Research Institute. This organization researches immunotherapy with the goal of curing all forms of cancer. They are among some of the most reputable charities out there with a rating of 92% on [CharityNavigator.org](https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3417).

Last year's Livestream for the Cure 2.0 (**check it out [here](https://fundraise.cancerresearch.org/fundraiser/1583313)**) was a resounding success. In 30 hours live on the air, the Epic Film Guys raised over $5,000 for cancer research and an additional $780 for Perry Johnson, a fellow podcaster who guested on the event and was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer shortly before it began. Because they smashed their goal and because of their amazing community of peers and fellow podcasters, they decided this year's event should be even bigger and better.

The 3rd Annual Livestream for the Cure will be held from May 17th through the 19th, and the Epic Film Guys will be live for FORTY hours as they try to hit their biggest goal yet and raise $7,500. The event will be held live at[ https://twitch.tv/epicfilmguys](https://twitch.tv/epicfilmguys) and will include dozens of fellow content creators and podcasters who are joining them to reach this common goal.

They will be live for 40 hours from the following times (all are EST):

**May 17th: 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM**

**May 18th: 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM**

**May 19th: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM**

Follow the event on[ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/events/1303610656446934/) or follow[ @livestream4cure](https://www.twitter.com/livestream4cure) on Twitter for updates and guest information. Links for merchandise (all proceeds go toward the total) and other information will be coming in the near future. To make a donation before and during the event, visit [LivestreamfortheCure.com](https://fundraise.cancerresearch.org/fundraiser/1947095).

Let's make this the biggest year for the Livestream for the Cure yet! Together, we can make a difference!

## Credits

* [ReMix: Chrono Trigger "Door to the End of Time"](https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01442) by [Blake Perdue](https://ocremix.org/artist/4642/blake-perdue) and [ReMix: Chrono Trigger "Temporal Distortion"](https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00789) by [Star Salzman](https://ocremix.org/artist/4403/star-salzman) are from [http://ocremix.org](http://ocremix.org) and used under [ocremix.org content policy](http://ocremix.org/info/Content_Policy#If_you.27re_using_our_content_elsewhere_.28.22Terms_of_Use.22.29%E2%80%A6)

We chat with special guest friend Sid about his over twenty years of convention experience, including how conventions have changed, positive experiences, and dealing with WTFery.

If you want to learn more about Victim Services of Waterloo Region, check out [https://vswr.ca/](https://vswr.ca/), or [donate now](https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/victim-services-of-waterloo-region/).

## Where can you find us?

Pretty much everything we do is `something/thenickscast`, but in specific...

* If you're looking for this podcast (Fanthropological), you can find it at [Fanthropological.com](https://fanthropological.com) or on different podcatchers including [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVp8MBIUyCqlKyZn79iHn), [Apple Podcasts](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210?mt=2), [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnBvZGlhbnQuY28vZmFudGhyb3BvbG9naWNhbC9yc3MueG1s) and many others!

* Keep up-to-date with our latest goings-on on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast), or [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast), all `@thenickscast`

* We also occasionally create extra content about fandom including convention coverage and interviews on [YouTube.com/thenickscast](https://youtube.com/thenickscast)

* We have some fine merchandise available at [shop.thenickscast.com](https://shop.thenickscast.com) (and we'd love your support!)

* If all else fails, you can email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

## What is "Fanthropological"?

Every week, Fanthropological delivers over an hour of fandom-related "fanalysis" covering a different fandom every week and giving you hard data, history, special guests, and, of course, speculation!

We cover topics spanning the gamut of anime, manga, comics, video games, comics, movies, books, television, and, in general, geek culture.

## Credits

* [ReMix: Chrono Trigger "Door to the End of Time"](https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01442) by [Blake Perdue](https://ocremix.org/artist/4642/blake-perdue) from [http://ocremix.org](http://ocremix.org) used under [ocremix.org content policy](http://ocremix.org/info/Content_Policy#If_you.27re_using_our_content_elsewhere_.28.22Terms_of_Use.22.29%E2%80%A6)

* All other music and sound for this week's episode were provided by Nick Green!

# Description

In 2013, two short years after it first appeared on the internet, Vaporwave was declared "dead". And yet, it still lives and has spawned a brood of micro-genres (Simpsonwave, Zeldawave, Glo-Fi, Mallsoft) in 2019. And what about the fans? Somehow, we try to tackle what this music is and figure out the people behind it.

## Episode Outline

**Topics:** What is Vaporwave?, Is it a joke?, An internet micro-genre that seems to be constantly changing, Earnestness versus irony, pretentious art ideals versus memes

### First Impressions

#### Z:

When I first stumbled across Vaporwave, I was shocked by how evocative of some sort of nostalgia it was. Which is strange because I never was much of a mall rat, or spent a lot of time in places that played heavy muzak. And yet, there's a strange atmospheric quality to the music that reminds me of listening to a warbly radio from the bottom of a swimming pool -- which is still weird because I have never done that before in my life.

#### T:

I know next to nothing on this. I assumed that Vaporwave was some obscure genre of music that was facet of a facet of some genre I still couldn't pin down.

#### G:

I thought it was a fun meme thing where everything looks bad intentionally.

### Observations

We really got caught up on the question of whether any of this stuff was earnest or just an enormous joke. Z especially took up the former position, saying (perhaps a little tongue in cheek) that Vaporwave is all about being a postmodern look at postmodern irony. G and T, on the other hand, kept pretty firmly in the "nah, in 2019 this is more of a meme" camp.

### Conclusions

In the end, all three of us admitted to enjoying Vaporwave of some form or other (future funk, the first few albums, Hong Kong Express). T and Z in particular noted how they found the genre much more immediately emotionally evocative than a lot of other music, while G admitted to really getting into the philosophy, narrative and symbolism that can be found in the genre. But, none of us became hardcore Vaporwave fans after our limited exposure to the genre -- so go ahead and give the Macintosh Plus (aka Vektroid) album "Floral Shoppe" a listen!

## Where can you find us?

Pretty much everything we do is `something/thenickscast`, but specifically...

* If you're looking for this podcast (Fanthropological), you can find it at [Fanthropological.com](https://fanthropological.com) or on different podcatchers including [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVp8MBIUyCqlKyZn79iHn), [Apple Podcasts](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210?mt=2), [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnBvZGlhbnQuY28vZmFudGhyb3BvbG9naWNhbC9yc3MueG1s) and many others!

* Keep up-to-date with our latest goings-on on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast), or [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast), all `@thenickscast`

* We also occasionally create extra content about fandom including convention coverage and interviews on [YouTube.com/thenickscast](https://youtube.com/thenickscast)

* We have some fine merchandise available at [shop.thenickscast.com](https://shop.thenickscast.com) (and we'd love your support!)

* If all else fails, you can email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

## What is "Fanthropological"?

Every week, Fanthropological delivers about an hour of fandom-related "fanalysis" covering a different fandom every week and giving you hard data, history, special guests, and, of course, speculation!

We cover topics spanning the gamut of anime, manga, comics, video games, comics, movies, books, television, and, in general, geek culture.

## What is Livestream for the Cure?

Since 2017, Nick and Justin of the [Epic Film Guys](http://www.epicfilmguys.com/) have dedicated a block of time each year to livestream their podcast and other content in order to raise funds for the Cancer Research Institute. This organization researches immunotherapy with the goal of curing all forms of cancer. They are among some of the most reputable charities out there with a rating of 92% on [CharityNavigator.org](https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3417).

Last year's Livestream for the Cure 2.0 (**check it out [here](https://fundraise.cancerresearch.org/fundraiser/1583313)**) was a resounding success. In 30 hours live on the air, the Epic Film Guys raised over $5,000 for cancer research and an additional $780 for Perry Johnson, a fellow podcaster who guested on the event and was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer shortly before it began. Because they smashed their goal and because of their amazing community of peers and fellow podcasters, they decided this year's event should be even bigger and better.

The 3rd Annual Livestream for the Cure will be held from May 17th through the 19th, and the Epic Film Guys will be live for FORTY hours as they try to hit their biggest goal yet and raise $7,500. The event will be held live at[ https://twitch.tv/epicfilmguys](https://twitch.tv/epicfilmguys) and will include dozens of fellow content creators and podcasters who are joining them to reach this common goal.

They will be live for 40 hours from the following times (all are EST):

**May 17th: 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM **

**May 18th: 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM**

**May 19th: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM**

Follow the event on[ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/events/1303610656446934/) or follow[ @livestream4cure](https://www.twitter.com/livestream4cure) on Twitter for updates and guest information. Links for merchandise (all proceeds go toward the total) and other information will be coming in the near future. To make a donation before and during the event, visit [LivestreamfortheCure.com](https://fundraise.cancerresearch.org/fundraiser/1947095).

Let's make this the biggest year for the Livestream for the Cure yet! Together, we can make a difference!

## Credits

* [ReMix: EarthBound "Battle Against a Malignant & Repugnant Opponent"](https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03436) by [nelward](https://ocremix.org/artist/15315/nelward) from [http://ocremix.org](http://ocremix.org) used under [ocremix.org content policy](http://ocremix.org/info/Content_Policy#If_you.27re_using_our_content_elsewhere_.28.22Terms_of_Use.22.29%E2%80%A6)

* All other music and sound for this week's episode were provided by Nick Green!

# Description

To expand on our episode on Tabletop Gaming, G & Z sit down with Caleb & Christian from the Trailblazer Network (home of Pathfinder Academy and Trailblazers) to talk about how they got started with Pathfinder over D&D, their experiences as both players and GMs and some of the controversies that tear the community asunder.

Their podcasts can be found over at [https://www.tblazer.net/](https://www.tblazer.net/) and wherever fine podcasts are heard!

## Where can you find us?

Pretty much everything we do is `something/thenickscast`, but specifically...

* If you're looking for this podcast (Fanthropological), you can find it at [Fanthropological.com](https://fanthropological.com) or on different podcatchers including [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVp8MBIUyCqlKyZn79iHn), [Apple Podcasts](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210?mt=2), [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnBvZGlhbnQuY28vZmFudGhyb3BvbG9naWNhbC9yc3MueG1s) and many others!

* Keep up-to-date with our latest goings-on on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast), or [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast), all `@thenickscast`

* We also occasionally create extra content about fandom including convention coverage and interviews on [YouTube.com/thenickscast](https://youtube.com/thenickscast)

* We have some fine merchandise available at [shop.thenickscast.com](https://shop.thenickscast.com) (and we'd love your support!)

* If all else fails, you can email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

## What is "Fanthropological"?

Every week, Fanthropological delivers about an hour of fandom-related "fanalysis" covering a different fandom every week and giving you hard data, history, special guests, and, of course, speculation!

We cover topics spanning the gamut of anime, manga, comics, video games, comics, movies, books, television, and, in general, geek culture.

## Credits

* All music and sound for this week's episode was provided by Nick Green!

This week on the show, the Nicks take a look at the fate that's befallen Digimon & its fans! Is it always doomed to trail in the shadow of Pokemon or is it underappreciate genius ahead of its time??

### Fandom Facts

* Digimon has spawned 7 anime series, 16 movies, 8 manga series, 43 video games, and a collectible card game.

* There was a point in history where Digimon was more popular that Pokemon… [in North America at least](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-02-19/fox-kids-wins-broadcast-ratings). In February of 2001, it took the number two rating slot among kids 6-11 (Pokemon was third). Similar, but unconfirmed: Digimon was Fox's most popular kids show (even more than Power Rangers)

* The series was only expected to last 13 episodes: "Digimon was just supposed to be a series of half-hour commercials for the toys. Specifically, the Digimon cartoon was to be released in tandem with the PlayStation game Digimon World. But when the show became unexpectedly and wildly popular on its own, more episodes were quickly ordered. In a twist, the Digimon device faded into history, the games did okay, and the show ended up [being the franchise's legacy](https://www.thegamer.com/25-crazy-things-you-never-knew-about-digimon/)."

### First Impressions

#### Z:

I remember watching a bit of the initial Digimon anime alongside Pokemon and Monster Rancher. I got into Pokemon because of the games, I enjoyed Monster Rancher because of how the story seemed to resemble a lot of what I'd seen of that era's JRPGs' stories. But Digimon always struck me as being somehow more episodic than either of those shows, despite having episodes-long, standalone arcs. I think I just didn't appreciate the ensemble-style show that Digimon was.

What little I saw of the games I inevitably compared to Pokemon. Which was pretty much all I could do since I never had a Playstation back in the day, and so never could play the Digimon games to begin with.

Overall, my impression then (and now) is that Digimon was the result of a rival company seeing Pokemon's success and wanting to copy it.

#### T:

I don't think that I'd thought that Digimon was a knock-off until I got older, and even then, it was mostly ironically. I remember watching the first season or two when it aired, and even coming home on a Friday after school to see it and other anime premiere on YTV's "The Zone". I definitely saw some of the third season and of Digimon Frontier, but at that point I wasn't watching the show with any regularity so I couldn't follow it at all: It was a lot harder to follow than Pokemon,especially if you didn't catch the episodes in order.

I don't think I was as attached to the franchise because all of the monsters were so different, and there wasn't anything to latch on to (no types, no memorable names with lots of Japanese references, no stats)... the characters I could get a lot more, and I definitely remember having a crush on Mimi, Sora, and Kari (Season 2… actually, most of their Season 2 incarnations). I want to say that I felt like I could relate to Tai and Matt's relationship (reminded me of a friend and I's)… but I think more realistically I could relate to Izzy.

I might have had a friend that had a digimon in elementary school at the end of the Tamagotchi craze.

### Famous Last Words

What did we have to say about an upcoming episode's topic, Vaporwave with only our first impressions? \

**G: **Is vaporwave a joke?_ \

_

**T: **What is vaporwave, and why do any of us know about it?_ \

_

**Z: **Are there currently any artists working in the vaporwave space that explicitly state that? Many subgenres exist around it, and I'm curious if anyone specifically calls out the association.

## Where can you find us?

Pretty much everything we do is `something/thenickscast`, but in specific...

* If you're looking for this podcast (Fanthropological), you can find it at [Fanthropological.com](https://fanthropological.com) or on different podcatchers including [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/2IVp8MBIUyCqlKyZn79iHn), [Apple Podcasts](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210?mt=2), [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLnBvZGlhbnQuY28vZmFudGhyb3BvbG9naWNhbC9yc3MueG1s) and many others!

* Keep up-to-date with our latest goings-on on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast), or [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast), all `@thenickscast`

* We also occasionally create extra content about fandom including convention coverage and interviews on [YouTube.com/thenickscast](https://youtube.com/thenickscast)

* We have some fine merchandise available at [shop.thenickscast.com](https://shop.thenickscast.com) (and we'd love your support!)

* If all else fails, you can email us: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

## What is "Fanthropological"?

Every week, Fanthropological delivers over an hour of fandom-related "fanalysis" covering a different fandom every week and giving you hard data, history, special guests, and, of course, speculation!

We cover topics spanning the gamut of anime, manga, comics, video games, comics, movies, books, television, and, in general, geek culture.

## Credits

* ["](http://google.ca)The Metal Emperor" by Chernabogue, AngelCityOutlaw & Furilas [OCRemix] used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) - http://ocremix.org/album/72/badass-boss-themes-volume-iii

* All other music and sound for this week's episode were provided by Nick Green!