Key Frames

Episode 32 of Key Frames: Inbetweens, a mini-podcast about anime. It's time to rock out with Masaaki Yuasa's latest movie, Inu-Oh! Not to spoil, but everyone loves it. What all do they like? Is it the real-life talent behind this medieval Japanese rock opera? Is it the wonderful celebration of difference? Is it the opportunity to bring up Heike Monogatari as much as humanly possible? Listen and you're certain to find out.

Episode 123 of Key Frames, a podcast about anime. What follows is a list of podcast HR violations in this episode, as reported by a certain B. Halliburton: Andy talked about the new iDOLM@STER show for over five minutes; Duncan brought up Trigun Stampede unprompted, for the purpose of causing emotional distress; Andy refused to concede that the new KonoSuba spinoff is unfunny; Andy willfully misinterpreted the boomers in Bubblegum Crisis to be senior citizens; Duncan and Andy scoffed at the spring 2023 anime season being described as "slow"; and Duncan needlessly sexualized the casts of Tsurune, Yuri on Ice, and Free. Disciplinary action is forthcoming. We at Key Frames appreciate your patience and understanding during this difficult time.

Episode 122 of Key Frames, a podcast about anime. Yes, Ben got way too mad about Trigun Stampede, but he also has such nice things to say about the second seasons of Tsurune and Vinland Saga. Yes, Duncan's watched some skeevy shows, but he's dropped most of them and is willing to hold Andy to account (or maybe vice versa) on Onimai, at least? Yes, it was a lean season, leaner than most, but there's still a lot of stuff to talk about. It's not like we get paid, but it's still our job, so tune in!

Episode 31 of Key Frames: Inbetweens, a mini-podcast about anime. It is we who plowed the prairies, built the cities where they trade / Dug the mines and built the workshops, endless miles of railroad laid / Now we stand outcast and starving midst the wonders we have made / But the union makes us strong! Come listen to Ben, Andy, and Duncan express their solidarity with a red panda and a hyena as they muse on the end of Netflix's Aggretsuko.

Episode 121 of Key Frames, a podcast about anime. You know, someday we're going to find a way to get through the beginnings and ends of anime seasons in an efficient manner. We've tried pre-prep, agendas, a timekeeper, hand signals, a rota system, and plan ol' talking over each other. Nothing works! You get deep in the weeds talking about the wonky pacing of Urusei Yatsura remake or the dramatic stakes of Chainsaw Man and suddenly ten minutes have flown by. You let that happen a dozen times and suddenly you've got a movie-length podcast about all the crap Ben, Andy, Duncan, Jeff, and Jon watched for the fall 2022 and winter 2023 anime seasons. Oh right, Jon's back, too! See how the disorganization creeps up on you? We'll do better. We always do better.

Episode 120 of Key Frames, a podcast about anime. There's always something left over at the end of the year, isn't there? Andy has some awards to hand out, many of them to manga and live-action films. Duncan wanted one more look back on the changing face of the anime industry, and Ben has eight shows (maybe more) that he hasn't gotten to talk about yet. Jeff just needs to finish Akiba Maid War! As the uncomfortable immediacy of this episode description prompts you to reflect on your own unfinished business, why don't you put us on? You can zone out to ninety-odd minutes of freeform discussion about almost everything, with a hearty side of holiday cheer. Look forward to what 2023 holds!

Episode 30 of Key Frames: Inbetweens, a mini-podcast about anime. Revue Starlight is a story of podcast hosts guided by the sureness of their opinions. They agree and disagree. They make good points even as they miss the overall picture. However, eventually the episode ends, never to be revisited again. It is a somber experience... but the story of those nine girls hopelessly captivates Ben and Duncan. Knowing all that they face, the tragedy that shall someday come, will you still choose to join them on stage? I understand.

Episode 119 of Key Frames, a podcast about anime. A slice-of-life show about building and repairing things by yourself? Too much work. A high-budget reboot of a storied anime from the eighties? Maybe your grandpa cares. A new installment of Gundam? I ought to check out the original series first. A thrilling action-comedy about mid-century spies? I'm not bothering with it if the source manga doesn't have an ending. Chainsaw Man? Chainsaw Man. There are so many reasons out there not to watch anime, but this episode is full of Ben, Andy, Duncan, and Jeff telling you why you should... well, unless it's something Ben doesn't feel like watching, we aren't responsible for him.

Episode 118 of Key Frames, a podcast about anime. Apologies are in order for this episode. Apologies that it's taken us four years since our episode on The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl to talk about the anime that started it all, The Tatami Galaxy. Apologies that two of the shows we discuss in our end-of-season wrap-up, Overlord IV and Call of the Night, weren't even done airing when we recorded this. Apologies for lifting this episode's title from an excellent review of Rent-a-Girlfriend 2nd Season by Nicholas Dupree. And, most of all, apologies that we recorded this while Ben thought he had ragweed allergies but was actually coming down with a bruiser of a cold. It doesn't affect the energy that much, we promise!

Episode 117 of Key Frames, a podcast about anime. Well, now that Ben has watched Vision of Escaflowne and Magic Knight Rayearth, he's decided that he likes isekai anime, so in this episode he joins Duncan to dive into the development of the genre. What nuggets of wisdom will they unearth from the distant eighties and nineties? Will Ben discover that he is actually able to appreciate The Twelve Kingdoms now? Will Duncan be able to thread the needle of InuYasha being isekai? Ben certainly tries to do that when they talk later about Aria, the "other world" in question of course being Mars. Check it all out for yourself!