Otaku Hourly

Director Naoko Yamada (A Silent Voice; K-On) has released a new film - an original story about a girl who can see and feel a person's color joining a band with a dropout and an aspiring medical student in preparation for an upcoming school festival. The Colors Within is an exploration of both the internal struggles of hiding secrets and the joys of creating music as an act of community and worship; all utilizing color and light as a storytelling device. Show Host, Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran, and his guest, Jon, talk about the movie's nuances, themes, and details and feature interview snippets featuring Yamada-san herself.

Many thanks to:

Join us as we interview Yoko Kuno, director of Ghost Cat Anzu.

Ghost Cat Anzu will be released to theatres on November 15 according to the GKIDS official website. Follor @GKIDSFilms for more information!

Join us as we interview Naoko Yamada, director of The Colors Within.

The Colors Within will be in theatres on January 24th, follow @GKIDSFilms for more updates!

Join imagEn with special guest hyunicat on their first impressions attending Anime NYC 2023!

This is a story of boy meets girl, and it is not a love story.* Keisuke Uyama's popular novel follows a young couple who fall in love yet are separated due to a fatal illness that causes someone to age rapidly. Death looms over the couple's time and intimacy together, yet what if miscommunication is accelerating their demise? Host Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran and crew member Razelatte delves further into the book and its Netflix film adaptation by the same name as well as whether or not it can become an anime (and by who/what studio).

*For those who know this reference from 500 Days of Summer - kudos!

Hitting the year running, we're starting off with our experiences at Anime Los Angeles 19 (2024) and Anime Impulse Los Angeles 2024. Two VERY DIFFERENT conventions that occur right next to each other.

Members on the Show:

- Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran

- Matt "imagEn" Aquino

- Jon "No Jons" Sloan

- Jonathan "Ravarath" Garcia

Disclaimer: All opinions made are by the respective individuals.

Anime Los Angeles 2023 Highlight.

Interview with:

Mamoru Yokota - Animation Director of One Piece Film Red

Kenji Yokoyama - Animation Director & Key Animator of One Piece Film Red

Recorded originally in late September/early October, Jojo and imagEn have a lengthy hangout with Randy and Rachel; two prominent members of the Anime Impulse staff that have been around since almost the beginning. We talk about their origin, Anime Impulse's origin, their decisions behind the Anaheim Convention Center and expansion, and Jollibee.

Haven't gotten tickets yet for an Anime Impulse convention near you? Head over to Anime Impulse's website to find the closest convention and purchase a badge! FYI, Anime Impulse LA is coming REAL soon (January 13-14)

Many in the anime community consider this to be their Christmas movie - starts on Christmas with the Nativity scene and becomes a string of miraculous misadventures of three homeless people simply trying to find the parents of a baby they found in a dumpster.

Directed by the late Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Paranoia Agent, Millennium Actress) this film is a gritty redemptive story of a group of outcasts becoming the unlikely heroes of the Christmas and New Year season. Your backdoor anime hangout went to watch this film in the theaters for AX Cinema Nights.

Many thanks to Erik Jansen for the press opportunity!

More information at https://www.ax-cinemanights.com/

Our thoughts on the US release of The Boy and the Heron, the latest film released by Studio Ghibli and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Jojo really went hard on this one.

First half of the session is spoiler-free until 28:22.

Members on this episode:

Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran

Matthew "imagEn" Aquino