***Spoiler Warning: Severance (2022)***

Three wolves rage inside your breast. One really likes work, the other really likes his dead wife. The third wolf is that devourer of worlds known as Isekai - he lives both without and within us all. Does our discussion of Severance really warrant a spoiler warning? I don't really think so but there you go anyway. Severance asks a question posed very Spike Jonesily: what if the mysterious door transported you not into John Malkovich but your boring office job? Is wage labour actually an isekai? Find out at (15:35), right after our lil Le Guin mantra.

In this episode we discuss:

Episode 12: Return to the Capital (28:48)

Episode 13: Self-Proclaimed Knight Natsuki Subaru (54:43)

Episode 14: The Sickness Called Despair (1:25:57)

Closing Thoughts (1:55:08)

In this, the grand return to form of Reincarnated as podcasters we are introducing some exciting new changes. For one we have embraced a new emerging format we like to call Web 3.0. It works like this: First we briefly recap the three (3) episodes of the anime we're watching, and with this refresher out of the way we are free to create a WEB of interconnected associations, observations and thoughts related to these episodes. Thus we have Web 3.0, pretty neat right? We really look forward to changing the podcast game with this one!

These episodes are weighty but it is made bearable by the generous outpouring of waifus we receive. And not just any waifus, mind you, they're waifus with ideology. Step on me, mommy? No, no. More like crush my windpipe, mommy's belief system! Of course Re:Zero is not satisfied with merely fulfilling a viewer's fantasy of another world as it draws humanity out of its characters, and with it their glaring flaws. Who would have thought that being sucked through a portal into RPG land would not fix the issues that would make you unbearable in any world you ended up in? Both Emilia and Subaru find out the hard way. 

Don't forget, you can follow us on twitter at @ReincarnatedPod

Or email us at [email protected]

Lemme just upload this and be done. Show notes to follow. 

I haven't uploaded this because internet issues caused my audio to sound like garbage and editing this ep felt like suffering through Itachi's sharingan genjutsu. So I simply decided not to edit it! Listen to us vape on mic and listen to me struggle to recall the term "cognitive dissonance" for like 5 minutes. 

Anyway, enjoy!

***Spoiler Warning: Warcraft (2016)***

Have you heard about the latest Activision Blizzard scandal? They got a talented indie film director to helm their cinematic vanity project based on the Warcraft IP five years ago. I know, I can't believe it either. And the worst part is... it might be an Isekai! In all seriousness fuck Bobby Kotick, Microsoft and the games industry that sustains itself on violence against workers, women and people of colour. Is it an Isekai starts at (16:51)

In this episode we cover:

Episode 6: The Sound of Chains (29:25)

Episode 7: Natsuki Subaru's Restart (1:01:38)

Episode 8: I Cried, Cried My Lungs Out, and Stopped Crying (1:44:56)

Closing thoughts (2:11:55)

Good anime is always engaged in a balancing act between drawing the viewer in and overdrawing on their suspension of disbelief. In these episodes Re:Zero signals at some moments of strong pathos that I am more than willing to go along with because I am pathetic. My co-hosts however, tread carefully where I leap in headlong. A moment's interrogation reveals the false bottom on this illusion of depth and pops the bubble of this Isekai dream held onto so steadfastly by Subaru and perhaps even some viewers. 

These episodes tease out some multifaceted views from us, and in a sense that is Re:Zero's greatest strength so far. Shout outs once again to Sam for taking this trip with us. We hope you enjoy our discussion! 

Don't forget, you can follow us on twitter at @ReincarnatedPod

Or email us at [email protected]

As promised, here's part two of our discussion covering episode 5 as well as our closing thoughts.

Once again, a big shoutout to Sam for joining us on this episode!

We cover:

Episode 5: The Morning of Our Promise Is Still Distant (3:06)

Closing Thoughts at (57:11)

Yep, we went long with this one! These episodes offered a one-two combo of genre and pacing, switching it up on us with alacrity, hitting us with delicate left jabs followed by some rather straightforward, unsubtle rights. While I take it all on the chin and beg for more, Vicki and Sam still manage to duck and weave some of Re:Zero's more halting shift of direction. When the swords and sorcery is put away, it is true that most of Re:Zero's action so far has happened in its conversation. But is it falling into the trap of telling rather than showing? Join us to find out!

As always, you can follow us on twitter at @ReincarnatedPod

Or email us at [email protected]

A big thank you to Sam, who guests on this episode! 

** This one went a bit long so I decided to split it up into two chunks. It's pretty much a standard ep, but we only discuss episodes 3 and 4. Our discussion on episode 5 and our closing thoughts will be uploaded some time next week. Sorry if you are inconvenienced by this, but it does help get it out on time and keeps the eps from being massive. **

We've all been hate watching Netflix's Cowboy Bebop and stirring up the vitriol within our souls all week just to get it out for all of the internet to hear. We spend a little extra time in "What Have You Been Watching" (segment name pending), tearing this awful remake to shreds and praising the original (or at least our memory of it). The segment starts at (6:34)

Isekai, the final frontier. This is the voyage of 3 podcasters as they discuss whether Star Trek: Voyager is an isekai or not. We also finally answer the age old question of who cleans out all the splooge from the holodeck. No real spoilers are discussed here! Is it an isekai starts at (24:56)

On this episode we cover:

Episode 3: Starting Life from Zero in Another World

Episode 4: The Happy Roswaal Mansion Family

Episode 5 and our closing thoughts to be uploaded soon!

Subaru is a gamer, in these episodes he's also a hero. But most importantly, he's the hero of this story. Or so it seems. While Subaru plays out the JRPG he finds himself transported to, does he have the wherewithal to recognise he's not the only one playing a game here? In these episodes we meet characters who are more than meets the eye, with ambitions that may just dwarf Subaru's isekai dreams. Or perhaps they simply thrive in being unnoticed. A humble servant in a familiar and comforting hierarchy. We bring a variety of perspectives to the table for this episode. We hope you enjoy hearin them!

Don't forget, you can follow us on twitter at @ReincarnatedPod

Or email us at [email protected] 

***Spoiler Warning: Pleasantville (1998) ***

Hell is other suburbs. I can think of no place I'd rather avoid than an American suburb. But what if you where isekai'd to one by an evil genie TV repairman? Sounds like you're in Pleasantville (1998). We give everything away about this film. Again we see sitcom nostalgia and suburban ennui rear it's ugly head in our "Is it an Isekai" segment. More like UnPleasantville, am I right? Upsettingville, more like. NPR's Shittown, more like! Okay I'll stop. Segment starts at (13:58)

In lieu of an Otaku Glossary, we talk a bit about what show to watch next. It's a brief conversation as we come to a decision pretty quickly. I don't think we'll be leaving our next show up to the dice for a while. Our chat starts at (21:04)

In this weeks ep we cover:

Episode 10: It Seems Ringo's Worked Up the Courage to Become a Hunter! (30:30)

Episode 11: It Seems Keine Can't Stand Naughty Boys! (59:02)

Episode 12: It Seems High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even In Another World! (1:28:12)

Closing thoughts at (1:45:36)

We've learned our lesson folks. What more can we say about High School Prodigies Have it Easy Even in Another World. While they were having it easy, we were busting our damn brains trying to understand just what we were watching. With these 3 episodes the show manages to stretch our credulity even further than before. Eugenics superbabies? The war on drugs? An actual nuke? They're all in this episode baby! Like Oslo El Gustave, this show just would not stay down and it is batshit form minute one to minute done. Although we learned a great deal about isekai and the wide array of wish fulfillment fantasies they can cater to, by the end we're practically begging for a forced lobotomy (which is also included in these episodes). Thanks for joining us on this strange journey to another world. Up next: Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World!

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*** Spoiler Warning: The Cell (2000)***

We sensory dive into the mind of a psycho killer in this weeks "Is it an Isekai", only to find that it's full of elaborate set design and bondage gear. The contradictions of the human mind, folks! We're talking about The Cell. The visually arresting and suspenseful sci-fi thriller direct by Tarsem Singh starring beautiful queen Jennifer Lopez and wretched goblin man Vince Vaughan. It's pretty good... but is it an isekai? Find out from (12:36).

A trolley is barrelling down the tracks towards some unsuspecting workers. You can flip a switch to save them, at the cost of the life of one worker on another track. What do you do? Easy, I throw myself on the tracks. I'd rather take my chances in another world than have to answer a ridiculous hypothetical. Just how ridiculous and how hypothetical is the trolley problem? We get into it from (24:19).

This weeks recap segment covers:

Episode 7: It Seems Shinobu Has a Shinobi's Intuition! (49:35)

Episode 8: It Seems Aoi's Specs Are Greater Than Imagined! (1:28:05)

Episode 9: It Seems Tsukasa Has Seen Through Everything! (1:52:10)

Closing thoughts at (2:28:47)

Sigh and groan. We spend another episode going way too long on how terrible this anime is. To be fair, High School Prodigies has finally gone overboard into heretofore unseen territories of vileness. Not only is this show constantly high on its own lib fumes, it seems the level of creepy content just continues to creep upward and it's starting to get upsetting. No one is likeable and the story is barely there. So how are we able to talk about it for as long as we do? We're simply trying to understand! By re-treading the awful events of these episodes we slowly make sense of it whilst also keeping each others sanities intact. Come stare into the abyss with us!

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Email us at [email protected]

Boy oh boy, we recorded a monstersode! I managed to whittle it down to 3 very concise hours of chat, goofs and takes. But it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do for the pod. Watching these 3 episodes comes in second. Big shoutouts to Joss, who guests on this episode and even brings along an "is it an isekai" for discussion, 1971's Mr Benn. Is it an isekai? A slice-of-life? Or even a magical girl anime? Find out at (23:16).

We're tackling a new isekai starting this week. It's High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even in Another World. What a mouthful! That's not the only mouthful we'll be talking about on this one. It's a rough ride, but your intrepid hosts made it all the way through and now we're knee deep in free market economics and... horse oil? What the hell? As per usual we talk about various production details about the show before getting into the episode recaps. Production notes start at (40:25)

In this episode we cover:

Episode 1: High School Prodigies Have Arrived in Another World! (54:49)

Episode 2: Masato Is Serious About Making Money! (1:39:14)

Episode 3: It Seems Roo Can Decide Her Own Worth! (2:07:35)

Closing Thoughts (2:43:30)

This is an anime that is going to spark a lot of disdain. It's packed front to back with dogshit ideas an ideology. I don't think any of us on this episode thought this was a good anime in any way, but it is definitely a work that falls squarely within our purview. If we're able to stomach some of it's more reprehensible elements we will absolutely find a story about another world that is just begging and clamouring to hold up a mirror to our own. A dirty, greasy, horse oil smeared mirror. We hope you like this episode as much as we liked recording it!

Follow us on twitter at @ReincarnatedPod

Email us at [email protected]