This week, Nigel sits down with Learning & Community Curator Leah Dungay to explore Behind the Screens, the National Videogame Museum’s new exhibition opening in summer 2026, which aims to transform how UK videogame heritage is collected and understood.

It’s a response to the challenges of preserving video games and takes a people-centred approach, with community-led partnerships that reflect the complexity of games: documenting developers and their creative processes, and recording the social histories of gameplay and the fandoms within it.

We talk about Leah’s role within the project, why preservation matters (especially as games, platforms, and marketplace access change), and what “community” really means within gaming culture. We also share what to expect from the “Do I Look Like A Gamer?” diversity campaign, which is set to be featured in the exhibition!

Leah also reflects on her own journey with games - from N64 favourites to the joys of Pokémon Snap.

NOTE: This is the last episode recorded before our mid-season break. Over the next month, we’ll be sharing audio from our “Do I Look Like A Gamer?” campaign launch livestream, and will be recording new episodes of the Story x Story podcast in August!

Connect with Leah online:

• Behind the Screens website: https://thenvm.org/behind-the-screens
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenvmuk
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/nvmuk
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com

Connect with mayamada

mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey — whether they’re discovering what’s possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation.

• Website: https://mayamada.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatv
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatv
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatv
• Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

Join our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey: https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT

This week, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Community Manager of Out Making Games Dan Finch and GamesAid Vice Chair Dom Shaw for our summer video game roundtable (from 26:19).

We dig into the newly revealed Steam Machine pricing, whether the hardware is worth it, and what it says about gaming becoming too expensive. Then we get into a little game called GTA VI launching without a disc, how much Rockstar can charge for the world’s most anticipated game launch, what “ownership” looks like in a download-only future, and whether today’s world is ready for GTA’s infamous satire.

And there’s still time to debate the many missteps of the major platform holders, plus what we’re actually looking forward to in the games industry.

Games we're enjoying this week include: Destiny 2 (Windows), 007 First Light (PS5), My Hero Ultra Rumble (Windows), R.E.P.O (Windows), Cult of Lamb (PC), Halo: Infinite Multiplayer (Xbox), Boyfriend on Demand (Netflix), Fall Guys (Windows), Marvel Rivals (Windows), Horizon Zero Dawn (PS5)

Connect with Dom online:

• Website: https://www.gamesaid.org
• Website: https://www.gameworkers.co.uk
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominicshaw94
• LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/sussex-games

Connect with Dan online:

• Website: https://www.outmaking.games
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/outmakinggames.bsky.social

Connect with mayamada

mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey - whether they're discovering what's possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation.

• Website: https://mayamada.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatv
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatv
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatv
• Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

Join our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT

This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Nareice Wint, a producer and game developer at Miami Avalon, to discuss her journey into games and finding her way from AAA to indie development. We look at the differences and realities of two very different landscapes, from the structure and scale of AAA studios to the personal responsibility and creative freedom of building something independently.

Nareice also gives us a look at the challenges of that personal journey, as we get real about navigating games while facing hurdles like the Job Centre and the negative perception of video games in society.

With a decade of experience behind her, and off the back of a successful game release with Ascend, Nareice shares how her path has led her to redefine what success now means.

Connect with Nareice online:

• Miami Avalon Website: https://www.miamiavalon.com
• Ascend on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1944260/Ascend
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nareicejwint
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nareice

Connect with mayamada

mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey - whether they're discovering what's possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation.

• Website: https://mayamada.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatv
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatv
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatv
• Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

Join our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT

This week, Nigel and Tazziii live, die, and repeat once more for a dive deep into All You Need Is Kill (from 25:06), with Comic Creator and WIP Comics Member Lara Callaghan.

We compare this new anime adaptation to earlier versions (including Edge of Tomorrow) and explore whether it brings anything new to the table. From there, we dig into the film’s distinctive visuals and its more internal, character-led perspective, looking closely at the arcs, relationships, and themes that come up across its many loops.

This week’s storytelling tip is about third-act constriction: how narrowing a protagonist’s options, space, and agency can intensify tension and force decisive character choices.

Other stories we’re enjoying include: Zerocalcare (Books), The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Book), Interview with the Vampire (Netflix), Love Through a Prism (Netflix), The Art of Sarah (Netflix), My Demon (Netflix), Cannon Busters (Netflix), Invincible (Amazon Prime), Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (Book), Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 (Disney+).

Connect with Lara online:

• Website: https://wipcomics.co.uk
• inQ! London’s Queer Comic Festival: https://inqlondoncomicfair.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wip_comics
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/WIP_Comics
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wipcomics.bsky.social

Connect with mayamada:

mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey - whether they're discovering what's possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation.

• Website: https://mayamada.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatv
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatv
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatv
• Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

Join our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT

In this special episode of Story x Story, we’re sharing the audio from our Anime in the Mainstream panel at MCM Comic Con London (May 2026).

Anime is no longer as niche as it once was, and is now defining entertainment for a whole generation. Our panel explores what makes anime land emotionally, how streaming and social media are accelerating its rise, and what is at stake as Hollywood and global platforms invest more into the medium we’ve been enjoying for years.

Nigel is moderating the panel, which features Lara Callaghan, Vittorio Deluca, Marta Camilo, and Marcus Tan, with audience questions at the end. Whether you’re familiar with, or new to, the world of anime, this conversation will help give a clearer picture of how anime is different from much of Western animation, plus insight into the question of adaptations, anime-inspired work, and more.

Don’t forget to tune in to the mayamada Twitch channel each month for more Studio77 content with our hosts and the mayamada community: Studio77 Report, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators and Games Night.

Connect with Lara online:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wip_comics
• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/WIP_Comics

Connect with Marta online:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myunie
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisismartaaa
• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/myunie

Connect with Vik online:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vikdelucacomics
• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/GutterLizardz

Connect with Marcus online:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theanimepsychiatrist

Connect with mayamada

mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey - whether they're discovering what's possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation.

• Website: https://mayamada.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatv
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatv
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatv
• Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

Join our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT

Nigel and Tazziii head to the Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham for a special in-person episode recording! We're hitting the track for a deep dive into 100 Meters (the anime adaptation of Uoto’s manga). This is an existential story that asks one central question: “Why do you run?” and then explores multiple answers through characters whose ambitions, anxieties, and identities collide in subtle ways.

We unpack the character arcs, and why anime often does grey areas well in a way that lands differently from many Western narratives. It’s a heavy story, and we debate how well it works as both an emotionally intense narrative and a thematic argument about purpose, pressure, and self-worth. We also discuss how well adaptations can work even if you have never read the source material.

This week’s storytelling tip is about four corner opposition from an internal and ideological viewpoint rather than a purely external conflict.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Ranma 1/2 (Netflix), The Warrior Princess and the Barbarian King (Crunchyroll), The Light in the Mist (Puzzle Game), The Legend of Vox Machina (Amazon Prime), Gardens of the Moon (Novel), and Bob’s Burgers (Disney+).

Connect with mayamada

mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey - whether they're discovering what's possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation.

• Website: https://mayamada.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatv
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatv
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatv
• Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

Join our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT

This week, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by executive producer Jerome Mazandarani - the producer behind Cannon Busters - for a behind-the-scenes industry look at how anime has gone from niche subculture to mainstream global entertainment.

We dig into Jerome’s journey producing Cannon Busters, what it actually takes to get an anime made, and what it’s like navigating Japanese production pipelines and fan expectations as someone coming from outside the industry. We also explore the impact technology and streaming have had on anime’s rise, the pressures that come with increased global demand, and the big question: as anime becomes more widespread in funding, audiences, and production…will it stay “anime”?

Connect with Jerome:

• The Accidental Otaku - https://jeromemazandarani.substack.com

Connect with mayamada:

mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey - whether they're discovering what's possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation.

• Website: https://mayamada.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatv
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatv
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatv
• Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

Join our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey: https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT

In this Rewind episode, we’re revisiting a great conversation from Casual Conversations With Comic Creators with Rachael Smith who is back for her third visit to our livestream series.

Rachael breaks down what goes into making a successful Kickstarter, with the recently funded Nap Comix as a real-world case study. We dig into the behind-the-scenes work that helps a campaign succeed, from planning and audience building to communication, scope, and delivery.

We also talk about awards and recognition, what it really takes to promote your work as an artist without burning out, and the excitement of stepping into new narratives as Rachael gives us a special announcement about an upcoming new comic project.

Tune in to the mayamada Twitch channel each month for more Studio77 content with our hosts and the mayamada community: Studio77 Report, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators and Games Night.

Connect with mayamada

mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey - whether they're discovering what's possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation.

• Website: https://mayamada.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatv
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatv
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatv
• Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

Join our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT

This week, Nigel and Tazziii set sail into One Piece Season 2 (from 26:11), joined by our crew of guests Dom Shaw, Lao K and Louise Karunwi.

It’s a wide‑ranging discussion with some views you might not expect, as we get into how faithful the live‑action adaptation feels, what changes land (and which ones don’t), and whether a story this big can ever truly make the leap to live action. We also dig into the places we visit, the colourful costume work, and the themes Season 2 brings to life, pulling out what’s working and what still feels like it’s finding its sea legs.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Go For It, Nakamura! (Crunchyroll), The Ramparts of Ice (Crunchyroll), You and I Are Polar Opposites (Crunchyroll), Abbott Elementary (Disney+), Hogwarts Legacy (PlayStation), Invincible (Prime Video), Black Mirror (Netflix), Tales of Arise (Xbox), Bad Sisters (Apple TV+), Prime Target (Apple TV+), Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage (Prime Video), Little Kitty, Big City (Xbox), The Legend of Vox Machina (Prime Video), Daemons of the Shadow Realm (Crunchyroll)

Connect with Dom online:

• Website: https://www.gamesaid.org
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sussex-games

Connect with Lao online:

• Website: https://laokservices.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laokarun

Connect with Louise online:

• Website: https://www.youtube.com/@NoMoreDrafts

Connect with mayamada

mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey - whether they're discovering what's possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation.

• Website: https://mayamada.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatv
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatv
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatv
• Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

Join our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT

This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Mereida Fajardo, a Bristol-based comic and zine-maker, illustrator, and arts facilitator, to explore her journey and deep relationship with the physical medium of comics. Mereida shares how The Dark Knight first got her into comics, and the critical education decision that saw her follow her passion rather than what was expected of her by others.

We also dig into her work as an event organiser and what she is building in Bristol for comic and zine makers through Zinezilla.

Connect with Mereida online:

• Website: https://www.mereida.co.uk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m.ereida
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mereida.bsky.social

Connect with mayamada

mayamada is a manga brand and mission-driven creative agency all about equipping young and aspiring creatives to thrive on the creative journey - whether they're discovering what's possible, developing new skills, or sharing expertise with the next generation.

• Website: https://mayamada.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatv
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayamadatv
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/mayamadatv
• Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

Join our Studio77 community on Discord to connect with other creatives and be part of the journey https://discord.gg/b5fmnuT