The Weekly Stuff Podcast with Jonathan Lack & Sean Chapman

Jonathan had a very exciting week as The Criterion Collection published an essay he wrote on Makoto Shinkai, thus checking off a major bucket list item, while Sean had an extremely boring week administering standardized tests to high schoolers and showing them the 2011 animated not-a-classic, Gnomeo & Juliet. We talk about both of those experiences, share some more thoughts on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and finally hear Jonathan gush about the 1997 Berserk anime, now on Blu-ray from Discotek, which we will definitely have to do an episode on in the future. Enjoy! Read Jonathan’s Criterion essay here - https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/8453-thoughts-transcending-time-and-distance-makoto-shinkai-s-voices-of-a-distant-starSupport the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

In one of the grab-baggiest grab bag episodes we’ve ever recorded, Sean reviews a bunch of anime including Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Solo Leveling, and The Dangers in My Heart, and talks about playing through all the DLC forDragon Ball Z: Kakarot; Jonathan gives his thoughts on Netflix’s outstanding new drama Ripley and talks about finally getting his hands on the premium Game Boy device, the Analogue Pocket; and finally, we both give our initial impressions of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Sean after playing the first few hours, Jonathan after playing the first 40 hours, but neither of us anywhere near completing this mammoth second chapter of the Remake project.Enjoy! Time Chart:Into & Housekeeping: 0:00:00 – 0:06:02Talkin’ Anime: 0:06:02 – 0:48:53Talkin’ Ripley & Netflix: 0:48:53 – 1:11:17Dragon Ball Z Kakarot DLC: 1:11:17 – 1:31:36Analogue Pocket: 1:31:36 – 1:58:58Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: 1:58:58 – 2:57:00Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/

We’re back with a jam-packed episode covering lots of games, anime, and more! Sean and Jonathan have finally finished the massive 100-hour JRPGs both have been playing – Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Persona 3 Reload – and give final reports on both of those. But we also discuss the leaked specs for Sony’s upcoming PS5 Pro, discuss the new Sand Land anime based on the manga by Akira Toriyama, hear travel stories from Jonathan about a recent trip to Boston, and get details from Sean on his latest Ultraman adventures! Enjoy! Time Chart:Into & Housekeeping: 0:00:00 – 0:06:27Stuff: 0:06:27 – 0:57:56PS5 Pro News: 0:57:56 – 1:25:44Persona 3 Reload: 1:25:44 – 1:58:16Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth: 1:58:16 – 2:23:24 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

Akira Toriyama, creator of Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump, and illustrator of the Dragon Quest franchise, passed away this week at the age of 68. His influence on our lives, like those of millions around the world, has been incalculable, so we’re devoting today’s entire show to discussing his incredible body of work and the way it changed anime, manga, video games, and global popular culture. We discuss how we first discovered Dragon Ball, why he was such a peerless mangaka, read some of the statements that have poured in from other manga authors and Dragon Ball collaborators, and respond to some listener comments. And after that, we bring back a segment from 2022 in which Sean and Jonathan rank all the story arcs in the Dragon Ball franchise, giving us a chance to dive into and celebrate his most famous work.  Enjoy. Time Chart: Remembering Akira Toriyama: 0:00:00 – 2:12:07Ranking Dragon Ball Story Arcs: 2:12:07 – 3:10:45 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

After weeks of breathless speculation, Xbox unveiled some relatively minor details about the multiplatform future vision of the brand, which prompts us to have an in-depth conversation about where Xbox is going and why the current strategy feels at odds with their oft-stated long-term goals. We also discuss Marvel’s unveiling of their new Fantastic Four cast, Jonathan talks about watching Solo Leveling and playing Modern Warfare III, and we conclude with a check-in on the giant JRPGs we’re both playing, Persona 3 Reload and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Enjoy! Time Chart:Intro: 0:00:00 – 0:07:43Stuff: 0:07:43 – 0:24:34Fantastic Four News: 0:24:34 – 0:45:21Xbox & Gaming News: 0:45:21 – 1:35:20Persona: 1:35:20 – 1:46:32Like a Dragon: 1:46:32 – 2:10:51Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

Superhero movies are quickly becoming a dead genre in Hollywood, as evidenced by this weekend’s coldly-unanticipated release of Madame Web, so we thought we’d bid the genre the farewell it deserves by recycling a segment from our 10th Anniversary Podcast in 2022, where we counted down each of our 10 favorite superhero movies of all time! Though this was recorded a year-and-a-half ago, almost nothing of note in the genre has come out since, so this still more or less reflects our general thoughts, and can serve as a nice auditory headstone over the grave of superhero cinema. These were the good ones, and we may never see their like again. Enjoy! Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

Today’s episode is wall-to-wall packed with exciting stuff, as we give first impressions on Persona 3 Reload and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Jonathan explains why you should avoid Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Sean dips his toes in Palworld, and we discuss some anime we caught up on over winter break including Spy x Family and One Piece. We also dive into recent news including the catastrophic series of video game industry layoffs throughout January and, more happily, the announcement of the original Fate/stay night visual novel finally being localized in English later this year. Enjoy! Time Chart:Intro/Housekeeping: 0:00:00 – 0:16:26Talkin’ Anime: 0:16:26 – 0:52:41Talkin’ Tolkien: 0:52:41 – 1:01:04News: 1:01:04 – 1:30:11Fate/Samurai Remnant: 1:30:11 – 1:41:19Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown: 1:41:19 – 1:58:01Palworld: 1:58:01 – 2:05:11Persona 3 Reload: 2:05:11 – 2:28:50Like a Dragon: 2:28:50 – 3:05:35Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/

This Friday sees the release of Persona 3 Reload, the remake of one of our very favorite video games ever made, and to celebrate, we’re resurrecting a segment from our 10th Anniversary Podcast in 2022, where Sean, Jonathan, and special guest star Occasional Thomas watched and reviewed the first part of Persona 3: The Weird Masquerade, the stage play adaptation of the game from 2014. “Weird” is definitely the operative word here, as this is a very quirky theatrical (and musical!) adaptation of an already bizarre game, but it makes for a very interesting conversation, one we’re excited to present as a standalone episode for the first time! Enjoy! Link to Persona 3: The Weird Masquerade YouTube Fansubs - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiy1WLTm7y8wFxkRdzycpHRZ0QNNYnkUX&si=gn2ZCs5qrKeDVCfQSupport the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

The time has come, once again: Sean and Jonathan are here to count down the Top 10 Video Games of 2023, in what was one of the most densely packed years for great games we’ve experienced in a long time. Both hosts present their own Top 10 lists, recapping some games we’ve sung the praises of before – like Resident Evil 4, Street Fighter 6, and Final Fantasy XVI – and discussing some surprise entries we haven’t mentioned until now. It’s a really fun episode that highlights just how many great experiences we had in the world of video games this year, and leaves us refreshed and excited for what’s to come in 2024! Enjoy! Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

The New Year and the THIRTEENTH SEASON of The Weekly Stuff Podcast (whoa!) begins with a lot of catch-up on what we’ve been doing over the holidays – playing Alan Wake II and Pokémon, watching anime, and more – and our review of the Doctor Who Christmas special, “The Church on Ruby Road.” Introducing us to Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as new companion Ruby Sunday, this Christmas-day extravaganza was a blast, with amazing creature effects, outstanding performances, and a full-blown musical number. It’s a great way to ring out 2023, kick off 2024, and start a new year of the podcast!  Enjoy! Time Chart:Intro: 0:00:00 – 0:09:46Sean’s Remedy Adventures: 0:09:46 – 0:39:53Jonathan’s Stuff & Anime Talk: 0:39:53 – 1:07:36Doctor Who: 1:07:36 – 2:13:24Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

In this special bonus episode, Jonathan Lack counts down the Top 10 Films of 2023! You can read the text of this episode, and see links to full reviews of every film discussed, at https://www.jonathanlack.com/p/the-top-10-films-of-2023Time Chart: Intro: 0:00:00 - 0:03:18 Leftovers: 0:03:18 - 0:05:01 Honorable Mentions (#20-#11): 0:05:01 - 0:17:29 #10: 0:17:29 - 0:19:57 #9: 0:19:57 - 0:22:23 #8: 0:22:23 - 0:25:11 #7: 0:25:11 - 0:27:48 #6: 0:27:48 - 0:34:40#5: 0:34:40 - 0:36:52#4: 0:36:52 - 0:39:30 #3: 0:39:30 - 0:41:54 #2: 0:41:54 - 0:44:16 #1: 0:44:16 - 0:48:59Read the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vK Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuff Subscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms: https://weeklystuffpodcast.com Follow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.com Music by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/  

The 60th anniversary mini-season of Doctor Who has come to a rousing and surprising close with “The Giggle,” with David Tennant and Catherine Tate facing down Neil Patrick Harris as the Toymaker, and the expected regeneration into Ncuti Gatwa going in some unexpected directions. It’s a fantastic episode of Doctor Who that makes the most of its very big swings, and gives us a lot to talk about as we break down how this episode both serves as something of a ‘series finale’ for modern Who while launching a bold new era to come. Sean talks about playing Alan Wake Remastered, we discuss the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer, and Jonathan briefly discusses Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron – you can read his review at JonathanLack.Com – before diving into the Doctor Who spoilers. Enjoy! Time Chart:Intro & Stuff: 0:00:00 – 0:35:33Doctor Who, “The Giggle”: 0:35:33 – 2:31:25 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

Godzilla Minus One & Doctor Who Special 2 Reviews | The Weekly Stuff Podcast #485 It’s a very enthusiastic week here on the podcast as we not only get to talk about another great new Doctor Who episode, but an even greater new Godzilla movie! The first live-action Godzilla film by Toho in seven years, Godzilla Minus One is of the finest films in the franchise’s 70-year-history, a rousing period piece with phenomenal special effects and even more impressive human drama. We talk about it at length, and then move on to discussing this week’s Doctor Who, “Wild Blue Yonder,”the second 60th anniversary special! It’s a wonderfully weird and very creepy story, performed beautifully by David Tennant and Catherine Tate, and gives us a lot to chew on. Discussion of Baldur’s Gate 3, Star Wars: Ahsoka, and Super Mario RPG round out the episode! Enjoy! Time Chart:Intro & Stuff: 0:00:00 – 0:40:32Godzilla Minus One: 0:40:32 – 1:57:43Doctor Who, “Wild Blue Yonder”: 1:57:43 – 2:44:38 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

Doctor Who is back! Both in the sense that we got our first new episode in over a year this weekend, and, more importantly, in the sense that we got our first new good episode since 2017! This week marked the 60th anniversary of our favorite TV show here at The Weekly Stuff Podcast, and brought with it the first in a series of specials reuniting David Tennant and Catherine Tate, writer/showrunner Russell T Davies, composer Murray Gold, and more, and the resulting episode, “The Star Beast,” is indeed a cracking good time, and a tremendous return-to-form after the Dark Ages ushered in by Chris Chibnall since 2018. Sean talks about finally catching up with the end of the Chibnall/Jodie Whittaker run at the top of today’s show, then we talk about some our favorite stories we’ve been revisiting for the 60th anniversary, and finally we’ve got a spoiler-filled review of “The Star Beast.”Enjoy! Time Chart:Intro: 0:00:00 – 0:10:06The Sad, Pathetic End of Chibnall’s Doctor Who: 0:10:06 – 1:12:21Doctor Who 60th Talk: 1:12:21 – 1:45:27“The Star Beast” Review: 1:45:27 – 3:18:31 Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

Happy Thanksgiving one and all! While the main podcast is off this week, we still wanted to give you something to show our gratitude for another great year, so Jonathan busted out a microphone, broke open a copy of his new book, 200 Reviews – available now on Amazon! – and read 5 reviews as requested by listeners! The ones chosen were Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof, the latest Fast & Furious film Fast X, Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part III, Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: The Return. Jonathan reads all of those and gives some insight into the book on this special Thanksgiving bonus episode!Enjoy, and come back Monday for a big Doctor Who 60th anniversary extravaganza! Time Chart:Intro: 0:00:00 – 0:12:00Death Proof: 0:12:00 – 0:18:49Fast X: 0:18:49 – 0:30:14Godfather III: 0:30:14 – 0:42:17Nausicaa: 0:42:17 – 0:48:36Twin Peaks: 0:48:36 – 1:01:20Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

It’s a giant episode with many topics today, led by an in-depth discussion of Insomniac’s fantastic Spider-Man 2 for the PS5. We break down the gameplay and story in spoiler-filled detail at the end of today’s show, mostly praising it but also debating whether or not the controversial MJ missions are bad – please take to social media and use #JonathanWasRight (they suck) or #SeanWasRight (they’re great and there should be more) to sound off. Jonathan also gives final thoughts on Super Mario Bros. Wonder for Nintendo Switch, Sean shares more thoughts on Baldur’s Gate 3, we talk some major Hollywood news including Marvel’s latest misfire and the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike, and we spend more time than we have in a long while talking about our favorite show, Doctor Who, as we both find ourselves watching through parts of the series in advance of this month’s 60th anniversary specials. Enjoy! Time Chart:Intro: 0:00:00 – 0:04:35Baldur’s Gate 3: 0:04:35 – 0:08:55Doctor Who: 0:08:55 – 0:57:52News: 0:57:52 – 1:40:28Super Mario Wonder: 1:40:28 – 1:49:22Spider-Man 2: 1:49:22 – 3:15:52Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

Happy Halloween! Last year, we celebrated the spookiest day of the year by talking about John Carpenter’s original HALLOWEEN from 1978, and this year we’re jumping ahead 30 years to talk about the remake directed by Rob Zombie in 2007, and its sequel from 2009. These films have a mixed reputation, but they’re worth revisiting and taking seriously. The 2007 remake is trying to be two movies at once and never really coheres, but the 2009 sequel – especially in its Unrated Director’s Cut – may just be a genuine masterpiece, a truly powerful depiction of PTSD and the way trauma can swallow a person whole. Zombie is a real auteur, a singular filmmaker with a compelling voice, and these films are worth engaging with on that level alone. We also talk about Sean’s recent experiences catching up on Doctor Who and Jonathan’s October adventures binging all 10 Saw movies (and ranking them over on JonathanLack.Com). Enjoy! Time Chart:Intro: 0:00:00 – 0:04:30Doctor Who: 0:04:30 – 0:25:07Saw: 0:25:07 – 0:40:16Rob Zombie’s Halloween: 0:40:16 – 1:29:29Rob Zombie’s Halloween II: 1:29:29 – 2:46:13Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

Two of the most anticipated video games of 2023 launched this week, with Sony and Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2 for the PS5 and Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. Wonder for the Nintendo Switch. We’ve been extremely excited for both, and so far, they haven’t disappointed. We give initial spoiler-free impressions of both games on today’s show, discussing how Mario Wonder delivers a deliriously fun re-invention of 2D Mario platformers and Spider-Man 2 serves as both a compulsively playable superhero game and the PS5’s best tech demo to date. Sean also talks about finally diving into Baldur’s Gate 3, and we remind everyone to listen to Japanimation Station’s Kyoto Vacation,the amazing new season of our anime podcast that just launched last week! Enjoy! Time Chart:Intro: 0:00:00 – 0:06:13Baldur’s Gate 3: 0:06:13 – 0:24:43Super Mario Bros. Wonder: 0:24:43 – 0:48:58Spider-Man 2: 0:48:58 – 1:21:00Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

The fourth season of our sister series, Japanimation Station, begins today with the premiere of Japanimation Station’s Kyoto Vacation, our biggest podcasting adventure yet! We are taking a journey through the works of Kyoto Animation, one of the most respected and beloved anime studios in Japan, reviewing shows like Clannad, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, K-On!, Nichijou, Sound! Euphonium, Violet Evergarden, and much more. But before we talk about any specific works, we take a step back and discuss the history of Kyoto Animation itself, because it’s a fascinating story stretching back to the earliest days of anime, and one that explains a lot about how the studio came to have the style and structure it is known and respected for. Even if you’ve never watched one of these shows before, this is a story you’ll definitely want to hear, and a great way to kick off our Kyoto Vacation. Enjoy, and be sure to subscribe to Japanimation Station to continue following the season as it continues for many weeks to come! Time Chart:Intro: 0:00:00 – 0:02:56Theme Song: 0:02:56 – 0:04:25Intro and Preview to Season: 0:04:25 – 0:40:31Eyecatch Break: 0:40:31 – 0:41:07The History of Kyoto Animation: 0:41:07 – 1:57:08End Theme: 1:57:08 – 1:58:11Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffRead the book 200 Reviews by Jonathan R. Lack in Paperback or on Kindle – https://a.co/d/bLx53vKSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comMusic by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/ 

Today’s episode is all about 200 Reviews, the new book by co-host Jonathan Lack, which contains, well, 200 reviews, mostly of movies, but also some TV and video games, some that have been seen before, and many that haven’t. You can buy the book now in paperback, for Amazon Kindle, and as a digital bundle with PDF and EPUB versions. We tell you all about it on today’s episode, with Sean interviewing Jonathan about the book’s contents, and Jonathan reading eight excerpts from the book, including reviews for The Lord of the Rings, Spider-Man 2, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, and more! We also take a look at Jonathan’s earliest-ever reviews, from when he was just ten years old, in one of the funnier segments we’ve ever recorded.Enjoy!  Time Chart:Intro: 0:00:00 – 0:00:30Discussing 200 Reviews: 0:00:30 – 1:12:36Barbie: 1:12:36 – 1:21:34Cats: 1:21:34 – 1:38:13A Christmas Carol: 1:38:13 – 1:45:20The Grand Budapest Hotel: 1:45:20 – 1:55:40The Lord of the Rings: 1:55:40 – 2:03:34Spider-Man 2: 2:03:34 – 2:09:24Star Trek Into Darkness: 2:09:24 – 2:27:19Star Wars Episode III: 2:27:19 – 2:41:01Outro: 2:41:01 – 2:41:41Buy 200 Reviews in Paperback on Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKMPX2CKBuy 200 Reviews for Kindle on Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CK68K3WGBuy 200 Reviews as an EPUB/PDF bundle at Ko-fi – https://ko-fi.com/s/07bc1a2b39Support the show at Ko-fi ☕️ https://ko-fi.com/weeklystuffSubscribe to JAPANIMATION STATION, our sister series about the wide, wacky world of anime: https://www.youtube.com/c/japanimationstation  Explore our archives and subscribe to The Weekly Stuff Podcast on all podcasting platforms:https://weeklystuffpodcast.comFollow The Weekly Stuff Wordcast newsletter for regular updates and extra content! https://weeklystuff.substack.comEnding music by Thomas Lack https://www.thomaslack.com/