Anime is Lit

***This episode is Part 2 of our Gankutsuou series, which contains spoilers for both the anime and the book. Please listen to the previous episode first!Welcome to Masterpiece Theatre… I mean, Masterpiece Anime… Here to fully make good on our podcast’s name, we’re ready to go full Literature Analysis Mode on some actual literature with Gankutsuou and its book of origin “The Count of Monte Cristo”. Joined by Vrai Kaiser, we cover everything from the funny bits to the twists, tragedies, and the Gay Stuff, including the gay stuff from the book that the anime somehow redacted?? There’s lots to unpack, and we bothered to read this entire long book, so prepare to hear all about it and more! The very cool early-in-production Gankutsuou trailer that we refer to Where to find us: Vrai’s Twitter and Blog Listen to more of Vrai on the Anime Feminist podcast and Trash & Treasures pod Follow us on Twitter: @animeislitpod Email: animeislitpod@gmail.com Anime is Lit direct feed

Welcome to Masterpiece Theatre… I mean, Masterpiece Anime? Finally, Anime is Lit covers the most Literature of Anime - “Gankutsuou”, the artistic 2004 adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ classic (and long) novel “The Count of Monte Cristo” …IN SPACE! with vampires! Joined by Gankustuou aficionado Vrai Kaiser, we explore the anime’s approach to the novel, as well as the thematic contrasts, visual design, and the creators’ own inspirations. This episode is a spoiler-free discussion for fans and newbies alike. We cover plenty of interesting aspects from our research on both the original text and the anime’s creation, which we hope will encourage newcomers to watch the anime. All the spoilers are all hiding in the second half our our discussion for our next episode. Links mentioned in the episode: Vrai’s blog posts Interview with director Maeda (in French) NPR Article discussing the racialized French terminology for “Ghost writer” and Dumas Article by Lizzie Visitante The awesome Gankutsuou figure Vrai mentioned Where to find us: Vrai’s Twitter and Blog Listen to more of Vrai on the Anime Feminist podcast and Trash & Treasures pod Follow us on Twitter: @animeislitpod Email: animeislitpod@gmail.com Anime is Lit direct feed

Part 2 of our NANA discussion, complete with spoilers. Our guest Meru (@pixelatedlenses) goes with us on a deep dive through the well-crafted storytelling and the inherent feminism woven into all its fibers. NANA candidly goes places few anime ever do, and we sift through the complexity of its portrayals of sexuality, race, gender, heteronormative expectations, friendships, and the characters' own internal lives. We also discuss the narrative framing, highly effective symbolism, and allusions to the real life Sid Vicious, exploring how they enhance the ideas already present in the story. Opening theme: "Lucy" by Anna Tsuchiya inspi' Nana (Black Stones) Ending theme: "Winter Sleep" by Olivia Inspi' Reira (Trapnest) Where to find us: Meru’s Twitter  and Carrd Follow us on Twitter: @animeislitpod Email: animeislitpod@gmail.comAnime is Lit direct feed  

We're back with another classic among sapphics: NANA. Joined by our wonderful guest Meru (@pixelatedlenses), we talk about our love for this series, its characters, and the maturity of its storytelling. We also dive into the music and fashion of the show, and the strengths and weaknesses in its reflections on gender, race and relationships. This episode is part one of our Nana discussion — a spoiler-free introduction safe for those who haven't seen the show. Join us in episode 19 for part two where we dig a little deeper into the drama and what it has to say. Opening theme: "Rose" by Anna Tsuchiya inspi' Nana (Black Stones) Ending theme: "a little pain" by Olivia Inspi' Reira (Trapnest) Where to find us: Meru’s Twitter  and Carrd Follow us on Twitter: @animeislitpod Email: animeislitpod@gmail.comAnime is Lit direct feed

Continuing part 2 of our discussion on the classic shoujo masterpiece Dear Brother (Oniisama e), now no-holds-barred, all-spoilers-all-the time. Dawn and Diana are with us to go in-depth about the themes, characters, tragedy, romance, metaphors, symbols, and what makes this show so effective at everything it has to say. *****This episode is part 2 of 2, please note the following content warnings for topics we discuss in relation to Dear Brother: Suicide and extensive suicidal ideation, drug addiction, abuse, bullying, disease, minor sexual assault themes, and romantic love between siblings. **** Links: Watch Dear Brother streaming for free on RetroCrush (as of July 2021) Dear Brother on Blu-Ray from Rightstuf Anime Where to find us: Dawn’s podcast Anime Nostalgia Dawn’s Twitter Diana’s Twitter Follow us on Twitter: @animeislitpod Email: animeislitpod@gmail.com Anime is Lit direct feed

We’re back with a supercast on the unmissable classic shoujo masterpiece Dear Brother (Oniisama e)! Joined by our friends Dawn (of the Anime Nostalgia podcast) and Diana, we talk about the show’s rich history, its multi-genre nature, and what makes it such a master work—both within anime as a medium and in our own hearts. This episode is part 1 of 2, an entirely spoiler-free discussion of the history and creators of Dear Brother, as well as the stories, themes, and dramatic techniques the anime uses. Each one of us deeply loves this series and we hope to convince you to watch it before listening to part 2 (next episode in our feed), where there will be spoilers. **The anime of Dear Brother includes several heavy and sensitive topics, so before watching please note the following content warnings: Suicide and extensive suicidal ideation, drug addiction, abuse, bullying, disease, and romantic love between siblings. We discuss these warnings within the episode, but our discussion in Part 1 does not dwell on any of these topics. Links to information referenced in this episode: Watch Dear Brother streaming for free on RetroCrush (as of July 2021) Dear Brother on Blu-Ray from Rightstuf Anime Anime Nostalgia episode on Legend of the Galactic Heroes with Dawn & Diana Erica Friedman’s blog posts about Dear Brother on Okazu Post 1, Post 2 Anime News Network article from 1998 referencing Technogirls fansubbers finding employment Where to find us: Dawn’s podcast Anime Nostalgia Dawn’s Twitter Diana’s Twitter Follow us on Twitter: @animeislitpod Email: animeislitpod@gmail.comAnime is Lit direct feed  

  Come on, come on! On a journey! We're back again with a real anime, an underrated gem from creator Natsume Ono titled "ACCA: 13 Territory Inspection Dept." for some jazzy good times, joined by special guest and ACCA expert CC. The first half of the episode is spoiler free and covers much about the setting, style, and background behind the show and manga, and the second half dives into the symbolism and foreshadowing woven throughout the series, with spoilers. Timestamps: 4:16 - Intro to anime & production 26:53 - Explanation/Discussion of the various 13 Districts 53:17 - Manga vs Anime and Natsume Ono's other works 59:44 to End - SPOILER WARNING CC on Twitter Follow us on Twitter: @animeislitpod Email: animeislitpod@gmail.com Opening/Ending music: "Shadow and Truth" by ONE III NOTES Links we mentioned in the show: ACCA 13 Artbook Artbook of Backgrounds DVD Booklet Compilation of Nino saying "Jean" Carabinieri uniform the ACCA uniforms were based on:  

Is The Witcher anime? It's definitely literature, and we decided it's anime enough for this podcast! K and Danny are joined by our friend Elise to talk about the recent Netflix adaptation of The Witcher. Elise helps us compare to the books and games, and we talk about themes, writing, amazing female characters, the difference a female showrunner makes, and our excitement about the series (and Geralt's ass). [Contains mild spoilers for the Netflix "The Witcher" series, but is spoiler-free for the books/games.] Elise on Twitter Follow us on Twitter: @animeislitpod Email: animeislitpod@gmail.com Opening/Ending music: "Toss A Coin To Your Witcher" from Netflix's The Witcher OST (and now it's stuck in your head, too)

It's the ultimate Chihayafuru cast, brought to you right at the dawn of Chihayafuru Season 3's airing! We assembled the biggest fans of this anime that we know (AnimatedInk of Anigamers, and returning guest Heidi) to talk about its masterful uses of genre, character, gender, history and poetry itself to create an unforgettable story. If you're looking to start Chihayafuru or are a longtime fan, both are welcome for this discussion! We really dig into the history and nuances of karuta itself, as well as the 100 Poems that the cards are based off of. We each share our personal favorite poems and gush about our favorite characters and elements of the story. Join us for a rich exploration and a fun time! Ink on Twitter, his podcasts Oldtaku no Radio and Taiiku Podcast, and the Anigamers website. Heidi's Twitter, Tumblr and Tesla Cosplay, (the cosplay group all 3 of us belong to) Follow us on Twitter: @animeislitpod Email: animeislitpod@gmail.com Online resources we used for English translations of the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu/100 Poems: 1 | 2 Links to articles Ink has written on Chihayafuru (check them out!) "Poetic Propaganda" | Interview with Masao Maruyama | Chihayafuru Review Link to the Crunchyroll "Anime vs. Real Life" article Danny mentioned Intro song: "YOUTHFUL" by 99RadioService Outro: "STAR" by 99RadioService

We were pleased to guest on Oh No, Anime! with our longtime podcasting friend Marc for a series about the Lore of Evangelion. This is a deep-dive into a synthesized understanding of the construction of the world and events that make up the NGE series. Here is Part 2! From the Oh No, Anime! feed: "I'm joined once again by Danny and K of Anime is Lit! to finish our outline of the timeline of events leading up to the Evangelion TV show. You can find the soul timeline/chart we talked about HERE." Where to find Oh No, Anime! - Website | YouTube | iTunes | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Twitter @AnimeisLitPod on twitter animeislitpod@gmail.com

We were pleased to guest on Oh No, Anime! with our longtime podcasting friend Marc for a series about the Lore of Evangelion. This is a deep-dive into a synthesized understanding of the construction of the world and events that make up the NGE series. Here is Part 1! From the Oh No, Anime! feed: "In the first part of a new series celebrating Neon Genesis Evangelion's addition to Netflix, I sit down with our friends Danny and K to begin creating a definitive podcast guide for the lore of the Evangelion TV series. You can find the soul timeline/chart we talked about HERE." Where to find Oh No, Anime! - Website | YouTube | iTunes | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Twitter @AnimeisLitPod on twitter animeislitpod@gmail.com

Part 2 of our episode on of Mob Psycho 100 (please start with Part 1 if you haven't already! **Spoiler warning for seasons 1 and 2 of Mob Psycho 100). Marc of Oh No, Anime and TheSubtleDoctor of Warui Deshou continue the conversation with us about the types of philosophy found throughout the story, the definitive debate on Internet Sex Symbol Sensation Reigen Arataka, and we close out with listener Q&A from Twitter Q&A. Opening Theme - "99.9" by Mob Choir, feat. Sajou no Hana Ending Theme - "Refrain Boy" by ALL OFF @AnimeisLitPod on twitter animeislitpod@gmail.com TheSubtleDoctor on twitter and podcast Warui Deshou Marc on twitter and podcast Oh No, Anime

We're back in the saddle with old pod pals to bust open seasons 1 and 2 of the Mob Psycho 100! Marc of Oh No, Anime and TheSubtleDoctor of Warui Deshou join us to talk about what makes this show so incredibly special, as well as the show's emotional allegory, morality and ethics, and the best of the Body Improvement Club. Join us for another shot at something actually recent! **Spoiler Warning starts at 46:26** (This is Part 1 of 2, the second half of our discussion will be released in a few days as Ep 12, Part 2) Opening Theme - "99" by Mob Choir Ending Theme - "Gray" by Sajou no Hana @AnimeisLitPod on twitter animeislitpod@gmail.com TheSubtleDoctor on twitter and podcast Warui Deshou Marc on twitter and podcast Oh No, Anime

K and Danny had an amazing time at Kumoricon 2018 and sat down the next day to record their thoughts! We have a conversation about what it was like watching Yoshitaka Amano paint, and why his entire philosophy of art and artistry made us so excited about what we do. His rare perspective got us talking between ourselves about the value of art and about career artists overcoming the limitations of their industry, so we recorded a bonus episode of our experiences. We also share convention highlights and how this con reminded us of the reasons we podcast, and why art is so awesome. Compilations of videos we took of Yoshitaka Amano painting during the panels Our previous episode with Warui Deshou episode on Angel's Egg Warui Deshou site and podcast feed Our contact info: @AnimeisLitPod on twitter animeislitpod@gmail.com Intro music - "Grove" from the Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust OST - Marco D'Ambrosio Outro - "Tokeidai no Kane" by Eastern Youth

BARA WA, BARA WA! Danny and K assemble a super crew to discuss the 1979 classic anime Rose of Versailles, joined by Dawn from the Anime Nostalgia Podcast and GrantTheTheif of Blade Licking Thieves/Super Senpai Podcast. Part 1 (Beginning - 1:01:43) is a spoiler-free discussion of themes, historical fiction, what we love about the show, and the story's place in anime/manga history. Part 2 (1:01:43 - end) **SPOILER WARNING** We go more in-depth themes of power and opression, Oscar's gender and queerness, the anime direction, and RoV adaptations through the years. [Includes mentions of sexual assault and LGBTQ oppression] Join us on our thorough expression of love for OSCAAAAR!! Contact Info: @AnimeisLitPod on twitter animeislitpod@gmail.com Dawn/Usamimi - @BunnyCartoon | tumblr | Anime Nostalgia Podcast Grant - @GrantTheTheif | Blade Licking Thieves Podcast | Super Senpai Podcast

Our best podcasting buddies Marc and Patrick of Oh No, Anime sat down with us on the last day of AX for a very special in-person bonus episode. Topics include: the AX curse of Go Nagai, Anisong tears, gay battleship shipping, and comparing Florida vs. Oregon cryptids.   Oh No, Anime Podcast Feed | Twitter | Website   Anime is Lit on Twitter Email: animeislitpod@gmail.com

Celtic Mythology meets poignant recovery allegory in the 2017-2018 anime "Ancient Magus Bride". Returning pod friend Shadon and our good friend Bethany join us to discuss this beautiful anime that's very personal and meaningful to all of us. This episode is a long one, but it's packed with discussion about the surprisingly intricate narrative the show builds about healing and learning to build healthy relationships. The first half of the episode is a spoiler-free introduction to the anime and themes, and Bethany gives much insightful history and context for the show's representations of creatures from actual Celtic mythology. From 1:53:45 begins the in-depth spoilery discussion of story and themes. ***Content warning for respectfully nuanced, but involved discussions including trauma, abuse, suicide, mental illness, recovery, and drug addiction.*** Shadon on twitter and podcast Warui Deshou Bethany's Twitter | Cosplay Instagram @AnimeisLitPod on twitter animeislitpod@gmail.com Timestamps: 0:30 - Guest Intros/Preface 3:32 - Spoiler-Free Show Intro 17:10 - Our personal feelings on the show, overview of themes & favorite characters 1:03:35 - Spoiler-free discussion of the mythology of the show ***1:53:45 - SPOILER WARNING - In-depth narrative and themes discussion (Content warning for respectful discussions of trauma, child abuse, suicide, drug addiction, mental illness, and recovery) 2:47:30 - Cartaphilus and the show's ending 3:06:50 - Remaining Twitter questions 3:11:27 - Outtros, Where you can find our guests and us on the web Link to the blog Bethany referenced on the robin story in the mythology section Opening theme - "Here" by JUNNA Ending theme "Iruna Eteluro" イルナエテルロ (Lindel's Song), sung by Daichi Takenaka  

Your favorite anime podcast crossover is back! We team up again with the Warui Deshou podcast to dissect and gush over Mamoru Oshii and Yoshitaka Amano’s 1985 masterpiece art film, Angel’s Egg. CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of stillbirth, miscarriage, possible anxiety-inducing subjects such as loss of faith. ***The first half is spoiler-free, see timecodes below*** (This episode follows Warui Deshou's format, which uses more clips and sketch segments than we do, so be prepared for intermittent wackiness) ——— We discuss the film’s gorgeous aesthetics, the lives and other works of the principle creatives, their personal relationships to Catholicism and/or faith in general, and try to interpret what is perhaps the most inscrutable anime film ever made. Interpretations provided are our own, and we don’t claim them to be definitive, exclusionary or authoritative in any way. This episode is very personal, we spend a good deal of time talking about our personal histories and feelings about things beyond (but not unrelated) to the anime itself. We also tried to mix it with moments of laughter and some funnier discussions throughout, but we feel the insights and personal discussions in relation to the film proved very worthwhile. This is a long podcast that covers a lot of topics, so please use the timecodes below to jump around in case, say, you already know all about Oshii or haven’t seen Angel’s Egg and don’t want to be spoiled. Warui Deshou's Podcast Feed | Twitter EPISODE TIMECODES: 00:00:00 – Opening Bits and Bobs 00:10:54 – The Budget Grail: Which Anime Character Would you Want As A Dad? 00:26:40 – All About Oshii and Amano 00:54:29 – Plot Summary & SPOILER-FREE Discussion 01:37:17 – Personal Relationship To Faith & Ideas In The Movie 02:01:20 – SPOILER-IFFIC Discussion 03:16:21 – Correspondence 03:25:00 – Outro Playlist: Nobuo Uematsu – Tina’s Theme N.E.R.D. – Maybe David Pringle and Bob Heatlie – Spin to Win Wild Beasts – Albatross Massive Attack – Angel Modest Mouse – Dramamine Kyrie Eleison Agnus Dei kensuke ushio – Devilman no Uta Argume – Realize Milo – Sanssouci palace Chance The Rapper ft. Saba – Angels Zero 7 – This World Sources Cited: Brian Ruh – Stray Dog of Anime: The Films of Mamoru Oshii Sean Hartlieb – Humanity in Anime: Analyzing the Films of Mamoru Oshii VaatiVidya – Dark Souls 3 Lore: Angel’s Egg & Filianore Yoshitaka Amano: Illustrations

Welcome to our episode on Princess Tutu, the classic 2002 anime about ballet, fairy tales, and a duck who turns into the magical Princess Tutu to fight for the ones she loves! Our friend Heidi joins as our guest to talk about her experience training in ballet and music, and her love for the anime that celebrates them both. We dive into the lore of ballet literature, fairy tale subversion, and the role of metanarrative in this surprisingly complex anime. The first half of the episode is spoiler-free to give an intro to the show and what makes it well worth watching. The second half contains many spoilers, so please go see Princess Tutu first if you haven’t already! Link to the AMV here: Håll Om Mig (Hold Me Now)(The perfect introduction to why Princess Tutu is cool) Opening song: “Håll Om Mig” (Hold Me Now) by Nanne Grönvall Ending song: “Morning Grace” by Ritsuko Okazaki Heidi's Tumblr and Tesla Cosplay, (the cosplay group all 3 of us belong to) Follow us on Twitter: @animeislitpod Email: animeislitpod@gmail.com

Earlier in February we guested on Oh No, Anime with our friends Marc and Patrick, and other guests GrantTheTheif and TheSubtleDoctor to discuss more of Devilman Crybaby! Marc had some fresh insights on the unique production details of the project, and we discuss our thoughts on it as a whole. Oh No, Anime! Podcast on Libsyn and iTunes Website: http://www.ohnoanime.moe Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ohnoanime Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohnoanime Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohnoanimeofficial/ Email: ohnoanime@gmail.com Read more at http://ohnoanime.libsyn.com/#81tEzT4PaZ2rp7c5.9 @OhNoAnime on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @TheSubtleDoctor on Twitter His podcast Warui Deshou on iTunes @GrantTheTheif on Twitter His podcast Blade Licking Theives on iTunes Website: http://www.ohnoanime.moe Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ohnoanime Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohnoanime Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohnoanimeofficial/ Email: ohnoanime@gmail.com Read more at http://ohnoanime.libsyn.com/#81tEzT4PaZ2rp7c5.99 We're joined by special guests Danny and K from Anime is Lit!, TheSubtleDoctor from Warui Deshou and Grant from the Blade Licking Thieves podcast to discuss the hottest topic in anime right now: Devilman Crybaby. Read more at http://ohnoanime.libsyn.com/#81tEzT4PaZ2rp7c5.99 We're joined by special guests Danny and K from Anime is Lit!, TheSubtleDoctor from Warui Deshou and Grant from the Blade Licking Thieves podcast to discuss the hottest topic in anime right now: Devilman Crybaby. Read more at http://ohnoanime.libsyn.com/#81tEzT4PaZ2rp7c5.99