Anime Roundtable

In an episode befitting of Groundhog Day. We present an episode taped over two days, and presented in the reverse from the order they were recorded…oh technology In the first half (which had to be retaped on the Sunday) we look at the predictions of industry analysts and journalists in terms of what they think will happen for the rest of 2021. In the second half (taped on the Saturday), we do a bu...

This week, with five around the table, we talk for a little bit about Toronto owned fan fiction app Wattpad being sold to Korean based Naver, the group behind the LINE and Webtoon apps. Then a few other thoughts on the fallout from the Shuesha copyright call controversy, Studio Ghibli’s first CG feature, and Anime leaving Amazon Prime. Along with other follow ups on stories we’ve mentioned in the...

We start the New Year with an old face returning. In it we start looking back on Mike and James’ conversation with Matt Alt and the things that stuck out to the others. Then we do a Bullets Segment with items seemingly tied to Japan’s newly inacted copyright laws. Mike then finishes it off with a couple of modest proposals Mike Nicolas, Kevin Ng, Geoff Greig Visit our website for more information...

Author and translator Matt Alt honours us with his presence to come by and talk about his TV work on NHK World, his formative years learning Japanese, reading the works of Frederick Schodt, how being a nerd became cool, and the recent developments concerning the topics of his latest book “Pure Invention: How Japan’s Pop Culture Conquered the World” Mike Nicolas, James Austin, with Special Guest Ma...

In the final episode of 2020, we give follow up on our thoughts on the Crunchyroll with Moh finally giving his thoughts. Then we talk a little bit about Kent State University’s dispute with some Ohio State lawmakers over a Susan Napier book on their reading lists. Afterwards some thoughts on Discotek’s latest list of pick ups, Kodansha warning would be pirates, and Anime North’s rescheduling for a...

Of course the big story this week is the not so surprising acquisition of Crunchyroll by Sony. But before that we’ll talk about goings on at the Japan Foundation in both Toronto and New York. And after that we’ll talk Anime Dallas and the Lupin III manga, among other things Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Kevin Ng Visit our website for more information and links: https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/...

We start this week with the COVID news in the Toronto Area, and a COVID movie run for James and Moh to see the latest Fate/Stay Movie. Then we talk a variety of topics. Like the delivery of Angela’s Kickstarter Comic, remembering Kirby, Maradona, and Tony Hsieh, Simon and Schuster being sold to Penguin Random House, Anime Matsuri, online events at the Japan Foundation in both New York and Toronto,...

After following up on the pandemic situation in Toronto (which probably sucks as much as it would in your part of the world), and Kevin gives his thoughts on Kat Callahan’s appearance, we talk at length about Netflix’s foray into Anime with Wired’s talk with their chief anime producer. Then we talk about Seven Seas going deeper into light novels, Media Blasters getting out of the DVD on demand bus...

SPOILER ALERT: LOTS OF KIMAGURE ORANGE ROAD ONES IN THIS EPISODE A special tribute edition commemorating the late Izumi Matsumoto and his most famous work, Kimagure Orange Road Journalist and writer Kat Callahan shares her memories of Matsumoto and KOR with Mike by doing a deep dive into the story and characters, the impact on both the overseas fandom and domestic industry; spending time with Mats...

We start the Halloween episode reminiscing about trick or treating past, and the one that isn’t presently happening. Kevin’s downtown shopping trip of various geek places. A preview of the Orange Road special with Kat Callahan. Sony and Crunchyroll looking like a thing. Netflix and Anime being a thing. Amazon responding to a digital downloads lawsuit as the DRM discussion continues. Songs of Tokyo...

In between some Toronto related pandemic news (which of course would be of interest to fans), we talk about the death of Izumi Matsumoto and the legacy left by Kimagure Orange Road, and a bullets segment where Evangelion, Haruhi, and Viz manga pick ups are brought up Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Kevin Ng, Mohamed Sharmarke Visit our website for full show summary and links: https://animeroundtable.w...

Zannen Canada host Jesse Betteridge joins us to talk about Sailor Moon’s appearance on Canadian streaming service Crave, and the business dealings behind the scenes that led to the pick up. After catching our breath from that conversation, we talk about the ghost towns that are movie theatres (with Moh risking his life having gone to see Akira in 4k), and movie adaptations of video games. That and...

First, a quick Raptors thought (and a little schattenfreude towards the Clippers and Bucks). Then we continue our Zoom-tastic journey with thoughts of Crunchyroll Expo (7:09), and CR’s various partnerships (8:52), Media Blasters showing some life on blue ray (13:05), Right Stuf thoughts and the status of their adult label and special editions (15:13), which ultimately leads to a conversation about...

With it being the 19th anniversary of 9/11, Mike begins the episode by telling the story of a close friend’s close call. Kevin asked Mike to do his version of a masterclass on the fine art of selling second hand anime and manga merchandise (6:51). And Mike, needing some selling tips, readily agrees. So here’s a quick rundown of the points in his lesson 12:50 - Patience 13:55 - Do an annual or semi...

Mike begins the new one on one segment with an old friend as Angela finally makes her return visit to the Roundtable First we do a quick update on the Kickstarter campaign for her new comic (2:43), how she’s managing during the pandemic (3:49), her visit to Japan ten years after her time there as an english teacher and how things had changed between the two times (7:44)…and Mike somehow managing t...

We began this time around with a repeat of our anti-racism declaration in light of the Jacob Blake shooting and subsequent events. Then we tried to get back on track by talking about Shiro Usazaki finally breaking her silence after the cancellation of the Act-Age manga (9:10). But it went completely off the rails as we found out about the passing of Chadwick Boseman (17:03). After taking a breath...

We start the episode with Mike finally finishing Yakuza 0 (1:39), and Terrace House: Opening New Doors (3:00) and wonders how these foreshadow what’s to come in both series. Kevin talks about Kaiju #8 being his current manga read (8:52). James then briefly mentions Millionaire Detectives (11:58) Kevin has a “Say it ain’t so” moment with the Tatsuya Matsuki incident (12:52). And where this event, w...

With this week being the 75th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Mike shares his thoughts on what perhaps the most least appreciated english translated manga set during that time. And the legacy of the story on the discussion of the bombing itself

Moh couldn’t make it tonight and sent his regards. The scraps left over talked about the previous weekend’s online convention offerings (10:35) with Anime North’s Momiji’s Online Experience (13:08), and Comic Con @Home (36:07), along with their differences, what was actually seen, and how both their online versions were pretty similar to their traditional convention counterparts In the second half...

Editor’s Note: It took Mike more than ten days between taping this episode and eventually posting it. If you listen very closely, you’ll know why that happened pretty quickly We give our recaps of Funimation Con, Anime Expo Lite, and Aniplex Online a week after they had happened. Kevin and James talk at length on the licenses announced peppered with further thoughts on the digital and physical dis...

We start the talk that matters with Mike’s thoughts after finishing the Wotakoi anime and starting Yakuza 0 (5:15), then first impressions of Funimation Con and Anime Expo Lite and look ahead to the continuation of those and Aniplex Online (14:39) In the second segment, we’ll revisit the Terrace House/Hana Kimura fallout (47:08), and Ghibli on Netflix Canada with Mohamed (51:12), and wonder where...

Let’s be honest, when something happens you’re happy about, you’re not really picky about how it happened. Especially when you think it wouldn’t happen. But then sometimes you are curious about how the loose ends got tied up On the heels of the news of Netflix Canada acquiring the rights to stream the Studio Ghibli catalogue on Monday, Zannen Canada’s Jesse Betteridge joins the virtual table to ta...

Mike opens up with some thoughts on the current anti-racist protests (1:45). Then we actually start on the regular talk going back to the digest three weeks back (12:15), with the memorial service for Zac Bertschy (13:28), and the Japanese fallout from death of Hana Kimura and the price of fame in the reality television and social media age (19:56). Kevin then returns to give his thoughts on the f...

We look back on a difficult weekend for fandom on what would have been the final day of Anime North. First we look back on the legacy left by Zac Bertschy in light of his sudden passing last week (2:37). Then we talk about the death of professional wrestler and Terrace House star Hana Kimura (25:44). After we actually lament the Anime North that isn’t (37:39). Then we finally lighten it up by talk...

The head man behind Anime Lockdown, JP joins the Roundtable for an all encompasing chat on the online convention’s aftermath (6:07), the idea of doing the convention and things that happened during it, the merits and quirks of an “online convention” (10:30), and get JP’s thoughts on the other online shows about to happen (58:55). After the break we talked a little bit about the Geek Eire guys’ inv...