2AM OTTACK! - Anime Manga Podcast -

In this episode, we talk about the second season of Netflix's live action adaptation of One Piece, breaking down the new characters, our thoughts about the story and action, and especially the unique music and ending themes! Pray to the sun, whisper Tony Tony Chopper, or just chill with us at the Whiskey Peak Saloon and let us know what you thought!

In this episode, we talk about Satoshi Kon’s 2006 feature film, Paprika, and explore its messaging around dreams, women, and technology. We also talk about the film’s innovative composer, Susumu Hirasawa, and the unique visuals of the movie.  How does it hold up after 20 years?  Find out by listening!

In this episode, we look back on two years of recording this podcast, our previous experiences with being on the radio and podcasts, our experiences of being otaku in Japan vs. America, and our favorite episodes from the past year.  We also share a story from a Mexican listener who follows our 3 AM Ottack! podcast in Japanese.  Join us in celebrating two years of recording in a different style tha...

In this episode, we talk about You and I are Polar Opposites, one of our favorite new anime series of this season.  From the delightfully retro opening and ending theme songs to the unique and relatable characters, we explain why this show has been so appealing to us.  Learn more about the Japanese title and our admiration for the overall vibe of the show!  No matter where you fall on the personal...

In this episode we discuss the second season of figure skating anime Medalist .  From the perfectly timed crossover with the actual 2026 Olympic games to the Disney-on-Ice vibe of the opening animation and theme song, we talk about our reactions to the newly expanded cast, Tsukasa’s approach to coaching, and a word for which there is no direct English translation.  Experience the drama of figure s...

In this episode, we take a look back at the opening and ending animations and theme songs of the Golden Kamuy series and discuss our favorites.  We also get into the background music, the  mukkuri  (an Ainu instrument), and some Ainu phrases covered in the show.  Join us for some nostalgia and some new knowledge!

In this episode, we talk about one of the best anime series of 2025 and its new season - Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, aka Sousou no Frieren.  We interpret the names of each of the main characters as well as the original Japanese title, and give our opinions on what made this particular show stand out.  What's a yuusha, anyway?  Find out in this episode!

 In this episode, we talk about the new anime known as “Journal with Witch” or “Ikoku Nikki,” which focuses on a 15-year-old girl who has just lost both her parents in a car accident and her 35-year-old aunt, a writer who lives alone and had a difficult relationship with her deceased older sister.  We explore the series’s themes of grief and connection, talk about why the third episode was so powe...

In this episode we discuss the first two episodes of the new anime version of "The Darwin Incident." We talk in depth about the portrayal of America from a Japanese viewpoint, the interesting choices made in the script and way the characters talk, the bangin' opening theme song, and to what extent the show's depiction of US high schools is a reflection of the popularity of 1990s teen dramas.  Is i...

In this episode we return to discussing Gachiakuta.  This time we focus on summarizing the plot thus far, talk about Amo's trauma and Zanka's past, why this show is more popular overseas than in Japan, and talk about geniuses and try-hards.  Which are we?  Decide by listening! ........................................................................................... Join us to explore and dig dee...

In this episode we talk about what's widely considered one of the most influential and iconic anime films of all time, Akira.  Whether you've seen this movie at least three times before (like Cisco) or never (like Mayu), join us for some ruminating on what the movie is about, why it's so enduringly popular, and how the movie version differs from the original manga!  Take a trip down memory lane, o...

In this episode we return to discussing Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to Be a Kamen Rider, focusing on what the series' villains (Shocker) iconography is all about, what we learned by talking about the series with our Japanese guest Penguin, and why anime and manga can be such powerful sites of connection for otaku and other fans. Is it Kamen Rider Kuga or Cougar? Find out or just take a side! Ridaaaaaaa...

In this episode, we talk about season two of Campfire Cooking in Another World with my Absurd Skill (Tondemo Skill de Isekai Hourou Meshi).  Does Gindaco actually serve highballs at their stores in Japan, or is that just a Judgment / Yakuza game series thing? Why on earth would someone use rice pilaf instead of bread-based stuffing for a turkey? How many additional servings of shredded cabbage, cl...

In this episode, we discuss chemistry, gemstones, and the new knowledge we gained by watching Ruri Rocks.  Join us as we “dig deep” into geology and earth science while discovering our new favorite rocks and exploring questions like “what the heck is a mineral, anyway?”, “could I really find my own sapphire, though?”, and “is this a long-form size-inclusive gender-equality-promoting Girls-in-STEM...

In this episode, we talk about Rental Family, the new (live action) movie by Hikari, starring Brendan Fraser. We talk about the real phenomenon of rental families (and girlfriends, and random old guys?) in Japan, the strengths of the film, and why the translation of the promise song in the film is so funny.  Listen to our bicultural take on this bicultural film and let us know what you think!........

In this episode, we talk about the unexpectedly deep and serious parts of Spy x Family Season 3, although with the most meme-able moments. Join us as we think about which parts of the roughly East / West German setting don't quite hold up, how the series manages to make some deaths feel like tragedies and others like statistics, and where it's going from here. ........................................

 In this episode we discuss the second four Tatsuki Fujimoto short films from Amazon Prime's Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 collection. From mermaid harems to proto-Chainsaw Man prophecies to very explicit full frontal nudity, we react to the artistry and brilliance present in these adaptations of Fujimoto-sensei's early one-shots.  Fill the hole in your heart left by the ongoing lack of a Sayonara Eri fe...

In this episode, we talk about the first four episodes of "Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26", the anime adaptation of "Tatsuki Fujimoto: Before Chainsaw Man (17-21)".  From trying to interpret whether the creator is trying to say anything about animal agriculture in "A Couple Clucking Chickens Were Still Kickin' in the Schoolyard" to speculating about the alternate possible ending of "Sasaki Stopped a Bulle...

In this episode, we discuss “Campfire Cooking in Another World with my Absurd Skill,” or “Tondemo Skiru de Isekai Houroumeshi” which is an absurd title no matter what language it’s in. From the loveable cast to the extravagantly drawn food, we enjoy this anime like a gourmet enjoys a finely cooked meal. Join us as we explore definitions, why isekai is such a common setting, and some entrepreneuria...

In this episode we discuss our reactions to the Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc feature film.  There’s a lot to be surprised about here, including who liked the movie more, our feelings about the film’s nudity, what Chainsaw Man is or isn’t trying to say, and our favorite parts.  Find out what bakudan means and why Beam is the true star of this film. Maybe. (contains spoiler) .................................

In this episode, we talk about “Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to Be a Kamen Rider”, which Cisco insists on calling “40sai kara Kamen Rider” (Kamen Rider Starting at 40? The 40-Year-Old Kamen Rider?) Learn more about this unique series’ plot, the history of Kamen Rider, the power of nostalgia, and why the Kamen Riders look like bugs. Just kidding. That last part is an eternal mystery.#tojimawantstobeakame...

 In this episode, we talk about the newly released (in the US) film, 100 Meters. Originally a manga by Uoto, the same author who created Orb: On the Movements of the Earth, we glaze this movie so hard you’d think it was ceramic.  Find out what we thought of the characters, sound design, music, and animation filming techniques of this modern masterpiece of an anime movie.  What do Japanese people c...

In this episode, we talk about Spy x Family, with a focus on the first episode of Season 3, our predictions about where the series is going this season, what our code names would be if we were spies, and most importantly, how incredibly amazing the new opening theme song is, because it’s by the best band of all time, Spitz. Seriously. If Spitz made an 80 minute movie that was really just a listeni...

 In this episode, we talk about Crunchyroll’s #1 worldwide streaming anime, Gachiakuta, and our reactions to its plot, characters, and music. Despite being all about garbage, we like it even more than we like participating in community trash cleanups! Come for the boss opening theme song breakdown, stay for the biting social commentary and sympathy for death-metal level despair over the current st...

In this episode, we talk about the upcoming Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc movie, and discuss our reactions to the Chainsaw Man Recap Arc episodes. Is the leaner, meaner, infinitesimally more loyal to the manga version worth having lost the best ending song of all time? What the heck is the difference between a Majin and an Akuma? Find out by listening! (Spoiler alert) Listen also... https://youtu.be/pzkJ...