Backlog Dialogues

We dive back in to Manga discussions for today's minilog, reviewing Tatsuki Fujimoto's Grindhouse-esque Shounen character study, Chainsaw Man! Continuing the theme of 'protagonists that kinda suck', we are covering the character growth of Denji, Id-driven loon and chainsaw monster. As we look over the Public Safety arc, we dig in to just why he works as an anti-hero, as well as which devils give u...

The final godcast of the question arcs marks a turning point. For the last time, we go through an all cast review, as Shion stages a rebellion, which can only be countered by the dumbest antics imaginable. John goes through the interesting choices of adaptation made by the manga (including some rather unfortunate ones) and even has praise for the anime for once. And as always, for those who have s...

We reach the climax of Himatsubushi. Akasaka, fresh off his fight with the kidnappers, is prevented from contacting his wife by Rika, acting even stranger than before. She tells him a vision of the already decided future, and looks to him to see what he might say. How will Akasaka respond? What secrets still remain in Hinamizawa? What should have happened differently? The Question Arcs conclude, w...

It's time for an action packed week in Higurashi, as Akasaka shows off his manga protagonist level skills at Mahjong and teams up with Ooishi to take the fight to some kidnappers! We discuss cops, protest tactics, the existence of a tiny Mion acting as a Capo, and figure out exactly why Ooishi is so hung up on the serial murder case in the future. Also, we call in Pete again to investigate another...

Let's start the shortest arc by stretching things out! Lots of stuff is different this time. We follow Public Safety Officer Akasaka Mamoru as he investigates a kidnapping undercover out in the sticks and meets a mysterious girl with a penchant for cute noises and not so cute personality shifts. Can Akasaka find the truth when an entire village is against him?

This time, we cover the 2001 Playstation 2 classic horror game, Silent Hill 2! Our inner demons haunt us as we discuss a game that we didn't even have an occasion to play until this podcast. We discuss James Sunderland as he takes multiple possible paths through spooky maybe hell dimension Silent Hill, dig in to themes of guilt and self punishment, and jump in to more than a few holes as we play t...

The all cast review sessions are starting to get silly, as the discussions about what's going on gives way to silliness and the promise of a new protagonist going forward! Thank goodness, it was almost getting to be too unbearable to be Keiichi anymore. Then, John gushes over his favorite manga adaptation and unleashes an incredible amount of rage upon the hack job the anime does with this materia...

Reality is coming undone and weird things are happening. Did Keiichi murder someone last night, or did he spend the festival with his friends like they say he did? Has he somehow gained the ability to kill others with his brain? Can he save Satoko from her cruel fate once and for all? Or is it all for nothing? Once more, the tragedy comes to its head, and this time, the curse spreads farther than...

Keiichi tells us in great detail how smart he is as he plans the perfect murder. His descent to being a creature of the night progresses, and he begins to cross paths with other demons... Bang Bang Keiichi's silver hammer came down upon his head Bang Bang Keiichi's silver hammer made sure that he was dead...

The extent of Satoko's situation is laid bare: her abusive uncle has returned, and the club is powerless to do anything. But that's not going to keep Keiichi from trying, as he shouts at his friends, begins to make terrible kidnapping plans, talks to Miyo about her interests, implies that his friend is behind all the murders in the village, and shows us just how far out his galaxy brain can go.

Rena gets philosophical and Ooishi gets terrifying this week, as Keiichi learns more about his new 'sister', Satoko. Things are starting to get gloomy faster this time, as Satoko fails to come to school and the question of Satoshi is way more forward, with Shion pushing Keiichi on what he's learned about the missing boy.

It's Satoko's turn in the spotlight as we go back and start over to have a good old fashioned lunch box battle! Keiichi begins to develop brotherly feelings for the precocious brat (affectionate), and his skill for bullshit hinted at in the previous arc is now given a name in one of the most hilarious (and horrifying) scenes we've ever done on this pod! Listener discretion advised, we do not condo...

O, Canada! We don't know much about you, but you do make a fun setting for a very strange tale. We're talking about the original Graphic Novel that inspired a movie, a video game, and a Netflix original series, Scott Pilgrim! We take the time to talk characters, themes, and how being in your twenties just completely sucks.

We join the cast of Higurashi in once again asking, what the hell was that? Are the Sonozakis really a ruthless crime syndicate? Why does the manga localize so many things but not Ritual Storehouse? Will the anime make any improvements over its fumbling of Onikakushi? And will you listeners who have seen to the end of this tale stick around for more? Once again the passage to darkness opens.....

Things aren't looking good. Satoko and Rika are missing, and Keiichi may have been spilling his guts to the wrong Sonozaki sister this whole time. It's a good thing Rena is an ace detective, or this case would never have been cracked. It's time once more for things to come to a tragic end...

Keiichi has a rough one, as everyone wants to know if he saw some people that he definitely does not want them to know he saw. Rena's acting smart, Mion's acting strange, and Rika is talking about cats. Oh, and people are starting to disappear, that's big too. Make sure to practice proper ladder saftey, Keiichi!

The titular festival is back, and with it our spooky lady friend, Takano Miyo! Shion drags Keiichi in to hearing all about Miyo's many hobbies, and ends up dragging him in to a shed full of crazy torture devices! Shilling vendor trash and more romcom antics round out this section of the story.

Keiichi's relationship with 'Shion' deepens, and we unfortunately have to spend even more time in Angel Mort. Rena teaches Keiichi valuable lessons on not judging people based on how they initially seem (and also just stop being such a sexist dick). And finally, we answer once and for all the burning question: Are Twins Real?

Things are suspiciously back to normal in Hinamizawa, as Keiichi, Mion, and Rena are all alive and well, and the business of the day is club activites! A board game competition, Sympathy, and Curry are all on the menu, but more importantly, why the heck is Mion a server at a skeevy family diner, and why is she insisting that twins are real?

It's time to talk about one of the biggest anime hits ever, Neon Genesis Evangelion! Would you believe John hadn't watched the original series in full until recording for this podcast? We dive in to the characters, themes, and (third?) impact of the original series, and the fandom and culture that surrounds it. Does Shinji need to pilot the Eva? Does the religious symbolism mean anything? Is Gendo...

It's time for an out-of-character after party! The cast discuss what happened in the story, and WE discuss the anime and manga adaptations of Onikakushi! What will happen next now that Keiichi, Rena, and Mion are all dead? Heck, what CAN happen next? (For those who have seen all there is to see in When They Cry, there is an additional after party after the credits. If you are unbound from time, jo...

Keiichi's story comes to a bloody and abrupt end. All around him are friends he can no longer see as friends. The hidden secrets of the village are coming for him, even as he gropes blindly for the truth. In the fight to protect himself, he pushes away everyone who he cared for, and picks up a bat. The stage is set. The tragedy is real. The truth is hidden. It will all end... when the higurashi cr...

Things start to get creepy in Hinamizawa. Keiichi finds himself being interrogated by shady cops and his friends start acting... strangely. Are the legends about demoning away real? Is Keiichi next? Also, will he ever get out of one of the most severe cases of denial you'll ever see?

It's time for more club activity shenanigans! The Five Demon Fire Fight will soon take place at the annual summer festival in Hinamizawa! Keiichi gets to show off his skills and succumbs to hubris almost immediately! After that, he learns more dark secrets about this quaint mountain village, but will he regret learning them? Do you really need to ask? Also, John makes a very fun (annoying?) discov...

The story begins! We meet Keiichi and his classmates, Rena, Mion, Satoko, and Rika, and get familiar with their totally normal lives in a mountain village where nothing bad ever happens. Except, you know, the grisly murder at the dam construction site a few years ago. But that doesn't matter, what matters is BOARD GAMES!