Baka Banter Anime Podcast

Ionatan and Ravi are joined by anime YouTuber Tristan Gallant to discuss his channel Glass Reflection. They cover Tristan's early days making anime content, the components that make up a good review, and the landscape of anime YouTube more broadly before diving into his personal taste in anime.

Mamoru Hosoda is a director best known for his exploration of familial relationships embedded in large-scale narratives where disparate worlds collide. Ionatan and Ravi discuss his career by picking their top five Mamoru Hosoda movies, praising the writing and character development in 'Wolf Children' and ranting about the shortcomings of his latest film 'Belle.'

Ionatan and Ravi are joined by animator Vann Oba to discuss the animation process. They cover Vann's own journey to working on anime from overseas, what it's like to draw for popular titles such as 'Attack on Titan' and 'One Piece,' and the current state of the industry.

Ionatan and Ravi give their thoughts on every show they're watching this winter! They discuss the newest seasons of 'Attack on Titan' and 'Demon Slayer' as well as the community's latest best girl Marin from 'My Dress-Up Darling.'

Ionatan and Ravi take a look back at anime in 2021! They give their final thoughts on each season from the previous year, engage in their annual rant about the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, and pick their winners for each award category from best opening to anime of the year.

'Psycho-Pass' is firmly rooted in the Japanese cyberpunk genre, executing a narrative that forces the viewer to question the ethics of a seemingly utopian society. Ionatan and Ravi dive deep into the series by discussing the original anime and its influences, breaking down the entirety of the plot, and exploring the philosophical themes that the show's setting posits. They conclude by giving their...

Ionatan and Ravi round out 2021 by answering listener questions from the mailbag. They discuss live action anime adaptations, their favorite and least favorite anime tropes, who the best dad in anime is, and much more! Finally, they take a look back at the first year of the podcast.

Studio Ghibli has long been an integral part of so many people's childhoods while simultaneously tackling complex themes such as environmentalism and pacifism. Ionatan and Ravi discuss the history of Studio Ghibli, the influential creators like Hayao Miyazaki associated with the studio, and what their works mean to each of them. Then, they pick their top five Studio Ghibli movies including classic...

Ionatan and Ravi share their convention stories from Anime NYC 2021! They discuss their favorite moments from the weekend, such as engaging with the anime community and supporting incredibly talented artists. Then, they detail the events they attended, including 'Attack on Titan' and 'Demon Slayer' panels, and give their spoiler free thoughts on movie screenings for 'Pompo: The Cinéphile' and 'Bel...

'Steins;Gate' is one of few truly exceptional time travel narratives, with a tightly written plot that masterfully explores the mental states of its characters. Ionatan and Ravi dive deep into the series by discussing the original visual novel, breaking down the entirety of the plot, and explaining why the time travel mechanics in the show are so well done. They also give their thoughts on the 'St...

Ionatan and Ravi are joined by Lauren Orsini, a web developer and anime blogger, to discuss her career in journalism and coverage of otaku culture. They talk about Lauren's own interest in anime and 'Gundam' models before diving into what it takes to be an anime journalist writing for broad and niche audiences and how fan culture has changed over the years as anime has become more mainstream.

Ionatan and Ravi give their thoughts on every show they're watching this fall! They preview highly anticipated series like 'Mushoku Tensei' and 'Komi Can't Communicate,' finally get around to discussing 'Mugen Train,' and recommend a few gems like 'Takt Op. Destiny' and 'Ousama Ranking.'

Ionatan and Ravi kick off the podcast's first tournament arc by filling out a waifu bracket! They discuss the meaning and history of the word waifu before debating which of the top 32 female characters deserves the ultimate best girl crown.

Masaaki Yuasa is a director best known for his idiosyncratic art style and mind-bending anime. Ionatan and Ravi discuss his career by picking their top five Masaaki Yuasa anime including works like 'The Tatami Galaxy,' 'Ping Pong the Animation,' and 'Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!' and breaking down why he has developed such a cult following.

Ionatan and Ravi are joined by Mercedez Clewis, a contributing writer and journalist for sites like Anime News Network, Japanese to English translation and localization editor, and staff editor at Anime Feminist, to discuss feminism and diversity in anime. They talk about Mercedez's time living in Fukushima and transition into anime journalism, and then break down how to think about anime through...

'Evangelion' shaped the anime industry in the years after its initial release by creating a story and lore in the mecha genre that have inspired decades of discussion and debate. Ionatan and Ravi get in the robot to discuss how the franchise is a deeply personal reflection of its creator, Hideaki Anno, and how it uses the psychological state of its characters to explore the human condition...

Ionatan and Ravi are joined by Peter Tatara, Founder and Event Director of Anime NYC, to discuss New York City's largest anime convention! They dive into how Peter's anime origin story led to a career in organizing conventions before previewing this year's event and getting an inside look at the work that it takes to organize a convention on the scale of Anime NYC.

Satoshi Kon was one of the great visionaries of animation whose works constantly investigated the delineation between fantasy and reality and how perceptions are shaped by social stigmas. His immersive, surrealist stylization was captured by his mastery of editing space and time. Ionatan and Ravi take a look at Satoshi Kon's life and his films, ranging from the psychological horror of 'Perfect Blu...

Ionatan and Ravi give their thoughts on every show they're watching this summer! They kick things off with an 'Odd Taxi' apology session, discuss KyoAni's return to seasonal anime with 'Dragon Maid,' rant about 'Girlfriend, Girlfriend,' and break down the early promise of shows like 'Sonny Boy' and 'The Aquatope on White Sand.'

Ionatan and Ravi dive deep into their trash taste in anime by reviewing and roasting each other's MyAnimeList accounts! They debate how deep 'Kill la Kill' is, argue about whether 'Howl's Moving Castle' is a good movie or not, and uncover some...interesting things about Ravi's anime preferences.

Kyoto Animation is one of the most beloved anime studios of all time, producing consistently emotional and touching stories. Ionatan and Ravi discuss Kyoto Animation's positive work environment and how their shows and movies have impacted them personally. Then, they pick their top five anime from the studio.

'Madoka Magica' subverted audience expectations by making use of darker elements and a complex narrative within the magical girl genre. Ionatan and Ravi dive deep into the 2011 classic, breaking down each episode of the series and its compelling twists. They discuss the show's production, characters, and themes, and spend time making sense of the 'Rebellion' sequel movie.

Ionatan and Ravi are joined by Katrina Leonoudakis, a Japanese to English localization specialist working for SEGA, Sentai Filmworks, and Funimation, to discuss translation theory and its application to anime and manga. They also cover Katrina's experience living in the Japanese countryside and her personal taste in anime with shows like 'Interspecies Reviewers.'

The isekai genre currently dominates the anime community, with multiple shows coming out every season that include the motif of a character being transported to another world. Ionatan and Ravi take a look at how this came to be, pinning down isekai's roots in 90s fantasy anime. They discuss the appeal of the genre, what tropes comprise modern isekai, and how pivotal shows like 'Sword Art O...

Ionatan and Ravi break down the 2017 standout 'Made in Abyss' by discussing how dark themes underlie the show's moe facade and the breathtaking fantasy world inside of the abyss. Then, they weigh in on the 'Dawn of the Deep Soul' sequel movie and discuss what they're looking forward to in the upcoming second season.