Left Brain vs. Right Brain with Stu Levy

Jane Hoffacker is back for a deep dive with host Stu Levy of TOKYOPOP, focusing on “Arcane”, the award-winning animated series she produced during her time at Riot Games. She covers the challenges and lessons learned along the way of this monumental endeavor while discussing her journey as founder and CEO of Incredible Dream, her ambitious board game start-up. Tune in to learn more from Jane’s uni...

Jeff Gomez is the “godfather of transmedia”, shaping major hit franchises such as Avatar, Transformers, Spiderman, Pirates of the Caribbean and more across media platforms and formats. Growing up in a rough-and-tough neighborhood while struggling with internal demons, Jeff had to learn various defense mechanisms and skills to survive and ultimately thrive. Host Stu Levy of TOKYOPOP explores Jeff’s...

Navigating the complex intersection of creativity and executive leadership is no simple feat. Jane Hoffacker’s career guided the incredible trajectory of franchise video game hits, from Guitar Hero to Skylanders and eventually League of Legends, eventually leading to her flagship project, the Emmy-award-winning animation series Arcane. Now, at the helm of her own start-up, Incredible Dream, in the...

What’s it like to create one of the world’s most famous brands? Host Stu Levy, founder of TOKYOPOP, interviews Patrick Lee, the entrepreneur behind Rotten Tomatoes, which transformed the film and television industry. Stu explores Patrick’s multiple swivels - between Asia and the US, between tech and entertainment, and between left brain and right brain. ------- HOST: Stu Levy GUEST: Patrick Lee |...

Growing up in Michigan and emigrating to Japan, Chuck Johnson is the epitome of eclectic multi-hyphenate – martial artist, stunt actor, screen actor, producer, director, motion capture talent, teacher, entrepreneur, father, and husband. Host Stu Levy explores Chuck’s story as he continuously juggles left-brain plans with right-brain impulses. ------- HOST: Stu Levy GUEST: Chuck Johnson | IMDB: htt...

Featuring media guru Sean Atkins, this episode of Left Brain vs. Right Brain delves into the evolution of the entertainment business as host Stu Levy explores Sean’s career trajectory, spanning leadership roles at Disney, Yahoo, HBO, MTV to his current role as CEO of Jellysmack, a highly successful influencer and creator management firm.  From working with Microsoft founder Paul Allen to parenting...

Just when you think no one could be that cool... Shao Dow, bona fide rapper, manga author, and ninja steps onto Left Brain vs. Right Brain to discuss the process of his multi-nuanced approach to life. Having one of the most unique careers in the world, Dow walks us through the creation of The Way of Shao while expressing the one-of-a-kind relationship with the manga world and how race plays a part...

Producer of award-winning films such as Cairo Conspiracy (2022), The Nile Hilton Incident (2017), and Swoon (2019), Linda Mutawi is also a filmmaker and storyteller who has crossed cultures and bridged worlds throughout her life. Host Stu Levy discusses how Linda juggles the demands of business, filmmaking, and motherhood while zig-zagging across Europe and the Middle East. ------- HOST: Stu Levy...

With an animation and directing career that spans the top echelon of productions such as Tarzan, Mulan, Madagascar and more, Saul Blinkoff’s moonlights as an inspirational life coach and podcast host of “Life of Awesome!”  While Saul's passions are what led his successful career in Dreamworks and Disney, host Stu Levy of TOKYOPOP explores the keys to life success with a true expert, who juggles hi...

M. Alice aka Marty Legrow aka Fun with Punko published the hit manga “Bizenghast” for host Stu Levy’s company TOKYOPOP as well as comic books such as “Toyetica” for Action Labs Comics. Marty has become one of the most successful creators on the #1 digital comics platform Webtoon, with her story “Stagtown” and Stu explores the transition from traditional comics creation to the mobile-native, vertic...

Justin Leach is one of the rare birds who has experienced from inside both the big-budget American CG animation industry and the much-lower budget 2D anime industry in Japan. Trained as an animator and ultimately becoming a show-runner, producer and writer, Justin's work spans a wide range of titles including Eden, Star Wars: Visions, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the Ice Age franchise, and Kick-Hear...

Adina Pitt is the epitome of the American dream. The trilingual animation executive grew up in Puerto Rico, ultimately becoming VP, Content Acquisitions, Partnerships, and Co-Productions for Warner Media Kids & Family. Motivated by her desire to produce meaningful programming for children, and with such an incredibly robust career, spanning Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and more, does her left bra...

Kun Gao founded the legendary anime streaming platform Crunchyroll. In this episode of Left Brain vs. Right Brain, host Stu Levy of TOKYOPOP explores Kun's path from piracy to supremacy. The engineer chased his passion and ultimately ended up an international deal-making CEO. Was it his left brain's analytical power or his right brain's spontaneous ideas which drove him from dorm room to boardroom...

Chang Kim is a serial entrepreneur from Korea who most recently built webtoon app Tapas Media in Silicon Valley, ultimately selling it to Kakao Entertainment. On the podcast, Kim describes his challenging journey of building the business, discovering the right product-market fit, and eventually monetizing. Host Stu Levy learns whether or not Chang tapped into his right brain, listening to his hear...

Chances are, you've seen Terry Kalagian's work. Terry, who currently manages content for global entertainment powerhouse Gaumont, has also worked closely with Marvel, Starz, Mattel and more. Her strategic insight is the guiding force that inspires her imaginative side. In this episode, host Stu Levy of TOKYOPOP reflects on their previous collaborations and the hard-earned path to Terry’s success. ...

Sophie-chan was trained as an engineer but chose her own path as a manga creator and artist. Growing up in the Middle East meant her struggle to pursue her creative dream was also a cultural challenge. In touch with her emotional side, her art acts as an expression of individualism. Tune in as host Stu Levy explores Sophie-chan's unique journey on the road to becoming an artist!   ------- HOST: St...

Fluently oscillating between left and right brain, comic book entrepreneur Gareb Shamus is also a renowned fine artist, with gallery showings worldwide. Having built Wizard Magazine and Wizard World in the 90’s, Gareb has gone on to found ACE Comic Con and his new metaverse company HeroMaker Studios. In this episode, host Stu Levy dives deep into Gareb’s robustly creative mind. ------- HOST: Gareb...

Gaming entrepreneur Holly Liu jumps back onto Stu Levy’s podcast to continue the Left Brain vs. Right Brain debate.  They discuss the nuanced intersection of business, language, international law, and media –  and how to navigate the current digital sphere in our modern society.  ------- HOST: Stu Levy | www. StuLevy.com | TokyoPop.com GUEST: Holly Liu ------- Special thanks to our sponsor TokyoP...

Gaming has become a hot button topic for the entertainment industry and general pop culture. Host Stu Levy dives deep into the world of Holly Liu, legendary gaming entrepreneur and investor. In this 2-part discussion, Holly reveals her pendulum swing from right brain to left brain and back again. What secrets will be revealed about her success story on the road to making gaming accessible to milli...

Imagine being a professional athlete - competing amongst the world’s best for a living. Then imagine, in addition to that, creating original stories and running an entertainment company. Unlikely, right? Well, professional basketball player Johnny O' Bryant III does all of that, and more. Is it Johnny’s creative instinct or business drive which keeps him going, and how does his sport fit into all...

Camilla d'Errico has thrived as a fine artist in the pop culture space, building an impressive fandom through her appearances at art galleries, live events, and comic book conventions. Camilla’s pop surrealist style, unique character designs, and hypnotic imagery has drawn the attention of crowds as she crafts eye-opening and, at times, even controversial imagery. Host Stu Levy digs into what make...

Voice acting has become one of the hottest fields for talented thespians, especially in the areas of anime and video games. Host Stu Levy’s guest, Todd Haberkorn, is one of the most popular voice actors out there, voicing key roles in Fairy Tail, Dragon Ball Z, Full Metal Alchemist, and hundreds of games. If that wasn't enough, he also directs and produces. So how does Todd focus his right brain o...

Host Stu Levy dives into the brain of highly prolific, veteran movie producer Hawk Koch, whose fingers have touched dozens of films including “Chinatown”, “Marathon Man”, “Source Code”, “Wayne’s World”, “The Pope of Greenwich Village” and many more. Hawk’s insight as not only producer but past president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Oscars) and the Producers Guild of Amer...

In this exciting debut episode, host Stu Levy reunites with old friends Kev Nish & Prohgress from Far East Movement. Both witnessed each others' growth and success – one producing hits "Like a G6" and more, while the other building manga media brand TOKYOPOP. In their respective realms, they unlocked global demand for Asian entertainment, collaborating with talent across the region. Ultimately, do...