The CaliConBlogCast

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, the crew look back at CES and other tech announcements made this week. We also take a look at the landscape between how anime and Japanese "pop culture" is distributed and marketed in the US versus Japan and Southeast Asia - from Code Geass and Pizza Hut to Persona 3 Reload and Wendy's and why "we can't get all the cool stuff" i...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, the SoCal crew break down Anime Los Angeles (ALA) 2024 - all the highs, lows, and the exclusive material that you can only hear here. Also Matthew talks a tad bit about SacAnime Winter 2024 and explains the absence of a Year End Recap episode in 2023. InkChip Designs - https://www.inkchipdesigns.com/ ikaouji - https://ikaouji.bigcartel.com/ Tokyo-based Japan...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we preview both SacAnime Winter 2024 and Anime Los Angeles 2024 with a focus on ALA because we have a team heading down there. We also discuss the fact that GTA VI exists - from the trailer to the press release and all the questions we can ask for the next year and change. GTA VI trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdBZY2fkU-0 | Press Release - https:/...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we recap the Game Awards 2023, discuss the winners & losers of the event, look over the various game announcements, and evaulate the state of the show going into it's 10th anniversary.  Arknights: Endfield (with beta sign up) - https://endfield.gryphline.com/en-us P3R Game Awards Trailer (JP) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgxzC3P1SLc Fortnite Fe...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we preview the Game Awards 2023, look over all the nomieees, discuss the rumored premires, and look into the steps being taken to avoid last year's ending - & how current military conflicts play into this. Plus Jeriko talks about his trip down California and stopping into the Bay Area.  Padoru Remix (Trap) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zig52HNij...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we recap Kumoricon 2023 and figure out exactly what occured over the weekend as well as the impact of having two Japanese guests bow out of the convention the week of & this lingering feeling we have going into 2024 to continue to cover the convention. Plus in our "Good News" Segment: SacAnime Winter 2024, ALA 2024, a "Hentai" convent...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we preview Kumoricon 2023 and the impact of only having two people heading up to Portland compared to the last two years. Plus the usual preview all the guests, events, what we're looking forward to, and general expectations.  Guests of Honor - https://www.kumoricon.org/guests Convention Schedule - https://www.kumoricon.org/events#main-events Late Night...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, the crew discuss the technology used in creating what could be the last single from The Beatles. Plus a look into Intel's new offering in the CPU department (well kind of) and a collector's edition that puts anything we've talked about the last month or so to shame, a roundtable discussion about PC/console games as well as mobile gacha games w...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we discuss the new rules regarding Nintendo's games in the realm of esports and how it feels like they're trying to clamp down on the competitive Smash community...AGAIN. Plus we look at a death within the Japanese anime industry, complain about the showings for Suzume, look at the return of Anime Strike (kind of), discuss a collaboration between P...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we catch up on Kumoricon 2023 announcements & potential FanimeCon 2024 news, figure out why a climate change group targeted a Tekken 7 tournament, discuss Cities Skylines 2 missing benchmark targets as well as what could possibly be the worst game of the year in Skull Island: Rise of Kong (somehow worse than Gollum ?) & LRG's P4G Limited Edition...

In this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, the crew take a deep dive into the clusterfu*k known as Ohayocon in what feels like the first anime convention strike in our history. Also - a slimmer & more expensive PS5, the Unity CEO is out...err retiring, the Activision Blizzard acquisition, and in our good news segment: Suzume is coming back to theatres (ignore the discussions about Dragonball Z Da...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast: Code Geass Lost Stories Discussion #2 The newest announcements from both Kumoricon and anime expo chibi MIKU EXPO virtually selling out The "looming" SAG-AFTRA video game strike Debate over if you could actually take out the Evoker in the Persona 3 Portable Limited Edtion sold by LRG Go down memory lane on rhythm games and arcade gaming in general...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, Ryan calls out Matthew for hiding codes, we discuss the clusterf**k known as Unity, Nate scouts in Lost Stories, look at the system requirements for Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 and Phantom Liberty , continue the gushing over Persona 3 Reload from TGS, more Kumoricon announcements, bow down to the corporate overlords known as Crunchyroll, and Matthew attempts to &quot...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we recap Aniplex Online Fest 2023, all the new announcements, and Matthew somehow compares anime to college football. Also we start to ramp up the Kumoricon news by discussing who's in and who's out, Ryan rants about why MIKU EXPO isn't heading to SoCal but somehow there are TWO NorCal shows, we oof over CD Projekt's lastest warning about...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we recap both SacAnime Summer & Anime Impulse OC 2023 as well as disussing what's the horizon for both conventions in 2024. We also dive into Charles Marinet, Persona 3 Reload at PAX West, and the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 DLC Phantom Liberty plus a sidetrack to the newest Todd Howard experience aka Starfield . The Snack Experience - https://www.thesn...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we preview both SacAnime Summer & Anime Impulse OC 2023. We also pull the the LLT/LMG controversy out of the slow cooker and examine what we have (and yes we know about their roadmap moving foward which will be brought up when we get back), discuss Charles Martinet stepping down as the voice of Mario, Gamescom, & totally nutting over the most recent...

(Progamming Note: We may go on a two week break and be back in time to preview SacAnime Summer and Anime Impulse OC. If we do come back next week, we will definately take a break the following week.) On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast. we fire up the podcast for Street Fighter 6 Top 6 at Evolution 2023 and talk about the tournament & its announcements up to that point. We also discuss the...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, Matthew decides to try to put the crew's fantasy conventions drafts out to pasture by allowing ChatGPT to determine its fate by prompting worse and best case scenarios plus setlists by some of the artists that we picked - plus appearances by AI Gwyneth Paltrow and AI Snoop Dogg to ensure that all responses are in fact AI generated. We also preview Evolu...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we revisit our topic about Convention FOMO as Matthew attempts to make corrections, tells a story from 2019 of a cautionary tale about prioritization, and harness the power of ChatGPT to get through some of our...well more of his feelings and emotions. ChatGPT 3.5 conversation - https://chat.openai.com/share/fecbf4e6-d900-4aa1-93d9-ad7a1cd81ee7  ChatGPT 4 co...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, we look back a decade ago to Anime Expo 2013 and balance the nostalgia with the current reality of everything from our own lives to the anime industry to the convention itself. We also discuss Evolution 2023 breaking records, Twitch versus Kick, the SAG-AFTRA strike, Sac Anime Summer Guests, Kumoricon's COVID policy reversal, and look into the world of...

Hey everyone, it's the CaliConBlogCast's Anime Expo 2023 Recap! We break down everything that happened over the weekend and all the major announcements from the likes of Crunchyroll and Atlus as well as discussing major takeaways. Plus Matthew revisits his hot take about attendance numbers from last year and the crew talk about "fanny packs" and "skill issues." TRIGGE...

As part of our upcoming retrospective piece on Anime Expo 2013 in the backdrop of year's convention, we present to you the the full nearly 47 minute "full recap" of that convention that we filmed in front of the Los Angeles Convention Center after deciding that we could be better then recording in the hotel lobby of the Kawada Hotel the day after AX ended.  YT - https://www.youtube....

As part of our upcoming retrospective piece on Anime Expo 2013 in the backdrop of year's convention, Matthew goes back to the mixtape he initially made and some of the music that was blended with the audio (via video) captured from a decade ago - including the entirety of Daft Punk's Touch played to one of the final videos recorded as a group that convention in Kettleman City. Linktree -...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, the crew preview the biggest anime convention to occur since Anime Expo 2022 - Anime Expo 2023. Plus Nate recaps his weekend at OffKai Expo, we address the big elephant in the room, and hopefully don't spend half of the preview going off the rails about the schedule and ticket scalping.  Anime Expo on Twitter - https://twitter.com/animeexpo  Southern Ca...

On this episode of the CaliConBlogCast, the crew react to various conferences from the likes of Microsoft, Ubisoft, & Capcom and dive head first into the announcements of Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Tactica as well as throwing up DLC theories that Atlus may have cooking up and then somehow end the podcast by talking about Starfield like last year. Plus we look at the tech landscape halfway...