Under the Kotatsu

It's time for another show and tell, and this time we decided to forsake good sense and reason by choosing three different bad isekai anime and checking out their first episodes. All three held up to our general expectations of badness, but one was surprisingly fun in its badness, one was just boring, and the other was boring AND offensive. Join us as we roast some bad anime, consider our feel...

Now at the end of Shinsekai Yori, we can confidently say two things: one, this show did not need to be 25 episodes long, and two, the queerats were by far the most interesting part of the show. Join us as we dissect the few parts of the ending we actually liked, and the many parts of the ending we didn't. Anime Discussed: Shinsekai Yori 20-25Next time: Show and Tell: Bad Isekai Edtiion! Send u...

Shinsekai Yori marches on, though it's debatable whether it should have gone on for this many episodes or not. As we reach the three quarters point on the show, we find ourselves frustrated on all the time waste on things that are not the developing rat politics. Anime Discussed: Shinsekai Yori 14-19Next time: Shinsekai Yori 20-25Send us your questions! You can email us at underthekotatsu.anim...

Shinsekai Yori continues to have its series of ups and downs as we jump forward in time two years. We learn even more about the hows and whys of the disappearing children, but unfortunately we also have to deal with the real-world implications this show inadvertently brings into conversation along with it. But most importantly, Squonk returns. Anime Discussed: Shinsekai Yori 8-13Next time: Shinsek...

Time for a new show! This time we're diving into the world of Shinsekai Yori - a world full of psychic powers, genetic manipulation, rat societies, and exploding dogs. Despite some ups and downs in these first few episodes, we're mostly having a good time as this show teases out it's central mysteries and ideas. Anime Discussed: Shinsekai Yori 1-7Next time: Shinsekai Yori 8-13Send us y...

As we come to an end with Granbelm and realize that we were all too right about this show being Madoka with the edges sanded off. But it turns out you need some of those edges to make a compelling show! Oh well, at least there's some evil women and cool mech fightsAnime Discussed: Granbelm 8-13Next time: Shinsekai Yori 1-7Send us your questions! You can email us at underthekotatsu.anime@gmail....

We're watching Granbelm, a show with mechs AND magical girls plus a healthy splash of Madoka for good measure. If it weren't for some solid action, and some A+ sicko women, this show would be pretty unremarkable, but boy are we feasting on the sicko energy in this one. Anime Discussed: Granbelm 1-7 Next time: Granbelm 8-13 Send us your questions! You can email us at underthekotatsu.anime@g...

We finished Mononoke! Any hang-ups we had about this show were alleviated by a very strong showing in these final episodes. Lots meaty themes and ideas to dig into, but also: haunted train!!!CW: Brief discussion of sexual assault and abortion

It's time to exorcise some evil spirits as we begin Mononoke! A show with tons of visual style, and a fun Agatha Christie-esque structure. We have a great time working to uncover the truth, reason, and form of this anime. CW: Abortion and Miscarriage Anime Discussed: Mononoke 1-6Next time: Mononoke 7-12Send us your questions! You can email us at underthekotatsu.anime@gmail.com or DM us on twit...

It's episode 100! To mark the occasion we've invited our friend Tyler back on the podcast to once again discuss Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece with us. Since this is episode 100 of the podcast, we jumped ahead to episode 100 of these three long running Shonen anime. Surely a big, significant number like 100 means all three are action packed, emotional episodes right? Right??? Well either wa...

In this special (not actually special) Kotatsu after dark episode, we finish Scorching Ping Pong Girls! While it suffers from some unavoidable consequences of adaptation, we managed to have a fun time with this one. Though that doesn't stop us from making some unfair comparisons to Ping Pong the Animation. Anime Discussed: Scorching Ping Pong Girls 7-12Next time: Episode 100!Send us your questions...

Given our history with ping pong anime, it was only a matter of time before we watched one of the only other ping pong related shows besides Ping Pong The Animation, Scorching Ping Pong Girls! Or as I like to call it, Flaming Ping Pong Girls cuz these girls sure are gay. Oh, and the ping pong is pretty cool too. Anime Discussed: Scorching Ping Pong Girls 1-6Next time: Scorching Ping Pong Girls 7-1...

Last time, two of us foolishly held on to the hope that the second half of Dual would really lock in on some interesting ideas, themes, character arcs, etc., but one of us correctly predicted that nothing interesting would happen. Somehow they made a science fiction harem show that manages to miss the mark on both fronts. Join us as we air are greviences about this disappointing relic of the post-...

Going in we knew Dual! would be an Evangelion inspired anime, but we did not know it would be a harem anime or that it was created by the Tenchi Muyo guy. However, it does have some interesting sci-fi ideas when it's not being a harem show. Here's hoping the ratio of those things works out in our favor by the end of the show...Anime Discussed: Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure 1-7Next time:...

Our old friend Toh EnJoe has done it again. He made a show with some interesting ideas that got bogged down by BS pseudoscience and bad writing, but hey, at least Jet Jaguar, Godzilla, and Pero 2 are all here to give us something to enjoy. We're going to have to send this podcast back in time to prevent the Catastrophe of us watching it. Anime Discussed: Godzilla Singular Point 7-13Next time:...

Hope you're read up on your Cryptochemistry and Algebraic Cosmology because we're covering the Toh EnJoe (he of the two worst Space Dandy episodes) written Godzilla S.P, a show with some cool kaiju and nonsense pseudo-science, but with way too many characters with little to do. None of that matters though because we're here for our boy Jet Jaguar. Anime Discussed: Godzilla Singular Poi...

It's time for another show and tell! We've got an interesting mix of older anime to talk about, from an iconic Ikuhara show from the 90s to two OVA from 1989 with very different tones. It's also our 4 year anniversary, so you know that means: time for each of us to attempt to put all of the anime we've watched over the last 4 years into ranked lists. Our number one picks honestly won't surprise an...

We've reach the end of our time with Milky Holmes! Unfortunately for us the back half of this season is much more dense with plot that the first half, and features an unlikely (and unliked) side character become the final boss for reasons? Anyway, there's still enough trademark Milky Holmes stupidity for us to enjoy. Make sure to join us next time for another show and tell and to celebrate...

If you thought season 1 was stupid, wait to you get a load of season 2! Join us as we delight in just how head-empty and nonsensical Milky Holmes season 2 gets. Anime Discussed: Milky Holmes Season 2 1-6 Next time: Milky Holmes Season 2 7-12 Send us your questions! You can email us at underthekotatsu.anime@gmail.com or DM us on twitter @underthekotatsu and on bluesky @underthekotatsu.bsky.social

Merry Christmas! We're celebrating the holiday by watching two very dumb and fun special episodes of Milky Holmes including the Christmas Special! Not much too say about these, but we had fun celebrating the holidays with our favorite incompetent detectives! Anime Discussed: Milky Holmes Season 1 Special + Christmas Special! Next time: Milky Holmes Season 2 1-6 Send us your questions! You can emai...

We've reached the end of the first season of Milky Holmes! Do the girls finally get their Toys back? Does the plot make any sense? Just how important are these boob jokes? Answers will be revealed! Anime Discussed: Milky Holmes 7-12 Next time: Milky Holmes Season 1 Special + Christmas Special! Send us your questions! You can email us at underthekotatsu.anime@gmail.com or DM us on twitter @underthe...

We've convened to discuss one of the dumbest (non-derogatory) shows we've watched for the podcast: Milky Holmes. Despite being about a group of detectives, there's not a lot of mysteries being solved, but there is a lot of fun and dumb comedy, even if some of it has aged liked vinegar. Anime Discussed: Milky Holmes 1-6 Next time: Milky Holmes 7-12 Send us your questions! You can email us at undert...

It's time to talk about the power of friendship and senshado as we discuss the second half of Girls und Panzer, a show that on paper has not right being as good as it is. This podcast too was senshado the whole time. Anime Discussed: Girls und Panzer 7-12 Next time: Milky Holmes 1-6 Send us your questions! You can email us at underthekotatsu.anime@gmail.com or DM us on twitter @underthekotatsu.

Panzer vor! We're beginning our foray into the world of Senshado with the first six episodes of Girls und Panzer. Despite some weirdness around the edges with this show's usage of World War II iconography, we had a really fun time with this silly yet well made show. Anime Discussed: Girls und Panzer 1-6 Next time: Girls und Panzer 7-12 Send us your questions! You can email us at underthekotatsu.an...

Unfortunately, we can't say that Ex-Arm betrayed the hype. It truly is the worst anime we have watched for this show, and that's really saying something. Join us as we close the book on this awful series, and try not to talk too much about Metal Gear Solid 4 along the way. Anime Discussed: EX-ARM 7-12 Next time: Girls und Panzer 1-6 Send us your questions! You can email us at underthekotat...