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AlphaVictor #3: The One With The Giant Robots

Topic started by DocHaus on Oct. 21, 2010. Last post by firehawk12 1 year, 7 months ago.
Post by DocHaus (698 posts) See mini bio Level 18
Once again, many thanks to AV users damswedon, firehawk12 and CrazyCanuck for their contributions and commentary to this podcast.
 
This time around, we talk about what got us into anime in the first place, then we move on to talk about giant robots and their usefulness in anime. Also, we take time to mention things like The Force Unleashed, DVDs vs. streaming, and a quick rundown of the shows we like and/or hate so far this season. Somewhere in there is a joke about McDonalds, I don’t remember why. 
 
PROTIP: Caffeine is a hell of a drug, kids, and some or all of this cast was done while I was under the influence of a good deal of the stuff, so occasionally we drift into off-topic land, but it's relevant. I think.
 
A special mention to anyone who can guess the identity of the song clips played at the beginning and end of this show. Here's a couple hints: the first one is from a video game soundtrack that Europe has yet to receive, and the second is from a guy who fancies himself a super villain.
 
Here's a link to the stream. If you scroll down the page you will see a link that lets you subscribe via iTunes to the feed.
Here's a link to the file itself if you wish to download it directly to your hard drive.
Here's a link to the RSS feed for you non-iTunes users.
 
Once again, the floor is open for any questions, comments, concerns, et cetera. Hope you enjoy this episode.
 
UPDATE: Because no one answered the song clips for the previous show, I feel the need to post the answers below. Spoilered in case anyone still wants to guess.
 
Click here for the answers...
Edited 1 year, 7 months ago
Post by Daniel_Newton (1,619 posts) See mini bio Level 20
Moderator
@DocHaus: Great to see this is still going full-speed ahead. I feel bad for not getting round to listening to the second one. I'll make it up to you by tweeting about this one to help get the word out. 
 
I listened to the first one and can say I was definitely entertained, so give it a go peeps. 
I'll get #2 playing in the background now I think, I did say I'd listen to it.
Posted 1 year, 7 months ago
Post by Gaff (213 posts) See mini bio Level 11
Woohoo, my question got in! Sort of ;) 
 
Downloading now. I'll be back later :P 
 
Would be fun to have other forum members chime in, too ;)
Edited 1 year, 7 months ago
Post by Daniel_Newton (1,619 posts) See mini bio Level 20
Moderator
Finished listening to #3 a little while ago and I'll be looking forward to the next one. 
 
Here are those three questions for your next podcast: 
  • How much fan service do you like in your anime? How much is too much? Is there a limit? (personally, I'm a big fan of boobs, so it doesn't bother me one bit) 
  • Would you watch a Kirby's Epic Yarn anime? Or would it be so god damn cute your eyes would melt off your face? 
  • Do you think a Pokémon anime, made for older viewers (mainly the people who watched it when it first came out) would be cool? With a decent plot and perhaps more violence (pretty sure an Arbok was sliced in half in the manga... perhaps not that voilent). What would be ideal for you? 
 
Kind of long questions but that's what you get for not having me on the podcast itself so I could word them better! 
As always, let me know when the next one is done.
Posted 1 year, 7 months ago
Post by Gaff (213 posts) See mini bio Level 11
Done with #3, thanks for answering both of my questions! A few comments: 
  •  I would have to agree convenience is streaming's biggest weapon, not only in keeping the West interested in anime, but also against piracy. Not having to mess around with ports, clients, codecs, etc; just visit a website, click, and start watching anime. This, not DVD releases at premium prices as you guys mentioned, will probably keep anime alive in the West. Broadcasting on TV could potentially bring more fans, but it's a very costly business, as A.D. Vision found out. Anyone remember The Anime Network? I remember seeing the ads in the now defunct Newtype USA, but living on the wrong side of the Atlantic, I never saw it. How (weird) was that? Also: Firehawk, are there any "perks" involved with the K-On DVDs?
  • Hunching over in the Knightmare Frames is probably the least of Kallen's back problems. Ahem, now that I've got my mind out of the gutter, Dochaus is right: Code Geass (weird pronunciation by the way, I always thought of it as "Geese") is kind of a train wreck, plotwise. A glorious, pretty and thoroughly enjoyable train wreck, but a train wreck nonetheless. Then again, I'm not the biggest expert on mechs, so I'll delegate the discussion to more knowledgeable types.
  • I started much the same like Firehawk: Cantonese dubbed VHS tapes of stuff like DBZ, City Hunter, Sailor Moon, and a lot more stuff that I can't remember! Lapsed during high school (with appropriate snobbish "I've already seen that, that's old stuff" remarks). Frist few years of university I saw Neon Genesis Evangelion lying around in a local shop. Madman Entertainment had sprinkled the cover with praise from stuff like Wired. Wired, the tech magazine? This ain't the anime of my youth, let's have a look! And... I'm still here, living proof that suckers actually do read the back of the box blurbs and fall for it.
 
Phew, that turned into quite a wall of text! 
 
I'll close with some more little questions: 
  • Dochaus mentioned some Gundam kits that he had built and we've all seen the sheer amount of merchandising anime can produce. So: What anime merchandising are you, the hosts, most proud of? It can be limited DVD box sets with tons of extras; Perfect Grade kits; Action figures or figurines; Hug pillows. Speaking of which: if you're lacking merchandising that you're proud of, what's your most shameful merchandising?
  • Here's a golden opportunity for a rant / healthy discussion: If you could do away with one anime cliché / trope, what would that be? I don't know if Damswedon is familiar with Room 101, the TV series, but maybe he can explain it better.
 
Also, I apologise if I mixed up your names and voices!
Posted 1 year, 7 months ago
Post by firehawk12 (26 posts) See mini bio Level 6
Thanks for listening guys!
  
@Gaff: 
 
Streaming seems like the best option because it's so cheap (in the age of globalization, translators/localizers are almost a dime a dozen).  If you're okay with "alienating" your "dub only" fanbase, it's a perfectly viable alternative to pressing discs that will sit on store shelves and collect dust.  For the people who want to collect and have reference copies, they can do more limited runs for people who need to have this stuff in a hard format.  I know that I'm going to buy that copy of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time on BD whenever Bandai releases it.
 For the K-On discs specifically, I don't think they've announced what will be included in the limited editions... but the fact that they pre-announced them kind of makes you wonder if they're not putting all their eggs in a basket for this release.  It has fiasco written all over it.
 
And you know, I had the same experience with anime in the 90s.  My friends would watch a lot of the English versions of anime just out of morbid curiosity more than anything else.  Recently I've discovered that TVB/Animax continues to do dubs these days (there's a Cantonese K-On dub out there) and I almost wish I could watch those versions out of nostalgia.
Posted 1 year, 7 months ago
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