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Show 156 This time, we have a super special guest appearance! The cousins also have a great time talking about a Bocchi the Rock.                                         *Note, the audio intro for this episode was written entirely by ChatGPT.   This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku With special AI-powered guest appearance by: JackGPT   Introductions BankBros and Japan’s Pajama Sam’s “What’cha been watchin’?” // Catch up with the hosts Kenny Trigun Stampede Reading ‘Chainsaw Man’ — caught up with current on the manga JackGPT Cyberpunk Edgerunner   Bocchi the Rock // ぼっち・ざ・ろっく Based on a Yonkoma by Aki Hamaji Adapted into anime in 2022 Directed by Keiichiro Saito Studio: CloverWork What it isn’t: BanG Dream Sanrio Boys What is it like — a beautiful combination of: BECK Mongolian Chop Squad K-on! Tetsuko no tabi — no seriously     Download Audio File Here

Show 155 This time, the cousins talk about Kumoricon 2022! It's our annual con review. Once again, I (Laven) wasn't there. So Kenny paints us all a picture of what it was like to be there. This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku Correction Corner We released an unedited version of Ep 154. It was fixed! Kenny’s spouse is totally fine — successful appendectomy and recovery. Kumoricon 2022 Mega Review! This is our annual review of Kumoricon… that come out about once a year. 2022 marked the 20th year for the convention, and Laven and Kenny have been attending for 17 years. What did Anibros Creative do at Kumoricon 2022? Anime Jeopardy XV: Royal Edition Celebrity Anime Jeopardy! Anime Jeopardy NRT (18+), sponsored by FAKKU Kumoricon by the Day Day 0, Thursday Kenny witnesses angry vendors! Thank you Specialty Badge people Some waited in line for hours! Day 1, Friday Anime Taboo! Anime Jeopardy XV: Royal Edition Alisa Freedman - Great lecture style panels on pop culture Zack Davisson - Localization 101 Live Drawing panel with GEEKBOAT featuring Wakabayashi and Koyama Kenny got a drawing of Tomino Day 2, Saturday Anibros interviewed GEEKBOAT!  Tonari Animation, discussed the “Gawr Gura, Shark’d” opening animation  Kenny missed the TRIGGER Q&A but Piper took notes Celebrity Anime Jeopardy! Featuring Zack Davisson (author, translator), Jarrett Martin (CEO, Tonari Animation), and Queen D (Cosplayer, Burlesque) Anime Jeopardy 18+ Sponsored by FAKKU Anibros team took a turn messing with Kenny Day 3, Sunday Nothing really! Highlights! Bad — lines Semi-bad — split convention area Good Content! Staff! Anime Jeopardy! Artist Alley!       Download Audio File Here

Show 154 I would like to extend a heartfelt welcome to the influx of new listeners that have been directed to this glorious Podcast by way of Anime Jeopardy, courtesy of Kumoricon 2022. Also, as a disclaimer, this episode  was recorded before the Twitter drama. We reference Twitter several times in this episode, so just keep that in mind. On with the show!     This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku Introduction AniBros Creative can be found at anibroscreative.com, and follow up on Twitter at @anibroscreative Laven is @LavenVoth Kenny is @sakoku_otaku Opening Banter “Boy-see” Kenny is a Salaryman and currently being a salaryman in Boise Good Patrick is a resident of Boise but Kenny failed to tell him he’d be coming into his town Kenny has seen a lot of potate-themed art Are we post-Pandemic? Life Protip: Delete more tweets than you send. RSS Check! Looks like we messed up! RIP Feedburner. Listen to us on Spotify! Otaku no Video Two-part OVA created by Gainax in 1991 Director: Takeshi Mori Written by: Toshio Okada Story of a college student, Kubo, who becomes an otaku after a chance encounter with an old classmate and friend, Tanaka. Autobiographical but stylized depiction of the history of General Products and Studio Gainax Features segments called ‘Portrait of an Otaku’, live action interviews with otaku Discussion What new stuff stood out to us? Portrait of an Otaku hit harder now that we’re the age of the folks that made this movie. They do get progressively more and more stupid. Garage Kits are made to be way more popular than they ever were. Otaku no Video remains a familiar and cozy show to return to. Kubo and Tanaka were definitely huffing fumes The Otakuland opening may be a reference to Tomino’s New Anime Century speech The worst part of Otaku no Video is that they become capitalists -- but maybe that is a self-aware acknowledgement of the worst tendencies at Gainax. Highly recommended, definitely watch. The reason we have this podcast. Laven is looking for land to build his own Otakuland Syberpunk: Edgerunner 10 episodes series on Netflix Produced by TRIGGER for CD Projekt Red Director: Hiroyuki Imaishi Written by: Masahiko Otsuka, Yoshiki Usa Based on story by: Bartosz Sztybor (シテボル); Rafal Jaki Discussion “One of the best shows I’ve seen in awhile.” - Laven Fear going in: this is just a video game tie-in, how good could it really be? But! It is really good! Kenny and Laven fight over DARLING in the FUCKS again What’s it about? David Martinez has a bad time: his school hates him, his classmates hate him, and his mom is killed in a car wreck. David becomes an Edgerunner -- a member of a crime team running jobs. He quickly spirals into the dark world of corporate warfare and cybernetic enhancements. Kenny’s Take: Edgerunner is exactly what it felt like to watch anime in the 90s/00s/ This is what it was like to watch Ninja Scroll or Cyber City Oedo It has violence! It has sex! It has a complex story that is based on source material that isn’t 100% present in the anime! Cyberpunk is based a TTRPG created in the 80s by Mike Pondsmith The sensory experience is dialed up to 11. This could only exist as an OVA -- in fact, it is an ONA! Cyberpunk is a love letter to the 80s OVA It is so refreshing to have a true sci-fi and cyberpunk anime again! When our generation is making decisions (after boomers are good, TY Knight Sabers), let’s hope its all nostalgia like this. Who is your favorite character? Laven: Lucy, the main girl -- perfectly engineered for me to like her; Kenny: Maine and Dorio All the characters are really well done and given opportunities to bond witht he audience. Who at Trigger needs to always add the Rebecca-type character? And what is driving the perception that she’s a loli? Really good world building. Do we want a sequel? Only if its a completely new story. Comfort viewing -- you can watch it slow or binge it ANIBROS STAMP OF APPROVAL So will we play Cyberpunk 2077? No. But if it goes on Sale for a steep enough discount, maybe. Want to watch anime and experience a cyberpunk adventure But wait, there’s more! Trigun!? Laven had time to fit into a re-watch of Trigun. Jack reviewed Trigun on Episode # Still holds up! A secret sci-fi show A slow burn -- but worth that investment as it starts to unfold Why didn’t Kenny like Trigun? He doesn’t remember -- because of the dub? Because of the way its fans behaved? Maybe! What about the new Trigun? No. Cowboy Bebop Watching in Japanese Maybe if I watch it this time, it’ll be different? The two goofballs muse about what they want to make on 3D printers. What!? Laven went to go see the Yokohama Gundam. The Odaiba Gundam is a trash gundam now. 1:1 scale RX 78-2 Available to see until Spring 2023 which is great because the borders to Japan are opening soon! Gegege no Kitaro exhibit AR experience   Download Audio File Here

Well, I've kept my promise. Here is a new episode. Recorded this month. This time, we took notes during the recording session, which I will post them here. Let us know if you like this format for show notes going forward. I'm still too lazy to add time stamps to all of this, but it's all in order: Show 153 This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku   Where the fuck have we been!?   (Hey, Shinzo Abe died)   What has changed in our lives in the last few months? Have we done anything exciting? Laven’s super Japanese summer Fireworks display in Nagoya A tangent! Co-op food delivery is starting to push Oden, a traditional Fall/Winter food. Universal Studio Japan! So hot Super Mario World — timed and queued entry like the Star Wars place at Disney/whatever Kessenuma, Miyagi, Japan Kessenuma was devastated by the 3/11 triple disaster Former coworkers started a brewery in Northeast Japan, and was connected to the city through a sister city relationship Laven visited in Spring for a… Spring Fest! Food, beer, music, and fun. This sparked a memory with Kenny — eating at a food festival in Katsuura, Chiba. If you ever go there, get the Katsuura Tantanmen. Adventures in Cooking! Laven and Kaori are mastering Mexican cuisine. Kenny pitched an idea for… Hello Fresh but for Japan! But he’s definitely too late. CookingBros! Baking Spouses! Kenny joined a Sister City organization for Salem-Kawagoe Group arranges visits and exchanges between the cities Using this as an avenue to engage with Japan that isn’t just anime/manga   From the detour Kenny went to Hawaii on his 10th wedding anniversary Kona, visited Hilo   What have we been watching? Reading? Doing? Laven Tried watching (Spring and Summer) Anime about a traditional confectionery shop in Kyoto. Conflict between the son who abandons his family business and the adoptive daughter the takes it over. Yofukashi no uta Did watched Birdy Wing Thermae Romae F Spy x Family Am Watching Isekai Oji-san GeGeGe no Kitaro (Detective) Conan — watching as new episodes they come out Kenny Watching, technically a present tense verb Birdy Wing Spy x Family Oishinbo Read and reading Don’t toy with me, Miss Nagatoro by Nanashi ‘Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World’ by Matt Alt ‘First Person Singular’ by Haruki Murakami Doing Gunpla! 3D Printing Kenny’s wife got a dog! Molly. Video games?   Other Recommendations: White Lotus (HBO), a fun mini-series about people on vacation The Big Hit Show, Season 4, a podcast on the Pokemon takeover of American pop culture — season 4 of some other podcast “The Big Hit Show”   Leave us a review on Spotify! Or Google something. Subscribe to the RSS.   Buy your albums on Bandcamp, kids!           Download Audio File Here

In order to display our undying gratitude to all of our fans who are also mothers, we present to you this Mother's Day Special episode! And, not a moment too soon! This time, the Cousins talk about My Dress-Up Darling, and also discuss the ongoing spring season.   In all seriousness, this is a semi lost episode that I straight up forgot to edit and post. It was recorded on April 17, 2022. So, in your mind, just pretend that it's 5 months ago.   Let us know what your spring plans in the comments! Disclaimer: This was hastily edited. I promise we just recorded a new episode, so in the interest of not skipping episodes, please enjoy this chronologically correct entry. A new one will be on the way very soon.   This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

Happy New Year! Its 2022! Now that its February, I can finally post the episode that we recorded back in December. We discuss Kumoricon 2021, which took place in-person in the midst of a deadly pandemic. Was it amazing? Was it a mistake? Our Man on the Ground™ Kenny brings us his detailed report from the convention space in beautiful and sunny Portland, Oregon. This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

As per usual, there is no particular excuse that this episode is late other than 'I was busy' and 'I didn't get around to it.' But, as it happens, we finally watched the final Evangelion film Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (シン・エヴァンゲリオン劇場版 , Shin Evangerion Gekijōban). Well, one of us is watching for the first time, and the other is watching for the first time subtitled. Will that make a difference? Tune in to find out! "What Have You Been Watching" starts at 6:13. Spoilers for Eva start at the 27:15 mark.   This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

In another exciting edition of "Third-of-life Crisis", the Cousins decide to stay a while on Memory Lane, aka Nostalgia Boulevard and talk about everybody's favorite orange ninja, Naruto. We also spend way too much time talking about the pandemic, so if you want to skip right into "What Have You Been Watching?", go directly to the 30-minute mark.   Kenny read all of the manga, while Laven watched all of the Anime*. *Not including filler episodes.   This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

Surprise! We actually weren't done talking about Gundam. In part 3 of our series, we discuss Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, and Mobile Suit Gundam UC (Unicorn). Hear me out: It's actually interesting so please listen. But, not before we quickly talk about the other shows we have been watching. During the aforementioned discussions, We found some kids on our lawn, and promptly yelled at them to get off. That's a joke about how we don't understand the youths. This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

Today the Cousins take an exclusive look at Evaneglion 3.0+1.0, aka Thrice Upon a Time, aka Shin Evangelion Gekijōban: ||, aka New Evangelion Theatrical Edition: || As you could have guessed, none other than our Senior East Asian Correspondent Laven was on site to experience the masterpiece as it unfolded within the unassuming Toho Cinema.       Its a bit of a long one, but we do our best not to spoil anything!   This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

This time on Anibros, the Cousins are back with more Universal Century Gundam! From the OG film trilogy to the Origin, we tackle everything that Kenny has watched up to this point. So, unfortunately, no Unicorn discussion this time.     This is the continuation of our previous discussion, so it is highly recommended that you listen to Part 1 first.   This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

It's happened. It's finally happened. Resident Feddy Apologist and War Crime Sympathizer Kenny has viewed a treasured historical document called Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, which catalogs the atrocities committed by the Earth in the name of keeping the peace. This has sparked a discussion about not only Zeta Gundam, but our relationship to Gundam as a whole. We recorded for over 4 hours, and covered many entries into the Gundam UC timeline, however this episode covers Zeta specifically. Part 2 will drop on Australia as soon as I find the time to edit it.   If you aren't a fan of Gundam, I think there is some worthwhile stuff in here, so I recommend you listen anyway. Maybe you'll be inspired to give it a try!       This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

Happy New Year! This is our first episode of 2021, and we hope to deliver a real banger. And its a real long one, so sorry about that. This year will be the year of changes. The first change is that Kenny is actually watching some quality anime, and shortening his back-log. But, don't be fooled into believing he is a good person, as he unapologetically implies that the Titans haven't gone far enough in Zeta Gundam. And because obviously Laven's previously stated feelings for Inuyasha were pure tsundere, he watches the entire thing in what feels like basically one sitting.   Be sure to visit his Geocities Sesshomaru Shrine, number one on the Anime Turnpike.   Also note that there are no other changes. Just the one.   This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

Here we are again for another exciting episode of Anibros: The AniCousins. This time, the cousins recap the recent DigiKumo (or, Digital Kumoricon) that happened a few weeks ago. As usual, the Anibros crew was there single-handedly saving the convention.     If you weren't there, you were, in fact, a square.   This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

I wouldn't say this episode is timely, however it is a major accomplishment. It was recorded and posted in less than one week! Everything remains topical as of today. This time, we discover together just how much of a slacker Kenny really is. Its been several years, and he still doesn't know what a Re:Zero is. But don't worry, I took him to school.       Also, we preview some of the stuff that looks interesting for Fall 2020. Spoiler alert: It isn't much.     Double-also, we will be hosting Anime Jeopardy once again at DigiKumo, the digital version of Kumoricon happening this year, hosted exclusively on the World Wide Web! Expect the same amount of shenanigans as before. That will be held from November 6th through the 8th. Don't miss us! I'll be beaming in my presence straight from Japan via satellite teleconference.       This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

Today is a great day, because it is a day that a new episode of Anibros has been released. This was recorded a slightly short time ago, but also not super recently. You'd think that with COVID keeping us all indoors we'd be able to record and edit at a better pace. But, alas, our capitalist overloads require even more work during the work-from-home hours, and my entire on-the-computer time consists of working for someone else instead of for all of you. But, don't fret, because episodes will continue to come out despite hell or high water. We talk extensively about the new(ish) Evangelion merch available from GU, 7-eleven, and Uniqlo. Here are the promised photos of said merch:       This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

It has finally happened. I was able to edit this week's episode and post it right after the last one. Who knew it was possible? In my rush to post, I royally screwed up the numbering. So sorry if its confusing, this most certainly is NOT episode 139.   This week we discuss quarantine, Eizouken, and other delusions. But now that nothing is left "in the can," as we professionals say, who knows when the next episode will be. Be sure to mention @sakoku_otaku to demand a recording session. Also demand that he watches From the New World while you're at it. And for the x3 combo, tell him to not use a dollar store Xbox Live headset next time.   As I was searching for relevant images, and found none, I decided to include the following:   This is what it looks like when all the stuff from your previous life is delivered to your current life. Including, but not limited to recording equipment to make fine podcasts such as this one.   This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

Rejoice, listeners! We have one again uploaded some content! And not a moment too soon, because this may the only convention coverage you'll get from us in 2020.   Way back in November, the Bros took over a convention center in Portland Oregon, hung out with (and basically became best friends with) Studio Trigger, and learned to gamble away our respective life savings' away. There was also an anime con happening around us at the time, if you can believe it!   This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here

Once again it's been quite a time since the last post. This time there is semi-legitimate reason!   In particular, I (Laven) was waiting for my audio equipment to make its journey by steam-ship to the new world (nihon). But that doesn't particularly excuse me in this case. What does, though, is that we were also waiting for approval from a certain anime studio to release our recorded audio of a certain interview regarding a certain fire-fighting anime. We have made the decision to just release the text transcript of our interview here as show notes. We were waiting to release our actual discussion of Promare (this episode) so that both pieces could be released in tandem, but alas that was not to be. So, please enjoy our epsiode. I promise more are coming, if my promises mean anything to you anymore.       This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here   STUDIO TRIGGER INTERVIEW Interviewers: Kenneth Hendricks; Laven Voth (AniBros Creative, anibroscreative.com) Interviewees: Hiromi Wakabayashi (“Waka”); Shigeto Koyama; Will Feng   English 日本語 PROMARE has been a huge success in Japan and internationally. How does it feel to have worked on such a popular film? They worked on PROMARE because it is something they like doing. The fact that it is really popular worldwide and in Japan makes them thankful from the bottom of their hearts. (Waka) (Koyama) We’ve been coming to Kumoricon since 2013, actually have been working on PROMARE since then. After KLK, and going to int cons, keeping in mind that they wanted to make something not just for Japan but internationally as well, so they feel like they’ve done the right thing. プロメアは日本でも海外でも大きな成功を納めました。こんな人気作品に関わることはどんな気持ちですか？ While sometimes over the top, a lot of the rescue technology had realistic elements. What kind of research was done to learn about firefighting and emergency response? Waka: At NY and San Francisco FD, there we were able to handle the equipment. But of course, in TRIGGER, taking stuff realistically is not what we do. We have to make it more bold, more TRIGGER. We have to alter it. The fact that you think it was seemed realistic is a success on our part. The fact we were able to make it feel realistic but still change it is good. Will was able to help us coordinate the scheduling of the fire fighting locations. Of the equipment you used, what was your favorite? Waka: The jaws of life. (Kenny explained how Jaws of Life are meant to be used, and why they’re called that). ちょっと大げさな部分もありましたが、消火のシーンはとてもリアルで、本物の消化活動の様でした。消火活動や緊急時対応について、どんなリサーチをしましたか？ Varys and Remi have such cool rescue suits. Was there ever plans to show them more on screen? Waka: As much as we wanted to, because it is a film we didn’t want to take away the spotlight from Galo or Lio. If it was a TV series, for sure they would have their own episodes. They were designed by Koyama and Imaishi. Koyama: Imaishi’s hobby/taste is for mechas that are broad and big. They made me think of the Alien robot. Koyama: The Powerlifter, yes バリスとレミーのレスキューギアがとってもカッコ良かったです。バリスとレミーをもっと登場させる予定はありましたか？ Who came up with the ice-based guns? Koyama: The idea of fighting ice with fire was in our minds from the beginning. It isn’t enough to just fight with water. We went further, so ice is used to fight the Burnish. Waka: For example, with the machine gun or the pistol, they’re typically used to fight or in the military. So we played around with rescuers using weapons to save people instead. It was cool when Galo is fighting th

Anyone who is expecting us to post things on time has another thing coming. And speaking of another thing coming, that's exactly what the AniCousins™ have sent into the world. And by thing, we clearly mean fantastic episode! This was supposed to be a bonus holiday episode, to be released on Christmas as a part of the Anime Secret Santa. But, I also moved to Japan over the Christmas holiday, so editing podcasts was not high on the priority list. But now that I have nothing to do until my new job starts, here were are! I mean, we still watched and reviewed an anime, so, as they say, 'it's the thought that counts,' right? This week's hosts: Laven - @LavenVoth Kenny - @sakoku_otaku     Download MP3 Here