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Podcast: Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: Sven and Van continue Kikaider 01 (1973) and are introduced to the SHADOW organization. Compelled almost against their will, our hosts are here to dredge out the good points from under a mountain of nonsense. Join them as the hosts are increasingly confused about which show they're covering; the character Gunta will amaze you with his irrelevance; and Big Shadow asks an important question: how many layers of supervillainy are YOU on? The article on ghost stories in Hawaii can be found here. Content note: Episode 12 of Kikaider 01 has instances of animal abuse (in character; no real animals were harmed, etc). TOPICS:* Kikaider 01 (1973) 7-12* Black Dragon, Gattaider, Crimson Tortoise, Ghost Woman, Bakeneko* The curious case of Gill-Hakaider* Discussing Ichiro's signature weakness* Rieko's lack of character, ft. robo-racism* It's Mr. Titan - uh, it's Shadow Knight!* The applications of dramatic irony* In defense of that fucking flute* Amusement park chase montage* Big Shadow's Big Hello* Kikaider's focus on family* Why do we even have that button!?* Underground Japanese Ghost Base* Yokai Murderbots, with guns!* Sidenote: Hawaiian/Japanese cultural overlap* An extraordinarily long con* A very haunted analysis* Cat Orb (corb)* Severed head necromancy* The humanity of being inhuman MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Masato Shimon – “Kikaider 01”* Thomas “Drax” Mogensen – “Happy Happy Christmas”* RIDER CHIPS – “Fight! Seven Riders!” – Pachinko Kamen Rider: Full Throttle NEXT WEEK: Introducing GOD's Chief of Security - Apollo Geist. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast: Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: "Set Up!" This marks the start of Kamen Rider X (1974), featuring the "kaizorg" Keisuke Jin. It just so happens that this series is Sven and Van's blindspot as far as showa goes, so this will be a journey for everyone. Join them as they fret over the darker turns the show takes; a dastardly crossover threatens the hosts where it hurts them the most; the GOD General Commander employs a ruthless real estate genius; the Shakespeare references get out of hand; and Van attempts a goof and botches both the takeoff and the landing in extraordinary fashion. You know what Kamen Rider really needed? More gun. Content warning: Two episodes in this coverage contain depictions of suicide.(Timestamp #1: 2:00:59 - 2:04:46 )(Timestamp #2: 2:07:41 - 2:20:38 ...basically all of ep7.) In general, this coverage contains discussion of abusive family dynamics.  TOPICS:* Kamen Rider X (1974) 1-7* Neptune, Pannic, Hercules, Medusa, Cyclops, Bullman Minotaur, Birdman Icarus* Preamble and Dramatis Personae* The shinwakaijin, or Mythology Monsters* warfarem'n (Warfare Agents)* Keisuke and Keitaro Jin* The Government of Darkness, G.O.D.* Ballistics-proofing with Dr. Sven* Trek sidebar: Why are scientists like this, actually* AI duplicates* Transformation sequences!* Masculinity in Rider* Pragmatism vs humantarianism* Sidebar: Egyptus from 1971* "Alpha Gas"* Highway chase scenes! Budget!!* Forgotten character development* The return of Tobei Tachibana, bike grampa* Mood whiplash!!!* Skull Man flashbacks MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Ichiro Mizuki - "Set Up! Kamen Rider X" and "I Am the X Rider" NEXT WEEK: Farewell, Hakaider Squad, we barely knew ye. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast: Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: "Change 01!" The historians return for more android shenanigans in Kikaider 01, the sequel to Android Kikaider. Not to put too fine a point on it, the show discards its overarcing themes of what it means to be a human in favor of unmitigated nonsense. Does this make it better? The answer may surprise you. Join Van and Sven as they consider the practicality of a solar-powered robot with a battery life of five seconds; Sven has a temporary Dr. Seuss-related mixup; they see prototypical Sentai villain squad dynamics; and they are baffled at the mystery plot surrounding Akira and Rieko. This show... might be a bit stupid. The full series of Kikaider 01 is available legally in the US, once again through Generation Kikaida! TOPICS:* Kikaider 01 (1973) 1-6* Silver Shrimp, Blue Crocodile, Red Centipede* Android Kikaider recap* Dramatis Personae* The Hakaider Squad & Gill-Hakaider* Hiding places for blueprints* Zi-O's "Kamen Rider Kikai"* Seibu-en Amusement Park* The "Four Stage Attack"* Jiro returns* Gunta, a.k.a. discount-Hanpei* Kablam!* Android mook factories* Suit nitpicks * Comparing Rieko and Dr. Komyoji* SATANIC DARKNESS* Everyone loves robovore* Messages in bottles* That goddamned flute* Destron plots...?* Fight choreography and lack of focus MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Masato Shimon - "Kikaider 01"* Thomas "Drax" Mogensen - "Happy Happy Christmas"* RIDER CHIPS – “Fight! Seven Riders!” – Pachinko Kamen Rider: Full Throttle NEXT WEEK: SET UP! Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast: Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: Alexa, Sven, and Van wrap up Kamen Rider V3 (1973). While their opinions are largely positive, the final stretch isn't without its share of last-minute curveballs. Join them as they explore Yuki and Great Leader's dynamic; Van's attempts at logic are met with about the reaction you would expect; we discuss the inherent awfulness of starfish and alternate realities; Shiro Kazami almost definitely failed his semester; and they spoil a poignant moment by pointing out just how shortly it sticks. Rest in Tahiti, Joji Yuki. TOPICS:* Kamen Rider V3 (1973) 47-52* Coelacanth Kid, Thorned Starfish, Vampire Chameleon, Zariganna* On the pacing of Showa Rider* Shocker riders! Except worse.* Extremely festive new years' parties* Good cult/bad cult?* Samurai dramas?* Vent Infiltrations and vaccuum chamber escape sequence* Tachibana's contrived talents* John Mulaney* Feelings Beach!* Pretty-boy close-ups* The VATAL BULLET* Far Cry 4* Shocker's image and blood libel* Return Of The Living Dead* The Pluton Rocket* Joji Yuki's "death"* The Great Leader's second so-called demise, and final thoughts* Listener questions: Villain rankings and Rescue Fire MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Ghost - "Con Clavi Con Dio" - Opus Eponymous* Shoji Meguro - "Reverie" - Persona 4: Original Soundtrack* Taco - "Puttin' On The Ritz (by Irving Berlin)" - After Eight* “Won the Lawsuit! ~ The First Victory (English Court Suite)” – Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney* Hiroshi Miyauchi - "Fight! Kamen Rider V3" NEXT WEEK: We return to Kikaider. Properly this time. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast: Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: Abandoned by Alexa at the eleventh hour, Van and Sven make the mistake of examining a Cyborg 009 spinoff, here reimagined as the exploitation film 009-1: The End of the Beginning. Join them as Sven scrambles for anything to talk about but the movie itself; the Metal Gear Solid jokes continue unchecked and unabated; Koichi Sakamoto needs to get more raw potatoes in his diet; Van's plot predictions end up right for all the wrong reasons; and at long last, Sven finds his hill to die on. Content warning: This film contains gratuitous blood & gore, non-explicit sex, sexual assault, suicide, and incest. TOPICS:* 009-1: The End of the Beginning (2013)* The premise of 009-1* Koichi Sakamoto* Dramatis Personae* Human trafficking, homicide, and titty bars* Mylene's story* Dr. Klein's inept hostage situation* The kind of really misogynistic nature of the movie* PS2 CGI helicopters* Calling Mylene a "monster"* Deus Ex: Human Revolution & Mass Effect* Fake pool lesbian party* Swimming pool fight scenes that refuse to do Scarface* Silent Hill* The worst scene in the movie* Chris's contradictory (and deeply creepy) motives* Forgotten character development* Post-credit stingers of no significance MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* RIDER CHIPS – “Fight! Seven Riders!” – Pachinko Kamen Rider: Full Throttle NEXT WEEK: The end of Kamen Rider V3. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast: Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: After scheduling conflicts, work issues, technical difficulties, and one instance of the plague, Sven and Van have returned from the holidays to begin the final act of Kamen Rider V3. Join them as they discuss the reasoning behind the remake-episodes; monsters being late for their own hijinks; Sven's dark backstory coming to light, one cult reference at a time; how incredibly gross and terrifying Snail-Man's premise is; and a reiteration of the counterculture inherent in Rider's DNA. Note: It has now been 0 episodes since the podcast has had to talk about vore. TOPICS:* Kamen Rider V3 (1973) 41-46* Garumazillon, Snail-Man, Sickle-Neck Turtle, Rhino Tank* Marshal Armor & Riderman* Remake Episodes!* The politics of Destron* Sven's cult psychology sidebar* Bat Man remake #2* Everyone loves Junji Ito body horror* Tarot trivia* Joji Yuki's transformation* Rider vs Rider throwdowns* Disability and cyborgs in fiction* Destron Youth: 100% less brainwashing, 100% more trauma* Rider showdowns & Yuki's indoctrination* A sudden but inevitable betrayal* N... nakama?* Obvious traps and stubborn reconciliations MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Hiroshi Miyauchi – “Fight! Kamen Rider V3”* Masato Shimon, feat. the Columbia Yurikago Children's Choir - "Run, Hurricane" NEXT WEEK: Not quite revisiting Cyborg 009. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast: Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: Sven and Van bring you a wonderful Christmas special about a classic Japanese horror flick and its commentary on post-WWII Japanese society! Hooray! Sven's facial blindness eclipses Van's; we chat about the strong points of visual storytelling; we have a lengthy sidebar on nuclear radiation in Japanese and Western fiction; we realize one of our favorite video games has to be referencing the very movie we're covering; Van curses Sven with forbidden biology; and, for the love of Christmas, don't let it set in! Remember to check out Kaijucast!

Podcast: Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: In their continuing coverage of Kamen Rider V3, the Historians move on from the unfortunate Baron Tusk to the nonentity that is Archbishop Wing. This is, sadly, an improvement. Alexa would be rather eating some potate; we cover not one but two of the most iconic 70s Showa rider shitposts; the show starts to get really self-referential; Van desperately tries to cling to reality; Alexa's references get goofier by the second; and we all have a soft spot for a certain man in gauze (a man in gauze!). Happy Hanukkah, everyone! The comic "Lone Wolf and Cub" is referenced during this week's V3 coverage. It is available online and in English from Dark Horse Comics, via Comixology! TOPICS:* The upcoming Kishiryu Sentai Ryusouger* Kamen Rider V3 (1973) 36-40* Flame Condor, Kodama Flying Squirrel, Poison Mothia, Cannibal Banana Plant, Zombie Bat* Archbishop Tsubasa/Archbishop Wing* Producer Tohru Hirayama's notes on Baron Tusk and Archbishop Wing* History lesson: The Mad Baron* Vampire priests* Manos: The Hands of Fate* Courage The Cowardly Dog* Tachibana's special training* Great Leader: the worst boss* Tourist attraction trivia* Operation: Flying Squirrel* Skeleton discrimination* Lone Wolf and Cub* The Venture Bros* Shiro Kazami's progressively worse condition* Throwback episodes!* Discussing Tachibana's "tough love"* Listener questions: Shocker & Destron Discord channels MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* The Kelly Family - "Main Theme" - Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog* Hiroshi Miyauchi – “Fight! Kamen Rider V3”* Ichiro Mizuki, feat. the Columbia Yurikago Children’s Choir – “Song of the Kamen Rider Scouts” NEXT WEEK: Something completely different.  Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast: Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: Sven and Van cover the second half of the 1973 Inazuman TV series, and Ishinomori's manga of the same name. Goro Watari and Saburo Kazeda gear up to fight their iterations of Emperor Banba. Things get weird. We discuss Ishinomori's peculiarities; Goro Watari cannot transform in the frozen time; there's a prolonged awkward mutual striptease; and Van dies live on air as things get to levels of incoherency rarely seen on the podcast. Inazuman sure was something. The Inazuman manga is available on Comixology, and the TV show on Generation Kikaida!  The short story Van mentions is "I Just Think It Will Happen, Soon" by Rebecca Campbell. TOPICS:* Inazuman (1973) 11-25 (sort of), Vol 3-4* Impressions of the TV show, good and bad* Introducing: the new fiend* The lewdness in the manga* Psychic lobotomies* Ishinomori's beliefs?* The Men Who Stare At Goats* Aliens (yet again)! Werewolves! Crossovers!* Awkward teenage conversations* More goddamn volcano plots* War Of The Worlds* Teleport chase sequences* For whose sake?* Biotruths???* MECHA DRAGON* Ruby's arc* Psychoknives* The goddamned moon* Final thoughts & Ishinomori's influence MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Mark Snow – “Material Primoris: The X-Files Theme” – The X-Files* Masato Shimon, feat. the Columbia Yurikago Children's Choir - "Fight! Inazuman" NEXT WEEK: What you've all been waiting for. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast: Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: Van and Sven are left to their own devices to examine the unfortunate Baron Tusk and all the unpleasantness within his arc. In this episode, Sven's preferences are outted; props are broken; patience is tested; Sven's vision problems count as weighted armor; the two northern-living members of the podcast get real picky about snow effects; Van takes a trip down Rider's shared timeline; a lot of really great questions are asked; and we are very tired of saying the word "doovoo". TOPICS:* Kamen Rider V3 (1973) 31-35* Skull Warthog, Onibi Walrus, Snow Wolf, Primordial Tiger, Vampiric Mammoth* Baron Tusk, the "Doovoo" witch doctor* Skeleton Warriors!* A tangent on voodoo zombies* Tuxedos...?* Doppleganger plots!* Ken Sakuma as a discount Taki* Ghostlight effects* Weirdly poignant death scenes* Photochemical smog* Junko's questionable friend circle* Continuity re: weaknesses* The Double Riders return!* Timeline trouble with the Primordial Tiger* Combination attacks!* Particularly gruesome practical effects* A chain of incredibly deadly ruses* The good and the bad (mostly bad) of Baron Tusk* Listener questions: Rider professions MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Hiroshi Miyauchi – “Fight! Kamen Rider V3”* Jin, feat. Shoichi Taguchi - "Kagerou Days" - Mekakucity Actors* Ichiro Mizuki, feat. the Columbia Yurikago Children’s Choir – “Song of the Kamen Rider Scouts” NEXT WEEK: The... uh... end... of Inazuman. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast:  Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: Summon Supreme Power...? Not quite! Van and Sven try something a little different, as they compare the 1973 show Inazuman with the Shotaro Ishinomori manga. The Historians follow the stories of Goro Watari and Saburo Kazeda, as they point out the shoehorning of formula; the horrors of noclip are observed at length; neither Van or Sven understand what priests are; they mark out over ridiculous psychic duels; Sven gets freaked out by shaved eyebrows; and, according to the Historians, at least one of them has a PhD in Draculas. The Inazuman manga is available on Comixology, and the TV show on Generation Kikaida! Content note: The manga contains depictions of sexual harassment and attempted assault. There's also a non-explicit scene with a teacher in a relationship with a minor/student (we gloss over it, but timestamps to skip: 1:41:00 - 1:42:00). TOPICS:* Inazuman (1973) 1-10 (sorta), Volumes 1-2 * The Toei tokusatsu formula * The superhuman's so-called burden* Dramatis Personae* The problems With the Inazuman TV series* Protagonists: Saburo vs Goro* Costume complaints* Inazuman's predecessor: Mutant Sabu* Shinjinrui* Mobile Suit Gundam* Psychic murder teachers & psychic trickster bullshit* Zambies* Evil Psychic Swordplay(tm)* Psychic cheatypants duels* Saburo's mother* "Visual" echoes* Real(?) psychic terminology* The "future" of humanity* Saburo's declaration* Listener question: favorite Hakaider inspirations MUSIC:* "Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen" - Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Mob Choir - "99" - Mob Psycho 100* Masato Shimon, feat. the Columbia Yurikago Children's Choir - "Fight! Inazuman" NEXT WEEK: Baron Tusk's tenure as a Destron commander. Oh dear god. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast:  Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: The gang reconvenes with Kamen Rider V3. A number of familiar faces return to grace us with their presence and we close out Doktor G's tenure on the show. In addition to that, a joke dies live on podcast; the show tries (poorly) to introduce new merch; Van gives us a helpful(?) driving PSA; Sven forgets what object permanence means; petty office politics return; V3's bodycount gets downright ludicrous; and you really don't wanna know what Doktor G's opinions of Tom Clancy are. TOPICS:* Kamen Rider V3 (1973) 25-30* Mantis-Merang, Heater-Cicada, Iron Ring Beetle (w/Revived Shocker Cyborg Quartet), Camera Mosquito, Crab Laser* Bigfoot hunting* Codename: Kids Next Door* "Scramble Hopper"* Batman Begins* human mummification formula* Higurashi: When They Cry* More ruses!* All the warriors, Shocker edition* The decay of showa suits* Return of Taro Marketing-san* Body counts in V3* Shitty office politics, Part 2* Interpol's "Destron Hunters"* Borderlands* Doktor G's final mission* On parents in Kamen Rider MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Hiroshi Miyauchi – “Fight! Kamen Rider V3”* Reel Big Fish - "Sell Out" - Turn The Radio Off* Ichiro Mizuki feat. the Columbia Yurikago Children’s Choir – “Song of the Kamen Rider Scouts” NEXT WEEK: Generational conflict, paranoid delusion, growing concerns over the rapid destruction of the environment, cheatypants psychic mutant battles: It's time for Inazuman! Sort of. You'll see. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast:  Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: Tara joins us for the surreal 1995 film Mechanical Violator Hakaider, to once again discuss angry allegorical antiheroes fighting god. In addition to that, Sven and Van's pasts come back to haunt them; we talk Amemiya's pre-GARO aesthetics; Hakaider forgot how to dodge; old jokes are taken out of retirement for one last ride; everyone's back on their bullshit, and if there's anything we hoped you've learned on this show, it's to be gay and kill God. Content warning: Mechanical Violator Hakaider contains depictions of gore, attempted suicide, and (non-explicit but still on-screen) lobotomy. Our guest is Tara Wrist (@ae2501maeth on Twitter, tarawrist on Patreon). Check out her article on DOOM, All Their Engines on Bullet Points Monthly, and her short story collection SO PUSH YOUR FACE INTO THE MIRROR UNTIL IT BREAKS! TOPICS:* Mechanical Violator Hakaider (1995)* Compare & contrast with Kikaider: Reboot* Red Hood and The Outlaws* Fist Of The North Star* Black and white aesthetics* "Jesus Town"* Otherworldliness of 90s CGI effects* Amemiya and GARO* Gurjev and Michael* Batman vs Superman* Big bike chase scenes!* The Good Place* The rebel base; postapocalyptic tyranny* Mechanical Violator's take on Hakaider's tragedy* Toshiki Inoue* Ideological motives* Kaoru's role* Guardians of the Galaxy & Escape From New York* Hakaider vs Michael; Michael's connections to Jiro* Why does Japan want to kill God* Postmortem and Mega Man Zero* English dub trivia MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Nine Inch Nails - "Terrible Lie" - Pretty Hate Machine* Ichiro Kageyama - "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" - Neon Genesis Evangelion NEXT WEEK: Some old faces make a comeback to attend Doktor G's book club. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast:  Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: Things get goofy with Kamen Rider V3, and we get to see the first Destron commander, Doktor G, in full swing. Sven gets hypertechnical about sci-fi tech; V3 goes for a refreshing dip in the ocean (again, and again, and again); we debate cartoon physics and Destron's in-house antidotes; we take an awkward visit to Rider Scout Boot Camp; we take an even more uncomfortable detour regarding villains with mental disabilities; and while none of Destron's plots make a lick of scientific sense... well, the theory is sound.  TOPICS:* Kamen Rider V3 (1973) 19-24* Blowfish Apache, Guillotine-Saurus, Syringe Spider, Speargun Sealion, Propeller Kabuto, Cockroach Spike* Chatting about The Magnus Archives* Destron's philosophies* Battering ram tactics* Electromagnetic barrier physics w/Dr. Sven* Beach skeletons* Red Bone Power(tm)* Cruise ships and MIB* The return(?) of the Double Riders* Mind control plots. Oh how we missed you.* The "SS Device"* Subterfuge shenanigans* Artificial gravity chambers* Maximum irresponsibility* Folk songs are distressing and creepy worldwide* Blood-powered cyborgs & origins of vampirism* Orphan percentiles* Listener questions: Hypothetical dub VAs MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Hiroshi Miyauchi – “Fight! Kamen Rider V3”* Ichiro Mizuki feat. the Columbia Yurikago Children’s Choir – “Song of the Kamen Rider Scouts” NEXT WEEK: A guest returns, as things take a turn for the surreal in Mechanical Violator Hakaider! Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast:  Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: Sven and Van delve into the 2014 film, Kikaider: REBOOT. Salt stocks have never been higher as their cups boil over. Our podcasters are fooled by goatees, Sven's childhood comes back in the strangest way; Ishinomori villain motives are brought up and then summarily ignored; an infamous Kickstarter kerfuffle gets dredged up; our hosts' friendship is based on being smad on behalf of robots, and it's not just the movie which ends up unravelling at its seams. TOPICS:* Kikaider: REBOOT (2014)* Cast & crew* Bijinder/Mari* The conscience circuit & facial recognition* Komyoji & Gill / Light & Wily* Mitsuko's interpretation* The vertical slice movie scene* Kikaider's 2014 redesign* Budget-busting Metal Gear* Gill's convictions* Mega Man X* Nanocrystal displays* Jiro's character: then and now* Old man tastes* Daisuke Ban's cameo role* Kickstarter nonstarters* Gill's transformation and motives* On love and compassion* Kikaider's will to fight/the conscience circuit scene* Final thoughts and feelings MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* The Collectors - "Go Go Kikaider" NEXT WEEK: V3 finally hears from his rider senpais. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast:  Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: Doktor John Darksou-- uh, Doktor G graces fellow non-doctors, Sven Michel and Van Ong, with his presence in Kamen Rider V3. In addition to that, we debate the possible intervention of moral guardians; the convoluted timeline that is Toei's shared properties; maybe our real weaknesses were the friends we made along the way; Sven gets mad about Battlemech loadouts; overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer, and remember: the following podcast you are about to listen to is canon. The puzzle channel Van mentions is FLEB on youtube. Check out the Xbox Puzzle video when you have a minute, it's pretty cool stuff. TOPICS:* Kamen Rider V3 (1973) 13-18* Magnet Boar, Toad Boiler, Burner Bat, Missile Gecko, Spray Rat, Chain-sickle Ladybug* Doktor G* Folklore cryptid episode; "Just As Keikaku"* Reverse Double Typhoon* V3's four weaknesses* The Toei Cinematic Universe* Kamikaze tactics* Destron fugitive Hideo Kojima* What the Double Riders have been up to* Gun's* Disguise tech* Tachibana's Character* XCOM* Spooky weddings: pt. 2* Osmosis Jones* Ruses!* Gross escapes* Sudden but inevitable betrayals* Listener question: Rider teleporting* Kishiryu Sentai Ryusouger MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Hiroshi Miyauchi – “Fight! Kamen Rider V3”* Ichiro Mizuki feat. the Columbia Yurikago Children’s Choir – “Song of the Kamen Rider Scouts” NEXT WEEK: Frustration boils over in Kikaider REBOOT. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast:  Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: With Alexa down due to a case of chronic demon possession, it falls to Sven and Van to cover the end of Android Kikaider (1972). As promised, the show ends with a bang... but is it enough? Frustrations begin to mount; Sven's an absolute donut; minds are boggled and senses befuddled; the finale gets explosive; forty-some episodes later and that goddamned flute gets what's coming to it; anime is still a mistake; and the hardest part truly was getting the brain out! TOPICS:* Android Kikaider (1972) 39-43* Angler Brown, Grasshopper Gray, Red Mine Toad, Hakaider, Skeleton Flying Squirrel* On the finale sticking the landing* DARK aping Shocker* Miscommunication & distrust continue. Yay.* The Death Whistle* Android Kikaider's pacing* Archie Comics' Mega Man* The worst scene* Suit & monster designs in this show* Escalation between Hakaider & Kikaider* Cowardice as a narrative tool* Certain overkill* Saburo's rebellion and breakdown* Out-of-suit fights!!!* Hanpei's heroic shenanigans* The restoration of Dr. Komyoji* The finale* Wrap-up and final thoughts* What are we doing next? MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Merv Griffin – “Think!” – Jeopardy* "Rank E" - Sonic Unleashed* "Won the Lawsuit! ~ The First Victory (English Court Suite)" - Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney* Yuuki Hide - “Go Go Kikaider” NEXT WEEK: Doktor. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast:  Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: The crew continue on Kamen Rider V3's nonsense road, as they enjoy the twists the show puts on the formula... while lampooning the skeezy romantic tropes on display. In addition, Little Mac dies valiantly; Alexa talks kids' fashion; Red Lamp Power is the Kaio-Ken; we have perhaps confused certain algorithms due to one too many wrestling jokes; we are deeply concerned about the ongoing actions of the Rider Scouts, and you should BUY SUZUKI BIKES. TOPICS:* Kamen Rider V3 (1973) 7-12* Knife Armadillo, Chainsaw Lizard, Lens Ant, Razor Starfish, Pickaxe Shark, Drill Mole* Shiro Kazami & Ryu Terui* Necromantic surgery* Hajime No Ippo cameo* Tachibana's special combat training* The Rider Squad is somewhat irresponsible as a concept* Motocross champeenship, brought to you by Suzuki* Monster theming (Lens Ant)* Marvel's Thunderiders* Bike physics & power creep* Manos: The Hands Of Fate* On the biweekly format* Shitass chinpira dude* V3 and "selfless revenge"* Mobile Suit Gundam* Cursed rings and skull-themed wedding* Lois Lane gaslighting* Listener question: Suit aesthetics! MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Hiroshi Miyauchi – “Fight! Kamen Rider V3”* Ichiro Mizuki feat. the Columbia Yurikago Children’s Choir – “Song of the Kamen Rider Scouts” NEXT WEEK: Kikaider's finale. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast:  Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: After some judicious fast-forwarding, we're leading up to the finale of Android Kikaider. This week, the gang tackles the introduction to Jiro's iconic rival, Hakaider! In addition, we discuss what we like (and dislike) about Kikaider so far; DARK needs money; we deal with miscommunications abound; we discuss insanity pleas, property law, and Star Trek: The Next Generation; Alexa completely annihilates our outro; and Kikaider just has TOO MUCH HIGH POWER, MAN. TOPICS:* Android Kikaider (1972) 35-38* Black Crow, Stag Beetle Blue, Starfish Purple, Hakaider* Why we're jumping ahead; series thoughts thus far* The skipped episodes* The Birds & Birdemic* Ninja clown magic* Power-line power-ups* Shin vs Neo Getter Robo* The Demon Circuit* SOS brain signals* Jiro's short-out & ensuing reputation decay* Mari vs. Hanpei as secondary characters* Miscommunication station* Casual child kidnappings* "The measure of a man"* Rumors: Kikaider, Star Wars, Robocop, & Space Sheriff Gavan* Hakaider vs. Kikaider* Saburo, Ichiro, and Protoman* The truth(?) behind Hakaider MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Yuuki Hide - “Go Go Kikaider” * The Swingers - "Dark Rock"* Ichiro Mizuki - "Hakaider's Song" NEXT WEEK: Satanic ritual weddings and wrecking-ball training sequences. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi

Podcast:  Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS THIS WEEK: "Henshin... V3!" With the original series behind them, the crew looks forward to tackling the house built upon Showa Rider's foundations in Kamen Rider V3! In addition, Great Leader's death stuck for all of five minutes; Sven is stupefied by Hongo's fashion choices; we gush over every single monster suit for once; the real Tachibana would never pass up an opportunity to die; we have to explain an old joke; safety has never been LESS guaranteed, and since the day Machinegun-Snake manifested in our houses, we have not known peace. If you're interested in Kamen Rider V3, you can purchase the full DVD boxset from Generation Kikaida! TOPICS:* Kamen Rider V3 (1973) 1-6* Scissors-Jaguar, Turtle-Bazooka, TV-Fly, Squid-Fire, Machinegun-Snake, Hammer-Jellyfish* Series introductions, broadcasting minutiae, & dramatis personae* The origins of Kamen Rider 3* Sewer crabs!* Rambo (2008)* Return of Shocker combatmn* The responsibility and burden of being a Rider* Hongo "Galaxy Brain" Takeshi* It's not about revenge* Transformation sequence* V3's 26 secrets* ...continuity?* Old Fourze jokes* Tachibana's sporting goods store* On the Cast being competent* The flamethrower scene* Amnesia hypno-plots* Visual storytelling???* V3's weakness: GUN* Telltale's The Walking Dead* On the nobility of the common man MUSIC:* “Fight! Seven Riders!! Showa Rider Taisen” – Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Megamax* Hiroshi Miyauchi - "Fight! Kamen Rider V3"* Lebo M - "He Lives In You" - Rhythm of the Pride Lands* Ichiro Mizuki feat. the Columbia Yurikago Children's Choir - "Song of the Kamen Rider Scouts" NEXT WEEK: Kikaider has a plot. Maybe. We think. Twitter | Tumblr | Patreon | Ko-Fi