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Which Final Fantasy titles stand above the rest, and which ones are better left out of the JRPG Canon? Do any of our hosts have surprising or controversial picks for their Top 5 lists? And who is the hottest Final Fantasy hero, anyway?  Find out the answers to these questions and more in this special episode of the Kick the Beckett! Podcast.Note: This episode was recorded before the global release of Final Fantasy VII Remake. Expect to hear more of our takes on that particular game sometime in the future! Produced by James BeckettArt by Danielle Daniels (https://danielledaniels.art/)Theme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)

Spoilers abound for the original  Final Fantasy VII (it's over 20 years old, what did you expect?), but nothing but pure speculation regarding what's going on in Final Fantasy VII Remake. What do James, Doc, and Emily think of the original game, and how does it hold up in 2020? What kinds of changes or expansions are they expecting in the Remake, and exactly how many entries do they think it will take to cover the whole story? Is Cloud as much of an emo edgelord as popular culture might have you believe? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this special episode of the Kick the Beckett! Podcast.Coming soon in Part 2: The hosts run down the entire mainline Final Fantasy franchise, and each of them give their Top 5 Final Fantasy Games of all time!Produced by James Beckett Art by Danielle Daniels (https://danielledaniels.art/)Theme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)

Spoilers abound!How does The Legend of Korra pick up where Book 1 left off? Why are James and Doc so darned excited to cover the two-part Avatar origin story, "Beginnings"? How does Mako screw up his love life this time around? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this week's episode of The Kick the Beckett! Podcast!Timestamps: 0:00-15:44 - Intro 15:44-57:58 – Castlevania Season 3 Review (Spoilers!) 57:58-2:42:00 – Discussing The Legend of Korra, Book 2: Spirits (Episodes 1-8) Produced by James Beckett Art by Danielle Daniels (https://danielledaniels.art/) Theme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)

Korra-cast! Book One: Air (Pt. 2) [aka "CabbageCorp Rises!"] Spoiler Alert for Disney's 2016 reboot of Ducktales, because we definitely spend a while gushing about that cartoon, too. Does the rest of Book 1 live up to its lofty ambitions, especially when it comes to the political threat of the Equalists? Why are James and Doc so frustrated with the season finale? Will the Cabbage Vendor finally be avanged? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this week's episode of The Kick the Beckett! Podcast!Timestamps:0:00-4:15 - Intro 4:25-19:20 - Book Talk with Doc! ("Black Leopard, Red Wolf" by Marlon James)19:20-40:20 - Ranting About Parasite (and the weird racist hot takes that came out after the Academy Awards)40:20-53:00  - Duck Tales, Woo-oo!53:00-59:00 -Finishing The Legend of Korra, Book 1: Air Produced by James BeckettArt by Danielle Daniels (https://danielledaniels.art/)Theme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)

Korra-cast! Book One: Air (Pt. 1) [aka "More Like Chief Bae-Fong, Am I Right?"]What do the new setting and the hot-headed heroine bring to the series? Is Pro-Bending the coolest thing in the history of sports adjacent cartoon culture? How well do James and Doc put up with all of the lovey-dovey YA romance going on in between all of the awesome action scenes? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this week's episode of The Kick the Beckett! Podcast!Timestamps:00:00 - Winter 2020 Anime Discussion00:40 - Manga Corner - "7 Billion Needles" by Nobuaki Tadano00:49 - The Legend of Korra Discussion - Book 1, Episodes 1-6Produced by James BeckettArt by Danielle Daniels (https://danielledaniels.art/)Theme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)

What does this ending offer that the original series' conclusion does not? How does all of the religious symbolism fit in to everything? And what the heck is going on with those ambiguous final scenes? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this week's episode of the Kick the Beckett podcast!Approximate Timestamps00:00: Pre-Commentary Catch Up00:45 : 'End of Evangelion' Overview00:54: Movie Commentary02:20: Ending Breakdown and AnalysisProduced by James BeckettArt by Danielle Daniels (https://danielledaniels.art/)Theme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)

08. Catch Up #1 - Zany to the Max! (aka "Does Steins;Gate Ringabel to You?")Produced by James BeckettArt by Danielle Daniels (https://danielledaniels.art/)Theme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)

Part 6 - Episodes 23-26 Commentary (aka - "A Completely Straightforward and Simple Ending That Definitely Won't Make Anyone Mad")What made the new translation so controversial when it comes to Kaoru Nagisa's character? Just what the hell is going on with the Human Instrumentality Project, anyway? Is Evangelion's ending as depressing and nihilistic as some people say it is? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this week's episode of the Kick the Beckett podcast! Approximate TimestampsState-of-the-Podcast Update: 0:00What We've Been Watching (And Reading) - 2:30 Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky - 25:00Commentary for:Episode 23. Tears - 34:00Episode 24: The Last Cometh - 58:00Episode 25. The Ending World - 01:22:00Episode 26. The Beast That Shouted "I" at the Heart of The World- 1:44:00Produced by James BeckettArt by Danielle Daniels (https://danielledaniels.art/)Theme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)

Part 5 - Episodes 19-22 Commentary (aka - "Kaji Takes Shinji to His Watermelon Patch, Which Totally Isn't a Dirty Innuendo For Anything, We Promise")How is Toji on Shinji's Brain-Train in Episode 19? What is going on with how everyone is pronouncing "Fuyutsuki?" Is there even a point to how bleak and upsetting the show is becoming in these final episodes? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this week's episode of the Kick the Beckett podcast! Approximate TimestampsWhat We've Been Watching (And Reading): 00:45Commentary for:Episode 19. A Man's Battle - 30:32Episode 20. Of the Shapes and Hearts of Humans - 52:47Episode 21. The Birth of NERV- 01:15:00Episode 18. Staying Human - 1:42:00Wrap-Up - 2:11:00Produced by James BeckettArt by Danielle Daniels (https://danielledaniels.art/)Theme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)Update Description

Part 4 - Episodes 15-18 Commentary (aka - "Gendo's Got Game???")Are these the episodes where the show totally commits to being bonkers depressing? Is Kaji capable of *not* being a total scuzzball? What kind of raw, primal masculinty does Gendo Ikari possess to keep getting all of these women to fall for him, and would he be willing to turn his love tips into an advice column? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this week's episode of the Kick the Beckett podcast! Approximate TimestampsWhat We've Been Watching: 00:44The Kyoto Animation Relief Efforts: 19:00Commentary for:Episode 15. Lies and Silence - 33:00Episode 16. The Sickness Unto Death, and Then...- 55:00Episode 17. The Fourth To Be Qualified- 01:17:00Episode 18. Life and Death Decisions - 1:39:00To donate to Sentai Filmwork's GoFundMe for Kyoto Animation, visit this URL: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kyoani-healFor more information on how to directly donate to KyoAni's relief and recovery efforts, visit here: https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2019/07/24-1/kyoto-animation-officially-starts-accepting-donations-through-bank-transfer

Mini-Series #1: "Experiencing Evangelion"Part 3 - Episodes 10-14 Commentary (aka - "Misato Katsuragi's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day")Are you a bad person if you don't stan Mothra, Queen of the Monsters? Is Magma Diver the worst episode of Evangelion? Gendo Ikari: Great Dad, or *Greatest* Dad? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this week's episode of the Kick the Beckett podcast! Note: Due to another technical error (sorry!), the commentary may become slightly out of sync with the episodes at the 45:51 mark. Approximate TimestampsEpisode 10. Magma Diver  - 18:55Episode 11. In the Still Darkness - 41:00Episode 12. A Miracle's Worth - 01:03:00Episode 13. Angel Inflitration - 1:25:00Episode 09. Selle, the Seat of the Soul - 1:47:00Produced by James BeckettTheme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)

Mini-Series #1: "Experiencing Evangelion"Part 2 - Episodes 5-9 Commentary (aka - "Rei-theism")How much does Hideaki Anno love wires and pistons? Between Rei and Asuka, who truly wins the title of Best Girl (and why is the answer Misato)? Why hasn't HR fired Kaji for being so dang creepy? Find out in this week's episode of the Kick the Beckett podcast! Note: Due to a technical error, the commentary may become slightly out of sync with the episodes at the 1:18:12 mark. Approximate TimestampsEpisode 05. Rei, Beyond the Heart  - 09:25Episode 06. Showdown in Tokyo-3 - 31:00Episode 07. The Works of Man- 53:00Episode 08. Asuka Arrives in Japan - 1:15:00Episode 09. Mind, Matching, Moment - 1:37:00Produced by James BeckettTheme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)

Mini-Series #1: "Experiencing Evangelion"Part 1 - Episode 1-4 Commentary (aka - "Right Above the NERV Gift Shop") How awesome is that first Angel fight? What's up with Misato's disgusting apartment? And who the heck is in charge of making all of that sweet NERV merch? Find out in this week's episode of the Kick the Beckett podcast! Approximate TimestampsEpisode 01. Angel Attack - 16:44Episode 02. Unfamiliar Ceilings - 38:01Episode 03. The Silent Phone - 01:02:20Episode 04. Rain, After Running Away - 1:26:00Produced by James BeckettTheme Music by YESPOLLY (https://audiojungle.net/user/yespolly)

Mini-Series #1: "Experiencing Evangelion"Prologue (aka "Starring Jaden Smith as Shinji Ikari???")What were the hosts first experiences with Evangelion like? How do they feel about the show's repuation for being depressing/incomprehensible? Do they agree that Shinji should just "get in the robot already?" Find out in the very first episode of the Kick the Beckett podcast ever! *cue fancy music and fireworks display*