# Moonrise is Better Than Lazarus + Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, Ghost in the Shell, To Be Hero X, Kowloon Generic Romance

An episode of [Sakura Society | An Anime Appreciation Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1667084472), 20 Apr 2025, 50 min.

Audio: https://op3.dev/e/podcasts.captivate.fm/media/b237c3d1-6544-4820-99a8-d31504c73e00/Headlines-45.mp3

The forty-fifth episode of More Than Headlines, your go-to podcast for all things anime is back and it's here to save the world and pat chicks. Join hosts Brendan White and Courtney Smith every week as they dive into the latest news, rumors, and must-know updates from the world of anime. Whether you're a seasoned otaku or just getting started, this is your ticket to staying informed and entertained. Don't miss out on the freshest insights and hottest gossip in anime 🥳 Episode forty-five sees the rivals discussing: • Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run is getting an anime adaptation • Science Saru is making its own version of Ghost in the Shell • Countless drama around The Beginning After the End anime adaptation • New seasons of Makeine and To Your Eternity are on the way • Reviewing episode 2 of Kowloon Generic Romance • Spoiler-free review on Moonrise • Ongoing impressions on Lazarus, Witch Watch, To Be Hero X and Aharen-san S2 • Plus lots more anime and life related yappage! If you enjoy the show, please rate, review, like, and subscribe to Sakura Society | An Anime Appreciation Podcast — and any other podcasts you love. It takes seconds, costs nothing, and means everything to us creators. (The algorithm only accepts 5 stars, just so you know.) • Stay up to date with me on Bluesky | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter • Join our Discord — a community full of anime and culture fans just like you • Follow my anime Spotify playlist My amazing sponsors: • Audio-Technica — the best in audio equipment • Iced Tea Aesthetics — anime streetwear done right (use code SAKURASOCIETY5 at checkout to save $5) • Japan Crate — Japanese snacks and treats delivered to your door (use code ATEBIT15 at checkout to save 15% + get free shipping) Affiliate links: • Captivate.fm - the best podcast hosting platform • Komi.io - the best linkinbio website • Riverside.fm - the best remote video/podcast recording platform

## Chapters

- 0:14 Introduction to the Podcast
- 0:30 The Royal Easter Show Adventures
- 9:59 The Beginning After the End: A Critical Look
- 16:01 Anime Adaptations and Industry Insights
- 27:43 The Shift to Sci-Fi: Moonrise Discussion
- 33:36 Exploring New Realms: The Shift to Manhwa
- 38:07 The Mystery of Reiko's Identity
- 44:17 A Journey Through Nostalgia and Storytelling

## Transcript

[0:14] Hello and welcome to More Than Headlines, your weekly anime news
[0:17] podcast.
[0:18] Powered by Audio Technica made by Australians for global citizens.
[0:21] I'm your extremely humble host, Brendan White, AKA the salt
[0:24] and pepper senpai.
[0:25] And joining me in the studio, my trusted co host and rival, the
[0:28] Myriad, to my Isaac, Mrs.
[0:30] Courtney Smith.
[0:30] How the bloody hell are you?
[0:33] I am so good, Brendan.
[0:35] This weekend I went through a metal detector.
[0:39] Okay, I need some context for this because this is worrying signs.
[0:43] Last week we learned that you're a big dirty liar and now you're
[0:46] potentially serving time in jail overnight.
[0:48] I don't know like what's happening here.
[0:51] No, I went to the Sydney Royal Easter show and they have metal detectors
[0:56] at the gate and I was like going through the entrance and I
[1:00] heard it go.
[1:02] I was like, what the heck is that?
[1:03] And it was some guy who had like, like keys or something in his
[1:07] pocket.
[1:07] Yeah.
[1:08] And then I got to go through it, but it didn't do anything.
[1:10] No.
[1:10] Where, where, where, where does really put things into perspective
[1:18] in this day and age that you need metal detectors at the Royal
[1:21] Easter Show?
[1:22] Like, I get it, there's some six sons of out there that do bad
[1:25] things, don't get me wrong.
[1:26] But it's crazy that you're just there to try and go on some
[1:29] rides, see some animals and just live your best life.
[1:32] And you've got to get security screened.
[1:34] But that's 20, 25, everybody.
[1:36] Yeah, well, I, I don't go on the rides because I get really motion
[1:41] sick really quickly.
[1:43] But I have been waiting a whole year to do pad a chicken, which
[1:49] is where they have like a whole like a barn section with chicks
[1:54] and chickens, all their poultry and all their birds and eggs.
[1:57] And last year I wanted to do powder chick because I love chickens
[2:02] and.
[2:02] But they were closed.
[2:03] We just missed it because it was.
[2:05] They close at 4:00 because the chickens have to go to bed, obviously.
[2:08] And there's so many pats they can handle before they get tired,
[2:11] right?
[2:11] Yeah.
[2:12] So then this year I was like, guys, we have to go to pat a chick.
[2:15] I want a pat a chick.
[2:16] And we went there first thing and it was the best experience of
[2:19] my life.
[2:20] So you patted many a chick?
[2:22] I patted two, two chick.
[2:24] Okay, two, two chick were pat.
[2:27] Quality, not quantity, I guess, you know.
[2:29] Did you take the time to sort of survey the scene and work out
[2:32] which was the two standout chicks that were worth a pat?
[2:36] Well, no, they had little stations basically.
[2:38] So I had to go to the.
[2:39] My designated chick station.
[2:42] It's like speed dating for chickens.
[2:44] It's ridiculous.
[2:46] But I went and they.
[2:48] They really liked my nails because they were.
[2:50] They're shiny, so they enjoyed my nails.
[2:53] And then when I went to the goat padding section, they had some
[2:57] chicks in, like, a little corner behind some netting wire,
[3:01] and I put my finger in, but they weren't paying attention, so
[3:03] I started going, peep, pee, pee, pee, pee, pee.
[3:06] And then they all ran over.
[3:07] It was so cute.
[3:09] Oh, my God.
[3:09] I'm podcasting with the Chick Whisperer over here.
[3:11] Yeah, this is so good.
[3:13] If you can use your chick whispering abilities to, you know,
[3:16] whisper a chick.
[3:18] You get what I'm saying?
[3:18] That would be fantastic.
[3:20] I'll do my best.
[3:21] Thank you.
[3:22] Thank you, my little favorite menace.
[3:23] But no, that sounds like a good time.
[3:24] I haven't been to the Royal Easter show in many, many moons,
[3:28] but I did enjoy it.
[3:29] I think my favorite thing with those types of shows and carney events.
[3:34] Yeah, the animals and the petting zoos are always cute, but
[3:36] I just love the obnoxious, tasty treats you can get from all
[3:40] the carnies.
[3:41] Like, they're like, you know what?
[3:42] Can we deep fry this?
[3:43] You goddamn right we can.
[3:45] Would you like it with the copious amount of cream and whatever
[3:47] else?
[3:47] You're damn right you do.
[3:48] And it' so ridiculous.
[3:50] But it's a good time.
[3:51] Okay, do you want to hear what I ate?
[3:53] Yes, please.
[3:53] I know we're very off topic, but.
[3:55] So at the Easter show, I had two cups of lemonade.
[4:00] I normally get more, but it wasn't a very hot day yesterday,
[4:03] so I didn't have to drink too much, but two cups of lemonade.
[4:06] I had an egg and bacon roll, which was really yummy.
[4:10] I had a funnel cake, but it was Dubai chocolate funnel cake was,
[4:16] like, drizzled in, like, pistachio and chocolate and Nutella
[4:19] with ice cream and cream.
[4:20] It was so good.
[4:22] My friend got a Tanghulu, which is a Chinese fruit stick covered
[4:27] in sugar.
[4:28] We had.
[4:30] God, what else do we have?
[4:31] We had a Dagwood dog.
[4:34] My other friend got a cheese on a stick.
[4:38] And then I ate so many snacks.
[4:41] It's the best part of these things.
[4:42] And I love this.
[4:44] Can you fry it and can you put it on a stick?
[4:46] They're the two questions that you don't walk away curious about
[4:49] any time after you've gone to any type of show or exhibition because
[4:54] you'll see a lot of things fried and a lot of things on sticks,
[4:56] and it makes the world a better place.
[4:58] I truly Wholeheartedly agree with you.
[5:01] Yeah.
[5:02] And I'm happy that you did the tried and true the family classic,
[5:05] the Dagwood dog.
[5:06] Like, it is still probably the goat carney snack.
[5:09] Like it is so simple.
[5:10] But my God, it's delicious.
[5:13] So good, though.
[5:14] It was really hot and it burnt the roof of my mouth.
[5:16] Oh, no.
[5:18] Worth it.
[5:18] It was so worth it, Brendan.
[5:20] Yeah.
[5:20] Yeah.
[5:20] See, that's a scar that you can carry with you forever.
[5:22] Now, anytime you sort of feel that, that sort of burn mark on the
[5:26] roof of your mouth, you know, I remember that time at the Royal
[5:28] Easter show when I was, you know, whistling to chicks and eating
[5:31] Dag with dogs.
[5:32] Like a simple, better time.
[5:36] I'm 30.
[5:37] Nothing wrong with that.
[5:38] You can reminisce on this in your 40s, your 50s, your 60s, and
[5:42] beyond.
[5:42] So thank you.
[5:43] Yeah.
[5:44] Shout out to Dag with dogs.
[5:45] What are the goat snacks?
[5:46] One of the goat snacks, in my opinion.
[5:49] Truly.
[5:50] Anyway, I guess we should do what we're meant to be doing here,
[5:52] right?
[5:52] And talk anime.
[5:53] Sorry to the listeners that are just going, will you guys just
[5:56] shut the f up and talk about animes?
[5:58] Yes.
[5:59] Never.
[5:59] We will not.
[6:00] This is our platform.
[6:00] But we love you and thank you for sticking on by.
[6:02] But let's jump into the news headlines where we're going to be
[6:06] unpacking the biggest pieces of news that you all need to know
[6:09] about out there, presented by our friends over at Ice T Aesthetics,
[6:12] where anime meets streetwear.
[6:13] Go cop their hot new Elden ring drop immediately.
[6:18] While you're there, be sure to use code Sakura Society 5.
[6:21] That is the number 5 at checkout to save yourself some cold,
[6:24] hard cash.
[6:25] Ish.
[6:26] But let's get this going.
[6:27] You like the news?
[6:31] Oh, yeah.
[6:35] Guys, we did it.
[6:37] JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7, Steel Ball Run is getting an anime
[6:42] adaptation.
[6:43] It was announced at the JoJo Day fan event in Japan last Saturday.
[6:48] Praise the Anime Gods.
[6:51] Praise the Anime gods, indeed.
[6:52] And like truth be told, I have not read a lick of JoJo's.
[6:56] My only JoJo's consumption has been on the screen.
[6:58] Still great.
[6:59] Still very thankful for it.
[7:00] But I thought I'd drop the synopsis for Steel Ball Run in here
[7:04] for anyone out there that has no idea what we're talking about,
[7:06] no idea what is in store.
[7:08] So here it goes.
[7:09] In the Wild west, riders from across the globe compete in a legendary
[7:12] race.
[7:13] Johnny Joestar, a former jockey who was paralyzed, witnesses
[7:16] a mysterious power during a duel involving Gyro Zappelli and
[7:19] briefly regains the ability to Walk.
[7:21] Good on him.
[7:22] Intrigued and desperate to uncover the secret, Johnny joins
[7:24] Gyro in the bizarre and epic race across America.
[7:28] So this is fantastic.
[7:29] I think it's set in like 1889 or 1890 or something like that.
[7:34] So we've got a nice throwback from a time period.
[7:37] It's going to be zany, it's going to be quirky, it's going to
[7:40] be full of hot, attractive characters, and it's going to be
[7:42] a good time.
[7:43] This is honestly the best piece of anime news that we've had
[7:47] all year in my opinion.
[7:49] I AM A huge JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fan.
[7:52] I can't wait though.
[7:54] I am an anime only and Part four at the moment is my favorite
[7:59] so far.
[8:00] I did try to read Steel Ball Run when it was first publishing,
[8:05] but I just.
[8:06] I can't really get around Araki's art style on in the manga.
[8:10] Like it's quite messy and for me it just is a bit of a struggle.
[8:14] So I prefer to watch the anime.
[8:17] But also I love cowboys and anything western themed, so I think
[8:22] this is going to be right up my alley and I think that Part seven
[8:25] has the ability to overtake Part five in my.
[8:31] Sorry, Part four in my favorites list.
[8:35] Yeah, I know you are always thirsting for cowboys in that western
[8:38] world, so it feels like a match made in heaven for you here,
[8:41] Courtney.
[8:41] And something else that just sounds like a goddamn good match.
[8:45] Science Saru is making his own version of Ghost in the Shell.
[8:48] A trailer was released this past weekend with a teaser visual
[8:50] confirming that the actual anime will debut in 2026.
[8:54] Oh boy, I'm in.
[8:55] This is just another huge piece of good news.
[8:59] So after the red hot run of Danderdan, I think everyone's really
[9:03] eagerly awaiting for more of Science Saru's fantastic work and
[9:07] animation.
[9:08] The fact that this next work is an adaptation of one of the most
[9:11] revered IP in anime history means that Science Saru have their
[9:15] work cut out for them.
[9:16] But I honestly have no doubt that they'll stick the landing.
[9:19] I'm super excited.
[9:21] You and me both.
[9:22] I feel this is going to be a goddamn humper, Courtney.
[9:25] It looks very true in look and tone to the original manga, which
[9:28] I am here for and something that Science Sorrow are very good
[9:32] at as far as sort of taking that original source material and
[9:35] being very respectful and true to it when they translate it to screen.
[9:38] So I think this is going to be great and knowing that it's coming
[9:41] out sometime next year.
[9:42] Like bravo to Science Saru for not only juggling, you know, two
[9:47] seasons of Dander Dan within the span of 12 months, but also Ghost
[9:51] in the Shell coming as well.
[9:53] Like yeah, hat tipped everyone working there and I'm very excited
[9:56] to see this realized when it comes to screen sometime.
[9:59] Next year, but in some not so great news, the Beginning after the
[10:04] End Author Turtle Me took to Reddit last week to address the dire
[10:08] state of the novel turned webcomic turned anime.
[10:12] In a long post in the Beginning after the End subreddit
[10:15] Turtle Me stated as the author of the Beginning after the end, one
[10:19] who has spent 10 years writing almost 2 million words of this story,
[10:23] I hope you'll believe me when I say that I want nothing but the
[10:27] best for this story.
[10:28] Whatever feelings you have for the anime, I'm thankful for all the
[10:31] people behind the scenes who have given me this opportunity, and
[10:34] I'm thankful for all of you for helping me make this happen in
[10:37] the first place.
[10:38] You've stuck through TBAIT at its highs and lows and so I ask for
[10:41] your support.
[10:42] Now.
[10:42] Please continue being the rock that gave TBAIT the time and chance
[10:46] to be where it is today.
[10:47] I'm not asking you to like something you don't, but please be
[10:51] respectful and set an example in the vast ocean that is the Internet.
[10:55] Yeah, so I'm going to be completely honest.
[10:59] Obviously I've been singing this story's praises for the last
[11:02] several months once I sort of took a plunge into the the written
[11:06] version of this with the webcomic.
[11:08] Adore it, Love it.
[11:09] But yes, it has been a very rocky start for the Beginning after
[11:13] the End when it comes to the anime adaptation by Acat.
[11:17] And I'm right here with Total Me as this adaptation has not set
[11:21] the world on fire, only the Internet.
[11:23] Because yes, the Internet is very outspoken and love to burn things
[11:27] down justifiably or unjustifiably.
[11:30] I think it's more of the former than the latter in this case,
[11:32] if I'm being honest, because it has been a pretty rough watch
[11:36] up until this point and it feels like it's falling more in line
[11:40] with this endless sea of fantasy and isekai we get every season.
[11:44] But because it's got such a prestigious name attached to it like
[11:47] the Beginning after the End, it is under a bit more of a particular
[11:51] microscope, I guess you could say, where it's getting judged a
[11:54] little more harshly, but fairly as well.
[11:56] Because I will admit the first few episodes have been very mid very
[12:01] forgettable.
[12:02] The animation hasn't been that fantastic, but I Will say that episode
[12:06] three, I feel it was a step in the right direction.
[12:09] We get a lot of exposition and some scenes and some backstory that
[12:12] ties into Arthur and Sylvia in these.
[12:15] In these scenes.
[12:17] Really good.
[12:17] I thought the animation was a step in the right direction.
[12:20] And I'm hoping that the next 21 episodes we will see continued
[12:24] improvement.
[12:25] But I'm trying to heavily temper my expectations because, you
[12:29] know, this was just about my most anticipated of the spring season
[12:32] and it has fallen pretty flat on its face so far.
[12:35] Court, I will say, and I think maybe it's important that anime fans
[12:43] do kind of call out when an anime is bad, especially something
[12:47] as hyped as the beginning after the end, because we know that
[12:51] there's an issue currently in the anime industry of studios just
[12:55] churning out so much content that A fans can't watch it all, and
[13:00] B, the quality just severely dips.
[13:03] And we already know that the industry is rife with people being
[13:06] overworked, mistreated.
[13:07] And so I think it's probably a good thing, honestly, that there
[13:12] is a lot of backlash against the anime at the moment.
[13:14] I'm hoping it encourages ACAT and maybe even the industry as a
[13:19] whole to really take a step back and think, you know, what went
[13:23] wrong here?
[13:23] Why did it go wrong?
[13:25] Are we overworking people?
[13:26] Are we understaffed?
[13:28] What the hell is happening?
[13:30] Because this just isn't going to help them at all.
[13:33] And I think this, seeing that the anime has done this, has encouraged
[13:37] me to consider reading the original novel or the webcomic.
[13:42] But you can't really disrespect someone's work like this,
[13:46] you know, as a studio, as people producing anime.
[13:50] The author, Turtle Me, has obviously put like their blood, sweat
[13:54] and tears into this.
[13:55] And to then turn it into an adaptation that frankly sucks is
[14:00] really, really disrespectful.
[14:02] So I'm glad I gave it a miss.
[14:06] I saw that it immediately flopped, decide to skip it.
[14:11] Things sound like they're getting worse, not better, at least
[14:14] in terms of, like, online discourse.
[14:16] I think the author's brave for speaking out, but silly for not just
[14:19] admitting that it's kind of crap.
[14:22] And hopefully another adaptation can come out later on
[14:25] that does it better.
[14:27] I hope either this does get corrected from a course perspective
[14:32] and ACAT somehow redeem this.
[14:34] I have my doubts that's going to happen.
[14:36] I do wonder, like, it is tough because he's had no say or control
[14:41] in as far as the product getting created.
[14:43] And a lot of that would have come down to the contractor.
[14:45] They signed.
[14:45] So there's probably a bit of, I don't want to say naivety, but
[14:48] maybe like more of a, a good gesture where ACAD have said all
[14:52] the right things and, and he sort of believed all that and just
[14:55] went along for the ride.
[14:56] So maybe if there was a little bit more control and power back for
[14:59] Turtle me, it could have been a different story.
[15:01] And yeah, it's, it's pretty messy.
[15:04] Like we're not even, what, 1/6th of the way through this season
[15:07] so far.
[15:08] And like I said, I feel there could be potential for course correction
[15:11] here.
[15:12] But I also feel this is going to fall right into that same bucket
[15:15] as the other million fantasy in Isakai we talk about every other
[15:19] season here.
[15:19] And it's a shame because yeah, the story is so good.
[15:21] Like I read the latest chapter that dropped overnight this morning
[15:24] and was so bittersweet after watching the third episode last night
[15:28] where I'm like, oh, this is getting better.
[15:30] To reading, reading the web comic and going, holy, this is so
[15:34] good and it's gorgeous and I'm loving it.
[15:36] So I feel like I'm living two, two lives here, Courtney.
[15:38] And it sucks.
[15:39] It's, it's brutal.
[15:41] But I think in a way it's good.
[15:44] I think that such a revered series getting a big flop anime adaptation
[15:49] is probably a good thing in the long run because it will hopefully
[15:53] get people to step back and have a look at the state of the industry,
[15:57] which we know is, you know, in rapid decline.
[16:01] I like your optimism, but I don't know if this is going to make
[16:04] a single ounce of change because you see even the big heavy
[16:08] hitter studios laying eggs these days and the Internet will
[16:12] get riled up and upset about it for a hot minute.
[16:14] But then we move on to the next thing and I feel this is just
[16:17] a cleft note for this season and we'll find something else to
[16:20] grieve and complain about come summer season in a couple of months.
[16:24] Very true.
[16:25] But let's get into some rapid Fire news presented by Otaku Box,
[16:30] the only anime box with scale figures, voting and ecchi.
[16:36] One and only piece of Rapid Fire news today is that Diablo Immortal
[16:40] is doing a collab with Berserk.
[16:43] I was excited for a minute because I didn't see the immortal
[16:47] word attached to this.
[16:48] And big Diablo fan, I've sort of been jumping in and out periodically
[16:52] with Diablo 4 as the new seasons jump out and I'm like, what
[16:55] do I get to play as Guts or Kusker or someone like that in Diablo?
[17:00] Like, are we getting the crossover of all crossovers here.
[17:02] And then it was like, nah, it's for Diablo Immortal.
[17:05] Like, I am not touching this, but I love to see more mainstream
[17:10] global brands collaborating with, you know, anime IP like this.
[17:13] So I see some positive in it, but I ain't touching this.
[17:17] But.
[17:17] Brendan, don't you guys have phones?
[17:19] I do, but I still like to use my phone as a phone.
[17:23] Courtney.
[17:23] I don't really play many games on my phone at all that.
[17:26] Honestly, when they announced Diablo Immortal, I was so disappointed.
[17:30] Diablo Immortal is the game that got me to get my own gaming
[17:34] PC back in.
[17:35] Oh, not Diablo model Diablo 3.
[17:37] Sorry.
[17:37] Back in 2013.
[17:40] 2012.
[17:41] 2013.
[17:42] And I never look back.
[17:44] And now I play League of Legends.
[17:46] Anyway, let's talk about what we've been watching this week.
[17:51] I only want to shout out to you because you're also covering
[17:54] quite a few of the ones I want to talk about.
[17:57] I just want to start by saying this season has been fantastic so
[18:02] far.
[18:03] All the stuff that's good has been amazing.
[18:06] Sorry, amaze to use your.
[18:10] Thank you.
[18:10] Thank you.
[18:12] I want to say To Be hero X episode 2.
[18:15] I am eating this up.
[18:18] It's good soup.
[18:20] It is so fucking good.
[18:21] It's so well paced, beautifully animated, fantastic music,
[18:25] great characters.
[18:27] I am obsessed.
[18:29] Nice and Moon go their separate ways in this episode, but
[18:32] not without some people discovering Nice's secret.
[18:35] It looks like we'll have an old villain coming back in Episode
[18:38] three too, and I'm looking forward to it.
[18:41] Yeah, I gotta say that To Be Hero X is so far above, like 99 of
[18:46] the anime out there, and I don't even think that's like being
[18:50] dramatic.
[18:50] I think it's pretty damn accurate from a stylization standpoint.
[18:54] I'm talking because the production quality and the amount
[18:59] of money that's getting funneled into this story, I'm terrified
[19:02] to know how much money this anime is taking to create because
[19:06] everything is stunning and like Courtney said, everything is
[19:08] done at just such a high, high, high, high, high standard.
[19:12] It is ridiculous.
[19:13] But I'm loving it.
[19:14] I really enjoyed the scenes this episode between Nice and Moon
[19:18] where they're under house arrest and sort of seeing them peel
[19:21] back the the superhero layers and just be real with one another.
[19:24] I thought it was really nice.
[19:26] A lot of quieter moments.
[19:27] It did dial up at the end with sort of how the episode sort of finished
[19:31] up and a little bit of a cliffhanger, like you said, with
[19:33] a reintroduction of a character from episode one that we
[19:36] Thought we saw the last of.
[19:37] So it's exciting to see a little bit more focus at the very
[19:40] end and what's to come with some of the villains that we'll sort
[19:43] of get some exposure with.
[19:44] But also on the Shout out, the OP for To Be Hero X is right up there.
[19:49] Like where like you were talking about eating well and like
[19:51] sort of bowls full of like anime based soup here.
[19:54] Like the OP itself is a meal.
[19:56] Like it is such a catchy tune.
[19:58] And then you tie it in with sort of this genre tone jumping animation
[20:02] style that they sort of pivot between.
[20:04] It is so good.
[20:06] I will say I am so glad that you and everyone in the Discord encouraged
[20:13] me to pick this up because I think it's probably in my top three
[20:18] for this season so far at episode two and I'm so keen to see
[20:24] what else they put in front of me.
[20:26] But the other show I wanted to shout out is Aharon San Season two.
[20:31] We had episode two come out this week.
[20:33] The first five minutes of this episode is just Animal New Horizons
[20:41] copy and paste.
[20:42] Let me copy your homework, bro.
[20:45] Vibes.
[20:45] It's slightly off.
[20:49] We've got a little Tom Nook guy.
[20:51] We've got a house, we've got a tent.
[20:55] And then after we have this whole Animal Crossing segment which
[20:59] goes for five minutes, I need to be really, really.
[21:02] Clear that they were committed to the bit.
[21:04] Courtney and I loved it.
[21:05] It's a whole five minute segment.
[21:08] Then suddenly he's Kiryu Kazuma from Like a Dragon and he's
[21:13] walking around with Tom Nook around Kabukicho in Japan as like
[21:18] a gangster mafia type guy.
[21:21] Yakuza.
[21:22] Truly just amazing stuff from this series.
[21:27] It never disappoints.
[21:28] It's so funny.
[21:29] Doesn't take itself too seriously, which is why I think I
[21:33] love it so much.
[21:34] Yeah, it knows exactly what it's setting out to achieve and it
[21:37] sticks within its lane.
[21:38] And it's crazy and zany and whimsical, but then it'll sort of
[21:43] surprise you with a lot of heart and a lot of honesty and raw
[21:46] emotion.
[21:46] Like it is a really, really fun, fun, enjoyable blend.
[21:50] And it's bubbling away like it's sitting in my top 10 for the
[21:53] season so far.
[21:54] Like, I only know we're a couple of episodes in, but I am vibing
[21:58] it.
[21:58] I'm always leaving the sort of end credits with a smile on my face
[22:02] because it's just wholesome and funny and like you said, it's
[22:05] never taking yourself too seriously.
[22:07] Like I am most of the time, so I feel I can loosely relate to this
[22:10] world.
[22:10] It's a good time, just really great.
[22:14] Like, being able to watch this every week makes me so happy.
[22:18] But what have you been watching, Brendan?
[22:20] Yeah.
[22:20] So I've got a couple that I'll sort of skim over in a little bit
[22:23] of a lighter context and then one that I wanted to deeper dive
[22:25] in because I watched the entire gamut as far as the.
[22:29] The epic story that was told there.
[22:31] But which watch Episode two.
[22:34] So goddamn fun, this series.
[22:37] So goddamn fun, these characters in this world.
[22:40] Like, who would have thought that in this second episode we'd
[22:43] get references to Hunter, Hunter, Demon Slayer, Dragon Ball,
[22:46] Titan, all in the same episode, all in the span of like
[22:50] 5, 10 minutes.
[22:51] Like the.
[22:52] The sort of fan servicing when it's like, in regards to like name
[22:55] dropping and getting those cheap pops is not forced at all.
[22:58] Like, it just works.
[23:00] So the comedic timing again, love it.
[23:03] Seeing Nico come out to her classmates in this episode and be
[23:06] like, yo, I'm.
[23:07] I'm Nico.
[23:07] I'm a witch.
[23:08] Because of a couple of failed spells she tries to cast during sort
[23:11] of their introduction in the homeroom.
[23:14] Hilarious.
[23:15] But I did especially want to shout out the sus guy who like, once
[23:19] they all get familiar with, with Nico as the witch, he sort of
[23:23] asks her one thing at the start of the episode and then asked
[23:25] for another at the.
[23:26] At the end.
[23:26] And the first thing he asks, he's like, oh, you're a witch, so
[23:29] can you turn me into a chair?
[23:31] I'm like, you ain't fooling no one, brother.
[23:33] I know what you're trying to do here, you little per.
[23:35] But then at the end of the episode, he asks her if.
[23:38] If she can switch his left and right eyes.
[23:40] And it's just like, who writes this nonsense?
[23:43] But it is so fun.
[23:45] It is so adorable and it is so insane.
[23:48] And the fact that we've got all this comedy tied in with like,
[23:52] sense of community and friendship and belonging and then
[23:56] some sprinkling of like, will they, won't they?
[23:58] From a romance side.
[23:59] Like, again, like, on the thematic themes here, we've got with
[24:02] eaten, like, this is another tasty, delightful meal.
[24:05] Like, this is a wholesome home cooked meal that like sticks to your
[24:08] sides and you just feel happy afterwards.
[24:11] I'm loving Witch Watch.
[24:12] I also am loving Witch Watch.
[24:15] Nico is so cute.
[24:18] Her little face and she just loves Morihito so much.
[24:22] It's amazing her, like watching him fuck around with the
[24:28] eraser on the mechanical Pencil.
[24:30] And just like her inner monologue of him, like, moment by
[24:36] moment, she's like, oh, he's broken arm, but he's so cute.
[24:38] And she's like, all right, I'm gonna help him out.
[24:41] And she's like, okay, if I put my whole hand on an object, it makes
[24:44] it big with embiggen, but if I just point at a part of an object,
[24:48] only that part gets big.
[24:49] And she points, but points at his head instead.
[24:54] And his head is giant.
[24:55] And I lost it.
[24:57] I was like, this is so funny.
[25:00] But the fact as well, which something I found really clever,
[25:04] was that they set up that the teacher is a big nerd as well.
[25:08] She's like, yeah, I'm your teacher.
[25:11] My hobby is mamba.
[25:14] I love dancing the mambo.
[25:18] And they're like, okay, she's weird.
[25:21] And then all of the references, she's picking up on every
[25:25] single one, which is so great.
[25:27] The fact that they set it up so well, I was very, very impressed.
[25:31] Yeah, it's.
[25:32] It's so good.
[25:33] It's one of my favorites, like I said in my top five for the season,
[25:36] because it's just pure fun, pure enjoyment.
[25:39] From opening credit to end credit.
[25:41] And that OP by Yasobi, it is a toe tapper.
[25:44] I love it.
[25:45] A couple other little random thoughts, not going to dive too much,
[25:48] but I genuinely have no idea how they're going to get a full season
[25:51] out of.
[25:51] Please put them on Takamine San.
[25:53] Like, watch the latest two episodes and like, where.
[25:56] How are we going to get a story out of this?
[25:57] Like, I get it, it is pervy, it's fan servicey, it's low brow,
[26:01] but I don't know where it's going to go.
[26:03] I'm curious.
[26:04] I'm going to keep watching for reasons, but I'm going to hold my
[26:07] restraint.
[26:08] It is tumbling.
[26:08] It is like near the bottom of my watch list.
[26:10] I'm.
[26:11] It's sort of on the cusp of like, I've dropped a few and it is
[26:13] sort of hanging on by its, you know, time traveling panties with
[26:17] every sort of ounce of strength in that fiber.
[26:20] And the last one to shout out, Courtney Lazarus is so goddamn mid.
[26:25] And it is being majorly outdone by the thing I'll talk about
[26:28] in a second, but man, it is.
[26:30] I think it's the most disappointing of the season.
[26:32] Like, I know the beginning after the end, we sort of were hesitant
[26:36] due to the studio attached to it, but I had a lot of optimism.
[26:38] But when you've got Watanabe, you know, Sci Fi goat coming back
[26:43] for the first time in a long time.
[26:45] You think, this is gonna.
[26:46] Like, he's gonna cook.
[26:47] He's burnt everything.
[26:48] The kitchen's on fire.
[26:50] This anime kind of sucks.
[26:52] Episode one of Lazarus I loved.
[26:55] I know.
[26:55] Everyone else was like, it's kind of mid.
[26:57] I was like, no, I see.
[26:59] I see the potential.
[27:00] I see where it could go, and I'm excited for where it could go.
[27:04] Like, I love this idea of there's this miracle drug that's
[27:08] making everyone feel better, healing them, curing what ails them.
[27:11] And then three years later, it's like, oh, actually, it's going
[27:13] to kill you all now.
[27:14] Bye.
[27:15] That is a really cool premise, and I was very excited.
[27:19] And then episode two dropped, and I could not stay awake.
[27:24] I was like, this is so boring.
[27:26] Just, nothing happened.
[27:28] Nothing happened.
[27:29] The.
[27:30] The animation went downhill.
[27:32] The first episode's animation was pretty good.
[27:34] But episode two?
[27:36] Nah, just nothing exciting.
[27:40] But what.
[27:41] What's it being outdone by?
[27:43] Yeah.
[27:43] So if we're going to talk sort of sci fi jaunts, it is getting lapped
[27:47] by Moonrise.
[27:49] Netflix exclusive done by Wit Studio.
[27:51] All 18 episodes are available right now.
[27:54] And you can be like me and just binge the absolute bejesus out
[27:57] of it over the span of one day.
[27:59] Sci Fi sleeper hit of the season.
[28:01] You goddamn right it is.
[28:03] It feels great.
[28:05] It looks great.
[28:06] The character designs are done by Fullmetal Alchemist creator Hiramu
[28:09] Arakawa.
[28:10] So there are several moments when I'm watching this, and I couldn't
[28:12] help but feel that we've got, like, the Full Metal Alchemist offshoot
[28:16] in space.
[28:16] And I mean that in the most, like, respectful, positive way possible.
[28:21] It's got a story that contains a set of brothers in parentheses,
[28:24] robotic arms, magic via way of engraved technology.
[28:28] And this engraved technology, the concept of it is sick, Courtney.
[28:30] Like, what it is is this technology that can infinitely reshape
[28:34] objects as long as the mass is the same.
[28:36] So you see these things come out and they turn into guns, into
[28:40] swords, and into rifles and into other types of devices.
[28:43] So you're sort of seeing all this magic play out with this cool
[28:46] sort of future space tech that Earth has created.
[28:49] We've got corrupt governments, and we've got a girl that looks and
[28:52] acts a lot like Winry from Full Metal Alchemist.
[28:55] So there is a lot of, like, nods to the past from that FMA world.
[28:59] But again, it doesn't take away from this world.
[29:02] I feel.
[29:02] Moonrise, it nails the animation, the score, the background
[29:06] art, mechanical design, and the fight choreography, especially
[29:09] when doing sort of these zero gravity battles in space.
[29:12] Like, oh, my goodness, Courtney, it is so good.
[29:15] Which studio I feel knocked that out of the park.
[29:19] The story and the plot, which is focused on the conflict between
[29:22] Earth and the moon, is great.
[29:24] Sometimes good.
[29:25] Like, the plot can get a little convoluted, as big, epic grand
[29:29] sci fi can tend to do.
[29:30] But overall, I enjoyed it.
[29:32] Really good conclusion.
[29:33] Potentially opens itself up for a second season with the way
[29:36] things sort of end, which, you know, I wouldn't be sad if we get
[29:39] more of that.
[29:40] But right now, for me, Courtney, sitting in the amazed here,
[29:42] and it's sitting at number six in my seasonal rankings because I
[29:45] had a great time.
[29:46] This is polished up the wazoo.
[29:49] So I have heard so much about Moonrise, and not all of it has been
[29:56] good.
[29:57] I've heard you sing its praises.
[29:59] I've heard a few other people in the Sakura Society discord sing
[30:03] its praises, but everyone outside of that has been telling
[30:08] me how bad it is, and I'm like, maybe I give it a miss.
[30:14] I don't.
[30:15] I don't love space sci fi.
[30:18] I'm not a huge fan.
[30:18] Like, I love future sci fi, but I don't love when it's set in
[30:22] space.
[30:22] Space.
[30:22] So I think this one is a bit of a miss for me just because I can't
[30:26] be sure that I'm going to love it.
[30:28] And 18 episodes is a lot when I'm, you know, trying to keep up
[30:31] with the season.
[30:32] But I'm glad that, you know, you enjoyed it and other people enjoyed
[30:37] it, and I'll leave it at that.
[30:39] That's cool.
[30:40] I'm curious, like, and we don't need to sort of go too deep,
[30:42] but I want to know, like, what the things are that people have said
[30:45] are bad because, like, the biggest sort of weak point for me
[30:48] at times was the pacing or the story where they did do some flashbacks
[30:53] to give you more exposition and understanding.
[30:55] So some of the timing was a little off, but once they sort of
[30:58] really hit their straps, I thought it was great.
[31:00] Well, apparently that's the biggest thing, is the story is really
[31:04] bad, according to my sources, and that it's so bad that it really
[31:11] detracts from everything else that's good about the anime.
[31:15] And for me, I think knowing that even just having that knowledge
[31:21] makes me, A, not want to watch it.
[31:23] So, B, if I did watch it, I would already be quite judgmental
[31:27] of it with that prior knowledge.
[31:29] Okay.
[31:30] Yeah, Like, I'd say everything minus the story is Great.
[31:33] The story is more so good.
[31:35] That dances with great sometimes, but just the.
[31:39] The way they've sort of decided to chuck in where they do
[31:42] a flashback or where they sort of pull you back to current day.
[31:45] There was a few times where.
[31:46] And part of was my fault too because I was dicking around on my
[31:49] phone or whatever.
[31:49] So I'd be like, hang on, let me just skip back 20 seconds here
[31:52] to understand what's happened.
[31:53] So part of it's on me.
[31:54] But yeah, the pacing is probably the weakest point of it.
[31:57] But yeah, it's really good, man.
[31:58] I'm a fan.
[31:59] I'm glad you like it.
[32:00] Thank you.
[32:01] Thank you.
[32:01] And something else I like, Courtney, that I've started reading
[32:04] the last couple of days and I have become very quickly invested
[32:08] in this manoir.
[32:09] I am up to chapter 45, I think after the span of two or three days.
[32:13] It's called Revenge of the Iron Blooded Sword Hound and it's
[32:16] written by I stepped on a Lego.
[32:18] I love all these like alias sort of stealthy pen names that people
[32:23] take up, especially in the manoir world.
[32:24] Like, you know, we mentioned Turtle me earlier and yeah, the writer
[32:27] of this I stepped on a Lego.
[32:29] And that's such a descriptive, immediate attachment as far as the
[32:33] name because everyone knows what that feels like, knows it's
[32:36] not a good time.
[32:37] But on the contrast of that, Revenge of the Iron Blooded Sword
[32:40] Hound is a very good time.
[32:42] Illustrated by Lee Sanche, it's a resurrection revenge story
[32:45] about Vikir, the loyal hunting dog of the Baskerville family who
[32:48] has betrayed and met the Guillotine.
[32:50] So we see him sort of flashback to sort of, I guess his
[32:53] birth, and he's going to try and redo it as he seeks vengeance
[32:55] on the master that he so like loyally and blindly followed throughout
[32:59] sort of the 40 years of his life before he obviously lost his
[33:02] head.
[33:02] Gorgeously illustrated, really cool story, really cool pacing, really
[33:07] cool choreo.
[33:08] When it comes to the fights we're seeing like he's a sword master.
[33:11] But we see, you know, there's people that have magical abilities
[33:13] in this world, monsters and stuff.
[33:15] But it's scratching a very familiar itch that I'm getting used
[33:19] to sort of dealing with over the last few months.
[33:20] But I'm vibing with, I think it's 117ish chapters at the moment,
[33:25] ongoing.
[33:26] So I'll be able to sort of live and learn this story as we go
[33:29] along.
[33:29] But yeah, I'm about just under halfway as far as catching up to
[33:33] where this Thing's at.
[33:34] But I'm.
[33:34] I'm loving it.
[33:35] Courtney.
[33:35] Good little read.
[33:36] Okay.
[33:37] Okay.
[33:37] I.
[33:38] Seeing you really get into manhwa and things like that is honestly,
[33:44] that's what got me into it more as well.
[33:46] And it's always good to see what you're reading because I know
[33:51] that in like a year's time, they're gonna be like, we're doing
[33:54] an anime adaptation of this.
[33:55] And I'm like, yeah, I've heard of that.
[33:57] Yeah, I feel.
[33:58] I feel I've got like a good.
[33:59] I wouldn't say sixth sense.
[34:01] Like, I've got a good nose to sniff out some of these ones that
[34:04] are right for an adaptation.
[34:05] I feel this could be one because it's.
[34:07] It's really cool, super stylized, and the tone is everything
[34:11] that I'm vibing.
[34:12] I think after this I'm probably going to pivot and try find
[34:14] something a little slice of lifey or romancy.
[34:16] I need.
[34:17] I need some long form love in my life, whether it be in.
[34:20] In written form, hopefully real life form.
[34:23] But yeah, I'm gonna sort of check out some other stuff I've got
[34:26] on the short list from the Kodansha nominees from the other
[34:29] day that I'm gonna sort of start diving into as well.
[34:32] But that's what I've been watching and doing.
[34:34] Shall we do what we always do here and cover our anime and focus
[34:39] for the season, which obviously is Kowloon generic romance?
[34:41] We're up to episode two.
[34:42] Shall we jump in?
[34:43] Let's do it.
[34:44] All right.
[34:45] Episode two kicks off with Reiko staring at this mysterious
[34:49] photo she found on Kudo's desk.
[34:51] You all know the one, and there's this flicker of recognition
[34:53] on her face like she's seen it somewhere before, but she can't quite
[34:56] place it.
[34:57] The show's already starting to play with that slippery line between
[35:01] memory and reality, which I'm really vibing about.
[35:03] And you can really start to feel Reiko starting to doubt and
[35:07] question her own story.
[35:08] We then get a call from her friend about a noise complaint at
[35:11] one of the apartments she manages.
[35:12] She then goes and checks it out.
[35:14] We then meet Yame.
[35:15] It's a little strange.
[35:16] Nothing wrong with that.
[35:17] A little quiet girl.
[35:18] Appreciate that.
[35:19] Something about her feels a little out of sync, though, with
[35:21] everyone else.
[35:21] And it adds to this whole something's not right with this city
[35:25] vibe, which I am just eating up at this point, you know.
[35:27] Two episodes in Courtney, the two women end up sitting down and
[35:30] having tea together.
[35:31] Our tea together.
[35:32] And they start discussing the Photo.
[35:34] And Yao Mei encourages Reiko in this moment to not be too worried
[35:37] about having memories, as she's had work done on her entire
[35:40] body.
[35:41] And you're like.
[35:44] Yeah, I really liked this opening segment here because it was
[35:49] really focused on the two women and how in this society, how
[35:55] women are perceived, first of all.
[35:58] And it seems like they're almost being targeted as the kind
[36:03] of victims of these experiments or whatever's happening
[36:07] in Kowloon.
[36:08] But we then get a flashback from Kudo's perspective where he
[36:12] meets and hangs out with Kujirai.
[36:14] She says they'll always have lunch at Tintin Eatery.
[36:17] And.
[36:18] And she admires the golden plumpness of the dumplings in the
[36:21] broth.
[36:22] So this old Kujira is also a fan of smoking and having watermelon
[36:26] at the same time.
[36:28] And we actually are getting to see what she was like, the old her
[36:33] was like, and why Kudo says and does the things that he does,
[36:38] why he acts in certain ways, why he insists on always going to
[36:41] Tintin Eatery for lunch, why he mentions her earrings and her
[36:47] glasses and things like that.
[36:49] And this theme of love and nostalgia comes up again.
[36:52] And we notice when they're on the roof together in this flashback,
[36:56] they look up at the sky, and there's no monolith looming over
[36:59] them.
[37:01] For this whole time, all of episode one and episode two, we've
[37:05] had this huge monolith in the sky.
[37:07] It's really ominous.
[37:08] But in this flashback, there isn't one.
[37:12] So Kujirai and Yame get lemon chicken, and Yame says that Kudo
[37:17] is.
[37:18] Her theory, I guess, is that he's waiting for her memory to come
[37:23] back and for the old her to come back as well.
[37:27] Yeah.
[37:27] Which is very, very intriguing and super duper mega interesting.
[37:32] Like, I am so engrossed in this world.
[37:34] I've got so many, like, red strings running around my head, mentally
[37:38] connecting things to here and there.
[37:39] Like, I'm so hyped.
[37:40] And the next day, we see Raiko or Kujurai, as Courtney's mentioned
[37:44] her as.
[37:45] Just to avoid any confusion with the naming conventions, obviously,
[37:47] first and last name there.
[37:48] So Reiko and Kudo, they get into an argument because he can sense
[37:51] that she's forcing herself to be someone who she isn't.
[37:56] There's a moment where Reiko starts to piece together her past,
[37:59] or maybe someone else's.
[38:00] She learns that an older version of herself, Reiko B.
[38:03] Was romantically involved with Kudo.
[38:05] But here's the kicker.
[38:07] This current Reiko is younger than that version so what exactly
[38:11] is going on here, Courtney?
[38:12] Is she a clone?
[38:13] Is she a backup?
[38:14] A memory construct?
[38:16] The show doesn't say, but it wants you asking these questions
[38:20] like we are right now, out loud or sometimes internally, as
[38:23] I was watching yesterday, the sense of deja vu, of romance remembered
[38:27] but not lived.
[38:28] It's heartbreaking and eerie all at once.
[38:30] And I personally do not want to experience anything like this
[38:32] in my life ever.
[38:34] As I know my heart won't say, won't take it.
[38:36] So, Courtney, forever, some hand up in this situation.
[38:39] Get me out of there quick, smart, please and thank you.
[38:41] I will.
[38:42] I will do my best.
[38:43] We live in different cities, but I'll.
[38:45] I'll do my best to help you out.
[38:46] Thank you.
[38:46] Thank you.
[38:47] I'll take you out for lemon chicken.
[38:48] Appreciate it.
[38:49] Yeah, I love lemon chicken.
[38:50] So.
[38:50] Yeah, let's go.
[38:50] Yeah, that's good.
[38:52] So then we get a scene where Reiko Yame and her friend Xiaohe,
[38:56] who did the initial noise complaint, they go to visit Hebinuma
[39:00] Medical center because they're offering free.
[39:03] Free checkups, which is great in.
[39:05] In this economy.
[39:07] Yes.
[39:08] The girls see that they're also offering free cosmetic surgery
[39:12] checkups and consultations.
[39:13] And Reiko wants to go to get her crow's feet looked at because
[39:16] as we know, that's something that she's a bit self conscious about.
[39:20] Reiko loses her sense of self though, because she's not grounded
[39:24] by her own memories, right?
[39:25] So she is thinking.
[39:27] She keeps getting called out by Kudo for these crow's feet, and
[39:31] she's like, I need to get rid of it, like I need to do something.
[39:35] But what we kind of realize here is that this is something that
[39:41] Reiko B or the old Reiko is something that makes her something
[39:45] that Kudo is pointing out potentially because it reminds him
[39:49] of the old her.
[39:51] So anyway, her and Kudo, they end up making up and going to get
[39:55] lemon chicken for dinner.
[39:57] They still go to Tintin Eatery for lunch, of course, because that's
[40:00] where they always go.
[40:01] But a few days later, Reiko goes to this cosmetic surgery consult
[40:05] with Dr.
[40:06] Hebinuma and he tells her some really eerie things that kind of
[40:11] match up with the theory that she may not be who she thinks she
[40:14] is, that she is Reiko B and she is the girl in the photo, even
[40:19] though she has no memory of it, and that her amnesia is something
[40:23] that has been intentionally informed, inflicted upon her.
[40:25] And he doesn't specifically say that you know, this in amnesia
[40:31] that you have is intentional, but it's really, really heavily implied.
[40:36] So much drama and so much goddamn lemon chicken this episode,
[40:39] Courtney.
[40:40] It's ridiculous.
[40:41] What I love here is how the show makes you feel the dissonance.
[40:44] Like, Reiko is walking through a life that feels familiar yet foreign.
[40:48] I think something that, you know, obviously we're not in a sci
[40:50] fi world like this, but we have these moments in life at times,
[40:53] so there is some relatability there.
[40:55] Now she's piecing things together.
[40:57] You can see her trying to hold on to something real, even if she
[41:00] doesn't quite know what that real is just yet.
[41:02] So the episode ends without giving us clear answers.
[41:05] But I feel that's the magic in this storytelling.
[41:07] Or in a world that might be a simulation.
[41:10] It could be a memory bank or something way more sci fi that's
[41:13] still yet to reveal itself.
[41:14] Generic Terror.
[41:15] The floating sphere above the city.
[41:17] Like, yeah, we didn't get a ton of that in this episode.
[41:21] So there's still just this big, giant, looming, quiet, unsettling
[41:24] observer watching everything play out in Kowloon, which I love.
[41:28] And I've still got questions and intrigue regarding the fact that,
[41:32] yeah, the city's appearance has not yet changed since 1994.
[41:36] Like, that ain't just nostalgia, Courtney.
[41:37] That is very intentional.
[41:38] And for what reason, I do not know.
[41:40] But, yeah, episode two turns up the existential heat in a big
[41:44] way.
[41:44] We've got identity, identity crises, mysterious tech companies,
[41:48] fragments of forgotten love, and a city that might be lying to
[41:51] everyone within it.
[41:53] Stick around because next time we're diving into episode three,
[41:55] and trust me, the questions will only get deeper if I'm scoring
[41:59] this.
[41:59] This is sitting in the great tier right now.
[42:02] I actually want to mention you.
[42:03] You mentioned that Generic Terra.
[42:06] And I guess as an expansion of that, we kind of have heavy Pneuma
[42:11] Pharmaceuticals.
[42:11] So we know we have this company that is doing things, altering
[42:15] people's minds, and it's all a bit shady.
[42:20] But I do want to mention that Yaomei, the reason that she was getting
[42:25] the noise complaint from her neighbor is because she was making
[42:28] those generic terror mascots.
[42:30] She was making, like, hundreds of them or whatever, like, sewing
[42:34] them, and that was the noise.
[42:36] And I just wonder how, like, is Yao Mei connected to Generic Terror
[42:45] in some way?
[42:46] Like, she says she's not herself.
[42:47] She's had a lot of work done in her whole body.
[42:49] Like, what is happening?
[42:51] Yeah, I've got so many questions and so much intrigue, and
[42:56] if we all find out they're all just plugged into a giant matrix,
[42:59] like, mainframe it would not surprise me in the slightest, but
[43:02] I love that every episode and every scene, I'm left with more answers,
[43:08] more questions than answers.
[43:10] Sorry.
[43:10] And I think it's just really, really, really expertly crafted storytelling.
[43:14] And I hope that it can continue and carry this mystique
[43:19] and mysteriousness and intrigue all the way through to the
[43:22] end credits.
[43:23] Because I don't mind if this is, like, the slowest of slow burns
[43:26] and we wait until the.
[43:28] The very, like, the 11th hour to get the final payoff.
[43:31] Like, I don't mind if this just slow rolls this thing all the
[43:35] way through and just keeps me on the hook till the very end.
[43:37] It's so deep, and I.
[43:39] I'm just so obsessed with it.
[43:41] Every week when a new episode is out, I.
[43:44] I have to.
[43:45] I watch it immediately, and then I watch it again because there's
[43:48] so much to pick up in each episode.
[43:50] There's so many.
[43:52] Just little bits, lines, imagery.
[43:56] It's very, very good.
[43:58] Yeah.
[43:58] I can't help but hearken back to, like, when I was young and I'd
[44:02] watch, like, the X Files and Twin Peaks and stuff.
[44:04] It gives me that same type of nostalgic vibe where I'm just so
[44:09] engrossed, yet so confused, but yet so obsessed, and I just want
[44:14] to know more.
[44:15] And, yeah, I cannot wait for episode three.
[44:17] Yes.
[44:18] But let's get into our final comments.
[44:21] I want to mention, as I did at the beginning of the episode, I went
[44:25] to the Sydney Royal Easter show, and there was so much dodgy
[44:29] anime merch.
[44:31] Like, when you first walk in, they have this big kind of like a.
[44:35] Like a shopping.
[44:36] A general shopping and merch area.
[44:39] And they have, like, T shirts and, like, even Le Boo and Gacha
[44:44] collectibles, things like that.
[44:45] And they had this little anime stall, and it's just so much dodgy
[44:49] anime stuff being sold for, like, 20 bucks a pop.
[44:53] And I'm like, I know you got this from Alibaba for, like, 10 cents.
[44:57] Do not lie to me.
[44:58] Was it dodgy to the point where they were, like, spelt incorrectly
[45:02] to avoid any legalities, or is it just.
[45:04] You could just see it was cheap and nasty stuff, like you said
[45:07] from the back of the Internet truck.
[45:09] Yeah, it was definitely cheap and nasty, but it had, you know,
[45:11] when they have, like, a slight discoloration, like, Luffy's hat
[45:15] is, you know, a bit more orange than it should be.
[45:19] Things like that, where it's, like, you know, that it's not official,
[45:23] even if they try and put it in an official box.
[45:25] I'm like, nah, you're, you're not fooling me.
[45:28] I wanted to shout out though you did get on the birdie beetle
[45:31] train.
[45:31] That is.
[45:32] That is like a, a show must if you get the birdie beetle show bag.
[45:36] Like you never see birdie beetles out in the wild at all apart
[45:40] from a show.
[45:41] And is it still a.
[45:42] A semi decent, passable chocky?
[45:44] So I will.
[45:45] I'll actually tell you the story behind why I get birdie beetle
[45:48] because it's actually kind of important to me.
[45:51] We're getting some deep corny law right now, but my Opa who passed
[45:57] away maybe back in 2013, he wouldn't go to the Perth Royal show,
[46:03] but he would always get someone to get him a birdie beetle
[46:07] bag.
[46:08] And the chocolates, they're not, they're not great for sure,
[46:13] but he would always get it.
[46:15] So whenever I go, I always get one just because it's something he,
[46:18] he did and it reminds me of him.
[46:21] And last year I got the blue bag which came with five birdie beetles.
[46:24] This year I got the gold bag which came with 10.
[46:28] So I'm, I'm living it up.
[46:30] Yeah, you are stocked up on birdie beetles maybe to next royal
[46:33] Easter show, who knows?
[46:34] Yeah, potentially.
[46:37] But what do you have to shout out in your final comments?
[46:42] I just wanted to say this is not really a shout out, but more.
[46:44] More of a statement.
[46:46] Tiffany Stratton better be walking out of WrestleMania tomorrow
[46:48] as champion.
[46:49] Otherwise I'm gonna be pissed.
[46:51] Courtney.
[46:52] I'm gonna be so pissed.
[46:53] But also be sure to enter our colorful stage, the movie Amiku who
[46:58] can't sing giveaway.
[46:59] Currently active on our socials, obviously at the Sucker
[47:02] Soc.
[47:02] You can find us on there.
[47:03] We're giving away two double passes on there to the movie Australian
[47:07] entrance only.
[47:07] I'm afraid we can't sort of chuck some.
[47:09] Some tickets to someone over in America or somewhere abroad.
[47:12] So yeah, limited to Australian residents only.
[47:15] But yeah, super Easy to enter.
[47:16] 3 Ways to Enter and we'll announce the winner in about a week's
[47:19] time.
[47:20] I think we're announcing it on around the 26th or 27th of April
[47:24] if I remember correctly.
[47:25] So yeah, get in on that.
[47:27] And to our new and old listeners, make sure you join our
[47:31] discord.
[47:31] So you can also discuss things like to be Hero X and Moonrise with
[47:35] us.
[47:35] We're always active, always happy to chat.
[47:38] We also have a Patreon that you can join to find out the latest
[47:41] updates about when we're recording our next episodes.
[47:43] If you are in the top two tiers, you can join in the recording
[47:47] sessions as a live audience.
[47:49] We have two audience members here today.
[47:51] Thank you guys so much.
[47:53] But you'll also get some sneak peek behind the scenes footage of
[47:56] the things that we talk about before we start recording and after
[47:59] we start recording.
[48:00] It's usually pretty wild.
[48:03] And a big, big, big thank you to our producers Oni Duffo and Matthew
[48:08] C.
[48:09] Without your support, we would not.
[48:11] Be here keeping those emotional and literal lights on here
[48:14] in the Segoy studio.
[48:15] But yeah, if you can't afford to fund us on Patreon, that's totally
[48:19] fine.
[48:19] You can do so in other ways like rating, reviewing, subscribing
[48:22] to us on your podcast platform of choice.
[48:25] Five star ratings and reviews would be preferred because yeah,
[48:28] I don't know what's happened, but the system only accepts them
[48:31] these days.
[48:31] So just hit that five star and we'll be very thankful.
[48:34] But on those socials, especially on the video front at
[48:36] the Sakura Society, subscribe like comment on the videos you see
[48:40] on Instagram, tick tock and YouTube.
[48:43] Trying to make a more conscious effort on those fronts.
[48:47] Shout out to all the fantastic people we got to interview at tgx.
[48:51] Those videos are now out in the wild and a ton of fun and doing
[48:54] really well.
[48:55] So thank you for everyone that's checked those out.
[48:57] Expect more of those in the future when we get to a few more
[48:59] cons in the coming months.
[49:01] But listeners, viewers to go score and everyone else in between,
[49:04] whether your anime be subbed, dubbed or still yet to come, enjoy
[49:07] yourself.
[49:07] And much love to all the gorgeous waifus and husbandos out
[49:11] there.
[49:11] Bye.

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.