Show #205: The Venture Brothers Series 4 and 5

Our boys have grown up so much! And that's just us going off on a longer-than-expected tear about the Venture Brothers when we thought we had the measure of them. Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer saw that coming though, proceeding to sweep aside sizeable swathes of their world of aimless adventurers and vacuous villains to allow something new to grow. It was a tough row to hoe for both the creators and the fans incensed at the change, but did all their hard work pay off? Teenage rebellion, the sins of the fathers and a catchy hit single underscore an immense inventory of a turbulent time, still keeping a little space for a Post-Podcast Repaste of course.

Listen up!

Show #195: Samurai Jack - The Final Chapter

Almost 5 years to the day since we last had him on, Leon Everett of Ace Comicals emerges from the mists of time to lay to rest a legendary hero, whose long and continually inspiring journey finally came to a close against all odds. Samurai Jack seems a story whose timelessness was due to its lack of a definitive ending, but director Genndy Tartakovsky saw a ripe opportunity to bring the curtain down alongside much of the original creative team. With a more sombre and brooding atmosphere that throws that distance of years into stark relief can Jack really go home again? The call of the void, stupid sexy Aku and more Twin Peaks Series 3 comparisons than one would expect add up an epic saga of a recording, leaving us hungry for a heroic feast of a Post-Podcast Repaste!

Listen up!

Show #173: Castlevania Season 2

It's a new age of terror as those young upstarts at Powerhouse Animation consort with dark powers to summon another, even larger apparition of Castlevania!

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To the surprise of many familiar with the less-than-stellar track record of video games adapted to other media the first instalment of Netflix's animated series based on the classic video game franchise turned out to be quite a solid if rough hewn affair. Emboldened by this praise Sam & Adam Deats, Warren Ellis, Spencer Wan and company strive for ever greater heights with twice the amount of episodes and plenty of ideas to fill them with. Will they absolutely slay it? Or will this castle prove a hassle? Sad monsters, vampiric socio-economic affairs and an appropriate level of swearing lurk behind a hidden wall! (or just beyond the link above!)

Show #170: Disenchantment

A wizened old wizard dusts of his tomes so that the world may know him once more! Matt Groening emerges from the mists to relate his sordid tale of Disenchantment!

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Besides serving as a prominent reminder of just how long ago Futurama was on television, Matt Groening's latest original offering for Netflix had others taken aback for different reasons and wondering if this adult animated sitcom had anything new to offer in an increasingly crowded field. But does Disenchantment have a trick up its sleeve for the end of this season and beyond? Inaccurate comparisons, a predictable investigation of artistic references and probably far too much use of the high-pitched cautiously optimistic voice await you at the end of your quest!

Show #169: FernGully - The Last Rainforest

After surviving a months long heatwave Niall and Dwayne display their green credentials and take their forebears to task with an environmental impact study on FernGully: The Last Rainforest!

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Conceived in an era when the welfare of the planet was the cause celebre of film stars, politicians and the general public alike, FernGully presents an idyllic vision of our natural world and the innumerable reasons for humanity to value and protect it. However does its message cut to the core of this massive problem? Do its contemporaries perform any better? When does saying "YES" repeatedly in a Tim Curry voice stop being fun? (Never) The answers to these hard hitting issues and more await your ears!

SOTSM x DITB: Little Witch Academia TV Part 2

Much belated but with a lot of care gone into the making, we finally rejoin our podcast partners Dynamite In The Brain to relate our shared experiences of the back half of Yoh Yoshinari and Studio Trigger's grand debut on Netflix. It's filled with scheming teachers, inspiring messages and football-induced international incidents, and there's even time for a little game of which witch is which! All good stuff you can discover yourself if you just listen up!

SOTSM x DITB: Famous Anime Podcast – Famous Anime Witches

We reconvened with the Dynamite In The Brain boys to figure out which witch is which and worthy of the Famous Anime Hall of Fame. Whether they hail from magical dimensions unknown, got their powers from fairies or are just out looking for a job they all must fall under scrutiny, and to find out who gets in you'll just have to listen up!

SOTSM x DITB: Little Witch Academia Season 1

The original Let's Go Gang convene again for belated yet exhaustive coverage of the long awaited Little Witch Academia TV series, or at least the first half that Netflix feels like giving us right now. Magical artifacts, celebrity cameos, flimsy disguises; it's all in here if you listen up!

Show #138: Avatar The Last Airbender Season 2

Sure hope y'all like earth puns because they're coming down like a ton of bricks in Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2!

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While discussion in recent times has shifted to this show's more uneven successor (which we ourselves are guilty of AT LENGTH) it's worth revisiting the roots of the Avatar franchise and discovering anew what carved out its special place in our hearts. The second chapter builds upon an already impressively strong foundation and expands the scope greatly in terms of character, action and wit but without sacrificing the intimate relationships we've come to cherish. Tears are shed, villains are victorious, and it'll be a desperate struggle to restrain ourselves from diving into the last season again too soon!

THE SHORT VERSION

Pint-sized powerhouses

Credible threats

A man without a country

Show #122: The Unbeatables (2013)

It's a game of two halves, or indeed thirds, quarters or fifths in the football fumble that is The Unbeatables, AKA Underdogs, AAKA Metegol!

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A sports story about a rag tag bunch of misfits with nothing to lose and everything to gain? A young man finding what he truly values in life through courage and sacrifice? A foosball table team comes to life and have zany adventures barely relating to the game? The Unbeatables is all those things but not in the ratios you'd expect, as for a film selling itself on the prospect of high stakes foosball to save the village you get very little of that and a whole lot of other inconsequential fluff. A wealth of ideas can be great, but to use a sports analogy we need one cohesive functioning team and not a bunch of glory-hounding superstars.

THE SHORT VERSION

Players on the bench

Space pirate footballers

The baleful eyes of a man consumed by foosball

Show #120: Song of the Sea

The seasons and tides bring back memories of childhoods long past, captured so wonderfully in Song of the Sea.

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This is a show about men and their feelings; of happiness but also sadness in equal measure as we marvel at Tomm Moore and Cartoon Saloon's bittersweet tale of family, grief and magical forces beyond our ken.Song of the Sea is a beautiful portrait of coping with loss and accomplishes more with its own quiet confidence than all the karaoke dance parties mainstream animation can muster.

THE SHORT VERSION

Family feuds

Sorrowful seal moms

Owl grannies

Show #115: He-Man & The Masters of The Universe (1983)

By the power of Grayskull we have the Paul Shipley, here to celebrate SOTSM's fourth year and to share memories of the plastic fantastic world of He-Man & The Masters of The Universe!

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You can't be a cartoon liker on the internet without some manner of opinion about this 80s animation staple, but unlike a number of other pundits we feel no need to make excuses or throw it to the wolves for cheap thrills. Time may have certainly tempered our expectations of a show that didn't look spectacular to begin with but its bright, positive, anything-goes aesthetic is ageless. Cynics may deride it as being satirical or camp, its often bizarre storylines construed as a negative; rather if you embrace that earnestness you'll find a series full of love, compassion and fun that isn't ashamed of what it is.

THE SHORT VERSION

Messages of kindness

Villains just chillin'

We're camp and we don't care!

Let’s Go! Episode 15 – Trismegistus Now!

Niall's back, and just in time to get in on the ground floor of a sure fire money-making scheme! Not to mention the medley of mutts in masks, marshmallow maniacs and Mad Max!

• Lupin the III Part 4 #9 & 10
• Ojisan & Marshmallow #6
• Sekko Boys #6
• Mr Osomatsu #18
• Lovely Muuuuuuuco! #18
• Erased #6

Listen up!

Show #113: Fire and Ice

We brave the savage, frozen wastes of a new year on a trip to the boilerplate fantasy realm of Fire and Ice!

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We said we'd give old Ralph Bakshi another spin of the wheel after our last encounter but we're finding maybe fantasy may not be his forte. In spite of an impressive assemblage of talent including Frank Frazetta, an artist who defined the look of these kind of stories, Fire and Ice never really adds up to the sum of its parts. It really serves as more of a template left unfilled, which is all the more maddening when one wonders what could have been produced had that creative energy been fully utilised.

THE SHORT VERSION

Untapped potential

Caveman Batman

BUTTS

Show #110: "9"

Anthony Askew of Dynamite In The Brain salvages the wreckage of the post-robocalypse and presents us the patchwork creation of Shane Acker's 9!

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Quite awkwardly named this one, as it came out the same year as another film called "Nine"! You won't find Daniel Day Lewis in this though, rather a bleak industrial fantasy that struggles to fill its feature length. 9 retains the imaginative design work of the original short that inspired it, but like the wasteland it depicts there are slim pickings to be found in the plotting and characterisation departments, with whatever exists cobbled together into a not-unpleasant but unsatisfying whole.

THE SHORT VERSION

Forlorn ragdoll people

Terror beasts

Soul Stealin'

Let’s Go Goku! Episode 14 - The Battle of Gods Concludes! This Is Every Last Bit Of My Power!

You read that right, this superhuman contest is finally over and with it this spin-off podcast in it's current form! We submit to it's oppressive power and venture off to greener anime pastures. Featuring space subterfuge, dozy deities and a great big sigh of relief from cast and podcast hosts alike. Listen up!

Let’s Go Goku! Episode 13 – Goku, Go Surpass Super Saiyan God!

The battle of gods continues! Again! And we're getting just as weary watching these two brutes slugging it out in space. Featuring dirty dueling, Satanic signatures and a wish upon Whis. Listen up!

Let’s Go Goku! Episode 12 – The Universe Crumbles! Clash! The God of Destruction vs Super Saiyan God!

The showdown between Goku and Beerus ascends far above Earth, but even there will the planet, nay, the universe be safe? Featuring powerful punches, impressive eyesight and Mr Satan subterfuge. Listen up!

Let’s Go Goku! Episode 11 - Let's Continue Beerus! The Battle of Gods!

The battle of gods rages on still. Yes still! Will Goku and Beerus unleash the full extent of their powers this time? You'll have to listen and find out! Featuring island annihilation, shaky spacecraft and flippant fisticuffs. Listen up!

Let’s Go Goku! Episode 10 – Show Me, Goku! The Power of the Super Saiyan God!!

Goku has attained Super Saiyan God-hood and is eager to test his abilities against Beerus, but he'll have a little trouble getting to grips with this new-found power. Featuring petty payback, useful UFOs and a picnic with Pilaf. Listen up!