This episode is sponsored in part by Tokyo Treat! To get $5 off your first box of delicious snacks & treats delivered from Japan straight to your door, AND to help support my little podcast, use code "NOSTALGIA" at my link here!

2024 is coming to a close, so you know what that means–That’s right, it’s time for another Year in Review! And this time, MDi is here to help discuss the results of my annual year-end survey as filled out by you, the listeners! What older anime titles were you excited to buy (sometimes again) this year, and what titles are you looking forward to coming out in 2025? We also talk about all the memorable news stories from throughout this long, seemingly never-ending year. Hear all the silliness, sadness, and stress of this year; PLUS the winners of the survey giveaway. Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!!


Stream the episode above or  [Direct Download]
Subscribe on apple podcasts | Spotify

Relevant links:

☆ Use my affiliate links to buy the top 3 (as voted by my listeners) older anime releases from 2024! ☆

1. Berserk '97 BD
2. Belladonna of Sadness 4k+BD
3. Macross Plus Movie + OVA Ultimate Edition BD

Listen to the full episode for the complete list!

Follow MDi on Youtube and Bluesky!

Special thanks to Animeigo, Fantagraphics, and Yen Press for donating the prizes for this year's holiday giveaway! Congrats to the winners!

My theme song music was done by Kerobit! You can find more about them on their website!

See how you can get access to behind-the-scenes stuff, early access to the podcast, and a BRAND NEW subscriber exclusive podcast with my new Ko-fi Subscriptions!

As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening, and Happy New Year! 

This episode is sponsored in part by Tokyo Treat! To get $5 off your first box of delicious snacks & treats delivered from Japan straight to your door, AND to help support my little podcast, use code "NOSTALGIA" at my link here!

November 18th was legendary director Osamu Dezaki's birthday--so let's celebrate the Thanksgiving season by revisiting one of his works that's a real feast for the eyes! That's right, I'm talking all about the wonderfully pulpy sci-fi romp that is Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie! And joining me once again to chat all about it is returning guest Tricia! Listen as we discuss everything from Dezaki's eye for design, to Buichi Terasawa's love for Barbarella & Disney movies. All this and answering your questions, too! Once you're done with your food coma, have a rest and listen in!

Stream the episode above or [Direct Download]
Subscribe on apple podcasts | Spotify

Relevant links:

• Stream Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie for FREE in the US on Retrocrush, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel! (And watch the TV series on TMS's official YT Channel!)
• Buy Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie on bluray at Amazon or Crunchyroll Store!
• Or buy the 4K version at Amazon or Crunchyroll Store!
• Follow Tricia on Bluesky, Tumblr, or Twitter!

My theme song music was done by Kerobit! You can find more about them on their website!

As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening!

This month’s episode is another short ReView! What is a “ReView” episode, you might ask? Well, it’s my highly-clever (ok not really) name for episodes where I go back and revisit an older title I haven’t seen in a long time, and see if what I remember (and what my opinions on it) are still the same now that some time’s gone by. It's Halloween season once again, so for this month's ReView episode, let's revisit a more unconventional pick for a Halloween movie night: the 1994 anime OVA adaptation of Hideyuki Kikuchi's Darkside Blues! Will this dystopian cybergoth thriller make for some great vibes, or is it just not "all that jazz"? Let's revisit it and find out! 

[Download episode here]
Subscribe on apple podcasts | Spotify

Relevant links:

• Buy the Darkside Blues DVD with my affiliate link on Amazon: Either the CPM release, or the ADV release!
• Buy the original Darkside Blues manga in English
• Check out Keizo "HOLLY" Horiuchi's recent self-cover of his song "Darkside Blues" from the film on his Youtube channel here!

My theme song music was done by Kerobit! You can find more about them on their website!

See how you can get access to behind-the-scenes stuff, early access to the podcast, and a BRAND NEW subscriber exclusive podcast with my new Ko-fi Subscriptions!

As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening!

This episode is sponsored in part by Tokyo Treat! To get $5 your first box of delicious snacks & treats delivered from Japan straight to your door, AND to help support my little podcast, use code "NOSTALGIA" at my link here!

Recently, Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie celebrated it's 30th anniversary! And along with the current fighting game renascence we've been seeing lately, what better time to talk about one of THE best video game adaptations ever made? So of course, I had to recruit returning champion & friend of the show Casey (aka MinovskyArticle) to talk about how this movie stands the test of time, even now. Also in this ep: the movie's surprisingly troubled production, 90s industrial music, epic bromances, and of course: answering your questions. HADOKEN!

 
Stream the episode above or [Direct Download]
Subscribe on apple podcasts | Spotify

Relevant Links:

• Buy Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie on bluray at Crunchyroll Store or Amazon (also available in 4k UHD on CR and Amazon!)
• Watch Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie for free (in the US) on Pluto TV and RetroCrush
• Playlist of the unofficial "American" movie soundtrack
• Read more about the movie on it's page on the Street Fighter Wiki
• An oral history of the massively popular and influential game it's based on: Street Fighter II
• Follow Casey on Twitter and Bluesky

My theme song music was done by Kerobit! You can find more about them on their website!

As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening!

This episode is sponsored in part by Tokyo Treat! To get $5 your first box of delicious snacks & treats delivered from Japan straight to your door, AND to help support my little podcast, use code "NOSTALGIA" at my link here!

Earlier this month was Otakon, which celebrated it's 30th year of being "The Convention of Otaku Generation". It was also my first ever time attending! So what better time to talk about it's history with fellow podcaster and Otakon veteran, Gerald of Anime World Order! We talk about Otakon's humble beginnings and history (with some general anime con memories), and what we thought of the con now that it's ever closer to reaching "middle-age". So grab a snack and an ice-cold water, and listen in!

Stream the episode above or [Direct Download]
Subscribe on apple podcasts | Spotify

Relevant links:

• Read the program book for the very first Otakon on Internet Archive!
• Check out other program books from past Otakons as well!
• The Otaku Archive at Internet Archive
• ComicsBeat's coverage of TheGreatSG's Anime Home Video Museum panel
• Watch Discotek's livestream version of their Otakon panel
• Check out Anime World Order's episode on Otakon 2024!

My theme song music was done by Kerobit! You can find more about them on their website!

See how you can get access to behind-the-scenes stuff, early access to the podcast, and a BRAND NEW subscriber exclusive podcast with my new Ko-fi Subscriptions!

As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening!

This episode is sponsored in part by Tokyo Treat! To get $5 your first box of delicious snacks & treats delivered from Japan straight to your door, AND to help support my little podcast, use code "NOSTALGIA" at my link here!

This month’s episode is another short ReView! What is a “ReView” episode, you might ask? Well, it’s my highly-clever (ok not really) name for episodes where I go back and revisit an older title I haven’t seen in a long time, and see if what I remember (and what my opinions on it) are still the same now that some time’s gone by. It's Summertime, so why not kick back with an 80s cyberpunk action buddy-cop movie? That's right, this month, I'm revisiting the Gainax-made 1988 OVA based off of Masamune Shirow's Appleseed! Is this a great Summer popcorn flick, or does it belong at the bottom of the bargain bin? Let's find out together!

Stream the episode above or [Direct Download]
Subscribe on apple podcasts | Spotify

Relevant links:

• Buy the Appleseed bluray with my affiliate link on Amazon or at The Crunchyroll Store
• Buy the original Appleseed manga digitally on Amazon
• Stream Appleseed (dubbed) in North America (free with ads) on Pluto TV or Tubi!
• Stream Appleseed with your paid RetroCrush subscription (dubbed or subbed)
• Video by Zimmerit: When Gainax Made Appleseed

My theme song music was done by Kerobit! You can find more about them on their website!

See how you can get access to behind-the-scenes stuff, early access to the podcast, and a BRAND NEW subscriber exclusive podcast with my new Ko-fi Subscriptions!

As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening!

This episode is sponsored in part by Tokyo Treat! To get $5 your first box of delicious snacks & treats delivered from Japan straight to your door, AND to help support my little podcast, use code "NOSTALGIA" at my link here!

For June, I'm discussing one of my favorite shoujo manga: CLAMP's Tokyo Babylon! So of course, I had to recruit Lucy & Robin of the wonderful CLAMPcast in Wonderland to help me do an extra long deep dive of this bold & stylish, supernatural queer cult classic: What makes it so special, why it being "problematic" is actually important, how it's themes & story elements are still relevant over 30 years later, and most importantly: THE FASHION! We discuss the basics of the characters and story up until the SPOILERS, which start around 1:50:00. Enjoy!

Relevant Links:

• Listen to ep #60 of the podcast for my chat about CLAMP & their history with our dearly departed NewtypeLady
• Buy YenPress' release of Tokyo Babylon via my affiliate links on Bookshop.org, Crunchyroll Store, or Amazon!
• Buy the 90s release of the Tokyo Babylon OVA on DVD!
• Check out Chibi Yuuto's site for tons of CLAMP news, translations, and info!
• Examples of Studio Gohands' "plagiarized" fashion from their now cancelled anime series
• Follow Lucy & Robin, and their podcast, CLAMPCast in Wonderland!

My theme song music was done by Kerobit! You can find more about them on their website!

See how you can get access to behind-the-scenes stuff, early access to the podcast, and a BRAND NEW subscriber exclusive podcast with my new Ko-fi Subscriptions!

As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening!

This episode is sponsored in part by Tokyo Treat! To get $5 your first box of delicious snacks & treats delivered from Japan straight to your door, AND to help support my little podcast, use code "NOSTALGIA" at my link here!

What's this--a rare podcast on a live-action anime adaptation?! That's right, this month we're checking out Netflix's new City Hunter movie! And to celebrate this momentous occasion, I have a new guest to the show, my friend Rueben! We watched the movie, but was it worth it? Listen as we talk our spoiler-free thoughts for those who haven't seen it yet....then after that, we go all out into Spoiler Territory, and answer some of your questions! Also in this episode: Gun Talk, stumbling over ourselves from how hot Ryohei Suzuki is, and jugs (...of blue Powerade, you perverts!! *bonks*)

Relevant Links:

• Netflix's page on their City Hunter film
• Ryohei Suzuki interview on City Hunter and coming up with the "Mokkori Dance"
• Stream the original City Hunter anime on RetroCrush and Crunchyroll
• Buy the City Hunter anime on bluray at Amazon and the Crunchyroll Store
• Read the original City Hunter manga in English officially at MangaHot
• Check out GOTCHA CARDS! on Kickstarter

My theme song music was done by Kerobit! You can find more about them on their website!

Support the work I do on this podcast by leaving me a tip on Ko-fi! Want to have your name read in the special thanks segment on the next episode? All you need to do is buy me 2 or more “coffees” on Ko-fi!

As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening!

This episode is sponsored in part by Tokyo Treat! To get $5 your first box of delicious snacks & treats delivered from Japan straight to your door, AND to help support my little podcast, use code "NOSTALGIA" at my link here!

This month’s episode is another short ReView! What is a “ReView” episode, you might ask? Well, it’s my highly-clever (ok not really) name for episodes where I go back and revisit an older title I haven’t seen in a long time, and see if what I remember (and what my opinions on it) are still the same now that some time’s gone by. And with this April ringing in the 35th Anniversary of Dragon Ball Z's premiere in Japan, what better time to revisit one of my favorite movies from the franchise--movie #12, "Fusion Reborn!". Will this film still come out victorious as one of my top faves, or will I realize I made a mistake and it's a ridiculous mess? Let's find out!

Relevant links:

• Buy the Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn! / Wrath of the Dragon double-feature blu-ray with my affiliate links on Amazon or The Crunchyroll Store!
• Stream the movie on Crunchyroll
• Read about how Akira Toriyama created Vegetto in response to Gogeta at Kanzenshuu here!
• Buy the Dr Slump Movie Collection at The Crunchyroll Store!

My theme song music was done by Kerobit! You can find more about them on their website!

Support the work I do on this podcast by leaving me a tip on Ko-fi! Want to have your name read in the special thanks segment on the next episode? All you need to do is buy me 2 or more “coffees” on Ko-fi!

As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening!

This episode is sponsored in part by Tokyo Treat! To get $5 your first box of delicious snacks & treats delivered from Japan straight to your door, AND to help support my little podcast, use code "NOSTALGIA" at my link here!

This month (March 11th, 2024 to be exact) marked the 40th anniversary of the release of the film Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. So to celebrate this momentous occasion, friend of the show & HUGE Nausicaa fan Rachel is back to discuss the history of not just the film, but the manga it's based off of! Since the Nausicaa is pretty widely available at this point, we DO talk openly with spoilers. So if you've never seen the film before, go have a watch and then come back to listen to us do a deep dive & gush about what makes this movie so special in this extra-long episode!

Stream the episode above or [Direct Download]
Subscribe on apple podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

Relevant Links:

• Buy Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind on Blu-ray from The Crunchyroll Store or Amazon
• Buy the Nausicaa manga box set from The Crunchyroll Store or Amazon
• Buy The Art of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind from The Crunchyroll Store or Amazon
• Buy Shuna's Journey from The Crunchyroll Store or Amazon
• Visit Nausicaa Net (aka the Ghibli Wiki), the longest-running Ghibli fansite still up and running!
• Visit Gkids' official Nausicaa page
• Read "When Nausicaa became Warriors of the Wind"
• Follow Rachel on Twitter, Bluesky, and Twitch!

My theme song music was done by Kerobit! You can find more about them on their website!

Support the work I do on this podcast by leaving me a tip on Ko-fi! Want to have your name read in the special thanks segment on the next episode? All you need to do is buy me 2 or more “coffees” on Ko-fi!

As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening!

This episode is sponsored in part by Tokyo Treat! To get $5 your first box of delicious snacks & treats delivered from Japan straight to your door, AND to help support my little podcast, use code "NOSTALGIA" at my link here!

Over the winter, Japan celebrated the 50th anniversary of one of Osamu Tezuka's most beloved characters: Black Jack! And since it's one of my favorite manga, you know I had to do a podcast episode to celebrate! Joining me, on loan from the Anime World Order Podcast is fellow podcaster & Black Jack fan Clarissa! Listen as we talk about Black Jack's history, his similarities with Tezuka himself, and just why we love this iconic manga doctor as we try to convince you to give this wild medical manga a try.

Relevant links:

• Buy the original Black Jack manga digitally in English
• Stream the original Black Jack OVA series in North America on Tubi TV
• Stream Black Jack The Movie in America on Tubi TV, Pluto TV, or RetroCrush
• Read The Prescience and Universality of Tezuka’s Manga Masterpiece “Black Jack”
• Read Queering Black Jack: A look at how the manga industry adapts to changing reader demographics
• Check out the House MD vs Black Jack Japanese promotional commercial from 2010!
• Follow Clarissa on Twitter, Bluesky, and Twitch!

My theme song music was done by Kerobit! You can find more about them on their website!

Support the work I do on this podcast by leaving me a tip on Ko-fi! Want to have your name read in the special thanks segment on the next episode? All you need to do is buy me 2 or more “coffees” on Ko-fi!

As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening!