Podcast

Shingeki no Mio.

This season brought us wonders in terms of fantasy and sci-fi, with a dash of comedy on the side. The endings for this season are sure to be the talk of the town for awhile, with questions like “Where’s the healing!?” and “Are they going to hook up?” are surely in the minds of many. Meanwhile, a group of Random Curiosity affiliates decides to release a podcast right before those finales come out. Hopefully we serve as a snapshot of how the world was before these finales shook the world.

All joking aside though, we have a great lineup for you today! Joining us are our lovely regulars, along with our resident tech advisor, Xumbra! His laugh definitely adds life into our podcasts, so go ahead and give it a listen! Thanks to Stilts for hosting once again, as well as all the participants for making time (especially Enzo). Thanks to Xumbra for helping out with editing as I prepare to leave the country, and thanks to our listeners out there for lending us an ear!

  Participating Writers
  Time Index

~Special Random Bloopers Reel!~

  • 00:00 – 20:48 – Bloopers
  Listen to the Episode
Spring 2013 Retrospective Podcast | Duration: 148:13 – 96 kbps [flv:rc_podcast_09.mp3 350 0]

Download 160 kbps (169 MB)

Spring 2013 Retrospective Podcast – Random Bloopers! | Duration: 20:48 – 96 kbps [flv:rc_podcast_09bloopers.mp3 350 0]

Download 160 kbps (24 MB)

Download Transcript (txt file) – Thanks Isabel!

 

51 Comments

  8. Valvrave The Anime Saver

    I shall miss you. See ya in October.

    and I wouldn’t call Hachiman being Batman an ‘inside’ joke since they’re calling him the Dark Knight everywhere I go lol

    EmD
    Reply

  9. Despite being broken up in sort of mini arcs the latter half of Hentai Ouji still feels like it is building a larger overarching plot, it might be because I marathoned it over the last week that I viewed it as such.

    Longhaul
    Reply

    1. The discussion about spoilers, I wanted to say that being spoiled allows you to enjoy an adaption in different ways. As an example with Index/Railgun, I have read all of the LN’s and the Railgun manga, so a big part of what I look forward to every week is to see how they adapt existing scenes.

      I have to agree with the part about not being able to enjoy big shockers the same way if you were aware of them before hand.

      Longhaul
      Reply

  11. @Stilts: Misaka resolving the Sisters Arc without Touma’s help in Railgun S just doesn’t work IMO. At this point in the story, Accelerator is the undisputed #1 esper – theoretically able to withstand an nuclear blast (though he later disputes that). The fact that Misaka cannot overcome him on her own makes her situation all the more emotional and dire.

    More importantly, if you recall, the whole point of Touma defeating Accelerator alone is because such a result is the only way to stop the experiments. If the undisputed top esper loses to a level zero, then the Tree Diagram’s calculations are thrown into great suspicion = experiment stops. However, if Misaka helps Touma even just a bit, then the result will be viewed as a level 5 losing to another level 5, and that’s “within the acceptable margin” of calculation error = experiments continue. Pretty sure that’s mentioned in the Index anime.

    Not only that, because Touma ends the experiment, the bond between him and Misaka is much stronger (Misaka route now open :P). It puts Touma firmly on Misaka’s “radar” so to speak rather than him being some random annoying guy who can resist her attacks. That greater connection plays a role in later events.

    LOL – yes, from your list it will be the “Season of the Loli” for you.

    @Guardian Enzo: Agree with you regarding spoilers. I read the all of the available translated Shingeki manga after EP 01 b/c I had a lot of unresolved questions regarding the setting. I can honestly say that if I had not done so, I’d enjoy the anime more. Like you and others on the pod cast, I have a very hard time believing that spoilers increase the viewing enjoyment for most people.

    Lastly, in terms of the current season “tweet” reviews, I’m a little surprised that Yahari Ore no Seishun wasn’t mentioned by anyone. It’s at the top of my list for this season.

    Thanks & looking forward to the next podcast.

    daikama
    Reply

    1. You have valid points, but you’re still thinking about it all as taking place within the established Index / Railgun universe, and therefore requiring that the story play by those rules. I was hypothesizing about what it would be like if this was not the case, and there was actually a way for Biribiri to win (since you’re right, in the Index universe its effectively impossible for her to do so, or at the very least achingly unlikely).

      You do have a great point on how her literally being able to do nothing ramps up the emotional pain something fierce. That I do not dispute.

      Stilts
      Reply

      1. Ah – got it now. If the scenario includes modification of Index as well to account for the change then it’s definitely feasible. You raise a good point in that it is a bit odd that the namesake protagonist of the story (Misaka aka Railgun) is not the one who “saves the day” in the end. Such a result is atypical. That being said, I’m still not sure that such a change would improve the story. There are several potential issues that come to mind, but snce this isn’t the right place for a discussion I’ll leave it at that. You do raise an interesting point though.

        Forgot to mention this before – glad to see your blogging shows again.

        daikama
        Reply

  13. You guys are really improving awesomely. Before I was using this podcast as a BGM while doing stuff, but now I can’t even concentrate on what the heck I’m doing. ><

    …and too bad you guys make this quite early, because want to hear your thoughts on the cluster fuck of awesomeness of that valvrave ending. XD

    Jhacks
    Reply

  17. @Takaii: I’ll hug you ~
    @Xumbra: That’s my first time hearing your voice!! =D We should do more skype dates.
    @Zanibas: I like saucy 😉 You missed out on good stuff =P
    @Enzo: If it makes you feel better, I also enjoyed Kanon a lot (almost as much as I did Clannad). I cried during both… Kanon’s first story was SO SAD! Omg… cried buckets. And yay! You’re like the only other person who’s excited about Rozen Maiden with me =3

    You guys didn’t even talk about the latest episodes?! Come on! >_< lol jks... I haven't even started half these anime... >_>
    I think Autumn is usually the best season for me =X so… I’m not surprised Spring wasn’t that great T_T

    Cherrie
    Reply

  22. Does anyone else feel that Makoto Shinkai’s pacing in movies feels completely different than other movies or anime? I know I’m not going to make much sense here since I just suck at explaining things, but try to hear me out. The ways I would describe his pacing is that the emotional intensity that touches you is more calm and subdued, but at the same time seems to touch you so much more and you react very strongly to it. Compared to shounen anime where it brings you into an emotional state by just sheer intensity and raw emotion like Naruto or Fairy Tail, I feel that Makoto Shinkai does this in such a weird way. For example, in Five Centimeters per Second during the train ride, there was a melancholic feeling resonating and you felt the intensity of his longing and it was so strong, but it’s very different from other stories such as Clannad. It wasn’t subdued per se, but his style feels like it is but isn’t. They honestly just feel calm compared to other emotionally filled anime or shows. It feels slow, but it isn’t. Am I making any sense to anyone at all? In general what I’m trying to say is that even though he makes you feel such emotion, he does it in such a stylistic and calm manner that it feels like it’s being subdued but not. Regardless if I made sense or not, I feel like Makoto’s movies have very unique pacing.

    dytianquin
    Reply

    2. I haven’t seen the rest of Shinkai’s films, but in Garden of Words what Shinkai seems to be doing is alternating scenes so that the presentation of the plot is interwoven with scenery to let things sink in. For instance, when the main character mentions that he heads to the park on rainy days, we’re shown beautiful animations of the pond, the puddles on the ground, the wind breezing through the trees, and so on. But as the story progresses, we see more of these animations and gradually get the sense that rainy days are absolutely vital in allowing the main characters to meet and strengthen their relationships with each other.

      Taking a step back, it seems here that a catalyst (in this case, rain) has been placed very early in the story, and the plot that follows builds around it, much like laying the foundations of a house during its construction. As you mentioned, the pacing feels calm because this is ordinary. Rain is a natural occurrence, so what’s so special about it?

      Well you see, because of it that these characters are able to escape from societal pressures and do the things they want to do, and that leads them to conversations and the main character’s decision to make shoes for the woman, and yadda yadda: and that’s why it’s emotionally intense. The way the pacing is made allows the little things to snowball up to the finale (in that wonderful, sudden downpour).

      I feel like Shinkai is able to pull this off because of his control of the stories he tells. Garden of Words is a super simple story: there are no twists, deus ex machinas (can this word even be plural?), or cliffhangers to employ. On the other hand, there are other shows that make liberal use of these plot devices to hook the viewers into their stories. Perhaps this is the disconnect you were speaking of?

      Xumbra
      Reply

      1. I think my answer to that is both a yes and a no. There is this atmosphere that Makoto creates in his films that I feel is unique to just Shinkai. It’s a vibe that is very calm and simplistic in it’s approach to situations that make it so different. I’m not sure though since it’s a really weird feeling. The way Shinkai directs his movies is definitely a factor, but I feel like it’s because of everything he does or the way he does everything makes it feel completely unexampled by others. The best examples of where this unique feeling comes alive are in in the beginning of Five Centimeters Per Second. As we see them talk about sakura petals falling, the letters that had gone back and forth, and their childhood together, it’s very emotionally intense, but it’s not like other stories. Other times I feel this is when the main character is simply speaking to himself in Kotoho no Niwa. Just the presence and the atmosphere around Makoto’s movies are just so different.

        dytianquin
        Reply

  23. Now about Valverave, was anyone else bothered by Haruto? I don’t dislike him or hate him, I actually like him, but am bothered by him as well. I’m more of a thinker than a doer. Haruto is obviously the latter, and because of that, it sort of bothers me that he seemed like he dealt with his situation without thinking about whether he was at fault or not. I mean he obviously thought about it some, but it seems like what Kairi said, he went in saying I need to do something about it. Don’t get me wrong, I respect him for doing something about it, but for some reason it bothers me. I think it may have to do with the fact that I think that lots of the thing he’s doing are mistakes, but that’s a whole different issue that I don’t want to explain in great detail. tHE next thing I want to say will be brought up after I ask this question, should Haruto take responsibility for something terrible that happened that his body did, but he didn’t? Someone has to take responsibility, and for obvious reasons, we can’t expect Saki to take responsibility for it. Haruto has to be the one that man’s up, so I think he does have to take responsibility in this situation even though he is also a victim. What really gets me though is that he doesn’t seem to question what he should do once! He doesn’t seem to think that he was also someone who was victimized. I’m just saying that what Haruto is doing is so against my nature that it just disturbs me, but I also find it very interesting since it’s so different from how I act.

    I didn’t think about that at all. The thought of Haruto saying sorry to Saki being an insult didn’t even enter my mind. I’m glad I have these podcasts to hear all your opinions on these shows. It’s really refreshing to hear and listen to. Plus, it’s pretty funny and very entertaining.

    dytianquin
    Reply

  25. You guys dont know about Choujigen Game Neptune/Hyperdimension Neptunia?!?!? Highly disappointed *looks away in shame*… “D-dont give me that sad look, it’s not like I meant it or anything” XD

    MetaDrow
    Reply

  27. Oooh, I can’t believe I had never listened to a Podcast of you guys before. I have an even bigger internet crush on Stilts, now.
    And everybody sounds so NICE (Stilts!!), thank you thank you thank you for this site RC-people.
    (The season is over so there’s no point in commenting the series… and I’m a bit tired of thinking about SnK, to be honest.)

    A.C.
    Reply

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