22. April 2019

Episode 72: Your Life is Your Own

A new Anime season means a new Sneak Peek where John and CC take a quick look at all the fresh spring series premieres. After that, they have a lengthy in-depth discussion about the second season of the Anime featuring their favorite pair of esper and con artist: Mob Psycho 100.

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Sneak Peek:

Hitori Bocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu (2:59)

Ultraman (6:19)

Midnight Occult Civil Servants (8:11)

Cinderella Nine (12:08)

Fairy gone (15:26)

The Helpful Fox Senko-san (19:04)

RobiHachi (22:33)

AFTERLOST (24:55)

Sarazanmai (27:00)

One-Punch Man – Season 2 (32:24)

Fruits Basket (39:28)

Carole & Tuesday (44:03)

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (49:40)

Review:

Mob Psycho 100 II (53:52)

ANN – This Week in Anime: Mob Psycho 100’s Greatest Hits

Crunchyroll: The True Nature of Strength in Mob Psycho 100

Crunchyroll: All of Mob’s Explosions In Mob Psycho 100 So Far

Crunchyroll INTERVIEW: Mob Psycho’s Director is Changing Hearts and Getting in Trouble with the President of BONES

Crunchyroll: Mob Psycho 100 II is Over, Long Live #RedrawReigen!

Crunchyroll – Seeing Double: Mob Psycho 100’s Mentors and Mentees

Crunchyroll: A Look Back at the Ways the Mob Psycho 100 Anime Blew Us Away

Sakuga Blog: Mob Psycho 100 II – Production Notes

Mother’s Basement: Mob Psycho 100 – My Favourite Anime

Mother’s Basement: Best. Anime. Opening. Ever. – What’s in an OP? (Mob Psycho 100 II)

Episode 71: True Grid

John and CC kick off this season finale on Anime Brain Freeze as usual, by talking about the shows from Fall 2018 that couldn’t hold their interest in the Chop ‘n’ Drop. Then they climb into their time machine, set the date to 1994 and review the newest iteration on the tokusatsu series Gridman the Hyper Agent, known in the west as Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad. The hosts discuss why this new series, aptly titled SSSS.Gridman, is not only a visually engaging rollercoaster ride, but can also boast one of the most well realized antagonists in Anime history. Last but not least, they pick their favorites from Fall 2018 in Best of the Season.

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Chop ‘n’ Drop (1:19)

Review:

SSSS.Gridman (15:29)

Best of the Season (51:51)

ANN – This Week in Anime: Does Too Much Fanservice Distract From SSSS.Gridman’s Story?

ANN – This Week in Anime: Akane is the Real Protagonist of SSSS.Gridman

Crunchyroll: The Solemn Beauty of SSSS.Gridman

Crunchyroll – Giant Robots and Absent Friends: The Split Identity of SSSS.Gridman

Sakuga Blog: SSSS.Gridman Production Notes

ThePedanticRomantic – You Don’t Get Gridman If You Don’t Think It’s Gay

Mother’s Basement: On SSSS.Gridman’s “Realistic” Fight Animation

23. March 2019

Episode 70: The Spy Who Loved Me

Prepare yourselves for a stealthy attack on your feelings, because in this episode John talks about the complicated relationships in the romance drama Bloom Into You and then both hosts discuss the ups and downs of the Ninja Spy action series Release the Spyce.

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Reviews:

Bloom Into You (1:30)

Release the Spyce (27:18)

The Afictionado: Bloom Into You (and Me), a Story About How Representation is Important

10. March 2019

Episode 69: Over the Top

March comes in like a Saiyan on this episode of ABF, as the hosts discuss the movie Dragon Ball Super: Broly. After that they mingle with the undead and talk about the flawed but enjoyable horror/idol crossover Zombie Land Saga.

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Reviews:

Dragon Ball Super: Broly (1:31)

Zombie Land Saga (40:10)

ANN – This Week in Anime: Is Zombie Land Saga Worth Watching?

ANN – This Week in Anime: What Makes Zombie Land Saga Special

Crunchyroll: Anime vs. Real Life – Zombie Land Saga’s Plot to Save Saga Is Ingenious

Crunchyroll: Zombie Land Saga is the Only Idol Anime I Will Ever Watch

Crunchyroll: ZOMBIE LAND SAGA is the Zombieland of Zombie Anime

Crunchyroll: To Zombie Land Saga’s Lily Hoshikawa, The Best Trans Girl I’ve Seen In Anime

Crunchyroll: Why ZOMBIE LAND SAGA is Taking Over the WORLD

Crunchyroll: Is the Saga Over? 5 Burning Questions from the Zombie Land Saga Finale

Mother’s Basement: Zombieland Saga – Idol Anime’s Gateway Drug

24. February 2019

Episode 68: Sourced Drama

This time the hosts review two series adapted from a much older source material.

First, John talks about the comedic interpreation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet called Boarding School Juliet, and why that show did a surprisingly good job at delivering a fun spin on the storied tale. Then he and CC discuss the adaption of 1985’s gritty crime drama Manga Banana Fish, and try to nail down why, after a strong start, that series falls completely apart by the end.

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Reviews:

Boarding School Juliet (1:20)

Banana Fish (21:52)

ANN – This Week in Anime: Is Banana Fish Trying Too Hard To Be Shocking?

Anime Feminist: [Interview] Japanese LGBTQ+ fans talk about the legacy of Banana Fish

Anime Feminist: [History] Banana Fish and the real-world racial politics of 1980s America

10. February 2019

Episode 67: Short but Sweet

On this rapid fire review outing of ABF, John and CC discuss three short-form Anime series. First John introduces us to the neurotic crew of Space Battleship Tiramisu. Then both hosts buff up their cooking skills with the Fate/stay night spin-off Today’s menu for (the) Emiya Family. And after that John wraps up the show by talking about the relatable retail misadventures of Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san.