Episode 120: Magic Knight Rayearth

Posted on by
Reply

A Bold and Daring Dream [ 1:08:25 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Magic Knight Rayearth

Magic Knight Rayearth

This week we’re joined by Kittyhawk and Abby again as we look into the weird, wild world of Magic Knight Rayearth, a shoujo series by CLAMP.

We explore a series about three little girls who are summoned to a magic realm by a princess who wants them to kill her for falling in love…because love is bad if you’re the princess, apparently. Oh, and there’s some stuff about being the pillar, or some other such gobbledy gook. Something about a little Pikachu-thingy creature also being God. And then the series asks if it’s really incest if you’re making out with yourself.

Look, the point here is that Rayearth is a weird attempt to follow up the shoujo groundwork laid by Sailor Moon. As I had only played the Sega Saturn game (and a fine game it is) I sat back slack-jawwed as the ladies explained to Ben and me exactly what this show is all about.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy some magic girly goodness, I guess.

Oh, you guys get bonus homework! Since I lerves me them vidjero games and wish to spread as much love as I can about the Saturn and publisher Working Designs, I humbly ask that you listen to this episode of Retronauts to hear an interview with Victor Ireland. He talks about the torture that it was to port Rayearth to the states and what the US anime rights holders had asked him to do! Yikes! Must listen!

Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe to the new Retronauts blog, because they’ll be making new episodes again soon!

that Alcione is quite the looker, I must say.

that Alcione is quite the looker, I must say.

Well. My head asplode.

Well. My head asplode.

Ah, memories.

Ah, memories.

The Very Best of Jenny Stigile

Jenny Stigile sang the theme song on the Sega Saturn version of Magic Knight Rayearth.

Episode 119: King Kong

Posted on by
1

The Eighth Wonder of the World [ 1:10:25 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Amazingly brought to life by Willis O'Brien, a master of stop-motion animation.

Amazingly brought to life by Willis O’Brien, a master of stop-motion animation.

Joining us this week is Melissa Kaercher of Tinlizardproductions.com, and we present a very special episode of Animation Aficionados. We take a special look at the very first movie character who was a special effect.

King Kong is a triumph of stop-motion animation. Though stop-motion had been around for years by this point, this is the first time that a true character was realized using the art. Willis O’Brien brought this amazing character to life using metal armatures, rubber, and imagination.

We also talk about the people who were inspired by O’Brien, including the late Ray Harryhausen. At the time of this recording, Ray had not yet passed away, so we awkwardly talk about him as he was still alive.

Ray and so many others, such as Phil tippet, Stan Winston, and Peter Jackson, have had their lives transformed by the awe and spectacle of King Kong. The movie itself redefined the art of movie magic and set the standard for decades to come.

It was truly my pleasure to cover this movie. It is one of my favorite films of all-time, and in my opinion, it has never been topped.

Discussed:
Dinosaurs!
The Spider Pit Scene
The Log scene
Ray Harryhausen and Mighty Joe Young
Son Of Kong
Creation
The Most Dangerous Game
The Pest
Peter Jackson needs to learn how to use scissors
Red shirts
Dwan
Ann Darrow doesn’t care about King Kong
Nintendo 1; Universal 0

Kong's Close-Up

This really did scare the shit out of me when I first saw it.


The Spider Pit Scene

Perhaps lost forever. A legendary scene that has not been viewed since the earliest test screening of the movie.


The Log Scene

Originally, a styracosaurus was to be positioned on the other side of the log following a tremendous chase scene. Sadly, this scene also appears to be lost.

Stuff we forgot to mention:
Fay Wray’s boob slip
The pastel nightmare colorized King Kong


Episode 118: We Double-Checked, Filmation Still Sucks

Posted on by
12

Brought to you by the POGS Podcast Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Fat Abbot

The show this is from is better animated than anything Filmation ever did.

“Inspired” by a recent altercation over something completely irrelevant, Ben and I tread over some familiar ground and stomp all over Filmation a second time. We talk about some shows so unimportant that we don’t even remember their names, and we mock the overuse of stock footage for which Filmation is so remembered.

In a bonus round, we also talk about the next Ninja Turtles crossover. Seriously, one was enough.





We Invade the Beacon!

Posted on by
Reply

Beacon

Crossover Acheivers [ 49:22 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Over a month ago, Ben, Kittyhawk and I all made a special appearance on the Webcomic Beacon to talk about Crossoverkill stuff. As timely as ever, Fes sat on the episode for weeks until he finally released it today.

Here’s a special cut I made of the show, which Fes didn’t use for some reason. There’s no significant difference between my cut and his cut, except for an audio tweak here and there where I was inaudible for some reason. Otherwise, this is a rough cut without any ad breaks or show music.

You get to hear me bitch at length about the Zelda timeline.

Episode 117: G-Gundam

Posted on by
13

Burning Bacon! [ 44:08 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

G-Gundam

G-Gundam


Ben and I joined this week by Pablo and listener Robert Bell to talk about G-Gundam, an odd entry in the Gundam series, which fuses giant robots with professional wrestling.