Reuniting for the annual Anime Secret Santa project, Jared and Ink stuff your stocking with opinions about 2004's Planetes via a special episode of Oldtaku no Radio. Thank you, Santa!!! The choices originally presented to Ink were Stars Align, Planetes, Godzilla Singular Point, and Project Blue Earth SOS. When Ink told Jared Planetes was gifted, the stars aligned, and both hosts, who previously only read the manga, decided they needed to watch and talk about the anime, which had been on their radar for years. Since Planetes takes place in space, we've formatted our review in line with our other Oldtaku in Space episodes (available to $5/month Ani-Gamers Patreon subscribers here). See the show notes below if you don't care to hear about the real world and just want to get to the anime hot takes.

Jared, Ink, and Phillip continue their dive into Satoshi Kon's anime career with Millennium Actress. Joined by the movie's number one superfan, Evan "Vampt Vo" Minto, the hosts discuss this movie of movies about movies and memory: those who make them, those who love them, and how both nations and individuals are changed by them.

In Primal, a caveman and dinosaur travel alongside one another through the unrelenting nature of prehistory. Director Genndy Tartakovsky (Samurai Jack), in a true return to form, ups his minimal dialog ante by almost completely eliminating it and leverages his visual storytelling expertise to evolve the bonds between the travel companions as they face omnipresent threats both natural and supernatural. Along with Genndy Tartakovsky Correspondent Kate from the Reverse Thieves, Jared and Ink discuss the highs and lows of the series and speculate about where Season 2 might lead.

Oldtaku no Radio's celebrating Halloween a little early this year with Lily C.A.T. Gather around a campfire or point a lit flashlight up towards your chin as Jared and Ink pick apart this 1987 OVA from Hisayuki Toriumi and Studio Pierrot about impostors, aliens, and rot.

For this episode, Jared and Ink talk about Kaiji - the anime about a hapless loser with a heart of gold (and a gambling problem). This anime from 2007, which adapts part of Nobuyuki Fukumoto's original manga, is competitive gaming like you've never seen before and still stands out visually and thematically among its peers. So listen in and find out all that's to love about the first season of Kaiji!

Inspired and made possible by the magic of Pili's glove puppetry as well as the bloodthirsty mind of Gen Urobuchi, Thunderbolt Fantasy is a wuxia tale about sword keepers, wandering swordsmen, tricksters, assassins, demons, and just about everything else you could ever want as a fantasy fanatic. Listen in as Jared, Ink, and special guest Grant Jones (of Blade Licking Thieves infamy) discuss what may just be the bloodiest and most elegant puppet theater we have reviewed to date.

We’re going way, way, way back to live in the present by talking about something set in the future: Space Battleship Yamato 2199. Leading us on this journey of appreciation and learning regarding all things Star Blazers are experts Tim Eldred and Dave Merrill. Strap in for a ton of knowledge and quite possibly the fastest “Actually...” ever recorded on this episode about a reboot of a classic show, where it came from, how it’s changed, and why it’s worth watching. And when you’re done listening to all of us gab, take a gander over at CosmoDNA (ourstarblazers.com) for an endless and constantly updated gravity well of Yamato articles, interviews, and more.

What better to follow our episode about a formative sitcom than a genre satire? This month, Jared and Ink focus on Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, which adapts some of the 4-koma by Izumi Tsubaki. Comedy runs high, and romance can't seem to find a foothold in these tales about a high school mangaka, the girl who adores him, and the loons that surround them.

Oldtaku's digging into an '80s classic with the Kimagure Orange Road TV series, which stars an incredible array of talent across the board. Jared and Ink are pleased as punch to welcome back Dawn of the Anime Nostalgia Podcast for some class, in-depth insight, and a whole lot of giggles. Listen in and hear for yourself why this anime, based off of the original manga by Izumi Matsumoto, has been so influential. We mainly talk about the TV series, but there is some discussion of the OVAs and movie as well.

Eight years and a ton of effort went into this re-telling of an ancient tale about a bamboo cutter who finds a thumb-sized princess inside a bamboo stalk one day. Join Jared and Ink as they discuss The Tale of Princess Kaguya, the final movie directed by the late Isao Takahata of Studio Ghibli, and why this monogatari is still so powerful.

After an economic bubble burst in Japan, the Tennouzu Group buys a city and a nation by catering to its leaders’ perversions. The underground (literally) club that serves the basest desires of the rich and powerful is only open to those willing and able to pay lifelong yearly dues to the tune of ¥24,000,000 … ¥120,000,000 if they want to see others of the same tier face death or monstrous transformation by kissing a mesmerized “goddess.” But everything starts to crumble when a celebrated war photographer with a heart of gold disrupts the ritual and runs off with its centerpiece. Listen in on a vaguely spoiler-ish discussion hashing out the road buddy monster movie that is Speed Grapher.

Three bums talk about three homeless people who find a baby. For our second installment of our Satoshi Kon episodes, Phillip rejoins us to talk about the Christmas (should-be) classic: Tokyo Godfathers. We were a little giddy with holiday spirit, so please forgive us our mania.

For Oldtaku no Radio's very first golden ticket request, we're reviewing Q Hayashida's Dorohedoro manga (Volumes 1 & 2) as well as MAPPA's adaptation of the same as directed by Yuichiro Hayashi. Dive deep into za hole with us as we talk lizard men, buff babes, masked sorcerers, and the insanely engaging world that is Dorohedoro.

As if 2020 wasn’t scary enough, we’re checking out a vintage 2004, 3-part OAV from Director Akiyuki Simbo and Studio Daume. Le Portrait de Petite Cossette is a gothic romance about a blood pact between a stemware-bound ghost and an aspiring artist who works in his uncle's antique store. As always, the devil’s in the details, which are what we dive into with this Halloween-themed episode.

Six years after the end of its second season, the Chihayafuru anime that adapts Yuki Suetsugu’s josei manga returned for its third season. After what seemed like a lifetime, Jared and Ink discuss this anime, at length, on their own show for the very first time (believe it or not). There is a general section up front, to cover what Chihayafuru’s all about, and some impassioned discussions regarding the characters, themes, and art of the third season.

Space Brothers #0 tells the tale of two aspiring astronauts who just happen to be siblings. Mutta, the older brother, has fallen behind his younger brother, Hibito, in working towards their childhood dream of going to the moon. Meanwhile, Hibito is experiencing doubt about his own direction while training as a mission substitute. An anime prequel movie unlike most other anime movies, SB0 actually adds content that bolsters the original anime series which is based off of the manga of the same name by Chuya Koyama. There are spoilers ahead, but only in the spoilers section. So listen in and see if this is a movie worth watching and one that might ultimately launch you into the Space Brothers anime.

Memories is a 1995 anthology movie (one feature comprised of multiple vignettes) that showcases directorial efforts of Koji Morimoto (Magnetic Rose), Tensai Okamura (Stink Bomb), and Katsuhiro Otomo (Cannon Fodder). Despite short run times, each of the three stories provides plenty to talk about. Join Jared and Ink and special guest Kory as they discuss the power of deception, art, and farts.

Talk about a deep dive! This episode, Jared and Ink talk about Science Saru's original animated movie, Masaaki Yuasa's Lu Over the Wall. This movie centers around a withdrawn Tokyo transfer student who accidentally draws out like-minded, music-making friends as well as a music-seeking mermaid – the local legends about which both scare his fellow port town residents and benefit the town's tourist trade. The animation draws on a surprising range of old-school sources while flashing the Yuaasa style so familiar to Science Saru fans. There's a lot to explore, so jump in; the water's juuuust fine.

Take to the animated skies (and bars and secret beach hideouts and so much more) with Jared and Ink as they talk about Ghibli's 1992 feature, Porco Rosso. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, this movie depicts a post-WWI man turned anthropomorphic pig – a war pilot turned deserter/bounty hunter. The movie, while warmly humorous throughout, tackles such issues as identity, war, and fascism. Listen in to find out how!

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a gelling of past and present; an awakening; a transition (multiple transitions, really); and a handoff. But this movie, as an experience, is ultimately a visually enthralling, action- and emotionally packed exploration of what being a hero means to self and community and the means by which it takes for that to manifest. Join Jared and Ink as they babble on about the 2018 movie: all it accomplished, all it drew from, and, hopefully, all it will lead to.