You are thrown into battle and for the next 2.5 hours you will be a witness to what is arguably the flashiest and most-cutting edge action shounen of the modern era. Your backdoor anime hangout had the opportunity to see Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle; the first part of a trilogy. Our talk consists of:
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle is in theaters 12 September 2025. Tickets and Information Here.
On The Show:
Many thanks to:
Are second chances possible? When is it too late? The latest film by the creators of Odd Taxi explore these questions through a new film about a dying mid-level yakuza member serving a life sentence in solitary confinement and engaging with a talking balsam flower about whether or not he turn his life around now.
Your backdoor anime hangout had the privilege and honor to be invited by PONY CANYON to attend the panel featuring Director Baku Kinoshita, Producer/CEO of Studio CLAP Ryoichiro Matsuo, and Producer Hirofumi Ito learn more about the film and even get to see the first eight minutes. We hope you enjoy!
Many thanks to:
Amuse Creative Studio hosted a panel at Anime Expo about the ins-and-outs of creating anime and manga featuring:
Your backdoor anime hangout brings you the insights we have learned and experienced from:
Read Prisoner Riku & Oedo Fire Slayer on emaqi manga.
Read ELECEED on Webtoon / Soon to be published under Penguin Random House's adult comics imprint Inklore
More Information about Amuse Creative Studio
Many thanks to:
Anime Expo 2025 has been a surprisingly great year with efficient lines, entrances, and spaces that it all feel seamless...yet the vibe felt different from previous years. Your backdoor anime hangout answers two questions:
From calling a concert "when peak happened" to even asking ourselves "when was the last time someone asked you your favorite anime?" are what you'll be looking forward to in our coverage of Anime Expo.
Crew:
Many thanks to:
Lighthearted shows are not easy to find these days, and your backdoor anime hangout had a ball in the movie theaters watching the first three episodes of the upcoming romcom series - Witch Watch. Two childhood friends reunite - one an ogre named Morihito who wants to live a peaceful life, and the other a witch named Nico who strives to both help people and woo Morihito's heart - and live together amidst an unforeseen impending disaster brewing.
We give our first impressions from our favorite scenes to our hype for LilyPichu's voice over role announcement as the titular Nico.
Witch Watch will begin streaming 06 April 2025 via:
More information on Witch Watch via GKids.
Crew:
Many thanks to Christian Wiseman for equipment.
Shinichiro Watanabe is a legend amongst anime fans and an auteur who pushes the boundaries of what the anime medium has to offer. Titles such as Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Space Dandy are Adult Swim staples that have defined a generation. Now he’s back with an upcoming action series debuting on Cartoon Network midnight 05 April 2025 called Lazarus. A story about a world wracked in chaos due to a “cure-all” opioid becoming lethal and the reluctant rag-tag group of criminals tasked to find the neuroscientist responsible in the hopes of creating a vaccine. It is a race against time on a global stage.
Your backdoor anime hangout had the privilege and honor to interview Watanabe-san for his latest title: his inspiration for the title, musical collaborations, and involvement with the John Wick director, Chad Stahelski.
Many Thanks To:
Interpreter: Takayuki Karahashi of Green Room International
Interview Coordination:
Otaku Hourly Crew:
Interviewer: Jonathan Beltran
Video: Jonathan Charles Garcia
Audio: Matthew Aquino
Editor: Christian Wiseman
Research: Clifford Sutton
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From seeing Shinichiro Watanabe (director of Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo) and ribbon collecting we have a lot of stories to share at your backdoor anime hangout! We talk about our ALA 20 highlights, fun con stories, and the potential growth of this personally beloved convention!
Topics include (and not limited to):
Many thanks to:
Anime Los Angeles will be coming back 8-11 January 2026 at the Long Beach Convention Center!
Your backdoor anime hangout looks back at the year from seasonal anime to major events in the industry and community. Topics including (and not limited to):
Many thanks to imagEn for audio editing this episode.
Have a Happy New Year!
An intimate venue celebrating twenty years of a beloved Japanese franchise in Hollywood, California; Go USA! From having the three of the original voice actresses of the titular three characters - Saber, Rin Tohsaka, and Sakura Matou - to hosting the world premiere, this was an event for only the lucky few. Your backdoor anime hangout had the pleasure to be invited and we hope our resident Fate fan, Ravrath, will fill you in on the lore and importance of the Fate series.
Many thanks to Sydney Davis and Aniplex for the invitation.
Shout to Josh for being an accommodating presence during the event!
High school rom-coms are a tried and true formula and these titles demonstrate in different ways:
Koumori's adolescent rom-com Our Aimless Nights is a boy-meets-girl scenario where the two secretly flirt with one another after school and figure out where both of each other lie in each other's lives. It is a dive into the "will-they, won't they" as told in the tune of shy romance.
Mao Nakada's ecchi You're So Sloppy, Hotta-sensei places a part-time working high school boy to work for his new client - his teacher. At the risk of social embarrassment and scandal, they both agree to hide their client relationship in the hopes of making both of their lives a little more organized.
Many thanks to Evan Minto of Azuki for the press screeners :
Our Aimless Nights is digitally published by Azuki; translated by Jan Mitsuko Cash
You're So Sloppy, Hotta-sensei is digitally published by Azuki; translated by M. Skeels
Two grim titles with one common motif - the unknown.
Sumako Kari in her award-winning title, Since I Could Die Tomorrow, explores the malaise of being in your forties as told in two characters: one a film promoter who experiences menopause for the time and a mother who works part time amidst co workers twenty years younger than she.
Masaaki Ninomiya's horror manga, Gannibal, takes you into the mystery of a rumored village known for cannibalism through the eyes of a police officer/family man. As they get closer to the truth, the townsfolk becomes much more hostile. Will the case be solved, and can the family make it out in one piece?
Many thanks to Erik Jansen for the press copies for both titles.
Since I Could Die Tomorrow is published by Tokyo Pop; translated by David Bove
Gannibal is published by Ablaze; translated by Alex Kon
When a robot is designed to have human-like traits and emotions, are these feelings necessarily sentient or programmed? Independent 3DCG animator Gensho Yasuda makes his directorial debut with Make a Girl about a young inventor named Akira who - out of a cheeky suggestion to 'get a girlfriend' - decides to create a humanoid robot named No. 0 with all the physical and emotional capabilities of typical high school girls. However, the looming question remains: is this love real or machine-driven?
Your backdoor anime hangout got a chance to watch this at Global Stage Hollywood for its world premiere and will share with you our thoughts and takes!
Make a Girl premieres 31 January 2025.
Many thanks to Kwok Hansen and Kwai of Anime Trending and Douglas Montgomery of Global Stage Hollywood for the invitation!
*Apologies for the poor audio quality on the host's end - technical difficulties on his end.
Director Naoko Yamada (A Silent Voice; K-On) has released a new film - an original story about a girl who can see and feel a person's color joining a band with a dropout and an aspiring medical student in preparation for an upcoming school festival. The Colors Within is an exploration of both the internal struggles of hiding secrets and the joys of creating music as an act of community and worship; all utilizing color and light as a storytelling device. Show Host, Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran, and his guest, Jon, talk about the movie's nuances, themes, and details and feature interview snippets featuring Yamada-san herself.
Many thanks to:
Join us as we interview Yoko Kuno, director of Ghost Cat Anzu.
Ghost Cat Anzu will be released to theatres on November 15 according to the GKIDS official website. Follor @GKIDSFilms for more information!
Join us as we interview Naoko Yamada, director of The Colors Within.
The Colors Within will be in theatres on January 24th, follow @GKIDSFilms for more updates!
Join imagEn with special guest hyunicat on their first impressions attending Anime NYC 2023!
This is a story of boy meets girl, and it is not a love story.* Keisuke Uyama's popular novel follows a young couple who fall in love yet are separated due to a fatal illness that causes someone to age rapidly. Death looms over the couple's time and intimacy together, yet what if miscommunication is accelerating their demise? Host Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran and crew member Razelatte delves further into the book and its Netflix film adaptation by the same name as well as whether or not it can become an anime (and by who/what studio).
*For those who know this reference from 500 Days of Summer - kudos!
Hitting the year running, we're starting off with our experiences at Anime Los Angeles 19 (2024) and Anime Impulse Los Angeles 2024. Two VERY DIFFERENT conventions that occur right next to each other.
Members on the Show:
- Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran
- Matt "imagEn" Aquino
- Jon "No Jons" Sloan
- Jonathan "Ravarath" Garcia
Disclaimer: All opinions made are by the respective individuals.
Anime Los Angeles 2023 Highlight.
Interview with:
Mamoru Yokota - Animation Director of One Piece Film Red
Kenji Yokoyama - Animation Director & Key Animator of One Piece Film Red
Recorded originally in late September/early October, Jojo and imagEn have a lengthy hangout with Randy and Rachel; two prominent members of the Anime Impulse staff that have been around since almost the beginning. We talk about their origin, Anime Impulse's origin, their decisions behind the Anaheim Convention Center and expansion, and Jollibee.
Haven't gotten tickets yet for an Anime Impulse convention near you? Head over to Anime Impulse's website to find the closest convention and purchase a badge! FYI, Anime Impulse LA is coming REAL soon (January 13-14)
