AGP#023 – A Melodramatic Podcast Revolt

Hosts: Evan “Vampt Vo” Minto, Hisui (Alain) and Narutaki
(Kate)


Topic: Shjo anime that appeals to guys


This episode is also called “The Answer is ALWAYS Golgo 13!”


Today I am joined by the Reverse Thieves, a blogging duo that has
probably been on this show more than recommended by most
physicians, to discuss shjo anime specifically the kind that can
appeal to boys as well as its traditional target audience of
girls. The four series up for discussion are Ouran High
School Host Club, Revolutionary Girl Utena,
Rose of Versailles, and They Were
Eleven.


I have no idea what’s going on for next episode, but I can
say that Mitchy has been playing Assassin’s Creed 2
and I plan to do the same very soon, and we are both itching to
talk about Sword of the Stranger. We’ll see what
happens… next time on Dragonball Z the
Ani-Gamers Podcast!


Show notes and links can be found after the break.



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(Runtime: 1 hour, 12 minutes)


[0:00:00] Intro: Dave from Colony Drop, recorded at the New York
Anime Festival 2009


[0:00:04] Opening Song: “R.O.D Theme” by Taku Iwasaki
(R.O.D. OVA opener)


[0:00:18] Evan introduces the Reverse Thieves, laments Mitchy’s
absence, and promotes his Twitter lists, which include one for
FANTASTIC PEOPLE and another for dangers to anime fandom. (Yes
that means mo fans.)


[0:02:48] What’cha Been Doing? Al and Kate are watching
Kimi ni Todoke and playing Professor Layton
and the Diabolical Box. Evan watched Baccano!


[0:16:42] Break: “Sakura Kiss” Chieko Kawabe (Ouran
High School Host Club opener)


[0:17:15] Discussion: To begin the conversation about shjo
anime that appeals to male viewers, our hosts go over some basic
definitions of shjo and its related anime and manga demographics.
(Short version: It means comics and cartoons for girls.)


[0:20:33] The first anime up for discussion is Ouran High
School Host Club. It’s got a cross-dressing girl, a team
of pretty boys, and a biting self-deprecating wit.


[0:28:37] Next we move backwards in time to the classic
Revolutionary Girl Utena, a story about a
cross-dressing girl, an academy for princes, and incest.


[0:37:01] Then there’s one of the most prominent influences on
Utena, the 1979 shjo epic Rose of
Versailles. This anime features a cross-dressing girl
(noticing a trend?), the French Revolution, and a sword fight
atop a burning church.


[0:46:49] Finally we hit up another anime based on a manga by a
member of the “Showa 24 Group,” a loose confederacy of female
shjo artists born in or around the Japanese year Showa 24 (1949).
This one is the anime film They Were Eleven, with
highlights that include a green scaly dude, a super-secret plot
twist, and SPAAAACE ACADEMY. (No there is no cross-dressing girl
in this one… or is there? We may never know.)


[NOTE] The Reverse Thieves did not have time during the show to
mention these other great shjo series from their list of
potential topics: Fruits Basket, Glass
Mask, Honey and Clover, Kare
Kano, NANA, Princess Nine,
The Story of Saiunkoku, and X.


[1:01:27] We’re done! It’s time for pimping things, like the
Reverse Thieves’ Otaku Diaries or Secret Santa projects, or
Ani-Gamers’ Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Diaries column. Also
the typical promotional stuff is in there.


[1:11:48] Ending Song: “WORLD END (Instrumental)” by FLOW
(Code Geass R2 second opener)


[1:12:07] Back for another go, the Reverse Thieves (or at least
half of them) attempt another Beatles cover performance. The
attempt is partially successful.