Episode 41 – Goodbye, 2017

The Fireside Friends crew are joined by Jen and Six from Scanline Media as they discuss Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse!You can follow Six and Jen's work at scanlinemedia.com. You can follow Jen on Twitter at @jbu3, and Six at @sixdettmar.

Content warning: Our segment on Pulse features in-depth discussions and depictions of depression, suicide, and self harm. Our discussion of the film begins at 36:44.This month, we discuss Russian Doll, Final Fantasy 7, and Magia Record before diving deep into the 2001 Kiyoshi Kurosawa film Pulse for our shared experience.Next month, we will be watching Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse!Our podcast theme is "April Elsewhere" by The Orchestral Movement of 1932 found via Opsound.org.

Fireside Friends returns with an action-packed episode! Join us as we talk new Twilight Zone, Final Fantasy X, and Ao-chan Can't Study! before discussing The Lumberjanes for our shared experience. (Discussion on The Lumberjanes begins at 43:46.)

After an extended hiatus, Fireside Friends returns! Join Allen, Kaity, and Ryan as they catch up on the latest media discourse. Star Wars: Bad. Star Trek: Also bad. Anime: ...good?Now, imagine this: In segment two, the crew discusses the sad Netflix anime Violet Evergarden for their shared experience. In our discussion, we address an age-old question that haunts our lives: What *is* love? Grab a box of tissues, because this one gets emotional.

Fireside Friends returns with discussions about music, Marvel, Star Wars and more before discussing the queer webcomic Goodbye to Halos for their shared experience.Spoilers for Avengers Infinity War begin at around 29:00.Discussion of Goodbye to Halos begins at 34:22.You can send questions and comments to us at [email protected], follow us on Twitter, and review us on iTunes!Our podcast theme is "April Elsewhere" by The Orchestral Movement of 1932 found via Opsound.org.

This month, the Fireside Friends crew talks Full Metal Alchemist and recounts concert horror stories before discussing the 1979 film The Warriors for their shared experience!

This month, the Fireside Friends are back on their bullshit with a discussion of the anime Sanrio Boys. How cute is the anime? Does it come off as a cynical marketing scheme? Do the boys kiss? The answer to all of these questions (and more!) can be found in our discussion. Also in this episode, we ask ourselves: What media did we used to be ashamed of liking? What did we dismiss at an early age, and what was met with mockery from our peers? And finally, the most important question: What’s with the Kidz Bop cover of All The Small Things?

This month, the Fireside Friends crew gathers in a circle around the fire for discussions about how technology fits into our lives. In our first segment, Jen Unkle joins us as we discuss navigating social media and how to manage time in our capitalist hellscape. In our second segment, we discuss The Circle! We talk about how it tackles topics of social media addiction, the oversharing of personal information online, and the growing surveillance state. To top things off, we dig into select sections of the novel that The Circle is based on, bringing everything full circle and embarrassing author Dave Eggers in the process.

CW: We discuss Doki Doki Literature Club, which (poorly) handles themes of anxiety, self-harm, and suicide. We also touch on the transphobia present within the game’s fanbase. Fireside Friends returns with the original crew and a new format! In our first segment, we talk about anime, various visual novels, and recount our experiences with attending gaming and science fiction conventions. In our second segment, we discuss Doki Doki Literature Club! We focus on the way the game approaches the topic of mental health, the shattering of the game’s fourth wall, and its toxic community

Ryan and Allen take one final look back at 2017 and discuss their favorite media discussed on and off the podcast, their biggest disappointments, and their biggest surprises before looking ahead to what they’re excited for in the New Year. Next month’s shared experience is Doki Doki Literature Club!