Baka Banter Anime Podcast

Fantasy uses magic and supernatural elements to transport audience members to imaginary worlds. Ionatan and Ravi discuss their personal connections to fantasy stories before tracing the history of the genre in anime. Then, they dive into three modern series that highlight the resurgence of classic fantasy narratives in the medium, from the concept of what happens after the main adventure in 'Frieren' to the meticulously crafted dungeon ecosystem in 'Dungeon Meshi' to the notion of art as a form of magic in 'Witch Hat Atelier.'

Ionatan and Ravi prepare for the upcoming months with a fall anime special! They begin by discussing their feelings about fall and giving some background on the seasonal customs in Japan. Then, they pick their favorite autumn anime series and movies to watch this time of the year including 'Spice and Wolf' and 'Mushishi.'

'One Piece' is one of the largest franchises in anime and manga, following the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they search for the world's greatest treasure. Ionatan and Ravi dive deep into the series, continuing with the Summit War saga by breaking down every arc from Sabaody Archipelago to Post-War.

Ionatan and Ravi dive deep into their trash taste in anime by revising their worst takes on the podcast so far! They change their opinions regarding various battle shounen, revisit the infamous music episode, and make amends for a few less than ideal anime of the year selections.

Ionatan and Ravi give their thoughts on every show they're watching this summer! They discuss a stellar third consecutive season of anime, from the return of 'Mushoku Tensei' and 'Saga of Tanya the Evil' to a pair of Science Saru adaptations in 'The Ghost in the Shell' and 'Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia' to a collection of noteworthy productions including 'Goodbye, Lara' and 'The World Is Dancing.'

Ionatan and Ravi are joined by Tim Eldred, an animation director and comic book artist, to discuss his upcoming anime documentary. They talk about his experience being an active member of the anime fandom since the 80s as well as his career working in comics and television cartoons. Then, they break down 'Icons of Anime: The Western Awakening,' his documentary that will explore the major titles and people that have shaped the anime community outside of Japan.

Ionatan and Ravi are back for another tournament arc, this time filling out an ensemble cast bracket! They discuss what makes for a great anime cast and the nature of ensemble casts in media before debating which of the top 32 ensemble casts deserves to come out on top.

Yoshiaki Kawajiri is known for his dark and graphic directorial style which helped shape the identity of the medium in the 1980s and 1990s. Ionatan and Ravi discuss his career by picking their top five Yoshiaki Kawajiri anime including classic movies like 'Ninja Scroll' and 'Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.'

'One Piece' is one of the largest franchises in anime and manga, following the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they search for the world's greatest treasure. Ionatan and Ravi dive deep into the series, continuing with the Thriller Bark saga by breaking down its singular arc.

Ionatan and Ravi give their thoughts on every show they're watching this spring! They discuss another absolutely incredible season of anime, from the highly anticipated 'Witch Hat Atelier' and 'Akane-banashi' to exciting surprises like 'Daemons of the Shadow Realm' and 'Nippon Sangoku.'