Studio Ghibli has made some of the world's most beloved animated films. Under the direction Hayao Miyazaki, they've gone from a studio that could be making niche anime to one that creates whimsical fantasy worlds filled with so much adventure, heroism, whimsy, and heart that Disney scooped up the distribution to deliver them to fans all across the globe. From the emotional powerhouse that is Grave of the Fireflies, to the environmental fable of Princess Mononoke, and the worldwide phenomenon tha...
Dec 21, 2020•59 min•Season 2Ep. 47
In 1964, DC Comics created the Teen Titans when Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Wonder Girl decided to form a team of their own. Stepping out of the shadows of Batman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman, the team has remained a mainstay of the DC publishing library and has spun off into multiple televised iterations. And while Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go concentrate on the New Teen Titans line-up, Young Justice decided to branch out by giving Aquaman a brand new sidekick. Kaldur'ahm is brave...
Oct 08, 2020•56 min•Season 2Ep. 46
The first time I covered Uncle Iroh from Avatar: The Last Airbender, we looked at the perspective of a kid growing up with his lessons. Today, we see how it was to experience them when you're already an adult. Seeing his sacrifices for the Fire Nation, his relationship with Zuko 's father, the Fire Lord, and his love of tea taught today's guest how to listening can be more important than speaking and how learning about each other with respect can make the entire world a better place to live in f...
Sep 24, 2020•37 min•Season 2Ep. 45
Sep 19, 2020•58 sec
Last son of Krypton, Man of Steel, mild-mannered reporter for the Daily Planet in Metropolis. Clark Kent is known by many names, but all throughout the universe know him by one in particular...Superman. Kal-El fights a never ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way. Alongside allies like the Justice League, he strives to protect his adopted home world of Earth. So that if villains like Lex Luthor or Darkseid are somehow about to defeat him, they will never defeat what he has inspir...
Sep 15, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 44
One of the few things that match the only thing that matches the diverse nature of anime is how beloved & influential it is worldwide. From old favorites like Dragon Ball Z and Cowboy Bebop to newer series like Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and Aggretsuko, there is a massive passion from so many people for Japanese animation. And with shows like Naruto and Inuyasha getting sequels, One Piece nearing 1,000 episodes, and Sailor Moon continuing to captivate fans of all ages and genders, it...
Sep 09, 2020•9 min•Season 2Ep. 43
Nicktoons have a long and celebrated history as some of the most influential cartoons for kids born from the 1980's through today. From the original three of Doug, Rugrats, and Red & Stimpy. To newer inclusions like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Winx Club. But right in the middle of those two extremes was an era of classics! With shows like Invader Zim, Fairly Odd Parents, and one of the most popular Nickelodeon stv shows of all time, SpongeBob SquarePants! This Sponge took America (and t...
Sep 01, 2020•53 min•Season 2Ep. 42
They are the Crystal Gems and they always save the day. And if you think they can't, they always find a way. That's why viewers all over the world watch, relate to, and believe in Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl and Steven! Cartoon Network has developed a track record of amazing animated shows that appeal to both kids and adults. Starting with the Cartoon Cartoon days of Cow & Chicken and Courage the Cowardly Dog, through Teen Titans and Justice League Unlimited, and into modern favorites like A...
Aug 25, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 41
Sci-fi has given us more strong, warrior women than almost any other genre. Ripley from the Alien movies, She-Ra from Netflix's She-ra, and Furiosa from Mad Max: Fury Road. But the strongest of them all is the princess of Alderaan turned general in the resistance against the first order from Disney and Lucasfilm's Star Wars, Leia Organa! Together with Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C3PO, and R2D2, she lead the rebellion against the empire, Palpatine, and Darth Vader in battles against ever...
Aug 20, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 40
Throughout the year and a half I've been podcasting, I've come to really love the entire process of recording, editing, and publishing these episodes. There's so much freedom to put something out into the world and do it my way. And that's what I'm talking about here today. Why I love the unique opportunities that podcasts provide, both as a medium of entertainment and a creative outlet. If we all took that step towards putting our passions out into the world, I truly believe we'd all lead far m...
Aug 13, 2020•11 min•Season 2Ep. 39
When people discuss the greatest video games of all time, there are a few names you always hear. The Last of Us, Super Mario World, Skyrim, Chrono Trigger, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and of course...Final Fantasy 7 (or Final Fantasy VII to our Roman numeral loving friends). This game not only introduced RPG games to millions of new fans around the world, but it also popularized the genre to the point that it's still successful today! Recently, Square Enix gave us a remake that has rewr...
Aug 05, 2020•51 min•Season 2Ep. 38
They're creepy and they're kooky. Mysterious and spooky. They're all together ooky. The Addams family! Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Thing, and Cousin Itt. Together they make up the Addams Family. And though they all care deeply for each other, no one but their family patriarch can keep them together with the sense of love and compassion that this macabre clan deserves. That's right. This episode, we're talking about father, husband, and acquitted "ladykiller," Gomez Addams!...
Jul 29, 2020•44 min•Season 2Ep. 37
Most of the big video games that come out are made by large groups of programmers over the course of months to years for millions of dollars. And that's all well and good. Many of those games are hugely popular like Call of Duty, The Last of Us, and Assassin's Creed. But there's something to be said for games made by small teams with a single vision, fueled by little more than passion for the project they're working on. Those games may not have the visual polish of a big budget game. But the cor...
Jul 22, 2020•55 min•Season 2Ep. 36
The only thing harder than blazing your own trail is doing it in the shadow of those who came before you. Some keep pace with the demand while others may fall behind. But some run right by everyone's expectations until they hit a new level, all their own. And if any series knows what it takes to run that race, it's The Flash! DC Comics superhero, founding member of the Justice League, and star of a hit self-titled show on CW, The Flash is the fastest man alive and has a lineage of heroes spannin...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 28 min•Season 2Ep. 35
Water. Earth. Fire. Air. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked! Now it's time for Steven to learn about Avatar Aang as Vicky guides him through the world of the show considered to be among the best American animated series of all time! Premiering on Nickelodeon in 2005, the adventures of Aang, Katara, Sokka, Top...
Jul 06, 2020•45 min•Season 2Ep. 34
When you think of Disney's most famous characters, who comes to mind? Mickey Mouse? Donald Duck? What about Elsa from Frozen or Ariel from The Little Mermaid? Well, for my guest today there's only one character who fills that spot. And that's Oswald the Lucky Rabbit! Oswald was one of Disney's earliest characters but was really the brainchild of an underappreciated animator named Ub Iworks. Tune in to learn why Oswald matters to animation history and how he was traded for NFL sportscaster, Al Mi...
Jun 29, 2020•38 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Welcome to the inaugural episode of NewNerdNormal! The show where one friend takes the other two on a journey of their fandoms! One of which is casually familiar with it and the other is a complete beginner. This episode is all about Kingdom Hearts! The crossover between Square Enix 's Final Fantasy and Disney that shouldn't have worked but somehow did and has built an entire mythos across many MANY top selling games!
Jun 22, 2020•50 min•Season 2Ep. 32
In the first full episode of Pod Pilot, I talk to the founders of Sun & Moon Photography. A collective that strives to connect businesses with photographers in different cities across America in order to create a more positive, close knit environment for everyone involved. Both Jensen and Vinny have such a passion for their craft and I couldn't think of anyone better to start off this brand new series!
Nov 04, 2019•9 min•Season 2Ep. 31
In all of us, there is one fundamental question that some people spend their whole lives trying to answer...Who am I? And as difficult as that can be for the average person to answer, It's even harder for A, from David Levithan's Every Day. Why? Well, you'll just have to listen to this episode to find out. But let's just say A has a very good reason for it to be such a difficult question to answer. And the fact that A manages to keep their individuality in tact is a sign of just how strong they ...
Sep 30, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 30
Welcome to the introductory episode of Pod Pilot! This is a sister Series to Character Progression and a new project for me that's all about giving each episode's guest a chance to be vocal about their passions! Whether that's by allowing people to talk about them, coming up with creative avenues to get them out to the public, or giving people a stage to debate...this is all about you and the things you care about. This series will release new episodes bi-weekly, during the off weeks of Characte...
Sep 24, 2019•4 min•Season 2Ep. 29
Starting season 2 off with a bang! Unfortunately, that bang started a fire that destroyed the home and parents of the newly orphaned Baudelaire orphans. Luckily, their dear Count Olaf will be there to take them into his home and our dear Lemony Snicket will be there to tell the tale! Whether with Jim Carrey or Neil Patrick Harris, the story of these children who invent, read, and bite has captured the imaginations of millions through books, Nickelodeon movies, and Netflix shows. And now they fin...
Sep 16, 2019•1 hr 38 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Eight months into this passion project called Character Progression and it's time to make this monster grow! Both with the announcement of season 2 and the introduction of a new sister series called Pod Pilot! Want to know what's going on? Check out this episode to find out!
Aug 22, 2019•3 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Few shows become part of the cultural zeitgeist as soon as they come out. Friends did, The Simpsons did, and The Office did. These shows didn't just have their finger on the pulse of what audiences wanted, they changed the beat to suit themselves. And, with The Office still being the most streamed show on Netflix, it really says something when people still argue about when it was better than the producer's next show, Parks and Rec! No matter what side you're on, there's no denying that Parks &am...
Aug 12, 2019•42 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Phase three of the MCU has come to a close. And with it, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been through a lot of changes. Whether that's Captain America passing on the shield to Falcon, 2014 Gamora running around, or just the fact that many of the characters lost five years. But no change has hit the universe or fans as hard as the death of Tony Shark...also known as Iron Man! Between creating Ultron, escalating the super hero Civil War, or getting drunk while in his suit, Tony's flaws often got...
Jul 30, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 26
For the Duck family in DuckTales, life was like a hurricane, there in Duckberg. Scrooge McDuck, Launchpad, Donald Duck, Webby, Huey, Dewey, and Louie had used race cars, lasers, and airplanes to do everything from solve and mystery to rewriting history! Few TV shows bring as many good memories as those from the Disney Afternoon block. But, as great as Talespin, Chip n Dale: Rescue Rangers, and Darkwing Duck were...there was something special about the wild adventures of the McDuck family. Maybe ...
Jul 14, 2019•52 min•Season 1Ep. 25
When you think of superheroes, who comes to mind? Batman? Spider-Man? Iron Man? Captain America? They're all heroes, and some of the greatest examples in comics book history. But none of them would exist without the inspiration of two men from Cleveland, when they created Clark Kent. A reporter for the Daily Planet who grew up in Smallville...and is also know as DC Comics' Superman! So with today being the Fourth of July, there didn't seem like a better time to do an episode all about the hero o...
Jul 04, 2019•50 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Disney's library of original animated shows is second to none! Shows like Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers and TaleSpin breathed new life into old characters. Meanwhile Darkwing Duck and Adventures of the Gummi Bears forged their own paths with new shows. And while all of them were fantastic, there was something special about Gargoyles! Maybe it was the multicultural characters, the cast of Star Trek alumni, the adult themes, or the literary allusions, but this show stood out among a sea of other qu...
Jun 25, 2019•41 min•Season 1Ep. 23
William Shakespeare is considered to be one of the greatest playwrights of all time! With classic's like Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth (aka The Scottish Play), there's no end to his talent and influence. But the main characters aren't always the most influential. For example, Hamlet is the story about a Danish prince who's on a quest to avenge the murder of his father. For my guest this week, that isn't relatable at all. But Ophelia, Hamlet's scorned lover who had her agency stolen by those she...
Jun 18, 2019•56 min•Season 1Ep. 22
DC Comics has many iconic heroes! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash to name a few. But with details of his movie on the horizon, now seemed like the perfect time to talk about Green Lantern! An identity that can be held my anyone with strong enough willpower! These space cops hold classic members such as Guy Gardner, John Stewart, and Kyle Rayner. Along with newer recruits like Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz. But for old school fans of the character, there's no lantern quite like Hal Jor...
Jun 09, 2019•32 min•Season 1Ep. 21
When you think of Disney tv shows, what comes to mind? Animated shows like DuckTales, Darkwing Duck, or Gravity Falls? Maybe 2000's live action shows like Hannah Montana, Lizzie McGuire, or That's so Raven? Nothing against those shows but, for 90's kids all around the globe, there was one show that was on everybody's list; Boy Meets World! Cory, Shawn, Topanga, and Eric came into our homes each week on ABC's TGIF block. And, over the seven years that show was on the air, no one influenced the li...
Jun 02, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 20
