This episode is dedicated to the memory of Akira Toriyama, a brilliant creator responsible for the design of games like Sonic the Hedgehog and Dragon Quest (Dragon Warrior in the 80’s/90’s in the US) as well of course as the Dragon Ball manga.
Dragon Ball Z is one of the first anime that many people in America ever saw. Popularized by the Toonami block on Cartoon Network, Dragon Ball quickly gained a huge following. In this episode we look at the entire franchise from the original Dragon Ball to the more recent Dragon Ball Super. We also discuss the potential for Dragon Ball Daima. Along the way we touch on our favorite characters, favorite storylines, and what we find compelling about the overall narrative. We’ll also air some frustrations and give some thoughts about what we’d still like to see from the franchise.
Due to time constraints there is no five-minute controversy in this episode.
This week James; Mike; and the living embodiment of Goku himself, Kevin, join the cast.
Show Notes:
That letter Nathan got from Cartoon Network
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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was the last title to come out of the DCEU. Featuring Jason Momoa as Aquaman the movie was meant to focus on the sibling relationship between Aquaman and his brother Orm, played by Patrick Wilson. In this episode the cast discusses this film. They examine the plot and characters and discuss what they think worked and didn’t. They talk about the controversies surrounding members of the cast as well as any other factors that may have contributed to it performing less at the box office than its predecessor. They also get into a discussion about the new DCEU and Momoa’s likely placement there as Lobo. 
Star Trek: Picard was the second series in the new Star Trek line initially created by CBS: All Access and later continued by Paramount Plus. The series provided a bridge for fans who didn’t connect with Star Trek: Discovery by providing recognizable characters from the height of Trek popularity in the 90’s. While many fans appreciated this effort some did not appreciate the darker tone of that first season. A second season followed with a lighter tone but many plotting issues. In the third season, many Next Generation cast members as well as situations and characters from Deep Space Nine and Voyager were brought into the series to provide further touchstones to Star Trek series of the past. In this episode we discuss the third season of Star Trek: Picard. We discuss the new characters and the old and whether we appreciated the many call backs. We also talk about the plot, whether the Borg are overused, and what other legacy storylines could have been used for the hook this season. Along the way we opine on Star Trek: Legacy and what we’re like to see if that series ever comes to fruition. 
Legion was one of two TV series that Fox produced while owning the X-Men license. The story followed David Haller, the son of Professor Charles Xavier; his struggles with mental health; and his development as one of the most powerful mutants on the planet. The series was told from the point of view of this unreliable narrator which sometimes lead to strange visuals and editing choices. In this episode the cast discusses the third and final season that focused on time travel and the consequences of various characters’ actions. Along the way they talk about the various characters, what they think about the use of time travel in this season, mental health and how its depicted in the series, and whether or not this is a satisfying ending for the series. 
Willow was released in theaters in 1988. The film was George Lucas’ take on a fantasy epic. Unfortunately, it didn’t perform up to expectations in the box office, so a sequel film was never made. However, it did develop a cult following that spawned The Chronicles of the Shadow War novel series and a television series on Disney+. In this episode the cast discusses the film, the novels, and the Disney+ series. They talk about the elements within the plot, characters, performances, and production that made the movie great. Then, they get into the merits of the various spinoffs and what worked for those, what failed, and what they’d like to see happen in the Willow universe in the future. 
The Marvels was the last MCU film of 2023. Combining plot threads from Captain Marvel, WandaVision, and Ms. Marvel, it created a crossover storyline to begin preparing the MCU for its next big event. In this episode we look at the movie and discuss whether it worked as a sequel for the various properties that came before. We’ll also talk about how the plot worked for us and what we think of the characters and how they were used. We end by going over where we think the storyline is going for the MCU and these characters. 
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series started as a plan for a movie following the titular character. Over time that morphed into a plan to do a limited series on Disney+. In this episode the cast discusses the series. They talk about how the series fleshes out not only the character of Obi-Wan Kenobi but also Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Owen and Beru Lars. They also discuss the timeframe of the series and how it uses elements of the prequels to elevate the prior material above it’s quality when it stood alone. They also get into the new characters and whether the online controversies have any merit. They close off by opining on the future of Obi-Wan Kenobi as a character in the franchise. 
Secret Invasion was part of the second wave of Disney+ shows after the popularity of the 2021 output. Announced with Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, and She Hulk, it was long assumed that this series would come out in 2022, but instead it came out in 2023. In this episode we take a look at Secret Invasion. We talk about the use of elements from the Captain Marvel film. We debate the use of AI generated images, the shapeshifter plotlines, and the advent of Super Skrulls. We also discuss the racial allegory and the acting talents on display within the series. 
It’s about the time that the show covered The Big G himself, The King of the Monsters, the legendary Godzilla. As Godzilla turns 70 we look at decades of films and many many takes on the basic concept. We discuss our favorite Kaiju. We debate whether Godzilla works best as a defender of the Earth or a an implaccable force of terror. We also talk about our favorite Godzilla films and eras. We also get into the modern eras with concurrent Legendary Pictures and Toho versions of Godzilla and why we feel like they work or don’t. 
Blue Beetle was one of the last of the DCEU releases. Originally intended as a straight to Max streaming movie, Warner Bros-Discovery was apparently impressed by what they saw and decided to release the movie to theaters. Sporting a modest $75K budget, the movie managed to look better than many, more expensive blockbusters. It also boasted a mostly latino cast, bringing representation to a community not often associated with superhero films. In this episode we discuss Blue Beetle. We talk about it’s plot, cast, and characters. We also get into the themes of the movie, use of real history to tell a story, representation in media, and the comic history of the Blue Beetle. 
