Gateway to Anime

Episode 111 - Why Naruto is Still King With Alex Williams

After Netflix released their mid-year data showing that Naruto is the most watched anime on the platform in the West, we decided to get together and talk through why it still has such a presence. 

We're joined by returning guest Alex Williams who is just as much of a Naruto fan (and Boruto) as we are. We talk through how much of an influence it had on us growing up and why we still love it (despite it's flaws). 

 

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Episode 110 - Why Should We Watch One Piece? With Tristan Field

We finally address our great shame of never having watched One Piece (well, Charlie has seen 100ish episodes) by getting One Piece super fan Tristan Field on to convince us to take the plunge. One Piece is Tristan's favorite piece of media ever and he takes us through the genius of Eiichiro Oda and the extraordinary world building of the phenomenon that is One Piece. 

 

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Episode 109 - The Craft of Cosplay with Dr Emerald King

Sam talks with Dr Emerald King from the University of Tasmania to talk through all things Cosplay. Dr King is a literary scholar and cosplayer with a background in Japanese literature and popular culture. Since 2017, she has worked as a volunteer translator and interpreter for the WCS (Wold Cosplay Summit) finals in Japan, and in 2020 she was named a WCS Support Ambassador.

As part of her cosplay research she is a two time Australian national cosplay champion. She has competed in and won a number of prizes, most notably winning the 2023 World Cosplay Summit (WCS) Australia and the right to represent Australia in Japan in 2024.

 

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Episode 108 - Summer 2025 Anime Season Hype-Up | Dandadan, Kaiju #8, Gachiakuta & More

Charlie, Graeme and Sam get together to preview the upcoming 2025 Summer season of anime.  There's a lot of returning shows this season (like Dandadan, Kaiju #8 and My Dress Up Darling) as well as some really interesting new shows that have very much piqued our interest. 

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Episode 107 - J-Pop & Idol Anime | Featuring Sly Ip

You've probably seen Oshi no Ko and you might recognise Hatsune Miku but but the world of J-Pop and Idols is inseparable from anime. There is an idol version of... eeeverything. Whether its mecha or zombies, idols have infused themselves with every anime genre.

Join us as long term Idol fan and returning guest Sly opens the J-Pop gateway. We dive into the history of this unique genre and compare it with the rise of K-Pop as direct competition, while of course recommending the best idol anime along the way.

Episode 106 - Best Anime of Spring 2025 - To Be Hero X, Witch Watch & more

We are now over half way through the 2025 spring anime season and the gateway team have some FEELINGS. 

Disappointments, pleasant surprises and some brand new trends emerging - the gateway team go deep on their thoughts of the Spring season.

 

What's been your favourite show this season?

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Enjoy what we're doing?
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Episode 105 - Mecha & Robots in Anime - Live at ACMI Melbourne

With the rise of AI and so much of our lives online, our relationship with technology is ever changing. But anime has been exploring these ideas for decades. As machines and technology shaped our world, anime reflected it back. Whether its giant mecha wars in space or philosophical questions about our identity in the digital age, anime has given us an incredible legacy of stories about technology, robots and mecha.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for this very special live recording and special thanks to the team at ACMI for making it happen!

Learn more at acmi.net.au

Episode 104 - The Underrated Crime Thriller Masterpiece - Naoki Urasawa's Monster

Monster isn’t at the top of any anime lists. Whether this is due to its unconventional storytelling or darker cerebral tone , it’s these very same elements that set Monster apart from more popular anime as a rare masterpiece that doesn’t get enough attention.

A mature crime thriller from one of the best mangaka’s of all time (Naoki Urasawa), Monster offers great storytelling in a grounded setting. This makes it a different kind of gateway anime, appealing to fans of true crime and thriller stories who may otherwise never give anime a shot.

Despite being renowned as a masterpiece, Monster is often overlooked by anime fans. Returning guest Gerald Lillywhite is one of them, who joins the discussion fresh after finishing the series to offer his perspective as a writer.

🤖 See us live at 'MechaFest: An Anime Celebration' from 8-12 May at ACMI in Melbourne! Tickets available now!
https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/mechafest/gateway-anime-live/

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Episode 103 - Science in Anime

Put your lab coat on and join us for some experimenting with spooky science in anime... which is seemingly always awful? 🧪

Anime has always warned against the dangers of reckless futuristic advancement, with robots and mecha often taking the spotlight. With the recent trend of AI models replicating Hayao Miyazaki's work with Studio Ghibli, this seemed like the right time to dig into the darker side of science and how anime portrays that in such a unique way.

🤖 See us live at 'MechaFest: An Anime Celebration' from 8-12 May at ACMI in Melbourne! Tickets available now! https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/mechafest/

👀 Looking for more? Enjoy what we're doing? Support us on Patreon for exclusive content and early releases! https://www.patreon.com/gatewaytoanime

Episode 102 - Spring 2025 Anime Season Hype-Up

We're back with our Spring anime season hype-up. Sam is as excited as he's been for an upcoming anime in a long while with Watanabe's Lazarus  as well as Moonrise with character designs from Hiromu Arakawa! Charlie is is keen on a whole a whole bunch of new shows and Graeme gets his Gundam fix. 

🎁 Thanks to Hobbyco for sponsoring this episode!

https://www.hobbyco.com.au/

👀 Looking for more? Enjoy what we're doing? Support us on Patreon for exclusive content and early releases! 
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