You read that right, there is no Goku nor Vegeta in this film primarily AND that is NOT a typo - Akira Toriyama (the creator of the Dragon Ball franchise) overlooked that in development. This one focuses on Piccolo and Gohan this time as well as a familiar foe, the Red Ribbon Army. It is a movie more than just good versus evil, it is how belief in a particular narrative can amplify power and misplace good intentions - and your backdoor anime hangout is here to take it piece by piece with a couple of Dragon Ball fans. Crew: Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran Jose Salazar Clifford "The Cliff" Many thanks to Jose Salazar for the episode request as well as the recommendation to watch this film. 

When all seems lost, where do you turn to? The upcoming film The House of the Lost on the Cape answers that with a combination of community and the supernatural. How does it deliver?

Anime Expo holds a variety of different panels and this is one of them - Anime and Black Culture. Jeffrey of DataFist hosted, organized, and lead a panel - or more appropriately "a show-" of what it means to be black anime fan and how that has shaped the fandom and media we have today. The Cliff takes the helm of this episode and looks into what it means to be "black," the intersectionality between black culture and anime, and the potential it holds for the future community, industry, and medium. Follow DataFist on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook Crew: Clifford "The Cliff" Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran Guest: Jeffrey of DataFist Many thanks to Jeffrey for the time and opportunity to interview him as well as The Cliff for making this episode a realtiy.

Music can start a revolution and Masaaki Yuasa's Inu-OH shows that with a glam-rock flare in 14th century Japan - a time of shogun authority in the midst of political upheaval and unification. Through two entertainers - Inu-Oh, a cursed and disfigured performer, and Tomona, a blind biwa priest - we witness the birth of a musical movement and tribute to the fallen Heike clan. From the aforementioned glam theatrics to the supernatural, how much creative liberties are made to tell such a story; and can it get away with that with finesse and style?  (If you've seen Samurai Champloo you know where this may be going...) Tickets and Info at https://www.inu-oh.com/ Crew: Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran Clifford "The Cliff" Sutton Many thanks to GKids as well as Jeremy Augustitus and Sophia Kandah of 42 West LLC for the screener opportunity. 

Anime Expo, one of the most popular and renown convention in the North American continent, comes back as an in-person event after two years of going virtual due to the pandemic. Your backdoor anime hangout talks about their experience as attendees, including one volunteer, and see if it was dramatically different or the good old times. Crew: Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran Coyo Ravrath Jon No Jons The Cliff Tora

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures installed an exhibit of legendary director, Hayao Miyazaki - celebrating his impact on animation and cinema. A walk through the museum reveals the painstaking and breathtaking work that has lead to the movies we know and love; Spirited Away, Nausicaa Valley of the Wind, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke to name a few. Your backdoor anime hangout took the opportunity to explore this event and this episode celebrates the life and accomplishment of the man's work.  Crew: Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran Christian Wiseman Coyo Clifford "The Cliff" Shirocast Jon No Jons Tora Ghibli Exhibit opens until 05 June 2022 Tickets at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/tickets Stream the Studio Ghibli Collection via HBO MAX

"The thing I like most is that it is 90 minutes long." We all live with imposter syndrome, never feeling we are good enough to do what we set out to do. This movie is a response to that. Nyallywood is where the blockbusters are made and Gene, a behind-the-scenes assistant, is given the task to direct a feature length film - practically his directorial debut. With a dedicated production team, two actors - one legendary and another starring her first lead role, and a script from a famed producer - Pompo - can Gene deliver a film worthy of praise? Crew: Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran Clifford "The Cliff" Sutton Dex Ravrath Many thanks to GKids for the screener! More info at www.gkids.com

Digimon was a part of our childhood back in the early 90's and 2000's along with the wave of Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Beyblade, and more (if you know what we're talking about, welcome to the old people's club). Revisiting it as an older anime fan reveals so much more than what meets the eye - executive localization decisions that have become generational memes at best and nostalgic annoyances at worst. It begs the question, what was the original version like? Your backdoor anime hangout looks into what we saw as children - the Digimon Movie - and compare it to the one in Japan, Mamoru Hosoda's directorial debut.  Crew: Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran Rav Christian Wiseman Digimon the Movie can be purchased on DVD HOWEVER the Mamoru Hosoda version(s) can be found in your local internet. 

Social media has become a cultural and lifestyle mainstay for the 21st century. Virtual reality is an ever growing space with users from all over the world. And with both platforms comes a duality - online and IRL. Some like to integrate, others keep it separate. Director Mamoru Hosoda looks into this duality and melds it with the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. More on that coming up at your backdoor anime hangout ~ Crew: Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran Marvin AKA "Marth" Mythical Misa The Cliff Rav Dex Many thanks to GKids and 42 West LLC for the screener opportunity. Tickets and Info: bellefilm.com

Early childhood is a distant memory colored in rose-tinted glasses: simpler times of eating, playing, and sleeping. Yet take those glasses off and you realize its complications - pure, unprocessed emotions that is much too difficult to handle for both the child and parent/guardian.  Mamoru Hosoda's Academy Award nominated film Mirai takes us into the shoes of four-year old Kun who after being an only child, gets a baby sister, Mirai. This new shift has left Kun wanting for attention, simmering into jealousy towards his sister. Once he steps out to the garden he begins to encounter people and places of past and future time - including a teenage Mirai. Consider it a time travel tour of family history and future.  Crew:  Jonathan "Joestar" Beltran Ravrath Misa  Many thanks to Christian Wiseman for producing this episode. Mirai: https://gkids.com/films/mirai/ Tickets for Hosoda's new film Belle: https://www.bellefilm.com/