
Podcast host, Jeanne Yoon, invites close friend and fellow fantasy fan, Hanna Lee, to discuss how escapism impacts society. This episode explores Daniel Baker’s article “Why We Need Dragons: The Progressive Potential of Fantasy” and its claim that individuals need fantasy. This idea is connected with The Vampire Diaries television series and the strong influence it has brought upon many viewers. In their discussion, they recall characters and events of core fantasy elements and examine what makes the relatively dated show still a prominent topic of discussion among young fans today.
Oct 20, 2021
33 min

Podcast host, Adela Sheng, speaks with her friend, Shannon Kim from Auburn University, about an enduring creature of Asian cultural fantasy: the Nine-Tailed Fox. In this episode, they utilize this fantastical creature to explore fantasy’s role in society and its lasting cultural impact. They discuss the many different traits the Nine-Tailed Fox takes on across various cultures and time periods, as well as its portrayal in modern fantasy media.
Oct 17, 2021
32 min

Looking for nerdy tales of fantastical adventure with strong family values? Then check out this week's episode of The Fantasy Forum. Special host, Connor McCary, welcomes Chad Valentine, a father-of-four and lifelong Dungeons and Dragons enthusiast to The Fantasy Forum to talk about Fantasy’s role in building relationships. In this episode, they discuss how Dungeons and Dragons became a regular family tradition and what about it brought them together. They also discuss the interesting lessons from the family Dungeons and Dragons campaign that carried over into everyday life.
Oct 13, 2021
43 min

Sometimes fantasy is purely imagination, but other times it reflects reality and elements of society. Through the increasingly progressive era that we live in today, relevant topics such as equality and feminism are embodied in many fantasy works. In this podcast, host Palak Sharma and guest Lynne Park discuss how feminism is present in the fantasy TV show Miraculous, and delve into how ‘real’ these characteristics are, as well as how having a prominent female protagonist alters the message of the show as a whole.
Oct 10, 2021
22 min

This episode’s host, Ryan Thomas Lynch, chats with Sergio Ruiz, his good friend and fraternity brother who is a huge Marvel fan, about how the hit Disney+ show Loki is able to put its characters in very relatable situations despite narrative of the show being about the literal “God of Mischief” who gets arrested by an omnipotent time traveling bureaucracy (oops, spoiler warning). We talk about what we think the show did right, what it didn’t have to do, and what it did wrong in using fantasy elements to create the lifelike scenarios for its characters. Then they try to extrapolate that idea further into how fantasy should be used by others to make their stories more enjoyable and more relatable – without being too confusing or rules heavy ‐ handed allegories.
Oct 6, 2021
35 min

Have you ever been confused what the difference between science fiction and fantasy is? Podcast host, Garrett Anderson, and guests, Nico Leopold and Charlie Morris, explore the relationship between science fiction and fantasy. In this episode, they discuss the critically acclaimed 1988 Japanese film AKIRA and how it draws from both science fiction and fantasy, allowing it to inhabit the limbo genre science fantasy. Through their conversation, listeners can not only get a better understanding of the movie, but also a better understanding of the genres of science fiction and fantasy.
Sep 15, 2021
26 min

Join your host, Varun Godbole, as he talks to two seasoned video game players, Aditya Munagapati and Varun Vangala, about fantasy in video games and what exactly makes it so appealing and popular. Specifically, we look into the game/franchise Mario Kart, which combines a popular, realistic sport with fantastical elements. We explore how these fantastical elements change how people perceive racing games. We also look at the universe of Mario and how much influence that has on the user’s enjoyment of the game. Between the two, we consider how Mario Kart has touched so many people over the years.
Sep 8, 2021
23 min

Podcast host, Ella Witz, explores the lines drawn between the classification of fantasy and mythology with Dr. Burmester. In this episode, they discuss the stakes at play in distinguishing between mythology and fantasy through exploring the Percy Jackson series, written by Rick Riordan. Through their conversation, they discuss the different aspects that separate the two genres, such as author belief and purpose, while also determining if fantasy can ever be purely original.
Sep 6, 2021
41 min

Podcast hosts, Amogh Totada and Christian Haynes, dive into the relationship between anthropomorphism and fantasy. They use The Chronicles of Narnia as an example to discuss this relationship. With the help of their guest, Sophia Haynes, a journalism major at the University of Georgia, the three investigate how authors use anthropomorphism as an essential tool to develop the setting and characters of their fictional worlds. By the end of the podcast, Amogh and Christian provide fresh perspective of anthropomorphism's relationship with fantasy.
Aug 30, 2021
20 min

Abdulaziz Memesh speak swith his roommate and fellow Georgia Tech student, Mohammed Kousa, about the benefits of fantasy and its effect on the people who consume it. Throughout their discussion of this topic, they reference some of the scenes in the movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as well as other stories to make points about the kinds of thoughts that are motivated by fantasy.
Aug 11, 2021
30 min
Load more
