This week, Arlill reads one of his short stories called Anger Management using the time-tested audio-book format! Or…as close to it as an amateur could do...
This week, Arlill talks about 5 important things that he still doesn’t know how to do. We completely understand if you want to leave an infuriated comment under this halfpisode.
The brothers finally conclude their long-lasting discussion about Japanese animation! The anime series they talk about in this episode include: Absolute Duo, Another, and Free. Spoilers ahead!
Thank you to anyone who’s ever read anything on this blog, who’s ever listened to our podcast, or who’s ever shared our stuff with their friends. You are what make this worth doing.
(Google Drive music player can’t play files that are over 25 megabytes. Click on the download arrow at the top of the page to download the episode. Thanks!)
The brothers carry on with their extended discussion about Japanese animation! The anime series they talk about in this episode include: Seitokai Yakuindomo, Love Live School Idol Project, Kantai Collection, and Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Spoilers ahead!
(Google Drive music player can’t play files that are over 25 megabytes. Click on the download arrow at the top of the page to download the episode. Thanks!)
The brothers continue their lengthy discussion about Japanese animation! The anime series they talk about in this episode include: Kiniro Mosaic, Watamote, No Game No Life, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzimiya. Spoilers ahead!
(Google Drive music player can’t play files that are over 25 megabytes. Click on the download arrow at the top of the page to download the episode. Thanks!)
Part 1!Part 3! Ever wanted to listen to the entire anime discussion uninterrupted? Now you can! DOWNLOAD [2:40:33]
Technical info:
Recorded with Adobe Audition CC by Arlill and Gary Rodriguez
The brothers celebrates 100 blog posts with a massive discussion about Japanese animation! In the first segment, the brothers talk about their first impressions of anime after watching Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z in their childhood. In the next segments, the brothers dissect what they’ve found interesting about the batch of anime they’ve recently seen! They include: Nichijou, Lucky Star, Ika Musume, andYuru Yuri. Spoilers ahead!
(Google Drive music player can’t play files that are over 25 megabytes. Click on the download arrow at the top of the page to download the episode. Thanks!)
In time for the release of independent animator/filmmaker Don Hertzfeldt’s latest short film, World of Tomorrow, Arlill talks about Hertzfeldt’s most famous short films and what effect they had on Arlill's life. Here’s a hint about next week’s episode!
Welcome to the pilot episode of the solo podcast! Like I explained here, episodes will be between 5-20 minutes, and on an assortment of many, many topics. I’m always open to suggestions though, so feel free to post any comments/criticism you have in the comments below or on Facebook. This episode is a very brief but intimate discussion about the short films I’ve made so far.
It’s another compilation episode! In the opening, Arlill explains (again) why there hasn’t been a new episode in almost 2 months. He also talks about a new home-brew project he’s been working on to make up for the podcast drought. In the next segment, we hear Arlill and Gary try to sum up their summer experience in 2010 then we transition to bloopers and outtakes from Episodes 12and 13.
(Google Drive music player can’t play files that are over 25 megabytes. Click on the download arrow at the top of the page to download the episode. Thanks!)
We are constantly tweaking the podcast format so if you have any suggestions for episodes or general questions, feel free to post them in the comments.
I’m a semester away from graduating college and yet, in the past few months, I’ve constantly fantasized about dropping out.
This wouldn’t be the first time I thought it would be a good idea to give up on something I’ve invested much time and money into. There’s been two classes that I’ve failed in school because I became terrified of turning in an awful paper. One day of skipping class became avoiding class for the rest of the semester. Professors are usually baffled when this happens as they expect something better from me. So what happens that leads to me giving up?
For the past few months, I have taken a voluntary leave of absence from college. The first month was practically like winter break. My brother and I watched hours and hours of anime and I was excited to bring some of my scripts to life. Two weeks later, as soon as I realized that nobody could help me while I was in LA, any kind of enthusiasm I had slowly died off and I resigned myself to believe I was out of ideas. It’s now March and the only project I’ve been able to work on consistently is the podcast.
Since January, days begin when I’m willing to crawl out of bed, make a very cheaply-prepared breakfast, and check Reddit and Twitter for 2 hours before I take another nap. Sometimes I get a lot of work done, sometimes I don’t. I’ve been working on a pitch for the Moth podcast and begun production on a comedy short. It’s not unusual for there to be a 1-2 week gap between work days. After filming something, I tell myself that I’ll take out the camera again the next day and do the next collection of shots. What actually happens is that the camera stays snuggled in its bag, and I go to sleep regretting not getting any work done. It’s been like this for three straight months.
Since I graduated from high school, I’ve been struggling with low self-esteem issues and depressive episodes, making it feel impossible to maintain a positive perspective on a daily basis. I’m always afraid that I could become such an overbearing burden to my family that they will distance themselves from me as the black sheep, as the disgraceful failure. Being “unemployed" has only exacerbated these thoughts.
Is it simply having a job and spending time out of the house that will satisfy me? No, it’s being financially secure. I’ve made the questionable decision to study filmmaking and guarantee to be in relative obscurity for 10 years despite the constant gratification filmmaking gives me. However, there’s another problem with being a filmmaker: no guarantee of financial security. I’m part of the second generation of my family living in the United States. My parents have told me for most of my life that I’m intelligent and determined enough to guarantee they can one day live comfortably retired and that my little brother won’t have any difficulties paying for his college education. They deserve that break but that’s an unquestionable amount of pressure they’ve placed on me. It also doesn’t help that I grew up chasing the idea of the American Dream.
To me, the American Dream is owning a 2-story house, a respectable place you can call your home. As of now, I know nothing about mortgages or anything else about the housing market. What I do know is that owning a home means you have some kind of money. It’s too much to ask yourself to own a 2-story house that quickly after graduating from college but from my upbringing, owning a 2-story house meant you succeeded in the world. You can take care of yourself and, maybe, your children. I’d like to rent an apartment eventually, maybe a year after graduating, but in the back of my mind, as I look at my ferns and sit on my IKEA couch, I’ll tell myself, “this isn’t my 2-story house. I’ve done everything wrong. I’m a failure.” If fervently chasing the American Dream is demonstrated with hard work, perseverance, and confidence, then why have I hesitated in finding a real part-time job for this much time?
Fear.
Fear of being a failure. Fear of disappointing your entire family. Fear of losing the respect of my friends and peers. Fear of dying alone. Fear of not being funny enough for a stupid comedy short no one will watch. Fear of being a homeless drunk licking the streets for nutrients. Fear and fear alone is what paralyzes me and restricts me into the warm embrace of my comfortable bed. Fear is what kept my camera in my bag the day after I tried filming something. Fear is what kept me from telling my brother, my mother, and anyone reading this about my deep-seated troubles for this much time.
In order to begin living my life the way I want to live it, I have to shut down any negativity I’ve ever had, and push away any fear I’ve ever had. That means thinking positively, starting today and maintaining that for the rest of my life. How do I do that?
...
Back to square one.
Here’s a Kirby Gourmet Race remix with Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Laser Time does a Simpsons episode, we do a King of the Hill episode! In the first segment, the brothers talk about one of the most underrated animated series in recent years, discussing what endeared them to the Hill family and who they'd prefer as their father: Hank Hill or Homer Simpson. In the second segment, the brothers reminisce about the show’s greatest moments/episodes before talking about the bizarre yet brilliant King of the Hill YouTube Poop shorts by YouTuber Durhamrockerz. We're also including a blooper from RC Episode 12 at the very end which is perhaps the cutest mistake we've ever had on the show!
DOWNLOAD [39:23] (Google Drive music player can’t play files that are over 25 megabytes. Click on the download arrow at the top of the page to download the episode. Thanks!)
The brothers discuss the controversial music video ME!ME!ME! then take the next segment to talk about the latest movies they’ve seen, including The Interview, The Angry Video Game Nerd Movie, and Selma. Spoilers ahead!
(Google Drive music player can’t play files that are over 25 megabytes. Click on the download arrow at the top of the page to download the episode. Thanks!)
The ME!ME!ME! music video was difficult for us to talk about on its own so here are some sources we used to help with our discussion:
This episode is dedicated to Monty Oum, an incredibly talented writer, animator, and director who tragically passed away on February 1st after having complications from surgery. Here’s the announcement from Rooster Teeth: http://roosterteeth.com/members/journal/entry.php?id=3302319and here’s a direct link to the first episode of Monty’s magnum opus,RWBY, a frenetic animated action series heavily inspired by anime:
