But Why Tho? The Podcast

Final Fantasy XVI, the latest addition to the storied Square Enix franchise, is a large and beautiful world with complex and dynamic characters. At PAX West 2023, we sat down with Localization Director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox, and some of the voices behind beloved characters, including Clive Rosfield (Ben Starr), Margrace (Jonathan Case), and Benedikta Harman (Nina Yndis) to discuss what it's like joining the legacy of such a special franchise, the skill involved with voice acting, and how the unique way that Final Fantasy XVI's localization allowed the game's actors the freedom to explore and create the characters alongside the localization team. 

This week, Alex, Jason, and Kate talk about time - and more importantly how we just don't have any of it anymore. With longer games coming out like Baldur's Gate 3, a stacked movie season, and more on the horizon, how does anyone find the time to play and watch, well, everything they're interested in?

We were honored to chat with the voices that have skillfully brought some of the most iconic characters in anime to life in the English dub. Their work and dedication to this series have significantly shaped its charm, growth, and adventurous spirit. We dive into all that in this exclusive video featuring Colleen Clickenbeard, the voice of Monkey D. Luffy, Luci Christian, who voices Nami; Sonny Strait, the voice of Ussop; and Eric Vale, the voice of Sanji.

After 9 years, HexWorks is creating Lords of the Fallen, a sequel/reboot to the 2014 title of the same name. The original was one of the earliest games that attempted to put its own spin on the action RPG genre. After nearly a decade of innovation and mainstream success, the latest genre entry is attempting to capitalize on these lessons and invite newcomers to yet another grand adventure.  We spoke with Cezar Virtosu, the Creative Director at HexWorks, and Saul Gascon, Head of Studio and Executive Producer for Lords of the Fallen, about how they create beautiful new environments, what they needed to change from the original game, and why the parrying feels so good.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a cozy and epic joining of Sanrio and open-world gaming. Described as a combination of Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing, this Apple Arcade exclusive from Sunblink is a large world. With the driving motto of "Small gift, big smile," Sanrio is a cultural touchstone, and in this game, players get the chance to talk to, make friends with, and adventure the world of brand with Hello Kitty, Karumi, Aggretsuko, and more. We got the chance to talk with Chelsea Howe,  Chief Product Officer of Sunblink about the complexity of adapting an iconic IP to a game, the importance of creating an inclusive and cozy game without sacrificing adventure, and ultimately, what it's like to be a part of a longstanding and joyful legacy.

This week, Alex, Neysha, and Kate talk about the things they love that people told them they couldn't. With Barbie smashing the box office, we discuss what to do when someone makes a piece of pop culture "not for you." Barbie isn't for Black girls, anime isn't for women; horror isn't real cinema. We talk about the lies that get told to stop your joy and why you should never listen to them. 

DC's Legends of Tomorrow was one of The CW's most popular and critically acclaimed shows. Besides being very diverse for a mainline superhero show, it touched on almost every genre you could think of, and with its delightful cast and witty writers, both sets of whom are now on strike, it created something strikingly memorable. Along with her fellow co-showrunners, writer and co-showrunner Keto Shimizu was a pivotal part of making it the success it was. Many fans bemoaned its somewhat abrupt cancellation back in 2022. We caught up with Keto Shimizu after her panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2023, “Intro to TV Writing." Here, she and other writers from the Arrowverse discussed their creative process and what studios need to do help writers succeed. We discussed her career, whether there was a chance for Legends of Tomorrow if creators had a better deal with studios, how she brings her own experiences to the characters she writes and much more.

Mel Blanc was a voice-over legend, originating and playing, for decades until his death, the voices of all the Looney Tunes characters and many more for Warner Brothers. When he passed away in 1989, another voiceover actor would rise to continue his legacy. From Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Marvin, the Martian, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester, Tweety, and so many more icons of animation, legendary voice actor Jeff Bergman has voiced them all in TV and film from the late 80s to today, along with other Looney Tunes voice actors like Eric Bauza. Fans may know Jeff Bergman from such hits as Tiny Toon Adventures (and its upcoming reboot Tiny Toons Looniversity), Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, The Looney Tunes Show, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Looney Tunes Cartoons, and much more. We had the privilege of speaking with Jeff Bergman at SDCC 2023. We spoke about his career, the legacy he carries in animation and specifically for Looney Tunes, and the importance of the Actors Strike and what it means for voice actors. We also g

At San Diego Comic-Con 2023, we had the opportunity to sit down with E.K Johnston, the renowned author behind critically acclaimed Star Wars novels like Ahsoka and the Queens Trilogy. With her upcoming novel Crimson Climb on the horizon, Johnston shared insights into her approach to writing iconic characters such as Ahsoka and Padme, delving into their unique journeys while staying true to the beloved Star Wars canon. In this interview, she also offers a glimpse into the challenges Qi'ra faces in Crimson Climb and how she crafts authentic and relatable characters in the Star Wars universe.

The WGA has been on strike for almost 80 days, just 20 shy of how long the strike of 2007-2008 lasted, and as of last week, SAG-AFTRA joined the picket line as the AMPTP refused to concede in contract negotions. To say that this is a watershed moment is some how not strong enough. As the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike to ensure fair wages and working conditions and protect their craft from AI, we wanted to do a very special episode to talk about what you can do to help support the unions working for a better life.  We're joined by WGA/SAG-AFTRA member Dani Fernandez to discuss what's at stake, the importance of unions and to focus answer some questions as to what is on the line.    What can you do?  Boost the message of the unions on social media Follow strike rules for the WGA (https://wgacontract2023.org/strike/strike-rules-faq) and SAG-AFTRA (https://sagaftrastrike.org/non-member-faqs) Donate to the Entertainment Community fund (https://entertainmentcommunityfund.org) Join a picket line

This week Alex is joined by Swara and Adrian to discuss the state of Twitter, the Grimace Shake, and how to handle things that maybe didn’t age great. From the Problem with Apu to the Breakfast Club to Transformers, there’s a bit of everything here.

This week, Alex, Kate, and Matt discuss the interview with Xbox's Matt Booty that explained how long video games take to make. The trio discusses what kinds of expectations fans put on studios, what pressures studios put on developers, and where developers are in all of this. How long should games take to make? How soon should studios announce them? We dive in.

Kate and Matt got the chance to be on-site in LA for Summer Game Fest, the Xbox Games Showcase, and the Ubisoft Forward. In this episode, they talk about the highs of the fest, their favorite hands-on previews for games and what they're looking forward to. From Alan Wake 2 to MK1 and Prince of Persia: Lost Crown, 33 Immortals, and Disney Illusion Island, they got you covered with their impressions from the fests.

At the pre-launch party for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, we got the chance to sit down with  GUN's Creative Director Ronnie Hobbs, actor Damian Maffei, the voice of Johnny, and horror legend Kane Hodder, about the game, and what its like to bring what has become a vital part of horror and Texas mythos to life. 

At Summer Game Fest 2023, we got the chance to play a demo that introduced us to about 45 minutes of gameplay in Dogtown. On a mission to find a relic, we work through the demo, fighting enemies and exploring the new zone. We also got the chance to speak with the “Phantom Liberty” Game Director, Gabe Amatangelo, who expanded on elements that players can look forward to when the expansion releases.

I’m your host, Alex, joined this week by Charles and Adrian. This week, we’re talking about hobby intimidation. What creates it? How do you deal with it? All that good stuff. But first, we dive into some of the new games announced at the showcases this week. 

When it comes to esports, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is one of the leaders. In fact, Counter-Strike has been one of the mainstay first-person-shooter drivers since the birth of esports. This is what makes the Intel Extreme Masters Dallas tournaments all the more interesting and fulfilling at Dreamhack Dallas 2023. At the convention, we spoke with Sean Clark,  Senior Director of the Counter-Strike ecosystem at ESL Faceit Group (EFG), about the longevity of Counter-Strike, the importance esports has in Dallas, IEM's history, and how a player can have a career in esports beyond the competition.

When it comes to esports, it's important to make the experience inclusive. Gaming, at its core, is for everyone no matter who they are. Because of this, it's fantastic to see ESL Faceit Group (EFG) invest time and commitment to their GGForAll initiative, which aims to fulfill one of the organization's pillars: Universal participation. At Dreamhack Dallas 2023, we got the chance to talk with Claudia Beaton, the Vice President of People and Culture at EFG. Beaton's role is leading diversity, equity and inclusion and the EFG's CSR initiative GGForAll. In this interview, we got see how ESL is making tangible strides with programs, panels, initiatives and outreach to ensure everyone can play, watch, and find a future in esports.

This week, Alex, Kate, and Katherine dive into the world of reviews. Are they necessary? Do you read them? And what's better, a binary Rotten and Fresh or a grading scale of any kind? In this episode, the crew breaks down how the depreciating of reviews in our more connected world may be connected to falling media literacy and of course, bite-sized TikTok videos and more. 

Disney isn't stopping it's live actions any time soon, and the latest may just set a new standard! In this episode, But Why Tho? reviews The Little Mermaid (2023) and discuss what works about this live-action, what could be better, and whether or not you should head to the theater to see it. Kate's score? A 5/10, but Swara gives it an 8/10 - find out their differences and what they agree on. Follow Kate: https://twitter.com/ohmymithrandir Follow Swara: https://twitter.com/spiderswarz Want to read a full review? Head here: https://butwhytho.net/2023/05/the-little-mermaid-review/