But Why Tho? The Podcast

Dream Con would not be complete without hearing from the minds behind the convention, RDCWorld1. From a YouTube channel started nearly ten years ago to put on one of the most diverse conventions in the country, the RDCWorld1 team has accomplished more than anyone would have thought in such a short time. They truly are a manifestation of their namesake, Real Dream Change the World as these content creators of color aim to bring other people of color together in a convention all its own.

We're back from some much-needed rest and relaxation - or moreso just catching back up with life. And to kick it all offer Adrian and Kate dive into a spoiler-filled review of Black Widow, the latest edition to the MCU from Disney and Marvel Studios.  We talk Taskmaster, why it's better than the MCU's first female superhero solo, and how much better it could have been if we had only gotten it sooner - and you know, not when Nat was already "retired." We dive into it all!

This week we cover one of the defining heist films of the 2000s: Oceans 11 — and the franchise it launched. Oh, and Kate talks Oceans 8, and it doesn't go like you think. We dive into how this launched heist films of the 2000s while embracing the film it's based on which starred the Rat Pack. We talk about the way the film evolved into a franchise, how influenced American heist films after the fact, and how we just really want to go back to a good heist film. 

This week, we're celebrating the release of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition by diving into why Mass Effect Matters. We talk its history, its controversy, but the most important elements – the impact that this franchise has had on video games, pop culture, and beyond. And we do it all with the help of Josh, founder of Bear Punch Media and host of Massively Affected. 

This week, we revisit Game of Thrones to celebrate its 10th anniversary. We specifically dive into Seasons 8, the records and hearts it broke, and the future of the franchise. With two years of distance from one of the most talked-about and arguably hated finales to a series in television history, we take the time to talk about what we loved about the series, and ask ourselves: did the finale ruin the whole journey there? And, we do it with the help of Danny from Next Issue Podcast. So listeners, Game of Thrones still matters? Plus we talk about what's next, the series we want to see and the ones that we don't.   DannyFrom — Next Issue Podcast Follow him @EckospiderFollow them @NextIssuePod

Castlevania is a phenomenon. It's a favorite for anime fans, gamers, vampire fans, and more. As one of the standard-bearers for Netflix Original Animations, Castlevania has come a long way from a four-episode first season. Bust just as the season episode length has been slowly increasing, so have the character arcs. Now, just two weeks out from the release of Castlevania Season 4 –which is also the series' final season– we got the chance to sit down with Samuel Deats (Director) and Adam Deats (Associate Director) to discuss the series' journey. In this interview, Sam and Adam discuss their extensive roles as directors, how they came on board the project all those years ago, and how the series found its unique aesthetic.

Iconic mangaka Akira Toriyama turned 66 this month, and to celebrate, we're diving into why he matters. While we dig deep into the creative process and how the Dragon Ball franchise came to be, we also map out how Akira Toriyama actually played a big role in some of the games you love. We talk about our love of his work, the critiques some of it has received, and how his character design style came to be the standard for 90s shonen and well, Japanese RPGs. From Dragon Quest to  Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball, we discuss it all! And we even talk about that time he designed a car, all with the help of Alex Paterno from Frightday.com.

Mortal Kombat is getting it's next live action film later this week and to celebrate, we're diving deep into why Mortal Kombat Matters to gaming, culture, and well, court cases. This episode we talk about how MK became one of the largest fighting games in the world, competing directly with Japanese fighting games and how it rose to outselling long-lasting franchises Street Fighter and Tekken. Made by a four-person team, Mortal Kombat Matters because of it's palette switches (and roster), it's unique take on game art by digitizing real actors,  and of course the fatalities. And we do it all with the help of CJ from Into the Spider-Cast.

So I Was Thinking is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Kate and Matt. In it, they choose different topics they've been thinking about and discuss them. Think of this as a peak into how the two discuss topics in their kitchen. With little editing and even fewer notes, the two talk about working from home. In this episode, the two discuss how they used to work from home and how that's changed now that it's forced instead of wanted. They talk work-life balance, company expectations, and wonder if we'll ever go back to old work models. Other So I Was Thinking topics include "Director's Cuts," "Scooters in the City," "Friends After the Pandemic," "Anime," and more! Like what you're listening to? Subscribe on Patreon for 20 other episodes, with new episodes every other Friday. patreon.com/butwhytho

Four years ago we reviewed Justice League - and y'all loved it. And for whatever reason, we're back here again to review Zack Snyder's Justice League. With the help of Alex. We talk about the length, ancient lamentations, why The Flash slowly touching the face of a woman he just met is beyond creepy, large music video shots of people standing, water bubbles, and at least why this one is better than the Joss Whedon's version.  It's not all bad though, we talk about what the Snyder  Cut does with characters that improve them, like with Cyborg and Wonder Woman, and about why the Amazon scene still slaps. At clocking in at just over two hours, this version of our review isn't ALL of it. If you want to hear the But Why Tho Cut of this review - which is about 45 minutes more of content we cut out, head on over to our Patreon. You can subscribe and listen to the audio version OR watch our video - and get to see Adrian making his ancient lamentations in stunning definitely not 4k. 

This week to celebrate the release of Monster Hunter Rise we're devoting episode 172 to talk all about why Monster Hunter matters. In this episode, with the help of Techniq, we dive into this history of Capcom's best selling property, it's impact on RPGs, and why it took so long to take off in the United States. Don't worry, we talk about Monster Hunter World.

In this episode we break down the beloved shonen manga and anime series: Hunter x Hunter. Whether you pronounce the “x” or you don’t, we talk all about the series’ long history, the hiatuses, and ultimately why the fandom around the series only keeps increasing despite having no new media since 2019 in the United States and even longer in Japan. Plus, we talk all about what separates this shonen from others, including the protagonists, the villains, the themes, and of course the sprinkle of murder from every character – including our hero Gon.  And, we do this all with the help of DataDave, content creator, voice actor, and Twitch Ambassador.

With the recent release of Tom and Jerry on HBO Max, it's time to dive into one of the oldest cartoons still kicking around today.

On Episode 169, we're looking at the whole company, good, bad, and ugly. From Warcraft to Overwatch, even if you've never played their games, you have probably heard of them, and if you've played any RTS or MMO, you've certainly felt their lasting effect. Blizzard is an often problematic fave, but they are also firmly among the most influential and popular video game companies ever.

This year, Tomb Raider turns 25! To celebrate the anniversary of the iconic franchise and its main character we dive into the history of Tomb Raider and how Lara has impacted gaming and beyond. With Kate leading the way, Lara Croft is in the spotlight once again. While her game franchise has had its ups and downs over the years, Lara will always be an absolute icon in all of her iterations. In this episode, we chronicle Tomb Raider's development journey, the bad marketing choices behind the original games, and ultimately why Lara Croft still resonates today. Plus, we dive into the films and the new series from Crystal Dynamics. While we've covered the topic in the past, we're bringing in a new lens.

This week, we're celebrating Weekly Shonen Jump, the manga magazine that pretty much holds the keys to every one of our shonen favorites and the Toonami generation. With titles from Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and Yu Yu Hakusho to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Haikyuu!, and Death Note, the variety of the series that the magazine has published has showcased shonen's range. With help from special guest LaNeysha from Did You Have To? And So, Here's What Happened, we dive into the impact the magazine has had on pop culture, it's English language counterparts, and the series in ti that we love dearly. And Matt reveals the reason why he isn't a weeb. 

King of the Hill is the anime of Texas. Yes, that's the meme, but while this slice of life adult comedy may seem like a large hyperbole of the state and its people, truth is, it's pretty spot on. In this episode, we dive into the importance of the series, its success, and talk about why it hits the nail on the Texas head. And we even discuss how the series looks at the more conservative elements of Texan culture through a lens of growth.

Hitman 3 is out now and we're celebrating by diving into the history of the IO Interactive franchise. We tackle the rights issues, the impact of a suave Agent 47, and how it's gameplay is put to use by players. In short, we tell you exactly why Hitman matters. If you're unfamiliar with the video game stealth-adventure franchise, Hitman helped revolutionize the stealth video game genre, and while it may have floated under folks' radar the past few decades, the upcoming release of Hitman 3 warrants Agent 47's celebration. Whether you like to sneak your way towards targets or go in guns blazing (Kate), the franchise has remained versatile over its years of developer drama. The plot throughout the series' history has also been impressively thick, and we're not just talking about how good Agent 47 looks in suits (Kate).

Crunchyroll started as an illegal streaming site where fans could upload their fansubs of their favorite anime series - and a Starcraft vid or two - but now it's an anime platform worth over a billion dollars. In the wake of the announcement that Funimation owner, Sony would be buying Crunchyroll and the internet's communal "anime is worth how much?," we dig into the history of Crunchyroll. We talk about how its model and acquisition of simuldubs of Naruto from TV Tokyo pushed the industry to innovate digital platforms, expanded the kinds of anime available in the United States, and ultimately created the current anime streaming landscape that we know today. This episode is sponsored by MANSCAPED.com, use code BUTWHYTHO at check out for free shipping and 20% off.

This weekend One Piece hit its historic 1000th chapter. Created, written, and drawn by mangaka Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a member of the original Big Three manga and has shaped a generation of weebs. From the horrible 4Kids localizations and beyond, One Piece is a cornerstone of anime and at just under 1000 episodes of anime, we talk about it all. We talk about how Oda brought real pirate history into his vast world, how there is an island made of cake, and how this absurd pirate fantAsy adventure also touches on salient topics. And we do it all with the help of our resident Straw Hat, LaNeysha. Episode 163: One Piece Matters...But Why Tho? is sponsored by MANSCAPED. Head to MANSCAPED.com and use code BUTWHYTHO at check out for 20% off and free shipping!