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I review the young adult novel The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi.
It's Christmas in Febua- We mean March! Yes, that's right. You heard us. Or rather, this is our 2021 AGC Secret Santa episode. Only three months late. For us, this is pretty timely. So, what are we talking about this time? Why it's the anime Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit! It was animated by Production I.G directed by Kenji Kamiyama (back when he did awesome stuff), based on a novel series by Nahoko Uehashi.OSMnotesSpeaking of timely, this episode was recorded in January so things may not be as rosy as we hoped they would be. If you are interested in donating to help support Ukraine, Zepla on twitter has tweeted out several ways you can help. Also, today they announced that Crunchyroll gets to absorb Funimation as a treat, so if you have a Funimation Now subscription you should probably cancel that soon. But don't worry, Moribito is on HiDIVE! Which is now owned by AMC Networks. Anyway, have some Time Cues:We Start OSMcast!ing – 0:00General Gabbing, Vinnie and Crepe Day – 0:33OSMplugs (Discord, Patreon) – 5:04Moments of OSM – 6:27Kevin: Project A-Ko Blu-ray – 6:57Dylan: No Man's Sky – 11:46Doug: Mr. Beta - also Encanto! ALSO Genshin Impact! AGAIN!!! – 15:25Basil: Belle – 25:52Moribito: Guardian of the SpiritMoribito: Guardian of the Spirit, Sans Spoilers – 33:29Whoopsies! Episode goes off the rails – 54:12OK that was fun let's get back to it – 56:37Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, Full of Spoilers – 1:13:16Questions from Listeners Like You about Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit – 1:32:27OSMs out of OSM and Final Thoughts – 1:36:58 And as always, feel free to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! And if you still use Spotify, go ahead and get on that mobile device and throw us some five starts there too. Tell your friends! As well, just like we mentioned in the OSMplugs, you can also join the Discord and support us on Patreon!
Smack and Gabi compete to find out who read the best combination of books for the Mysterious Galaxy Summer Bingo by having random PvP fights between their books. Books pitted against each other in this episode (part one of two) include: The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett v. Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara v. Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison v. Legendary Cracow by Ewa Basiura Stealing Thunder by Alina Boyden v. Bodyminds Reimagined: (Dis)ability, Race, and Gender in Black Women's Speculative Fiction by Sami Schalk The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen v. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin v. The Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor v. The Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo Shuri: The Search for Black Panther by Nnedi Okorafor v. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo Gods and Monsters by Shelby Mahurin v. Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi The Resurrectionist of Caligo by Alicia Zaloga and Wendy Trimboli v. The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison v. Shuri: The Search for Black Panther by Nnedi Okorafor The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi translated by Cathy Hirano v. Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Smack unboxes a highly anticipated delivery from Barnes & Noble, Gabi learns what a Gyarados is, and we discuss a wide variety of recent reads that include contemporary fiction, YA fantasy, early 1900s howdunits, non-fiction manifestos and essays, and speculative poetry. Main books discussed include: The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi translated by Cathy Hirano Anxious People by Fredrik Backman translated by Neil Smith Simon Snow trilogy by Rainbow Rowell Arsène Lupin Gentleman Thief by Maurice LeBlanc translated by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos Whipping Girl by Julia Serano Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline The 2021 Rhysling Anthology edited by Alessandro Manzetti The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner
Amanda and Jenn discuss cuddly YA books, friendships in fiction, nonfiction for LGBTQ+ allies, and more in this week’s episode of Get Booked. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Feedback Nervermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (rec’d by Summer) The Emporium trilogy: Furyborn by Claire Legrand Rurouni Kenshi (manga) by Nobuhiro Watsuki; Moribito by Nahoko Uehashi; Keigo Higashino, Malice; Banana Yoshimoto, Kitchen; Hiromi Kawakami, Nakano Thrift Shop (rec’d by Kelly) Questions 1. Thank you for putting together such a great podcast! I listen to it every week. I am writing because my boyfriend and I are both avid readers and we want to read something together. The problem is we read very different genres. He likes historical books and books about leadership. Some of his favorite books are Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, Atomic Habits by James Clear, and Think Again by Adam Grant. I like romance, fantasy, and literary fiction. I am open to reading nonfiction but it’s kind of hit and miss for me. I got an ARC of Miseducated by Brandon P. Fleming and I really liked that. I’d be open to reading a self-improvement book with him because I think that might fit the bill. Some of my absolute favorite books are The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin, Beach Read by Emily Henry, and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. Thank you! -Jessica 2. I am in desperate need of some book recommendations. I’m usually a really big reader, but I’ve been in a bit of a slump lately and am hoping that you can help me. Problem is, I don’t really know what I’m looking for. I’m a teenager, so YA, and I really enjoy cuddly romance (I don’t like pining so the sooner the couple gets together the better) but I don’t like books that have romance as the whole plot (also, the romance doesn’t have to be male/female). I also like 1920s detective stories, sci-fi with ensemble casts, Good Omens-type books, and epic questing stories. I only ask that: it’s not SUPER heavy/dark, there is minimal pining, it isn’t a comic or graphic novel, and it is something that will hold an average teen’s attention past the first few chapters. And has a snarky side character that isn’t a human. Thanks a million! -Quinn 3. Thanks for a great podcast! I graduated college six years ago and find that the friendships I formed then remain my most intense to this day. I’m in close touch with these friends, but, as an international student who moved back to Europe after finishing my degree, have seen some of them in person only once or twice after graduation and others not at all. The nostalgia for the days when I could just knock on their dorm room doors is real! Can you recommend books that capture the tight-knit nature of friendships formed during a formative period in one’s life in close quarters? Please nothing about friendships buckling under the stresses of adult life; as I say, we’re still close. I’m just looking for a comforting, intelligent read for moments when I particularly miss my friends. -Luisa 4. Hey y’all, I want to get my Dad a book for Father’s Day that we can both read and discuss. He can be a bit of an *old white man,* and I’m looking for something that casually centers a non-white, non-Western culture and preferably has some strong female characters. He primarily reads Jack Reacher-style thrillers and the occasional high/epic fantasy when it falls in his lap (generally of the LOTR variety, basically still just about problematic white male Europeans). The Poppy War by RF Kuang is closest thing I know of to what I’m looking for but I’m hoping to find something I haven’t read before. I hope that the book can generate some conversation/thought about social justice issues today, but please don’t make me talk about explicit sex stuff with my Dad… -Caroline 5. Hey Book Riot! I wonder if you have any recommendations for a non-fiction (or fiction?) book for LGBTQ+ community allies? As in… I want to be able to explain things better if I get into an argument with a conservatively thinking person. Thank you!
Book reviews from June (The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas), Magovern (The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins), Charlotte (Other Words from Home by Jasmine Warga), Sarah Carter (New Kid by Jerry Craft), Libby (Today, Tonight, Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon), and Umber (Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi).
The hosts of the Otaku Spirit Animecast are here to take on the news of anime from the last few weeks. Listen in to get updated on the world of anime and get their take on it! Topics this episode: Shirbako dub, Granblue Spinoff, Child of Kamiari Month, Ghost in the Shell 4K, The Deer King, Tsutomu Mizushima’s new project, Crunchyroll’s Subs Milestone, Animelog, Beastars, Higurashi game, Yuki Yuna is a Hero new anime, Studio Arms Bankruptcy, and much more! Thanks to XxxdrkBaconChipswebxxX, Ved, and Yari Yuusha for the great questions featured in this episode! The opening music for this episode is the OP for Flying Witch called “Sharanran feat. 96 Neko” by miwa. The closing music for this episode is the OP for Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan called “Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-Chan” by Saeko Chiba.
This time on ARG we watch Erin, a.k.a. the Beast Player, a 2009 anime series adapting Nahoko Uehashi's novel series. Episodes of Anime Research Group contain spoilers for early episodes of the shows, and ill-informed speculation on future episodes. There are a few instances of cursing. This episode was recorded on January 8th, 2020.
It's the second annual Fully Booked Holiday Gift Guide Extravaganza! Editor-in-chief Tom Beer joins Megan in rounding up all the books you’ll want to give (and get) this December. Guests include Toshi Reagon, author of an introduction to a gorgeous new edition of Octavia Butler’s “Parable” novels, and Vicky Bennison, author of Pasta Grannies, a story-filled cookbook that’ll have you whipping up gnocchi like a nonna in no time. Then our editors join with their top gift picks, including books by Anouck Boisrobert (illus. by Louis Rigaud, trans. by Kevin St. John), Nahoko Uehashi (trans. by Cathy Hirano), Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns, and the editors at Phaidon Press.
This week, Liberty and Katie discuss My Lovely Wife, Good Talk, Dig, and more great books. This episode was sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton, published by Graydon House Books, and Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, publishers of The Handmaid's Tale graphic novel. Pick up an All the Books! 200th episode commemorative item here. Subscribe to All the Books! using RSS or iTunes and never miss a beat book. Sign up for the weekly New Books! newsletter for even more new book news. Books discussed on the show: My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing Unbecoming: A Memoir of Disobedience by Anuradha Bhagwati Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob Dig by A.S. King Guestbook: Ghost Stories by Leanne Shapton Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski PhD, Amelia Nagoski DMA On Cussing: Bad Words and Creative Cursing by Katherine Dunn The Other Americans by Laila Lalami What we're reading: The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson The Last Pass: Cousy, Russell, the Celtics, and What Matters in the End by Gary Pomerantz More books out this week: No Happy Endings: A Memoir by Nora McInerny Chronicles of a Radical Hag (with Recipes): A Novel by Lorna Landvik Tiamat's Wrath (The Expanse) by James S. A. Corey (Author) Sweety by Andrea Zuill Cilla Lee-Jenkins: The Epic Story by Susan Tan and Dana Wulfekotte XL by Scott Brown The Cook: A Novel by Maylis de Kerangal and Sam Taylor How to Love a Country by Richard Blanco Kaddish.com: A novel by Nathan Englander Murder Lo Mein (A Noodle Shop Mystery) by Vivien Chien Once & Future by Cori McCarthy and Amy Rose Capetta The Old Drift: A Novel by Namwali Serpell Zuleikha by Guzel Yakhina, Lisa C. Hayden (translator) Cheer Up, Mr. Widdicombe: A Novel by Evan James Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book by Ally Carter What Would Maisie Do?: Inspiration from the Pages of Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear The American Agent: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear Over the Moon by Natalie Lloyd The Astonishing Maybe by Shaunta Grimes How We Fight White Supremacy: A Field Guide to Black Resistance by Akiba Solomon and Kenrya Rankin Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi and Cathy Hirano White Elephant: A Novel by Julie Langsdorf A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine So Much Longing in So Little Space: The Art of Edvard Munch by Karl Ove Knausgaard Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do by Jennifer L. Eberhardt Murder by the Book: The Crime That Shocked Dickens's London by Claire Harman River of Fire by Qurratulain Hyder Our Super Adventure: Press Start to Begin by Sarah Graley What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays by Damon Young The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie Sing to It: New Stories by Amy Hempel Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss: A Novel by Rajeev Balasubramanyam The Workshop and the World: What Ten Thinkers Can Teach Us About Science and Authority by Robert P. Crease Elemental: How the Periodic Table Can Now Explain (Nearly) Everything by Tim James Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World by Clive Thompson One Warm Winter by Jamie Pope Villanelle: No Tomorrow: The basis for Killing Eve, now a major BBC TV series (Killing Eve series) by Luke Jennings The Infamous Duchess: Diamonds in the Rough by Sophie Barnes Voices: The Final Hours of Joan of Arc by David Elliott American Messiahs: False Prophets of a Damned Nation by Adam Morris The Library of Lost and Found: A Novel by Phaedra Patrick House of Secrets: The Many Lives of a Florentine Palazzo by Allison Levy
We've passed the three-episode mark! (Has Oldtaku no Radio passed your test?) In Episode #004, we talk about the 2007 anime series Moribito Guardian of the Spirit (Seirei no Moribito), which is based on a young adult novel by Nahoko Uehashi and combines animation production via Production I.G. with the directorial hand of Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell SAC & 2nd Gig, Eden of the East). This is a re-watch for both hosts, and the p(l)ayback shows in both our enthusiasm for all the things we talk about as well as everything we forget to expound upon. While this may not qualify as a classic at 10 years of age, Moribito is definitely an epic (in all meanings of the word) – one you should watch if you find any of our excited babble the least bit intriguing.
We've passed the three-episode mark! (Has Oldtaku no Radio passed your test?) In Episode #004, we talk about the 2007 anime series Moribito Guardian of the Spirit (Seirei no Moribito), which is based on a young adult novel by Nahoko Uehashi and combines animation production via Production I.G. with the directorial hand of Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell SAC & 2nd Gig, Eden of the East). This is a re-watch for both hosts, and the p(l)ayback shows in both our enthusiasm for all the things we talk about as well as everything we forget to expound upon. While this may not qualify as a classic at 10 years of age, Moribito is definitely an epic (in all meanings of the word) – one you should watch if you find any of our excited babble the least bit intriguing.
We've passed the three-episode mark! (Has Oldtaku no Radio passed your test?) In Episode #004, we talk about the 2007 anime series Moribito Guardian of the Spirit (Seirei no Moribito), which is based on a young adult novel by Nahoko Uehashi and combines animation production via Production I.G. with the directorial hand of Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell SAC & 2nd Gig, Eden of the East). This is a re-watch for both hosts, and the p(l)ayback shows in both our enthusiasm for all the things we talk about as well as everything we forget to expound upon. While this may not qualify as a classic at 10 years of age, Moribito is definitely an epic (in all meanings of the word) – one you should watch if you find any of our excited babble the least bit intriguing.
We've passed the three-episode mark! (Has Oldtaku no Radio passed your test?) In Episode #004, we talk about the 2007 anime series Moribito Guardian of the Spirit (Seirei no Moribito), which is based on a young adult novel by Nahoko Uehashi and combines animation production via Production I.G. with the directorial hand of Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell SAC & 2nd Gig, Eden of the East). This is a re-watch for both hosts, and the p(l)ayback shows in both our enthusiasm for all the things we talk about as well as everything we forget to expound upon. While this may not qualify as a classic at 10 years of age, Moribito is definitely an epic (in all meanings of the word) – one you should watch if you find any of our excited babble the least bit intriguing.
In this episode, Arthur A. Levine, Vice President and Publisher of Arthur A. Levine Books, joins us to talk about the authors, topics, and books that he has championed throughout his career. Authors Francisco Stork (Marcelo in the Real World, The Memory of Light) and Mike Jung (Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities, Unidentified Suburban Object) will also join us to talk about their new work. Guests: Arthur A. Levine is Vice President and Publisher of Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc. Throughout his career, Levine has edited and championed an exceptional and diverse group of writers and artists, including Emma Donoghue, J.K. Rowling, Lisa Yee, Jaclyn Moriarty, Shaun Tan, Sundee Frazier, and Dan Santat. The imprint publishes Varian Johnson, Francisco Stork, Eric Gansworth, Sarwat Chadda, and many others. Arthur is also a leading publisher of books-in-translation, introducing American children to such writers as Daniella Carmi (Israel), Josef Holub and Wolfgang Herrndorf (Germany), Luis Sepulveda (Chile), Laura Gallego Garcia (Spain), Silvana Gandolfi (Italy), Nahoko Uehashi and Komako Sakai (Japan), Sylvie Weil (France), Guus Kuijer, Karlijn Stoffels, and Marcel Prins (The Netherlands), and Anne Provoost (Belgium). Arthur A. Levine Books is also recognized for having brought out the first contemporary YA novel translated from the Russian, Playing a Part, an LGBT coming-of age-story by Daria Wilke. Follow @AALBooks on Twitter. Francisco X. Stork is the author of the acclaimed Marcelo in the Real World which received five starred reviews and won the Schneider Family Book Award for Teens; The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, which was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice selection; and Irises. His most recent young adult novel, The Memory of Light, was recently published and has already received four starred reviews. Francisco was born in Monterrey, Mexico, spent his teenage years in El Paso, Texas, and now lives outside Boston, Massachusetts, with his family. Mike Jung is the author of Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities and Unidentified Suburban Object. He has contributed to the anthologies Dear Teen Me, Break These Rules, and 59 Reasons to Write. Mike is a library professional by day, a writer by night, and a semi-competent ukulele player during all the times in between. He is proud to be a founding member of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks team. Mike lives in Oakland, California, with his wife and two young children. Find Mike at www.mikejung.com. Additional resources: Learn more about Arthur A. Levine Books here. Learn more about We Need Diverse Books here. Read an excerpt of The Memory of Light. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
In this episode, Arthur A. Levine, Vice President and Publisher of Arthur A. Levine Books, joins us to talk about the authors, topics, and books that he has championed throughout his career. Authors Francisco Stork (Marcelo in the Real World, The Memory of Light) and Mike Jung (Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities, Unidentified Suburban Object) will also join us to talk about their new work. Guests: Arthur A. Levine is Vice President and Publisher of Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc. Throughout his career, Levine has edited and championed an exceptional and diverse group of writers and artists, including Emma Donoghue, J.K. Rowling, Lisa Yee, Jaclyn Moriarty, Shaun Tan, Sundee Frazier, and Dan Santat. The imprint publishes Varian Johnson, Francisco Stork, Eric Gansworth, Sarwat Chadda, and many others. Arthur is also a leading publisher of books-in-translation, introducing American children to such writers as Daniella Carmi (Israel), Josef Holub and Wolfgang Herrndorf (Germany), Luis Sepulveda (Chile), Laura Gallego Garcia (Spain), Silvana Gandolfi (Italy), Nahoko Uehashi and Komako Sakai (Japan), Sylvie Weil (France), Guus Kuijer, Karlijn Stoffels, and Marcel Prins (The Netherlands), and Anne Provoost (Belgium). Arthur A. Levine Books is also recognized for having brought out the first contemporary YA novel translated from the Russian, Playing a Part, an LGBT coming-of age-story by Daria Wilke. Follow @AALBooks on Twitter. Francisco X. Stork is the author of the acclaimed Marcelo in the Real World which received five starred reviews and won the Schneider Family Book Award for Teens; The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, which was named a New York Times Editors' Choice selection; and Irises. His most recent young adult novel, The Memory of Light, was recently published and has already received four starred reviews. Francisco was born in Monterrey, Mexico, spent his teenage years in El Paso, Texas, and now lives outside Boston, Massachusetts, with his family. Mike Jung is the author of Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities and Unidentified Suburban Object. He has contributed to the anthologies Dear Teen Me, Break These Rules, and 59 Reasons to Write. Mike is a library professional by day, a writer by night, and a semi-competent ukulele player during all the times in between. He is proud to be a founding member of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks team. Mike lives in Oakland, California, with his wife and two young children. Find Mike at www.mikejung.com. Additional resources: Learn more about Arthur A. Levine Books here. Learn more about We Need Diverse Books here. Read an excerpt of The Memory of Light. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer