Ghost Divers

[S20E9] Turn A Gundam, eps. 45–50

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0000

0:12:51: Synopses
0:40:23: Episode discussion
2:11:43: Outro and ED
2:27:01: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdivers.exportaud.io
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Pondering Pootan: exportaud.io/pootan
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells
Around the Long Fire: abnormalmapping.com/longfire

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Violence, warfare, assassination, death
Nuclear warfare
Genocide, war crimes, large-scale destruction of civilian areas

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S20E8] Turn A Gundam, eps. 39–44

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:00:00 -0000

0:03:52: Synopses\
0:46:44: Episode discussion\
2:01:12: Outro and ED\
2:11:19: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdivers.exportaud.io
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Violence, warfare, assassination, death
Nuclear warfare
Unarmed human killed by a mobile suit

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

A Silent Voice

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:00:00 -0000

Emmeline: @shirokumahi.me
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Bullying, depression, attempted suicide

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S20E7] Turn A Gundam, eps. 32–38

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:00:00 -0000

0:07:48: Synopses
0:54:30: Episode discussion
2:21:43: Outro and ED
2:31:22: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdivers.exportaud.io
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Violence, warfare, assassination, death
Nuclear warfare
Suicide / sacrificial death

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S20E6] Turn A Gundam, eps. 26–31

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:00:00 -0000

0:05:17: Synopses
0:49:44: Episode discussion
2:20:01: Outro and ED
2:30:16: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdivers.exportaud.io
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Violence, warfare, assassination, death
Nuclear warfare
Mention of suicide

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S20E5] Turn A Gundam, eps. 19–25

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:00:00 -0000

0:10:14: Synopses
0:59:06: Episode discussion
2:07:01: Outro and ED
2:15:17: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdivers.exportaud.io
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Violence, warfare, assassination, death
Sexuality
Injury, trauma, field hospital, surgery

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S20E4] Turn A Gundam, eps. 13–18

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:00:00 -0000

0:09:47: Synopses
0:52:47: Episode discussion
2:29:31: Outro and ED
2:40:55: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdivers.exportaud.io
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Sexism and racism
Violence, warfare, death
Dismemberment

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S20E3] Turn A Gundam, eps. 7–12

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 13:00:00 -0000

0:08:59: Synopses\
0:46:36: Episode discussion\
2:08:57: Outro and ED\
2:23:05: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdivers.exportaud.io\
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io\
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io\
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers\
Pondering Pootan: exportaud.io/pootan\
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells\
Around the Long Fire: abnormalmapping.com/longfire

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Sexism and racism
Violence, warfare, death

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

The Fifth Annual New Year's Special: Always 432Hz

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0000

0:26:26: The Ranking of Anime\
1:38:21: The OP and ED Brackets\
2:24:18: Outro and ED\
2:31:11: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdivers.exportaud.io
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S20E2] Turn A Gundam, eps. 1–6

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0000

0:07:09: Synopses
1:02:50: Episode discussion
2:38:45: Outro and ED
2:54:26: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdivers.exportaud.io
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Nudity, sexuality, puberty
Violence, warfare, death

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Manga Café vol. 5: Land of the Lustrous

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0000

Em and Autumn talk about a staggering work of cockless beauty, Land of the Lustrous.

The Show: @ghostdiverspod

Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io

Em: @shirokumahi.me

Autumn: @autumnalcoffee.exportaud.io

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io

Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers

Pondering Pootan: exportaud.io/pootan

Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Around the Long Fire: abnormalmapping.com/longfire

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S20E1] Intro to Turn A Gundam

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0000

Dive into ∀ Gundam!

The Show: @ghostdivers.exportaud.io
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Violence, warfare, death
Some nudity and sexuality
Racism

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S19E7] Question Bucket: There are many things about apple biology I didn’t know that could be compelling

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 13:00:00 -0000

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S19E6] Night on the Galactic Railroad

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 13:00:00 -0000

0:18:56: Synopses
0:41:13: Discussion
1:38:15: Outro and ED
2:03:41: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Death
Self-sacrifice
Drowning

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S19E5] Penguindrum, eps. 19–24

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:08:43: Synopses
0:38:29: Episode discussion
2:20:58: Outro and ED
2:42:59: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Illness and death
Murder and violence
Self-harm and self-sacrifice

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S19E4] Penguindrum, eps. 13–18

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:10:07: Synopses
0:35:43: Episode discussion
2:02:47: Outro and ED
2:16:21: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Illness and death
Date rape drugging, rape
Lesbian predator trope
Child abuse and child sexual assault
Murder
Self-harm
Torture

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S19E3] Penguindrum, eps. 7–12

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:08:57: Synopses
0:29:18: Episode discussion
1:00:39: Interruption (Niamh's kid had a night terror)
1:01:30: Back to episode discussion
2:10:34: Outro and ED
2:22:42: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Illness and death
Obsession
Sexual harassment, stalking, and sexual assault
Date rape drugging, rape
Self-harm

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S19E2] Penguindrum, eps. 1–6

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:09:30: Synopses
0:31:49: Episode discussion
1:54:05: Outro and ED
2:07:06: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Illness and death
Obsession
Sexual harassment, stalking, and sexual assault

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S19E1] Intro to Penguindrum

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 12:00:00 -0000

Dive into Penguindrum!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Emotional abuse, physical abuse, manipulation, torture
Death
Attempted murder
Attempted suicide
Sexual harassment, stalking, sexual assault, and rape

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S18E8] Question Bucket: I was looking at a lot of pictures of towers when a sudden feeling occurred

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 12:00:00 -0000

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io
Ina: @poyfuh.bsky.social

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S18E7] Dear Brother, eps. 34–39 (with special guest Ina B)

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:18:47: Synopses (also we kinda get into episode discussion interspersed)
0:46:23: Episode discussion
2:05:48: Outro and ED
2:21:07: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io
Ina: @poyfuh.bsky.social

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Obsession, manipulation, and emotional abuse
Death, mourning
Self-harm
Cancer
Incest
Misogyny and queerphobia

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S18E6] Dear Brother, eps. 27–33 (with special guests Ina B)

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:09:30: Synopses
0:47:00: Episode discussion
2:06:30: Outro and ED
2:17:56: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io
Ina: @poyfuh.bsky.social

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Obsession, manipulation, and emotional abuse
Violence
Self-harm and attempted suicide
Incest
Drug use
Death

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S18E5] Dear Brother, eps. 21–26 (with special guests Ina B)

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:05:43: Synopses
0:42:23: Episode discussion
1:57:12: Outro and ED
2:11:04: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io
Ina: @poyfuh.bsky.social

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Obsession, manipulation, and emotional abuse
Violence and attempted murder
Near drowning
Self-harm and attempted suicide
Incest
Drug use

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S18E4] Dear Brother, eps. 15–20 (with special guests Ina B & Em Marko)

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:06:37: Synopses
0:25:28: Episode discussion
1:37:32: Outro and ED
1:48:06: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io
Ina: @poyfuh.bsky.social
Em: @polarbearsummer.online

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Obsession, manipulation, and emotional abuse
Incest
Drug use
Violence

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S18E3] Dear Brother, eps. 8–14 (with special guest Ina B)

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:05:04: Synopses
0:33:52: Episode discussion
1:56:45: Outro and ED
2:05:56: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io Ina: @poyfuh.bsky.social

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Obsession, manipulation, and emotional abuse
Incest
Drug use
Double suicide / murder suicide
Violence

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S18E2] Dear Brother, eps. 1–7 (with special guest Ina B)

Fri, 23 May 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:05:07: Synopses
0:39:56: Episode discussion
2:14:59: Outro and ED
2:25:34: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io
Ina: @poyfuh.bsky.social

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Bullying and abuse
Incest (kinda? mentioned, at least)
Violence

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S18E1] Intro to Dear Brother (with special guest Ina B)

Fri, 09 May 2025 12:00:00 -0000

Dive into Dear Brother!

(Also, check out Pinfeather here: https://amensalism.itch.io/pinfeather)

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io
Ina: @poyfuh.bsky.social

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning for the Series

Drug use
Domestic violence
Suicide
Toxic relationships
Bullying and abuse
Incest?

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S17E6] Question Bucket: I don't have fans, I have subjects

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:09:50: Answering questions
2:28:06: Outro and ED
2:39:41: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io
Em: @polarbearsummer.online

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Manga Café vol. 4: Last Quarter

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0000

Em and Niamh talk about the last of the four (get it?) Yazawa Ai manga to be officially translated into English.

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Em: @polarbearsummer.online

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S17E5] Chobits, eps. 20–26 (with special guest Em Marko)

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:08:15: Synopses
0:36:51: Episode discussion
2:24:19: Outro and ED
2:40:28: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io
Em: @polarbearsummer.online

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Sex and sexuality
Cheating and infidelity
Teacher/student relationship
Incest
Alcohol

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S17E4] Chobits, eps. 14–19 (with special guest Em Marko)

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:05:43: Synopses
0:23:15: Episode discussion
1:36:22: Outro and ED
1:57:11: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io
Em: @polarbearsummer.online

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Sex and sexuality
Cheating and infidelity
Teacher/student relationship
Alcohol

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S17E3] Chobits, eps. 7–13 (with special guest Em Marko)

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0000

0:09:40: Synopses
0:23:58: Episode discussion
2:12:41: An attempt to define "CLAMP Sauce"
2:52:56: Outro and ED
3:08:04: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais.exportaud.io
Em: @polarbearsummer.online

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Sex and sexuality
Sexism and misogyny
Sex work
Sexual assault
Women as dolls/robots/children
Brief mention of pedophilia/incest/other rough things CLAMP has touched on

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S17E2] Chobits, eps. 1–6 (with special guest Em Marko)

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 13:00:00 -0000

0:05:32: Synopses
0:16:03: Episode discussion
2:00:29: Outro and ED
2:10:43: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais
Em: @polarbearsummer.online

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Sex and sexuality
Sexism and misogyny
Women as dolls/robots/children

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

[S17E1] Intro to Chobits (with special guest Em Marko)

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 13:00:00 -0000

Dive into Chobits!

[S17E1] Intro to Chobits: February 14, 2025
[S17E2] Chobits, eps. 1–6: February 28, 2025
[S17E3] Chobits, eps. 7–13: March 14, 2025
[S17E4] Chobits, eps. 14–19: March 28, 2025
[S17E5] Chobits, eps. 20–26: April 11, 2025
[S17E6] Question Bucket: April 25, 2025

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais
Em: @polarbearsummer.online

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning for the Series

Sex and sexuality
Sex work
Sexism and misogyny
Women as dolls/robots

[S16E10] Question Bucket: C.C.'s Limited Edition Sebulba Character Topper Cup from Pizza Hut

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 13:00:00 -0000

0:50:32: Answering questions
2:03:23: Musical intermission + "BEFORE WE GET BACK TO EMAILS… CONNOR… I HAD A DREAM!"
2:16:48: Answering the remaining questions
3:26:08: Outro and ED
3:35:23: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.exportaud.io
Connor: @rabbleais

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Manga Café vol. 3: Neighborhood Story

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 13:00:00 -0000

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.bsky.social
Em: @polarbearsummer.online

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

[S16E9] Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2, eps. 20–25

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 06:00:00 -0000

0:04:15: Discussion of the ending and the episodes in general
0:42:29: Synopses
1:07:42: More discussion about the episodes and conclusion of the show's themes
2:04:43: Outro and ED
2:17:24: Post-ED segment

0:41:49: When we start talking about IBO, jump here to skip the spoilers!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.bsky.social
Connor: @rabbleais

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Violence, death, and warfare
Mind control
Erasing and rewriting/fabricating memories without consent
Deceit and manipulation
Loss of self
Sexuality

[S16E8] Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2, eps. 13–19

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 13:00:00 -0000

0:05:09: Synopses for all episodes
0:39:46: Discussion of all episodes
2:02:31: Outro and ED
2:10:50: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.bsky.social
Connor: @rabbleais

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Suicide
Violence, death, and warfare
Mind control and mind reading
Erasing and rewriting/fabricating memories without consent
Deceit and manipulation
Sexuality

The Fourth Annual New Year's Special: Nasal Gaving

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 06:00:00 -0000

Happy New Year! Next year we will really try to be faster with the show rankings...

0:05:56 Show rankings
1:38:38 OP bracket
1:51:43 ED bracket
2:02:05 General year-end discussion
2:25:55 Emails from you, our darling listeners!
3:40:50 Plugs & outro
3:44:55 Post-ED segment

Write into future episodes at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @foxmomnia.bsky.social
Connor: @rabbleais

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

[S16E7] Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2, eps. 7–12

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 13:00:00 -0000

0:25:18: Synopses for all episodes
1:00:10: Discussion of all episodes
2:17:56: Outro and ED
2:28:15: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) and @foxmomnia.bsky.social (bluesky)
Connor: @rabbleais

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Suicide
Violence, death, and warfare
Mind control and mind reading
Erasing and rewriting/fabricating memories without consent
Deceit and manipulation
Sexuality

[S16E6] Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2, eps. 1–6

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 13:00:00 -0000

0:20:43: Synopses for all episodes
0:52:59: Discussion of all episodes
1:55:44: Outro and ED
2:02:49: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) and @foxmomnia.bsky.social (bluesky)
Connor: @rabbleais

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Suicide
Violence, death, and warfare
Mind control and mind reading
Erasing and rewriting/fabricating memories without consent
Deceit and manipulation
So much more sexuality, oh my god

[S16E5] Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, eps. 20–25

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 13:00:00 -0000

0:08:41: Synopses for all episodes
0:52:54: Discussion of all episodes
2:15:32: Outro and ED
2:30:11: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) and @foxmomnia.bsky.social (bluesky)
Connor: @rabbleais

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Suicide
Violence, death, warfare, and the threat of mutually assured annihilation
Mind control and mind reading
Erasing memories without consent
Murder and dismemberment
Deceit
Sexuality

[S16E4] Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, eps. 13–19

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 13:00:00 -0000

0:13:03: Synopses for all episodes
0:44:50: Discussion of all episodes
2:01:12: Outro and ED
2:14:29: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) and @foxmomnia.bsky.social (bluesky)
Connor: @rabbleais

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Suicide
Violence, death
Mind control and mind reading
Erasing memories without consent
Murder and dismemberment
Deceit
Sexuality

[S16E3] Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, eps. 7–12

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:12:03: Synopses for all episodes
0:41:27: Discussion of all episodes
2:22:07: Outro and ED
2:35:27: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) and @foxmomnia.bsky.social (bluesky)
Connor: @rabbleais

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Suicide
Violence, death
Mind control
Deceit
Sexuality
Drugs and addiction

[S16E2] Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, eps. 1–6

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:04:21: Synopses for all episodes
0:31:15: Discussion of all episodes
2:10:08: Outro and ED
2:20:38: Post-ED segment

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warning

Suicide
Violence, death
Mind control
Sexuality

[S16E1] Intro to Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 12:00:00 -0000

Dive into Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Release Schedule

[S16E1] Intro to Code Geass: September 27, 2024
[S16E2] Code Geass, eps. 1–6: October 11, 2024
[S16E3] Code Geass, eps. 7–12: October 25, 2024
[S16E4] Code Geass, eps. 13–19: November 8, 2024
[S16E5] Code Geass, eps. 20–25: November 22, 2024
[S16E6] Code Geass R2, eps. 1–6: December 6, 2024
[S16E7] Code Geass R2, eps. 7–12: December 20, 2024
[S16E8] Code Geass R2, eps. 13–19: January 3, 2025
[S16E9] Code Geass R2, eps. 20–25: January 17, 2025
[S16E10] Question Bucket: January 31, 2025 (Plan to record January 24, 2025)

[S15E6] Question Bucket: Griffith staring at Minister Foss over a half-unwrapped burrito a.k.a. Polonium is not an element (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 12:00:00 -0000

Basically just answered emails the entire time so no neat divisions for timestamps for this one.

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee (twitter) or @autumnalcoffee (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Some use of the f-slur I think? Maybe?
Rape, sexual assault, violence, torture, and gore
Sex and sexuality
Sexism and misogyny
Discussion of pedophilia and the sexualization of young girls
Some light talk about the manga, nothing too spoilery but mentioning just in case

[S15E5] Berserk, eps. 20–25 (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:14:18: Synopses for all episodes
1:00:05: Episodes discussion for all episodes
2:20:39: Outro and ED
2:35:22: Post-ED segment

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings

Extensive discussion of rape and sexual violence
Discussion of extreme torture, violence, gore, murder, and death
Sexism and misogyny
Attempted suicide
Horror
Betrayal
Sex and nudity

[S15E4] Berserk, eps. 13–19 (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:03:57: Synopses for all episodes
0:35:50: Episodes discussion for all episodes
2:36:48: Outro and ED
2:51:58: Post-ED segment

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings

Rape and sexual violence
Sexual harassment and assault
Pedophilia
Sex work
Sexism and misogyny
Violence, gore, and death by arson
Self-harm
Sex and nudity

[S15E3] Berserk, eps. 7–12 (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:04:40: Synopses for all episodes
0:20:43: Episodes discussion for all episodes
2:19:23: Outro and ED
2:36:17: Post-ED segment

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings

Sexism and misogyny
Rape and sexual violence
Pedophilia
Sex work
Sexual harassment and assault
Violence and gore
Self-harm
Sex and nudity

[S15E2] Berserk, eps. 1–6 (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:08:25: Synopses for all episodes
0:27:27: Episodes discussion for all episodes
2:08:23: Outro and ED
2:20:53: Post-ED segment

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings

Rape and sexual violence, including discussion of child sexual assault
Sexual harassment and assault
Violence and gore
Body horror, including sexualized body horror
Possessiveness
Suicide and suicidality
Sex and nudity
Sexism

[S15E1] Intro to Berserk (1997) (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 12:00:00 -0000

Dive into Berserk (1997)!

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Release Schedule

[S15E1] Intro to Berserk: July 5, 2024
[S15E2] Berserk, eps. 1–6: July 19, 2024
[S15E3] Berserk, eps. 6–12: August 2, 2024
[S15E4] Berserk, eps. 13–19: August 16, 2024
[S15E5] Berserk, eps. 20–25: August 30, 2024
[S15E6] Question Bucket: September 13, 2024

Note: Starting with S15E3, discussion episodes will be a week early in the Patreon feed if at all possible! Intro episodes and Question Bucket episodes will not due to the nature of how we record them.

Content Warnings for the Anime

Rape and sexual violence, including reference to child sexual assault
Extreme violence, gore, and detailed violent torture
Suicide
Sex & nudity
Sexism

[S13E6] Psycho-Pass: The Movie

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 12:00:00 -0000

We finally return to watch Psycho-Pass: The Movie!

00:20:07: Synopsis
00:31:48: Discussion
02:11:27: Outro
02:29:02: Post-ED discussion

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is Saturday, August 12, 2023. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Works Cited in this Discussion

Fanon, Frantz. Les Damnés de la Terre (The Wretched of the Earth), 1961.

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. The Social Contract, 1762.

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Body horror, exploding bodies
Police violence and brutality
Military violence, massacres, and genocide
Gun violence
Racism & colonialism

[S14E21] Question Bucket: Charles Barkley has read all of NANA and he's currently unemployed (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:03:38: Draft
1:34:48: Getting to the rest of the emails...
3:39:41: Plugs and outro
3:47:16: Post-ED chat

OP: "Platonic" by Aiha Higurashi
ED: "MOON LIGHT" by Buck-Tick

You can send emails for Psycho-Pass: The Movie or write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Some use of the f-slur
Mention of suicide and self-harm
Misogyny and sexism
Childhood abandonment, neglect trauma
Sex and sexuality
Mention of child sexual abuse/grooming
Mental illness and distress
Alcohol

[S14E20] NANA, chs. 78–80

Fri, 24 May 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:12:26: Looking back on the series as a whole
0:27:51 Synopses
0:35:38 Some discussion of the volume overall
0:40:43 Chapter 78 discussion
1:26:47 Chapter 79 discussion
1:58:02 Chapter 80 discussion
2:39:28 Discussion of uncollected chapters 81-84
3:18:29 Plugs and outro
Post-ED chat

OP: "Punk Mushi no Onna" by Jun Togawa
ED: "If we belong" by Aiha Higurashi

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for NANA is May 31, 2024. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Death, fatal car crash
Funeral, unfinished business, extreme grief
Discussion of details of a brutal and disfiguring death on a dead body
Drug use and addiction
Suicide, self-harm, drowning
Childhood abandonment, neglect trauma
Abusive relationships, manipulation, controlling behavior
Cheating and infidelity
Divorce, messy breakups
Misogyny and sexism
Sex and sexuality
Mental illness and distress
Self-starvation
Alcohol

Punk Mushi no Onna

One! Two! Three! Four!

In the moonlit white forest,
I am burrowing into tree roots
where many cicadas will emerge.
Ah ah!

This is the image of me as I reach my final metamorphosis
from thinking too many thoughts of you.
In the moonlit frozen forest,
I am an insect woman drinking tree sap.

When at last
you finally notice me
with my amber stomach,
the girl who transformed into an insect,
parasitized by a strange grass
growing stems of sorrow from her amber back.

[S14E19] NANA, chs. 74–77

Fri, 10 May 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:07:20 Synopses
0:22:42 Discussion of the volume overall
0:35:48 Chapter 74 discussion
1:23:36 Chapter 75 discussion
2:02:34 Chapter 76 discussion
2:41:08 Chapter 77 discussion
3:31:29 Plugs and outro
3:41:12 Post-ED chat

OP: "Fuckin' Blue" by Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
ED: "My Way" by Mika Nakashima

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Death, fatal car crash
Drug use and addiction
Self-harm, suicide, drowning
Childhood abandonment, neglect trauma
Abusive relationships, manipulation, controlling behavior
Sexual assault/rape
Grooming, child abuse, and pedophilia
Cheating and infidelity
Divorce, messy breakups
Misogyny and sexism
Sex and sexuality
Kidnapping victims
Alcohol

[S14E18] NANA, chs. 70–73

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:06:19 Synopses
0:21:57 Chapter 70 discussion
1:11:13 Chapter 71 discussion
1:56:09 Chapter 72 discussion
2:38:27 Chapter 73 discussion
3:25:53 Plugs and outro
3:45: Post-ED chat

OP: "Shadow of love" by Olivia Lufkin
ED: "Cut me free" by Olivia Lufkin

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Abusive relationships, manipulation, controlling behavior
Sexual assault/rape
Self-harm, suicide, drowning
Death
Grooming, child abuse, and pedophilia
Childhood abandonment, neglect trauma
Cheating and infidelity
Divorce
Misogyny and sexism
Sex and sexuality
Drug use and addiction
Kidnapping victims
Alcohol

[S14E17] NANA, chs. 66–69 + Takumi

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:08:21 Synopses
0:16:42 Chapter 66 discussion
0:51:46 Chapter 67 discussion
1:13:51 Chapter 68 discussion
1:54:20 Chapter 69 discussion
2:32:51 Takumi discussion
4:09:29 Plugs and outro
3:45: Post-ED chat

OP: "My Funny Valentine" by Buck-Tick
ED: "I'm addicted to you" by Anna Tsuchiya

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Self-harm, suicide, drowning
Extensive discussion of suicical ideationbr> Death
Grooming, child abuse, and pedophilia
Childhood abandonment, neglect trauma
Abusive relationships, manipulation, controlling behavior
Cheating and infidelity
Misogyny and sexism
Sex and sexuality, including high school sexuality and explicit talk about cum
Drug use
Alcohol

[S14E16] NANA, chs. 62–65

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:00:00 -0000

0:07:48: Synopses
0:18:04: Chapter 62 discussion
1:08:28 Chapter 63 discussion
1:50:30 Chapter 64 discussion
2:33:49 Chapter 65 discussion
3:33:11 Plugs and outro
3:45:33 Post-ED chat

OP: "Your Guitar" by Shonen Knife
ED: "What to say" by Aiha Higurashi

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Childhood abandonment
Grooming, child abuse, and pedophilia
Abusive relationships, manipulation, controlling behavior
Cheating and infidelity
Deception and stalking
Eating disorders
Sex and sexuality
Self-harm, suicide, drowning
Death
Sexism
Alcohol

[S14E15] NANA, chs. 58–61 + Nobu

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 12:01:00 -0000

0:06:57 Synopses
0:20:38 Chapter 58 discussion
1:31:20 Chapter 59 discussion
2:15:37 Chapter 60 discussion
2:38:30 Chapter 61 discussion
3:00:20 Nobu discussion
3:44:29 Plugs and outro
4:03:29 Post-ED chat

OP: "Sweet Christmas" by Shonen Knife
ED: "As long as we're together" by Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Death
Self-harm, suicide, drowning, jumping
Dissociative trauma attack/panic attack
Abusive relationships, manipulation, controlling behavior
Pregnancy and abortion
Sex, sexuality, adolescent sexuality
Childhood abandonment
Lying about identity, deception, potential stalking
Sexism
Alcohol

[S14E14] NANA, chs. 54–57

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 13:01:00 -0000

0:05:29 Synopses
0:20:31 Chapter 54 discussion
1:19:13 Chapter 55 discussion
2:01:17 Chapter 56 discussion
2:52:16 Chapter 57 discussion
3:38:11 Plugs and outro
3:48:03 Post-ED chat

OP: "Don't leave me" by Teengenerate
ED: "Sea me (English version)" by Olivia Lufkin

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Sex, sexuality, and sex work
Abusive relationships, manipulation, and deceit
Pedophilia, child sex work
Self-harm, suicide, and death
Dissociative trauma attack/panic attack
Drowning as a metaphor
Cheating and infidelity
Alcohol

[S14E13] NANA, chs. 50–53

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 13:01:00 -0000

0:04:32 Synopses
0:15:32 Chapter 50 discussion
0:59:01 Chapter 51 discussion
1:41:06 Chapter 52 discussion
2:28:39 Chapter 53 discussion
3:00:05 Plugs and outro
3:13:12 Post-ED chat

OP: "Eyes for the Moon" by Mika Nakashima
ED: "get out from the shell -asian version" by L'Arc~en~Ciel

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Sex, sexuality, and sex work
Groupes and sex with fans
Abusive relationships, manipulation
Self-harm, suicide, and death
Dissociative trauma attack/panic attack
Drowning as a metaphor
Cheating and infidelity

[S14E12] NANA, chs. 46–49

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 13:00:00 -0000

0:11:38 Synopses
0:17:29 Chapter 46 discussion
1:22:38 Chapter 47 discussion
2:06:34 Chapter 48 discussion
2:57:37 Chapter 49 discussion
3:29:01 Plugs and outro
3:38:03 Post-ED chat

OP: "Cinderellalize" by LOVES.
ED: "Take Me Home" by Aiha Higurashi

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Sex, sexuality, and sex work
Rape and abuse
Pedophilia, child sex work, grooming
Self-harm and suicide
Abusive relationships, manipulation
Drugs, drug abuse, and addiction
Sexual choking/breathplay sex/erotic asphyxiation
Dissociative trauma attack/panic attack
Drowning as a metaphor
Death wish, murder-suicide, sexual killing
Cheating and infidelity

[S14E11] NANA, chs. 42–45

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 13:00:00 -0000

0:04:12 Looking back on the arcs so far as we move into a new narrative arc
0:28:06 Synopses
0:39:10 Chapter 42 discussion
1:29:53 Chapter 43 discussion
2:12:14 Chapter 44 discussion
2:31:54 Chapter 45 discussion
3:07:14 Plugs and outro
3:15:36 Post-ED chat

OP: "Old Fashioned Love Song" by Sheena & the Rokkets
ED: "I'm Your Girl" by Aiha Higurashi

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Sex, sexuality, and sex work
Pedophilia, child sex work, grooming
Self-harm and suicide
Abusive relationships, manipulation
Cheating

[S14E10] NANA, chs. 37–41

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 13:00:00 -0000

0:06:35 Discussing the image of the moon in NANA
0:18:44 Synopses
0:27:54 Chapter 37 discussion
1:07:54 Chapter 38 discussion
1:33:19 Chapter 39 discussion
2:20:43 Chapter 40 discussion
2:58:41 Chapter 41 discussion
3:39:26 Plugs and outro
3:48:56 Post-ED chat

OP: "Under the Moonlight" by Buck-Tick
ED: "If It Is the Deep Sea, I Can See You There" by Melt-Banana

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Drugs, drug abuse, and addiction
Sex, sexuality, and sex work
Sexual choking/breathplay sex/erotic asphyxiation
Dissociative trauma attack/panic attack
Drowning as a metaphor
Pedophilia, child sex work, grooming
Self-harm and suicide
Death wish, vague suggestion of murder-suicide
Abusive relationships, manipulation
Cheating

The Third Annual New Year's Special: Cromartie High — The Movie

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 06:00:00 -0000

Happy New Year!

Will you feel a little better about our little prank if I tell you that not only are we doing Barry Lyndon on Stairwells next week but ALSO Niamh finished recording this episode, went to bed, and then woke up to a day of nothing but fever dreams and sweating through faer sheets?

Trust us, it's better this way. Barry Lyndon deserves better than being the afterthought at the end of one of these specials.

0:34:02 Show rankings
1:35:08 OP bracket
1:52:19 ED bracket
2:13:58 Cromartie High — The Movie discussion
2:53:22 Questions
3:29:22 Plugs & outro
3:36:29 Post-ED segment

Write into future episodes at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

[S14E9] NANA, chs. 33–36

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 13:00:00 -0000

0:24:08 Synopses
0:34:01 Chapter 33 discussion
1:31:40 Chapter 34 discussion
2:10:03 Chapter 35 discussion
2:47:48 Chapter 36 discussion
3:17:43 Plugs and outro
3:29:25 Post-ED chat

OP: "Star" by Shonen Knife
ED: "Do I love you enough?" by Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Dissociative trauma attack
Pedophilia/child sex work/grooming
Pregnancy/abortion/unwanted children
Self-harm and suicide
Abusive relationships
Manipulation and violence
Sex and sexuality
Sexism, slut-shaming

[S14E8] NANA, chs. 29–32 + Naoki

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 13:00:00 -0000

0:16:26 Synopses
0:30:50 Chapter 29 discussion
1:32:02 Chapter 30 discussion
2:02:14 Chapter 31 discussion
2:22:02 Chapter 32 discussion
2:48:08: Naoki discussion
3:16:51 Plugs and outro
3:22:09 Post-ED chat

OP: "Drive a car" by Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
ED: "Touch my lips" by The Girl.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Rape
Dissociative trauma attack
Abusive relationships
Manipulation and violence
Sex and sexuality
Pedophilia/child sex work/grooming
Pregnancy/abortion/unwanted children
Sexism, slut-shaming
Suicide

New Year's Special Announcement + Bonus Early Release: Pondering Pootan with Ajishio Taro & Hachimitsu Boy, Chapter Seventy-Four: Train in Vain

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 13:00:00 -0000

Hello fellow divers! We are planning to record the New Year's Special on December 9, 2023, so that is also the deadline for emails! If you have any questions for us about the show in general, our past year of ghost diving, or Barry Lyndon, please send them to ghostdiverspod@gmail.com!

If you want to submit your predictions for the OP and ED brackets, go to challonge.com/diveyop2024 and challonge.com/diveyed2024.

Also enjoy this episode of our other show, Pondering Pootan with Ajishio Taro & Hachimitsu Boy a week early as our special holiday gift to you!

Chapter Seventy-Four: Train in Vain

Thanksgiving dinner
Unusual dishes served
But less than you'd think

Support the network at exportaud.io!

Our schedule: exportaud.io/pootanschedule

Pondering Pootan RSS: exportaud.io/pootan
Ghost Divers RSS: exportaud.io/ghostdivers

The Show: @PonderPootan (twitter) or @pootan (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) and @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) and @rabbleais (cohost)

OP: “Ningen nante” by Yoshida Takuro
ED: “Train in Vain” by the Clash

[S14E7] NANA, chs. 25–28

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 13:00:00 -0000

0:07:26 Synopses
0:13:07 Chapter 25 discussion
1:08:04 Chapter 26 discussion
1:48:14 Chapter 27 discussion
2:27:10 Chapter 28 discussion
3:06:01 Plugs and outro
3:14:42 Post-ED chat

OP: "Motor psycho" by Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
ED: "Akai ito" by Logiq

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for the Discussion

Sex and sexuality
Pregnancy/abortion/unwanted children
Pedophilia/child sex work/grooming
Abuse/manipulation/violence/possessive behaviors
Sexism, slut-shaming
Suicide

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S14E6] NANA, chs. 19–24

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 13:00:00 -0000

"It felt like I was going to disappear into the 4-hour podcast..."

0:13:17 Synopses
0:26:21 Chapter 19 discussion
1:10:01 Chapter 20 discussion
1:44:21 Chapter 21 discussion
2:07:33 Chapter 22 discussion
2:40:15 Chapter 23 discussion
3:06:31 Chapter 24 discussion
3:46:10 Plugs and outro
3:58:00 Post-ED chat

OP: "Hide & seek" by LOVES.
ED: "A rhythm like my heartbeat" by Aiha Higurashi

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The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
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Content Warnings for the Discussion

Sex and sexuality
Pedophilia/child sex work/grooming
Abuse/manipulation/violence/possessive behaviors
Sexism, slut-shaming

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[S14E5] NANA, chs. 13–18

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Why does Trapnest take over everything important in my life?

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The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
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Content Warnings for the Discussion

Sex and sexuality
Coercive sex/rape/significant
Significant power imbalances in a sexual relationship
Sexism, slut-shaming

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[S14E4] NANA, chs. 7–12

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 12:00:00 -0000

The hand I was holding then was the only one I wanted to hold that night… and forever...

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Content Warnings for the Discussion

Suicide references
Sex and sexuality

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[S14E3] NANA, chs. 1–6

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Hey Nana... 'member when we first met?

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[S14E2] NANA, Nana K. and Nana O.

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 12:00:00 -0000

We discuss the first volume of NANA comprising of the original one-shot stories.

0:09:39: Komatsu Nana one-shot 1:23:30: Ōsaki Nana one-shot

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The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
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[S14E1] Intro to NANA

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Dive into NANA!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Release Schedule

[S14E1] Intro to NANA: September 1, 2023
[S14E2] NANA, Nana K. and Nana O. (vol. 1): September 15, 2023
[S14E3] NANA, chs. 1–6 (vols. 2 & 3): September 29, 2023
[S14E4] NANA, chs. 7–12 (vols. 3 & 4): October 13, 2023
[S14E5] NANA, chs. 13–18 (vols. 5 & 6): October 27, 2023
[S14E6] NANA, chs. 19–24 (vols. 6 & 7): November 10, 2023
[S14E7] NANA, chs. 25–28 (vol. 8): November 24, 2023
[S14E8] NANA, chs. 29–32 + Naoki (vol. 9): December 8, 2023
[S14E9] NANA, chs. 33–36 (vol. 10): December 22, 2023
[S14E10] NANA, chs. 37–41 (vol. 11): January 5, 2024
[S14E11] NANA, chs. 42–45 (vol. 12): January 19, 2024
[S14E12] NANA, chs. 46–49 (vol. 13): February 2, 2024
[S14E13] NANA, chs. 50–53 (vol. 14): February 16, 2024
[S14E14] NANA, chs. 54–57 (vol. 15): March 1, 2024
[S14E15] NANA, chs. 58–61 + Nobu (vol. 16): March 15, 2024
[S14E16] NANA, chs. 62–65 (vol. 17): March 29, 2024
[S14E17] NANA, chs. 66–69 + Takumi (vol. 18): April 12, 2024
[S14E18] NANA, chs. 70–73 (vol. 19): April 26, 2024
[S14E19] NANA, chs. 74–77 (vol. 20): May 10, 2024
[S14E20] NANA, chs. 78–80 (vol. 21): May 24, 2024
[S14E21] Question Bucket: June 7, 2024

Content Warnings for the Manga

Sex and sexuality, including rape and sexual abuse
Trauma
Self-harm
Mental illness
Suicidal ideations and death

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[S13E5] Question Bucket: Is Yayoi bucatini?

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 12:00:00 -0000

01:56:14: Time stamp to skip the Madoka Magica and Fate/Zero spoilers

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Works Cited in this Discussion

Sorgenfrei, Carol Fisher. Unspeakable Acts: The Avant-garde Theatre of Terayama Shūji and Postwar Japan. University of Hawaii Press, 2005.

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Pedophilia
Sexualization of young women
Rape
Violence
Violence against women
Gendered violence
Sexualized violence
Racialized violence
Gun violence
Police brutality
Sex work
Homophobia
Food
Alcohol (post-ED section)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S13E4] Psycho-Pass, eps. 17–22

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Note: In support of the ongoing strikes in Hollywood and the guidance released by SAG-AFTRA regarding rewatch and companion podcasts, we have decided to postpone coverage of Psycho-Pass: The Movie until the strike resolves. We will be back in two weeks with the Question Bucket for Psycho-Pass instead. If you have questions for us, please email them in this week. Thank you!

00:20:38: Synopses for episodes 17–22

00:55:33: Discussion for episodes 17–22

03:05:42: Post-ED discussion (content warnings for alcohol and eating on mic)

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Works Cited in this Discussion

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. The Social Contract, 1762.

Brenkert, George G. Marx's ethics of freedom. Vol. 49. Routledge, 2013.

Den-en ni shisu (Pastoral: To die in the country). Directed by Terayama Shūji (Jinriki Hikoki Sha/Art Theatre Guild), 1974.

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Body horror, exploding bodies, disembodied brains
Police violence and brutality
Murder
Hunting humans
Death, fear of death, joy in death
Violent obsession and stalking
Gun violence
Rape
Mental illness and mental health crises

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S13E3] Psycho-Pass, eps. 9–16

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 12:00:00 -0000

00:23:57: Discussion for episodes 9–11

01:14:08: Discussion for episodes 12 & 13

01:53:12: Discussion for episodes 14–16

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Works Cited in this Discussion

Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich. The Phenomenology of Spirit (1807).

Zoubek, Wolfgang. "Terayama Shûji: Japanese avant-garde theater from the 1970s reviewed four decades later." 富山大学人文学部紀要= Journal of the Faculty of Humanities, University of Toyama 68 (2018): 281-326. https://www.hmt.u-toyama.ac.jp/uploads/zoubek68.pdf

Terayama, Shuji. "Manifesto by Shuji Terayama." The Drama Review 19, no. 4 (1975): 84-87.

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Body horror and exploding bodies
Police violence and brutality
Murder
Hunting humans
Reliving trauma as memory
Violent obsession and stalking
Horror
Gun violence
Alcohol
Mental illness and mental health crises

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S13E2] Psycho-Pass, eps. 1–8

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 12:00:00 -0000

00:22:41: Discussion for episodes 1–3

01:20:18: Discussion for episodes 4 & 5

02:11:26: Discussion for episodes 6–8

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Works Cited in this Discussion

Angelis, Eugenio. (2019). Beyond the Screen: Terayama. Spectatorship. Intermediality. Annali di Ca’ Foscari. Serie orientale. 55. 10.30687/AnnOr/2385-3042/2019/01/019. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334673210_Beyond_the_Screen_Terayama_Spectatorship_Intermediality

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Body horror and exploding bodies
Rape
Police violence and brutality
Murder
Dismemberment and display of corpses
Serial killer
Horror
Gun violence
Alcohol
Mental illness and mental health crises

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S13E1] Intro to Psycho-Pass

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Dive into Psycho-Pass!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Release Schedule

[S1E1] Intro to Psycho-Pass: June 23, 2023 [S1E2] Psycho-Pass, eps. 1–8: July 7, 2023 [S1E3] Psycho-Pass, eps. 9–16: July 21, 2023 [S1E4] Psycho-Pass, eps. 17–22: August 4, 2023 [S1E5] Psycho-Pass: The Movie: August 18, 2023 [S1E6] Question Bucket: September 1, 2023

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[S12E10] Question Bucket: There's a lot of porn of Lucario and I think Naze is down with that

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Our bucket is overflowing with questions this week! Thank you to everyone who wrote in. We try to get right to the emails... but end up talking about overall feelings on the show for a while first...

Anyway, we have a good mix of serious questions and jokey ones and have fun bouncing between discussions about the pain of childhood and jokes about Pokémon.

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S12E9] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 45–50

Fri, 26 May 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Once again Niamh has not been able to finish the notes in time. Expect them sometime this weekend. Sorry!

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The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
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Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S12E8] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 39–44

Fri, 12 May 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Revealed Intentions; the people making IBO love Victory Gundam; how to say Dáinsleif; someone really needed to warn all these characters about death flagging; Iok Kujan continues to survive out of pure stupidity; Hush’s anime rival to gofer lackey arc; the Dáinsleif as an escalation of medieval warfare into modern weaponry; Gjallarhorn’s relationship to myth and history and the original stopping on history and arresting of society into a static structure; the Old Norse legend of Dáinsleif; Orga’s struggles with choices and his acquiescing to others who will make the decision for him; Orga’s lack of control over Tekkadan’s violence; thematic elements of the Reginlaze Julia and the dehumanization of the mech into more of a weapon; Barbatos and Mika’s tail/umbilical cord; gender happens; babies, motherhood, umbilical cords, wombs, and the need for life beyond this moment; Atra’s attitudes and relationships to sex and sexuality; Lafter, Amida, and polyamory; the limited forms of families available and their blending with military organizations; Connor has the worst hair in IBO; masks on masks on masks; McGillis is an iron-blooded orphan; parallels between McGillis and the Legend of Agnika Kaieru and Kudelia and the History of Revolution; McGillis has misunderstood and overestimated the true pillars of Gjallarhorn; Rustal is a materialist; McGillis’s grooming of Almiria and her genuine feelings; McGillis approaches all relationships as dominance and submissions; eyes, monovision, and the potential tension of Mika closing his left eye; “How far should I go?” and Mika’s own conflict around the death march of violence; Mika fighting to end to Atra’s tears; parallels between season one and season two of IBO; Niamh has to make the bed; Irn-Bruded Orphans; content warnings for the last six episodes (start at 3:33:45).

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Major character death
Suicide and self-sacrifice
Sex and sexuality
Child sexual abuse and pedophilia
Child abuse, grooming, violence, and attempted suicide (esp. 2:24:00 to 2:37:44)
Alcohol and food mentioned in post-ED

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S12E7] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 33–38

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Iok is a Jerid; Vidar, Gaelio, Ein, and the Norse god of vengeance; the myth of Ragnarök and its significance in Norse mythology; McGillis as a Loki; the patriarchal systems throughout the world of IBO; sacrifice; McGillis’s promise to pass on the colonial apparatus to Orga; an appraisal of Kudelia and the limits of her ability to progress; Atra and Kudelia’s ideas around the end of the conditions that produce child soldiers; Kudelia’s attempts to create the groundwork to support a different future; Tekkadan’s abandonment of Kudelia; McGillis as a groomer; a satisfying amount of Eva to trickle in; they don’t have wheelchairs???; the fumbles in how IBO handles disability; fears over the losing someone to the war; Orga, Atra, and Kudelia all fear losing Mikazuki; Mika moving away from Atra and Kudelia and toward Orga; Mikazuki avoiding grappling with his internal dilemma and unwillingness to give up the power of Barbatos; identification between the pilot and the mech; the contradiction st the heart of Gjallarhorn; the excavating of a past modernity; knights and dragons vs. the terrifying machine of modern war; Gjallarhorn’s role as creator of peace vs. Tekkadan’s threat of total violence and destruction; Hashmal’s destruction of the farm; IBO’s metatextual interest in the repetition of history; the Mobile Armor as humanity’s drive for self-destruction and the religiosity that surrounds that; fox treats for foxes; Gundam F91; Connor’s promised to finish Victory by April 7, 2023; router network configuration; a little more about McGillis as a groomer; content warnings for the next 6 episodes (starts at 3:53:55 — the time stamps for episode 44 are 9:30 to 12:46).

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Violence, death, and gore
Death of enslaved child soldiers
Grooming, child abuse, and pedophilia (esp. 1:20:25–1:30:45 and 3:48:10–3:51:30)
Disability and loss of the use of limbs
Self-destruction
Food (post-ED section)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S12E6] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 26–32

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Niamh’s new way of doing synopses; Julieta is the weird girl to Ple’s silly girl, cyber new type vibes all around; Montag goes masked off and just becomes McGillis; the new yakuza motherfucker; the potential identity of the mysterious masked man; the new state of the world and the lack of significant improvements in the wake of Makanai’s election; Tekkadan’s move from an oppositional force to a part of the standing regime; Tekkadan banning the Alaya-Vijnana system; “I sure hope Tekkadan doesn’t repeat anything from Gjallarhorn”; Atra trying to assert a new space for Mika as a farmer if his role as a soldier is no longer needed; this week’s thematic keyword of “trust”; the link of faces, trust, and intention with the new mask and the new masked man; João’s DMs including the medieval and modernity as well as a quote from Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth; McGillis is a Char (redux); the difficulty in overthrowing or even destabilizing existing regimes; Mikazuki, disability, and his inability to hold back Atra’s bracelet; Mika, Orga, single vision, and monomania; the drive to move forward and the question of when they can stop; paralleling Julieta with Ein; Chad Chadan, that’s it just the name Chad Chadan; Aston keeps throwing up death flags and then dies; the homoromantic tension between Takaki and Aston; Takaki and Aston as a mirror of Orga and Mika; the potentiality for the manipulation of Tekkadan, as well as the terrifying possibility that Orga is himself a manipulator; Takaki as the first character other than Mikazuki to execute someone with a pistol; a taste test between Asahi and Kirin Ichiban; silly girl sweep; and content warnings for the next 6 episodes (starts at 3:10:43).

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Violence, death, and gore
Death of enslaved child soldiers
Disability and loss of the use of limbs
Alcohol (post-ED section)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S12E5] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 20–25

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Trying to imagine the position of being completely unmoved by anything except Biscuit; spending over a half hour to synopsize three episodes; Connor figured out why he was trudging through Victory; Victory and disgust at the Earth and the ocean; abjection around the Alaya-Vijnana system and cybernetics in general; IBO’s belief in the transformative power of the truth and electoral politics; the tension with Kudelia and the danger that her revolutionary politics can easily be subsumed into the web of capital; McGillis’s ability to manipulate the political systems around him; the desire to find a place of peace amidst war vs. the necessity for continued violent resistance; Yukinojo’s resignation in contrast to Merribit’s active objections against Tekkadan’s drive for violence; the limited choices presented to Tekkadan; Carta Issue thinks she is a master tactician because she read Sun Tsu’s Art of War; Niamh loves Carta Issue because she’s kitsune-themed; Gjallarhorn was doomed from the start; the nuances and complications of the conversation between Mika and Orga; Mika tops from the bottom; the conflation of liberation and violence; the potential necessity of Orga to direct Mika’s violent propulsion towards good ends; Moby Dick and monomania; more synopsizing; the theme of betting and its relation to yakuza; Atra, Kudelia, and the anime trope of the bento box; Graze Ein as a Psycho Gundam; Graze Ein as a warning of a possible future for Mikazuki; Ein’s sadism and derangement; the reduction of Ein to an instrumentalized weapon built out of the contradictions of his character; McGillis’s character and his plans to overturn the regime of Gjallarhorn as a deconstructivist; McGillis’s lack of values in general; McGillis as individual vs Tekkadan as communal; McGillis as a foil to Orga and Kudelia; a satisfying pop; accidentally going to the St. Paddy’s Day parade and getting called the f-slur; Connor’s Ghost Diver’s mug; Niamh teases the fact that fae had a very major thing spoiled about IBO from the beginning, which we still haven’t gotten to. Note: We didn’t do a discreet content warning at the end of this episode solely because it’s just more of the same with regards to violence, death, and gore.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Violence, death, and gore
Death of enslaved child soldiers
Character death
Suicide and suicide missions
Body modification and potential body horror

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S12E4] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 14–19

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: An aside for a correction email; the show being cheeky with McGillis’s obvious disguise; Tekkadan’s lack of understanding of their own revolutionary impulses; the show’s nuances in presenting the difficulties of Marxist politics; the narrowness of Kudelia’s default idea of revolution; Tekkadan as revolution as action without a conceptual framework, Kudelia as revolution as a concept without concrete practice, and the need of the two to come together to achieve more; Savarin’s failure to see oppression broadly as its own form of violence; Atra’s heroism and revolution is situated in the interpersonal; the medieval theming of the show’s mechanics; the Dark History; the Earth as a symbol in Gundam; Chocolate Man vs. Prune Boy; the masked man is obviously Char; Carta Issue is a ZZ character; deferring on McGillis again because he’s still too much of a mystery to talk about at this point in the show without Niamh having to just grit faer teeth and remain quiet while Connor speculates; how Atra’s approach to relationships provides a space for mutual support and emotional comfort rather than romantic competition; the themes of faith, trust, and responsibility and their link to ideology; Connor and Niamh write fanfic where we keep teasing a character survived, but only to reveal episodes later that they didn’t; the relation of colonialism, imperialism, and human bodies; Ein as a class traitor; Ein’s sublimation and rage over his oppression into revenge against Crank’s killers; foils for the main characters; the Earth entry scene as a broader Gundam trope and the danger of the Earth’s pull; just a little bit about Mikazuki; Niamh and Connor try to remember what movie Shree Klime is from; explaining what’s happening in SEED Destiny and realizing that everything sounds like it should be great; Connor and Niamh could take ideas from SEED Destiny and create an incredible show; Connor has become bogged down in Victory; G Gundam; there are only six kinds of foxes; what even is a highball; diet sodas and nutrition; a weird argument Niamh got into in high school and still remembers; Niamh takes a break to text Em about Chrono Cross; content warnings for the next batch of episodes (starts at 3:30:00).

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Violence and death
Massacre
Sacrifice, both willing and unwilling
Alcohol, food, and nutrition (post-ED)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S12E3] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 7–13

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 13:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Is there anything going on with Moby Dick references?; the introduction of the Turbines to further explore gender and sexuality on the show; the introduction of the various meanings of family; the harem anime providing a potential framework for Atra to reapproach the romantic tension triangle between, Mika, and Kudelia in a way that allows her to reach out to and support Kudelia; the appeal of Mikazuki as a romantic interest for Atra and Kudelia; the glimpses into characterization around Fumitan; Kudelia Aina coming to terms with her own sexuality under the influences of all the other pressures on her; Atra’s navigation of sexuality and the sexualization of bodies; the framework of the family as an facilitating factor for understandings of relationships and sexuality; McGillis is a Char; the kanji meaning of some of the characters’ names; the mobile suit designs in IBO; Evangelion spoilers about what the Evas and Angels are (1:45:18 to 1:46:45); the various tensions between Orga and Merribit; the meaning of food in the series, Atra’s relationship with food, and possible stunted growth in Atra and Mikazuki due to childhood starvation and malnutrition; Orga’s responsibility to take care of the sexual needs of Tekkadan; reincarnation, rebirth, religion, and tensions between the social classification of characters in the show as “human debris”; the spiritual means of processing their emotions and its limits as it encounters the pressures of gender roles and their socioeconomic classification and oppression as lesser human or inhuman; Mika’s reflections on his sadism and its narrative link with his expression of romantic interest in Kudelia; the subdued characterization of Mika throughout the show so far; putting Almiria and McGillis on the back burner until we get a clearer sense of McGillis as a character, aside from how it’s already relating to the utilization of bodies to maintain social orders and political power; cleanliness and dirtiness in the delineation of class in IBO; the Norse mythology references in some of the names from Gjallarhorn; the Five Guardians of the Universe; alienating people with Connor’s bits; content warnings for the next batch of episodes (starts at 3:44:20).

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Sex, sexuality, and the sexualization of women’s bodies
Sex work
Harem anime tropes
Alcohol and drinking until sick
Child abuse, violence
Childhood starvation and malnutrition
Blood, violence, field medical work, and death
Racism, slavery
Arranged marriage with a 9-year-old girl, potential pedophilia
The classification of bodies as clean vs. dirty, pure vs. deformed, etc.

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S12E2] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 1–6

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 13:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Mikazuki is the main guy from Battles Without Honor or Humanity 2; Kudelia Bluth; the very first scene and the symbols of Iron, Blood, and Orphans; why people say this is the Gundam about child soldiers; how IBO engages in the language of Tomino Gundam shows but tries to translate it for a wider audience; our view of Mars; bodies in IBO; the humanness of the design of Gundam Barbatos; body modifications and the beliefs and opinions about them in the society of IBO; abjection (see our Evangelion season): Lü Bubatos; the space rats with whiskers and the Alaya-Vijnana vs. the tropes around newtypes; the two Ainas and Kudelia as a character in the show; race in IBO; our first impressions of McGillis; Barbatos as the Devil’s Machine; and the contradictions of Orga, Mika, Kudelia, and Barbatos and the creation of new potentials.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Blood, violence, death and some gore, both in mech combat and between humans
Bodies, implants and body modification, ideas around “pure” vs “mutilated” or “grotesque” bodies

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S12E1] Intro to Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 13:00:00 -0000

Dive into Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Release Schedule

[S12E1] Intro to Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans: February 3, 2023
[S12E2] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 1–6: February 17, 2023
[S12E3] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 7–13: March 3, 2023
[S12E4] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 14–19: March 17, 2023
[S12E5] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 20–25: March 31, 2023
[S12E6] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 26–32: April 14, 2023
[S12E7] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 33–38: April 28, 2023
[S12E8] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 39–44: May 12, 2023
[S12E9] Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, eps. 45–50: May 26, 2023
[S12E10] Question Bucket: June 9, 2023

Content Warnings for the Anime

Blood, violence, death and some gore, both in mech combat and between humans
Bodies, implants and body modification, ideas around “pure” vs “mutilated” or “grotesque” bodies
Sex and sexuality, including rape, arranged marriage with a young girl, child abuse, and pedophilia
Also sex work and harem anime tropes

For the episodes 1–6 of the show, we will only get into the first two (blood, violence, etc. and bodies, implants, etc.)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S11E4] Question Bucket: Normal Country* —Nice to EAT you— (with special guest kb)

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 13:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: The two Kino’s Journey movies; the Land of Foxes, the Normal Country*, and the Boring Country of Thematically Significant Travelers and Their Nuanced Relationship with Travel as an Institution; the many advantages of a small orange; developing a script for the poker episode of Kino’s Journey; the superpower of Google Maps; Beast Wars; Riku’s unlimited superpowers; the Land of Airports; devising a country with the express purpose of trapping Kino; Kino at 40 a.k.a. Batou; the worst images of Batou we all have ever seen; Kino’s distaste for the bean and adventures in rural Virginia; Connor disagrees with Niamh and kb about the appeal of blood orgies; the Country of Blood; other travel literature like Don Quixote, Otherside Picnic, and Lone Wolf & Cub; yelling at your Gundam son to cut his bangs; spicy cream of ranch soup; and finding the perfect level to fill your creationism mug.

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod (twitter) or @ghostdivers (cohost)
Niamh: @FoxmomNia (twitter) or @foxmomnia (cohost)
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile
Connor: @rabbleais (twitter) or @rabbleais (cohost)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Food
Violence and death
Blood, lots of blood, blood orgies

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S11E3] Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World—, eps. 8–13 + ep. 0 (with special guest kb)

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 13:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: The Individual vs. Society; Kino’s increasing meddling or involvement in the countries they visit; the optimism or pessimism in the ending of episode 8; pushing against social mores vs. outright violent resistance; the bourgeois consumption of the novel and the cutting off of the revolutionary potential of literature and criticism; solipsism; the problems of the family in liberal society; work and mechanized labor; gender roles and labor; aimlessness, purpose, and purposeful aimlessness; the only appearance of the Master in the entire show; the system of state violence and the personal relationship to violence; the faltering of the handling of the violence of Tatatans; the critique of 21st century warfare and American militarism; gender norms and motherhood in the construction of state violence; the saddest fucking episode of Kino’s Journey; the pain of seeing what your childhood would’ve looked like if it was healthy and normal when you are queer person with childhood trauma; the ambiguous pang of yearning; utopia as fleeting and potentially unsustainable; modeling the process of utopian creation as a shared social goal; the depersonalization of the philosophical mode throughout the series in contrast to Kino’s willingness to give into the personal in the final episode; the positioning of the final episode chronologically early in Kino’s journey but at the end of the show Kino’s Journey; and the most nothing episode of Kino’s Journey that’s like fine, it’s kinda funny.

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is Friday, January 13, 2023. (Note: We're still hoping to record Saturday like usual, but it might get moved to Friday so that's the date if you want to play it safe.) You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Unreality / questioning reality
Violence and warfare
Suicide
Massacre and genocide
Transphobia and queerphobia
Childhood trauma
Death
Pandemic and illness
Food

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

The Second Annual New Year's Special: NANA by Yazawa Ai

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 06:01:00 -0000

Happy New Year! We've made it another full year of the show!

As with last year's special, we start with a self-indulgent look back at the past year of the podcast and rank everything we've watched. We also run tournaments for the OPs and EDs!

We then have our special discussion for the year. That's right, Niamh conned Connor into reading the entirety of NANA! We start talking about the manga at around 1:25:11 and do our best to provide a thorough synopsis before digging into the story's themes and ideas about love embodied by the cast's many different relationships. Also Niamh might con Connor into something else in the process...

As a note, this section is really spoiler heavy. I think even with all the big twists and plot points spoiled for you, the manga is still a fantastic and moving read (I in fact know this is true, because I knew many of the manga's biggest spoilers before I actually read through it in earnest myself). That said, I know many people really balk at spoilers, and so if that's you, please please please do yourself the service of reading NANA sooner rather than later and then coming back to this episode at the end.

If you have any emails to send us about NANA or any of the anime we've covered or will cover, you can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Cohost!

Free promo for Ina’s podcast, It’s All Stover: @stovercast (twitter)

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Rape
Grooming, child abuse, and pedophilia
Emotional abuse and abusive relationships
Descriptions of trauma responses and panic attacks
Internalize homophobia and compulsory heterosexuality
Sexism and misogyny
Cheating
Self-harm
Alcohol use
Drug abuse and addiction
Car accident and death

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S11E2] Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World—, eps. 1–7 (with special guest kb)

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 13:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Kino and Hermes are funny little guys; the philosophical allegorical mode of Kino's Journey; Kino's shifting and poorly-maintained position as an observer who does not intercede; Kino as a stateless, detachged party; Kino's gun rituals; the philosophy of altruism and society; Niamh's proposal for a NANA Festival; the Land of Sad Bangers; the functions of religion in society; the melodramatic humor of Kino's Journey; Gender Is Happening; Kino's ring of keys moment; Kino's gender as one aspect of their intentional taking on of the role of the Other; the constructed worldviews of societies and Kino's potential position as a corrective perspective; humans' relationships to work; fully-automated capitalism; the concept of utopia in Kino's Journey; the two-episode tournament arch; Shizu, the older sword twink Kino; Samurai Jack; Niamh just doesn't care about fight scenes in manga and anime and that's why fae thinks Berserk is kinda mid; envisioniong the fighting tournament arch of NANA; the Midwestern fine and the British quite; a sixth kind of animal; and safe-for-work Sasuke.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Animal death
Slavery and cannibalism
Suicide
Transphobia and childhood trauma
Violence

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S11E1] Intro to Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World— (with special guest kb)

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 13:00:00 -0000

“Someone once told me that watching anime made them want to record a podcast.”

Dive into Kino’s Journey —the Beautiful World— (2003)!

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Release Schedule

[S11E1] Intro to Kino's Journey: December 9, 2022
[S11E2] Kino's Journey, eps. 1–7: December 23, 2022
[S11E3] Kino's Journey, eps. 8–13 + ep. 0: January 6, 2023
[S11E4] Question Bucket: January 20, 2023

Content Warnings for the Anime

Violence and gore
Suicide
Slavery
Cannibalism
Genocide / massacre
Animal death
Misgendering

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S10E4] Question Bucket: I saw a calzone and it really made an impression on me (with special guest Josh McKenzie)

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 13:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Once Again, Shōnen Bat is a Stand Alone Complex; Someone Actually Asks Niamh to Talk About NANA; The Forbidden Sixth Route in the Five Kinds of Animal You Can Date Otome; We Have A Very Broad Definition of “Game Show”; The Thematic Pairing of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and Jackass Forever; The Teleological Fallacy of Pizza; Niamh Desperately Trying to Get the Podcast Back on Track; and Connor’s Disgusting Recipe for Fast Tea.

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S10E3] Paranoia Agent ep. 8–13 (with special guest Josh McKenzie)

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 13:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: There Needs to be More Maromi Merchandizing; the Shockwaves of the First 7 Episodes; Collective Narratives of Shared Truth; the Hell of Animation Production; Overcoming Modernity; the Conservativism of Paranoia Agent; the Return for Traditional Japanese Values with Misae as a Traditional Japanese Mother; the Cyclical Nature of Paranoia Agent; the Power of Ideas and Their Emergence from the Social Consciousness; the Balance of Maromi and Shōnen Bat; the Double-Edged Sword of Modernity; the Restoration of the Traditional Passing Down from Mother to Daughter; the Resolution of Sagi Tsukiko’s Trauma but not the Mass Trauma of Society; Tempering Our Reading of the Series with Communism; the Animation Episode; the Full Deconstruction of the Animation of the Show; Hating on Persona 4 Golden; Fiction, Cycles, and the Constructions and Articulations of Ideas and Identities; the Suicide Episode; Detective Fiction as a Mode of Existentialist Fiction; Questions About Tokyo Godfathers are Banned; and the Five Kinds of Animals.

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is Saturday, November 19, 2022. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Works Cited in this Discussion

Excerpt on “Detoxifying Culture” by the prominent literary critic Kamei Katsuichiro from the Overcoming Modernity Symposium of July 1942 organized by Kamei and two other major literary critics, Kawakami Tetsutarō and Kobayashi Hideo, published in Japanese Philosophy: A Sourcebook edited by James W. Heisig, Thomas P. Kasulis, and John C. Maraldo, 2011

Quote from “On ‘Overcoming Modernity’” by Odagiri Hideo originally published in Bungaku (Literature), April 1958, quoted in the chapter “Overcoming Modernity” published in What Is Modernity? Writings of Takeuchi Yoshimi, edited and translated by Richard F. Calichman, 2005

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Mental health crises, self-harm, and suicide
Unreality
Sex and sexuality
Fascism
Alcohol (post-ED section)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S10E2] Paranoia Agent ep. 1–7 (with special guest Josh McKenzie)

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 12:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Breaking the Pattern of Paranoia Agent in Episode 7; Repression and Alienation; It’s ‘Cause You Be On That Phone; The Tsunami as Lil Slugger; Issues of Victimhood; Shōnen Bat is a Stand Alone Complex; Harumi and Maria; Niamh is Still NANA Brained; Announcement of Our Next New Year’s Special; Josh Says the Wildest Thing About Tokyo Godfathers; Crises of Childhood, Femininity, and Masculinity; The Worsening Effects of the Sluggings; The Animated Being of Maromi; Lil Slugger as Another Mascot Character; The Existentialism of the Detective Fiction Framing; The OP and the ED; and Critiquing Maromi Plushes.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

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Pondering Pootan: exportaud.io/pootan
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells
Swimfans: swimfanspod.com

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Mental health crises, self-harm, and suicide
Dissociative identity disorder
Stalking, sexual assault
Child sex abuse, invasion of privacy, suggestion of pedophilia
Sex and sex work
Sexism and patriarchal roles
Violence, home invasion
Fatphobia
Alcohol

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S10E1] Intro to Paranoia Agent (with special guests Josh McKenzie and Craig Neeson)

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 12:00:00 -0000

“To begin, a rabbit jumps behind the moon. What is it that the black rabbit sees on the horizon with his big red eyes? A fish on the land has trouble when he is stepped on by cows. The playful palace where the butterfly dances vanishes away. At twilight, the cows starts it by chance and the goodness continues. The golden fox grins at you. And then…”

Dive into Paranoia Agent!

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Pondering Pootan: exportaud.io/pootan
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells
Swimfans: swimfanspod.com

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Release Schedule

[S10E1] Intro to Paranoia Agent: October 14, 2022 [S10E2] Paranoia Agent ep. 1–7: October 28, 2022 [S10E3] Paranoia Agent ep. 8–13: November 11, 2022 [S10E4] Question Bucket: November 25, 2022

Works Cited

Content Warnings for the Anime

Depiction of mental health crises
Self-harm and suicide
Stalking, sexual assault, rape, child abuse
Blood, violence, murder, and death
Sexuality and sex work
Fatphobia
Depiction of an animal death

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S9E4] Question Bucket: Danza Kuduro (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 12:00:00 -0000

“Most games are mid.”

Topics discussed: The Wired vs. Kingdom Hearts; The Ricola Incident; Forever Anime; Things That Are Mid; Kissing and/or Tucking; Coffee Orders; Super Bowl Commercials; Gamer Moded Opinions; and Coffee In General.

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

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Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
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Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Alcohol
Food

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S9E3] Serial Experiments Lain, eps. 7–13 (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 12:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Connor Gaslights Niamh; Connor and Autumn Call Lain Mid; Lain and Alice Enjoy Some Eggo Waffles; Digging Into the Ending of Lain; Comparing Serial Experiments Lain with Neon Genesis Evangelion; The Suicidal Reading of the Ending of Lain; How Lain Tempers Its Bleakness with Love; Connor Brain Dumps His Reading of the Series as a Whole; Is Lain a God, a Little Girl, or a Yokai?; Comparing Serial Experiments Lain with Akira; Tremors is a Libertarian Wet Dream Movie; The Horror of Right-Wing Radicalization Online vs. the Affirmation of Positive Identities Online; Why Does Batou Criticize the Major for Going Diving?; Lain Game Dot Net; Autumn and Niamh Record a 40-Minute Podcast About Manga and Chrono Cross Where They Get Quieter and Quieter as They Talk; Searching Tongue on Eat Out.

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is Friday, September 23, 2022. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

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Content Warnings for this Discussion

Suicide
Sex and sexuality
Depiction of a young girl fantasizing about an adult teacher
Childhood estrangement
Queerphobia
Public shootings
Food

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S9E2] Serial Experiments Lain, eps. 1–6 (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 12:00:00 -0000

Topics discussed: Vibes Are Happening; Lain’s Position in a Cultural Conversation; Assigning Emotions or Motivations to Characters in Lain is an Interpretive Act; soi soi soi soi pv zk pv pv zk pv zk kz zk pv pv pv zk pv zk zk pzk pzk pvzkpkzvpvzk kkkkkk bsch; Making Autumn Explain the Plot of Solid State Society, A Movie They’ve Never Seen; The Visual Aesthetics of Lain; The Mediation of All Conversation; The Disconnection of Temporal and Physical Space; The Audio Aesthetics of Lain; The Tech Aesthetics of Lain; The Influence of the Internet on Identity and Its Tension Between Liberation and Corruption; Alienation and Horror; We Will Sell Out to CrunchyRoll If They Pay Us Enough; A Preview of Who Kisses and Who Tucks; Niamh Gets Mad At Funko Pop for Their Ghost in the Shell Funko.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

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Content Warnings for this Discussion

Suicide
Public shooting
Childhood estrangement
Mental illness and loss of sense of reality
Alcohol and drunk driving
Horror

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S9E1] Intro to Serial Experiments Lain (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 12:00:00 -0000

“When it's all said and done, podcasts are just a medium of communication and the transfer of information. You mustn't confuse them with the real world. Do you understand what I'm warning you about?”

“You're wrong. The border between the two isn't all that clear. I'll be able to guest on one soon. In full range. Full motion. I'll translate myself into it.”

Dive into Serial Experiments Lain!

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Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells Pondering Pootan: exportaud.io/pootan

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Release Schedule

[S9E1] Intro to Serial Experiments Lain: August 19, 2022
[S9E2] Serial Experiments Lain, eps. 1–6: September 2, 2022
[S9E3] Serial Experiments Lain, eps. 7–13: September 16, 2022
[S9E4] Question Bucket: September 30, 2022

Content Warnings for the Anime

Suicide
Body horror
Loss of self
Dread and horror
Unreality, representations of mental illness
Sexuality
Depiction of a young girl fantasizing about an adult teacher

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S8E4] Question Bucket: You wouldn't take this anime boy home to meet your mother (with special guest John-Charles Holmes)

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 12:00:00 -0000

“This 35mm screening of Ingmar Bergman’s Persona is mine. I think this entire theater may even just be a long, long dream I’m having. Everyone on the screen and in the rows of seats may just be illusions, and it can’t be proven whether or not you really exist either. In other words, this screening was created with me at the center. So what will happen if the reel runs out? I don’t know. My imagination isn’t very creative; I just can’t imagine the film ever ending. In other words, there is no way this screening can completely disappear. But if it does end, then everyone will disappear. I am the only one in this theater who won’t disappear. The rest are just people I see as if in a dream.”

Topics discussed: The Iron Giant; Incriminating Ourselves; Claire Stanfield’s Trans Man Swag; The Ronnie Chronicles a.k.a. Ronnicles; Who The Hell Are These Guys?; Anime Sickos Boyfriends; Getting Negged Into Dating Byakuya; The Pulp Fiction of Anime; Pitching the Baccano! Cinematic Universe (BCU); Running Through Our List of Guys to Determine Who Kisses, Who Tucks, MCU Feelings, Missed the B&N Criterion & Arrow Sale Angst, Cup Song Cup Thing(?????), and Food Court Selections; Derek the Ghost; Glyph Catchers Bonus Content; Today's Teens are Flocking to the Secret Hidden Nier Church.

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Lots of food talk
Mention of drug use (post-ED)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S8E3] Baccano!, eps. 9–16 (with special guest John-Charles Holmes)

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 12:00:00 -0000

"Long podcasts are such a crime. They take the limited amount of time that is given to man, and rather than spending it in indolence or drowning it in pleasure it just sits there sucking, eating it up. I can't put up with that, long podcasts are a crime! Death to long podcasts! Die!"

Topics discussed: Oops! All Anime Sicko Murderers; Using Non-liner Storytelling to Tell Jokes; Bill Gates; Destabilizing Anime Archetypes; Yum Yum Time to Eat Your Shōnen Anime; Czes Has Been Waiting Centuries to be Called a Good Boy; The Protagonist of Baccano! is Graham Specter; Casting Timothée Chalamet in the Live Action Baccano!; Watching Baccano! with Your Girlfriend; My Hero Academia; Upholding Traditional Family Values by Stealing Cellphones; Understanding the Philosophy of Graham Specter; Ronny I and Ronny II in the Notorious B.E.Ginning; Post-ED Games Talk; Biblically Accurate Bill Gates.

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is Thursday, July 28, 2022. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile
Connor: @rabbleais
John-Charles: @Sonic9jct

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells
Yetee on Twitch: yetee.tv

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Discussion of gore, torture, and dismemberment
Manipulation and control
Alcohol talk (post-ED)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S8E2] Baccano!, eps. 1–8 (with special guest John-Charles Holmes)

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 12:00:00 -0000

"It might be a good idea to start from within the ship Advenna Avis, which was crossing the Atlantic. It might also be a good idea to start with the tragic event that occurred on the transcontinental train Flying Pussyfoot, and was secretly swept under the rug. Regardless of all that, you have chosen 7 July 2022 as the start of this podcast…”

Topics discussed: The Ruckus of Episode 1; Orson Welles Despises Men Like Jacuzzi Splot; [extremely Jacuzzi Splot voice] The Rail Tracer!!; Doing a Handstand on the Edge of a Ship to Try to Stop a Demon, Somehow Still Impressing the Demon with Your Stupidity; Ronnie………; The First to Eat, The First to Share; The Themes of Knowledge and Truth, Heroism and Protagonists, The Constructed Nature of Narratives; The Static, Unchanging Sitcom Quality of Isaac and Miria; Is Maiza Boruto’s Dad or Hank Hill?; Truth in Fiction; The Mystery of Dallas; Light Novels; The Multiculturalism of the United States; The Western, the Train, and the Construction of Nation; Isaac and Miria and the American Fantasy; The Robot Girl Who Learns to be a Human; Isaac and Miria’s Worldview; The Tension Between Worldviews of Fantasy and Reality; Our Favorite Characters So Far.

(I'm trying a new way to handle episode descriptions, let me know if you like it or hate it.)

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile
Connor: @rabbleais
John-Charles: @Sonic9jct

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells
Yetee on Twitch: yetee.tv

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Gore
Sexual assault
Manipulation and control
Stealing memories
Racist caricature

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

Manga Café vol. 2: Paradise Kiss (with special guest Em Marko)

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 12:00:00 -0000

Continuing the Yazawa Ai train, Niamh once again calls in friend-of-the-pod (and kinda just the co-host of this sporadic new manga talk show) Em Marko to talk about Paradise Kiss!

You can write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter:

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Em: @em_being
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Abnormal Mapping Network: abnormalmapping.com
Your Uncle's Beach House: www.abnormalmapping.com/beachhouse

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Abusive relationships (briefly)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S8E1] Intro to Baccano! (with special guest John-Charles Holmes)

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 12:00:00 -0000

“Let me tell you how important it is to keep your mouth shut. Me, I’ve seen so many damn people going on and on about ‘these are the important themes in this show’ and “take these words with you on your commute”, and then that gives whoever they’re talking to an opening to get bored. Crazy, isn’t it? I see it all the time, in books, in plays, even on podcasts! I don’t even know why, but somehow the more comfortable someone is with podcasting, the more they flap their mouth when it comes time to do the deed, yakking on and on and on. As you might have guessed, I myself happen to be such a person!”

Dive into Baccano!

Also, for those of you watching along, this is a rare one where the dub often comes recommended over the subs, so feel free to try it out even if you're usually a subs person.

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile
Connor: @rabbleais
John-Charles: @Sonic9jct

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells
Yetee on Twitch: yetee.tv

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Release Schedule

[S8E1] Intro to Baccano!: June 24, 2022
[S8E2] Baccano!, eps. 1–8: July 8, 2022
[S8E3] Baccano!, eps. 9–16: July 22, 2022
[S8E4] Question Bucket: August 5, 2022

Content Warnings for the Anime

Violence
Blood, gore, and dismemberment
Torture
Violence and torture against a child
Guns, smoking, and alcohol
Horror violence
Demons
Suggestion of sexual assault (episode 7)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S7E10] Question Bucket: The best part of a bread bowl is that there's no evidence

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 12:00:00 -0000

We’re here to talk about depressing work lunches and answer all your questions about our own Ghost in the Shell AUs, kissing and tucking, soft drinks, Tony Hawk Pro Skater, art, and NANA.

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Food, just a lot of food talk

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S7E9] Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society

Fri, 27 May 2022 12:00:00 -0000

Just as a heads up: Connor’s connection was dropping out a bunch, especially at the beginning, and was a bit laggy as well. Niamh wasn’t trying to just talk over him so much!

We start off with a weird digression into looking into Sci-Fi Channel’s Ani-Mondays block and then getting a rant from Niamh about Chrono Cross Remaster. After that we get into topics like the Japanese political dynamics in the film; whatever the fuck Togusa is doing; parallels being drawn between Kusanagi, Kuze, and the Puppet Master with the final reveal of the Puppeteer; the failure of the neo-liberal imagination and the Major’s eternal cop brain; the failure of imagination in the breaking down of family structures in order to simply rebuild them as a reambulated corpse; reproductions of the state; the surveillance state; placing the movies and show in a chronology simply as a thought experiment.

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is June 4, 2022. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Brain hacking / possession
Suicide / forced suicide
Child abuse / forced child surgery
Manipulation of parental feelings
Elder abuse / poor quality elder care
Brainwashing / indoctrination
Racism, including ideas of a nationalist “pureblooded” race
Alcohol talk in the post-ED section

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

Manga Café vol. 1: NANA (with special guest Em Marko)

Fri, 20 May 2022 12:00:00 -0000

Niamh decided to have on friend of the pod Em Marko to talk a little about the NANA manga, since we both recently read through all of it!

I'm also considering the first of what might be an ongoing series of bonus episodes where we talk a little about a manga series related to a show we've either done on the podcast or plan to do in the future!

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Em: @em_being
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Abnormal Mapping Network: abnormalmapping.com
Your Uncle's Beach House: www.abnormalmapping.com/beachhouse

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Abusive relationships
Compulsory heterosexuality

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S7E8] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 20–26

Fri, 13 May 2022 12:00:00 -0000

In order to save this podcast from going for 4 hours, Connor and Niamh had to crash the satellite that our old Audacity files are stored on into a nuke, but it’s okay, we don’t need them anymore anyway.

Before our heroic, fiery death in the sky, we talk about things like Kuze (and not Elon Musk) as a great man of history; the incoherence and failure of the narrative structure of 2nd Gig as demonstrated by its complete disinterest in exploring what a bioroid even is; how 2nd Gig does try to explore some of the themes of the death around the Puppetmaster but as an inversion, and how this draws on the themes of ashura Noh; how 2nd Gig fumbles a lot of these themes, especially around the character of the Major; the concept of virginity as it is clumsily deployed in the show; the conclusion of the political aspects of 2nd Gig; the imagery of the cherry blossoms used in the final scenes; our plans to eventually cover all of Ghost in the Shell; a digression into NANA; and some final thoughts on how political theory and ideology is handled in the show.

By the way, if you are interested in NANA, Niamh will be back next week with a bonus episode featuring Em of Abnormal Mapping where we dig into the manga! You can also check out their guest appearance on Ornate Stairwells mentioned in the post-ED section here: https://ornate-stairwells.pinecast.co/episode/317edfc9/cure

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Works Cited in this Discussion

“The Major’s Body (10): Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig” by Claire Napier (full series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Brief discussion of COVID
Death & suicide
Sex, sexuality, virginity, and rape
Misogyny and sexism
Alcohol & food

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S7E7] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 14–19

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 12:00:00 -0000

This week on the podcast, 2nd Gig has started to try to bring in more of the case-of-the-week format, but some of the skill and magic of the first season is gone.

We dig into the incongruence of the few case-of-the-week episodes; 2nd Gig’s growing fascination with creating backstories for characters; the geopolitical allegory of 2nd Gig and specifically Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution and its connection to Japanese nationalism and fascism; the show finally developing the Tachikoma some more; podcasting is synchronizing your consciousnesses; the quality of the animation in 2nd Gig; more backstory on Kuze and how it relates to Noh theater and themes around death; Koestler’s theories in The Ghost in the Machine; the difficulties and problems of even the good-faith reading of what happens between the Major and the boy Chai; Niamh’s apparently inexplicable love of 2nd Gig’s Wings of Desire episode; themes around the failures of heroism and leadership, and the beginning of the end…

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile
(Oh I did kill GarfReadAloud shortly after this, sowwy)

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Works Cited in this Discussion

The Ghost in the Machine by Arthur Koestler

“The Major’s Body (10): Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig” by Claire Napier (full series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Sexual harassment, abuse, and rape
Pedophilia and child sexual abuse
Sex, sexuality, and sexism
Body hacking & possession
Food & alcohol

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S7E6] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 7–13

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 12:00:00 -0000

Hey all. Just as a general note, it is very hard for Niamh to talk about episode 11 without spoiling some minor and vague details about how this relates to later episodes, so if you are especially spoiler shy, just be aware of that going in.

We talk through a wide variety of topics, including some of the political maneuverings in 2nd Gig; the importance of names and faces in the show; the monstrous body and anti-cyberization; Gōda’s ideology, psychology, and political goals as we understand it so far; anti-cyberization as an oppression metaphor; notions of justice in Stand Alone Complex; Niamh’s objections to the episode “Grass Labyrinth — AFFECTION” and how it illustrates what fae feels is a fundamental misunderstanding and disjointing of the Major as a character in the series more broadly; questions about how individuals relate to collectives, how individuals relate to individuals, and how collectives relate to collectives; and a little more about Noh theater.

You can see the Tarot spread from the post-ED section here: https://twitter.com/ghostdiverspod/status/1477663533164896258

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Works Cited in this Discussion

The Ghost in the Machine by Arthur Koestler

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Dental trauma and removal
Bomb implanted in body
Racism, xenophobia, and other forms of discrimination
Suicide
Identity theft including a doppelgänger
Autogynephilia & transphobia
Alcohol talk at the very very end of the post-ED section

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S7E5] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 1–6

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 12:00:00 -0000

It’s here! It’s time! We’re watching through Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig. We know that Niamh doesn’t like is as much as the first season, but will Connor agree? Only time well tell…

In this episode, we discuss topics such as how 2nd Gig differs structurally from the first season of Stand Alone Complex; the explicit inclusion of politics into the story; discontinuity and homage in 2nd Gig; the handling of sexuality and sexism; the significance of names; Noh theatre; the historicity of 2nd Gig’s Japan; and more!

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Violence
Cyberbrain hacking / possession
Depictions of sex work
Sexism, misogyny, and sexual harassment
Disability and disformity
Anti-immigrant and anti-refugee politics

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S7E4] Glyph Catchers Presents: Dumpster Divers

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 05:01:00 -0000

Glyph Catchers are back with a brand new podcast, Dumpster Divers! We’re watching bad movies and just really razzing on them, you know? Just really kickin the snot out of them. Just totally sticking our tongues out all like “Pllrrbbbttttt!” as we really take the piss out of these real stinker movies. These real garbage can, dumbo, no good movies. We love to devote hours and hours of our lives watching movies we hate and making fun of them for you to laugh at, because you also hate the movies too. We are bonded in our shared desire to just dislike everything.

This is justice. This is what we were built for. Criticism doesn't define us. What we hate defines us. We know who we are and what we're here to do. And that's to really pants Ghost in the Shell (2017) and give it a swirly for April Fool's Day.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Alcohol
Racism & orientalism
Sexism & brief discussion of sexualized violence

Sorry to people who really hate April Fool's Day. The actual episode will be out at the regularly scheduled time, we just decided to try doing an episode on the 2017 movie, but wanted to mostly keep it secret in case we did it and ended up hating the result. 2nd Gig starting on April 1st ended up just being a perfect excuse to do this.

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S7E3] Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0000

Hey all, I know you all might be a little confused here seeing something called Ghost Divers in your feed when you were expecting another episode of hit Pokémon podcast Glyph Catchers, but, well… I’ll let you just listen to the episode to see why we decided to change the podcast. I hope you all will join us on this new adventure.

Anyway, we watched Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence and talked about such topics as how to pronounce Unown; the Seel and Spheal evolutionary lines; Ghost-type Pokémon; the animation style of Innocence and how it relates to thematic elements of the narrative; PS2 graphics and Digital Devil Saga; the intentional imperfections and ugliness of the character designs; the influence of Noh theater on Ghost in the Shell; the location of the ghost and modes of embodiment; the mind/body duality and the alienation of the self from the self; the dichotomy of dolls and gods as the only perfect means of existence, and how the movie complicates this idea; beauty and ugliness and the aesthetics of wabi-sabi; the interrelation between dolls, pets, and children; the role of the Major in this film; and more!

Next time, we will be back to discuss Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2nd Gig with episodes 1–6!

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Check out our official schedule at exportaud.io/divingschedule!

Works Cited in this Discussion

Fūshikaden (A Mirror of the Flower / The Transmission of the Flower Through the Forms) by Zeami Motokiyo

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Sex trafficking
Child sexual abuse
Dolls and corpses
Cannibalism
Body horror
Trapped in bodies

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S7E2] Crossover with Ornate Stairwells: Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 13:00:00 -0000

Welcome to the overstuffed Ornate Stairwells / Ghost Divers crossover event! Niamh watched Ghost in the Shell (1995) and recorded a Stairwells episode about it with Autumn, then a few days later recorded a Ghost Divers episode about it with Connor. Then fae stitched both conversations together. It’s a whole lot of Niamh and a whole lot of Ghost in the Shell. It's also, hopefully, two interestingly different but connected looks at the same work.

Next week Niamh and Autumn will be back to talk about Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song.

Don't forget that Ghost Divers will be recording the Question Bucket for Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is March 11, 2022. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

///////Credits for Ornate Stairwells (00:00:00):

You can follow Niamh on twitter @FoxmomNia and listen to faer other podcast, Ghost Divers, by going to exportaud.io/ghostdivers

You can follow Autumn on twitter by going to @Autumnal_Coffee and listen to all of their podcasts by going to exportaud.io.

You can see how we rated this stairwell and all the other stairwells by going to exportaud.io/stairwellquality

///////Credits for Ghost Divers (02:24:24):

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Work Cited in Ghost Divers: “Ghost in the Shell: the Major’s Body (1)” by Claire Napier (full series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Content Warnings for this Discussion: Depression, suicide, body horror, dyadism, sexism

You can also get listen to Ornate Stairwells (and could've listened to this episode of Ghost Divers) a week early by giving us a dollar on the patreon!!!

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S7E1] Intro to Our Deep Dive into Ghost in the Shell

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 13:00:00 -0000

“In that fleeting moment when Connor and I were facing off against the Major, we envisioned the outcome of our discourse, and the hairs on the back of our necks stood on end. After assessing the situation and taking all the factors into account, our experiences as podcasters led us to one conclusion: we were about to die.”

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh's mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Our Diving Schedule: exportaud.io/divingschedule
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Release Schedule

[S1E1] Intro: February 18, 2022
[S1E2] Ornate Stairwells Crossover Event: Ghost in the Shell (1995): March 4, 2022
[S1E3] Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence: March 18, 2022
[S1E4] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 1–6: April 1, 2022
[S1E5] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 7–13: April 15, 2022
[S1E6] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 14–19: April 29, 2022
[S1E7] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 20–26: May 13, 2022
[S1E8] Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society: May 27, 2022
[S1E9] Question Bucket: June 10, 2022

Works Cited

“The Major’s Body (10): Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig” by Claire Napier (full series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

The Ghost in the Machine by Arthur Koestler

Content Warnings for the Anime

Gore / Head Trauma / Dental Trauma
Violence / State Violence
Suicide (especially episodes 12 & 13)
Torture
Domestic Violence
Sexual Harassment / Abuse
Dyadism / Sexism
Sexuality / Partial Nudity
Depictions of Sex Work and Exploitation
Pedophilia / Child Sexual Abuse (especially episode 17)
Ableism
Rapid Flashing / Loud Noises / Rapid Gunfire

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S6E9] Question Bucket: Who on Utena tucks? (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 13:00:00 -0000

We are joined again by Autumn Blake to talk a little about the Utena manga and answer all your emails! We also have some updates about our new diving schedule with official announcements of our planned guests for future series Baccano!, Serial Experiments Lain, Paranoia Agent, and Kino’s Journey.

For the manga, neither Connor nor Autumn had the chance to read all of it, so Niamh gets a little into her takes but we move on pretty quickly to your wonderful emails. Highlights include good shōjo pulls; the gang mostly not knowing Homestuck; why we all love Nanami; Niamh’s well-documented hatred of all ATLUS games; how Connor and Autumn apparently just wish Utena was Yu-Gi-Oh!; an extended diversion into the best cooking competition show ever made, MasterChef Australia; tucking; Revolutionary Girl Pootana, poo; and which Utena character is a toxic gamer.

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Our Diving Schedule: exportaud.io/divingschedule
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Grooming, rape, sexual abuse, and sexual assault
Alcohol and drug use
Sex and sexuality
Animal death

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S6E8] Revolutionary Girl Utena: Adolescence of Utena (with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake)

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 13:00:11 -0000

It’s time for what if Magic Knight Rayearth was Redline!

We talk about the relationship of the movie to the show; look at some of the characters that only briefly appear in the movie; the unreality and unreality of Adolescence of Utena; our different reads on the movie, which honestly might just be our attempts to describe the same unified read but fractured through our own perspectives in the same way different characters speak of eternity, that which shines, miracles, or the power to revolutionize the world; the outsized presence of Shiori in the movie compared to some of the other minor (and even major) characters from the show that barely appear in the movie; what the hell is going on with Touga; the image of liberation at the end of the movie and how it relates to ideas of potentiality rather than the promise of utopia (including a call back to our least favorite series we covered last year); and more.

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is January 29, 2022. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Rape
Sexual abuse
Grooming
Sexual exploitation
Sex and sexuality
Pedophilia
Child abuse
Violence
Suicide
Drowning
Homophobia

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S6E7] Surprise Bonus Episode: Catching up on Utena with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 13:00:00 -0000

We did not plan this bonus episode at all but Autumn finished the show in preparation for joining us for Adolescence of Utena and decided to call me to make sure we were on the same page, and we just decided to record it for you all. As such, don't listen to this until you've finished the series!

If you liked this episode especially, you should really check out Ornate Stairwells is you haven't yet.

Our Discord connection was a little weird and got kind of out a sync a few times, so sorry if there's any weird moments where it seems like we are talking over each other or weird pauses in our back-and-forth.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Grooming, pedophilia, & rape
Arson & death by burning

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S6E6] Revolutionary Girl Utena: Apocalypse Saga, eps. 34–39

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 13:00:00 -0000

We have made it! The final discussion for the show! Of course, we will be back in two weeks with an episode on Adolescence of Utena, hopefully with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake (we still haven't even recorded it).

We start with a decent synopsis section and talk a little bit about what’s left after this episode (the movie and the manga), then get into a discussion of the end of the show. Topics covered include the various myths and fables of the prince and his encounter with the orphaned girl; the themes of becoming a prince and Utena’s fight against gender essentialism and its ties to themes of nobility; the final episodes of the series; Utena and Anthy’s relationship and understanding Anthy’s betrayal of Utena; different readings of what is happening in the series overall and its competing “realities”; Juri and Shiori's relationship and its comparison with Utena and Anthy's relationship; themes of queerness throughout the series and how it relates to ideas of representation, resonance, and other topics; and a final look at how maybe Saionji and Touga are fuckin.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Works Cited in this Discussion

The Myth of the Eternal Return by Mircea Eliade, translated by Willard Trask

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Impalement and torture
Sexual harassment, grooming, sexual abuse, and rape
Incest and pedophilia
Poisoning
Attempted suicide
Patriarchy, heteronormativity, sexism, and gender essentialism
Unreality, memory loss
Post-ED section: Alcohol talk

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

The First Annual New Year's Special: Independent People by Halldór Laxness

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 06:00:57 -0000

Happy New Year! It’s our first annual New Year’s Special and we hope you enjoy it.

If you will permit us, we start with a bit of self-indulgence as we look back at the first year of the podcast, including us ranking our favorite series we’re covered on the show.

If you will not permit us, you can jump to 1:29:30 where we start our discussion of Halldór Laxness’s Independent People. We start with a fairly lengthy section of Niamh providing historical context around the novel before getting into our conversation around the themes of the novel. We then finish with some emails from fans!

You can check out our notes from Independent People here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zIDcah4_tid-1GnNNPsle08DzYMovtAixqTiLWQclGY

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Works Cited in this Discussion

A History of Icelandic Literature edited by Daisy Neijmann

“Halldór Laxness and the CIA” by Chat Lemoine

"Do not praise that piece of shit Bjartur: Independent People, reviewed" by Sam Knight

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Slavery / indentured servitude
Violence, death, and child death
Sexism
Cycles of abuse
Brief mention of sexual abuse and rape

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S6E5] Revolutionary Girl Utena: Ohtori Akio Saga, eps. 24–33

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 12:00:25 -0000

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! We got you a gift of this discussion episode for what might be some of the darkest episodes of the series (although I suppose we haven’t gotten to the Apocalypse Saga yet, have we?)

We start our discussion of the Ohtori Akio Saga with a lengthy synopsis of the arc, then start with the lightest material we can by looking into the “Cro High” episodes around Nanami that help ease us into the series’ darker series around the exploitation of sexuality before zooming out into a broader discussion of the general themes across the entire arc. In running through the episodes, we hit on topics including Akio as the tempter and grand manipulator; Akio’s car as a symbol of toxic (and phallic) masculinity; the temptation of Nanami and the way she is confronted with her desires in the form of Akio’s abuse of Anthy; the sympathy the show presents around Juri and how it pairs her desire to save someone else up against Utena’s desire to save Anthy; the relationship between Juri, Shiori, and Ruka and the competitive desire between Shiori and Ruka to possess and control Juri; an extended look at what’s happening with Utena, Anthy, and Akio; and the way the show understands and frames what is happening to Utena as grooming and rape even as it depicts her own struggles with the feeling she wants it and blaming herself for what happens.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Incest
Puberty and menstruation
Homophobia and conversation therapy
Sexual harassment and assault
Rape
Grooming
Post-ED discussion: Drug use, eating food on mic, chocolate-based body horror, extended jokes about squirting

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S6E4] Revolutionary Girl Utena: Black Rose Saga, eps. 14–23

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 13:00:00 -0000

We’re trying something new for this episode where we just very intentionally do a synopsis of the entire arch right at the top and then get into a more freeform discussion. The synopsis honestly takes a while because we have a lot to cover, so if you want to skip it, you can jump ahead to 55:35. Just be aware that we do include some commentary as we go.

After the synopsis, we get into a discussion of the themes of the Black Rose Saga, including the contrast of above and below; visual parallels between Mikage Souji and Chida Mamiya and Utena and Anthy; the tensions between reality and uncertainty or incoherency; the psychological tensions for the need for liberation vs. the danger of unrestrained ego and individualism; the way that the series tests Utena’s intentions and actions; the metatextual figuring of the minor characters of the series as the duelists in this arch; the continuation of the series’ focus on religious practices with an additional tying in of psychoanalysis and psychology through its parallels with Catholic confessionals, and how these relate to deviant forms of desire; the complexities of the relationship between Juri and Shiori and also the way it complicates our understanding of the relationship with Utena and Anthy; some specific discussion of individual characters; an extended take on how Revolutionary Girl Utena and Cromartie High School relate thematically; and more!

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Arson and death by burning
Sex, sexuality, and the sexualization of women
Discussions of incest
Discussions of age differences and pedophilia
Discussions of homophobia/queerphobia/ideas around the deviancy of queerness
Drinking blood
Alcohol chat (in the post-ED section)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S6E3] Revolutionary Girl Utena: Student Council Saga pt. 2, eps. 8–13

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 13:00:00 -0000

Welcome to Ghost Divers, the foremost podcast for tracing the influences on Cromartie High School.

We’re here to discuss the second half of the Student Council Saga spanning episodes 8 through 13 of Revolutionary Girl Utena! We talk about Anthy’s intentions in even a goofy episode; how the show complicates issues of intention and will and demonstrates the difficulty of moving outside the limits defined by systems of oppression; our hatred of the straight shipping of Utena x Touga; the flashback and the interrelation of myth, fable, past, memory, and present; theory bullshit about Eliade’s Myth of the Eternal Return; the character of Nanami and her role is both comedic foil and dramatic rival in her own right; an unplanned announcement about our upcoming Cro High manga read-through podcast; all the gender happening in this series; and more!

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Works Cited

The Myth of the Eternal Return by Mircea Eliade, translated by Willard Trask

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Sexism Abusive relationships Manipulation Possessiveness Suicidality Animal cruelty and death Incest Sexuality and sexualized images Alcohol (in the post-ED outtakes section)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S6E2] Revolutionary Girl Utena: Student Council Saga pt. 1, eps. 1–7

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 13:00:00 -0000

This episode is dedicated to all the GL-loving long-haul truckers in the audience. We see you, we support you, we will always be here for you.

Anyway, we start our discussion of Revolutionary Girl Utena with a deep dive into the first half of the Student Council Saga spanning episodes 1 through 7! We try to untangle everything that is introduced early on in this series including cyclic time, fairytales, gender roles, the tension between reality and unreality in the show and the evocation of the artifice of theatre and animation, the series’ immediate engagement with patriarchal systems, portrayals of queerness, the interiority of Utena’s characters (especially Anthy), the difficulty of resisting a system from within it, how Utena must have influenced Cromartie High School, the overt lesbianism in the series, and Touga’s creepiness and what Connor as anticipating as the series continues.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Abusive relationships, especial physical abuse Sexism Incest / age difference / pedophilia Alcohol (post-ED)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S6E1] Intro to Revolutionary Girl Utena

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 12:00:10 -0000

Once upon a time, years and years ago, there was an awkward teenager pretending to be a boy, and they were very sad because they were bullied out of watching Magic Knight Rayearth. Before the teen appeared another magical girl anime on their girlfriend’s bookshelf. It had a regal bearing and a distinctive style. The anime wrapped the teen in a rose-scented embrace and wiped the tears from their eyes. _ “Closeted one,” it said, “who bears up alone in such deep sorrow. Never lose that softness or femininity. I give you this, to remember this day.” _ “We’ll meet again, won’t we?” _ “This DVD will lead you to me, one day.” _ Perhaps the DVD the anime gave them was just for entertainment. This was all well and good, but so impressed were they by the show that the teen vowed to become a trans girl podcaster faerself one day. But was that really such a good idea?

Dive into Revolutionary Girl Utena!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Release Schedule

[S1E1] Intro: October 29, 2021
[S1E2] Student Council Saga, pt. 1 (Eps. 1–7): November 12, 2021
[S1E3] Student Council Saga, pt. 2 (Eps. 8–13): November 26, 2021
[S1E4] Black Rose Saga (Eps. 14–23): December 10, 2021
[S1E5] Ohtori Akio Saga (Eps. 24–33): December 24, 2021
[S1E6] Apocalypse Saga (Eps. 34–39): January 7, 2022
[S1E7] Surprise Bonus Episode: Catching up on Utena with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake: January 14, 2022
[S1E8] Adolescence of Utena: January 21, 2022
[S1E9] Question Bucket: February 4, 2022

Works Cited

The Myth of the Eternal Return by Mircea Eliade, translated by Willard Trask

Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity by José Esteban Muñoz

Content Warnings for the Anime

Sexuality
Abusive relationships (physical, emotional, sexual, etc.)
Manipulation
Grooming
Rape
Homophobia
Incest
Pedophilia
Physical violence (including slapping, sword fighting, swords to throats)
Racist caricature
Depression, suicidality, and depiction of suicide
Confessional / therapy in negative contexts
Arson and burning people
Stalking
Car crashes
Impalement
Torture
Unreality
Flashing lights

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S5E7] Question Bucket: Ferio is really excited to be dating a bi girl now so he can get Chic-fil-A again (with special guest Autumn Blake)

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Connor and Niamh are joined partway through by Autumn for the Question Bucket and we are basically just hanging out and having fun.

We start out with some updates! The Intro episodes for our next series is no long going to drop on the same day as Question Buckets just to give us all a little more time and breathing room. But if you’re sad about the potential loss of content, don’t worry, we also announce the first of what will be our annual New Year’s Day Special! Every January 1st, we’re going to release a bonus episode about whatever we want, and our very first one will be talking about the Icelandic literary classic Independent People by Halldór Laxness! If you want to read the book and write in, we’ll announce the actual recording date when we know it but it’ll be no earlier than mid-December.

Anyway, sorry that this is a mukbang podcast now but we’re reviewing some beer and food on this. We talk a little about the manga and then Niamh just yells for a while about the OVA and how bad it is before getting into the actual questions, including what car we would be named after if we were Rayearth characters and what our color and element would be, which Rayearth character kiss the homies goodnight and tuck the homies in goodnight, what fast food restaurants the Rayearth characters love, and the favorite vtubers of the three Magic Knights.

We then talk a little about Brandi Carlile’s new album In These Silent Days, which is maybe the most serious part of this otherwise goofy episode. We also take some shots at the new Kacey Musgraves album, sorry if you like it.

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Alcohol, tobacco, and drug usage
Blood and nudity and other edgy 90s OVA stuff
Suicide (briefly)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S5E6] Magic Knight Rayearth, eps. 40–49 (with special guest Autumn Blake)

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 12:00:00 -0000

We are finishing out our discussion of Magic Knight Rayearth Season 2! These are some of Niamh’s favorite episodes of anime ever! Connor and Autumn think they are just good but it’s fine.

In between recording the last episode and this one, Niamh read all of the manga, and so we start with a little discussion about how the manga and anime differ. We also talk about the pacing of season 2 and how it might relate to the unwillingness of the Magic Knights to fight after the tragedy of season 1; why the show can’t really develop Hikaru x Lantis because what it’s more interested in is Hikaru having to confront her need for love from others so that she can ignore her own self-hatred; how Hikaru and Eagle just talking through the problem is actually a sign that both characters are at a place where they can talk openly and in opposition to the Pillar System; an actual discussion of the Asmi ship and why we keep mocking Connor about this; the historical ubiquity of straight readings of old anime and how canonically Hikaru wants to marry her entire polycule (it’s in the fucking manga); Niamh’s updates to the Rayearth car names document for season 2 and also this ad for the car that fake Presea is named after; Hikaru x Nova and how it ties in with the end of season 1; a brief history of modern concepts of sexuality and Niamh finally reading from Cruising Utopia; Cephiro as a “stage” for the imagining of a new queer polyamorous utopia for Hikaru; and “queerbaiting” old anime like Rayearth as a “stage” for the imagining of queer possibilities.

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is Sunday, October 10, 2021. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Works Cited in this Discussion

Connor’s tumblr post

exportaud.io/asmi

The NeoRayearth.net Fan Rants page that Niamh mocks

Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity by José Esteban Muñoz (esp. chapter 6 "Stages: Queers, Punk, and the Utopian Performative")

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Mental health issues, self-hatred, and suicidality Homophobia / queerphobia Cigarettes Sex Alcohol Drugs

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S5E5] Magic Knight Rayearth, eps. 31–39 (with special guest Autumn Blake)

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 06:17:00 -0000

We run a tight ship over here at Ghost, Divers, and Associates LLC. Nobody forgets to open the Google doc. No one accidentally uses their webcam’s mic to record half the episode. And definitely there is no bratty antagonizing of one of the hosts for misremembering a scene from the anime by another one of the hosts. We just focus right in on discussing episodes 31-39 of Magic Knight Rayearth.

We start our discussion with some of the character design elements and uhhh none of us had read the Rayearth 2 manga at this point so we say some wrong things about which characters appeared in the manga as well. We then dive into a lengthy discussion of the series’ bathhouse episode (it’s actually pretty interesting!) and how it relates to queerness and the impositions of straightness in Magic Knight Rayearth; the way Lantis problematizes Hikaru’s relationships with other characters she loves; queerbaiting; what’s going on with Presea and this short motherfucker Clef; the difference in the structure of these episodes compared to earlier in the series; Eagle and Geo and how Eagle clearly isn’t over his ex; the weird extended queerphobic joke around the Djinn Raccoon and Rasheen; the Clemi ship and the possibility that Clef is Umi’s beard; Umi & Chizeta; Fuu & Fahren; and Hikaru & Nova.

Also, here’s the Rayearth car names document for season 2 if you need it again.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Works Cited in this Discussion

"Deviant Male Identities in Japanese RPGs: Heterosexual Heroes, Gay Villains" by Juan F. Belmonte, presented at the 2016 Different Games Conference

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Ethnic stereotypes
Sexuality and discussions around women’s bodies
Queerphobia
Self-hatred, self-harm, and suicidality

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S5E4] Magic Knight Rayearth, eps. 21–30 (with special guest Autumn Blake)

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Niamh keeps saying fae’s Nova and we’ve all just been waiting for this stupid brat to finally show up. We’re discussing episodes 21–30 of Magic Knight Rayearth!

We start the conversation with Niamh reading through this document fae made on the origins of the new character’s names for season two, then dive into topics such as the uneasiness around the way the girls immediately take on the role of magic knights again; how Rayearth is finally really a mech show; the problem of straightness vs. queerness in season two and Hikaru as a polyamorous character; the pacing of season two; how the series is further developing the themes of the show around patriarchal systems and the inability of people to conceive of themselves outside of the systems in which they live; how the show is setting up themes of relationships, jealousy, guilt, and the impositions of heteronormative culture; and finally some stuff around Hikaru, Nova, and the Pillar System that has been signaled pretty heavily in these first 10 episdes but maybe some viewers would miss. Sorry if that last bit kind of feels like spoilers,episodes but it’s all in there and we ended up thinking it’s better if we can just acknowledge that these things are happening so we can talk about them more!

Anyway, write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Possession & brainwashing
Abusive relationships
Blood
Sexuality
Beer & cocktail talk

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S5E3] Magic Knight Rayearth, eps. 11–20 (with special guest Autumn Blake)

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Connor, Niamh, and Honorary Third Ghost Diver Autumn are back again to discuss the second half of the first season of Magic Knight Rayearth. It’s a mech show now?

We get into the gradual tonal shift as the series progresses and grows darker; the color coding of characters around red, blue, green, white, and purple/black; Caldina’s character as another mode of femininity and as a person swayed by the love of the Magic Knights; Hikaru and blood and its thematic resonance for the show as a whole; the recurring themes around free will, possession, and mind control; the themes of love and the limits of love to protect you from harm; the queer-coding of Inouva; Connor’s attempt to stop being so mean to Niamh’s beloved dumb bishie, Ferio; the metaphorical usage of the Pillar system of Cephiro to talk about gendered expectations in patriarchal cisheteronormativity; and the tragedy of Princess Emeraude and Lord Zagato and how it ties together all the themes so far and also leaves open the door for far, far more in need of exploration in season 2.

Join us next time, for the first ten episodes of season 2 of Magic Knight Rayearth, episodes 21–30!

As a note, the post-ED backmatter for this podcast episode includes some Madoka Magica spoilers.

Anyway, here’s the Rayearth car names document for season 1 if you need it again.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Sexualization of women
Mind control / Possession
Illusions / Unreality
Mention of violence against a child
Blood
Queerphobia
Suicide
Abusive relationships
Discussion of beer and vomit in the post-ED section

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S5E2] Magic Knight Rayearth, eps. 1–10 (with special guest Autumn Blake)

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 12:00:00 -0000

This podcast is named after the Rolls-Royce Ghost Diver.

We start out with Niamh reading through this nice little document fae created before diving into the discussion of the episodes. We touch on topics including the comedic tone of the early episodes and its use of JRPG tropes; how the girls are gay; the triangulation of Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu onto class distinctions, forms of femininity, and also the three hosts of this very podcast; Hikaru’s need for unconditional love, Umi’s fraught relationship with her parents, and Fuu’s struggle with self-hatred; the nature of Cephiro as a world of will and how it relates to themes of wish fulfillment and destiny in magical girl anime; the transition of girlhood to womanhood as a core theme of Rayearth; stories about getting high; the construction of types of masculinity in Rayearth; images of motherhood; and the core conflicts being set up for the three girls.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Works Cited

Autumn’s Happy Pride tweet

Niamh’s Ultimate Combination AMV

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Mind control / possession
Discussion of drug and alcohol use

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S5E1] Intro to Magic Knight Rayearth (with special guest Autumn Blake)

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Hold on to that dream
Tomorrow knows, where and when
It’s true, what you believe
Don’t let go, the podcast will never end…

Dive into Magic Knight Rayearth!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Release Schedule

[S1E1] Intro: July 23, 2021
[S1E2] Eps. 1–10: August 6, 2021
[S1E3] Eps. 11–20: August 20, 2021
[S1E4] Eps. 21–30: September 3, 2021
[S1E5] Eps. 31–39: September 17, 2021
[S1E6] Eps. 40–49: October 1, 2021
[S1E7] Question Bucket: October 15, 2021

Works Cited

"Deviant Male Identities in Japanese RPGs: Heterosexual Heroes, Gay Villains" by Juan F. Belmonte, presented at the 2016 Different Games Conference

Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity by José Esteban Muñoz, especially chapter 6 "Stages: Queers, Punk, and the Utopian Performative"

Content Warnings for the Anime

Violence
Blood
Depression, self-harm, and suicide
Abusive relationships
Sexuality & partial nudity
Plurality
Homophobia / queerphobia
Racist caricatures
Flashing lights
Mind control / possession

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S4E7] Question Bucket: LCL is just Gamer Girl Bathwater, if you really think about it

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 11:59:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Welcome to Ghost Divers, a true crime podcast or something I guess.

We start by looking back a little at our long journey with Neon Genesis Evangelion and talk a little about how our personal experiences informed our readings of the show and, especially, the movie. We then answer questions about reading Eva through Anno’s life, our least favorite Eva spinoffs, dismemberment and abjection, Toji’s hair color in the show vs. the manga, what astrology signs image meme Eva characters would create, kissing the homies goodnight (redux), Asuka as a Twitch streamer, how Gendo should just fuck off actually, and experiencing media too young.

For our non-anime things, Niamh brings When the Pawn… by Fiona Apple and we talk a little about it, but honestly also talk a lot about critical approaches to media in general. We then move on to Connor’s pick of A Brighter Summer Day and talk a little about how the film constructs space in relation to history and politics.

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Abusive relationships
Pain / blood kink
Dismemberment
Mention of rape / sexual abuse
Bipolar disorder
Violence & death

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S4E6] The End of Evangelion & the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

What's done is done, it feels so bad. What once was happy now is sad. We’ll never record again, our podcast’s ending. I wish that I could turn back time, ‘cause now the guilt is all mine for ever suggesting we’d do Evangelion.

Okay, so Connor and Niamh like to joke about how we get into a big fight about End of Evangelion because we are never going to fully agree on this film. Specifically, we both have the same basic read on what the film is trying to do, but will always be divided on our final read of the film. But like, we actually are still friends and we’re both really looking forward to you all watching Magic Knight Rayearth with us and listening to those episodes.

In our discussion, we focus in particular on the beginning and the end of End of Evangelion and the manga and how these two endings to the series figure separation and otherness in different ways and reach different conclusions about the possibility for human connection and touch on topics like the potential figuring of a bioessentialist view in the show and movie of the fundamental divide between men and women as the core of the human condition in the show and movie versus the manga, how the manga employs the image of hands to differently figure the relationship between humans in a way that touches less on heteronormative understandings of human relationships, the Buddhist and daoist interpretations of Eva, the ending of the movie and its parallels with Adam and Eve and the related myth of Líf and Lífþrasir emerging from the world tree after ragnarök to repopulate the earth, how necessary the intense extremes of the movie are for the message, a diversion into discussions around content warnings, our frustrations with the depiction of Misato in End of Eva, differences between the movie and the manga around Gendo and Shinji’s ability to meet the expectations of the heroic shōnen protagonist, some of the weird differences between the printed tankōban volumes of the manga in the US and the scanlations on genesis-evangelion.com, how not everyone in a story should necessarily be redeemed (and perhaps some characters should not be redeemed), and our final readings on Rei and her breaking from Gendo’s abuse.

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is Friday, July 16, 2021. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Lastly, if you want to listen to Niamh talk about movies for generally less time then fae spent talking about this one, check out faer newish podcast Ornate Stairwells at exportaud.io/ornatestairwells.

Works Cited in this Discussion

Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection by Julia Kristeva

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Alcohol
Masturbating over an unconscious body
Violence
Pedophilia
Loss of ego / melding of consciousness
Sexism & misogyny
Semen, blood, other bodily fluids
Dismemberment & disembowelment
Cannibalism
Strangulation
Decapitation
Nudity & sexuality
Bioessentialism
Abuse (both romantic and familial)
Homophobia
Slut-shaming
Depression & suicide
Cancer

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S4E5] Neon Genesis Evangelion, eps. 21–26 (with special guest Brad Nelson)

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

We are joined by our first-ever guest on Ghost Divers, Brad Nelson, to discuss episodes 21 through 26 of Neon Genesis Evangelion! They are the person who first got Niamh into anime, so it’s very poignant and meaningful that they are definitely the first-ever guest on the podcast and didn’t at all get usurped by some brat who just decided to join to talk about Final Fantasy VIII on a complete whim.

We also get the most into the manga so far around our discussion of Kaworu, so buckle up for a deeper dive into manga chapters 52–74

We start our discussion with a look at the way the series often employs lore dumps to create more questions than answers, how incredibly gay Ritsuko is for Misato, the discrepancies in how various characters perceive and understand each other and how the narrative itself becomes unreliably tied to specific perspectives, suffering in Evangelion and the tensions between Buddhism and daoism and how Niamh’s worldview has changed since fae first watched the show, Asuka as an unwilling school idol, the elevator scene and how it draws out the tensions between Asuka and Rei and their inability to connect over their shared struggles, how Misato continues to offer physical touch as comfort because it’s what she herself needs when she is hurting, Gendo’s grooming of Rei and her attempts to break from his abuse, the romantic and sexual connection between Shinji and Kaworu, the differences between Kaworu’s depiction in the show vs. the manga, our varying reads on the differing depictions of Kaworu’s death and what it means for Shinji, the stylistic presentation of the final two episode of Evangelion, the misogyny of Anno and his potential gendered trauma, and of course Connor and Niamh continuing to duke it out over End of Evangelion.

Speaking of, just is next time for our discussion of End of Evangelion and the conclusion of the manga!

As a note, the audio bleed on Connor’s headphones was really bad this episode and Niamh had to do a lot to try to eliminate it, so sorry for the dip in audio quality on this one. At least you don’t have to endure it for nearly 5 hours…

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

You can also check out Brad’s newsletter at http://hologramofthesenses.substack.com

Works Cited in this Discussion

“Misora Hibari and the Girl Star in Postwar Japanese Cinema” by Deborah Shamoon, published in Signs vol. 35 no. 1

Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection by Julia Kristeva

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Death of a child
Sex & sexuality
Sexual abuse & rape
Depression, suicide, & self-harm
Mental invasion
Pedophilia & grooming
Assisted suicide
Slut shaming

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S4E4] Neon Genesis Evangelion, eps. 14–20

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

We are back again and ready to dive into the back half of Neon Genesis Evangelion with episodes 14 through 20.

We start by looking at what actually turned out to be a fairly interesting clip show episode and use it to spring into a discussion of the shift towards greater interiority and the developing undercurrents in the second half of the series; the growing characterization of Rei; Misato and Kaji as a (not always well handled) brat4brat relationship and how it factors into our read of Misato as well as Asuka as a “female impersonator” of Misato; our read on Kaji as an interesting but often creepy character; Eva’s ongoing construction of divided subjects; the psychoanalytic elements of the series and Connor’s theory bullshit about Kristeva’s ideas about abjection; the abjection of queerness; the role of ego in sync rate and pilot performance; the solidification of the show’s thematic elements in order to develop further in the finale; the misdirected desire for comfort that must be resisted to reassert selfhood and allow the potential for further life; our continuing kicking of the Mimesis can down the Ghost Divers road; and an extended discussion of one of our favorite sparsely animated scenes.

Next time we will be joined by guest Brad Nelson to talk about episodes 21 through 26!

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Also as a fun note: About a week before this episode was released, Connor finally subscribed to the Patreon in order to listen to Niamh’s new movie podcast with Autumn called Ornate Stairwells! You can check out the public feed for Ornate Stairwells at exportaud.io/ornatestairwells or listen to the episodes early by becoming a patron yourself at exportaud.io.

I mean, not episodes of Ghost Divers early, just episodes of Ornate Stairwells early. I’m not putting any more pressure on myself to edit stuff early, and I think this podcast works best if you know exactly when to expect new episodes.

Works Cited in this Discussion

Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection by Julia Kristeva

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Discussion of grooming and sexual abuse
Sexism & misogyny
Blood, gore, dismemberment, strangulation, & death
The trauma of childbirth
Ego destruction or death
Bodily fluids & kink
Bodily corruption & invasion
Cannibalism
Sex and sexuality

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S4E3] Neon Genesis Evangelion, eps. 7–13

Fri, 28 May 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

We are back once again with our discussion of episodes 7 through 13 of Neon Genesis Evangelion. These may be what are generally considered the lightest, most slice-of-life/monster-of-the-week episodes of the show, but Niamh and Connor know what this show is and is going to be, so this episode is still plenty dark. Niamh being her most messy Misato when fae recorded this probably didn’t help.

We start our discussion with the revelation that Connor is also a Misato x Ritsuko shipper, then get into the way the comparative cheeriness of these episodes feels intentionally hollow and like the illusion of happiness you create when you’re depressed, Eva’s deployment of tropes from “lighter” genres like romantic comedies, the duality of Misato and the ways in which she is actually not like Niamh, the subordination of all characters to Shinji as the self-obsessed depressed protagonist of the series and how this starts Connor and Niamh’s one true fight on Eva that we will never fully resolve, the forced feminization of Shinji, bringing in Misora Hibari as a point of reference for Asuka as an impersonator of Misato, the psychoanalytic theory of abjection as put forth by Julia Kristeva and its relation to Eva, the possibility of communication and connection between individuals, the developing characterization of Rei, Gendo’s position as the antagonist of the series, the divided subject of the MAGI system, more on the divided opinion of Connor and Niamh on whether or not Anno is a hateful little shit man, trying to talk around the end of the show and The End of Evangelion, and putting off some theory bullshit for next time.

Also we kinda end up talking more about Asuka and Misora Hibari after we finished recording the podcast proper and that all made it into the post-ED outtakes section so uh… it’s a little more than just goofs this time, you might want to stick around for at least some of it even if you usually skip the outtakes.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Works Cited in this Discussion

“Misora Hibari and the Girl Star in Postwar Japanese Cinema” by Deborah Shamoon, published in Signs vol. 35 no. 1

Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection by Julia Kristeva

“Kanashiki Kuchibue” performance by Misora Hibari

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Alcohol / Alcoholism
Abusive relationships
Mental illness
Misogyny
Sex work
Rape
Sexualization of young girls
Pedophilia

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S4E2] Neon Genesis Evangelion, eps. 1–6

Fri, 14 May 2021 11:50:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Welp, here we go... I hope you aren’t interested in hearing two people talk a bunch about the lore of Neon Genesis Evangelion because that’s not at all what we’re interested in. But if you’re here for people talking about trauma, the indoctrination of toxic masculinity, and the nature of the fractured self, Connor and Niamh have got you covered.

We start out with Niamh describing the time fae went to pick up Shinji in faer car and use it to launch into discussion of mechs as bodies, how Evangelion draws extensively from the groundwork and themes laid out by Gundam and other earlier mecha anime, the overapplication of death of the author, the complicity of the US in the way that young girls are sexualized in Japan, Niamh trying to remember a galaxy brain meme, the difficulty of critically dealing with harmful tropes or topics like the sexualization of young girls in a work of media without falling into the problem of having to replicate it in the process, the conditioning of toxic masculinity, an actual breakdown of our read on Misato in general, how the animation of Evangelion contributes to the feeling of isolation, the significance of the codified cultural ritual of “tadaima” and “okaeri” for the meaning of Shinji and Misato’s relationship, how the series employs humor to continue to further its darker thematic elements, the employment of male nudity in the series (especially regarding Toji’s butt), the horror of combat in Evangelion, the fumbling missteps of Evangelion trying to discuss teenage sexual desire, the mingling of sexual desire with greater questions of identity and self, the textual effeminacy of Shinji’s design and tragedy of Rei's design, and Connor putting off really getting into his psychoanalytic theory bullshit and narrative theory bullshit.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Works Cited in this Discussion

“Misora Hibari and the Girl Star in Postwar Japanese Cinema” by Deborah Shamoon

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Captive bolt pistols used in animal slaughter
Intense violence
Child soldiers
Sexualization of young women
Rape
Sex work
Racism
Suicide
Sexism / cissexism / the conditioning of toxic masculinity
Child abuse
Sexual abuse
F-slur

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S4E1] Intro to Neon Genesis Evangelion

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 05:35:00 -0000

Do you want to become one with us? To be of one mind and body? It’s a very, very comforting feeling. Email us anytime. Come dive with us into Neon Genesis Evangelion. Just relax and release your soul.

Release Schedule

[S1E1] Intro: April 30, 2020
[S1E2] Eps. 1–6 + manga chs. 1–19 (vols. 1–3): May 14, 2021
[S1E3] Eps. 7–13 + manga chs. 20–26 (vol. 4): May 28, 2021
[S1E4] Eps. 14–20 + manga chs. 27–51 (vols. 5–8): June 11, 2021
[S1E5] Eps. 21–26 + manga chs. 52–74 (vols. 8–11): June 25, 2021
[S1E6] End of Evangelion & manga chs. 75–End (vols. 11-14): July 9, 2021
[S1E7] Question Bucket: July 23, 2021

Works Cited

“Misora Hibari and the Girl Star in Postwar Japanese Cinema” by Deborah Shamoon, published in Signs vol. 35 no. 1

“Kanashiki Kuchibue” performance by Misora Hibari

Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection by Julia Kristeva

Chapter 1 of Mimesis: The Representation of Reality in Western Literature by Erich Auerbach

Content Warnings for the Anime and Manga

Violence, blood, death, and gore
Body horror mechs
Abusive parents / abusive relationships / emotional, physical, and sexual abuse
Nudity and sexuality, including the sexualization of young girls
Alcohol and alcoholism
Mental invasion / rape
Sexism
Toxic gender roles
Unreality
Mental breakdowns
Suicide
Decapitation
Strangulation
Animal death (manga especially)
Flashing images

Content Warnings for the End of Evangelion

Most of above but more intense. Specific scenarios to call out:

A character masturbating over the unconscious body of a girl
An older man grabbing a young woman’s breast and then his hand entering her body, evocative of sexual abuse
Flashing images
Gore and violence is overall turned up a little from the show, although there are also intense scenes in the show

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S3E4] Question Bucket: Magical Realist Tokusatsu

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 05:30:00 -0000

It’s Question Bucket Time!

As always, we start out by wrapping up our series discussion, including some discussion of The 08th MS Team’s reference to the Vietnam War and whether we think there’s anything even there or if US viewers just jump to Vietnam because it is our jungle war but not necessarily Japan’s jungle war, why we chose The 08th MS Team despite knowing a lot of people are down on it, the value of talking about things you have mixed feelings about and debating with someone else about different reads, more homie kissing, what kind of albums each member of the 08th MS Team would press. Also, Niamh manages to talk about Icelandic sagas for a bit because fae is extremely that bitch.

We then talk about Connor’s non-anime thing, The Commercial Album by the Residents. We talk a bit about trying to engage with music even when it doesn’t come to you quickly, the history of the Residents as a band and art collective, the racist ethnography of Nanook of the North, the tension between conceptual foundation for an album and the actual experiential quality of listening to an album, Niamh being a bit of an asshole, and the possible influence that the Residents might have had on music that came after.

After that, we discuss Niamh’s non-anime thing, Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale, but then kinda just be bummers about how neither of us can identify with this sweet and idyllic portrayal of childhood, but also the ways this game still rings true to some of our experiences with media and card games as kids. We also talk about the differences between sugar-coated, gritty, and bittersweet.

We also quickly answer a few questions about tokusatsu (we hate it), magical realism (we love it), and what recent anime we would send through a wormhole to the ‘90s to change anime discourse forever.

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Works Cited in this Discussion

Brennu-Njál’s saga (a.k.a. Njála)

Hrafnkels saga Freysgoða

Nanook of the North

Suicide by Suicide

“Monster Mash” by Bobby "Boris" Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers

“Come On Feet” by Quasimoto

Silent Shout by the Knife

My Father’s Arms are a Boat by Stein Erik Lunde and Øyvind Torseter

Moonstone: The Boy Who Never Was by Sjón

Danzig Trilogy: The Tin Drum, Cat and Mouse, and Dog Years by Günter Grass

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Mention of abusive relationships and child abuse
Discussion of the difficulties of childhood, neglect, and trauma
Mention of alcohol in the post-ED section

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S3E3] Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, eps. 7–12

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 09:43:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Connor and Niamh are under new direction (maybe this joke will land in the description?) but are back to discuss the final half of Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team.

We start with a discussion of the show’s hot springs episode, how the change in director may have changed the handling of various aspects of the series, the relationship between Shiro and Aina, Aina’s attempts to assert herself against her abusive brother, the potential discrepancies between Shiro and Aina’s political positions and worldviews that never really get explored, how the series tests Shiro’s idealism, our feelings about our first look at ground soldiers on the Zeon side, the incredible new content of Miller’s Report, mechs, Niamh’s rewrite of The 08th MS Team, the failure of Shiro to enacted his pacifism in the face of his own death, how the Apsalus runs on Windows, how Aina and Shiro fail to break from their existing frameworks of understanding war as being fought and won by individuals, the two different endings of the series, how the series deals with new types, the bleak reality of the final episode, but also potentially the sliver of hope within it, and more.

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is April 24. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

@ghostdiverspod
@foxmomnia
@rabbleais
@GarfReadAloud

Works Cited in this Discussion

We didn’t really cite any works for this series!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Brief mention of a gas attack massacre
Sexualization of female characters
Abusive relationships
Self-harm (especially in the post-ED section)
Brief mention of rape
Mechs as coffins
Drugs & Alcohol
Abusive Drug Administration & Alcoholism
Murder & Poisoning
Self-sacrifice
Medical trauma
Trauma around names

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S3E2] Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, eps. 1–6

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Connor and Niamh break the Shinigami curse that killed their first attempt at recording this episode and successfully scribe a podcast episode using the new Record Press technology.

We start off by talking about how really we’re just talking about Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team in order to let Connor rant about the first Mobile Suit Gundam and then get into what is probably the most we are probably ever going to do synopses on this podcast. Connor gives a lot of context from older Gundam and like… kinda spoilers I guess?

We do get very out of scope quickly as we talk about Gundam broadly but eventually, Connor does rein us in to talk about how The 08th MS Team is specifically pulling on and immediately developing existing tropes in the franchise, our initial impressions on Shiro and Aina’s relationship and how it relates to Newtypes as a concept, Niamh’s rewrite where Shiro is replaced as the main character by Karen who is explicitly trans and dating Aina, the sexualization of Kiki (and young girls in general in anime and beyond), how combat is handled and depicted in The 08th MS Team and how it points to thematic readings of the instrumentalization of human bodies and lives, different types of mecha, if the series is actually doing anything meaningful with sexuality, the canon ages of different characters, the gender happening, and more!

Niamh also had to try very hard to not just spoil things throughout this conversation.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!

@ghostdiverspod
@FoxmomNia
@rabbleais
@GarfReadAloud

Works Cited in this Discussion

We didn’t really cite any works for this series!

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Discussion around the sexualization of young girls Brief discussion of sexual assault and abuse

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S3E1] Intro to Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 12:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

“I’m gonna live! And I’ll marry Aina!”

Dive into Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team!

@ghostdiverspod
@foxmomnia
@rabbleais
@GarfReadAloud

Release Schedule

[S2E1] Intro: March 19, 2021
[S2E2] Eps. 1–6: April 2, 2021
[S2E3] Eps. 7–12 + Miller’s Report: April 16, 2021
[S2E4] Question Bucket: April 30, 2021

Works Cited

We didn’t really cite any works for this series!

Content Warnings for the Anime

F-slur in the subs for episode 1 (dub says “pansies”)
Sexualization of young girls
Nudity and sexualization of women in general
Sexism
Issues around disability
Implied intent to rape (episode 8)
Violence and death
Depiction of war crimes, including gas attack massacre (episode 7), missile strikes, etc.
Abusive relationships
Claustrophobia, machines of war as coffins
Alcoholism

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S2E4] Question Bucket: Kissing the Homies Goodnight or: GF stands for Guardian Fbottoming (with special guest Autumn Blake)

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 11:45:00 -0000

Episode Notes

In what is most certainly the rowdiest, most chaotic episode yet, the Ghost Divers are joined by special guest and person who is hosting this podcast on their network in the first place so how is Niamh ever going to say no to them, Autumn Blake!

But before Autumn hops on the call, Niamh and Connor start out with just the regular amount of rowdiness and chaos and get right into the Cro High questions. We start out talking about some of our favorite bits from the show, get waylaid by Niamh’s laundry tips, and then dive into the gender happening in Cro High, vibes you get as a trans person about whether or not a creator would hate you, Takashi Miike’s Dead or Alive trilogy, Cro High’s potential debt to Utena, our favorite cuss word, finding a shared sense of humor with others, etc.

Then Autumn joins for our discussion of Final Fantasy 8 and things immediately escalate into a rollicking discussion touching on NORG, which Gundam characters would kiss the homies goodnight, which FF8 characters would kiss the homies goodnight, which Eva characters would kiss the homies goodnight, Niamh’s FF7 OTP, the era of PS1 JRPGs and why they could be weirder back then, how you used to be able to just make bad games and movies, memories of watching friends play Final Fantasy games, the overwhelming adolescence of FF8, more of Niamh’s OTPs, the merciless systems of FF8, breaking JRPGs, the era of guidebooks, etc.

We eventually move on to talking about Gaylord Phoenix, 100 Crushes, and queer alt comics in general, especially around themes like the inadequacy of language to talk about queerness and different approaches to trying to talk about this inadequacy anyway, revisiting queer books from the year you came out, Connor’s ongoing role as Niamh’s token cis straight white dude friend, the value of libraries, how to try to get into queer comics, etc.

Anyway, go buy the unofficial official shirt of Ghost Divers:
https://shop.grapevine.is/products/milf-short-sleeve-unisex-t-shirt

You can write into future Question Buckets at ghostdiverspod@gmail.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Works Cited in this Discussion

I don’t read theory not even Marx I have never even heard of Hegelian dialectics.

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Brief mentions of self-harm
Mention of bedbugs
Discussions vaguely around transphobia
Just lots and lots of swearing in this one
Including Niamh saying the f-slur a bunch because fae reclaims it
Sexual references
Mention of bodies being destroyed
Alcohol

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S2E3] Sakigake!! Cromartie High School, eps. 14–26

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 13:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Niamh and Niamh’s Cohost discuss episodes 14 through 26 of the first season of Sakigake!! Cromartie High School.

We take a slightly more synopsis-laden approach this time to try to ground ourselves in the rapidly escalating and (d)evolving world of Cro High, bounding off of topics like Cro High’s use of manzai forms, the literalization of the punchline, the stretching and decontextualization of recurring jokes, Yamaguchi’s failure to fully understand the humor of the show in which he is a character, and our conclusion that the show is ultimately mocking us personally as a podcast that is trying to analyze it.

Niamh also thinks fae's really fuckin funny with the editing on this one.

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is March 13. You can write into ghostdiverspod[at]gmail and follow us on Twitter!

@ghostdiverspod
@foxmomnia
@rabbleais
@GarfReadAloud

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Brief Discussion of Shock Violence (Regarding Adult Swim)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S2E2] Sakigake!! Cromartie High School, eps. 1–13

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 13:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Connor and Niamh can’t remember the name of a song that’s stuck in their heads, so they try to distract themselves by discussing episodes 1 through 13 of the first season of Sakigake!! Cromartie High School.

We start out with the first and really only bit of theory bullshit by talking about the yakuza and yankii genre convention of the giri-ninjo conflict and how it relates to the comedy of Cro High, which we then use to launch into how much Cro High actually operates as a genre parody vs. absurdism, Kamiyama as a protagonist, the process of adaptation from manga to anime, the character of Yamaguchi as the comedian who tries to metatextually analyze the comedy of the show in which he himself is a character, the all-encompassing scope of the comedy of the show, the show within a show that is Pootan, the way Cro High continues to develop expectations in order to subvert them, and more.

Niamh also has an (at this point no longer secret) announcement that faer comedy video art series Today’s Garfield Read Aloud has returned as a Twitter account, @GarfReadAloud.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod[at]gmail and follow us on Twitter!

@ghostdiverspod
@FoxmomNia
@rabbleais
@GarfReadAloud

Works Cited in this Discussion

“The Yakuza Film: An Introduction” by Keiko Iwai McDonald, published in Reframing Japanese Cinema: Authorship, Genre, History

“On Ninkyo” by Sato Tadao, published in the journal Shisō no kagaku (Science of Thought)

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Mention of Alcohol (After the outro when Niamh and Connor are joking around)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S2E1] Intro to Sakigake!! Cromartie High School

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 13:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Dear Listeners Booting Up This Episode On Their Podcast App of Choice:

The guys that appear in this anime are delinquents. So, please do not, under any circumstances, imitate what you see in this anime.

Dive into Sakigake!! Cromartie High School!

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod[at]gmail and follow us on Twitter!

@ghostdiverspod
@foxmomnia
@rabbleais

Release Schedule

[S2E1] Intro: February 5, 2021
[S2E2] Eps. 1–13: February 19, 2021
[S2E3] Eps. 14–26: March 5, 2021
[S2E4] Question Bucket: March 19, 2021

Works Cited

Gabriel Gundaker talking about the Coinstar not working

“The Yakuza Film: An Introduction” by Keiko Iwai McDonald, published in Reframing Japanese Cinema: Authorship, Genre, History

“On Ninkyo” by Sato Tadao, Shisō no kagaku

Content Warnings for the Anime

Ableist and Sexist Language (Note: The dub is worse in this regard, including use of the f-slur)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S1E6] Question Bucket: Let's talk about gender, baby, let's talk about you and me

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 12:45:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Hello and welcome to this very focused and concise Question Bucket episode. We only got two emails, so we definitely didn’t somehow record for four hours straight in a delirious frenzy of topics.

Anyway, we start with an attempt to encapsulate our read on Major Kusanagi and how it relates to our political worldview, bringing in and diverging toward other topics like Iceland’s Nobel Laureate Halldór Laxness, the way public policies funnel those suffering from poverty into the military, the anarchist utopianism of Zhuangzi, reparative justice, Major Kusanagi’s ideological attachment to Section 9 and the power it provides her, and finally an answer to a question about micro machines.

We then answer a question about foundational media for us (Chrono Cross and Icelandic music for Niamh, Prince and James Joyce’s Ulysses for Connor) before diving headfirst into the “non-anime” topics we brought. Niamh is talking about Persona 3 Portable and how its portrayal of self-harm, savior complexes, and kink are deeply hurtful and honestly just fucked. As Niamh says in the cold opening disclaimer for this episode, this part of our discussion in particular gets pretty heavy, so please be careful around the Content Warnings for this episode if you may be triggered or affected by discussions of things like self-harm, abusive relationships, biting and blood kinks, etc.

Connor tries as best he can to follow that up with a look back at The Knife’s Shaking the Habitual and its position as an abrasive album that engages with the music that came before it and also might point towards some of the queer music that came after.

We finish out answering a question about how to survive grad school, and how maybe our perspective on grad school is uniquely bleak because of the particular cruelty of the program we both attended.

Sorry for being a downer.

Works Cited in this Discussion

“If you want to understand me better as a person, play Chrono Cross” by our very own Niamh

“A Better Lover” also by our very own Niamh, published by ZEAL

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Brief Mentions of Online Harassment
Discussion of Abusers in Queer Communities and Breaking Cycles of Abuse
In-Depth Discussion of Self-Harm, Trauma, Abuse, and Savior Complexes (2:12:44 to 2:23:20)
In-Depth Discussion of Kink, Teeth, Biting, Bloodplay, Painplay, the Erotics of Negotiation, and Consent (2:23:20 to 2:42:46)
Discussion of the Pressures of Grad School

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S1E5] Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, eps. 20–26

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 12:22:00 -0000

Episode Notes

It’s time to finish out our episode discussions with our breakdown of episodes 20 through 26. We get right into this with high energy because we recorded [S0E1] Welcome to Ghost Divers immediately prior to this recording, so Niamh is already fully on one. Thankfully Connor is here to rein fem in.

We start the discussion by trying to put a bow on Niamh’s theory bullshit with Benjamin and Bazin while Connor gets on his own theory bullshit train with Koestler’s The Ghost in the Machine. Throughout the episode, we cover the tension between individual and society, Aoi the individual as distinct from the Laughing Man, Aoi’s reverence to the original and the truth, the Major’s rage as she fights for her body and her need for control, demedicalization and bodily autonomy as part of trans liberationism, the value of the individual vs. the value of the team, the theoretical origins of the ghost in the shell, the similarities and distinctions between Aoi and the Major, the culpability of individuals in institutions and the need for individuals to break with the institutional imperative in order to create change, the tension between individualism and collectivism, the conversations between Batou and the Major relating to her body and why she chose it, the final act of self sacrifice by the Tachikomas, Batou’s own struggles with gender and oppressive systems, and ultimate finish by teasing out some of the quotes provided by the Major and Aoi in the show’s own version of a Works Cited.

Also sorry, we had a few audio issues again but Niamh thinks fae figured out the main issues so it should be better going forward.

Lastly, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is January 30, 2020. You can write into ghostdiverspod[at]gmail and follow us on Twitter!

@ghostdiverspod
@foxmomnia
@rabbleais

Works Cited in this Discussion

“The Ontology of the Photographic Image” from What is Cinema?, vol. 1 by André Bazin

“Beyond the Image in Benjamin and Bazin: The Aura of the Event” by Monica Dall’Asta, published in Opening Bazin: Postwar Film Theory and Its Afterlife

“The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility” by Walter Benjamin

The Ghost in the Machine by Arthur Koestler

Kino-Eye by Dziga Vertov

The Political Unconscious by Fredric Jameson

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Sexism
Intense Violence / Gore / Head Trauma / Suffocation
Drugs
Sexual Harassment / Abuse / Rape in a Medical Context (40:36-41:38)
Threats to Autonomy
Transphobia / Having Conversation With Cis People As A Trans Person
Self Sacrifice
Alcohol

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S1E4] Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, eps. 14–19

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 13:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

We decide that this is just going to be podcast with some long ass episodes and really dig into episodes 14 through 19 of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Before we even get into the episodes, we already have a lot to say about the series and how it relates to the current political reality of when we recorded this episode—which was the day news outlets declared Biden the winner of the 2020 American Presidential election.

Okay, look, I cut out a lot of our election discussion, so just like… know it could’ve been worse, okay?

Anyway, after front-loading this conversation with some political talk, we used it to jump into Major Kusanagi’s need for Section 9 to maintain her body, the capitalist view of the economy as a game you can win, Section 9’s complicity in upholding the injustice of capitalism, the Tachikomas awakening to class consciousness, Batou’s relationship to gender (Gender: It’s Not Just For The Major) and toxic masculinity, the patriarchal hegemony on the gendered expression of emotions, Aramaki’s relationship with the Major, Japanese nationalism and nationalist violence, cycles of revenge and the inscription of revenge narratives into a national identity, the potential value and danger of the merging of consciousnesses and creation of new identities, and the tension between efficacy and righteousness in Section 9’s fulfilling of their role as government agents.

Also, apologies for some of the weird audio on this one. It turns out Discord was really laggy (and variably so) for us and Niamh’s mic volume got fucked up at one point. Fae had a hell of time trying to get things sounding okay. ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod[at]gmail and follow us on Twitter!

@ghostdiverspod
@foxmomnia
@rabbleais

Works Cited in this Discussion

“Ghost in the Shell: the Major’s Body (3)” by Claire Napier (full series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

“The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility” by Walter Benjamin

“Beyond the Image in Benjamin and Bazin: The Aura of the Event” by Monica Dall’Asta, published in Opening Bazin: Postwar Film Theory and Its Afterlife

“Entomology of the Pinup Girl” from What is Cinema?, vol. 2 by André Bazin

“The Ontology of the Photographic Image” from What is Cinema?, vol. 1 by André Bazin

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Racism
Classism
Deformation and Weaponization of the Body
Alcohol
Ableism
War Crimes
Nationalist Violence
Kidnapping & Organ Harvesting

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S1E3] Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, eps. 7–13

Fri, 25 Dec 2020 06:01:00 -0000

Episode Notes

This week, we get deep into episodes 7 through 13 of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. We try a little harder this time at doing some recaps but Niamh gets distracted getting right into faer bullshit from the beginning. Connor makes his case for episode 10, but if you are trying to avoid this one, which has some of the roughest content of the series, just know we discuss it from approximately 1:24:54 to 1:32:27.

We talk about the sexualization of Major Kusanagi, the aura of the ghost in the age of its technological reproducibility, how the reproduced object can be reconstructed to produce a new aura with a purpose that can be revelatory just as easily as it can be fascistic, reality and unreality, the societal view of binary gender as “Default Male” and “Other”, choosing to be queer and trans, capitalism’s ability to co-opt that which opposes it, cycles of nationalized violence, the development of AI sapience and individuality, escapism and utopia, and our first big reminder in a few episodes that Section 9 is just a bunch of shitty cops.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod[at]gmail and follow us on Twitter!

@ghostdiverspod
@foxmomnia
@rabbleais

Works Cited in this Discussion

“Entomology of the Pinup Girl” from What is Cinema?, vol. 2 by André Bazin

“The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility” by Walter Benjamin

“Beyond the Image in Benjamin and Bazin: The Aura of the Event” by Monica Dall’Asta, published in Opening Bazin: Postwar Film Theory and Its Afterlife

“The Ontology of the Photographic Image” from What is Cinema?, vol. 1 by André Bazin

“Ghost in the Shell: the Major’s Body (3)” by Claire Napier (full series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Sexuality
Reference to Alcohol
Gore / Organ Transplants / Organ Theft
Dyadism / Sexism
Violence Against Women / Torture / Snuff Films / Terrorism (esp. 1:24:54 to 1:32:27)
Ableism in an Institutional Context
Cloning
Police Violence
Brief Mentions of Suicide

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S1E2] Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, eps. 1–6

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 13:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Connor and Niamh discuss episodes 1 through 6 of the first season of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. We get into some of the core themes of the show, including the dyadic separation of mind and body, the development of AI sapience, gender and the trans resonance of Major Kusanagi, the dystopia underlying the sheen of GitS:SAC's Japan, a peak at the bleakness of the series overall, its thoughts about the possibility for revolution suggested in the world of the show, and an introduction to Niamh’s film theory bullshit.

We also forget to do literally any sort of episode recaps, but as apology, Niamh left in all the times faer cats tried to join the podcast from outside faer closet door. So you’re welcome for that, I guess.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod[at]gmail and follow us on Twitter!

@ghostdiverspod
@foxmomnia
@rabbleais

Works Cited in this Discussion

“Ghost in the Shell: the Major’s Body (3)” by Claire Napier (full series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

“The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility” by Walter Benjamin

“Beyond the Image in Benjamin and Bazin: The Aura of the Event” by Monica Dall’Asta, published in Opening Bazin: Postwar Film Theory and Its Afterlife

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Police Brutality
Head Trauma
Dyadism
Suicide (esp. 00:35:11-37:50)
Sexuality

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

[S1E1] Intro to Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 07:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

"It is a time when, even if nets were to guide all consciousness that had been converted to photons and electrons toward coalescing, standalone individuals have not yet been converted into data to the extent that they can form unique components of a larger complex."

Dive into Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex!

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod[at]gmail and follow us on Twitter!

@ghostdiverspod
@foxmomnia
@rabbleais

Release Schedule

[S1E1] Intro: November 27, 2020
[S1E2] Eps. 1–6: December 11, 2020
[S1E3] Eps. 7–13: December 25, 2020
[S1E4] Eps. 14–19: January 8, 2021
[S1E5] Eps. 20-26: January 22, 2021
[S1E6] Question Bucket: February 5, 2021

Works Cited

“Ghost in the Shell: the Major’s Body (3)” by Claire Napier (full series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

“The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility” by Walter Benjamin

“Beyond the Image in Benjamin and Bazin: The Aura of the Event” by Monica Dall’Asta, published in Opening Bazin: Postwar Film Theory and Its Afterlife

“Entomology of the Pinup Girl” from What is Cinema?, vol. 2 by André Bazin

“The Ontology of the Photographic Image” from What is Cinema?, vol. 1 by André Bazin

The Ghost in the Machine by Arthur Koestler

Kino-Eye by Dziga Vertov

The Political Unconscious by Fredric Jameson

Content Warnings for the Anime

Gore / Head Trauma
Violence / State Violence
Suicide (esp. Eps. 3 & 22)
Torture / Violence Against Women / Snuff Films / Terrorism (esp. Ep. 10)
Sexual Harassment / Abuse / Rape in a Medical Context (esp. Ep. 22)
Dyadism / Sexism
Sexuality / Partial Nudity
Cloning
Ableism (esp. Ep. 11)
Rapid Flashing / Loud Noises / Rapid Gunfire

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

Welcome to Ghost Divers

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 03:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Hello and welcome to Ghost Divers, an anime podcast with Connor and Niamh. In this introduction to the podcast, we go over the general format and idea for the show, and we also take a moment to talk a little bit about ourselves and what we hope we can offer!

Special thanks to theimpliedbear for the use of their song "First" off of their album With Us?.

Write into our Question Bucket at ghostdiverspod[at]gmail and follow us on Twitter!

@ghostdiverspod
@foxmomnia
@rabbleais

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co