Now that the first issue of PiQ has come and gone and everybody’s had their chance to chime in, I’d like to talk about one particular criticism that I’ve heard several times. While I anticipated it, I had hoped that the article content itself would deflect such criticism, since I wrote it specifically for the skeptical viewer.

I am referring, of course, to the Avatar: The Last Airbender feature.

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Did we ever say this podcast would be a regular thing? Whoops. After a hectic month or so, we finally sat down and got to discuss some of what we’ve been up to, including Kevin’s trip to Japan, the infallible legacy of Upton Sinclair and our collective realization that some games are just entirely too damn hard for old fogeys like us (and we’re not even that old).

More importantly, there’s also our discussion of Issue 2 and all the goodness therein, like how much we dig Sam & Max, Lucky Star, Iron Man, Tim and Eric, action movies, old game shows and pig creatures? Also, we have another sweet prize for those of you interested, so be sure to listen for that too.

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Now that we’ve slogged through our deadline for Issue 2, we’re able to share our much-delayed discussion about Issue 1 with all you fine folks.

If you have Issue 1, feel free to follow along as we talk about some initial reactions to the magazine, and go into a bit of discussion on Appleseed Ex Machina, Avatar, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Honey & Clover, recent legislation in Japan, Tweeny Witches, Battlestar Galactica, Independence Day (!), our Monitor think-piece “Is Anime Dead?” and more.

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…they suck me back in.

Seriously, though, as one of the more inveterate, irredeemable nerds around here, I was thinking about what it was that got me back into anime. See, back when I lived in the Japanese countryside (everybody should do the JET Program) I sort of had to keep my nerdhood on the down-low, lest people think I was even weirder than I already was.

And by the time I returned to the friendly shores of the United States, I had nearly forgotten that I was supposed to be an anime nerd. However, there were three anime series that, like carefully-placed shape-charges, blasted away the thin glazing of “normalcy” I had so carefully constructed, leaving my abiding otaku nature bare for all to see.

“What were they?” You undoubtedly clamor to know what animated entertainment could possibly be so potent as to override my ever-present desire to appear normal to my peers! Steady, friends, and I shall tell you. In order I viewed them:

• Planetes. Oh, Planetes. This show had the bad luck to be coming out right around the same time Fullmetal Alchemist was hitting it big, and even if it hadn’t been overshadowed by the huge hit that was FMA, its hard SF trappings and corporate politics arc plot aren’t exactly guarantors of mainstream success. But oh, readers, how it hit me! Its realistic sense of international politics along with its intense personal drama and lovingly detailed depiction of life in orbit seemed tailor-made to demand my attention. I nearly blew a translation deadline thanks to Planetes — and I’d do it all over again.
• The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. I’m always irritated when I see Haruhi dismissively referred to as a “fan favorite.” Yeah, it’s a fan favorite — because it’s completely brilliant. The writing fairly crackles with wit, the voice performances (in both Japanese and English!) are spot-on, and the animation and art direction never misses a step. And despite all its critical distance, the cool eye with which it regards common anime themes, it manages, in the end, to be remarkably affecting and moving. Kyon is a personal hero of mine.
• Genshiken. Manga artist Kio Shimoku’s depiction of life in a college anime club is rightfully acclaimed as pitch-perfect, and the anime version doesn’t break the tradition. With perfect casting choices for all the voices, a ridiculously catchy opening theme, and a warm (yet unflinching) depiction of the otaku life and the weirdos who lead it, Genshiken is probably the greatest of the recent glut of anime-about-anime-fans. It even approaches the heights of Otaku no Video, and that’s saying something.

So — did you ever drop out of a fandom, only to be sucked back in? What did the trick?