Fanthropological

What is it about little bits of cardboard, plastic, and wood that draw people in so much? This week, we're talking about fans of board games: AKA Board Game Geeks! Next week, will we escape the podcast in 60 minutes or less? Probably not, but that won't stop us from uncovering the mystery of escape room fans! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins and history:** Board games are... broad, and historically date back quite a ways. Wikipedia provides a succinct description not unlike a description of life: > A board game is a tabletop game that involves counters or pieces moved or placed on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Some games are based on pure strategy, but many contain an element of chance; and some are purely chance, with no element of skill. > > Games usually have a goal that a player aims to achieve. Early board games represented a battle between two armies, and most modern board games are still based on defeating opponents in terms of counters, winning posit

What if all Marvel movies were only targeted at men / boys? That's a sort of weird thing that we think about as we get into this week's topic: Fans of anime and manga "for girls" (aka: Shoujo and Josei). What is the most popular shoujo / josei title? Do men read / watch it? How successful is it? All this and more on this week's episode with special guest, Caitline Moore ([I Have a Heroine Problem](https://heroineproblem.com/), [Anime Feminist](https://www.animefeminist.com/author/caitlinmoore/))! Next week, we'll overthrow a dystopian goverment (WAKE UP, MEEPLE!) and probably grow a bunch of fields to feed our family to _not_ die in some medieval time; that's right, we'll be talking about fans of board games! ## Where can I learn more about Caitlin Moore? Caitlin is the author of [I Have a Heroine Problem](https://heroineproblem.com/), a blog about critically examining media (particularly, shoujo and other anime / manga) from a feminist perspective. Right now, she is running a column examining abusive rela

What exactly is the significance of gel, and what is it that ties together a series that shares only two words (Tales of)?? This week, we're talking about fans of the _Tales of_ series (e.g. Tales of Phantasia, Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Zestiria, Tales of Berseria) with special guest (and Maple Gel Con organizer) Jesi McMulkin! Next week, we'll be demystifying the world of anime and manga fans a bit as we discuss fans of josei and shoujo... or in layman's terms, anime and manga "for women and girls". ## Where can I learn more about Jesi McMulkin? If you enjoyed listening to our special guest, Jesi, and want to learn more about the _Tales of_ series, you should definitely checkout [Maple Gel Con](http://maplegelcon.squarespace.com/) in Burlington, Ontario! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** The _Tales_ or _Tales of_ series is a video game series that has been running since 1995 with the release of _Tales of Phantasia_ on the Super Famicom. While there are sixteen main titles, many spin

We had the chance to sit down with Devin Hutchinson (General Manager) and Myles Hilliard (Head Chef) at the [Watchtower Restaurant](http://www.watchtowerrestaurant.com/), a local geeky restaurant, to talk about their experiences with Tabletop RPGs and the gaming community. What is it like as a fan of Tabletop RPGs? If you want to learn more about the Watchtower Restaurant, check out... - Their website: http://www.watchtowerrestaurant.com/ - Their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/watchtowerkw/ - Their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WatchtowerRestaurant/ And if you want to know why we're talking about Tabletop RPGs, [check out our original episode on the subject](http://fanthropological.com/e/51-tabletop-rpg-fans/). ## Where can you find us online? We are everywhere! Most notably though, we like to hang out in a few places on social media: - If you want to help us to create more amazing fannish content, become a patron on [Patreon](http://patreon.com/thenickscast); even as little as a dollar a mon

This week, _Arya_ ready for our look at fans of Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire! We are! _And_ you definitely don 't learn Dothraki to enjoy it! Plus, we have a special guest from the award-winning [A Podcast of Ice and Fire](http://podcastoficeandfire.com/), Amin! Next week, we'll be keeping the fantasy setting (sort of) to talk about one of the most popular RPG series in Japan; we'll be talking about fans of the _Tales_ series of video games! ## Where can I learn more about Amin? If you want to learn more about Amin, you should definitely check out the aforementioned [A Podcast of Ice and Fire](http://podcastoficeandfire.com/); they even provided us with [some slides](https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4fkEcWiuGpCV0t6anU3WTAyMW8/view) from their panel at San Diego Comic Con (which we brought up in this week's episode)! You can also find him on his other podcasts, [The Bastards of Kingsgrave](https://bastardsofkingsgrave.wordpress.com/), which covers anime, manga, western animation and other pop

This week, we're (_rolls d20_) talking about fans of miniatures, monsters, magic and mayhem (and much much more); we're talking about fans of Tabletop RPGs! What is it, exactly, about these fictional worlds that draw people in, and why are they becoming so popular? Next week, we'll have special guest, Amin, of [a Podcast of Ice and Fire](http://podcastoficeandfire.com/) joining us to talk about fans of the Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire series! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** Tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) have a long and storied history starting with wargaming... which itself has its roots in even older strategy games like Chess (which originated from Chaturanga, an ancient Indian game). Chess gave way to variants of Chess, which gave way to more modern wargames like Kriegsspiel (literally "war game" in German; used for training German and Prussian armies)... which eventually gave way to games like Chainmail, the precursor to Dungeons and Dragons — the archetypical t

This week, you're all gonna be in this experimental film! Provided, of course, that you're a fan of They Might Be Giants (TMBG) (and are OK with film being... tape? Nevermind). What is it about this quirky musical group that has kept fans interested for over 30 years? Next week, we'll put on our robes and wizard hats to talk about fans of tabletop RPGs! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** > They Might Be Giants (often abbreviated as TMBG) is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as a duo, often accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG expanded to include a backing band. > > — [Wikipedia - They Might Be Giants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Might_Be_Giants) TMBG is known for having an unconventional, experimental kind of music, has released 19 studio albums (including _Flood_ which has been certified platinum), has created theme music for several te

We start off Season 5 with a mega-blast! It's all of our hosts favourites fandoms this season starting off with fans of the Blue Bomber: Mega Man! Why haven't there been any new games lately, and how have the fans adapted? How is a game from more than 25 years ago still relevant to fans today? Tune in and find out! Next week, we'll be doing the things a particle can and talking about two rockin' musicians (John and John) and their fans as we talk about They Might Be Giants fandom! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** Rockman (also known as Mega Man, outside of Japan) is a video game franchise created by Akira Kitamura and designed by Keiji Inafune by (and owned by CAPCOM). Originally released for Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987, the franchise has over 50 games on multiple systems, and, by March 2015, over thirty million copies have been sold worldwide. The original game follows the story of Rock (Mega), an android created by Doctor Light and his assistant, Doctor Wily. Doctor Wily repr

This week, the season finale of our whirlwind tour around the globe searching fandoms far and wide. This week, we've left the globe to ascend to the _stars_ to talk about fans... of cosplay! Next week? Who knows! Season 6 is right around the corner. ## Where can I learn more about Lumpy Space Cosplay or SMZeldaRules? If you enjoyed our chat with these two fantastic cosplayers, you can learn more about them below! **Lumpy Space Cosplay** - Instagram: http://instagram.com/lumpyspacecosplay - Facebook: http://facebook.com/lumpyspacecosplay **SMZeldaRules** - Instagram: http://instagram.com/smzeldarules - Facebook: http://facebook.com/smzeldarulesartandcosplay ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** Cosplay, a portmanteau of the words "costumed play", is a hobby where people, known as cosplayers, wear costumes to represent a specific character. Cosplay is quite diverse: cosplayers may create costumes, be part of photoshoots, attend masquerades, get 'into character', 'genderbend' characters, m

This week, we say "anyong haseyo" as we dive into fans of Korean Pop (K-Pop)... in Brazil?? Why is it so popular there, of all places? And what is it about this unique musical style? Is it riding out the Korean Wave?? Next week, our final episode of the season, takes us to fans of something a bit more global: Fans of cosplay! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** Korean pop, abbreviated to 'K-pop', is a musical genre that originates in South Korea. The term is often used to describe a modern form of South Korean pop music drawing inspiration from a range of styles and genres around the world. K-pop's origins begin in the late 1980s and early 1990s with groups such as Seo Taiji and Boys being among the earliest in 1992. > The French Institut national de l'audiovisuel defines K-pop as a "fusion of synthesized music, sharp dance routines and fashionable, colorful outfits." ... Songs typically consist of one or a mixture of pop, rock, hip hop, R&B and electronic music genres. > > — [W

What is it about those high-flying, high-energy performers that get fans so worked up? And why isn't there more of this amazing sport elsewhere in the world (perhaps there is)? This week, we're talking about fans of Lucha Libre! Next week, we'll be looking at the Korean Wave, specifically, at fans of K-pop (in Brazil)?! [// Vámonos cabrón! ]: # [// Va-monos cabron]: # ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** Lucha Libre, literally "Free fight" in English, refers to a form of professional wrestling developed in Mexico. It is often characterized by its colourful masks, rapid moves, and "high-flying" maneuvers. Lucha libre wrestlers are known as luchadores (literally, wrestlers). Lucha libre wrestling dates back to 1863 during the French intervention into Mexico, developed by Enrique Ugartechea (the first Mexican wrestler) from Greco-Roman wrestling. However, it probably wasn't until the 1930s with the foundation of the Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (Mexican Wrestling Enterprise) that the sport

Our fandom journey this season takes us all the way to Japan to talk about fans of the world's most famous _virtual_ pop idol: Hatsune Miku! How did such a relatively niche thing become a global phenomenon? And who is pulling the strings?? Next week, we're off to Mexico to talk about fans of that exciting sport: Lucha Libre! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** Hatsune Miku is a VOCALOID. What is a VOCALOID? A VOCALOID is a singing synthesizer application developed by YAMAHA. It was an international effort to create a synthesizer to act as a replacement singer. The original VOCALOID engine was release in 2004. Hatsune Miku was the second VOCALOID released as part of the VOCALOID2 engine and the first member of the Character Vocal Series created by Crypton Future Media Inc. Her name literally means "the first sound from the future." She is also a humanoid persona: a 16-year-old girl with long turquoise twintails and her voice is modelled after Saki Fujita. In September of 2007, Amazon.co.jp r

This week, we're continuing our journey around the world, venturing to South Korea to up our actions per minute (APM) as we learn more about fans of Starcraft! What is it about this almost-twenty-year-old game that is still so captivating to fans? Or has it lost its allure since the sequel (and many competitors) have been released? And why is it so popular in South Korea, of all places? Next week, we'll be heading off to Japan to learn about the world's most famous virtual idol, Hatsune Miku! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** > StarCraft is a military science fiction media franchise ... owned by Blizzard Entertainment. The series, set in the beginning of the 26th century, centers on a galactic struggle for dominance among four species—the adaptable and mobile Terrans, the ever-evolving insectoid Zerg, the powerfully enigmatic Protoss, and the "god-like" Xel'Naga creator race. > ... > The original game [released in 1998] and its official expansion have been praised as one of the benchmark r

This week, we're batting our best and bowling for the fences as we talk about fans of that popular English sport, Cricket! Why is it so popular? Is it really as slow as they say? Stay tuned! Next week, there'll be less qq and more pew-pew when we dive into fans of StarCraft! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** Cricket is in some ways, not dissimilar from more familiar (to North Americans) sports such as baseball: > Cricket is a ... played between two teams of eleven players each on a cricket field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard-long pitch with a target called the wicket (a set of three wooden stumps topped by two bails) at each end. Each phase of play is called an innings during which one team bats, attempting to score as many runs as possible, whilst their opponents field. Depending on the type of match, the teams have one or two innings apiece and, when the first innings ends, the teams swap roles for the next innings. > > — [Wikipedia - Cricket](https://en.wikiped

Oh no! We've been transported into a world _inside the computer_ where we need to defeat big bads with the help of our monster pals! That's right, we're in China talking about the world's most popular massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG), World of Warcraft! Why _is_ it so popular after more than a decade? Next week, we're gonna get _wicket_ on you as we travel to India to talk about fans of the oft misunderstood sport, _cricket_! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** World of Warcraft is a popular MMORPG created by Blizzard Entertainment and set in the already existing _Warcraft_ universe. It was released in 2004, and the player takes on the role of a member of either the Horde, or the Alliance as one of the many multitudes of races and classes. In China, it is known as "World of Magic Beasts". **Most Active:** Interest in [World of Warcraft has been on the decline](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=%2Fm%2F021dvx,Aion), with the most interest taking pl

This week, we do our best to keep up with our Russian rivals as we skate (or die) to defend Canada's honour as we talk about fans of that _hot_ sport, figure skating! The _burning_ question we have is... how important is Yuri!!! on Ice to the fandom? And how popular is it anyway? Next week, we'll be travelling to China to talk about everyone's favourite MMORPG, ~~World of Magic Beasts~~ World of Warcraft! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** Figure skating, also known as _artistic skating_ in many other countries, is a sport where individuals or groups of people perform on a special type of ice skate (i.e. figure skates). It was the first winter sport included in the Olympics (in 1908) and, depending on the discipline, may include spins, jumps, lifts, throw jumps, death spirals or other elements. **Size of Fandom:** Let's take a look at the fandom funnel! By that I mean, more dedicated fans tend to put more into their expression of fandom, so we can use rough numbers to extrapolate how man

This week, we interrupt our global fandom safari for a matter of dire urgency! ~~People are wrong on the internet!~~ There is a crisis that only the Doctor, the Winchester brothers, Holmes and Watson can solve (and possibly the Avengers if they aren't busy?)! That's right, this week, we're getting meta and bending the laws of time and space to talk about fans of SuperWhoLock! Next week, we bend the laws of space and time back into place as we travel to Russia to talk about fans of that magical sport (and its fans): Figure skating! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Fandom Origins:** SuperWhoLock is, unsurprisingly, the crossover between the fandoms of Supernatural, Doctor Who, and Sherlock (with the Avengers sometimes making an appearance). The first tagged SuperWhoLock post (on Tumblr) appeared in August 2011, and the first SuperWhoLock fanfic was tagged on Archive of our own in August 2012 (though it is possible that stories first appeared as early as January 2012 elsewhere). > In SuperWhoLock’s ca

What is it about that bitter (or sometimes sweet) morning delight that makes people such a fan? This week, we're talking about fans of coffee, and if there is more to it than its magical (and addictive) effects. What is it that has folks questing for the perfect brew? Next week, we seal the rift in wibbly-wobbly-summer-timey-wimey as we put on some classic rock (and our deerstalker hat) as we interrupt our world travelling with time travelling as we talk about fans of that fascinating meta-fandom: _SuperWhoLock_! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** There are historical accounts and there are accounts of legend of how coffee was discovered (and in a loose way, the fandom). One legend tells the story of a 9th-century Ethiopian goatherd, Kaldi, who discovered coffee when he noticed how excited his goats became after eating beans from a coffee plant. That story did not appear in writing until 1671 and is likely apocryphal. Another legend tells of a Sheikh Omar (known for his ability to cure th

We interrupt our world-wide trip with a trip through TIME. This week, we travel back to ConBravo! 2017, to our panel where we talked about the greatest game of all time (and greatest fandom?), Chrono Trigger! Why has this game remained popular over the years? Timing? Team? Time Travel? Let's find out! Next week, we're back to our regularly scheduled trip, and off to Turkey to talk about fans of Coffee! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** Chrono Trigger is a Super Nintendo JRPG released in 1995. It was developed by Square (notable for such other games as Final Fantasy) and its so-called "Dream Team": Hironobu Sakaguchi (the creator of the Final Fantasy Series), Yuji Horii (creator of Enix's popular Dragon Quest series), and Akira Toriyama (an artist well known for his work with Dragon Quest and his ongoing manga / anime series: Dragonball, among other things). It also featured music composed by Yasunori Mitsuda (the _Chrono_ series, Mario Party, Xenosaga) and Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy). T

We arrive in Italy, and rather than diving into a fandom, we dive into a history lesson on Italy, Progressive Rock, and its liberating love child, Rock Progressivo Italiano (RPI)! What is it? How is it different than prog rock in general? Why is its own subgenre? Some of these, an more, on this week's episode! Next week, we'll be travelling to Turkey to talk about fans of that delicious dark beverage, coffee! ## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** Progressive Rock (prog rock) is a subgenre of rock music developed in the UK and US throughout the mid to late 1960s (initially termed progressive pop). It is based on a fusion of styles and is an outgrowth of psychedelic bands who moved away from pop tradition in favour of different instrumentation an compositional techniques more often found in jazz, folk, or classical music. Rock Progressivo Italiano (RPI) is a subgenre within a subgenre. Italy was generally uninterested in rock music _until_ the early 1970s when the italian prog rock scene develo