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BLADE LICKING THIEVES

An Asian Film Podcast: Anime, Kaiju, Chambara, Martial Arts, and More!

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#90: The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2023/07/15

The Thieves are back with another Shaw Brothers kung fu classic! On today's show, we are reviewing director Lau Kar-Leung's spectacular Eight Diagram Pole Fighter. Released at the tail end of the Shaw Brothers era, the film stars the iconic Gordon Liu, Alexander Fu, and Kara Hui as the last surviving members of the Yang family who pursue a bloody, teeth shattering, revenge against the Khitan invaders that defeated their clan in battle. Timestamps: [00:00] Intro, Mario & Sonic movies, more

#89: The Night is Short, Walk on Girl

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2023/07/01

We review Masaaki Yuasa's 2017 anime film, The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, a bold and breezy romantic comedy based on the light novel by Tomihiko Morimi about a young college student pursuing the girl he fancies while she carouses around the city on an endless night of adventures. Timestamps: [00:00] Intro, Showa era Gamera, Technoroid Overmind [36:50] The Night is Short, Walk on Girl Review Timestamps: [00:00] Intro, Showa Gamera, Technoroid Overmind [36:50] The Night is Short, Walk on

#88: Excalibur (1981)

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2023/06/08

We review John Boorman's classic fantasy film, Excalibur (1981). Tune in to hear us chat for admittedly way too long about the legends of King Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, Percival, and the Knights of the Round Table, plus our thoughts on why the stories and themes still resonate and why the power of the myths continue to endure. Timestamps: [00:00] Intro, Wonder Egg Priority, Demon Slayer, Gaogaigar [40:10] Excalibur (1981) Review

#87: Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo (1978)

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2023/05/09

Infused with an irreverent, chaotic energy, reminiscent of Monkey Punch's original manga, director Soji Yoshikawa's completely madcap Lupin the Third: The Mystery of Mamo (1978) sees Lupin and the gang, in their first animated theatrical outing, face off against a mysterious villain plotting to takeover the world while seeking to obtain from Lupin the philosopher's stone said to possess the secret to immortality. Tune in for the full review! Timestamps: [00:00] Intro, Garo, Naruto [21:15]

#86: The Swordsman (2020)

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2023/04/15

In Korean director Jae-hoon Choi's period action film, The Swordsman (2020), a retired master swordsman (Jang Hyuk) is forced into action when his daughter (Hyeon-soon Kim) is placed in mortal danger by Qing invaders, lead by the merciless Gurutai (Joe Taslim) relative of the Qing emperor, who seek to complete their subjugation of Korea's Joseon Dynasty through subterfuge, threats, and force if necessary. Timestamps: [00:00] Intro, Yamato 2202, Parasite Dolls, Kamen Rider Zero-One, Vinland

#85: In the Mood for Love (2000)

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2023/03/22

We review Wong Kar Wai's In the Mood for Love (2000), an intimate, heartbreaking, and emotionally simmering peek into the lives of two forlorn souls (actor Tony Leung and actress Maggie Cheung) who seek companionship with one another after discovering that their spouses are having an affair together. Timestamps: [00:00] Intro, Demon Slayer, Dragon Ball GT, Yamato 2202 [26:45] Review of In the Mood for Love

#84: Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2023/02/14

We review the 2001 anime TV series Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, a zany coming of age comedy from famed anime studio Gainax and director / writer Hiroyuki Yamaga, about two young teenage friends, Sasshi and Arumi, on a slapstick filled series of misadventures through parallel worlds, dished out as hilarious spoofs of young Sasshi's geeky obsessions, from Dragon Quest to Dating Sims, Giant Robots to Prehistoric Monsters, to Martial Arts, Sci-Fi, Hollywood movies and more. Timestamps: [00:00]

Team B #14: The Beastmaster (1982)

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2023/01/24

Armed with the strength of the black tiger, the courage of the eagle, and the cunning of the ferret, the Team B crew sit down to watch Don Coscarelli's sword and sorcery adventure, The Beastmaster (1982).

#83: Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2023/01/04

We review the 2003 Thai martial arts film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior featuring action star Tony Jaa in his break-out role. Timestamps: [00:00] Intro, Goblin Slayer Tabletop RPG, Ultraman Trigger [27:40] Review of Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior [1:44:12] Twitter Questions

#82: A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2022/10/30

Just in time for Halloween, the Thieves are back with a review of Tsui Hark and Ching Sui-tung's spooky romantic comedy, A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), a genre defying tale of star crossed lovers, filled with slapstick comedy, exciting martial arts sorcery, and enough ghouls, ghosts, and zombies to fill your night with frights! Timestamps: [00:00] Intro, Vinland Saga, Way of the House Husband [36:51] A Chinese Ghost Story Review [1:58:24] Twitter Questions

#81: The Mighty Peking Man

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2022/09/01

On today's episode of the Blade Licking Thieves, we talk about our hopes for the recently announced continuation of the Berserk manga (sans its creator) and the potential pitfalls facing the creative team; discuss the long awaited and finally realized North American Macross licensing deal; briefly touch on the recent anime series I'm Quitting Heroing; and, finally, we review Shaw Brother Studio's 1977 King Kong rip-off and certified so bad its good cult classic: The Mighty Peking

#80: Everything Everywhere All at Once

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2022/08/11

We review the Daniels' latest film, Everything Everywhere All at Once, a wild, weird, and wonderfully irreverent journey through the multiverse that's equal parts exhilarating action film, laugh-out-loud absurdist comedy, poignant family drama, and meaningful commentary on the fractal like nature of the Asian American experience. Timestamps: [00:00] Intro, Gunpla, Digimon,and Eat-Man [42:41] Everything Everywhere All at Once Review [2:02:54] Twitter Questions

#79: Kikujiro

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2022/07/22

In Takeshi Kitano's summer road movie, Kikujiro, a young boy searching for his estranged mother sets out from Tokyo into rural Japan with an unruly former Yakuza as his guide, begetting a series of misadventures, felonious incidents, comedic interludes, surreal vignettes, and tender moments, as bonds of affection form between the unlikely pair. Timestamps: [00:00] Introductions and Nonsense [09:09] Mini-Review of Tatsuki Fujimoto's Manga Goodbye, Eri [44:40] Kikujiro Review

Team B #13: Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2022/06/15

BLT Team B review Brian De Palma's rock opera musical Phantom of the Paradise (1974): a strange and twisted horror / comedy cult-classic about a disfigured song writer who haunts the concert hall of the producer that betrayed him and stole his love, in a plot heavily inspired by both Phantom of the Opera and Faust.

#78: Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983)

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2022/05/20

Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, and Corey Yuen star in this hyper-kinetic supernatural comedy, Zu Warriors From the Magic Mountain, a special effects laden wuxia film from Hong Kong director Tsui Hark about an ordinary Chinese solider who, after stumbling into a world of fantastical supernatural battles between the forces of good and evil, must embark on a quest to save the universe. Timestamps: [00:00] Films we've been watching, Chainsaw Man, Shenmue the Animation, Anno's Shin Ultraman

#77: Parasite (2019)

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2022/04/23

We review Korean director Bong Joon-ho's class-conscious thriller Parasite, a black comedy about the Kims, a scrappy lower class family living on the edge of subsistence in Seoul, who through luck and by hook or crook manage to gain employment as help in the household of their incredibly wealthy city neighbors, the Parks, only to realize much too late that their stroke of good fortune portends a much darker misfortune. Timestamps: [00:00] Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 and Konosuba [29:00] Parasite

#76: Macross Plus Movie Edition

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2022/03/30

We chat about the Ip Man franchise, discuss the influences and merits of the original Mobile Suit Gundam, and lastly review one of the premiere anime titles of the 1990s: Macross Plus Movie Edition, an explosive work, by Macross series creator Shoji Kawamori and the core creative talent later responsible for a little known title called Cowboy Bebop, that twenty seven years after its release has lost none of its original impact. Timestamps: [00:00] Ip Man 2-4, Mobile Suit Gundam

Team B #12: From Beyond (1986)

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2022/02/07

BLT Team B review Stuart Gordon's 1986 body horror film, From Beyond. Like Gordon's prior film, Re-Animator, also starring Jeffrey Combs, From Beyond is based on an H.P. Lovecraft short story - this one involving inter dimensional creatures brought into our reality through a science experiment gone awry with, as you might imagine, predictably gruesome results for those involved.

#75: Chasing the Dragon (2017)

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2022/01/17

We review the 2017 Hong Kong gangster film, Chasing the Dragon, the story of the rise and fall of Hong Kong's most notorious gangster "Crippled Ho" (Donnie Yen) and his unlikely partnership with Police Detective Lee Rock (Andy Lau) during the cities' most turbulent and lawless decades, the 1960s and 1970s, during the height of the heroin trade. Timestamps: [00:00] Tenchi Universe, Blade Runner: Black Lotus, Star Wars: Visions [50:27] Chasing the Dragon (2017) Review [2:14:25] Twitter

#74: One Cut of the Dead

BLADE LICKING THIEVES ·

2021/12/28

We review the ingenious Japanese horror / comedy One Cut of the Dead from Japanese filmmaker Shinichiro Ueda. Timestamps: [00:00] Dragon Quest Dai and Cowboy Bebop Live Action [58:27] One Cut of the Dead Review [2:02:30] Twitter Questions

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