FLAVOR TEXT: Pokémania

in , , , ,

In September 1998, the U.S. was introduced to the franchise that would soon become a worldwide phenomenon: Pokémon. After only 18 months, Pokémon was everywhere--on TV, in car CD players, in school cafeterias, and on kids' backpacks and bedsheets. You couldn't walk 5 feet inside a Kmart and not see something with Pikachu's likeness on it. How did this come about? Why, all of a sudden, was every child aged 7-14 suddenly screaming for their parents in to buy them booster pack upon booster pack of Pokémon cards in the summer of 1999? And, why oh God why is there a Pokémon Christmas album? Find out the answers to all these questions and more on our deep dive into the late 90s cultural phenomenon that was Pokémania.

Special thanks to our first-generational Pokémon Master, "@mgrum54" for commissioning today's episode. If you're interested in comissioning your own FLAVOR TEXT, come check out our patreon at patreon.com/debatethiscast.

Spooktacular Review-a-thon:

  • Step 1: Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, Goodpods, or anywhere else you can write reviews!

  • Step 2: Take a screenshot of your review, post it to social media, and tag us @debatethiscast

  • Step 3: We'll read your review in a spooky voice during the October ad breaks!

  • Step 4: If we get 20 new reviews this month, we'll make Todd play Doki Doki Literature Club live on Twitch!

Spooktacular Patreon Bonus:

Have you seen our Twitter? twitter.com/debatethiscast

Have you seen our Instagram? instagram.com/debatethiscast

Want to send us an email? debatethiscast@gmail.com

Music for Debate This! is provided by composer Ozzed under a Creative Commons license. Check out more of their 8-bit bops at www.ozzed.net!

Read More

Episode 30: Two Baldwins Deep (ft. Giovanni Colantonio)

in , ,

The 1993 film Super Mario Bros is notorious for 1) being very bad, and 2) inadvertently creating a sub-genre of crappy movie adaptations of popular video games. So this week, we’re finally going to right this wrong and re-shoot the Mario Bros movie the right way. Problem is, we don’t actually create new concepts, we just steal from the likes of Wes Anderson, Martin Scorsese, and...the dudes from Super Troopers. Thank God we brought in guest expert Giovanni Colantonio to help pen this masterpiece.

You can listen to more of Giovanni talking about video games on Left Trigger Right Trigger, or check out Fullmetal Bazinga, an improvised science-fiction audio drama based on the final season of the Big Bang Theory!

Keep the conversation going by following us on social media @debatethiscast.

Read More

Episode 27: Gyrados Jim’s Gyrados Gym for Gyra-Bros

in , ,

A trainer’s first Pokemon is arguably the most important impact on how their fighting style develops and more importantly how they grow as a trainer and as a person. So naturally, the Pokemon that best map onto our personalities are a goopy snot dragon, a swole fish with large calves, and a metallic pangolin walled off from emotions. Fortunately, Tom Zalatnai from Up for Discussion and Blasting Off Again stopped by to remind us that there is good in the world, and that a Pokemon can be used to improve society and are not just for Instagram fan pages.

You can check out Tom’s work and other shows on the Upford Network at upfordnetwork.com.

Keep the conversation going by following us on social media @debatethiscast.

Suggested Reading:

Read More

Episode 10: Please Ignore the Zangoose Pee

in , ,

Let’s face it, we’ve all dreamt of being a Pokemon Master...exploring the countryside, making new friends, and murdering children’s pets along the way. We’ve also all had that moment one-hit-KO-ing Erika’s Vileplume where we think we can do better. This week, Debate This! asks the question, “What would your Pokemon Gym do differently?”

Read More