Advertise on podcast: Nation of Animation

Listeners, is it perhaps the case that you ain't happy? And in fact, you're feeling sad? Well don't worry, because this week we do indeed have sunshine in a bag as we unpack the awesome animated super-band, Gorillaz! We talk Blur, the convoluted lore of these cartoon musicians, their own eras, eclectic music tastes, and more! REAL WORLD RECS: Brooke: Monopoly GO! Ryan: 'The Bright Sword' by Lev Grossman Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

We discuss Pixar's crowning achievement, WALL-E! It's about a little robot with big dreams, big robots with little empathy, and future space-baby people. We analyze the secret sauce that makes this movie so good: character designs, musicals, Real Human Being Fred Willard, and much more! PLUS in this week's animation news, a special ad sponsor (not for us -- not yet!), a bizarre upcoming movie, and an, uhhh, *impassioned* plea for anime from one cartoon fan in Texas. MOVIES DISCUSSED: WALL-E (2008), dir. Andrew Stanton REAL WORLD RECS Brooke: Widow's Bay on Apple TV+ Ryan: The Backrooms, dir. Kane Parsons Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

It's the Return of the King! King of the Hill's second season (and 15th season overall) is here, so we finally discuss its miraculous resurrection from last year. How has the Hill family grown up? What has life had in store for our dear Bobby Hill? What the hell is Dale Gribble doing these days? EPISODES DISCUSSED: Season 14 Episode 1 - 'Return of the King' Season 14 Episode 2 - 'The Beer Story' Season 14 Episode 6 - 'Peggy's Fade-Out' Season 14 Episode 9 - 'No Hanks Left Behind' REAL WORDS RECS Brooke: A BIG surprise! Ryan: A RELATED surprise! Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussion of mental illness, suicide, dementia, and online harassment of a trans woman. Listener discretion is advised. Brooke and Ryan dive into the surprising rise and complex conclusion of the indie animation super-hit The Amazing Digital Circus. How did this show catch fire? And why can't fans just be normal about it? Also, did we enjoy the show? Is Ryan the Jax of the podcast? Listen and find out! WE FORGOT TO DO REAL WORLD RECS, WE'RE SORRY ABOUT THAT, WE RECOMMEND THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS AND BEING NORMAL ON THE INTERNET Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

Just in time for the show's end, Ryan and Brooke tune into adult swim's latest adult animation darling, the anarchistic and internet-laced Smiling Friends! We talk animation style, changing senses of humor, the 00's internet, and whether it's better to burn out or fade-away, all while staying mostly on topic. You picked the BEST time to listen! EPISODES DISCUSS: S1 E6 - “Enchanted Forest” S1 E 9 - “The Smiling Friends Go To Brazil!” S2 E1 - “Gwimbly: Definitive Remastered Enhanced Extended Edition DX 4K (Anniversary Director's Cut)” S3 E2 - “Le Voyage Incroyable de Monsieur Grenouille” REAL WORLD RECS Brooke: 'Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath' by Heather Clark Ryan: Tasty Hand-Pulled Noodles II in Hell's Kitchen Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

It's Brooke's birthday, so she gets to pick the movie! She summons up a forgotten mainstay from the VHS players of a bygone era, Don Bluth's Thumbelina. We confront our dubious memories of this childhood favorite, investigate the fascinatin history of the man who would be the Anti-Disney, and consider if, by some strange twist of fate, this movie is actually "good." What does "good" mean in this context? You'll have to listen and find out! Real World Recs: Brooke - "Every Brilliant Thing" by Duncan Macmillan on Broadway, starring Daniel Radcliffe Ryan - The Spectacular Spider-Man on DVD (and the spectacular Debora Strang and David Kepner!) Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

The minds behind Bojack Horseman and Tuca & Bertie are back on Netflix with their zaniest creation...an emotionally harrowing portrait of family across the years? And we're sure this is a comedy? Ok, if you say so! This week, we dive into Long Story Short, talk religion, family, time travel, and when we were our most interesting! Episodes discussed: Ep 4 - “Shira Can’t Cook” Ep 6 - “Wolves” Ep 7 - “Kendra’s Job” Ep 9 - “Honoring Naomi Schwartz” REAL WORLD RECS Ryan - Marshmallow Peeps Brooke - 'Heart the Lover' by Lily King Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

It's Oscar Season once again, and you know what that means -- a ton of movies, both long and short. What are our favs? What has the best odds to win? What was going on this year? Do animated movies still have that magic? FILMS WE WATCHED: FEATURES: Elio Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, and Adrian Molina Written by Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, and Mike Jones KPop Demon Hunters Co-written and directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans Arco Directed by Ugo Bienvenu Written by ugo Bienvenu and Félix de Givry Zootopia 2 Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard Written by Jared Bush Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han Written by Liane-Cho Han SHORTS Butterfly Florence Miailhe and Ron Dyens Forevergreen Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears The Girl Who Cried Pearls Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski Retirement Plan John Kelly and Andrew Freedman The Three Sisters Konstantin Bronzit REAL WORLD RECS: Ryan - Pokopia for Nintendo Switch 2 Brooke - Mary O's Soda Bread in NYC Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

We pull together the disparate parts that make a podcast and talk about Adult Swim’s alchemical new special, The Elephant! What is it? What makes it special? What kind of animation A-team put it together?   Then, we take a long look at what Disney might do to pull out of their creative slump, and how their past might indicate their future. The vengeful spirit of Walt still lingers! ChelseaChats’ TikTok Video   REAL WORLD RECS Ryan: A professional massage Brooke: Niall Breen (@niall.breen.comics on Instagram) Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

Get yourself a heaping plate of podcast! We talk about Delicious in Dungeon, the anime smash hit that has us going back for seconds. Will Brooke like this anime? What is the tastiest monster in the land? What video games do the best manga writers play? All these questions and more are on the menu in this week's Nation of Animation! EPISODES DISCUSSED: Ep 4 - “Stewed Cabbage/Orcs” Ep 8 - "Raspberries / Grilled Meat" Ep 12 - "Red Dragon II" Ep 22 - “Griffin / Familiars” REAL WORLD RECS Brooke: Pupsicle Dog Toys Ryan: Hobonichi Weekly Planners Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

We’re in a New York state of mind! This week, we salute our favorite cartoon depictions of the great city of NYC, ranging from the mythic and the fantastical to the grounded and the grimy. What is the allure of this place, and what do people love to draw from it? What has it been like for us to live here? Take a big bite of this Big Apple and find out! Link to Women In Animation Portfolio Review REAL WORLD RECS Brooke: Assassin’s Apprentice, by Robin Hobb Ryan: The City We Became, by NK Jemisin The State of Animation is New York! Get it? Because it’s a State! Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

We've been adrift in a sea of holiday animation and washed up on a strange island...you'll find no stop-motion reindeer or magical snowmen here, no memorable singalongs or classic characters. You're on the Island of Misfit Toons!  We plumb the depths of strange and forgotten holiday animation specials, and come up with three intriguing animations from yesteryear. Join us as we float up to the North Pole, an alien world, and a derelict orphanage to celebrate the holidays in new (and occasionally even entertaining) ways! SHOWS WE DISCUSSED O' Christmas Tree (1994, dir. Russ Harris & G Brian Reynolds) Aliens First Christmas (1991, dir. Russ Harris & G Brian Reynolds) Christmas Comes But Once A Year (1936, dir. Dave Fleischer and Seymour Kneitel) And from our podcast to your [name of group], Happy Holidays! We'll see you in 2026! REAL WORLD RECS: Brooke: Last Holiday (2006, dir. Wayne Wang)  Ryan: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang ( 2005, dir. Shane Black) Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

It's the holiday season, and we're still feasting on the bounty of KPop Demon Hunters, the film that keeps on giving, and we've brought in two Huntrix superfans: Meggie Gates and Laura Petro of the YA, We Read It podcast! After double-digits of re-watches, what else does the film have to offer? Can anything stop its awards season momentum? All this, plus Brooke taking on a heaping helping of animation news! The state of animation is STRONG! Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

AFTER TEN THOUSAND YEARS (or three months) AWAY, WE HAVE FINALLY RETURNED! Ryan and Brooke resume their destinies as podcasters and endeavor to cast a podcast-based spell of protection across the whole world, all while talking about the streaming sensation that’s sweeping all nations — KPOP DEMON HUNTERS! We talk about the music, the look, the fashion, and the undeniable fandom in our mighty return from hiatus! It’s good to be back! REAL WORLD RECS BROOKE: “Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret” on Netflix/ the New Jersey PATH train RYAN: Di Fara pizza in Midwood, Brooklyn  The state of animation is STRONG! Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

This week, we cover the cartoon that Disney DOESN'T WANT YOU TO SEE! The unlisted, unstreamable, unmistakable hybrid workplace comedy/ clip show House of Mouse! We talk the legacy of the Disney Sensational Six, Clarabelle Cow, and that darn Mortimer Mouse!  Episodes discussed: Season 1 Episode 2, "Big Bad Wolf Daddy" Season 2 Episode 12, "Ladies Night" Season 3 Episode 19, "Clarabelle's Christmas List" Season 3 Episode 22, "Pete's House of Villains"   Real World Recs Brooke: Diet Cherry Coke Ryan: Twilight (2008) Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi   The station of animation is...Maus! Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi