Akira Slide Podcast

Sonic's Long Legs & Kendrick's Big Shot

Today's episode is a special one- our first no-anime episode of the Akira Slide Podcast. Wow. We debut a new segment, "Flop or Flip" which is where we discuss new films we've seen and try to guess whether we liked them or not. This week, I saw Sonic 3 and Jallah saw Longlegs. Did we like these movies (flip over them, if you will) or did we not like them (or did we... flop over them)?
At the time this ep was recorded, Kendrick Lamar had just delivered a conversation-starting Half-Time Performance. Listen to today's episode to hear our day-of impressions. 
 
"Sonic 3" Spoilers Stop at 18:49
"Longlegs" Spoilers Stop at 39:20
 
Theme song by Stu Rosenberg.
 
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @AkiraSlidePodcast.
 
Edited by Michael D. Rowland.

Delightfully Devilish! Double-Dads Discuss Dan Da Dan and Disappointing Daima! (eps 13 + 14)

Hey kids, Michael here! This week's episode we thought we'd talk about something new - our coverage of "Dragon Ball Daima" continues with episodes 13-14 where we grapple with disappointment as it's becoming clear the show's vision and our hopes for it are not aligned. But Michael holds onto hope, cope, and the belief that Goku can defeat anything - even clumsy writing. The *centerpiece* is our discussion of the entire first season of "Dan Da Dan." This show honors the past, lights a beautiful path for the future, and Jallah and I both loved the show. But despite being confident, emotionally powerful, and beautiful the first season is not without its growing pains. Let's slide into it!
 
(Spoiler discussion begins at 53:08)
("Dan Da Dan" discussion ends at 01:40:17)
 
Theme song by Stu Rosenberg.
 
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @AkiraSlidePodcast.
 
Edited by Michael D. Rowland.
 

THE FANDOM (Hajime No Ippo + Dragon Ball Daima 11+ 12)

Akira Slide Episode 6 - THE FANDOM (Hajime No Ippo + Dragon Ball Daima)
This ep is a real corker. We begin with a revelation: My and Jallah’s perception of the Akira Slide podcast audience’s preference for subs vs. dubs. We finally got a chance to talk about Jallah's latest hyperfixation - Hajime No Ippo (2000). It's a boxing anime that will inspire you whether you're an athlete or not and we both have a lot to say about it. But before we get to it, we chat abou the latest (at the time of recording) Dragon Ball Daima episodes which offer a double-serving of lil' Vegeta and his new hairdo. I mean, transformation.   
 
Theme song by Stu Rosenberg.
 
Edited by Michael D. Rowland.
 
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @AkiraSlidePodcast
 

Akira Slide's Favorite Things of 2024! (Pt. 2)

Welcome back! We finish the year and our lists strong as I get a chance to talk about why 2024 Pop Music belonged to women. Jallah also gets to chat about seeing a once-in-a-lifetime event at the Kendrick Lamar Pop-Out Show in Los Angeles. Most importantly, we both show how much we've learned and grown from 2024 and why (for one of us) they had to recently undergo a Rocky/Hajime No Ippo style training arc. Thanks for listening and keep tuned, because 2025 is going to be slidetastic. Love y'all!
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @akiraslidepodcast
Topics Covered:
Michael: “Look Back” film written by Tatsuki Fujimoto, Screenplay by Kiyotaka Oshiyama
Michael: “The Dangers in My Heart” manga by Norio Sakurai
Jallah: Schoolboy Q - Blueslides
Jallah: “Dave the Diver” video game
Michael: Completed writing an LP for the first time since 2013 / playing his first show since 2016.
Michael: “I Will Teach You to be Rich” / “Money for Couples” podcast by Ramit Seithi
Michael: Allie X - “GIrl With No Face” album
Jallah: A trip to Los Angeles to see Kendrick Lamar’s “Pop-Out” show
Michael: Charli XCX - Brat and Ariana Grande - Eternal Sunshine
Michael:  “DANDADAN” anime written by Yukinobu Tatsu, Directed by Fuga Yamashiro
 
Theme song by Stu Rosenberg.
 
Edited by Michael D. Rowland.
 
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @akiraslidepodcast

Akira Slide's Favorite Things of 2024!

As Jallah and I recorded this episode on New Year's Eve Eve, we felt the desire to wax nostalgic and remember our favorite things from a huge year. These lists include personal news as well as Films, Music, and YouTube Clips. You'll have to listen to find out which one of us paid off all his consumer debt, who had a meaningful trip to the MN Zoo and where the Akira Slide podcast slides on the Kendrick vs. Drake battle. To be continued in Part Two... 
 
Jallah: Kendrick & Drake Beef.
"Interstellar" (2014) film Re-Release.
Diving into the world of the "Berserk" manga by Kentauro Miura. 
A Trip to the Minnesota Zoo.
The Hajime No Ippo anime.
Song: “Naima” by John Coltrane on Saxophone
The Ramsey Show clips on YouTube, the "Total Money Makeover" book.
Michael: A momentous trip to Los Angeles...
Paying off all consumer debt.
Jallah: Godzilla Minus One (2023) film Re-Release
 
Edited by Michael D. Rowland.
Theme song by Stu Rosenberg.
 
Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @akiraslidepodcast

Godzilla Minus One

Anyone who knows me knows i love Godziller. Godzilla Minus One is the most recent entry in the Japanese series featuring the giant lizard and is its first Academy Award Winner for Best Visual Effects. This film's word-of-mouth and box office success alike led to a re-release in theaters in December 2024. I took Jallah as my Godzilla Plus One since this is a film best experienced on the largest screen possible. How does a longtime fan like me enjoy this movie's more dramatic and intimate acting? What did Jallah think of his first full-length Godzilla experience? Is Takashi Yamazaki the most multi-talented individual to ever work on a Godzilla project?
 
Theme song by Stu Rosenberg.
Episode edited by Michael D. Rowland.
 
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @AkiraSlidePodcast

Dragon Ball Daima (Episodes 1 - 10)

This week we're covering the newest installment of a favorite series of mine - the Dragon Ball franchise! "Dragon Ball Daima" is an animated tale set between the Majin Buu arc and the end of the original manga/story. Due to nefarious actions by Gomah, an impish demon king, our heroes get transformed into children. It's up to Goku, Kaioshin, and his Little Friends new(!) and old to save Earth's guardian so they can become adults again... but in facing such insurmountable odds, will they live to fight another day. Of course they will, or "Dragon Ball Super" can't happen and all that merch we bought would be pointless!
We start things off by giving our general thoughts about 'Modern Dragon Ball' and then get down to business answering the following questions: What does "Dragon Ball Daima" get right? Is this iteration of Son Goku our friend or is he a jerkass as in most of Dragon Ball Super? While this isn't the Dragon Ball Series we wanted, could it be the shot in the arm (Goku hates needles) this long-running story needed?
 
Theme song by Stu Rosenberg.
 
Edited by Michael D. Rowland.
 
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @AkiraSlidePodcast

What is "The Akira Slide" and Who are "We?"

In our inaugural episode, we seek to answer the following questions: Who are Michael Jallah and Michael D. Rowland and how did they meet? What was it like growing up in the 1990s, when Anime was still called "Japanimation" and went from a truly niche prospect to a now-Mainstream pop cultural juggernaut? What the hell is "Samurai Pizza Cats? How do people actually enjoy the Live-Action Sonic movies? 
Theme song by Stu Rosenberg.
 
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @AkiraSlidePodcast.
 
Edited by Michael D. Rowland.
 
Subjects discussed:
Akira
Barney the Dinosaur
Berserk
Bruce Lee
Sonic The Hedgehog
Sailor Moon
Pokémon
Dragon Ball
Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers
Martial Arts
Rocko’s Modern Life
Samurai Pizza Cats
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Cinemassacre
Satoshi Kon
Rumiko Takahashi
Tomo-Chan is a Girl
The Dangers in my Heart
Fist of the North Star