Media Mothership

John Cena’s last match, wrestling news, and the biggest debates, with special guest Marcus.

This episode was recorded at Hobart’s Edge Radio 99.3FM studios, and first aired on 18 Dec 2025.
For more info on Media Mothership go to https://mediamothership.au/ 
Recorded live each week from Edge Radio studios in Hobart, Tasmania. https://www.edgeradio.org.au/

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Trent Breward, recently returned from his  trip to Japan, shares his on-the-ground experiences with Japan’s vibrant wrestling scene, offering insights into live events, fan culture, and how Japanese wrestling (puroresu) differs from what Western audiences may expect.
We then return to last episode’s discussion of the Americanisation of anime, and early dubbing pioneer Fred Ladd. Drawing from Ladd’s DVD com...

I’m joined by UTAS PhD student Ashley Remminga to unpack Fred Ladd’s commentary from the 1960s cartoon Gigantor, the US localised version of Tetsujin 28-go. We reflect on the wild rewrites of early anime dubs, and the cultural impact Gigantor had in Australia. This episode was recorded at Hobart’s Edge Radio 99.3FM studios, and first aired on 27 Nov 2025.

For more info on Media Mothership go to https://mediamother...

We break down the latest media news and then take a deep dive into the early Americanisation of anime. Drawing on Fred Ladd’s commentary for the Gigantor (1964) cartoon, we explore how Ladd and his team reshaped Japanese storytelling, aesthetics, and themes to fit the expectations of American television.

For episode notes and links go to https://mediamothership.au/ 
Recorded live each week from Edge Radio studios in H...

We interview Zackary Roeth, a volunteer at Print Radio and student filmmaker, to explore his work editing audiobooks for local radio and his creative work in student film.
Our movie review is the 90th anniversary of Bride of Frankenstein (1935), we unpack the film’s enduring legacy, stylistic nuances, and cultural impact. Drawing on insights from film historian Scott MacQueen’s audio commentary on the Blu-ray release...

This week we explore everything from Australia’s proposed streaming content rules to The Simpsons crossover in Fortnite. We discuss Rockstar’s abandoned spy game, why GTA never returned to London, a South Park subreddit mystery, Stellar Blade’s latest controversy, backlash over The Witcher on Netflix, and a surprising detail from Evangelion’s animation history.

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Latest pop culture oddities, including video game mishaps, virtual weddings, and retro game finds. We end the show with a discussion of what makes a good bit of “Breaking News”, “Emergency Broadcast” diegetic media in zombie fans, and play some classic examples from “Night of the Living Dead” (1968) and “Shaun of the Dead”. 'Night of the Living Dead' is a classic zombie film that set ...

We discuss PAX Aus 2025, Australia's biggest convention for video games and pop culture, highlighting some of the experiences Craig had there. We also chat about some of the strange and unusual news in media culture (links provided below).

• Title Red Dead Redemption 2 Mod Shows NPC Memories When You Kill Them (Kotaku) https://www.polygon.com/red-dead-redemption-2-mod-blurbs-npc-memories-interview/
• I modded RDR2 to give N...

We cover some recent pop culture news and then dive into today's topic, using Nick Couldry’s work on media places to talk about the cracked.com article "14 Abandoned Movie Sets That You Can Go Screw Around in If You’ve Got the Time".

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We discuss what is considered one of the best adaptations of Shakespeare’s Macbeth: Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood. We draw on Michael Jeck’s commentary from the Criterion Blu-ray to explore the blending of Shakespearean tragedy, Japanese aesthetics (such as Noh theatre), and Kurosawa’s unique cinematic storytelling style.

We also dive into some of the TV tropes to highlight the film’s profound themes of p...

Recent pop culture and entertainment news: a mecha director’s concerns about relevancy for young fans, “creepy” popcorn bucket marketing in the Conjuring franchise, and anime as political protest in Indonesia. Plus, game mysteries, global music aspirants, pixel art activism, Jurassic World tours in Flight Sim, a new Tourism Australia campaign, sports gaming developments, and Superman’s struggles on page and ...

Join us for a lively conversation with Leo from Hyperfixation Sensation as we dig into our most unexpected and memorable video game stories. This episode explores the unique ways immersive and ultra-realistic games shape how we connect, react, and even lose ourselves during play.

Links:
Listen in to Leo’s show on Edge Radio every Tuesday 11-12pm (AEST), streaming live on Edge Radio:

• https://www.edgeradio.org.au/shows/...

We discuss the "East Meets West" interview from David Anthony Kraft’s Comics Interview (1995) issue 148. An interesting moment in the cultural exchange between Western and Japanese comics, focusing on a visit by American comics creators, including Will Eisner and Brian Stelfreeze, with Tezuka Productions. We delve into the early interactions between Western creators and manga during a time when distinctly Japanese-branded man...

We break down SummerSlam 2025 from the big matches and surprises,  controversies, and what succeeded (and didn't) on the night. Join host Craig, co-host Taylor and special guest Marcus as we go over all the main points.

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We discuss the 1995 "What is Anime and Why Is Everybody Talking About It?" article from Comics Interview #148 magazine. What predictions were accurate, as well as the misses and misfires? We'll also explore what the West didn’t understand at that time about the localisation of manga and anime, and compare it to the present.

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Continuing our discussion on Orientalism from last week, where we explored the golden age of the radio series "The Shadow," this episode focuses on techno-orientalism as seen in the video game "Cyberpunk 2077." Craig, Taylor, and Ronan delve into the game's use of Japanese imagery and characters, examining its artistic and narrative intentions. They also discuss how the game utilizes conventions of the cyberpunk genre, highlighting...

The captivating world of "The Shadow," one of the most iconic radio drama series of the Golden Age, which aired from 1937 to 1954. In this episode, we explore the rich history and cultural significance of this early pulp character that left a lasting mark on pop culture. Through exclusive documentary recordings featuring key cast members and creative minds behind the series, we unravel the nostalgia surrounding its legacy. 

We interview Edward Williams, who has recently published his tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) "Kingdoms of Amnesia." This game is set in a post-cataclysmic world where history has been fractured and restarted. We explore Edward's creative process and inspirations, examine the unique aspects of his Game Master (GM) philosophy, delve into his interesting mechanical choices, discuss the rich lore, and address the social and communit...