The ZONE Podcast: Nerdy News and Reviews
We, the Zealots of Nerd Entertainment (or the ZONE Alliance), are a group of eople talking about old and new movies, television shows, video games, and everything else in nerd/pop culture!
Episodes
425 episodes
Astarotte's Toy: When Fantasy Crosses A Line
A fantasy world can be daring without crossing a line. We take a hard look at Lotte No Omocha, the succubus-princess anime that mixes slice of life, romance, and harem tropes with a premise that feels wrong at its core. From the first minutes, ...
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19:01
SSSS.DYNAZENON: More Kaiju Battles, More Giant Robots and More Perspective
A hungry stranger, a missed date, and a city bending under impossible gravity—our Dynazenon review starts where small choices crash into giant consequences. We take you into SSSS.Dynazenon’s sharp premise: kaiju born from the human urge to shed...
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10:40
SSSS.GRIDMAN: Kaiju Battles, Giant Robots, and the Simulation We Choose to Believe
A city wipes itself clean after every kaiju rampage, and three kids are the only ones who remember what broke. That’s the spark that makes Gridman more than monster-of-the-week: it’s a character-driven mystery wrapped in tokusatsu steel, scored...
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11:43
Anime Lightning #4: Fall 2025
Nine shows, one fast-moving episode, and more plot twists than a late-night forum thread. We kick things off with a cozy isekai where a salaryman hatches a baby black dragon and slowly nudges a broken world toward better habits. It’s warm, low ...
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39:38
Naruto: The Xtreme Review (Part 2: Shippuden)
A sand village rises, a leaf village falls, and three fans ask what it really means to be a shinobi. We revisit Naruto Shippuden’s most defining arcs—from the Kazekage Rescue and Sakura’s surgical brilliance against Sasori to the razor-edged po...
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4:58:43
Brave Bang Bravern: A Tale of Two Guys and Their Talking Robot
Two soldiers from different militaries fight on a chaotic battlefield, one sleek talking mecha with secrets, and a twist that redefines what “pilot” even means—Brave Bang Bravern surprised us in all the right ways. We break down how a familiar ...
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10:13
Reincarnated as the 7th Prince: Power Systems, Pacing, and Problematic Design
A prodigy who treats magic like science, a church hiding a blade that can erase reality, and a finale that dares you to weigh mercy against accountability—this review goes deep on Reincarnated as the 7th Prince and why it’s both captivating and...
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36:06
My Hero Academia: From Quirkless Fanboy to Symbol of Hope
What if a Quirkless kid could change not just himself, but an entire system built on power? We go all-in on My Hero Academia, charting a ten-year run that evolves from entrance exams and classroom duels into a hard look at institutions, ideals,...
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4:17:20
Promare: A Fiery Sci‑Fi Adventure That Nails Spectacle and Stumbles on 3D
Fire that thinks, leaders who lie, and a city built to control both—our Promare review goes deep on the blaze and the blueprint behind it. We open with the Great World Blaze and trace how a world afraid of burning turns people into fuel, then f...
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10:40
New Saga: How Much Future Knowledge Can Fix a Mid Fantasy Story?
A crimson crystal rewinds a brutal war by four years, and suddenly the dead breathe again, the Demon King still looms, and one swordsman has knowledge no one else remembers. We dig into New Saga’s promise: a second chance to rewrite fate, prote...
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11:53
Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra: An "Evil" Empire Built on 4X Strategy
A shadowed king who hates war leads an “evil” empire with a softer hand than his reputation suggests—and the world still trembles. We dive into Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra, where 4X strategy logic becomes the law of a living isekai: fo...
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14:43
Vermeil in Gold: How a Clueless Mage Survives School with a Soul-Bound Demon Lady
A failing mage, a legendary demon, and a kiss that rewrites the rules—our deep dive into Vermeil in Gold looks past the cheeky premise to ask why this magic-school story hits harder than expected. We unpack Alto’s transformation from t...
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10:33
Black Butler: Villainous Nobles, Supernatural Mysteries & Excellent Service
A contract forged in grief. A butler who never misses. And a comeback that turns a stylish mystery into a gothic epic. We take you through Black Butler’s evolution with fresh eyes, from the early setup to Book of Circus, the razor-edged Book of...
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2:00:43
Witch Watch: How It Won Me Over, Then Lost Me with Filler-Feeling Gags
Tired of being isekai’d into oblivion, we went looking for a different kind of fantasy—one that kept the magic but stayed grounded in a world you could actually recognize. Witch Watch looked like that show at first glance: a powerful young witc...
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32:17
Claymore: Power, Monstrosity & and the Price of Humanity
What if the only people who can save you look more like monsters than the threats you fear? We dive into Claymore’s bleak, beautiful world to explore how a secret Organization forges half-human warriors, why townsfolk call them silver-eyed witc...
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51:12
Hazbin Hotel (Season 2): Redeeming Sinners, Rising to Power & Making Deals with Devils
A slow burn turns into a blaze. We dive into Hazbin Hotel season two with clear eyes on the pacing, the swelling songbook, and the moment the story finally bares its teeth. The hotel’s mission to prove redemption collides with Vox’s media-fuele...
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56:47
Overlord: Why Ainz Ooal Gown Looks Like a Mastermind, Even When He’s Winging It
What if your guild’s last midnight became your first day as a ruler? We dive headfirst into Overlord’s twisted charm: a salaryman stuck as an undead monarch, a fortress of hyper-loyal guardians, and a world eager to mistake awkward improvisatio...
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1:43:37
Wizard 101: Is It Worth Your Time in 2025?
Dust off your spellbook—Wizard 101 just hit consoles, and we’re putting the nostalgia to the test. We talk through the thrill of slotting the right card, timing a big hit, and roaming Wizard City, then stack those warm memories against 2025 rea...
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40:48
Vampire Knight: Is It a Better Love Story Than Twilight?
A glittering academy at dusk. Rules that keep two worlds barely apart. One choice that keeps getting harder to make. We dive into Vampire Knight with clear eyes and sharper questions, exploring how romance, power, and tradition twist together a...
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1:18:22
Secrets of the Silent Witch: Villainous Nobles, Magical Mystery and a Bashful Genius
Dragons fall, rumors fly, and somehow the scariest battlefield is a tea party. We dive into Secrets of the Silent Witch and unpack why this “magic school” story trades big spells for quiet, clever moves—and why that choice works more often than...
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1:35:54
The Water Magician: How Innocence Evaporates When Magic Meets Consequence
A water mage asks for a quiet second chance and ends up inventing acid rain. That’s the kind of left turn that makes The Water Magician’s first season worth talking about, and we go deep on why it works. We start with the promise of an “easy li...
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1:26:50
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: Politics and Power Creeping
Forget the overpowered hero who wins by swinging harder. We’re diving into a rare isekai that swaps power creep for policy, and the results are gripping. Realist Hero drops Soma into a bankrupt kingdom and asks him to do the most dangerous thin...
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1:08:24
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt: Trigger’s Fallen Angels Return
The cult chaos of Panty & Stocking crashes back into our feeds, and we’re sorting the sparks from the smoke. We pull apart what made season one a nine-out-of-ten riot—cartoon shell, anime soul, and that iconic Anarchy cue—and why season two...
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55:55
Demon Lord Retry: When Your Reboot Needs a Reboot
What do you do when a show quietly erases its own first season? We dig into Demon Lord Retry and make the case for a rare watch order: skip straight to season two. From the opening minutes, we break down why the “continuation” acts like a do-ov...
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33:22
Turkey! Time to Strike: Bowling in the Sengoku Era
A glowing bowling ball, a flash of light, and five girls land in the Sengoku era—what starts as a cozy sports setup turns into a time-twisting story about fate, loyalty, and what “winning” really means. We dive into Turkey: Time to Strike with ...
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20:50