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Episode Title: Anime NYC 2025: Cosplay, Press Access, and the Heart of Fandom

Episode Summary:

Alex takes you inside Anime NYC 2025 with a full press recap—cosplay highlights, panel deep-dives, screenings, and the communal magic of one of the East Coast’s biggest anime conventions. From the Netflix showcase to underground AMV contests, hear why 140,000+ fans made the trip and why conventions like this matter more than ever.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• 📸 Press access behind-the-scenes: what it’s like to cover Anime NYC as media
• 👘 Cosplay culture—professional vs hobbyist, TikTok dancers, and photo shoot chaos
• 🎥 Exclusive screenings: Sentence to be a Hero & Hanakimi leave a lasting impact
• ✍️ Live drawing with Shiwazu no Okina and why hentai artists make incredible mangaka
• 🎤 Voice actor panels, industry talks, and the AMV contest highlights
• 💡 Why conventions remain vital spaces for otaku community and identity

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If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, leave a review, and share with your fellow anime fans.

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This week on Bento Radio, we dive into Genshiken—the cult-favorite anime that pulls back the curtain on otaku life. From shy newcomers like Sasahara to die-hard veterans like Madarame, Genshiken isn’t just about anime, manga, and cosplay—it’s about the friendships, struggles, and self-discovery that come with being part of fandom.

Host Alex explores how the series reflects the rise and fall of the “anime bubble,” why its honest take on fandom still resonates today, and what Genshiken reveals about the meaning of being an anime fan for life.

If you’ve ever built model kits, stayed up all night watching shows, or argued about which anime character deserves more love, this episode is for you.

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In this episode of Bento Radio, Alex explores Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn’t Exist, the outrageous ecchi comedy that hides a sharp commentary on censorship, free expression, and society’s relationship with sexuality. From its over-the-top humor to its surprisingly relevant social critique, Shimoneta offers more than just dirty jokes—it’s a satire on how restricting language and ideas can harm culture and personal understanding.

Alex connects Shimoneta to other provocative anime like Interspecies Reviewers and Nukatashi, examines real-world parallels like AlgoSpeak, ID verification laws, and online content restrictions, and discusses the importance of open conversations about intimacy and sexual health. Whether you love raunchy anime or care about free speech in media, this episode delivers a thought-provoking, unfiltered discussion on why these taboo-breaking shows matter.

#Shimoneta #AnimePodcast #AnimeReview #Censorship #EcchiAnime #AnimeDiscussion #FreeSpeech #InterspeciesReviewers #Nukatashi #AnimeCulture

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In this raw and deeply personal episode of Bento Radio, Alex tackles one of the most divisive and emotionally complex anime of the last decade—Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.

What looks like a standard isekai power fantasy is anything but. Beneath the magic spells and sword fights lies a story about depression, trauma, and what it really means to start over after you’ve hit rock bottom. We unpack Rudeus Greyrat’s flawed, often uncomfortable journey and why his story might be more honest—and more human—than most anime dare to be.

Alex explores:

• How the series deconstructs the isekai trope
• Why Rudeus’ character is intentionally hard to love—and why that matters
• Parallels to Yu Yu Hakusho, Evangelion, and real-world isolation
• How trauma, grace, and small acts of kindness shape our ability to grow
• The beauty and messiness of imperfect characters

This isn’t just an anime review—it’s a reflection on being different, being damaged, and daring to move forward anyway.

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

🔗 Don’t forget to follow @AlexHoltCohan for updates and bonus content.

Let me know if you’d like a shorter version for platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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