TG Moxley and The Punch King summon up all their FRIENDSHIP POWER and discuss the 1983 anime Kinnikuman. Join us for an episode-by-episode journey through the most influential shonen series to never receive an official English release, with special focus on how Kinnikuman intersects with the wacky world of professional wrestling.
Check us out on Youtube or listen directly to an episode below.
Episode 6: Kinnikuman is Super Popular?! / I Wanna Represent Japan! (2023.08.21)
- After 300 long years we reach the end of Kinnikuman's first plot arc! Kinnikuman finds himself suspiciously popular amongst university girls... or is it a plot by Kinkotsuman? Plus, we learn about the Chojin Olympics and watch Kinnikuman take on the previous year's winner, Robin Mask, in order to earn himself a spot in the next plot arc! (47:05)
Download: HERE
Episode 5: Kinkotsuman's Muscle vs. Bone Battle! / Kinnikuman's Broken Heart (2023.08.14)
- It's finally time for Kinnikuman's big showdown with Kinkotsuman. In addition covering to the big fight, we do a dive into the history of Korakuen Stadium as a wrestling venue, and continue to follow Kinnikuman's unsuccessful love life. (48:25)
Download: HERE
Episode 4: Flying Natsuko / Part-Time Work is Tough! (2023.08.07)
- TG Moxley and The Punch King take a relaxed attitude towards work and discuss Kinnikuman's participation in the gig economy. We also meet Tonderu Natsuko, the second major female character introduced in the series. (44:25)
Download: HERE
Episode 3: Attack of the Space Monsters / Kinnikuman's Big Hustle! (2023.07.31)
- The Super Muscle Busters fiddle while Canada burns during the great 2023 wildfires, discussing the hot third episode of Kinnikuman in which neither monster nor child has any time for our bumbling hero. Plus, we continue to track the differences between anime and manga, ponder the nature of monster mortality, and hear from the Superhero Research Institute. (40:57)
Download: HERE
Episode 2: The Target is Nessie / Save Planet Kinniku (2023.07.24)
- Kinnikuman wants to beat up a poor innocent lake monster but refuses to save his own home planet. What kind of superhero is this guy?! Meanwhile, we discuss differences between the anime and manga, and celebrate the success of the podcast by opening our first mailbag. (41:24)
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Episode 1: A Messenger from Planet Kinniku / The Man from Texas (2023.07.17)
- A strange visitor arrives with tales of heroic feats and faraway lands, while a dashing man from America makes a bold first impression--similar things happen in the cartoon, too! We also touch on the size of Kinnikuman's merchandising empire, Terry Funk's career in Japan, and some of the problematic elements of the series' character design. (54:11)
Download: HERE