Episode 501: Cho Aniki
Added 2022-12-12 12:00:08 +0000 UTCAt the risk of tooting my own horn, ever since I (Diamond Feit) received clearance to prepare and host my own episodes of Retronauts, I've set a quiet goal for myself: Make the show gay. This week, I'd like to think I've taken one small step for podcasters and one giant leap for mankind towards that goal by detailing the legacy of a shooter series infamous for its usage of homoerotic imagery, Cho Aniki.
Far too often, Cho Aniki has been a punchline in the video game world, something for journalists and YouTubers outside Japan to point and laugh at, treating the series as if its very existence deserves to be ridiculed. Yet these fiercely unique video games warrant a discussion on their own terms; just because a work features a nearly-naked man or two (or hundreds), that's no reason to deride it.
That said, we have a lot of fun on this episode, because the people who made Cho Aniki must have had a blast coming up with wacky concept after wacky concept. So please enjoy as I welcome Danny and Alex from Retro Pals onto the podcast to follow the series' flight path from "straight" science-fiction to the realm of pure camp.
Art by Leeann Hamilton, edits by Greg Leahy. Music in this episode:
- 08:03 - Cho Aniki (PCE-CD): Aniki Without Duty
- 15:34 - Wings of Wor (Genesis): Boss Theme 2
- 25:24 - Cho Aniki (PCE-CD): Sexy Dynamite
- 34:05 - Ai Cho Aniki (PCE-CD): Je t'aime mon amour
- 48:49 - Cho Aniki Bakuretsu Ranto-hen (SFC): Dark City Skyline
- 56:48 - Cho Aniki: Kyuukyoku Muteki Ginga Saikyou Otoko (PSX): The Big Brother
- 1:05:20 - Cho Aniki: Seinaru Protein Densetsu (PS2): Stage 06 Boss
- 1:13:25 - Cho Aniki Zero (PSP): Character Select
- Closing - Cho Aniki Zero (PSP): Aniki 00
Comments
A fun episode! As for the final question: Evidence that the series is gay can be found in Bakuretsu Rantouhen, with two stage backgrounds in particular (both of which can be viewed on the HG101 article page: http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/cho-aniki-bakuretsu-rantouden/ .) One of them features rather sapphic rotating statues inside a muscle church, and the other has muscle men with fairy wings, which may just be more absurdity, but may also just be incredibly on the nose. My first encounter was definitely a blurb+screenshot in EGM about the PS1 game being a "homoerotic shooter" and one of the worst games someone had to review. Never played any of them until that Virtual Console release, and now have a cart of BR. Apparently there's a CD that came with it when it was new? Several auctions on eBay had it for a not terrible price back when I bought my copy, but it was always just a bit more than I wanted to pay. Haven't looked for one in a while.
John Barnes
2023-01-09 00:21:32 +0000 UTCEvery time I thought this series couldn’t get more bizarre and unhinged, Diamond described something that surpasses what came before. Great episode and I think now I need to experience Cho Aniki.
Tom Andrews
2023-01-05 16:49:27 +0000 UTC
