I am back from an unintentional hiatus caused by a combination of work, leisure, and apparently daunting viewing assignments! But I'm ready to kick off my miniseries on Puella Magi Madoka Magica, a meta-magical girl series that blew everyone's minds in 2011 and continues to do so today. Eric Thurm (GQ, Esquire, Drunk T*D Talks) and I get into episodes one and two, when everything in Mitakihara seems to be normal, aside from the abnormally abundant square footage of Japanese bathrooms, and one very aggro mom. We're trying to keep this mostly spoiler free for first timers, but I kind of can't help but begin discussing why this series is one of the most interesting discussions of what it means to be a woman in contemporary society. Sorry, I know, I just ruined it!I also discuss the legacy of Toonami, the Cartoon Network programming block which celebrates its 20th anniversary this week. It was certainly key in getting a generation of young viewers into anime, albeit through a very shonen-oriented, drum-and-bass filter. Anime and deep house, a match made in late '90s heaven.Subscribe to It's Cool To Like Anime on iTunes! Become a supporter on Patreon!Theme music by Ayano ULTRA: @ayanoultraSend questions, comments and concerns to: [email protected]