Nation of Animation

Nation of Animation
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  • ANIMATION & MANGA
  • MONTHLY

Nation of Animation is a cartoon book club podcast for all ages! Join lifelong cartoon fans Ryan Stevens and Brooke-Erin Smith every other week as they discuss classic cartoons through a modern lens and celebrate everything cartoons have to offer!

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    Reclaiming Thumbelina

    It's Brooke's birthday, so she gets to pick the movie! She summons up a forgotten mainstay from the VHS players of a bygone era, Don Bluth's Thumbelina. We confront our dubious memories of this childhood favorite, investigate the fascinatin history of the man who would be the Anti-Disney, and consider if, by some strange twist of fate, this movie is actually "good." What does "good" mean in this context? You'll have to listen and find out! Real World Recs: Brooke - "Every Brilliant Thing" by Duncan Macmillan on Broadway, starring Daniel Radcliffe Ryan - The Spectacular Spider-Man on DVD (and the spectacular Debora Strang and David Kepner!) Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

    57 min

  2. 22 APR

    Short Podcast Long

    The minds behind Bojack Horseman and Tuca & Bertie are back on Netflix with their zaniest creation...an emotionally harrowing portrait of family across the years? And we're sure this is a comedy? Ok, if you say so! This week, we dive into Long Story Short, talk religion, family, time travel, and when we were our most interesting! Episodes discussed: Ep 4 - “Shira Can’t Cook” Ep 6 - “Wolves” Ep 7 - “Kendra’s Job” Ep 9 - “Honoring Naomi Schwartz” REAL WORLD RECS Ryan - Marshmallow Peeps Brooke - 'Heart the Lover' by Lily King Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

    1hr 16min

  3. 15 MAR

    OSCAR WATCH 2026

    It's Oscar Season once again, and you know what that means -- a ton of movies, both long and short. What are our favs? What has the best odds to win? What was going on this year? Do animated movies still have that magic? FILMS WE WATCHED: FEATURES: Elio Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, and Adrian Molina Written by Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, and Mike Jones KPop Demon Hunters Co-written and directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans Arco Directed by Ugo Bienvenu Written by ugo Bienvenu and Félix de Givry Zootopia 2 Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard Written by Jared Bush Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han Written by Liane-Cho Han SHORTS Butterfly Florence Miailhe and Ron Dyens Forevergreen Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears The Girl Who Cried Pearls Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski Retirement Plan John Kelly and Andrew Freedman The Three Sisters Konstantin Bronzit REAL WORLD RECS: Ryan - Pokopia for Nintendo Switch 2 Brooke - Mary O's Soda Bread in NYC Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

    1hr 15min

  4. 21 FEB

    We See The Elephant (Plus Disney's Future)

    We pull together the disparate parts that make a podcast and talk about Adult Swim’s alchemical new special, The Elephant! What is it? What makes it special? What kind of animation A-team put it together?   Then, we take a long look at what Disney might do to pull out of their creative slump, and how their past might indicate their future. The vengeful spirit of Walt still lingers! ChelseaChats’ TikTok Video   REAL WORLD RECS Ryan: A professional massage Brooke: Niall Breen (@niall.breen.comics on Instagram) Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

    49 min

  5. 7 FEB

    Dungeons and Dragons and Diners and Drive-Ins and Dives

    Get yourself a heaping plate of podcast! We talk about Delicious in Dungeon, the anime smash hit that has us going back for seconds. Will Brooke like this anime? What is the tastiest monster in the land? What video games do the best manga writers play? All these questions and more are on the menu in this week's Nation of Animation! EPISODES DISCUSSED: Ep 4 - “Stewed Cabbage/Orcs” Ep 8 - "Raspberries / Grilled Meat" Ep 12 - "Red Dragon II" Ep 22 - “Griffin / Familiars” REAL WORLD RECS Brooke: Pupsicle Dog Toys Ryan: Hobonichi Weekly Planners Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

    1 hr

  6. 24 JAN

    The New Yorker(s)

    We’re in a New York state of mind! This week, we salute our favorite cartoon depictions of the great city of NYC, ranging from the mythic and the fantastical to the grounded and the grimy. What is the allure of this place, and what do people love to draw from it? What has it been like for us to live here? Take a big bite of this Big Apple and find out! Link to Women In Animation Portfolio Review REAL WORLD RECS Brooke: Assassin’s Apprentice, by Robin Hobb Ryan: The City We Became, by NK Jemisin The State of Animation is New York! Get it? Because it’s a State! Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

    1hr 1min

  7. 27/12/2025

    The Island of Misfit Toons

    We've been adrift in a sea of holiday animation and washed up on a strange island...you'll find no stop-motion reindeer or magical snowmen here, no memorable singalongs or classic characters. You're on the Island of Misfit Toons!  We plumb the depths of strange and forgotten holiday animation specials, and come up with three intriguing animations from yesteryear. Join us as we float up to the North Pole, an alien world, and a derelict orphanage to celebrate the holidays in new (and occasionally even entertaining) ways! SHOWS WE DISCUSSED O' Christmas Tree (1994, dir. Russ Harris & G Brian Reynolds) Aliens First Christmas (1991, dir. Russ Harris & G Brian Reynolds) Christmas Comes But Once A Year (1936, dir. Dave Fleischer and Seymour Kneitel) And from our podcast to your [name of group], Happy Holidays! We'll see you in 2026! REAL WORLD RECS: Brooke: Last Holiday (2006, dir. Wayne Wang)  Ryan: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang ( 2005, dir. Shane Black) Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

    36 min

  8. 13/12/2025

    A SECOND HELPING of KPop Demon Hunters (w/ Meggie Gates & Laura Petro)

    It's the holiday season, and we're still feasting on the bounty of KPop Demon Hunters, the film that keeps on giving, and we've brought in two Huntrix superfans: Meggie Gates and Laura Petro of the YA, We Read It podcast! After double-digits of re-watches, what else does the film have to offer? Can anything stop its awards season momentum? All this, plus Brooke taking on a heaping helping of animation news! The state of animation is STRONG! Follow our bluesky @nationofanimation, our Letterboxd @NationAnimation, and our Instagram and @cartoonbookclub, and follow our hosts @thebrookesmith and  @ryanwithcheese on Twitter   http://brookeerinsmith.com http://ryangstevens.com & Support secret projects on Venmo @nationofanimation BIG THANKS TO: Jacob Menke for our theme Follow them @menkemaster & Urvashi Lele for our art Learn more about Urvashi Lele's animations by visiting http://www.sirpeagreenstudios.com and follow their endeavors on instagram at @sirpeagreen and @maisonaudmi

    56 min
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About

Nation of Animation is a cartoon book club podcast for all ages! Join lifelong cartoon fans Ryan Stevens and Brooke-Erin Smith every other week as they discuss classic cartoons through a modern lens and celebrate everything cartoons have to offer!

Information

  • Creator
    Nation of Animation
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    121
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Audio Mint
  • Show Website
    Nation of Animation

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