I am seeking benediction on this month of clemency, for my birth month AND DEADNAME were both invoked AT THE SAME TIME. In the presence of such a powerful Nen command I faltered and fled. Ever since my hair has turned white and is falling out in clumps. I can't help but compare myself unfavorably to other, braver podcast reviewers. I hope to be like them someday. These truly are the most powerful Nen podcasters dear reader. You have been warned.

When I saw my partner listening to 3+ hour podcasts. “How can they do it? What could possibly be so important that would cause one to listen to a group of people talk for that long?” Well, now I know. Now I too am listening to 3+ hour podcasts. Now that I’ve caught up to the new episodes I’m sitting here waiting anxiously each fortnight for a new episode to drop. I love HxH, I love Media Club Plus, so much so that I wrote a review—this is my first ever podcast review. It’s that good. Also pls grant me clemency I missed the October call to action…!

Much like a typical anime person running late with a piece of toast in their mouth, I just missed the December birthday cutoff. But I had to work myself up to writing a review bc idk being perceived by people you admire is kinda scary. Anyway, I’m a “Jun” born in December. This podcast rules - I’m not ready to re-watch hxh for the 3rd time YET but this is a lovely substitute and frankly the best media crossover for me as a FatT fan. kthxbye

I failed to leave a review when they called on January birthdays. I failed a second time when they called on nonbinary people. I can only apologize for waiting so long to leave a five star review on this, a fantastic podcast about an anime I have seen maybe a dozen episodes of (I know). I am allergic to the concept of paying attention to a television show, but that hasn’t stopped me from listening to every episode of this podcast a few times over. It has kept me company for many hours of processing DNA, writing my dissertation, sifting roots out of buckets of soil, and any number of mind-numbing repetitive tasks that come with getting a PhD. All that to say, great media analysis, extremely funny jokes, and one of the podcasts I most look forward to seeing in my feed. Absolutely worth your time!

thank you for the amazing criticism that unfurls hunter x hunter before me like some sort of beautiful flower. sorry for missing my month 🙂‍↕️🙏

At the end of the 12/2 episode, Keith said there was no new name, then Jack summoned the Alexes, then Keith told the Alexes to hold off. I’ve been on standby ever since, so I guess I’ll use the clemency month to spring into action. This podcast is great!

I have been listening to podcasts since 2005 and have never once left a review. This podcast has changed that due to the extreme kindness of the hosts offering clemency for not leaving a review in your allotted month. I thought reviews were for jerks. But I was wrong. Leaving a review is great and everyone should do it. Also this show is amazing. The hosts are smart, hilarious, and genuinely good people. -Nick C

It's been a joy rewatching HxH in tandem with the MCP crew! I'm excited for every episode and their analysis always brings up something (whether musically, stylistically, or metaphorically) that I hadn't picked up on during my own viewing. Whether this is your first or fiftieth time watching HxH, this podcast is definitely for you! And I'm not just saying all this because I'm a May birthday in line for a pardon :)

my review for clemency. i apologize sincerely, for i wasn’t able to listen as they came out for a while and missed my month (sorry july people, i failed you). this the only review for a podcast i have ever made. if you don’t listen to this, you are making a mistake. if you are listening, you already know its peak. also listen to friends at the table.

as an august birthday i know i missed my window but i’m glad to have been given this second chance. this show is truly incredible and has taught me so many things about a show i already loved. if you’re confused about why i’m mentioning my birth month in connection to asking for forgiveness from the hosts, why don’t you take a listen to this wonderful podcast and find out!!

I did not write a review when my birth month was called. I did not write a review when the name June was called, despite it almost being my name of Jane. Please forgive me lest I be crushed by your terrible hundred nen hands that move faster than the speed of sound. As penance I will spread the word about Media Club Plus, an excellent companion piece to Hunter X Hunter that has greatly enhanced this rewatch of the show, not just because of their insightful commentary, but simply by value of forcing me to slooow down. The first time I watched the Chimera Ant arc I sped through it in a week and a half. Now i reflect on my time with this anime after listening to this podcast and I realize I am grateful. 5 Stars.

this podcast is so consistently smart and pleasant that i have never not been in the mood to listen to it the very moment a new episode becomes available. the cast’s thorough examination of the themes, art, storytelling, music, memes, and general vibes of the Yoshihiro Togashi classic Hunter X Hunter, are always a delight. I’ve been up to date on all things hxh since I caught up on the manga in 2010, so it is a rare treat to hear someone’s first time experience with the story — especially someone as thoughtful and well-spoken as Jack. All the while, Keith, Andrew, and Sylvi (as well as several wonderful guests) serve as a wonderful guides, greek chorus, and avatar for the listener who knows what twists and turns lurk around the corner. as we round some of my favorite parts of hxh, and the end of season one is in sight, i find myself so excited to see what they’ll tackle next and what new insights i’ll discover with them. also, thank you for meeting the activation conditions for my nen ability “one last chance; nonbinary november benediction” which can only be used after i have been forgiven for procrastinating on an important task. it gives me the power to recover my itunes password and temporary resistance to the malevolent nen of the apple ecosystem.

Media Club Plus takes a show that I loved but couldn't really explain why, and makes it richer by showing all the stitches and brushstrokes. They're fantastic!

I cannot WAIT for the next episode! (In this case episode 40 of the podcast, but this applies equally at any point in time)

I cannot overstate how good this show is. It’s so good I’m devastated when an episode ends. It’s a show about a show, one just as good as the other. Their insights on HxH has changed the way I view media. Everything from the music insights to the manga comparisons to the minute details they pickup that I missed. This pod has changed my brain forever. Media Club Plus will go down as the best companion piece to Hunter x Hunter there will ever be. Thank you Keith, Jack, Dre and Sylvi for making such an amazing show. Also just here as a non-month non-name reviewer! :)

This podcast has quickly become my favorite, perhaps of all time. If you want to listen to this show but are worried about the time commitment to watch an incredibly well-made anime, know that I haven't watched any of it! It's been fun enough for me getting to experience the show for the first time vicariously through Jack's reactions that, after hearing green green jellybean man mentioned in episode 1, I began drawing each major character using only the descriptions provided on this pod. Thank you all for the work that goes into making this show a reality. I treasure it as a podcast and also as a means to get myself back into regularly (or not so regularly) making art.

I've certainly been in a time compression just like the characters in the show - my friend tried to introduce me to this show a few times even though I don't listen to podcasts much anymore. Then I caved one day and listened to MC+ episode 34. After Keith blasted me with a 2013 shotgun with SuperWhoLock, the group proceeded to regale me with the best anime analysis I had ever heard, and about of one of the best animes I've ever watched. I immediately went back and listened to every episode in a relatively short amount of time (again. Time Compression.) You should listen if you like 1) anime 2)hunter x hunter 3)great interpretations of media 4)hilarious discussions 5)gorillas.

Five star insights, five star podcast

I’ve been listening to this podcast for a while and decided to finally write a review. I really enjoy how deeply everyone is willing to go into the characters, themes, and history of a given work. I typically save this podcast for Sundays at my work since I have to get in a couple hours before we open and have a lot of down time. It makes me look forward to it every other week.

Keith’s Nen power works like this. Through focused preparation, he is able to create a soundscape that summarizes important developments in dialogue and soundtrack in a way that sympathetically resonate with a listener’s En defenses, rendering it vulnerable to future strikes from Media Club Plus. Omniscient Soundboard: Chain Blaster Also, he can make any sound. Organic Soundboard: Impossible Impressionist Sylvi’s Nen ability allows her to connect emotionally to almost any character, except (rightfully) to clown perverts. Any character - whether initially presented as a friend or foe, hero or villain, or especially a dreamy guy named after the devil - can be recontextualized through her analysis, and when she utters a striking blow such as “I would die for ___” the ritual is complete and the listener cannot escape, their emotions bound by Sylvi with her own. Protagonist Reversal: True Feelings for False Husband Dre waits patiently, strengthening his Nen attacks through listening and observing, a technique learned through years of study and practice. When the time is right, he strikes by delivering knowledgeable insights into human thoughts and behaviors. These blows are made more powerful by the binding Nen condition he set upon himself to avoid cheap armchair psychology takes. It Has Been Thirty Minutes Since the Start of Your Session. Actual Professional with Actual Years of Training Jack’s unique ability allows them to catch fleeting glimpses into the Nen realm. Though they may not yet have found the words to articulate their visions, they approximate it as a sort of Demon World. This realm is hard to recall and harder to describe, which means that Jack’s predictions are simultaneously erroneous and scarily accurate. This results in their spoken words and musical performances being infused with an additional deep power from the Nen realm. Favorite Herald of the Abyss. Collectively, it is widely known that each of Media Club Plus’s words are imbued with an amount of aura so small that a listener cannot detect its presence, even while using En. After absorbing literally hundreds of hours of content, their collective powers will activate and combine as this aura manifests into compelling a listener to leave a glowing podcast review, even if they have never reviewed any podcast before. Dripping Water Voices, Five Star Flood. However, unbeknownst to most, the collective possesses another ability. By channeling and merging their full strengths, they are able to [LOUD LONG BEEPING NOISE]

I like Domino’s. Otherwise, all of the other takes on this show are hot and fresh. 5 stars.

Episode 125 at 21:55 is how I feel about this podcast. Wonderful show full of great people who make funny jokes and are a joy to listen to!! I’m so glad this podcast exists :)

I love in-depth analysis of my favorite things. And I really appreciate hearing people think this deeply about something I have my own opinions on. It’s like overhearing other kids in the cafeteria and finally realizing, “Oh! Other people engage with the world the same way I do!” I have had so many moments of wanting to just say, “Hey, have you guys thought about this?!” Which, in my opinion, is a sign of the very best analytic media. Love the whole thing… keep it up… let me know if you want an umpteenth opinion. :)

As a newbie to shonen, this podcast takes me and Jack de Quidt by the hand to show us HXH in context, and what excites those in the know about both. The podcast keeps the promise in its tagline. Many podcast reviews cite inexplicable jokes, but I think you should take the gorilla mystery, from the pilot episode not as an inside joke but an enticement to you, HXH and Shonen fans and neophytes alike. Things will be scrutnized. Things will be appreciated. Soundtracks, the struggles of adaptation, moral philosophy, Morel's philosophy, and the pace at which it is correct to watch a show may be discussed. I am watching for the first time in the recommended chunks of episodes and let me say Keith, thank you for acting as a sort of episode sommelier. I am a February birthday but I am not ashamed to be late because I have been fighting!! apple podcasts, itunes accounts, etc to log in, figure out how to leave a star rating despite lackluster FAQ guidance from a company resourced enough to know better, undermanaged ADHD etc. It has taken me over 15 discrete interactions/attempts with aspects of the podcast industrial complex and now I will have my review. You, table friends, will have your review. If the other parts of my review didn't convince you, the amount of work i have put in to post this review should, legitimately, serve as further recommendation. Apple podcasts still won't let me SUBSCRIBE so who even knows if this will post. AND PLEASE DONT READ MY FULL LEGAL NAME IF IT DISPLAYS

For the past two months, I’ve been guided by this podcast through my first watch of Hunter x Hunter. I watch a perfectly chunked set of HxH, I nod and laugh vigorously along to MC+, and then I’m surprised and delighted by the next set of HxH. It has been an exquisite happiness. Along with the much-lauded and unique soundtrack analysis, I have especially appreciated how they dive into the relationship between Killua and Gon. On my own, I probably would have been fujoing out too hard to notice the cruelty of Gon’s charisma, and how that ties into HxH’s themes of obsession and inheritance. Now I can fujo out in a complex, nuanced way. I genuinely don’t know what I’m going to do now that I’ve caught up with the podcast. Watch my favorite anime only once every two weeks? Or watch it without my favorite podcast? I’ll probably start by going to shonen school with the Patreon bonus episodes. Thank you for creating the best TV-watching experience of my life!

I hate an app so much, but since you called for November birthdays I am here. Media Club Plus is the only podcast good enough to make me download an app to review it. Thank you Media Club Plus for making me care about anime but no thank you for making me come here to say this.

In the chaos that is early 2025, this podcast never fails to entertain and engage me. Let Media Club Plus transport you into a tapestry of considerate critiques, gorilla guesswork, musical musings, and ant analysis, as they make their way through one heck of an anime.

This is a wonderful podcast that provides incisive analysis to HxH, DBZ, JoJo, and beyond. It’s a delight to listen to. I enjoy being challenged by new reads on media that I’ve loved! I always learn something new, and laugh out loud every episode. I never want their HunterxHunter coverage to end, but I can’t wait to find out what’s next! (Fullmetal alchemist brotherhood plz). From January Harry

As a John AND a November birthday, I am doubly required to talk about this excellent show. It pulls me harder than a Nen Dagger to the heart. All the cast are engaging in their element and bring insightful commentary on a great anime. My only regret is we will run out of episodes.

and made it better. and they won’t stop. It’s simply the best podcast you could imagine about the best show you could hope to watch. Enjoy yourself!

October birthday belatedly reporting in! This show is an indispensable companion to the joyous experience of watching Hunter X Hunter, and assuredly whatever media property/ies they choose to tackle afterwards. The hosts are consistently thoughtful, engaging, and very funny; I’ve never come away from an episode feeling like they haven’t given their full consideration to the range of details and production touches that I think make Hunter X Hunter such a delight to watch as an anime.

Rockin’ pod, love the analysis and your collective love for tragedies and misfits. Ging can effectively see the future, given that he laid all these traps for his kid a decade in advance. He obviously wanted his cousin to raise his kid, it’s the only reason he would’ve shown up at whale island. He did then spend a couple more years finishing a training ground every authority PoV believes was specifically targeted at “helping” his kid, but maybe that’s the cost of how he does business?

As an October Haley who is constantly called Katie by her professors, this one feels personal. Only a little hate to Katies, but come on...who put this nen curse on me?! But in all seriousness, this podcast has helped me through my Ph.D. program both intellectually and emotionally. It's taught me more about how to intentionally and effectively analyze media more than any class has and I come back to it when I need the extra motivation to work on my dissertation. From the musical perspective to the levity and humor, this show is something uniquely amazing.

October spook reporting. This podcast and its crew are an absolute gift. Their heartfelt analysis and in-depth discussion of the Hunter x Hunter anime will blow your socks off. The time and attention and care that is put into this podcast is unparalleled! I love this show and look forward to new episodes and whatever comes next! Also, there a great Kurapika amv out there set to Telephone by Lady Gaga y’all should check out :)

Media Club Plus is an excellent and insightful watch along podcast that I can thank for not only getting me into Hunter x Hunter, but helping me learn how to approach shonen anime writ large. I cannot wait to see what genre, property, or medium they tackle after the monumental task of deciphering Togashi’s opus is through. Give this show a listen! I neglected to leave a review when my birth month was called, not being in the apple ecosystem. I have a name that is unusual enough that I probably won’t get called (but if you want to try, it has been used as a Friends at the Table name exactly once). But when the call went out for non-binary reviews, I had to heed the call.

July thinks back to recall the day I was born, not realizing that I would one day write this review. July of 1987 was naive, unaware of the oncoming future. The seventh month, so complacent in its position on the calendar, never expected that in February (7 - 2 = 5) of 2025 (which is 5 x 405), that a Hunter x Hunter podcast would have such insightful analysis, such good jokes, such warm cast interactions, and such powerful analogies about Blastin' En all over that it would gain 555 Five star reviews. Seems low in fact, deserves more like 5,555, I think. Somewhere in the distance, a Five-star hunter's nen condition activates - It's true impact won't be felt for many episodes, but the distinct hue of really cool gold-star nen surrounds the podcast. For real the show is great and honestly the only anime podcast I have ever listened to. It's so easy to find trash opinions about anime, especially HxH, and so rare to find the incredible, thoughtful, and well-considered thoughts. Their collective affection for this show always shines through but never keeps them from leveling well-warranted criticisms. An absolute treasure and delight of a show. (Also if this isn't the 555th five star review please pretend it is it's very hard to line this up for the bit)

(Updating this because while my name is NOT Sage, my birthday IS in September and I AM nonbinary, so two out of three ain't bad!) So I came to this podcast as exclusively a F@tT fan, because I had never heard of HxH before (much like Jack, I am also not well-versed in anime). That quickly changed, because -- while I had a LOT of fun listening to the first two or so podcast episodes without context!-- I started watching HxH along with the podcast episodes and I have had a BLAST ever since. HxH is a great show as it is, but MC+'s smart, thoughtful, and frequently funny analysis of its characters and themes has really deepened my enjoyement of and engagement with the show. I've had a lot of fun listening to this podcast alongside the other F@tT fan in my life, but I've also recommended this podcast to all the anime fans in my life in general, and HxH as necessary! (It's been fun finding out how many HxH fans are in my department at work. It's also been fun telling them I'm currently in the Chimera Ant arc and them going "OH BOY BUCKLE UP.") If you're not already an HxH fan, this podcast will make you one: guaranteed!

my name is rachel (this name has not yet been called upon to review) and my birthday is in november (likewise) but I *am* nonbinary and THAT is where my allegiance lies most powerfully so I am here to leave 5 stars on a podcast that turns me into an animal pacing in his enclosure every other tuesday while I wait for the upload to hit. whenever I tell my friend lamprey that I am getting caught up on hxh in order to be on pace with media club plus, I message them “hunting again” or something similar because it sounds scary and I like to be scared. the chimera ant arc has been great for me. I had never watched any hunter x hunter before listening to this podcast. I got 7 episodes into media club plus and then y’all so vividly described killua getting sad that I ripped through all of the hunter exam arc at an insane clip and never looked back. I was watching hxh during the busiest part of my student teaching, just posted up under headphones during my prep period— this did help me connect with some of my queer and transgender middle school students, who also go nuts for killua zoldyck. some things never change. this podcast provides analysis around the show’s visuals, music, genre, plot structure, characters, world building, themes, and more. there’s really something for every type of media crit fanatic. this podcast also provides insight into whether a piece of writing is a beanie baby ear tag poem or a work by Robert Frost. total package. anyway, I am leaving this review because I need you to know: this podcast is good whether you’re watching along or not. I’ve been in both camps and they both rip. thank you all for your hard work!

September birthday here to do my duty to the only state I currently recognize. When Jack, Sylvi, Dre, and Keith started this podcast, I watched all of HxH so that I could properly appreciate it. As it turns out, this was a better decision than either of my marriages. HxH is probably my favorite anime, and MCP makes it even better with fascinating discussion, notes on the music, and thoughts about character designs. I also like the comparisons to the manga. (The jury is in. Two Johns are great. Evidence: They Might Be Giants.)

I made an account specifically to leave this review (September birthday and what not). I don’t watch anime, but I have watched all of Hunter x Hunter because of this podcast. Following along with their analysis has given me deep appreciation for shonen as a genre and all the different things that go into making good media—soundtrack, voice acting, animation, and of course, compelling narratives. From the theme song to the guest appearances, the Friends are hyping great media and helping me grow to appreciate new things.

Fulfilling my obligations as an almost-August named Austin by reviewing my favorite podcast! This crew knows how to engage with stories in a way that increases your appreciation- regardless of your familiarity with the text. Everyone has such a lovely collaborative way of discussing the material, picking out the details and expounding on thematic and narrative threads in an accessible but engaging way. Can’t wait to find out what’s after HxH!

I can’t get Sylvi’s nen ability; Lady Bullet’s last laugh Final Screenshot, Secret trapdoor So I offer these five stars as tribute, in hopes that my mind be free again

I’m just kidding, it’s 2025 and you can like anime however you like, but nobody is doing it like the MC+ crew. Listen to the Friends at the Table patreon.

if mark wahlberg was around in hunter x hunter world he wouldnt be able to shut up about how he would have handled the chimera ant arc differently

I am stuck in a time party and from time to time my name is the same name as current month. This of course reminds me of the time Gon went to a time party in episode 46 and they talked about it on this podcast for six hours.

Enby from Septemby reporting in! I'm a long-time fan of Friends at The Table (shouts out Sangfielle and Marielda), so when it was announced that y'all were gonna do a Hunter X Hunter podcast I knew I was in for a good time, but I didn't know *how* good of a time it'd be. HxH is easily my favorite show, and when this podcast started I ended up tearing through my third watch, and now I'm actually staying on-pace with the show and going through a fourth- THAT'S how good this crew's analysis and discussion of the show is. Every time a new episode drops on my feed, I get a new appreciation not only for HxH but for the incredible depth of analysis that comes from Media Club Plus. I can't wait for more :) <3

Sometimes a magic trick is more impressive when you can see exactly how it’s done. This show has kept my bones and brain warm through the winter. Love this show, love Friends at the Table, and wish you all the best

nonbinary person born in september reporting in. i actually downloaded itunes on my pc to leave this review. love the podcast.

hello, I flipping love this show. You know that Koala guy from the beginning of the Chimera Ant arc? Well I'm red/green colorblind and fully thought he was grey, so I appreciate y'all noting that he is pink, for some reason this makes a pretty serious difference to his character for me. Also this show is so insightful and funny, I have really enjoyed watching Hunter X Hunter along with it. I highly recommend it. xoxo

Ok fine. Here’s a review. I am nonbinary and this is my review. I’m also a March, but my connection to the March birthday havers is not as strong as my connection to my gender (go figure). So here I am opening Apple Podcasts for the very first time. (I’m a Pocket Casts girlie) Thank you for all that you guys do. I refuse to watch ahead of you guys because I know it won’t be the same without your insight promptly after the episode. I’ve been a Friends at the Table fan (now that I’m here, I’ll leave a review over there too) for a long time now and ya’ll’s work has always been a really meaningful and positive thing in my life.