This week, we're teaming up to get a high score with Michael Kimball as we blast into the world of... Galaga?! What is it about the classic arcade game that has held its allure for more than thirty years? And where is the fandom heading?
Next week, we move from space fighter to space _robots_ to talk about Gunpla with [the Otaku Journalist, Lauren Orsini](https://www.otakujournalist.com/)!
## Where can I learn more about Michael Kimball?
You can learn more about Michael by [checking out his website](http://www.michael-kimball.com/) or perhaps even by reading his book, [_Galaga_](https://bossfightbooks.com/collections/books/products/galaga-by-michael-kimball) published by Boss Fight books!
## Episode outline
### Fandom Facts
**History and Origins:**
> Galaga is a Japanese arcade game developed and published by Namco Japan and by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to 1979's Galaxian. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a spacecraft which is situated at the bottom of the screen, with enemy aliens arriving in formation at the beginning of a stage, either trying to destroy, collide with, or capture the spaceship, with the player progressing every time alien forces are vanquished.
>
> — [Wikipedia - Galaga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaga)
The game has been re-released and sequeled multiple times, with at least twenty different games existing in its release history including tie-in versions for popular anime _Space Dandy_ and fighting game series _Tekken_.
**Size of Fandom:**
Estimating the number of fans is always difficult. Using a few data points that we have:
- The [Galaga subreddit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaga) has about 140 subscribers
- The [Arcade subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/cade/) has over 22 000 subscribers
- The [Retrogaming subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/retrogaming/) has almost 63 000 subscribers
- Two remixes on [OverClocked Remixes](http://ocremix.org/game/192/galaga-arc)
- [300 000 people](http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-bc-as--new-zealand-galaga-wars-20180504-story.html) tuned in to watch a livestream of a Galaga tournament
Given such a wide range of values, the safest estimate probably puts the number of fans _in the thousands_.
**Fast Facts:**
- Archive Of Our Own and FanFiction.net have about 60 fanfics combined that reference Galaga, the majority of which involve "Galaga Guy" from the first Avengers movie; even DeviantArt returns a scant almost 3000 results
- The 2007 ABC series, _Lost_, features a submarine named after the game
> Variety reports **Galaga Chronicles is being developed by The Nuttery Entertainment, who reached an agreement with the original creators, Bandai Namco. The firm will be responsible for developing a story and characters for the Galaga series for the first time in its over 30 year history**. No official word yet on where the animated series is set to land if it's completed and greenlit, but it's being reported the series and other Galaga related projects the company is working on will be cut across various platforms. The project is still very early on in development, so no release date has been given as of yet.
>
> — [Cinemablend - Galaga Might Get A TV Show, And Yes, We Mean That Galaga](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/1683990/galaga-might-get-a-tv-show-and-yes-we-mean-that-galaga)
### [Last Episode's](http://fanthropological.com/e/#-name) Famous Last Words
**Justus**
Given the age of Galaga and the fact that there haven't been that many remakes over the years... why Galaga? What is it about that game that lends itself to the longevity of the fandom?
[// Why are folks still a fan?]: #
[// I am also curious about this]: #
**T**
How does the community stay together, given how small it is?
[// I found an official forum, but it was almost dead?]: #
**G**
Is there an aspect to Galaga fandom that is non-competitive?
**Z**
Is there fanfiction for Galaga? Specifically, written fanfiction.
### This week's spotlight
**[Score Wars](https://scorewars.com/)**
> Score Wars is a new live-streamed video gaming tournament presented by Meow Wolf. For our first-annual Score Wars, we’re bringing together the best Galaga players on the planet for an epic four-day throwdown to smash world records and crown a new Galaga champ!
In addition to holding a livestreamed Galaga tournament (with ten elite players competing for $10 000), the event also had an amateur competition and a number of other arcade game cabinets and celebrity guests.
**[Boss Fight Books](https://bossfightbooks.com/collections/books/products/galaga-by-michael-kimball)
**[One-hour MFA](http://www.michael-kimball.com/the-one-hour-mfa-in-fiction/)**
**[Race Against Time IV](http://raceagainsttime.io)**
> Now in its fourth year running, the Race Against Time is an annual charity marathon to raise money for the Alzheimer Society of Canada by beating the SNES classic, Chrono Trigger, as many times as possible in 24 hours. This year, the event is running every week until August 11 and 12 for the main event (see website for detailed schedule).
>
> Alzheimer's is a terrible disease that slowly robs those afflicted of their memories, and, eventually, their very sense of being. We are racing to help preserve those memories of loved ones and for a cure to stop it once and for all!
>
> All donations go directly to the Alzheimer Society of Canada.
### Famous Last Words
This week's famous last words around *next week's* fandom, Gunpla!
**Michael**
How big can the models get?
**G**
Are there enthusiasts who don't care about the series at all?
**T**
What are the forbidden techniques of Gunpla? (think about Lego)
**Z**
Gunpla is the modern day ship-in-a-bottle building.
## Where can you find us online?
We are everywhere! Most notably though, we like to hang out in a few places on social media:
- If you want to be part of our podcast (or just want to check us out), we record our podcast LIVE on [twitch.tv](http://twitch.tv/thenickscast) every Monday at 20:00 Eastern Time!
- For all the latest updates, check us out on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/thenickscast) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thenickscast)
- To see the latest hijinx from our conventions or even our daily lives and adventures, check us out on [Instagram](https://instagram.com/thenickscast)
- For our latest convention updates, *Let's Plays*, and other in-real-life video, [check out our YouTube channel](http://youtube.com/thenickscast)
- We're also on [iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/fanthropological/id1163621210), and [Google Play](https://play.google.com/music/m/Icmngxz7yhaoivdvivvf6q6c2pu?t=Fanthropological), and would love it if you could leave a review and rating!
- if you want to reach us, and for some reason none of those work for you, try [
[email protected]](mailto:
[email protected])
- You can check out [our website](http://thenickscast.com); that will mostly bring you back to this stuff.
- Everything is `thenickscast`, so if you can't find us, go on your social network and search for that!
## What is "Fanthropological"?
How did you read this far without asking this question?!
Fanthropological is an anthropological (ish) podcast where we bring the fan's-eye view to you! Each week, we take a look at a different fandom, dig up interesting background, trivia, and history, and try to get to why it is that people are a fan. We also try to highlight good causes related to that fandom, and find interesting things that fans have created to share those to the world. Each episode is about an hour. Ish.
## Who is "The Nickscast"?
*We* are the Nickscast! Three products of late-80s / early-90s pop culture who love exploring fandom and everything geek ... who also happen to have been best buddies since high school, and all happen to be named Nick. Yes, we are super creative (dare we say, the _most_ creative).
*Ahem*
We are Nick Green, Nick Terwoord, and Nick Zacharewicz: We started the Nickscast as a labour of love, and as a place to entertain and to discuss our love of fans and fandom, and all that is shiny and interesting in that realm. It's what lead us to start our first podcast, our satellite podcasts, Fanthropological, and so much more.
We want to help others learn more about different fandoms, and to create empathy with other fans: We dream of a world where other fans aren't "those Weird-o's", but just folks with different tastes. A world where fandom is full of discourse and analysis, and there are plenty of tools and resources to help. Fans building communities to do good in the world. *Because everyone's a fan.*
## Thanks
Special thanks to Michael, for working with us to sort out all the technical issues before the call!
## Credits
### Sources
- [Wikipedia - Galaga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaga)
- [Google Trends - Galaga vs Space Invaders](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=%2Fm%2F02xmmk,%2Fm%2F0jvd8)
- [Chicago Tribune - New Zealander 1st ever 'Galaga' arcade game World Champion](http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-bc-as--new-zealand-galaga-wars-20180504-story.html)
- [UGSF - Galaga](http://ugsf-series.com/en/#galaga)
- [Cinemablend - Galaga Might Get A TV Show, And Yes, We Mean That Galaga](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/1683990/galaga-might-get-a-tv-show-and-yes-we-mean-that-galaga)
- Boss Fights Books' [_Galaga_ by Michael Kimball](https://bossfightbooks.com/collections/books/products/galaga-by-michael-kimball)
- [Imgur - Galaga Comic](https://imgur.com/gallery/zf9lx)
- [Wikipedia - Galaga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaga)
- [Fanfiction.net - Playing Galaga Is the Way to Meet Your Soulmate](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11032322/1/playing-galaga-is-the-way-to-meet-your-soulmate)
- [Fanfiction.net - Welcome to Namco High!](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9854222/1/Welcome-to-Namco-High)
- [Fanfiction.net - Galaga: Rival's Story](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2979763/1/Galaga-Rival-s-Story)
- [Fanfiction.net - Search: “Galaga”](https://www.fanfiction.net/search/?keywords=galaga&ready=1&type=story)
- [Archive of Our Own - Works Matching “Galaga”](https://archiveofourown.org/works/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&work_search%5Bquery%5D=galaga)
- [Archive of Our Own- Sizzling Love for the Lonely Hearts](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7013572/chapters/15969964)
- [r/Galaga - I Record a Song About Growing Up Playing Galaga](https://www.reddit.com/r/Galaga/comments/83lvin/i_recorded_a_song_about_growing_up_playing_galaga/)
- [r/Gaming - My Son got 431,980 Points and the Local High Score on Galaga. As a Geek Dad and Old School Gamer, This Makes me so Proud.](https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/efa17/my_son_got_431980_points_and_the_local_high_score/)
- [Plasma Sky - Plasma Sky Game for iOS and Android](http://plasma-sky.com/)
- [Destructoid - A Drug-Addled Alec Baldwin's Refuge? Why, Galaga, Of Course](https://www.destructoid.com/a-drug-addled-alec-baldwin-s-refuge-why-galaga-of-course-118295.phtml)
- [NZHerald - New Zealander Andrew Barrow Crowned Galaga World Champ](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12045360)
- [Meow Wolf - Score Wars Record Setters, Galaga Champs and the Years to Come](https://meowwolf.com/2018/04/06/score-wars-world-records-galaga/)
- [RePlay Magazine - Galaga Turns 35; Fan Content Expands Its Universe](http://www.replaymag.com/galaga-turns-35-fan-content-expands-its-universe/)
- [GalagaChronicles.com - Home](http://www.galagachronicles.com/)
### Music / Sound
- ["Chiptune Frontiers"](http://teknoaxe.com/Link_Code_4.php?q=592&Genre=Eight) by TeknoAXE used under [CC BY 4.0](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
- All other music and sound for this week's episode were provided by Nick Green!
