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Historical Fantasy

Historical Fantasy

By Guenevere Lee

What's the difference between an oni and a tengu? Were samurai really the gangsters of Edo Era Japan? Why was Europe so interested in Asia? Join author Guenevere Lee and Doctor Noel Sayar as they discuss not only history, but the mythology that shaped it.

Currently we are going through the fact and fiction behind the Channillo series Leda and the Samurai.
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Currently playing episode

Tanabata

Historical FantasyJul 30, 2018

00:00
20:26
Pekari: The Azure Fish - Prologue

Pekari: The Azure Fish - Prologue

Apr 07, 202027:09
Leda and the Samurai - Chapter Five

Leda and the Samurai - Chapter Five

Mar 27, 202023:02
Leda and the Samurai - Chapter Four

Leda and the Samurai - Chapter Four

Mar 26, 202015:21
Leda and the Samurai - Chapter Three

Leda and the Samurai - Chapter Three

Mar 25, 202016:40
Leda and the Samurai - Chapter Two

Leda and the Samurai - Chapter Two

Mar 24, 202016:13
Leda and the Samurai - Chapter One

Leda and the Samurai - Chapter One

Mar 23, 202022:03
Update March 2020

Update March 2020

An update and announcement about my future plans for this podcast.

Mar 22, 202001:48
Date Masamune

Date Masamune

This episode we go over the life of one of our favourite historical figures of all time: Date Masamune. Known as the One-Eyed Dragon and as one the greatest daimyos in Tohoku. Date helped turn the tide of the civil war, and helped bring art and culture to the Edo Era.

(And we have to apologize for the sound quality in this episode. Due to a naughty puppy being present there is some background noise at times. Sorry!)
Dec 17, 201838:26
Yokai

Yokai

We share some more dark and fascinating stories from Japanese mythology.

Kiyohime - Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned ;)

The Emperor Sutoku - Be careful when returning gifts - even more careful when burning them :s
Dec 03, 201818:40
Matsushima

Matsushima

Matsushima, one of the three most beautiful places in Japan, and one of our favourite places to visit. Let's look at the history of one of the most fascinating places in Japan.
Nov 19, 201832:36
Tengu v. Oni

Tengu v. Oni

What's the difference between a tengu and an oni? Find out now! This episode Guenevere and Noel tell some dark and disturbing tales from Japanese Folklore about tengu, oni, and the adorable(?) kappas!

"Kabu-tori Jiisan" - After trying in vain to remove a tumour from his face, an old man exiles himself to the forest, where he comes upon a party of tengus.

"Shuten Doji" - When princesses start to go missing from Kyoto, the warrior Raiko is sent on a mission to kill the oni responsible for the kidnappings. (Includes some pretty disturbing descriptions of dismemberment and cannibalism.)
Nov 05, 201820:15
Samurai Weaponry and Weaponsmiths

Samurai Weaponry and Weaponsmiths

This episode, despite juggling a cold and babysitting a puppy, Guenevere Lee and Noel Sayar give a little history on samurai weaponry - including the tachi and naginata. We also cover some of the greats sword masters, and the legends surrounding them; like the competition between Masamune and Murasama to create the greatest katana.

Learn a brief history of samurai weaponry, as well as why the swords of Murasama were considered cursed. And was Hattori Hanzo really a great sword master as Kill Bill would have us believe?
Oct 22, 201817:58
How Ancient Egypt Inspired Mahat

How Ancient Egypt Inspired Mahat

In this very special episode, we move away from Japanese history and turn to the Bronze Age. What better place to start, then with a little bit of Ancient Egyptian history?

In Guenevere Lee's first published novel, Orope - the White Snake, the kingdom of Mahat is very much inspired by Egypt. Learn what aspects of its history and culture worked its way into the narrative quilt.
Oct 09, 201816:30
Samurai

Samurai

We delve into the fact and fiction of samurai. Were they the idealized warriors who honoured the bushido code? Or were they just people born into the social class? And we discuss some of our favourite samurai movies, and how they shaped people's perception of these greatly misunderstood warriors.
Sep 24, 201820:01
Sendai

Sendai

We take a look at the history of and the legends surrounding the city of Sendai. A city built from nothing by the great daimyo Date Masamune, which became the largest city in the northeast part of Japan (Tohoku).

Who were the original people who inhabited the land and how did they change Japanese warfare forever? What happens if you connect the temples of Sendai on a map? Who is the mysterious figure Sendai Shiro, whose image appears in nearly every store in the city?
Sep 10, 201823:13
Bandits

Bandits

Learn all about the bandits and outlaws who roamed Japan after the battle of Sekigahara. We discuss some of the more extreme execution methods, as well as the famous Ishikawa Goemon, the Japanese Robin Hood.
Aug 28, 201821:00
The Edo Era

The Edo Era

We discuss the birth of the Japanese nation! Who won the battle of Sekigahara and united the nation for over 250 years of peace? We discuss the three men credited with creating the Japan we know today.
Aug 13, 201817:35
Tanabata

Tanabata

For our first episode of Historical Fantasy, we're going over the festival of tanabata. Join us (author Guenevere Lee and Dr. Noel Sayar) as we discuss the myth behind the festival of stars, as well as how it's celebrated in the modern day, and our own experiences living in Sendai (home of the largest tanabata festival).

We will also be discussing the first chapter of Leda and the Samurai (available on channillo.com), and how tanabata became the backdrop for the historical fantasy series.
Jul 30, 201820:26