十三号埋立地

Podcast

120 entries
AllLeftover TalkEye on East AsiaLeft and RightTianshu RadioWellside ConversationsEastern Voices, Western TunesHoney Badger ReadsListening to LifeThe HistorianPresent TenseOn KnowledgeThe Middle GroundMuseum Talks
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Leftover Talk

A History of the Crypto World, Part 3: Under the Pandemic

What dramatic stories unfolded in the crypto world during the pandemic? Amid global monetary easing during the pandemic, decentralized finance ignited the DeFi Summer. But then the situation took a sharp turn: the star project Luna collapsed, Binance's Changpeng Zhao was imprisoned, North Korean hackers pulled off the largest heist in history, and the crypto industry entered a period of growing pains in the AI era. Want to know how these events impacted cryptocurrency, the attitudes of governments around the world, and the future direction of the market? To find out what happens next, please play this episode. This program aims to introduce the historical past of that era of wild growth in cryptocurrency. Please comply with relevant national regulations; this program does not constitute any investment advice.

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Leftover Talk

157 Bills and Counter-Poems: Discussing Robert Darnton's Two New Books

The renowned New Cultural History scholar Robert Darnton has had new books introduced to China. Professor Darnton has a wide range of interests and a prolific body of work, and the topics that can be developed around his works are rich and diverse, always fresh to discuss. In this episode, the two hosts, Sha Qingqing and Jiang Yuan, will discuss Darnton's New Cultural History research, as well as various gossip about the French Old Regime, centered on the two translated works newly introduced to China in the past two years: 'The Book World of the Eve of the French Revolution' and 'Poetry and the Police.' This episode is a recording of a live event where Jiang Yuan and Sha Qingqing participated in the Lujiazui Reading Club in September this year. The audio quality has been affected; please forgive us.

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Leftover Talk

EVA Series Part 3: Let's Criticize the New Theatrical Films (The "Apocrypha")

Thirty years ago, Neon Genesis Evangelion (EVA) was officially born. This work not only holds a unique position in anime history but has also had a profound impact (both positive and negative) on the mental state of many otaku at home and abroad. On this occasion, Leftover Talk is launching a three-episode special series on EVA. The hosts and off-air guests will discuss EVA around its production history and plot, combining their personal journeys to explore why this work has transcended time and generations to become a coordinate in the spiritual world of otaku from different eras. This is the third episode of the series, where we discuss the New Theatrical Films, which began in 2007 and concluded in 2021. When did the entire series start to feel off? What exactly happened between Breaker and Q? What exactly about the New Theatrical Films has disappointed the "EVA Wen Tianxiangs"? What changes in Hideaki Anno do those reset plots reflect? Are there any redeeming qualities left in the New Theatrical Films? The hosts engage in a heated debate on these issues.

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Leftover Talk

EVA Series: The Break: The TV Series, the Old Theatrical Films, and My Steel Girlfriend

Thirty years ago, "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (EVA) was officially born. This work not only holds a unique position in the history of anime but has also had a profound impact on the mental states of numerous otaku at home and abroad (for better or worse). On this occasion, "Leftover Talk" presents a three-part special EVA series. The hosts and guest speakers will discuss EVA around its production history and plot, combined with their personal journeys, to explore why this work has transcended time and generations to become a coordinate in the spiritual worlds of otaku from different eras. This episode is the second in the series, where the "Leftover Talk" hosts discuss our canonical EVAs: the TV series, the old theatrical films, and "My Steel Girlfriend" (which also includes Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's manga). Before recording, the hosts fully revisited this work that brought us such a huge impact back then. Ultimately, we decided to set aside knowledge popularization and historical background to focus on the work itself, especially the character relationships and key plot points. With a bit more age and viewing experience, we have gained new insights into why EVA is a masterpiece. Of course, inevitably, the hosts also engaged in "debating scriptures" over some "important academic questions."

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Leftover Talk

154 Waiting for You at the Scene of History! A Grand Tour with Dapeng

In this episode, we invite our old friend Lu Dapeng to share his newly published "pamphlet," Montage of Endangered Cities in World War II, a collection of travel essays centered on his years of visiting World War II-related historical sites across Europe. Dapeng will take us from the Zhonghua Gate in Nanjing to Gdańsk in Poland, from Arnhem in the Netherlands, the Villa Wannsee in Germany, and the Berlin Bunker, to the War Cabinet in London, UK, and even across the ocean to Volgograd in Russia, allowing us to experience those historical sites that are both beautiful and heavy with history. P.S. From February 15 to 24, 2026, Lu Dapeng will serve as the "scholar accompanying the group" to invite you to embark on a journey through the "Age of Discovery" in Spain and Portugal. For details, please click the link: mp.weixin.qq.com

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Leftover Talk

152 Old Money, New Money, and the Return of City Pop Culture: The Status Game Behind Fashion Changes

What does Japanese fashion and culture look like through the eyes of an American who has lived in Tokyo for twenty years? How does he view the cultural networks behind fashion and status? This episode is fortunate to invite W. David Marks, who lives in Tokyo and has long observed fashion culture, to share his interesting insights. A few years ago, his earlier work Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style (translated as Harajuku Cowboys in Chinese) sparked attention and heated discussion worldwide, and the Chinese edition was also very popular. Teacher Sha previously discussed this book specifically in Episode 63 of Left and Right. In this episode, Teacher Sha will have a face-to-face dialogue with Marks, discussing the history of fashion culture and Marks's new book Status and Culture. From the aesthetics born of Japan's bubble economy in the 1980s to the clothing choices of contemporary Silicon Valley tech elites; from the "aesthetic war" between old money and new money over luxury goods, to the accelerated devaluation of status symbols in the social media era—these seemingly disparate cultural phenomena are cleverly linked together in Marks's new book Status and Culture, allowing us to glimpse the operating laws of fashion.

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Leftover Talk

SP The Tokko, Intellectuals, and the “Anti-Military Speech”

In this episode, hosts Sha Qingqing and Zheng Shiliang will start by discussing Unbreakable (アンブレイカブル), the new work by Yana Hiroshi, author of the historical spy novel Code Name D. Following the internal perspective of a Tokko police bureaucrat, they will uncover the omnipresent terror of the Showa militarism era and explore the fates of Japanese intellectuals living in its shadows, as well as their respective choices. Additionally, the hosts will discuss Saito Takao’s so-called “Anti-Military Speech” of 1940 and its historical background. Shigeru Ishiba, who is about to step down as Prime Minister of Japan, also mentioned this important speech by Saito Takao in his recently released “Statement on the 80th Anniversary of the End of the War,” which provides relevant context for your reference.

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Leftover Talk

148 Don't Translate! Don't Be a Translator! Advice from Four Veteran Book Translators

Since the translation of Buddhist scriptures began in the Eastern Han Dynasty, translation has existed in China for nearly two thousand years. From the Chang'an translation centers at the Xingshan Temple in the Tang Dynasty, to the translation-driven national salvation efforts of Yan Fu and Li Shanlan in the late Qing Dynasty, to the translation and publishing endeavors of the Republic of China aimed at comprehensively understanding the West, and finally to the wave of translation after the 1980s that introduced Western learning and made up for lost time, we have now arrived at an AI translation era that is right before our eyes. How do we distinguish between good and bad translations? How should translators position themselves in the new era? How do they handle the ideological debate between literal and free translation? How do they face the high wall of untranslatability? And when the AI era arrives, how will they coexist with AI? What efficient working methods do those translators who have translated countless books have? Is human translation a profession with little time left? Why do some translators advise everyone: read fewer translations! Don't translate! Don't work for love alone!

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Leftover Talk

146 The Tragedy of the September 18 Incident: The Crisis in Northeast China from Multiple Perspectives

With the anniversary of the “September 18 Incident” approaching, this week’s episode of Leftover Talk was released one day early. In this episode, Bo Qiao will engage in a dialogue with Sha Qingqing, who has conducted in-depth research on issues related to the “September 18 Incident” and published numerous academic papers. They will discuss the historical background of the “September 18 Incident,” the progression of events, the decision-making motives of the parties involved, and the consequences, attempting to reveal the complex facets behind this historical event that changed the East Asian landscape and how it influenced the trajectory of the entire War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Starting May 30, 2024, Leftover Talk officially launched its “Annual Membership Program.”

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Leftover Talk

145 Too Many Film Directors, Too Few Kubricks

Stanley Kubrick was a director, but more often than not, he seemed like a prophet. He was a photographer, hated airplanes, lived a reclusive life, and though American, preferred Britain. He was an omnivorous reader, full of dissenting views about the world, hostile and skeptical toward rationality, fond of deception and mischief, childlike yet possessing the meticulous budgeting skills of a project manager. Film was not merely a tool he excelled at for making a living, but the perfect medium for expressing his views on the world. From the commanding, renowned director to the "Uncle Kubrick" in the eyes of ordinary film fans, he was half-god, half-man. His genius, shyness, obsessive research, controlling nature, and frugal management of compressed budgets have even spawned numerous "urban legends." In this episode, we discuss Kubrick's merits and faults, starting from the broader context of the era and cinema.

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Leftover Talk

144 What to Do About the "Three Highs"? Who Checks the Health Checkup? A Self-Proclaimed Survival Guide for the Couch Potato

Past the age of thirty and fifty, blood pressure rises, blood lipids become abnormal, uric acid spikes, and knees and lower backs creak and groan. The health of parents and elders also begins to show various issues. Therefore... this episode has no commercial sponsorship and no intention to sell products. However, the aforementioned issues indeed force couch potatoes, like the hosts of this program, to start researching health and wellness. In this episode, the coder and Teacher Sha will freely discuss their accumulated insights and lessons learned regarding health preservation, hoping to offer some inspiration and wish everyone good health. Friendly reminder: Neither host has a medical background, and the insights shared are merely personal opinions, suitable only for casual chat and not even worth considering as reference. If you feel unwell, you should still listen to the professional advice of doctors.

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Leftover Talk

143 “Will Half-san Naohiro Dream of the Hakone Ekiden?”: A Wonderful Journey About Running and Translation

In 2024, Itoie Jun published his latest work, Our Hakone Ekiden. When this bestselling author shifts his perspective from the scheming in office buildings to the sweat on the running track, and when the creator of “Half-san Naohiro” turns his gaze toward the relay course in the Hakone mountains, how does a story about youth, perseverance, and legacy quietly unfold? In this episode, we are fortunate to invite Li Siyuan, the Chinese translator of Our Hakone Ekiden, to join the conversation. From the perspective of a translator and a seasoned long-distance running enthusiast, she provides an in-depth interpretation of the cultural implications behind this novel and the “Hakone Ekiden” event. We will also discuss why this national-level sporting event, with a history of over a century, can make all of Japan boil over every New Year’s Day. Furthermore, the “Kanto Academic League Team” focused on in the story of Our Hakone Ekiden is actually a “League of Losers” composed of rejected candidates from various schools. Their results are not recorded in the official records of the “Hakone Ekiden.” So, does giving one’s all on the track still have meaning and value? If the outcome is no longer important, does the process itself still hold meaning?

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Leftover Talk

141 How to Make AI Teachers (Plural) Your Wings

From GPT 3.5 to DeepSeek, AI is rapidly changing our world. Among all fields, programmers are the group most affected, and other industries may face similar impacts in the future. Therefore, in this podcast episode, the two hosts begin by discussing how they use AI to assist in developing the Leftover Talk website and app, introduce the AI tools they commonly use in their daily lives, and discuss potential security issues associated with AI. Note: This recording was made before the release of GPT 5.0. However, since GPT 5.0 did not offer many surprises, the hosts did not record additional content about it. (Sam Altman is not worth it.)

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Leftover Talk

140 Gundam Has Grown Old, But Can It Still “Feed” Us?

Gundam is the most classic robot anime series in Japanese history. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the launch of Mobile Suit Gundam. Sunrise, in collaboration with Studio Khara, released a new series in the franchise, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, which stirred up a storm of controversy, with praise and criticism clashing fiercely, and once again reignited people’s attention and enthusiasm for this long-standing anime IP. What exactly is the charm of “Gundam” that has endured for so long? How has this robot anime profoundly influenced subsequent Japanese animation and the real world? Centering on the currently popular Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, listen to the hosts and guests of Leftover Talk chat freely about the stardust memories of the Gundam Universal Century.

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Leftover Talk

138 Stablecoins: Are They Stable? Unveiling the Past and Present of the Crypto World’s Favorite

With the surge in Circle’s stock price and U.S. President Trump signing the "Genius Act," the blockchain concept of stablecoins has entered the mainstream public eye. What exactly are stablecoins? How did Tether, the parent company behind USDT, become the world’s most profitable financial company? Why are countries rushing to pass stablecoin legislation? What crazy designs exist in decentralized stablecoins? In this episode, we will introduce the past and present of stablecoins to help everyone understand them. Starting from May 30, 2024, Leftover Talk officially launches its "Annual Membership Plan." Listeners who join the Leftover Talk annual membership will enjoy the following "benefits":

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Leftover Talk

136 Do "Railway Otaku" Dream of "Densha de Go!"? A Chat on Railway Culture

From Tokyo's complex, spider-web-like railway network, to the historically rich yet "steeped in old grime" railway system of the United States, to China's rapidly evolving high-speed rail and subway networks, rail transit has long been more than just a tool for connecting cities. It has profoundly shaped urban forms, people's living habits, and even spawned a unique "railway otaku" culture. In this episode, we invited "Shui Ye (aka Shui Gong)," a professional in the field of rail transit design, to join the hosts in an in-depth discussion of all aspects of railway culture. From a professional perspective, we will re-examine the dispute over subway mileage between Shanghai and Tokyo; look back at history to explore how Japan's JR and private railways jointly "constructed" cities; and funly inventory the major schools of "railway otaku." Why are East Asian railways known for punctuality, while German railways are frequently delayed? What is the safety logic behind "pointing and calling"? When urban life and rail transit become integrated, do we become more efficient "human-machine hybrids," or are we alienated within a "tightly balanced" system?

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Leftover Talk

134 The Cold War, a History of Spies: From Idealistic Heroes to Cynical Émigrés

As the second oldest profession, the existence of espionage is fraught with paradox and coldness: it is the hidden dagger behind a smile amidst drunken revelry, the fatal blow after a feint, the supreme righteousness of brazenly betraying one's country for an ideal, and the madness of being blinded by money and beauty... But when all that is solid melts into air, when the smokeless Cold War is no longer shrouded in fog, and when the tense brinkmanship that once seemed life-or-death has become the dust of history, what becomes of those spies who hid within the "Cloak and Dagger"? In this episode, Sha Qingqing will use his recently published book, "Friend or Foe?: Anecdotes from the Cold War's Sea of Espionage," to meticulously unravel the vicissitudes of espionage activities. When did spying transform from a gentleman's side hustle into a vocation worth shedding blood for, and when did it become a money-making business? For the KGB, why were MI5 and MI6 transparent like sieves? And to what extent did espionage influence—or fail to influence—the outcome of the Cold War? Why do spies sacrifice the self for the greater good, and why do intelligence agencies sacrifice the greater good for the self? What does the legendary mysterious "intelligence" actually look like? Please listen to this episode.

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Leftover Talk

132: The Cost of "For Your Own Good": The Many Faces of Parents Amidst Educational Anxiety

In recent years, "reducing burden" and "fairness" have become keywords in education policy, and various regions across the country have adopted "random computer lottery" methods for student admissions at the "kindergarten-to-primary" and "primary-to-middle" stages. However, parents' anxiety has not diminished much as a result. Around the "lottery," tragedies and comedies of joy and sorrow always unfold, and many families inevitably fall into feelings of pain and helplessness. This episode invites an expert in adolescent development and family education planning to discuss her unique observations of parents and children in the "lottery" era, and to share her personal reflections and advice.

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Leftover Talk

130 Living in Tokyo Is No Easy Feat (Or Is It...?)

This episode features a new guest, Shunzi, who works as a real estate agent in Tokyo. She joins substitute host Yuting and host Sha Qingqing to discuss the ins and outs of finding, renting, and buying a home in Tokyo. In this episode, we will talk about the vast differences in rental markets and procedures between China and Japan, the cultural conflicts that new residents may encounter, the various strange tenants Shunzi has come across, and her observations on the changes and trends in the Tokyo real estate market. The views expressed in the program are merely one perspective based on personal experience and are bound to contain errors and omissions; they are for reference only.

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Leftover Talk

128: Who Writes History, Who Defines Progress: A Discussion on Whig Historiography

Whig historiography, Whiggism, the Whig interpretation of history... These concepts, which seem very distant from us, actually point to a way of viewing and narrating history that is not unfamiliar to the public and is even widely appreciated: progress will inevitably defeat reaction, freedom will inevitably defeat despotism, reason will inevitably defeat ignorance, and justice will inevitably defeat evil. And all this happens because, under the leadership of certain great figures, people have embarked on a path that conforms to the correct historical trend. So, how did Whig historiography emerge? What impact did it have in history? What are its contemporary "variants"? How do we overcome Whig historiography? In this episode, the hosts discuss these topics.

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Leftover Talk

127 Ishikawa Takuboku: "The Early-Ripening Fruit"

This episode focuses on a Japanese poet who left a huge literary echo in his short life—Ishikawa Takuboku. Ishikawa Takuboku was born in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, in 1886 and died young from illness at the age of 26. He is famous for his tanka poetry, breaking with tradition by using plain, descriptive strokes to directly depict personal emotions and social reality, displaying a sense of subjectivity rarely seen at the time. He is also regarded as the most well-known national poet in contemporary Japan. This episode invites young writer Dong Lai to discuss the recently translated and published biography of Ishikawa Takuboku by Donald Keene, written in his later years. We review Takuboku's short life of precocity, anxiety, self-destruction, and struggle, as well as his astonishing talent as a poet.

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Leftover Talk

124 Seeking Pleasure Is Easy, Being a Nightlife Grunt Is Hard

This episode invites returning guest and old friend @Li Dazang (Episodes 66 and 70) to talk about his past experiences in nightclubs. For many people, nightclubs may be a mysterious and tempting place, filled with urban legends and constantly sending out various danger signals. There are ambiguous whispers, mixed with the smell of alcohol and cigarettes, deafening music, and all kinds of men and women. Setting aside all stereotypes, whether you find true love here, renew a short-term fling, or simply drink bitter liquor to show "solidarity" with others, nightclubs remain a place where the distance between people can potentially be shortened. As a former worker who was once part of this world, he will examine this place from his perspective and, along the way, review with everyone that era of "rapid" advancement and long nights filled with dreams.

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Leftover Talk

122 The 'Group Chat Scandal' and End-to-End Encrypted Communication

Recently, The Atlantic revealed that senior U.S. government officials, including the Vice President, the National Security Advisor, the Secretary of Defense, and the Director of National Intelligence, had been using Signal, a commercial end-to-end encrypted messaging app, for work discussions, covering sensitive topics such as decisions on military operations. Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was 'mysteriously' invited to join this Signal group chat of high-ranking officials, witnessing a 'top-secret' national security discussion centered on the airstrike against the Houthi armed forces in Yemen. Beyond discussions on leaks and politics, this episode will focus on the development history and technical features of encrypted messaging apps like Signal, as well as how ordinary users should objectively view the balance between the security and convenience of communication software.

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Leftover Talk

120 W. Somerset Maugham: A 'Spy' Who 'Secretly Observed' History and High Society

W. Somerset Maugham, the author of bestselling novels such as The Moon and Sixpence and The Razor's Edge, was a very famous 'second-rate novelist' who, as a spy, actively entered the treacherous international struggles behind World War I and World War II. The spy novels born from this experience were even highly regarded by masters of the genre such as Ian Fleming, the creator of '007', and John le Carré. He seems to be a collection of contradictions: he wrote only fictional novels, yet after publication, he was often complained about by the relatives and friends of celebrities; he was homosexual, yet excelled at depicting heterosexual love; he described himself as a 'second-rate author', yet maintained close relationships with high-ranking figures such as Churchill and Eleanor Roosevelt... This episode attempts to peek behind the secrets of Maugham, who loved to 'spy' on others.

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