Voting for the Anime Awards has just finished, and to mark the occasion we're publishing the next in our series of interviews with some of the event's judges! Today, we'll be talking to Geoff Thew, the man behind the Mother's Basement YouTube channel, about his love of anime, what it was like to be a judge, and what he looked for when selecting nominees for the Anime Awards.
Crunchyroll: Hello! Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Geoff Thew: Hi! I’m Geoff Thew, professional anime talker-abouter. You can find me talking about anime on my YouTube Channel, Mother’s Basement, where I host roasts, recommendations, and rambly video essays, as well as on the Basement Life Podcast with my partner in Anime Crime, Yazy.
How did you first become involved with the Anime Awards as a judge? Were you excited to join the panel?
Thew: I first became involved as a Judge for the 2020 awards, though I participated as a presenter prior to that, in 2018 and 2019. Those first few years it was an absolute roller coaster behind the scenes, emotionally speaking, waiting for each award announcement, so getting to be involved in the selection process felt… powerful.
Can you tell us about your relationship with anime? What makes you interested in the medium and what about it do you love?
Thew: As part of the Pokémon Generation, I’ve been watching anime almost as long as I can remember, but I was always drawn more to series like Shaman King and Digimon that told richer, more involved stories. That’s the core of my obsession: that animation as a medium allows people to tell any story they can imagine. Though I won’t pretend it’s purely intellectual - I am equally obsessed with the incredible visual spectacles that the most accomplished animators can bring to life.
How do you feel your career as a YouTuber and media personality gives you a unique perspective as a judge?
Thew: My job gives me time and motivation to actually sit down and watch at least the first episode of every new anime that comes out each season - for my recommendation and “hottest trash” lists - so I probably have a wider view of the field than most. My combined experience with weekly video production and, in my past life, game industry crunch, has also given me a much deeper appreciation for and understanding of the technical processes behind anime, as well the sacrifices it can take to get a work of commercial art out the door on a deadline.
What is the most challenging aspect of judging an awards show like this? What parts of it are the most fun?
Thew: It’s challenging to balance my personal tastes in anime against the expectations of the general anime community. Because obviously, I want all my faves to win, and I think they deserve to! but it’s important for the awards to reflect what had an impact on everyone, not just me. Especially the big awards like anime of the year!
The flip side of that, though—and the most fun part for me—is I get the chance to help nudge some of those, you know, “dark house” candidates into the spotlight as nominees, and give an extra edge to titles that are more deserving, but less popular, in the more technical categories.
What makes awards shows like this important for the industry?
Thew: I could write an entire video answering that question. It‘s a unifying moment for the community (whether they agree with the awards or not), It gives some much deserved recognition to the actual artists who bring our favourite anime to life, and it creates a connection between them and their English speaking fans. awards also highlight the value in art outside the raw profit that it generates, which it’s all too easy to lose sight of in any industrialized art form.
As a returning judge, how do you think the awards have changed and evolved over the years?
Thew: I’d say the awards changed in just about every way I can think of since that hectic night at The Montalbán back in 2018. It’s taken lots of experimenting, but the show has its own distinct identity now, it runs so much smoother behind the scenes, and most importantly, refinements to the nomination and voting processes have made the awards themselves more meaningful, while allowing a wider range of anime to get the recognition they deserve.
The only thing that hasn’t changed is the passion for anime shared by everyone who works on the show!
When selecting nominees, what do you focus on? What aspects of anime do you hone in on to make your selections?
Thew: It depends on the category. For more technical ones like best Animation, Action, or Character Design, I pick the most technically excellent scenes and shows I can think of. Same for best in genre. But when it comes to anime of the year, I try to look beyond, you know, my own tastes and standards, to shows that were both very good and resonated with a huge chunk of the community. Though I will sneak a personal fave or two in if I can’t come up with enough of those to fill all the nomination slots.
Then, as for the character awards, I base my nominations for those purely on personal bias.
Do you have anything you would like to say to your fans around the world?
Thew: Accept that we are, all of us, creatures of cringe, and love your favourite trash with pride!
Lastly, is there anything you want to say to anime fans leading up to the Anime Awards?
Thew: This year has been absolutely crazy with huge releases - it’s hard even for me to keep up with it all - but it’s also LOADED with hidden gems, so take some time to check out the Anime Award nominees you’ve never heard of instead of just voting for the obvious option. You might just find a new all time fave. Or five.
(Personally, I recommend Bocchi the Rock!, Akiba Maid War, Lycoris Recoil, Sabikui Bisco, and Birdie Wing: Golf Girls Story.)
Geoff is the creator of one of YouTube's biggest anime channels, Mother's Basement. When he's not analyzing individual series in depth, Geoff watches literally every new anime each season for his "Ones To Watch" recommendation series, helping hundreds of thousands of otaku find new favorites and hidden gems.
Stay tuned for more information on how to watch the awards soon on the official Anime Awards website!
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Source: Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!
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