In Episode 17 of the *Retro Pioneers Podcast*, Byron and Justin sit down with *Anime Addict 1999 (LJ Lowe)* — a dedicated anime reactor, reviewer, and content creator who watches *40+ seasonal anime every season* and built a growing platform off pure passion.
LJ breaks down his entire anime origin story — starting with *Dragon Ball Z*, watching Goku go Super Saiyan for the first time, and how a 2020 beach trip with friends unlocked his love for _other_ anime like *Hunter × Hunter*, *Sword Art Online*, and tons of Netflix discoveries.
He talks about his grind as a creator: waking up early to record reactions, posting daily on YouTube & Instagram, building community with other anime creators, and why he focuses on reacting to the _most popular_ shows first for growth.
We dive into Dragon Ball Daima — the highs, the lows, the lore, the Super Saiyan 4 moment, and whether Daima will connect to Super through a movie.
Then we go deep into his favorite genres, power scaling, why overpowered MCs always win fanbases, and why people secretly _love_ the “Superman effect” in shonen anime.
On the gaming side, LJ talks about:
🎮 Growing up on PlayStation (PS1–PS5, PSP), GameCube, DS, Wii, Atari
🎮 His journey through Xenoverse, Kakarot, Jump Force & Demon Slayer games
🎮 Why he platinums story-focused anime games
🎮 Crash Bandicoot pain, Spyro nostalgia, and the truth about hard platformers
We also explore his worst anime ever, why time-loop episodes ruin pacing, his love for InuYasha (including the sequel _Yashahime_), his excitement for spring anime like *Fire Force S3* & *My Hero Vigilantes*, and his dream of going to *Anime NYC* to meet his creator community in person.
This episode is full of anime passion, Dragon Ball debates, nostalgia, gaming talk, creator wisdom, and endless laughs.
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⭐ *TOPICS COVERED*
• How Dragon Ball Z sparked his anime journey
• Watching 40+ seasonal anime every season
• Daily content schedule & editing workflow
• Dragon Ball Daima review (+ SSJ4 moment)
• Overpowered MCs, Superman effect, shonen tropes
• Worst anime ever: _The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya_ time-loop arc
• InuYasha, Yashahime, Cowboy Bebop, classics from the 80s–2000s
• Top shonen favorites: DBZ, Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Hunter × Hunter
• Anime games: Kakarot, Xenoverse, Demon Slayer, Jump Force
• Childhood gaming consoles & E-rated upbringing
• Crash/Spyro remasters, remaster vs remake debate
• Spring anime hype: Fire Force S3, My Hero Vigilantes, 2B Hero X
• The Anime Association community & meeting creators IRL
• YouTube goals, monetization strategy & creator collaboration
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🎮 *ABOUT THE GUEST — ANIME ADDICT 1999 (LJ LOWE)*
Anime reactor, reviewer, and content creator watching 40+ seasonal anime every season.
Known for his Dragon Ball deep dives, daily reactions, reels, and community-driven reviews.
Follow him everywhere: *@animeaddict1999*
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🎮 *ABOUT THE RETRO PIONEERS PODCAST*
Retro Pioneers blends gaming nostalgia, anime culture, community conversations, and creator interviews — with hosts *Justin Hudson* & *Byron Jackson*.