ARD launches 'aniDEEP' anime-themed social podcast

ARD, DASDING, and Bremen NEXT are launching 'aniDEEP', a new video podcast series scheduled to debut on September 30, 2026. Hosted by Umut Caner Ustaoglu and Luis Fernando de Matos Silva Otto—the creator duo known as 'Kyodai'—the program uses anime and manga as a lens to discuss complex societal and personal themes.

Each weekly episode explores topics such as beauty standards, performance pressure, morality, friendship, and self-doubt. By analyzing series like 'Naruto', 'Haikyu!!', and 'Attack on Titan', the hosts connect fictional narratives to real-world experiences, including issues like bullying, identity, and the struggle to belong. The first season will consist of ten episodes, released every Wednesday on ARD Sounds.