Jonathan R. Lack is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Iowa’s Department of Cinematic Arts. He earned his B.A. and M.A. summa cum laude from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and has written, published, and podcasted on film and media since the age of 10. His research specializes in East Asian cinema, with a particular focus on Japanese film and animation, and has written extensively on directors such as Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. His approach aims to study film and media in ways that are uniquely personal, interdisciplinary, and accessible for a wide audience of both scholars and casual viewers. Alongside Sean Chapman, he is host of The Weekly Stuff Podcast, a long-running show about movies, TV, and video games, and Japanimation Station, a seasonal anime podcast. You can read his work at www.JonathanLack.com.