With Thanksgiving only three days away, and Black Friday 24 hours later, we just want to express how thankful we are for all of the things (both good and bad) that has happened throughout the 2017 year. We’ve met a lot of awesome people during our anime convention tour; from voice actors that made our childhood to entrepreneurs making a living doing what they love, we’ve actually had a really great time. With December fast approaching our attention turns toward January for our 2-year anniversary, as well as our return to Animore! Until then, here are the five things that we as D&A Anime Blog, are thankful for.

5. Family

In these crazy times Family is the one thing that we need the most. From the happiest time to the saddest of times, family will always be with you. If there’s anything that we’re thankful for, it’s the love and support that we receive from our family.

4. Friends

How many of us have them? As the old saying goes, ‘Friends are the family you choose.’ In this case friends are also like members of your extended family. They love you, they care about you, and they’re always there when you need them!

3. Anime and Manga

Yeah, it sounds a bit ironic, but the fact is we’re thankful this awesome medium exists. Growing up it was hard finding friends that liked anime and manga as much as we did, but as we got older and found a new invention called an ‘Anime Convention’, finding other otaku became incredibly easier. (Especially after creating this blog.)

2. Seeing Cosplay At An Anime Convention

The proof is in the pudding – well, actually on our blog. We’re thankful for getting the opportunity to see some awesome cosplay during our convention runs. Upon seeing the hard work that goes into every single costume creation cosplayers and fans come up with, it has helped us gain a newfound appreciation for cosplaying in general, and that’s something that we’re thankful for!

1. YOU, the Fans!

We’re thankful that we’re able to get up everyday and share our love for anime and its fandom with the world, including you guys! None of this would ever be possible without the love and support of the anime fandom itself. Who knows what lies ahead in the years to come for D&A, but as long as we’re here, we’re going to continue to strive to become the best anime blog on the web!

Well guys, if you don’t hear from us on Thursday, that simply means we’re in Thanksgiving mode. So from both A. Goldman and Yours Truly, we wish each and every one for you a Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂

If you’re an anime fan, then you might have noticed that many titles (old and new) are getting a second season. (In some cases even a third or possibly a fourth.) Although there are a lot of great titles out there for us to watch online as well as on DVD and Blu-Ray, not every title is lucky enough to get a second season. In spite of this there are a handful of titles that have great potential to get another season, and from us to you these are the five in particular that we wish got another season. (The keyword here is ‘Wish’.)

5. Deadman Wonderland

We’ve reviewed this series earlier during 2016, and based on the reviews from anime fans, we think that this awesome title deserves another season. Although the anime left a lot of things out that you can find in the manga, a second season (perhaps true to the manga, but that’s up to the creator and director) might just be what the doctor ordered.

4. No Game No Life

For those who have seen the new No Game No Life: Zero movie as well as the first season of the series, then we’re pretty sure the fanbase would love nothing more than a second season of this great series. Maybe we might get our answer in 2018, or perhaps in 2019.

3. And You Thought There is Never a Girl Online

If you’ve gotten the chance to see this title for yourselves, then you’ve already seen it’s comedic potential in a romantic way that involves MMORPGs. Much like Gamers as well as Confessions of an MMO Junkie, having another season of Hideki trying to explain to Ako the difference between fantasy and reality wouldn’t be far from our imagination.

2. Ouran High School Host Club

Ladies, do you want your favorite host club to return for a second season? It would be cool to see these guys back in host club action for another round. If not, then you could totally write your own version of it on Fanfiction.net.

1. Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt

We needed a second season of this title like yesterday – scratch that, yesteryear! From the numerous sex jokes, innuendos, dark comedy, fanservice and widespread profanity, it’s no wonder why fans have been craving a second season of this series – especially after that ‘ending’. Maybe 2018 might be the year of the fallen angel(s)…maybe.

There are so many anime titles out there fans wish got another season, but perhaps the reason why some don’t see a second one can vary. In any case it would be awesome to see these five titles as well as a few others gain a second chance in the spotlight. However it’s going to take more than just wanting and wishing for these seasons to happen, it’s gonna take the power of it’s fanbase, it’s creator, it’s director, and merch sales (along with enough money in the studio budget) to get the party started!

There’s more filler posts coming throughout the rest of the week, as well as the highlights video from our time at Thy Geekdom Con. As always continue to make D&A a part of you, and we’ll make you a part of us! 🙂

You’ve seen it happen in many of your favorite movies (*cough* Deadpool *cough*). You’ve probably seen it happen in some of your favorite TV shows. If you don’t know what we’re getting at here, we’re talking about the greatest thing to ever happen to television, movies, and anime – the Fourth Wall! Much like fanservice found in certain anime titles, the Fourth Wall can basically mean a shoutout to the audience that’s watching, or even the fact that the characters realize that they’re in a work of fiction. Fourth Wall breaks are a time-honored tradition and mostly common in movies, TV, and of course, anime/manga. There are many titles out there that do this, but these five are pros when it comes to breaking down the one-way chalkboard that we call “The 4th Wall”.

Space Dandy! (No. 5)

He’s a dandy guy in space, who just so happens to break the fourth wall – occasionally. We may not know exactly what episode(s) the 4th comes into play, but watch the first episode of the first season, and maybe that’ll give you a clue. 😉

Rosario + Vampire! (No. 4)

If you’ve watched the first season of this show, then you’ve probably seen several instances of the fourth wall being broken, or at least poked at. There are a couple times in the series where the second season broke the fourth wall (When the cast was chased by Moka’s sister), but needless to say, this title is on the “4th Wall Breakers” list.

FLCL! (No. 3)

An anime title this bizarre sho-nuff’ breaks the fourth wall! If you don’t believe us then fast forward to the part where the animation style changes into the traditional manga style. We would tell you what was going on during that 4th wall break, but it’d be better if you watched it for yourselves. 😉

Team Rocket from Pokemon! (No. 2)

If our memory serves us (and we’re crossing our fingers it does), Team Rocket has broken the fourth wall numerous times (about 90% at least) – especially during the 1999 movie Pokemon the Movie 2000.

Gintama! (No. 1)

There’s no such thing as a “Fourth Wall” with a series like this. It’s not like the characters or the show itself doesn’t know that it’s there, they just acknowledge that it even exists. As with every anime title, we would tell you where and when the fourth wall breaks happen, but it’s better if you just tune in and watch the series for yourself. 😉

Well that’ll do if for us for this filler post, but we’ve got more for you guys coming up on the blog later this week! 🙂

We’ve done it! We’ve finally done it! 2017’s Thy Geekdom Con was not only our first time going to that convention, but our last stop on our 2017 Mini Tour! From start to finish this year has had it’s ups and downs, twists and turns, but to be on our way to our second year as a blog (as well as gain over 1,000 followers on Twitter and over 10,000 views on the blog overall), it’s without a doubt that we can’t thank you guys enough for all of your support! Truth be told we never thought that our blog would make it this far.

Now with Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas around the corner, it’s time to give you guys our overall review on how the tour went for us!

Our First Stop: AniMore 2017 (Baltimore, MD)

Who says you can’t come back home? Believe it or not guys n’ gals, this convention is the birthplace of our anime blog! We debuted and launched this awesome blog/website hybrid right here inside the Hyatt Regency in Baltimore, Maryland. If you’re looking for a smaller con that has that fan-centered feel and not so much of the hustle n’ bustle of waiting in the autograph line at a larger convention, then make your way down to AniMore! We’ll be returning for its 3rd year on January 19-21, 2018, so come out and see us if you can! 🙂

Our Second Stop: NipponCon 2017 (Westminster, MD)

Not too far from our own backyard in Reisterstown/Glyndon, NipponCon is set inside McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. Although it’s small in size and only one day, it makes for a great atmosphere for budding anime fans who want that fan-centered feel. We’re hoping that we can make our way back here for the 2018 year, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

Our Third Stop: Zenkaikon 2017 (Lancaster, PA)

Our first out-of-state anime convention! Zenkaikon is a mid-sized convention that sits in between fan-centered, and the hustle n’ bustle found at larger conventions. Lancaster’s Convention Center is a lot smaller than ours back in Baltimore, but it’s got enough square feet to hold anywhere between 1,500 to 3,000 con goers. The people are awesome, the dances are hot, and we were lucky enough to meet the one and only Steve Blum! We’ll be returning to this convention next year, hopefully hosting a panel…hopefully.

Our Fourth Stop: Saikoucon 2017 (Allentown, PA)

Our second out-of-state anime convention in Pennsylvania! This convention reminds us a little bit of Animore; with that fan-centered feel that you can only find at smaller cons like these, with the exception of some really awesome VA’s that came by. Although we won’t get the chance to come back next year, we’re hoping to make our return in 2019 – if things for the blog go well!

Our Fifth And Final Stop: Thy Geekdom Con 2017 (Claymont, DE)

This is the final stop on our tour for this year! This convention is a multi-fandom convention; meaning everything from Anime to Doctor Who. In past years this convention only lasted for a day, but this year was the con’s first ever two-day event, and it was a blast! We got a feeling that this won’t be the last time we come to this convention, so if you didn’t get the chance to see us this year, you can catch us next year! 😉

Again we just want to thank all of our awesome fans who have supported us through the entire tour, as well as the special one’s who have taken some pictures with us. We plan on establishing a ‘Panel Presence’ for next year’s anime con go-around, so don’t be surprised if our name pops up somewhere on your convention’s overall schedule.

There’s more posts coming, so stick around for more fun and more D&A!

If you were born during the 80’s and 90’s or even went to middle or high school during that time, then somewhere down the line you might have heard of these terms before. There are so many stereotypes associated with these two terms, and although there are a lot of similarities between them, Geeks and Nerds are totally different. If you don’t believe us, then allow us to break it down for you.

What is a Nerd?

Let’s look at the definition of the word Nerd. A Nerd is an individual who is solely devoted to academics, literature, math, and science. They’re socially awkward, boring, studious, and dress like Steve Urkel from Family Matters. (And are really skilled in Tech Support as well as computers.) Like Otaku, Nerd is a stereotypical term that puts individuals who fit that category as unattractive or unpopular, but just like the word ‘Otaku’, we have redefined and popularized that meaning into something great and wonderfully unique!

The origins of the word can trace as far back as the 1950’s, with Dr. Seuss’s book If I Ran the Zoo. One year later it’s slang meaning was reported on Newsweek due to the popular usage of the term. By the 60’s the word spread as far as Scotland and even took on connotations of social ineptitude, or someone who was a book worm. By the 70’s the word was heavily used in the hit sitcom Happy Days, I wish we could tell you when it was used in which episode(s), but we weren’t born back then. XP

Stereotypically, Nerds (especially males) were seen as either skinny or fluffy, and being in a state known as “hyperwhite”; rejecting the use of Afro-American slang (ebonics) or other terms that the “cool” kids are using. After the release of Revenge of the Nerds and of course the appearance of Steve Urkel from Family Matters (as seen above), Nerds have become multicultural and have various ethnic backgrounds. Nerds have done A LOT of this country, and if you don’t believe us, just google up “Famous Nerds in America”!

What is a Geek?

As we mentioned before there are similarities between Geeks and Nerds, but like we’ve also mentioned before, the two terms are totally different. A Geek is an individual with eccentric or non-mainstream tastes. The term connotes with someone who is an expert or an enthusiast or (get ready for it) someone who is obsessed with a subject or hobby for its own sake! (That means comic books, manga books, anime, video games, etc.) The origins of the word come from the English dialect ‘geck’ or ‘geek’, which meant ‘fool’ or ‘freak’ in German. In the 18th and 19th century the term was used to describe a circus performer in a traveling circus, but overtime the word took on a much different meaning though it still had it’s derogatory sting.

Since the rise of technology, Geeks have been at the forefront and have helped launch a lot of technology-oriented businesses, as well as become a major asset to organizations all over the world. It’s noted that Mark Roeder’s book Unnatural Selection: Why The Geeks Will Inherit The Earth, that the high-tech world is quite favorable for geeks or individuals with geek-like traits. (Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, etc.) Also since the mid 2000’s the “Geek Chic” trend made it cool and fashionable to wear geek apparel.

Both Nerds and Geeks have had it rough during the middle and high school years. Both were picked on or bullied, both were laughed at by girls, and both weren’t invited to any of the cool kids parties. However over the years both terms have been stripped of their derogatory meaning and classification, and has turned into something filled with pride. If both terms are associated with popular culture in today’s modern age, then what’s the difference between the two? Nerds are more into academics (like math and science) than Geeks. Geeks are knowledgeable about Marvel, DC, Anime, Manga, and Video Games than Nerds. Some are even hybrids of the two terms; like a ‘Neek’ or a ‘Gerd’.

We know this filler post was a bit of a mouthful to swallow, but hopefully we explained the difference between a Geek and a Nerd. Both have similarities, both have differences, but both have a massive impact on the world.