Ever since A. Goldman and I started D&A Anime Blog back in the Winter of 2016, I find myself thinking about some of my other talents that I possess in the realm of multimedia. After making the decision to go back to college and shoot for my major, which is Music Production and Audio Engineering, I find myself learning aspects about the music business that I never thought of back when I was in high school. Back then I was a fluffy Afro-American kid (and still am) who loved Dragon Ball Z and Naruto, and still do to this day. I would share my whole life story in this filler post just so I can give a glimpse of who I am to our fans, but I’ll save that for a book I’ll be writing in the future.

Throughout middle and high school I didn’t really have a whole lot of friends growing up. In fact I kind of hated most of the people in my school due to the fact that they were making fun of me because of my plus-size physique. It wasn’t until about 7th grade that I met my D&A partner in crime, Aaron Goldman, thanks to the fact that his mother was my Speech Councilor. Middle school life was a bit of a drag until I got into high school, though my freshman and sophomore years were not as bad, but I still had to deal with my fair share of bullies though.

It wasn’t until my junior year that I started having an interest in producing music. That interest was propelled to the max when my mother bought me my first DAW known as MAGIX Music Maker. I had so much fun producing music using that software, but back then I didn’t know about compression, limiting, mixing or mastering. The thought of being a DJ back then was pretty cool, but it was soon lost after I shifted my passion over to Video Production and Broadcast Graphics in the Fall of 2008.

The last eight years or so have been pretty interesting to say the least. After playing around with MAGIX a bit more, I’ve since gotten better with complex beats and tracks. I’ve since discovered what frequency is and how it can affect your music. I’ve since learned the art of mixing and mastering, so now I can apply those same techniques I’ve learn in school to my original music projects. Of course before I was able to do any of that, I had to learn the fundamentals of music first.

Since 2014 my passion for creating a musical style all my own has skyrocketed. Although most of my music interests consist of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) and Video Game Remixes, taking those classes in college has taught me how to be a bit open-minded when it comes to certain genres of music (like Hip-Hop). Nowadays I see and hear about DJs becoming Producers, and Producers becoming DJs, but as for me and where I see myself in the future, I’m on the path of learning everything there is about being a Music Producer before I become a DJ.

There are so many DJ/Producers out there; such as Skrillex, Porter Robinson, Steve Aoki, Bassnectar, and so on. Those guys are awesome at what they do in spite of the hidden wars and disagreements that go on about real and fake DJing. The last thing I want to do as a future DJ/Producer is get caught up in that BS, because in the end, if you continue to educate yourself on how to become a better DJ and humble yourself on the words ‘Less is More’, then it shouldn’t matter what haters gotta say.

Within the last couple years I’ve noticed that some up and coming DJ/Producers use DJ controllers as opposed to the traditional nightclub setup. (CDJ-2000 Nexus and DJM-2000 Mixer, though the models might’ve upgraded since then.) One reason for this is because the price tag is much lower, and the fact that many of the modern controllers out here now are stand alone mixers. I of course already have my dream DJ setup in the back of my head; a Pioneer DDJ-RX DJ controller, and an RMX-500 Remix Station.

Finally, I thought about where I would play or which venues I would go to, and ultimately I find myself performing at anime and video game conventions, then work my way up to clubs and festivals (hopefully). Eventually I would love to start my own digital music label featuring DJ/Producers who are on the Spectrum (Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism). I don’t have a name for it yet but I know that it’s gonna be awesome! 🙂

Before we start off we just wanna say that the past 72 hours have been a bit hectic for us as far as posting/answering questions from you guys is concerned. Now that things have finally started to calm down around here, lets talk about the one thing that makes the anime community awesome to be a part of; its Fandoms. As anime fans many of us have various anime titles that we ‘squeee!’ and swoon over all the time. Once a title reaches a certain power level (which will probably be over 9,000! *laughs*), it gains a big group or cluster of fans of said series thus creating its fandom.

There are hundreds of fandoms out there both big and small, that are super passionate about the very titles that they come to know and love. Anime fandoms are great because if you like anime in general or specific titles that catch your eye, its a great way to meet others who share the same love and passion for it as much as you do. However there are some fandoms that can get a bit too political to the point where it can start arguments or even cause hatred towards the fans of the overall fandom. (Even down to the point of cosplaying at conventions while representing said fandom.) So to help you understand what to look out for when it comes to anime fandoms, we’re gonna break down the pros and cons of what many people like about them, and what they don’t like about them.

PRO: You Get To Make New Friends!

Let’s be honest, it’s hard to find friends who get excited over how cute Happy looks on Fairy Tail, or how awesome Gohan was at fighting against Cell during the Cell Games in Dragon Ball Z. Anime fandoms are a great way to meet other fans who fall head-over-heels about anime overall, plus you might even get the chance to head to some anime conventions with them. If you love a certain title or the whole dang package, then find the nearest con or meetup group in your area, and socialize your booty off! 😉

CON: Embedded Hate Groups!

We’ve already shared this with you on one of our past filler posts, but there are some corners of the anime fandom world that have embedded hate groups that rip into not only the fans that love the series, but the overall creation of the series itself. The part that sucks is the fact that while every anime title may receive constructive criticism to help make it better, these hate groups will grill into the very fabric of the series itself; down to its writers, producers, voice actors (dubbed and subbed), and animators. This can be a real turn-off for newfound anime fans who are just getting started, but not to worry, because we’ve got a guild of anime fans who are fighting against the forces of evil!

PRO: Fandom Activity!

From fanart to fanfiction, there’s always something going on if you happen to be a member of your favorite title or just a fan overall. If you fanboy or fangirl over a certain character from a show, then you’re gonna find people who love them just as much as you do! Don’t be surprised if you happen to find a girlfriend or boyfriend within your anime fandom, cuz’ it just might happen…

CON: When It Begins To Take Priority Over Your Life!

Anime Fandoms are awesome, but if you’re not careful they can really take over the very fabric of your life. We know reality can be dull and boring sometimes, and that making your way into the anime (fandom) world is one of the ways that a fan can relieve stress from a hard day or work/studies. When it starts to control your life is when anime fandoms get a little dangerous, so try to discipline yourself and make sure you take care of all your ‘real world’ responsibilities first.

PRO: Fans Stick Together!

You’ll never feel left out or isolated from a conversation when it comes to the fans of an anime fandom. They’ll always want to include you in their discussions about certain episodes, characters and plot lines. Plus whenever certain individuals start to harass you about your fandom as well as your passion and love for it, the others will step in and defend you on your behalf.

CON: Not Everybody In Your Fandom is your Friend!

This can be said for any fandom, and not just anime. Just because you like/love the same show, character(s) or plot lines that another fan loves, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they share the same views that you do. If that’s the case then surround yourself with another group of fandom friends who enjoy one of your favorite series and fellowship with them.

When it comes to fandoms there are always going to be things about them you like, and things that you may not. At the end of the day however, it’s all about the overall enjoyment of being in the fandom. There are new anime fans that are looking for a fandom to join each and everyday, and it’s up to us to make them feel welcome and a part of our anime fandom family. Sure, some fandoms may be a bit crazy and dramatic than others, but we’re hoping that these pros and cons that we got here for you might have helped in some way. (There’s actually more pros and cons out there, but these were the specific ones that we had to point out.)