Sorry this one came a little late but as many of you may know, there’s a new Dragon Ball Super movie making its way to U.S. theaters on January 16, 2019. That movie brings back someone from the franchise that we’re quite familiar with – and it’s not Frieza. As far as what we know via reddit, Funimation and Crunchyroll, the Legendary Super Saiyan has returned, but he’s not the same guy we’ve come to know in the past three movies. Hopefully more will be revealed about the whole story as the movie date gets closer (fingers crossed).

There are so many iconic characters in this legendary franchise that many of us are familiar with, but with all of the things that we know (and may not know) about them, there are still a handful of facts that only a small percentage of DBZ fans may not be aware of – yet! One of those characters is our very own Son Goku, the main character of the entire franchise. With everything fans know about him already, there are some things that might come as a surprise to some, and not so much to others. Here are seven things you didn’t know (or might know) about the Earth-born saiyan, Goku.

7. He Has His Own Holiday in Japan: May 9th!

If you live in America, you’ll notice that we have more holidays than just Columbus Day and Thanksgiving. These days we’ve got holidays for things that most people would make fun of, but for the DBZ fans of Japan, the leading Z-Warrior has an official day dedicated to him. May 9th is known as “Goku Day” in Japan, meaning that the numbers “5” and “9” translate into “Go” and “Ku” in Japanese. With May being the fifth month of the year and the ninth day happening on said month, you get (you guessed it) Goku!

6. Out of the Nine Tournaments He’s Been in, Goku Only Won One!

Goku is the strongest fighter in the DBZ franchise by far, so it would only make sense that you’d spot him in action fighting in Martial Arts Tournaments. It’s true that he has competed in at least nine tournaments through Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, but out of the nine that he’s been in, he’s only won one – that one being against Piccolo. Having a 1-8 record in the world of Martial Arts isn’t something you’d want to brag about to your friends, but in Goku’s case he’s handling it quite well.

5. Goku Has The Lowest Kill-Count in DBZ!

With Goku being who he is when it comes to fights that could mean life or death for his home of Planet Earth, he always tries and gives his enemies a second chance to change their ways, no matter how nasty the crime was. This doesn’t mean that Goku won’t do whatever he has to do to protect the ones he loves, and he’s only had to do this twice against enemies Yakkon and Majin Buu (who became Uub later on).

4. His First Fight with Frieza Lasted Longer Than The First “Lord of the Rings”

Shout-out to all the Lord of the Rings fans out there. With everything we know about the iconic encounter/showdown between Goku and Frieza, the battle itself actually lasted longer than “five minutes” as Frieza had implied. Of course he had three other forms that gave Goku’s friends and Vegeta a hard time, so it only justifies as to why the final fight took as long as it did – and yet Frieza survived (until Trunks kills him later on).

3. Goku’s Greatest Threat…is Needles?!

Yep, you’ve heard it from us. The strongest saiyan warrior on Earth is afraid of needles, so you don’t have to worry about being the only one who is. Back in the earlier episodes of DBZ, there was a comedic gag where Goku has a fear of needles as well as being injected. Can you imagine what his battle against Cell would have been like had this gag kept going? What’s that? You can’t even? Us too! XP

2. Goku Was An Advertiser For…KFC?

Advertising and promoting are crucial when it comes to anything in the media and entertainment industry – especially anime. For DBZ fans in both the East and West there’s always promos and ads going on about a new series or movie. One bizarre way Goku has been advertised was the time he used KFC as a way to promote the Battle of Gods movie that came out a few years ago. Although a crossover between the Colonel and Goku seems great in theory, it reinforces the fact that saiyans have a hardy appetite.

1. Goku Used The Kamehameha Wave 97 Times in DB and DBZ!

We all know that the Kamehameha Wave is the signature attack of Son Goku taught to him by Master Roshi, however its not the kind of attack that he just whips out once in a blue moon. The K-Wave has been used close to (if not already) 100 times if you throw some Dragon Ball Super episodes in there; making it one K-Wave every five episodes. He’s killed some fearsome enemies with this legendary move, so it’s only natural to the anime and its fanbase that this is the go-to move for the Earth-born saiyan.

There’s other facts and secrets about Son Goku that many of us know, and some of us don’t. Nevertheless he’s a seemingly clueless fighter who has saved the world from powerful threats at least a dozen times. That’s all we’ve got for this post as well as this week, but next week we’ve got more awesome posts and updates including a new convention highlight video that will be coming soon!

Until next time, stay gold! 😉

Happy October guys n’ gals! We are officially in the final quarter of the 2018 year, and we just want to say thank you to all of our fans and anibloggers who have supported us throughout the year. Now with that out of the way, it’s time for another awesome filler post! Since the inception of Pokemon and other classic anime titles of the 90’s, trading card games have made their way into the world of the nerd and have become another great staple in the community. One trading card game in particular has gone through various incarnations over the years, and its latest format has taken the TCG community by storm! We’re talking about the one and only Dragon Ball Super Card Game (DBSCG)!

One of the reasons why this version of the classic action-packed card game is so popular, might be the way that the game is played. The rules are simple and aren’t too complicated, and you can probably finish a game (or battle) in 30 minutes or less. You get to play as characters from every series in the Dragon Ball universe (including Super), and every character does something different and unique depending on the type of deck that you decide to run. If you’re trying to find out which character/deck you want to run for your first time playing this awesome card game, here are our Top 7 Leader Cards that you gotta check out to figure out what style/tempo you feel like playing at.

7. The Masked Saiyan (Leader Card) / 10000 Power / Critical / Awaken

Coming in at Number 7 on our list is the Leader card The Masked Saiyan. With this card you’d have to place the top 3 cards of your deck into the Drop Area. If two of the cards that you place in the Drop Area are black and any other color, not only do you gain the Critical boost, but you also get a +5000 power boost as well. This Leader card is a great card to practice with if you aren’t too familiar with the game just yet, however there are others just like this one out there with the same or similar abilities.

6. Broly (Leader Card) / 10000 Power / Permanent / Awaken

From what we’ve heard about this card, you’ll need to make sure you have Broly’s Ring handy in order to see its full benefits. Other than that running a Broly deck isn’t too bad as long as you have the right ingredients, so if you’re thinking about running this deck be sure to check out Broly’s Deck Profile on youtube for some pointers.

5. Hit (Leader Card) / 10000 Power / Awaken

Getting a +5000 power boost every turn from this Leader card isn’t too bad. The Hit Deck is also a nice starter deck to begin with, and with the right cards it can become a lethal one as well.

4. Ginyu (Leader Card) / 10000 Power / Awaken

This Leader card would be good to practice with once you’ve gotten a little used to the game. If you’re gonna run this deck, you might wanna make sure you’ve got the rest of the Ginyu Force along with Frieza, Zarbon, and Dodoria on your side. You can also get some good ideas on Reddit if you’re having trouble.

3. Vegito (Leader Card) / 10000 Power / Permanent / Awaken

This Leader card’s ability will change any Goku or Vegeta cards that you have in your deck to red, blue, and green cards for the rest of the battle. You also get a +5000 power boost every time this card attacks. Having a lot of Goku, Vegeta, and Vegito cards can really help if you somehow get yourself in a jam. Also don’t forget to combo as much as you can!

2. Son Goku (Leader Card) / 10000 Power / Awaken

This card and the Vegeta Leader card are great decks to start off with if this is your first time playing. First off for this card; you’ll gain a +1000 power boost for each energy you have on the field, so the more energy you have on the field, the more power you gain. Even when this card awakens you still get the power boost ability, plus other neat perks depending on the type of deck you build around this card.

1. Cell (Leader Card) / 10000 Power / Awaken

This Leader card is a card killer as well as a nightmare for some players. As long as you have the androids and a few Cell cards in your deck, you can punish your opponents and gain quick victories with the right strategy of course. This deck plays rather aggressively due to the fact that if you’ve got some fusion/union Cell cards along with 17 and 18’s, you’ll be able to bring out your 30000 power Perfect Cell in no time! for tips and tricks just search youtube or Reddit.

Well guys, that will do it for this filler post. Whatever leader/deck you decide to go with, just know that you’re gonna have a great time playing this game. There’s more posts to come as well as a special announcement regarding what we’ll be doing in 2019. Until next post, stay golden! 😉

When its hot outside we look for any and every way we can possibly cool down; such as jumping into a swimming pool, or downing cup after cup of ice cold drinks. Even though Summer may be over and the weather may be cooling down, there seems to be one particular drink that both Japanese guys and girls along with anime fans can’t seem to get enough of. In the anime known as Dagashi Kashi, Hotaru was seen near the end of the opening drinking this well-known soft drink. What is it you ask? It is the Summertime drink straight outta Japan known as…Ramune.

What is it about this carbonated drink that has made it so famous? Could it have something to do with the person who introduced it to Japan back in Meiji Period? (Alexander Cameron Sim, by the way.) There are several theories about the origin of how Ramune came to be such a popular item, but 140+ years later it’s still popular both in and outside of Japan. For those who are just seeing it for the very first time, Ramune can be picked out from the design of its bottle; called a codd-neck bottle. (Thanks, Hiram Codd!) Because Ramune has been given the nickname “marble soda” due to the fact that there’s a small marble sealed within the bottle, you have to open it a little differently than your average soda. There’s a small device that allows you to push the marble inward using a little force (or course), and BAM! You’re ready to enjoy the sweet flavor of Ramune.

There are about 37 different flavors of Ramune; such as Blue Raspberry, Cherry, Orange, Melon, Grape, Coconut, Pineapple, Strawberry, and so much more. Nowadays you rarely see the codd-neck bottle design for soda (other than it being used for Ramune), but if you ever find yourself on the hunt for a Summer drink or a drink for any season, give Ramune a try! You’ll find this drink in just about any supermarket in Japan, as well as a select few in North America; by way of Wegmans and other family-owned stores. If you live in the UK you also might find it over there as well.

Ramune can be categorized as the Japanese version of Sprite due to its sweet lemon-lime flavor found in the original. It’s one of those kind of drinks that you can enjoy anytime; especially if you’re watching anime or reading manga, then it just might enhance the otaku experience. So if you were given the chance to try Ramune for the first time, would you? Let us know in the comments down below!

That will wrap up this filler post for the time being, but we’ll be returning with some new and exciting ones in October of next week! Until then my friends, if life gives you lemons, drink Ramune! 😉

In America anime has become more than just another trend, it has become a new way of life for those who felt left out from society via the Social Hierarchy. Since the late 90’s anime conventions have become a staple in the anime community as well as play a major part in otaku culture. Seeing voice actors from your favorite shows and getting merch signed from them is nothing short of awesome, and getting cosplay pics is just as cool. However as the day turns to night and most of the family-friendly panels have ended, it’ll soon be time to turn up and rave it up at the conventions late-night dance.

Although a lot of us like to dance and show off our mad skills to our friends and other con-goers, there’s some of us that want to party at anime-alternative events held at gaming bars and underground nightclubs. There are a good amount of places that have these alternative cosplay events and parties, but you haven’t been to an anime afterparty, until you’ve been to one in the NYC! So for all of you otaku party animals out there, here are five places in New York City where otaku go to party after the con.

FYI: You must be 21+ to attend these parties. Viewer Discresion is Advised. O.O

Number 5: Sexy Nerds: Retro Game & Various Cosplay After Parties

Many alternative cosplay parties and afterparties are held by entertainment companies that provide anime/gaming-themed late night events. Sexy Nerds is one of them; as these guys through some of the best gaming/cosplay parties in the Big Apple! They travel between New York and Canada from time to time, and they also show up at other cons in both the east and west coast. Wanna really turn up? Check these guys out when they have events!

Number 4: SonicBoomBox: NYCC Afterparties & Events

New York Comic Con is the largest and most popular convention in the NYC, and you have a big con, you gotta throw a big party! If you’re looking for a place to let your hair down after the con, SonicBoomBox provides some turn’t up afterparties and events that you could head to. Grab a drink and dance with friends, and drop it like its hot nerd-style! 😉

Number 3: The Cosplay Booze Cruise in NYC

Partying in a club in cosplay is fun, but partying on a yacht in cosplay is even more lit! If there’s one thing you should know about con attendees at the NYCC, its that they know how to turn up no matter how late it is!

Number 2: The Senpai Project Cosplay After Parties

Ain’t no party like a Senpai Party! If you haven’t been to one of their after party events, you have no idea what you’re missing! The Senpai Project holds all kinds of cosplay-themed events that are mainly Marvel/DC/Anime-themed. They actually reached out to us several months ago for a collab project, and even though we’re not quite in a position where we can say ‘yes’ just yet, there might be a near future collab through DJ/Producer Enzo Blackjack. One day Senpai, one day…

Number 1: CEG and Geeks on Fleek After Parties

CEG is another entertainment company that hosts cosplay-themed parties in the club, and on the water (on a yacht). Geeks on Fleek have after parties after their fashion shows in the NYC, so if you get the chance to get out to any of these two after parties, definitely check them out and turn up!

There are various other places all around New York City to party at around convention season, so be sure to do some hunting around for various events besides these five for more action, more fun, and more after parties! Drink responsibly and don’t be a hentai pervert, because if you’ve seen enough anime in your life, you know what happens when you cross that line. (It’s not pretty, darling. T.T)

That will do it for us on this filler post, until next time party on! 😉

Every once in awhile an anime title comes along that has us on the edge of our seats in terms of action, romance, drama, and intense battles. There are various titles that pop onto one’s head when it comes to those things, but one title in particular that’s got four has to be the anime about assassins known as Akame ga Kill! There’s a good amount of characters that have become favorites among Akame ga Kill fans, but the most talked about character on the show has to be the series main female villain, Esdeath.

Her personality is about as cold as the icebergs she’s able to summon at a moments notice, and gets a thrill out of dominating people – especially young men. Although there’s a lot to be said about her, there are a few things that some fans (new fans might we add) may not know about this cold-shouldered mistress. Here are seven things you probably may not know about Esdeath.

#7 – She’s The Most Popular Character in a 2014 Popularity Poll

Akame may have won on the battlefield, but Esdeath won the popular vote in a 2014 popularity poll. This revelation surprised many fans as they though the titicular character Akame had the number one spot locked down. On the bright side however she’s got a 1-0 victory against the icy general, so it’s not all bad Akame. 😉

#6 – She’s The Incarnation of War

Even though this is true, Esdeath treats her subordinates rather well – better than any other villain does with theirs. She is also very respected in terms of ranking, and even shows respect to powerful opponents and warriors.

#5 – Esdeath May Be Young, But She’s Got A Cougar Complex

When it comes to love Esdeath likes younger men. She may not be a cougar in terms of age (because she’s only in her 20’s), but she’s got a bit of a cougar-like complex due to the fact that she likes younger guys, especially Tatsumi.

#4 – She Has The Highest Kill Count in the Whole Show

When Esdeath was younger she was taught to kill or be killed, which may be the reason why she has one of the highest kill counts in the series. As a result of her upbringing she doesn’t care about the people she kills and that war to her is fun, which might strike a chord in the hearts and minds of various protagonists who face villains with that kind of thinking.

#3 – Esdeath’s Name Was Really Esdesu

Esdesu was supposed to be Esdeath’s real name, but it was changed to Esdeath for English translation. To many fans ‘Esdeath’ sounded a little more badass for the name of a female villain for an anime.

#2 – She Carries a Journal With Her

Not just any journal however, a journal where Esdeath draws pictures of Tatsumi and writes down various ways on how she can get him to fall in love with her. We’re not going to lie, because of her pursuit of him Esdeath fans have shipped her and Tatsumi in more ways that one – especially in fan fiction.

#1 – Esdeath and Liones Never Met in the Anime

These two never crossed paths in the anime, but there was that one time where Liones spied on Esdeath – who was scared of her aura.

If you didn’t know these facts about her before, now you do! Esdeath is a fan favorite to fans of Akame ga Kill, and if you haven’t checked out the show yet, you can find it on Crunchyroll and FunimationNow. By the way, if you’re in the L.A. area and want to see us in person, D&A founding member A. Goldman will be in the downtown area until October 3rd. Be sure to take pictures if you see him!

As always continue to make D&A a part of you, and we’ll make you a part of us. 🙂