Since the 80’s and 90’s video games have become a grand staple in the lives of the people who’ve spent time playing them; kids, enthusiasts, and geeks! Many of the major players that gamers are familiar with are Nintendo, SEGA, Capcom, Midway, Playstation, Xbox, and so many more. Video game consumption in America is at an all-time high (if it isn’t already), and a lot of your favorite brands don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. The gaming industry is always changing in some way, shape or form every day. For Japanese gamers the video game hype is a little bit different. From secret cheat codes to hidden facts about franchise gaming characters these something to be said about this whimsical world filled with joysticks and buttons. Here are five Japanese gaming facts that might (or might not) surprise you!

Game Fact #5: Atari Was Originally Going To Be Called “Syzygy”!

Many of us know Atari from back in the 80’s with arcade games like Frogger, but Atari was not the first choice for the name of this gaming brand. Founders Nolan Bushwell and Ted Dabney were actually going to name their brand (you guessed it) Syzygy, which meant “the straight line configuration of three celestial bodies”. The bad news for this choice however, was the fact that the name was already taken by a roofing company – which was actually the best thing that ever happened to them. Can you imagine playing a game branded by a roofing company? O.O

Game Fact #4: SEGA Was (Originally) Created By Three Americans!

Betcha didn’t know that, did’cha?! Or maybe you did; rendering our reaction to your surprise about this revelation ‘moot’. Before a certain blue hedgehog became the face of the company, SEGA’s original mission was to import game machines to the American servicemen living in Japan – because of their boredom. Those gaming machines are still hugely successful to this very day in Japan, and thanks to two Japanese lads, SEGA (along with the aforementioned blue hedgehog) has become a household name.

Game Fact #3: The First Video Game Death Was in 1981!

Normally we don’t like talking about death a lot on the blog (unless it’s a character that fans think deserve it), but in 1981 a gamer by the name of Jeff Dailey died while playing Berzerk. Games are cool, but if you treat the time you spend playing them the same way you treat alcohol (without moderation), the ending won’t be a happy one. Marathon gaming without stopping for food or water is never a good idea, so to all the gamers out there, take a break at least 1-2 hours after playing. Cool? 😉

Game Fact #2: The Release of the N64 Caused Riots in Japan!

When the era of the SNES had ended, Nintendo decided it was time to enter the 3D world of gaming with what they called the Nintendo 64. There are hundreds of well-known titles fans have played since that era, but during its initial Japan release, it caused riots among Japanese fans trying to get their hands on it. Yes America, Japan has Black Friday too! XP

Game Fact #1: Mario Was Named After Mario Segali, Nintendo America’s Italian Landlord!

How about that? The plumber from Brooklyn is named after someone who is actually from Italy (originally)! Before that Mario didn’t really have a name, in fact the first time we ever saw him was Donkey Kong – which was originally called Jumpman. Since then Mario has appeared in over 100 games and has continued to stand the test of time even to this very day. That’s three facts in one about the well-known plumber. You’re welcome. 😉

There are more amazing and fascinating facts about Japanese gaming that many gamers know, and some don’t. Nevertheless there’s always something new and exciting going on in the world of gaming, as well as in the community. What new facts will be revealed in the next 5-10 years that we don’t already know? What throwback gaming consoles will make a resurgence in the next several years if it hasn’t happened already? (Which we’re pretty sure it has.) Perhaps another post for another time.

Until next filler post, stay gold! 🙂

In the 2 years and 9 months that we’ve started this anime blog, we never thought that we would reach this point. Before we became bloggers (or ani-bloggers) A. Goldman and I (D.J. Lewis) were just two college-aged guys who have been watching anime and reading manga since our childhood years. (Especially during middle school.) The though of even having a blog didn’t cross our minds until 2015, and since then we’ve learned a lot about the pros and cons of running one. We didn’t really have a good filler post topic but we hope this makes up for it.

PRO: Meeting Other Bloggers/Online Friends

Growing up it was hard to find other people who were interested in anime back in the 90’s and even the 2000’s. One of the coolest things about having an anime blog, is the fact that you get to meet other bloggers who also blog about anime. There were only a small number of people who liked anime back when we were in school, but it wasn’t until we met more members of the anime community that we found more fans like us. even though we didn’t blog about anime while in school, we went to anime conventions and took cosplay pictures of characters from all of our favorite titles.

At one point and time we were members of another online anime blog/community who we can’t name due to confidential reasons, and posted about what shows we were watching, and so much more. Having your own blog page or being a part of one allows you to connect with others who are just as passionate about anime, as you are.

CON: The On-Going Threat of Trolls/Haters

Thank God we’ve been fortunate enough to not have this happen often to us, but there are other bloggers out there who have tasted the bitter salt that is trolls and haters. No matter what fandom or online community you’re on or even apart of, there’s always those individuals who love to pick unnecessary fights or start beef. We’ve only had to deal with one incident back in 2017 on our Twitter account, but so far there haven’t been any problems since. Everyone’s got bullies, but when you’ve got an awesome community of friends backing you up, the threat just gets a little smaller each day.

PRO: Opportunities To Create Original Content

Having a blog is kind of like building your own store; you want everyone to come in and see what all the buzz is about, and even buy your product (as long as its in good quality). When it comes to blogging you always want to find ways to stand out from others who are doing the same thing you are; whether its doing a three-part writing segment, producing ‘in-blog’ music, or something special you want to offer to fans of your blog. Sometimes your blog is only as creative as the mind behind it, so never be afraid to try new things.

CON: Unavoidable Writer’s Block

This one’s self-explanatory. Whether you’re a novice blogger or you’re a writer for the New York Times, no one is safe from that mental monster that is Writer’s Block. It can happen right after you’ve written a well received blog post or story, or if you’re trying to figure out what to write after writing a series of well written posts. Needless to say, no one’s immune to Writer’s Block as a blogger or editor, but one of the best ways to help with this is to take a little break and head outside for awhile…

PRO: It’s a Mental Stress-Release After Working a Part/Full-Time Job

In this crazy world we live in there’s no doubt that we could all use a little mental vacation every now and then; especially if you’re an anime blogger. Blogging is actually a therapeutic way to take your mind off of all of the craziness that is our lives – even if it’s only for a couple of hours. If you happen to be in the house by yourself or in a small room while blogging, it can be even more relaxing because there aren’t any distractions.

Having this blog has helped us in more ways than one; especially when it comes to other bloggers, anime fans, voice actors, and anime distribution companies. We’re hoping that we can keep D&A going for the long haul, but no matter what happens D&A will be a part of our lives – and yours! 🙂

What is it about this Sonny Strait-voiced character that makes the fanbase that he represents love him so much? Well guys n’ gals, if you’re a fan of one of the pioneering titles of anime history, then you already know his name. Hailing from Earth along side friends like Tien, Yamcha, and Goku, comes everyone’s favorite bald-headed Z-Fighter, Krillin! There’s so much that can be said about this pint-sized fighter; no matter how many times he fights out of his league, risks his life for the sake of others and his friends, of just wants to be there and ready for action when trouble arrives. Despite his reputation of being a ‘punching bag’ as well as being one of the least respected fighters in the group, Krillin shows the most heart out of anyone (next to Goku). Although there are bunches of reasons why fans love Krillin, we can only give you five for this post.

5. He and Goku have been friends since Day One (The Entire Franchise)

When it comes to friendship Krillin has had Goku’s back even way back to when they were kids. He’s also the only character that has been around in the DBZ franchise (both canon and non-canon) since ‘Day One’. If there’s anybody that has some serious history, it’s gotta be Krillin. Even all the way to Dragon Ball Super, this pint-sized fighter continues to better himself as well as be a great friend to his comrades.

4. He’s The Strongest Human on Earth

With all the training that he’s done throughout the entire series, Krillin is stronger than Tien and Yamcha, but weaker than his saiyan and namekian colleagues. This puts him as the ‘Strongest Human on Earth’ by Akira Toriyama’s standards, as Krillin never stops training and pushing himself to be even better and stronger than the day before.

3. He’s The Reason Why Goku Became a Super Saiyan

Many fans know Krillin as the guy who dies a lot during the series, but the most famous death was at the hands of the most evil antagonist in the DBZ universe; Frieza. After the tyrant blew up his closest friend, Goku became so enraged that he transformed into the one thing Frieza feared the most – a Super Saiyan. Had it not been for Krillin’s death during the Frieza Saga, we wouldn’t have gotten the chance to see Goku kick the snot out him on Planet Namek.

2. He’s Married to the Coolest Woman in the Series

Who would’ve thought in this lifetime that Krillin and Android 18 would hook up and have a child? That’s what took place during the Cell Saga, but it wasn’t until further down the Buu Saga that we really started to see Krillin and 18’s relationship take shape. From that point on she’s been by his side through thick and then, even all the way up to Super. You did good, baldy…you did good.

1. He’s The Best-Dressed Character in the Series

From time to time the Z-Fighters have had some stylish outfits and moments, but nothing says “On Fleek” like Krillin’s suit game. You can see him wearing a suit and tie along with a stylish fedora in certain episodes of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. Some say that ladies love a well-dressed man, so that might be one of the reasons why 18 (and possibly a few other girls) might have taken a shot at the cue ball playa.

No matter how you slice it Krillin is an awesome part of an awesome franchise. He never ceases to amaze us at every turn with his dedication to his training, his wife, his friends, and his family. He’s also shown us that lil’ guys can do big things, and that’s something worth relating to!

Until next post, stay gold! 😉

It seems just like yesterday that anime was coming up in the U.S. from the Land of the Rising Sun, now it’s 2018 and globally popular all over the world. From VHS cassette tapes to DVD and Blu-Ray discs, anime has become more than just a trend, it is a subculture that almost serves as a second religion – almost. With the rise of anime came the rise of special sanctuaries where hundreds of thousands of anime brethren gather to talk about their favorite shows, characters, scenes, and voice actors. During the late 90’s the anime convention scene was in its infancy stages; where anime clubs would pull their resources together to create a place for others who share their interest in anime.

Also during this time, an anime convention that would soon become one of the largest conventions on the east coast started out in Pennsylvania. Otakon came about right around the time the 90’s boom for anime was happening, of course it wasn’t until 1999 that this small little anime convention, was going to unleash Baltimore’s nerdy side ten-fold! This would also introduce Baltimore, MD to something new that it’s never seen before; cosplay.

For sixteen years anime fans from all over the Baltimore metro area and beyond gathered at the BCC (Baltimore Convention Center) every July/August for crazy shenanigans, dance circles at rave parties, and just nerds being nerds! A. Goldman and myself (D.J. Lewis) have had the pleasure of seeing all that Otakon had to offer us in our journey to become what we are today; the founders of D&A Anime Blog. While we never really admitted it Otakon played a small part in who we became after its departure for D.C. in 2016. There are a lot of fond memories about this convention that will truly be missed; from the ‘Ice-Cold Water Guy’ to seeing just a plethora of hardcore fans just waiting to get inside from the hot July heat. Well…maybe not that last part.

Before Otakon packed up and left for the other side of I-95, Baltimore went through a dark point in time. When the riots took place during the death of Freddie Grey back in 2015, it did put a slight dent in attendance for Otakon that year. Once the announcement was made during Otakon 2016 that it was moving to D.C. the very next year, many fans had mixed feelings about it – even us. Otakon was our Home-Base anime convention where we could meet up with fellow fans and geek out, but we’ll admit, it did hurt just a little to see it leave.

So that brings us to how we came into contact with a new, but small-scale anime convention called Animore. It made its debut back in January of 2016, the very same year that Otakon was leaving. For those of you that have never been to Animore, the atmosphere is like anime conventions of old; that late 90’s laid-back morale that you’d find back when DBZ, Sailor Moon, and Studio Ghibli ran things in the anime world. You don’t have to worry about waiting in the hot sun to go in, because the convention is in a hotel – a four star one might we add.

There’s awesome vendors, great staff, and things for fans and gamers to do. While it may not be as hyped up and turned up as Otakon once was, Animore does throw some awesome dance/rave parties that bring back a little of that ‘Otakurave’ feeling. Because of its laid-back atmosphere you’ll get one-on-one encounters with some of your favorite voice actors and web artists.

Even though it’s only been around for three years Animore has treated us like family; so much so that we’re only one step away from being its ‘ambassadors’. We believe the homely feel that this convention brings will spark the rise of other small anime conventions that may want to make the move to Baltimore. Although Otakon left a giant hole in Baltimore’s special interest department, we’re hoping that more small laid-back anime conventions like Animore will make their move here, and put Baltimore (aka Charm City) back on the map in the anime convention category.

One can only hope that this will happen, but we’re gonna need more than the dragon balls to make this wish come true.

You can register and check out this awesome convention at https://animore.com