Author: D&A Anime Blog

D&A Friday’s: Where Anime and Alternate Reality Are One!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Blog Updates, D&A Friday's Anime & Manga, D&A Segments

Welcome back fans! If you’ve missed us last Friday, that just means we were at SaikouCon in Allentown, PA! It was indeed a blast and there will be some video footage of the experience coming soon to our Youtube page. As always we do our best to bring you some awesome anime titles this side of the internet, so without further delay, here’s what we’ve got for you today! ๐Ÿ˜‰

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If you’re an anime fan who’s on the lookout for a supernatural comedy-drama, then Charlotte might be the answer you’ve been looking for. Taking place within an alternate reality, a comet called “Charlotte” passes by the earth every 75 years. during its travel it drops dust that soon becomes airborne, as the pre-adolescents who breathe in the comet’s particles suddenly gain supernatural abilities.

Yuu Otosaka just happens to be one of the pre-adolescent children who inhale the dust particles of the comet, and now possesses the ability to possess other people for a short time. He’s eventually found by Noa Tomori, and is thus transferred to Hoshinoumi Academy where she is the president of the school’s student council. The members of the student council also have gained supernatural abilities aside from just Yuu and Noa. Their overall mission is to protect others who possess supernatural powers from organizations that want to use and exploit them for their own personal gain. However, a mission of this caliber doesn’t come without a few heartaches and sacrifices along the way. The series itself balances out between comedic/corny, and serious/tragic, so if you’re looking for an anime title that’s of this nature, then by-all-means check out Charlotte! ๐Ÿ™‚

We’re hoping to launch our Patreon page between September and November, as all of your donations will help us pay the operational costs of the blog, and also keep its unique features going! If things go well with our Patreon page we’ll be able to offer you guys (the fans) the following:

  • More chances to see us at conventions (We’ll be able to travel more!)
  • Official D&A Anime Blog merchandise (Not just T-shirts!)
  • Mobile Podcasts (We’d love to do these with some of the Voice Actors!)
  • Exclusive DJ mixes (From Groundzkontrol, of course!)
  • More Original Content! (Convention Videos, Panel Videos!)

This is going to be a major step for us as we get ready to celebrate our upcoming two year anniversary on January 11, 2018! We thank each and every one of our fans as well as the voice actors, FUNimation, Crunchyroll, and all of the other anime distribution companies for giving us some awesome titles, and continued support for our blog!

Keep making D&A a part of you, and we’ll keep making you a part of us! ๐Ÿ™‚

A New Fanfic Title and some Changes for the Fall!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Blog Updates, Fanfiction

This is a quick update announcement to all of our fans right here on D&A Anime Blog! With the rush of ‘Back-to-School’ about to reach its peak as well as the upcoming unofficial end to Summer (Labor Day), we’ll be changing our posting schedule to help better suit the needs of all of our super supportive anime fans! For our Miscellany Monday segment, the new posting time will be between 7pm-12am starting on September 4, 2017. Our Throwback Thursday segment will temporarily come out of hiatus for the birthday month of D.J. Lewis, one of D&A’s founding members, and will start at its original time! For D&A Friday’s the new posting time will be between 6pm-12am starting on September 1, 2017. Although A. Goldman and Yours Truly are the founders of this awesome anime blog/website, both of us have some rather busy lives to the point where we aren’t able to get on our laptops as frequently often as we used to. (But we push ourselves the best we can! >.<)

On that note, we’ve got ourselves a brand new fanfiction story on the horizon! Due to a scheduling conflict on our part that we apologize for, we’ve decided to postpone our two previous fanfiction stories and release them on a later date in 2018. The title of this new fanfiction will be an original Danganronpa story featuring the Queen of Despair herself, Junko Enoshima, in this dark comedy fanfic known as Danganronpa Enoshima. The story takes place in a parallel timeline just before the events of Trigger Happy Havoc; where Junko and her sister are on a mission to throw the whole world into despair, but soon find out that it’s not as ‘easy’ as they thought it was going to be, while hilarity ensues in the process. We’ll keep you guys updated on when that fanfiction will be posted as well as share some info on a few anime conventions coming next month. All that, and a toilet, next time on D&A Anime Blog! It’s a part of you! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Miscellany Monday: Traveling Beyond the Anime Galaxy!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Blog Updates, D&A Segments, Lesser-Known Anime

Hey anime fans! Hopefully you’ve gotten the chance to see our first ever solar eclipse in the 20th/21st century. Make sure you wore protective shades during the event because if you didn’t, then you’re going to be one sad blind otaku. While we’re on the subject of solar eclipses, let’s talk about what kind of lesser-known anime titles we have for you on this eclipse-filled evening…

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If you’re on the lookout for a sci-fi supernatural anime title, then look no further than Toward the Terra! The series takes place during the 31st millennium where humans are now under the order of supercomputers known as the Superior Dominance. In the mist of the reign where the supercomputers are turning vitro-born humans into brainwashed functioning adults, a new breed of humans called the Mu are making it their mission to rescue every Mu-born child from the Superior Dominance, who wants nothing more than to have them destroyed. Led by Solider Blue (and then Solider Shin) the Mu only have one wish; to return to their beloved promised planet known as Terra. You can find this awesome series on Crunchyroll, FunimationNow, and even on YouTube.

If you guys haven’t heard the news yet, we’re hard-pressed on creating a Patreon page in order to bring you guys (the fans) more original content, more chances to see us at anime conventions, and hopefully some original features that you can’t find anywhere else on an anime blog! Our ultimate goal is to one day have our own 3-day anime convention known as Anime Escape, where fandoms of cosplay, anime, manga, video games, and superheroes can all come together and party with us! (That’s right, we will be having Friday and Saturday night raves at our con!)

We’ll continue to keep you updated on what our future plans are regarding the blog, as well as where as what places we’ll be heading/returning to, on our 2018 anime convention tour! Until next time, make D&A a part of you, and we’ll make you a part of us! ๐Ÿ™‚

D&A Post-Con Update: SaikouCon 2017!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Blog Updates, Filler Posts

Greetings anime friends! We have now returned to our humble abode after having such a great time with friends and fans at SaikouCon 2017! Shout-outs to all the vendors, the staff, the voice actors, the musicians and DJ’s for the rave party and concert, the panelists, and of course you guys (the fans)! For those of you who haven’t gotten the chance to go to this convention, let us tell you, this is the place to be if you’re looking for a more chilled down atmosphere at an anime convention. There are great panels and guests to be found here; such as this year’s Leah Clark (Voice Actress/ADR Director/Writer), Oscar Seung (Actor/Voice Actor), Greg Houser (Pro Voice Actor), and finally R. Bruce Elliott. As for what the “R” stands for…well, we really have no clue. You’ll just have to ask him yourself.

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From Left-to-Right (D.J. Lewis, A. Goldman, Oscar Seung, Leah Clark, and R. Bruce Elliott)

SaikouCon is located in Allentown, PA at the Holiday Inn on 904 West Hamilton Street. If you’re from Baltimore, MD (like us) then take Northbound I-83, Eastbound US Route 30, then Northbound US Route 222. Anywhere else, you’ll have to use either your GPS or Google Maps to get there. Fans have the option of picking 1-day, 2-day, or 3-day passes for the con, that way everyone will be able to have a good time even if they’re working with a small budget. The atmosphere is quite relaxed as you may even get the chance to have a one-on-one encounter with some of the voice actors. If you’re looking for some great deals on some anime merch, then be sure to stop by the Dealers Room (Merchant Hall) for some cool stuff!

If you want to take some cosplay pics then make sure you bring your camera. Although it may be a small con, there were a decent amount of cosplayers there (especially on Saturday, which is usually like the cosplay “peak day” sighting for just about all anime conventions). Speaking of which we now have our SaikouCon Cosplay Mosaic already uploaded on our Cons Near U drop down menu! You can click here if you wanna see them for yourself! ๐Ÿ™‚

Our next anime convention will fall on the birthday weekend of D.J. Lewis, one of the founding members of D&A Anime Blog! It will be held at Thy Geekdom Con at the Crown Royal Plaza in Claymont, DE on November 4-5, 2017. Don’t miss it! ๐Ÿ˜‰

LOL: D&A’s Top 5 Abridged Anime Titles!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Filler Posts, Top 5

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term “Abridged”, it simply means that the usual length of an episode of a TV show, a movie, or a book, is not as long as its original length. When it comes to anime however, a mid-sized percentage of our favorite titles become abridged by hardcore fans!

Whenever you think of an anime abridged series the first thing that comes to mind, is the person (or team) who created it. Team Four Star is one of the most popular abridged anime creative teams behind the Dragon Ball Z Abridged series. There are so many others out there that will have us LOL-ing for days, but for now, here’s our Top 5 abridged anime titles…

WARNING: NONE OF THESE TITLES ARE SAFE FOR WORK! (No Kids Allowed!)

Also, please support the official release of all these titles. Thank you! ๐Ÿ™‚

Number 5: Danganronpa Abridged Thing! (Faulerro)

A personal favorite of Yours Truly! All of the Ultimate Students have been given hilariously funny titles; like Mondo Oowada’s “SHSL Needless Violence” or even Aoi Asahina’s “SHSL Donut Nut”, all of which are based on the character’s original titles. Although the series is six episodes long (out of the original thirteen), there are tons of extras to watch and check out! ๐Ÿ™‚

Number 4: Hellsing Ultimate Abridged! (Team Four Star)

All the bloody action-packed violence you saw in the original series, Team Four Star has brought to you in the abridged version. If you’re familiar with the original plot of the series, then check out the comedic twist that TFS has to offer!

Number 3: Akame ga Kill Abridged! (Grimmjack69 & BuddyVA)

Night Raid just got a lot more interesting. If you’re looking for a creative spin on the original plot (i.e. Abridged Akame’s dry-sense of humor), then you’re gonna wanna check out this abridged series for yourselves!

Number 2: How to be an Adventurer (DanMachi: TAS) (YaroShien)

Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon? Is it wrong that those girls wanna take a peek at YOUR ‘dungeon’? Then check out this abridged anime series featuring everyone’s favorite goddess, Hestia! ๐Ÿ™‚

Number 1: Dragon Ball Z Abridged! (Team Four Star)

Out of all of the abridged anime series, this one has been the most successful and longest running! This abridged series is one of Team Four Stars greatest hits, and plays off the main story arcs of Goku and his friends. With over nine or so movies, over fifty episodes and various abridged shorts under their belt, TFS is not showing any signs of slowing down or stopping any time soon!

So there you have it anime fans! Make sure that you support the official release of all of the titles that we’ve listed here on this filler post. Until next time! ๐Ÿ˜‰

D&A Anime Blog: Countdown to SaikouCon & Monday Anime Titles!!

Aside D&A Anime Blog D&A Segments, Lesser-Known Anime

Now that Otakon has passed, most of us are now feeling the dreaded PCB (Post-Convention Blues). It’s that 24-hour feeling that you get when you realize that all of the responsibilities that you ditched during your anime convention weekend, have now come back to bite you ten-fold. (Ouch! >.<) Not to worry though, cause your good friends at D&A have got the cure! So let’s get started with some lesser-known anime titles that’ll take a little bit of the dread from PCB, and get you back to the happy fun-lovin’ otaku you were during the con!

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If you’re looking for something a little different in your fantasy anime, then look no further than Kemono no Soja (aka The Beast Player)! The story is about a ten-year-old girl named Erin, who lives with her mother in a village known as Ake in the Alhan region. She has a great love for animals, including the Touda; dragon-like creatures that are used for war. One day one of the strongest one’s mysteriously dies, and because Erin’s mother was charged with taking care of it while it was alive, she has been sentenced to death and is then eaten by a wild Touda despite the fact that Erin tried to save her.

Later in the story Erin is adopted by a beekeeper and learns about the “King of Beasts”, the Ouju. After befriending and caring for a baby Ouju named Lilan, Erin finds herself in the middle of a civil conflict between the region of Alhan, and the region of Yoje. If this is a series for you, then you can stream it on FunimationNow or Crunchyroll. (Or you can watch it on Youtube!)

We’re counting down the days before we make our way to Allentown, PA for SaikouCon 2017! Leah Clark (Soul Eater as Blair) and R. Bruce Elliott (Captain Ginyu and Lord Slug from Dragon Ball Z) will be there all weekend, so if you’re looking for a way to end the summer off right, then you’re gonna wanna head to SaikouCon!

Until then my anime friends! ๐Ÿ™‚

D&A Voice Actor Spotlight: Chuck Huber!!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Filler Posts, Voice Actor Spotlight

If you’re familiar with the 90’s anime classic known as Yu Yu Hakusho, then you already know who this next voice actor is. They say that in order to become voice actor, one must not neglect to learn the basics of acting on stage! This awesome voice actor has been acting on TV, on film, and on stage for over 20 years. (Which might explain the grey hair, but what most people call old we call experienced!) That’s right anime fans! Tonight we bring you the one and only, Chuck Huber! ๐Ÿ™‚

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Born May 8, 1971 from the “Windy City” of Illinois, Chuck has been a TV/film/stage actor for over two decades. He was the Director/Writer for Arbor Day – The Musical, and was a producer, co-writer, and co-star for the bi-lingual feature Fragility of Seconds. He also had guest starring roles on NBC, CBS, and FOX for a lot of their dramas, which you might wanna check out if you get the chance. He’s also on Star Trek Continues as Leonard McCoy. Chuck is also a former workshop leader, principal, and a teacher for 20 years; ranging from places like Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business, to communities in Owerri, Nigeria. Needless to say, he’s done a lot!

TV-wise you can see him as Dean Hanson in American Crime. Movie-wise you can see him as Hugh Jamieson in Parkland. Anime-wise you know him as Garlic Jr. and Android 17 in Dragon Ball Z, Stein in Soul Eater, Konoka’s father in Negima! Magister Negi Magi, the Game Master in Sekirei, Shou Tucker in FMA, Hiro in Shin Chan, and so many others. Aside from doing these awesome anime voices for us, Chuck is also an ADR script writer for various titles like Baccano, Spice and Wolf, Sgt. Frog, and a few others. We of course had the pleasure of meeting him in Baltimore, MD during AniMore 2017. Be sure to check your local conventions around your region or area to find out where Chuck will be next!

You can follow Chuck on all of his anime voice acting adventures on Twitter @Chuck_Huber! Be sure to support him in all that he does to make you guys (the fans) happy! ๐Ÿ™‚

D&A Friday’s! Where Anime Rises to Great Heights!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Blog Updates, D&A Friday's Anime & Manga, D&A Segments

If most of you guys are down at Otakon in Washington, DC this year, take lots of cosplay pics and share them with us if you wish! As for us and the blog, it’s time for another awesome Friday night of anime titles and manga reviews. We’ll bring you guys some new manga reviews hopefully next week, but for now, let’s jump into what we’ve got cooking for you all tonight!

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If you’re on the hunt for an awesome supernatural series, then Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan will be the anime title for you! Rikuo Nura is 3/4 human and 1/4 yokai. He lives with other yokai inside his grandfather’s house, who also happens to be a yokai. Unlike his yokai brethren Rikuo prefers to save humans and not follow his yokai heritage, despite his grandfather’s will. After excepting who he is and what his grandfather wants for him, Nikuo decides to take the position of the third head of the Yokai Clan. There’s just one problem: other outside factions also want that same position as well. Now Rikuo must gather up some allies and fight against the opposing factions to protect the name of the Yokai Clan. You can stream this awesome series on Crunchyroll, FunimationNow, and Youtube! ๐Ÿ™‚

Next week we’ll be on our way to Allentown, PA for SaikouCon 2017! If you want to get the chance to meet us in person, come on out to the Holiday Inn in Lehigh Valley located at 901 West Hamilton Street in Allentown, PA August 18-20! On a sad not we had to delay the release post of our fanfiction Danganronpa Roulette: Wheel of Despair, until the third weekend of September. (With Junko: The Ultimate Mastermind being delayed until early January 2018!) We’ll continue to keep you up-to-date with all the lastest and greatest news and perhaps our future collaboration with AnimeDoku.com. Stay true, and stay positive! ๐Ÿ™‚

D&A Voice Actor Spotlight: Monica Rial!!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Filler Posts, Voice Actor Spotlight

When it comes to voice acting in the world of anime, there are a handful of names that come to mind; such as J. Micheal Tatum, Crispin Freeman, Tia Ballard, Steve Blum, and many others. Tonight, we at D&A Anime Blog are doing a special Filler Post series about the very people who do the very voices we love from anime, and non-anime titles. This series is known as D&A Voice Actor Spotlight!

If you’re familiar with old school classics like Case Closed or Ghost Stories, then your already on the right track. When it comes to anime voice acting, you’ve heard and seen this name in almost (if not) every anime title that’s out here in the world, on the internet, on your anime DVD/Blu-Ray copy, and if you’re not careful…in your head! ADV Films, Bang Zoom Entertainment, and FUNimation are just a few places that echo her name. With 300+ characters to her title as well as 15+ years in the VA biz, this is one magnificent woman that you have got to meet before you die. (We’re hoping and praying we get the chance to.) Ladies and gentlemen, our voice actor for the evening…is Monica Rial.

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Straight outta H-Town, Texas this awesome lady was born October 5, 1975. Her father is from Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain and as a young soon-to-be-voice-actress, her family would visit Spain often. Her voice acting inspirations came from shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy, and of course Beavis and Butt-head. In 1998 Monica did her first voice acting roles as Dr. Bruno and Magistrate in an anime comedy/fantasy title called Those Who Hunt Elves. Later on she would land some main character roles in anime titles like Generator Gawl, Gasaraki, Princess Nine, and Excel Saga.

Now you can hear her in titles like Negima!, Shuffle, Soul Eater, Cat Planet Cuties, Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt, High School DxD (Season 1), Shimoneta, and a whole bunch of others that would take too long for us to list. Two of the 300+ characters she voiced were Hispanic (and so is she), and was happy that her characters weren’t stereotyped. There’s rumored to be a grandma voice somewhere in one of her future characters, so we’ll just have to wait and see when that happens!

Monica has been given the title as the “Queen of the Voices” by her fans due to her vocal range, and is able to voice any female character from 8 years old, to 88 years old. She’s also an ADR script writer and director for many of the anime titles that you love, has done various TV commercials/advertisements, and we also believe she can hold a good note too. (There are a few titles where she sang in her character voice, so perhaps she might make a character mixtape CD some day.)

You can see her at various anime (and some superhero) conventions all across North America, and even a few places in the U.K. and Europe. Monica is a delight to talk to, and will answer a lot of your questions about her characters, her career, and various other things that you’d like to know about her. (As long as it’s PG-ish of course, unless she’s at an 18+ panel, then all bets are off!)

You can follow her on Twitter @Rialisms, and you can also find out where she’ll be in your area (convention-wise) on her website TheMonicaRial.com!

 

Cons Near U: August Anime Conventions of 2017!!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Blog Updates, Con Locations

Sorry this post is so short, but we’re here to announce some awesome anime conventions for you to check out this month from our Cons Near U page! Today we’ve got conventions for you located in the Northeast, Southwest, Southbound, and Westbound regions of North America. Be sure to check out the links on those pages for tickets, hotel locations, and more! ๐Ÿ™‚