2017 was the most active year for us going to cons and promoting our blog, and one of the cons that we’ve gone to during our tour (as well as had the most fun at) was Zenkaikon. This convention is a 3-day sci-fi/anime convention held at the Lancaster Marriott in Lancaster, PA. It was also during that year that this was our first anime convention out of state, and our first impression of the convention was indeed nothing short of awesome! We had the chance to meet some rather awesome people as well as meet some of our twitter and facebook fans, plus we even got the chance to meet the one and only Toonami T.O.M. himself, Steve Blum (as well as Mary Elizabeth McGlynn)!
Bang! ๐
There’s a lot for fans of both sci-fi and anime to do at this convention, and for some of us who are nerdy party animals there’s also raves that happen on Friday and Saturday nights! One cool thing about this con is the fact that everyone we’ve met while we were there, was incredibly nice. This time around we hope to have the same amount of fun as we did two years ago, and for those who happen to be going, we’ll see you there March 22-24! And on that note that will do it for this post. Until next time, stay nerdy! ๐
After an 18-month hiatus one of our main segments is back by popular demand! Tonight we go back in time to the 80’s of the anime world; where the mecha genre (especially Gundam and Transformers) was all the rage. While America had MTV, arcade shops, and a movie where nerds finally got revenge on their bullies, a select few of us old school otaku were engaged in Japanimation – or at least knew about it. For the first time since its hiatus we welcome back Throwback Thursday to the blog, with its first 80’s anime title being Mobile Police Patlabor!
Japanimation in the 80’s!
Mobile Police Patlabor is a classic late 80’s shonen anime title created by the group known as Headgear; with members Masami Yuki, Mamoru Oshii, Kazukori Ito, Yutaka Izubuchi, and Akemi Takada. The franchise itself has its own anime and manga, as well as three movies and a few OVAs. Although its a shonen title this series is known for using mecha in its policing works and military, as well as industrial jobs such as construction.
Here’s the Non-Spoiler’s Overview: The story takes place between 1998-2002, where robots called Labors are employed in construction work. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police also have their own Labors that they use in order to combat crime, as well as rescue any Labors that happen to find themselves in any dire need of rescue. Noa Izumi is the main character of the series as he works in the second division of the Tokyo Police Special Vehicle Section, however the story arcs focus on the entire second division as a whole. The TV series has a different plot however; as division two combats a Schaft Enterprises Labor called the Type J9 Griffon.
The OVA has only seven episodes while the series has 47 in total. It’s even noted that this series was the inspiration behind the Hollywood blockbuster Pacific Rim, which is something that even we did know. (How about that? XP)
On that note that will do it for our first Throwback Thursday title of 2019, and it won’t be our last! Until next post guys and girls, stay nerdy! ๐
Anime is such a vast medium that transcends all ages and all races with a wide variety of genres for just about any type of fan. If you’re into horror or sci-fi, we’ve got titles for that! If you love action with a little bit of comedy, romance, or ecchi, then there’s titles for that as well! These days anime is always changing as more and more elements from western influences, are being incorporated into many new titles that are being released. When it comes to anime as a whole, one particular genre has continued to stand the test of time. Although the demographic is originally created and intended for females, there are a few titles that are starting to crossover with both the male and female demographic (i.e. Magical Girl Ore). The subgenre that we’re talking about, is Magical Girls.
We all know these famous girls!
To discover how far this genre of anime has come, you’d have to go back to the early 1950’s of Japan through that manga known as Princess Knight which was released in 1953. Of course a little later in the 60’s there was Sally the Witch which was a manga that got adapted into an anime, but here’s the fun fact about that; Sally the Witch was inspired by the Japanese dub of Bewitched (which came out around that decade in the U.S.) Fast forward towards the 80’s after the women’s movement in Japan a decade before (and the Equal Opportunities Act in 1985), the magical girl genre of anime appeared to be on the path of a resurgence thanks to the prominence of women during that time. By the time the 90’s rolled around the magical girl genre made a full revitalization through the one and only Sailor Moon, which is viewed as a pioneering title for all of the other magical girl titles that came out in the early-to-late 2000’s.
It wasn’t until a little after 2003 that the magical girl genre of anime, was geared towards both male and female audiences. Titles like Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Magical Girl Rising Project began taking on a darker and more serious approach as opposed to the childish plots found in older titles. Aside from magical girl titles becoming more popular (some of which getting re-dubs and reboots), there are a few magical “boy” titles where the main protagonist gains magical girl powers, and depending on the series said male character ends up cross-dressing as a magical girl. Titles like this would include Shugo Chara, Is This a Zombie?, and Magical Girl Ore.
It’s not just in Japan that the magical girl genre has made a home in the anime medium, but in western animated media, the ‘magical girl’ concept and elements (via transformation) can be found in various series such as The Winx Club and Miraculous. The genre as a whole has been getting a lot of traction since 2010, and with anime always changing and creators coming up with new ideas, the magical girl genre will continue to have that classic concept that fans know and love, with a more modern twist full of action and enhanced plots.
On that note, that will do it for our brief history of magical girls in anime and manga, but not to worry – there’s more filler posts to come!
It’s Monday night and we’re back with another exciting filler post! Last time we did a post about an American anime title we know growing up called Kappa Mikey from Nickelodeon. This time we’re back with another one that many fans know of, if you happen to be a fan of any projects/shows done buy the guys n’ girls at Rooster Teeth. (Famous for the Red vs. Blue series!) This one is heavily anime inspired; as it has gained major popularity throughout the community via Crunchyroll, as well as a manga series. Tonight we shine the American anime spotlight on a web series we like to call, RWBY!
For those of you who are veterans of the show (and have watched it all the way to its upcoming 6th season), you’re already aware of what to expect. For the ones who haven’t seen the series at all (and don’t want to be spoiled), we’ll give you the overview of what you’re in for once you decide to give it a shot.
The story is about four girls who have enrolled in Beacon Academy located in the kingdom of Vale; Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long who is Ruby’s half-sister. Together they live in the world of Remnant composed of four kingdoms that happen to be plagued by the Creatures of Grimm, as mankind battled for survival against these monsters until the discovery of an element that helped them fight back called Dust. These four women train to become huntresses and guardians of Dust by the mysterious Ozpin, as they battle against the evil forces of Roman Torchwick and the terrorist organization known as White Fang, to prevent Dust from falling into their hands.
Due to the series being anime-influenced you’ll find some usual tropes and funny moments that you’d normally see in traditional anime; such as the ‘sweatdrop’ and ‘waterfall tears’. There’s also a lot of action and other good stuff in this series as well, so if that’s something you’re into or happen to be looking for, then give this title a shot!
Well, that’s it for this post, but as always we’ve got more to come right here on D&A Anime Blog! Until next time, be kind to one another and stay awesome! ๐
Since 1993 Nintendo has been a part of our lives and has represented almost half of our whole childhood. We all remember the grandfather of gaming consoles that shall be known as the mighty NES, and since 1989, Nintendo continues to dominate the gaming world (in spite of a few setbacks). Their franchise mascot has been keeping himself busy for a little over three decades, and with multiple titles, crossovers, and spin-offs to his name and brand, Mario doesn’t seem like he’s slowing down anytime soon. In fact, a few of his classics are getting remakes for the New 3DS; such as Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and the Gamecube launch title Luigi’s Mansion. Tonight we’ll be reviewing a classic NGC title that might be getting a remake for the 3DS as well, known as Super Mario Sunshine!
Brings back memories, doesn’t it? ๐
If you’re a 90’s kid the nostalgia is real with this game! There are so many of us that remember playing Super Mario 64 on the N64 when it first came out, so what makes this game so good you ask? Well for one, it brought back a lot of Mario’s acrobatic moves such as his signature Triple Jump, Ground Pound, and Wall Jump. The new digs is his new water-squirting buddy called F.L.U.D.D. who operates as a new mechanic for the game. F.L.U.D.D. helps Mario fight off the bad guys as well as allows him to reach new heights with FLUDD’s various nozzle’s; such as the Rocket and the Turbo nozzle’s. Instead of Power Stars Mario has to collect Shine Sprites, as they are the source of Isle Delfino’s power and overall morale of its people.
The plot follows Mario along with Princess Peach, Toadsworth, and a few Toads as they all venture to Isle Delfino to enjoy a relaxing vacation from their usual ventures at the Mushroom Kingdom. Upon arriving they are shocked to discover that the once peaceful island, has been covered in graffiti. After encountering F.L.U.D.D. and defeating a giant slime-covered piranha plant, Mario is suddenly arrested by the island locals (the Piantas) and is thrown in jail due to matching the description of their culprit. After the court ruling Mario is set on an adventure to clean up the entire island, find the one who framed him, and protect Princess Peach – all at the same time!
Playing this game was a lot of fun when it came out, not to mention the graphics and music were pretty freakin’ cool! They brought back a lot of the magic that made Super Mario 64 famous; such as the 8 Red Coins and Blue Coins (that earn you Shine Sprites if you find ten of them), boss battles, and Mario’s signature moves. We remember all the numerous hours we logged into this game combing every nook and cranny for all 120 Shine Sprites, and though at times it was a grind, some of us were determined.
We give this Gamecube classic a 9.9 / 10 Stars!
Hopefully if a remake is in the works, let’s give Luigi a shot like we did in Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2! ๐
Somewhere between 1995-2008 a lot of great animated shows were watched by (just about) every 90’s kid in America. Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon were the holy grail of our childhood; with shows like Rocko’s Modern Life, Ed, Edd, n Eddy, and more! Today we’re shining the spotlight on a mid 2000’s classic that you might remember from your high school days. Back then we weren’t just crazy about (Avatar) The Last Airbender, but there was another title that was known as the ‘first anime title’ to ever be created from our own backyard. Tonight we’re shining the American Anime Spotlight on the Nicktoons title known as Kappa Mikey!
Although 90’s kids know the premise of the show, a lot of boys and girls of the Z Generation may not. Not to worry, we’re more than happy to tell you! ๐
The show is about a 19-year-old ginger-haired boy named Mikey Simon from America, who’s a self-centered adolescent who got lucky and found himself as the main star in a popular Japanese TV show called LilyMu. He then gets flown to Japan where everybody is Anime, and we mean EVERYBODY! Mikey along with his anime co-stars; Lily, Gonard, Mitsuki, and Guano, get into a lot of crazy and hilarious antics when they’re not working on their show, while under the direction and (somewhat annoyance) of Ozo, the TV producer of the show with his right hand assistant Yes-Man. The show basically follows the lives of Mikey and company on and off screen, as they get into shenanigans of all kinds all up and down Tokyo, Japan.
The show relies heavily on various comedic tropes from anime; such as the ‘big sweatdrop’ that we’re all familiar with, over-the-top surprised faces, and many other things. The show only has two seasons at 26 episodes a piece, so you’ll probably get through it in roughly two weeks tops (or sooner). It’s been over ten years since the series ended on Nickelodeon and made the transition to Nicktoons Network, but now the topic of a possible reboot has come up.
Even though the show is a bit underrated in some aspects (as it tries to put a funny-yet-parodic twist on Japanese culture with anime as its representation), having the show get some kind of a remake or reboot doesn’t seem like a totally bad idea. Perhaps Nickelodeon could collaborate with Production I.G. or Studio Trigger or one of the animation studios in Japan to give fans that authentic Eastern-Western experience with Kappa Mikey’s reboot. Or…they could give the reboot the ‘Samurai Jack’ treatment now that Kappa Mikey fans are in their 30’s, but if they did that then the creator would have to toss the reboot over to Adult Swim – which to us personally would make sense.
Well, that’s enough out of us, but what do you guys think? Should Kappa Mikey get a remake/reboot and second shot on the airwaves? Let us know in the comments! ๐
The month of March is here, which means that we’re in the third month of the new year! With that comes some awesome new anime conventions to check out, so we’ve combed the web and found some conventions in the Southwest and Northwest regions of North America. If you plan on heading to any of them, you can find the links on the aforementioned pages of the blog. Until next filler post guys n’ gals, stay awesome! ๐
30 years ago we were introduced to an anime title that would trail blaze a path for many others that we’ve come to know over the years. They say that this is the G.O.A.T. of the anime world, the gateway title to ‘Otaku Paradise’, and the ‘Hall of Fame’ player to both OG fans and newcomers. That title is none other than the one and only Dragon Ball Z.
We watched the many great moments and battles from Son Goku and his friends, and continue to do so through all of his newest adventures in Dragon Ball Super. Throughout the series there have been many elements that have keep us glued to the series; such as Super Saiyan transformations and high-speed fights. One of the most popular elements of this legendary franchise is fusions. Any Dragon Ball fan knows that there are two types of fusions; one that uses a dance, and the other that uses earrings. When it comes to fusions as well as a certain saiyan duo, who’s better? Gogeta? Or Vegito?
Team Vegito or Team Gogeta? You decide!
Since the Majin Buu saga this has been a major debate among the Dragon Ball fandom. Both fused warriors have their fare share of strengths and weaknesses, but with us being who we are, we’ll leave the final decision of what side you’re on to you! So here it is guys n’ gals, our Dragon Ball Breakdown of Gogeta and Vegito!
Super Saiyan Blue Gogeta
Dance-Fusion Warrior: Gogeta
First introduced to us in the Dragon Ball Z movie Fusion Reborn, Gogeta is (of course) the ‘dance-oriented’ fusion between Goku and Vegeta. During the fight with Janemba’s new form, Goku and Vegeta try to figure out a way to defeat the monster, and Goku’s decision comes down to the two of them using fusion – something Vegeta loathes entirely (even when fighting against Buu). After failing once and becoming the fat-and-flatulent Veku, Goku and Vegeta do infact become the powerful warrior known as Gogeta. He doesn’t say anything in the Fusion Reborn movie, but in the DBS: Broly movie, he’s got a tiny bit of Vegito’s personality…and cockiness.
Super Saiyan Blue Vegito
Potara-Fusion Warrior: Vegito
Making his first appearance in the Majin Buu arc, Vegito is the fusion between Goku and Vegeta through the use of the Potara Earrings from the Kais. After Gohan gets absorbed by the pink menace himself, Goku manages to get his hands on the divine earrings known as the Potara Earrings and asks Vegeta to fuse with him – which (again) he tries to decline from doing. Eventually Vegeta swallows his pride and merges with Goku to become the mighty warrior Vegito, and is pretty much on the verge of wrecking Majin Buu after transforming into Super Vegito. In Dragon Ball Super Vegito returns to face Goku Black in his Super Saiyan Rose’ form, but anyone who has seen the series knows how that battle turns out…
So that does it for the introductions of the fused warriors, but still…who’s better? Before we get to the final answer of this age-old question, we’ve been doing some digging and research and found some strengths and weaknesses from both warriors. Now it’s time to compare and contrast the fused warriors that are Gogeta and Vegito.
Strength as Vegito (Weakness as Gogeta): Fusion
In order to get Gogeta out in the first place you have to make sure that you do the dance perfectly. PER-FECT-LY! You gotta find candidates who are the same height and have the same power level. To some it may sound like an easy task but what would happen if the candidates you used (such as Goku and Vegeta) weren’t exactly the same size? That means no Gogeta, and the Earth would be done for. Not so with Vegito however.
Strength as Gogeta (Weakness as Vegito): Critical Thinking
When it comes to fighting (especially against Janemba) Gogeta isn’t the type of fighter that taunts his opponents with cheesy lines that stereotypical superheroes use. In fact during his battle against Janemba he doesn’t say anything at all, he just beats the living daylights out of him and obliterates him with his Stardust Breaker. In GT and DBS: Broly he talks a lot more, and becomes the most epic trash-talker in the franchise that has the skills to back it up!
Strength as Vegito (Weakness as Gogeta): Time Limit
The biggest weakness to being Gogeta is the fact that he has a 30-minute time limit as a fused warrior. Once that limit is reached he goes back to being two people once again. That would suck if you’re going up against a strong boss-live villain and your battle clock ran out. Where’s Vegito when you need him? T.T
Strength as Gogeta (Weakness as Vegito): Original Finisher: Stardust Breaker
As we mentioned before, Gogeta has an original attack called the Stardust Breaker. It may look like a colorful sphere full of sparkles, but when it was used against Janemba it tore him from the inside out and obliterated him to a burst of sparkling lights and stardust. He uses the attack again as Gogeta Blue against Broly, though it doesn’t turn the Legendary Super Saiyan into dust however.
Strength as Vegito (Weakness as Gogeta): Series Canon
Okay, this one is going to be a decision among the fans. Even though Gogeta has had more appearances in the franchise’s movies (and series if you count GT) than Vegito, he’s not technically canon according to Toriyama’s standards – even though we want him to be. Yes, Gogeta does make his DBS debut in its first movie under the Super title, but as far as being canon in the series…we’ll just have to wait and see what happens next.
And that will do it for us on this filler post on Gogeta and Vegito! We may like them both regardless of their strengths and weaknesses, but what team will you join?
Hey guys n’ girls! Sorry about the unexpected hiatus that we ended up taking due to multiple ‘life’ bombs being thrown at us one after another. On the plus side it has given us something new to talk about, and since its been awhile since we’ve done one of these, we’re gonna review a classic fighting video game from the Game Boy Advance that many of you might know. It features Sonic and company as they duke it out against each other in a no-holds-barred beatdown known as Sonic Battle.
We’re SUPER excited to talk about this game not because it was a part of our childhood (and probably yours), but because next to Sonic the Fighters, this game was actually a lot of fun to play. Sonic Battle is a 2003 fighting game created by SEGA and THQ for the Game Boy Advance and GBA SP. It features 10 playable characters (although only eight of them are playable during Story Mode) that you get to choose from, and head out onto the battlefield and b@#!h-slap your opponent back to Mobius.
The story follows a 4000-year-old ancient robot created by a civilization, who is able to copy the fighting techniques of other people simply by watching them in battle. Eggman wants to use said robot as the ultimate combat weapon against Sonic and friends, but ends up getting rid of the bot after copying its data into his own army of robots to capture the chaos emeralds and become an annoyance to Sonic and his friends. The robot named Emerl (thanks to Sonic) becomes involved with the various exploits of Sonic and Co. while also looking for the seven chaos emeralds.
One of the coolest things about this game is the fact that you don’t have to worry about paying any type of ‘energy’ or something to that effect to use special moves. At the start of the fight you select the move you want to use on the Ground, the Air, and to Defend against. You get free movement while in a 3D arena, as you use combo attacks, heal damage, and spam out special moves to damage your opponent and try to drop their HP to 0. The big orange bar is your Health gauge while the small blue one is your Knockout gauge. When your blue gauge is full, the next special attack you use will grant you an insta-kill against your opponent. (Best fighting gimmick ever!)
Another cool thing about this game is the fact that you get to customize Emerl, and make him into a badass fighting machine using skill cards you’ve picked up during battles. When you start the game with Sonic’s chapter, Emerl won’t seem like much help at first, but after playing each character a few times (while beating the story in the process), you’ll grant those rare skill cards that bring out Emerl’s true power. Out of all of the characters in this game, Emerl is the most OP, seriously!
Despite the fact that the controls were simplified and taxing at times (especially when fighting those three guard robos during Knuckles’ chapter, it was hell – utter hell), this game wasn’t half bad. The plot was decent, the game play was fun, and getting to customize your own fighter (Emerl) and battle it out against three other guys (or gals) was cool! Even though this game was underrated on so many levels, some fans still see the potential of it making a comeback in the current market. Some are even calling for a sequel, but we can do you one better!
Remember this little number from awhile back? Nintendo has been doing a hell of a job staying one step ahead of SEGA, and one of its latest creations is doing a few remakes on some old classics like Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and Luigi’s Mansion (The 2001 original). Instead of doing a sequel to Sonic Battle, they should take a page out of Nintendo’s playbook and upgrade the graphics, character roster, and battle arenas.
Don’t make the characters 3D, instead remaster them as High-Resolution 2D sprites and have two separate story modes; Classic Mode which is the original story with all eight playable characters in their separate episodes, and an all new story arc exclusive to the game’s remake that features ten new characters such as Espio, Silver, Blaze, Omega, Mighty, Shade (from Sonic Chronicles), Eggman, Bean, Bark, and Metal Sonic. That will give you a 20-character roster to work with!
Also you should add seven new stages and feature some from previous games like Sonic 2 and Sonic & Knuckles. Keep the use of spamming those specials free, as well as the ability to customize the skills of Emerl. Instead of just the 3-attack-combo followed with either a Heavy Attack or Upper Attack, I would bump it to a 5-attack-combo; the first, second, and third attacks followed by a strong fourth attack that stuns the opponent for a few seconds, and then knock them away with a knockout blow (or upper attack). This game has the potential to be amazing! This game HAS the potential to be LIT!
Brand New Original Sonic Fanfiction
Upon righting the review for this game, we’ve decided to create a Sonic Battle fanfiction with a brand new origin story for Emerl. We don’t have the full plot planned out just yet, but know that we’ll be using 110% of our creative writing powers to make this one of the best Sonic fanfic titles you’ll ever read!
So in conclusion, we give this game a 9.5/10!
We hope that SEGA gets the chance to read this post and realize that it has a chance to turn an underrated classic, into something as epic as Dragon Ball FighterZ! Okay, maybe not as epic as that, but on a level that’s close to it.
Thus ends our review on this awesome classic. Until next post, stay golden! ๐
Welcome back guys n’ girls to our two-part filler post about the relationship between anime and hip-hop! If you’re an anime fan, then you’re fully aware of where the medium stands in terms of popularity. What was once a close-knit medium has now become a world-wide phenomenon. From Spain to the UK anime is pretty much everywhere; just like hip-hop. The crazy thing is that its not just rappers that have mad love for anime, but a few famous celebrities and professional athletes have revealed their nerdy side as well.
Black Panther’s Michael B. Jordan (aka Killmonger) revealed his love for not just Dragon Ball Z, but Naruto as well, during an interview for his new role in Rooster Teeth’s newest anime-style sci-fi adventure, gen:LOC. Kim K. tweeted her new hairstyle was inspired by Darling in the FRANXX’s Zero Two. Green Bay Packer’s Mike Daniels is not just a threat on the football field, but he too is a lover of anime.
There are so many similarities between the two mediums/platforms, which may be the reason why they’re so intertwined with one another. Both cultures tell a story about themselves that often include fantastical elements and experiences. Because of this connection between them, anime and hip-hop have spawned a number of awesome shows (and manga) which has opened the door to new ways for artists from both Japan and Western culture, to collaborate and come up with something awesome.
In Part 1 we talked about the various artists that helped to merge the two subcultures together, but when it comes to giving credit where credit is due, the rappers that come to mind would have to be RZA, Outcast, and MF DOOM. (Big Boi and Hatsune Miku did a track together, if you don’t believe us check this out!)
Quiet as it’s kept, hip-hop met anime first long before mainstream America discovered it. Both of their cultures and styles seem to have a brother-sister relationship; where one end of the medium can identify with the other. Thanks to the genre as a whole, hip-hop will always find new ways to reinvent itself; such as ‘nerdcore’ which is a subgenre of hip-hop for nerds that talk about anime and video games. Even Samuel L. Jackson is no stranger to the medium, as he’s been in a few anime titles that you might know about.
It’s hard to believe that some of us are just now realizing the connection between anime and hip-hop, but truth be told, this dance has been going on for years. Whenever you watch an anime title or listen to a song that has either a rap verse in it or elements of the genre itself, just remember who found anime first. And on that note, that will conclude our two-part filler post on the relationship between anime and hip-hop. With anime being at the level that it is now, there’s no telling what new creations and collaborations will come about from this match made in heaven.
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