Filler Posts

Filler Post: D&A’s Top 5 Anime Titles That circle around Friendship!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Filler Posts, Top 5

Who’s always been there for you when times got tough? Who’s always had your back when haters tried to get one up on you? Well guys, this filler post is all about the power of friendship. Friends are the family that you choose, and sometimes we find ourselves treating our friends better than we treat our own relatives. (Nobody’s perfect but they’re still your family.) Friends come in all ages, shapes and sizes, but no matter how hectic your day or life has been for you, you can always count on great friends to help you in your time of need!

55313

Number 5: Amanchu!

This beautiful Slice of Life anime title is about a 15-year-old girl named Hikari Kohinata, who meets Futaba Ooki and encourages her to join their school’s Diving Club. They soon become the best of friends as they enjoy their diving experiences together. Diving’s okay on your own, but when you’ve got a buddy that loves the water as much as you do, that heightens the overall experience of actually doing it!

Number 4: Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Friendships are almost like people in the metaphorical sense of the word; meaning that they grow and mature the same way that we do. This series deals with the death of a childhood friend, causing the other friends to drift apart when they were younger due to the loss of their friend. As they got older they rekindle their friendship while trying to help one another move on after the death of one of their beloved friends. Life can be tough whenever a close friend of yours dies, but it’s always great to have other friends you can call on to help you get through it.

75d87960c388efc544be093603b8e9f01406669874_full

Number 3: The Pet Girl of Sakurasou

Sometimes in life we get thrown into unexpected circumstances that cause us to gain friendships on accident. (Although sometimes we just know that God works in mysterious ways.) This anime title shows us that point exactly! Sorata Kanda gets himself kicked out of the Suiko University school dormitory, and is sent to the Sakura Dormitory. A world famous artist named Mashiro Shiina moves into the dorm room that Sorata’s in, and is then forced to be her handler. Unexpected friendships can happen without notice, but the take away is the fact that your mental growth increases during the process.

A14238-1899890915.1348100430

Number 2: Nichijou (My Ordinary Life)

It’s never fun to get into any hijinks by yourself, that’s why you have friends so that when you do get into em’, it makes the thought and feeling of doing it that much more fun! Going through daily life can have its ups and downs, triumphs and failures, highs and lows. One thing’s for sure however; you’re not alone in this crazy emotional roller-coaster ride we humans call life. If you don’t believe us ask the cast of Nichijou, cuz their daily lives are just as crazy as ours! XP

MV5BNjA1YWVhODMtZWRjOC00OWNhLWEwMGEtMjJlMmE2MzE5ZmI2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjg3MDM4Mzc@._V1_SY1000_SX1600_AL_

And Number 1: Pokemon

20 years ago we were given a series-turned-franchise about the most unbreakable bond between a boy and his best friend. We know all the lyrics to the first season of this series, as we’ve watched him grow into one of the most well-versed pokemon trainers he is today. Ash Ketchum and Pikachu are literally the epitome of what true friendship really is. No matter how many of their other friends come and go these two are an inseparable pair. Many of us grew up with these bosom buddies during the 90’s era of anime, so there’s no doubt that we can learn a lot about the power of friendship and teamwork from these two.

Well guys, that’ll do it for this awesome filler post about friendship. Remember, if you ever find yourself feeling alone, just know that you’ve got friends that you can call on! (If you don’t, don’t worry! We’ll be your friends! ^.^)

pokemo11

It’s Recap Time!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Blog Updates, Filler Posts

So it’s been eighteen months since we’ve started this awesomely amazing anime blog, and as always it could have never been the way it is today without the love and support from you guys, the fans. Normally during this time we’d have our Slash Saturday segment up and raging to go, but we promise you guys that we’ll get back to the good ol’ grind next week!

As for now it’s recap time! Tour-wise there are only two more stops left to go, and this just in we have switched out our mid-November appearance at Anime NYC, to go to Thy Geekdom Con in Delaware to celebrate the 28th birthday of D&A’s main founder, D.J. Lewis. January 18-21, 2018 we’ll be having our first official D&A Anime Panel at AniMore, so we want all of you guys to come out and party with us at our panel if you can! (Hopefully we won’t have a BlizzardCon resurgence if you know what we mean! XP)

We’ve also been paying close attention to our view counter as of late, and noticed that we’re pushing close to 10K total views! If we reach that number within the next month or so, we’ll post a special video on our Youtube channel thanking each and every one of our fans for helping us reach the 5-digit view mark! Remember guys if you have any questions or if you have any suggestions of titles for our segments on the blog, just head to the Contact Us page and send them to us.

Our music page known as the Kontrol Room will activate mid-Fall 2018, and will feature original tracks from D.J. “Groundzkontrol” Lewis. We’ll also be posting our 2018 anime convention tour schedule in order for you guys to see where we’ll be next! Near the end of the year we’ll be posting a special Cosplay Music Video on our channel for you all to enjoy, as well as work on becoming “daanimeblog.com” before the 2017 year is out. (Aside from the music page we’ll also be posting some new AMVs too, so don’t forget to check them out!)

These eighteen months have been amazing for us as well as the blog/site, and with your help, we will continue to get better as an anime blog, and we will continue to be a part of you.

Thank you! ๐Ÿ™‚

Filler Post: The 5 Characters you’ll see in (almost) every Rom-Com Anime!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Filler Posts, Top 5

If you’ve seen a great deal of anime within the past ten years or so, then you’re probably already quite familiar with the romantic comedy (rom-com) side of anime. Like many rom-coms in real life they always have a main character who’s looking for a shot at love and romance, but hilarity always ensues upon doing so. In anime it’s pretty much the same thing, although depending on what show you watch the main character tries to win the heart of a normal girl/guy with whom he/she is fond of and really likes, or a super-powered goddess, samurai, angel, or any other supernatural being that just happens to take a liking to him/her. There’s someone for everyone in this world, of course if you’re one of these five types of characters then your answer to love might be closer (or further away) than you think.

And-You-Thought

Number 1: The Shy Girl

We’re not saying that you’ll find her in every rom-com anime, but we’re pretty sure that this type of character has been seen floating around somewhere in a series that you’ve seen (or are currently watching). Every now and then she’ll show up either after the ‘commotion’ has left, or whenever the main character (most of the time being male) finally notices her. There have been some cases where the shy girl ends up being the main character’s main girl, and if you don’t believe us, then ask the wife of a certain blonde haired ninja. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Number 2: The Tsundere Chick

She is the most common character type that you’ll find in almost every rom-com, of course nine times out of ten, you’ll find this girl in just about every ecchi anime title. The crazy thing about this character type, is the fact that she’ll most likely be one of the best friends of the main male character’s best girl. (We’ve watched enough anime to see this happen, trust us on this.)

Number 3: The Player/Pervert

If you’ve seen anime titles like Shuffle or School Rumble, then you’re well aware of this particular male character type. If the rom-com anime title takes place in a school setting (which is usually about 80% of the time), then this character type is probably the best friend and classmate to the main male character of the series. We don’t even have to tell you what these guys are known for, because you’ve probably already seen them in action. (Girls Bravo, Rosario + Vampire, Shuffle, School Rumble, and so on…)

Number 4: The Sultry Girl

Again, this depends on what rom-com anime title you watch. The sultry girl character is the type that tries to get the main male character to notice her. (Yamada from B Gata H Kei is a perfect example of this character type.) Sometimes this character can also be known as the ‘Notice Me Senpai’ type (as seen in Shimoneta by a certain silver haired member of the student council), which usually puts the main male character in some awkward situation that’s followed up with a beat-down by the Tsundere Chick. >.<

And Number 5: The Rom-Com Protagonist

The main star of the show who’s looking for love! You won’t almost always see this character in every rom-com anime, you WILL see this character in every rom-com anime! Most of the time this character type is male, the nice guy who is a tad oblivious when it comes to women or being hit on by women (depending on what show you watch), and always goes through a tidal wave of romantic hilarity before finally finding the girl of his dreams. (Or girls of his dreams if the rom-com anime also doubles as a harem/ecchi title.)

Well guys, there you have it! These are the five character types you’ll see in almost every rom-com anime title that you watch. As we’ve said a million times before, it depends on what rom-com title you’re watching. Some romantic comedy anime have a deep story line behind it while others are just for fun, but at the end of the day there’s always someone for everyone. So don’t give up on finding love just yet, because no matter what hopeless romantic craziness you find yourself going through, it might end up finding you. ๐Ÿ˜‰

 

Filler Post: D&A’s Top 10 Villainous Females in Anime!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Filler Posts, Top 10

In this life that we live there are two types of people; the ones who protect the Earth’s values as well as its people, and the ones who cause harm to others for their own self-gratification. These people are known as heroes and villains. When it comes to certain anime titles, the villain is more of the star than the hero is. When the villain is an attractive woman, then that statement is amplified ten fold. We’ve combed the web in order to find ten of the most villainous ladies of anime; some of which you might already know of…

chigusa-amagasaki-negima-9.46

Number 10: Chigusa (Negima!: Magister Negi Magi)

We’re kicking things off with our number 10 anime female villain, Chigusa. She makes her appearance in episodes 20 and 21 of the Negima! series and works for the Hoganji Faction alongside Fate Averruncus and Tsukuyomi. She’s an eastern style mage who despises western style mages. The reason for that you ask? We don’t know. During the Kyoto trip she kidnapped Konoka Konoe in order to use her power to resurrect an ancient demon known as lord Sukuna, of course another evil mage we all know put the breaks to that plan.

maxresdefaultdemonsisters

Number 9: Scanty & Kneesocks (Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt)

Okay, these two are more comically evil then they actually are, but they’ve got the skills and tricks to back it up. Scanty and Kneesocks are the mayor of Daten City’s daughters, and are also Panty and Stocking’s “Pains in their asses”! They possess the same level of skill the angels do, but with more experienced training. However for some reason they always find themselves defeated by the angels in a comical fashion, which is why we said that the Demon Sisters are more comically evil then they really are! XP

vhidvoo2yta3jr5d4hpsy5p67agluzzu_hq

Number 8: Gisen Yagyu (Hyakka Ryoran: Samurai Girls)

Jubei’s ‘sister’ and the main antagonist for the first season of Hyakka Ryoran: Samurai Girls. Her samurai general is Lord Amakusa, who had a deep hatred for Great Japan and everything it stood for. Gisen wanted to revive her fallen master so that the two of them could rule over Great Japan together. She’s every bit as powerful as Jubei is when it comes to swordsmanship skill, and her Demon’s Eye adds a nice touch to her villain-like attributes.

Raynare_Face

Number 7: Raynare (High School DxD)

There’s bad, there’s evil, and there’s sexually sinister. There are only a handful of female anime villains that possess all three, and our number 7 pick just happens to be one of them. Raynare is a fallen angel who went under the alias Yuuma Amano and dated Issei during the first episode of the series. (She of course killed him a few dates later when she revealed her true identity to him.) She’s ruthless and cunning and will do whatever it takes to achieve her own objective, even if it means killing Asia in order to get her healing Sacred Gear. And that’s pretty damn sinister…

2462acedc1a6abe67d34155ff6fd03f1

Number 6: Lust (F.M.A. Original & Brotherhood)

Ah, yes who could forget this lustful homunculus? Lust is one of seven homunculi that were artificially created by “Father”, and are named after the Seven Deadly Sins. (And are also a manifestation of his many traits, those being the seven deadly sins.) Lust acts as the groups assassin; killing anyone who discovers the true purpose of the homunculi’s plans, or just happens to be of no use to them as allies anymore. Even though her name is Lust, she isn’t as lustful as you might think.

1382599_1401853837432_full

Number 5: Medusa Gorgon (Soul Eater)

As one of the three Gorgon sisters, Medusa is the most evil and sinister of the three and is the main villain of the Soul Eater series. She is a witch as well as a scientist and will stop at nothing to achieve her own goals and success, no matter who she has to manipulate or step on along the way. (Talk about eeevil!) She’s far more cunning and intelligent then the DWMA give her credit for, which is also one of her greatest strengths in this aspect.

Adfbwsf

Number 4: Alphard Alshua (Canaan)

She is the leader of the Snake Terrorist group that was responsible for the Shibuya and Shanghai attacks, as well as the arch-enemy of Canaan; the series main protagonist. She’s also skilled in combat and carries an FN Five-Seven USG pistol as a side arm. During one 428: Shibuya Scramble, she betrayed her comrades and ran off with the Ua virus, but not before shooting one of her allies and leaving them for dead in the process. In her final battle with Canaan, she amputated her own arm and then became known as the “One-Armed Woman”.

esdeath-akame-ga-kill

Number 3: Esdeath (Akame ga Kill!)

When it comes to torturing victims there’s no one better than Esdeath from Akame ga Kill! She’s a high ranked general of the Empire as well as the leader of the Jaegers, and loves to torture her victims and watch them die slowly and painfully. If that’s not ruthless, evil, and sexy at the same time, then we don’t know what is.

maxresdefaultshiro

Number 2: Shiro aka The Wretched Egg (Deadman Wonderland)

The first Deadman, Ganta’s childhood friend, and the whole reason why he’s even in Deadman Wonderland (the carnival/prison) in the first place. The Wretched Egg’s former personality is Shiro, who is the adoptive daughter of Hagire Rinichiro as well as Ganta Igarashi’s childhood friend. In order to keep Shiro’s bloodthirsty persona at bay, the Mother Goose mainframe emits a lullaby that keeps the Wretched Egg in check. (Kind of like how music soothes the savage beast.) Once it’s turned off however, the Wretched Egg returns and is capable of killing an entire squad or armed men with little to no effort.

Okay, that’s all for the previous nine female villains, but who’s the most villainous female of them all?

Junko-Enoshima-junko-enoshima-37094393-1280-1385

Number 1: The Ultimate Despair, Junko Enoshima (Danganronpa)

If you’re looking for the epidemy of evil, the nastiest of the nasty, and the most unremorseful human being on the face of the earth, then the only one who matches that description is none other than the mastermind of Danganronpa herself! Junko Enoshima is the series main antagonist who is the embodiment of all things evil, chaotic, and just oozes with despair. As a fashionista and the ultimate analyst Junko is responsible for the Most Horrific Event in the History of Hope’s Peak High. What makes her the most dangerous of all villains is that she doesn’t even have a reason to do the things that she does, she just does them out of boredom. It’s hard to believe that one strawberry haired valley girl would cause total despair and anarchy through the whole world…

Well guys, that will do it for this filler post! We’ve got more excitement and more fun coming your way right here on D&A Anime Blog!

It’s a part of you! ๐Ÿ™‚

 

 

Filler Post: Paper Mario: The Pit of 100 Trials, and How to survive It!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Filler Posts, Uncategorized

Normally we don’t do any kind of video game walkthroughs due to the fact that we’re an anime and manga-based blog, but since this is a filler post we’ve got a little bit of leeway action here. From the standpoint of Yours Truly (D.J. Lewis), Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door will without a doubt be known as one of the best installments of the whole franchise. It took everything that was great about the first one and jacked up its cool factor by 11! (Once again, this is only in my case so results may vary.)

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I wanna talk about a certain dungeon that only a few hundred have conquered, but many a thousand have failed (somewhat). Yes you guys, I’m talking about the Pit of 100 Trials. 12 years ago on this day, Yours Truly faced this dangerous pit with many helpful items and power-brewing badges at my disposal. One thing you should know about the pit is that it’s completely optional, although going through it might net you some awesome badges along the way. (Again, this is completely up to you.)

maxresdefaultpapermario

Before making the decision to head down to “The Pit” there are a few things that you must know. There are no save blocks, no recovery blocks, and not even a comfy bed to sleep in to fully replenish your energy. (Damn, talk about hardcore. >.<)

There are also some crucial things that you must do before entering “The Pit”. So to help you out a little bit I’ve listed the points down below…

  • You’re at Level 30 or higher
  • You have at least 90 HP and 40 FP (though higher is better, but this is the minimum)
  • You’ve got some power badges equipped (All-or-Nothing, P-Up D-Down, etc.)
  • You’ve got some good items in your arsenal (Ultra Shroom, Jammin’ Jelly, etc.)

First Attack and Bump Attack badges won’t save you from the evils that lurk down below, so make sure to take them off before making this perilous journey. I’m not gonna go into heavy detail about each level of “The Pit” specifically, but I’ll tell you what you’ll be in for every ten levels. One good thing about the trials is that the tenth level of every ten-level set is a “safe zone”, meaning no monsters to fight against. You can even skip a few levels thanks to some “movers” that are located on certain levels, but make sure you’ve got enough coins to cover the move, and don’t even dare buy items from any of the merchants down there, their prices are high as hell!

Here’s what waits for you on Levels 1-9…

  • Gloomba (7 HP, 3 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Spania (3 HP, 1 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Spinia (3 HP, 1 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Fuzzy (3 HP, 1 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Dull Bones (1 HP, 2 ATK, 1 DEF)

The first set of ten levels is probably going to be the easiest, so just use some Jump or Hammer attacks and that’ll get the job done. You shouldn’t take too much damage from these guys if you know how to Guard and Superguard, of course that only works if the enemy is attacking you directly.

Score of Difficulty: 1.8 / 10 Stars

Here’s what you’ll be in for on the second set of ten, that being levels 11-19…

  • Paragloomba (7 HP, 3 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Pokey (4 HP, 3 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Pider (5 HP, 2 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Cleft (2 HP, 2 ATK, 2 DEF)
  • Dark Puff (3 HP, 2 ATK, 0 DEF)

The second set is still kind of easy, so like the first just make sure you use your Jump and Hammer skills. (Only this time put a little more power into them.) Again the damage factor is still pretty low, so continue to use Guard and Superguard.

Score of Difficulty: 2.5 / 10 Stars

Levels 21-29…

  • Spiky Gloomba (7 HP, 4 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Bandit (5 HP, 2 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Bob-omb (4 HP, 2 ATK, 1 DEF)
  • Boo (7 HP, 3 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Lakitu (5 HP, 2 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Spiny (3 HP, 3 ATK, 3 DEF)

Only a small fraction of difficulty has been added to this set of ten, but it should still be fairly easy to get through these levels. Jump and Hammer you way through, but throw in a few tricks for good measure. As always, Guard and Superguard if you can.

Score of Difficulty: 3.1 / 10 Stars

So what’s on levels 31-39…

  • Shady Koopa (8 HP, 3 ATK, 1 DEF)
  • Hyper Cleft (4 HP, 3 ATK, 3 DEF)
  • Buzzy Beetle (5 HP, 3 ATK, 4 DEF)
  • Flower Fuzzy (5 HP, 3 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Parabuzzy (5 HP, 3 ATK, 4 DEF)
  • Dark Koopa (8 HP, 4 ATK, 2 DEF)

You might need to step it up in the power department if you plan on getting through this set of ten. Jump, Guard, Hammer, Superguard. Add some power and that’s it!

Score of Difficulty: 4.2 / 10 Stars

Okay, levels 41-49…

  • Spike Top (5 HP, 3 ATK, 4 DEF)
  • Spiky Parabuzzy (5 HP, 3 ATK, 4 DEF)
  • Lava Bubble (6 HP, 4 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Bulky Bob-omb (6 HP, 2 ATK, 1 DEF)
  • Shady Paratroopa (8 HP, 3 ATK, 1 DEF)
  • Dark Paratroopa (8 HP, 4 ATK, 2 DEF)
  • Poison Pokey (8 HP, 4 ATK, 0 DEF)

Once again, step it up in the power department. Jump, Guard, Hammer, and Superguard.

Score of Difficulty: 4.8 / 10 Stars

Levels 51-59…you tired yet?

  • Red Chomp (6 HP, 5 ATK, 3 DEF)
  • Ice Puff (9 HP, 4 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Badge Bandit (12 HP, 5 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Moon Cleft (6 HP, 5 ATK, 5 DEF)
  • Dark Boo (8 HP, 5 ATK, 0 DEF)

Now is not the time to punk out! If you didn’t escape at level 50 when you had the chance, then tough tennis balls, maggot! Jump, Hammer, Guard, and Superguard your way to victory! your drill Sargent will thank you.

Score of Difficulty: 6.4 / 10 Stars

Levels 61-69…are we there yet?

  • Dark Wizzerd (10 HP, 5 ATK, 2 DEF)
  • Dry Bones (8 HP, 5 ATK, 2 DEF)
  • Dark Lakitu (13 HP, 5 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Dark Craw (20 HP, 6 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Sky-blue Spiny (6 HP, 6 ATK, 4 DEF)
  • Frost Piranha (10 HP, 5 ATK, 0 DEF)

If you’re unlucky enough to have four Dark Craws to fight against, then God bless your soul you brave fool! Power yourself up Jump and Hammer-wise and for the love of God, keep the damage factor to a minimum!

Score of Difficulty: 7.3 / 10 Stars

So, levels 71-79…you still alive?

  • Wizzerd (10 HP, 6 ATK, 3 DEF)
  • Swoopula (9 HP, 4 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Phantom Ember (10 HP, 5 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Dark Koopatrol (25 HP, 5 ATK, 2 DEF)
  • Chain Chomp (7 HP, 6 ATK, 5 DEF)

Two words: POWER UP! Keep the damage factor to a minimum and don’t DIE!

Score of Difficulty: 8.2 / 10 Stars

Levels 81-89…one more set to go!

  • Arantula (16 HP, 7 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Dark Bristle (8 HP, 8 ATK, 4 DEF)
  • Piranha Plant (15 HP, 9 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Spunia (12 HP, 7 ATK, 2 DEF)

Power up! Keep the damage factor down! Don’t die!

Score of Difficulty: 8.9 / 10 Stars

Levels 91-99…the final set!

  • Amazy Dayzee (20 HP, 20 ATK, 1 DEF)
  • Bob-ulk (10 HP, 4 ATK, 2 DEF)
  • Elite Wizzerd (12 HP, 8 ATK, 5 DEF)
  • Poison Puff (15 HP, 8 ATK, 0 DEF)
  • Swampire (20 HP, 6 ATK, 0 DEF)

Every single enemy now has a double digit HP, so power to the max and beat them down!

Score of Difficulty: 9.4 / 10 Stars

If you managed to make it through the previous 99 floors of “The Pit”, then kudos! Don’t celebrate just yet because now you’re on the 100th floor, and now you face the sibling of both Hooktail and Gloomtail. Power up to the max and keep the damage low! After you beat him, take your new badge home and get the hell outta there!

Yep, that’s pretty much how to get through the Pit of 100 Trials. Stay tuned for my next anime-related filler post my awesome fans! ๐Ÿ™‚

Filler Post: D&A’s 5 Tips on How to market yourself as a Cosplayer!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Anime Con Tips, Filler Posts

If your a frequent flyer in the anime convention market (in other words, a fan who likes going to cons), then you might have noticed that after you’ve taken a cosplayer’s picture, they have handed you their business card. What they are doing is marketing themselves as cosplayers. There are thousands of anime fans out there who have formed various cosplay groups (such as Potter Ninja Pro and various others), and have marketed themselves through social media, as well as in person through anime conventions. Cosplayers are the kind of people that take their passion seriously while having fun doing it, and if that’s something that you enjoy doing, then here’s some tips on how to market yourself in the anime convention circuit…

DSCN0156

Tip #1: Dress the Part

Now, we’re not saying that you can’t express your creativity through your cosplay, but from a business perspective it’s probably a good idea to dress the part (as accurately as you can within your means). Presentation is one of the most crucial elements of Marketing and Advertising, and it tells the others that not only do you take your passion for cosplay seriously, but you also like to have fun doing it! (Also, enter into some cosplay contests if you wanna show off your creative skills!)

Tip #2: Create a Cosplay Brand Name

Here’s one of the fun parts about cosplaying; you get to create your own brand name that you get to market out there in the cosplay world of anime cons! You don’t have to think too hard about a brand name for your cosplay, because most cosplay groups or solo artists have silly ones; like Strawberry Milk Cosplay, or Kawaii Bird Cosplay. (If any of you has those names as actually cosplay brand names, then kudos and consider this a shout-out! ^.^) Having a brand name separates you from the rest of the pack so let those creative juices flow, and go for it! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Tip #3: Establish a Digital Footprint

Now that you’ve dressed the part and come up with your cosplay brand name, it’s time for the bread n’ butter of Marketing and Advertising! Having social media pages for your brand can really benefit you on a business end of M&A, and as a cosplayer. (Heck, that’s why we’re where we are today as D&A! ^.^) Jump on social media tools like Facebook and Twitter and create an account for your cosplay brand, then find someone who’s great at designing business cards and send the draft to Vista Print! (Shout-outs! ^.^) After that create yourself a Youtube channel and you’ll be all set on the digital front! ๐Ÿ™‚

D&amp;A Anime Blog (Business Card)

Tip #4: Go to Anime Conventions

Even though you have a digital footprint, a cosplay name, and you’ve already dressed the part, no one is gonna know who you are unless you go to the cosplay world known as an anime convention! Cons are a HUGE hot spot for marketing and advertising your cosplay brand, so once you get your hands on some business cards, take em’ with you to the next con that’s happening in your area (or state). Advertising locally is great but don’t limit yourself to just one con a year, go to multiple ones so that you’ll get multiple chances to not only advertise yourself as a cosplayer, but have fun with other cosplayers in the process!

Tip #5: Ask for other Cosplayer’s Business Cards

Asking for another cosplayer’s business card is a surefire way to get you noticed by senpai even more! (Without having to do anything lewd or irrational.) Your name may even get recognized on another blogger’s page or an anime convention’s website. If that’s the case then you’ve now leveled up to Anime Convention Panelist, so bask in your hard earned glory you lovable otaku! ๐Ÿ˜‰

That’s it from us and our cosplay marketing tips! If you have any questions then shoot us a comment on our Contact Us page.

DSCN0139

Filler Post: D&A’s 5 Ways on how to handle heartbreak at a Con!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Anime Con Tips, Filler Posts

So it’s over…the otaku that you once loved has decided that it would be best if you both saw other people. Perhaps the two of you may have gotten into a big argument over how the second Evangelion movie ended, or maybe something different. Let’s be honest; breakups suck, and many of us handle the aftermath of a bad relationship in different ways. Instead of drowning yourself in shot after shot of tequila (or any alcohol of your choice), we’re gonna give you the five best ways to handle heartbreak at a con.

This filler post is for both the girls and the guys who have had bad breakups at cons in the past and present, and we hope that you find your real love in the future! ๐Ÿ™‚

1. Take some time to yourself.

Heartbreak is more stressful for the one on the receiving end of it, then the one who initiated it. Men go through the breakup process much differently than women; in a man’s case after suffering heartbreak it only takes two weeks and trip to the strip club with his friends to forget about the woman who dumped him, of course in an anime fan’s case it’s a different story.

If you ever find yourself on the receiving end of a breakup, either through your lover breaking up with you or cheated on you with another cosplayer (though we’ve never seen that happen and cannot prove that those kinds of things don’t actually happen), find the nearest corner inside the con and take some time off to get yourself together. It’s okay to let yourself cry a little after the fact that the anime fan that you love no longer wants to be with you. Friendship is really important in times like this so if one of your friends (or you) is going through the heartbreak process, sit down with them (or have them sit with you) and confide in them (or vice-versa).

2. Find a funny anime title to watch (or panel to go to).

Distraction can be your best friend in a case like this. The last thing you wanna do is think about the breakup during the whole weekend of the con. When we say take some time to yourself, we meant take some time to ENJOY yourself. Anime is one of the best distractions that you can have as a fan, and is a ‘go-to’ stress reliever when you’re having a bad day in the real world. Doing this will take your mind off the one who broke up with you, and don’t forget that you have friends that are there to support you. If you don’t, then we’ll support you!! ๐Ÿ˜‰

3. If you can, avoid the one who broke up with you.

Sometimes the best way to deal with after-breakup tension, is to not get in it at all. Even though it’s not going to be easy to steer clear of the anime fan or cosplayer that broke up with you for the rest of the con, try your best to keep as much distance between you and them as you can. We don’t wanna see any of our fans kicked out of a con or taken to jail because of assault (due to the fact that they were on the receiving end of the breakup).

4. Forgive the one who broke up with you.

You know the old saying about never going to bed angry? Well the same can be said when it comes to dealing with con heartbreak. Don’t spend the whole weekend burning mad about the person that broke up with you. If you followed tips 1 through 3, then number 4 is going to be the one that brings you closure. Before you can forgive someone, you must first ask yourself for forgiveness of how you reacted negatively to the situation, even though you didn’t do anything wrong. This will allow you to have the compassion and heart to forgive the other person that broke up with you, and this will bring you to number five…

5. Move on!

There are thousands of fish in the sea! You don’t have to spend your whole weekend thinking about someone that you love, but doesn’t return those feelings back to you. You now have a chance to start anew, so head back out to your favorite anime convention and have fun with your friends for awhile. Remember, there’s a Hinata for every Naruto, so there’s always a chance that you’ll find your true love. Never give up on it! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Naruto_and_Hinata_kiss
Naruto found the love of his life, so you can to! Believe it!! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Filler Post: The 5 Things you’ll (always) see at an Anime Con’s Rave Party!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Anime Con Tips, Filler Posts

If you’re an anime convention goer like us then you’re well-familiar with all the fun stuff that happens while you’re there. From cosplay to anime voice actors there’s never a dull moment for you and your otaku friends while attending a con. However the really fun part doesn’t happen until after the sun goes down, and that my friends, is the rave party!

Rave parties have been going on since the 90’s, of course back then it was more about the well-known party drug called ecstasy (or Molly), and less about the music (though both went hand in hand). Lucky for us we don’t have to worry about a wall of police coming in and shutting down these con raves, cuz’ there are no drugs at them. (At least not the ones we’ve been too, just kidding, they’re all clean! ^.^)

Whenever you head down to any anime con’s rave party, you’re bound to find these five things while there. We of course have been to enough raves to know what goes down, so for you first time ravers here’s what you’ll be in for! ๐Ÿ˜‰

20150724_231139

Number 5: Dance Circles

These are almost like an industry standard when it comes to raves. Have you ever been to a rave party (con-related or not) that has never had a dance circle? If the answer is no, then c’mon, you gotta get out more! Dance circles usually contain one to three people that are either b-boys (or b-girls), pop-lockers, or dancers that like to do neat tricks with their rave party spinners and trinkets. If you ever find yourself at a rave, then this will probably be the first thing you’ll notice.

Number 4: Conga Lines

Both A. Goldman and Yours Truly have been in many of these at raves and they’re pretty fun! Because of how dark it can get inside a rave its hard to tell when the conga line starts, but somehow we all know how it ends; when it crashes into the dance circle. There are still a handful of anime convention rave parties that still do this, so if you find yourself in one, go ahead and enjoy the ride! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Number 3: Grinding Couples

Depending where you are while inside the rave, you’re bound to find at least one or two grinding couples out there on the dance floor. Can you imagine dancing to your favorite nightcore trap remix of the opening theme to SAO, before glancing at the cosplayer dressed as Shiro (from Deadman Wonderland) bumping and grinding nastily with Scorpion? That would be odd and exciting to watch, wouldn’t it?

We’ll admit, both A. Goldman and Yours Truly (mostly Yours Truly) had a hand in the bumping and grinding game when it came to raves. Unlike actual clubs though, you’ll only find these particular couples either somewhere off to the side away from the crowd, or way in the back. Either way, you’re bound to find them at these parties.

Number 2: Rave Merch

Wanna know how that dude got those light-up bass EQ sunglasses? Then you’re gonna wanna check out the merchandise table at the rave party! Be sure to have some cash with you (say about $20-40) if you plan to buy anything at that table, cuz’ chances are, 75% or everything on that table is gonna cost at least $25.

Number 1: Other Ravers

It can’t get any more simpler than that! ๐Ÿ™‚

So there you have it! The five things you’ll find if you ever head off to a rave party at an anime convention. Number three might be a little more common if you find yourself at a cosplay after party at a nightclub/lounge, so don’t be surprised if you see a Sailor Venus cosplayer giving Deadpool a lap dance. Trust us, we’ve seen it happen.

Have fun going to your first con rave!! ๐Ÿ™‚

20150724_234810
Can’t wait to DJ a a rave party in the future! ๐Ÿ™‚

Danganronpa: Hope & Despair from D.J. Lewis’ Point of View!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Filler Posts, Shout-Outs

Surprisingly, I didn’t find out about this anime title until last year. While I was writing a review for it I suddenly found myself going on Youtube, and watching the whole first season of it. Before I get into the reason as to why I’m writing this filler post, I want to personally congratulate all the voice actors and staff that worked on this title! Especially FUNimation’s favorite redhead, Jamie Marchi! (You slayed it as Junko! ^.^)

maxresdefaultjunko

Now onto the reason for this post. Each and every one of us goes through life dealing with its high’s and low’s, ups and downs, good days and bad days. After watching the first season of Danganronpa from 2:30 to 6:45 in the morning (on a day that I didn’t have to work, thank goodness…), it got me thinking about the whole concept of hope and despair. If you’ve seen the news just recently you’ll know that just last week there was a terrible explosion that happened just after a music concert in Manchester, London. (That was later claimed by ISIS.) My heart goes out to the ones who survived, and to the families of the ones whose lives were taken from them.

When I think of despair, I think about terrorism, crime, anarchy, tragedy, depression, and all of the other nasty things that make us cry, go insane, causes our mental state to deteriorate, and breaks our hearts. Despair has no color, race, or prejudice. It’s the very thing that brings chaos and confusion to our lives without a moment’s notice. Despair can even hold us back from doing and achieving anything we set our minds to; from haters, doubters, and people who just want to see you fail. I guess this is what Hope’s Peak Academy felt like for Mokoto Naegi after looking at the DVD that Monokuma gave him; with him seeing his family in danger right before his own eyes and not being anywhere near them to save them.

Throughout the whole first season Naegi and the rest of his classmates played a murderous game of despair, while trying to figure out why Monokuma did this and what his true intent for this killing game was. It wasn’t until the thirteenth episode that I really got into (and analyzed) the show. If despair can spread like the plague, then hope can do the exact same thing!

Makoto_Naegi_arrives_anime_EP1_HQ

Hope is more than just having a feeling and inkling that everything’s going to be okay. Hope is a state of mind, a state of calmness, and a state of courage and determination. Combined with all of those things as well as FAITH and PRAYER, hope can lead you to places that you thought you’d never be. Sure, things may be a little rocky right now, and the future of the country may be just a little bit uncertain for many of us (including minorities and those who are of the LGBT community), but if there’s one thing I can tell you from writing this filler post, it’s this:

God never gave us the spirit of fear.

Despair will only win if we allow it to. Despair can take away any hope that you may have for the future if you let it. We live in a time right now where we need hope the most, and that’s the message I got from watching Danganronpa. If you guys ever get a chance, google up “Never Say Never” and listen to the whole track. Trust me, you’ll look at the series that much differently than you did before.

Faith, prayer, and hope can get you through anything life can throw at you. Naegi understood this fully after what Kirigiri told him, after helping her avoid feeling despair through Junko’s words about her father (whom she killed). The one thing despair hates more than anything, is hope.

So to all of my anime fans, continue to have hope in your hearts through these times that we’re going through. Live more, laugh more, love your family and friends more. Continue to support the industry that you love, and never let anyone tell you that you can’t do anything! Remember, prayer changes things, hope opens doors, and faith keeps you going. Never, say never! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Danganronpa_ep_13_Makoto_pressing_the_Graduation_button

Filler Post: D&A’s Top 5 18+ Anime Convention Panels you gotta check Out!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Anime Con Tips, Filler Posts

FYI, you have to be 18 and older in order to check out these anime convention panels! Well guys, last time we talked about the top ten anime convention panels to check out at an anime con, but now we’re revealing our top five panels to check out for those who are over 18. If you’re an anime fan who’s about to turn 18 next month then listen up, cuz’ you’re gonna wanna read this post! We’ve combed the web in order to find the five best 18+ panels to check out while you’re at a con, and here’s what we’ve got for ya! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the debauchery! ๐Ÿ˜‰

WARNING: YOU CANNOT RECORD ANY FOOTAGE AT THESE PANELS! The people and voice actors doing them love their jobs more than life itself. Don’t be “that guy/girl” who messes everything up for the rest of us. Thanks!

image3

Coming in at Number 5: The Cards Against Humanity Panel! (18+)

A. Goldman and I have had the pleasure of participating in this panel first hand, and dare we say, it’s hilarious! If you’ve never played this game before with your college-aged friends, then find the nearest online store that sells this card game, and PLAY it! There’s a number of anime conventions that have this card game, and if they don’t, then you can submit your own 18 and up panel and play it among your fans, or just your friends!

Number 4: So You Think You Can Twerk Panel! (18+)

So far, this 18 and up panel can only be found at Florida Supercon. Wanna see Panty and Stocking cosplayers drop it like it’s hot to Lil’ John or T-Pain? Then you might wanna check this little 18 and up panel. The panel itself is a twerking contest to see who’s best girl (or guy) can shake what their mama gave em’, and be crowned “Best Twerker at Florida Supercon!” Yours Truly wouldn’t mind being the DJ for this panel some time in the future! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Number 3 brings us…WTF did I just Watch Panel! (18+)

You think we’re the only one’s with crazy uncut commercials that can only be found on Youtube? Well think again! We’ve had the chance to go to this panel at this year’s Zenkaikon, and boy…what we saw can never be unseen. You’ll be in for some pretty risque Japanese commercials, infomercials, and music videos that will make many of us say, “Damn! WTF did I just watch?!” O.O

Number 2: Cosplay Burlesque! (18+)

Twerking cosplayer’s is bad enough, but if you want the whole nine yards then you’re gonna wanna check out this 18 and up panel. Can you imagine fangirls screaming at the sight of Death the Kid stripping down to his symmetrical jockstrap? Or at the sight of Junko Enoshima doing a striptease in front of her despairingly horny fans? Well now you can! Check out this 18+ panel if you’re in the mood for some risky business…

And Finally, Number 1…Voice Actors After Dark! (18+)

Make the necessary adjustments, cuz’ this panel is NOT filtered! It’s after 9pm and we’re pretty sure that all your favorite voice actors already had a lil’ sip of somethin’ before coming back to the con. (If you know what we mean…)

This panel is one of the greatest 18 and up panels to check out if you’re a fan of your favorite voice actor(s). They’ll tell you the uncensored versions of all of their stories and even do a few lines from some TV-MA rated anime titles, that they couldn’t do when all the kiddies were awake. Make sure that you grab your 18+ wristband early on in the day (like 4pm or so), and get in the line about 2 hours before the panel starts. (Trust us, we had to do that and actually got in, but that may not be the case if it’s a smaller con.)

So there you have it! These are the five 18+ panels that you should definitely check out at any and every anime convention, that you and your friends might happen to be going to. We can assure you, you won’t be disappointed! ๐Ÿ˜‰