The more I watch Sentenced to be a Hero, the more I’m convinced that all of the people who were sentenced to be heroes are innocent of whatever crimes they committed. If Xylo is anything to go by, their only “crime” was somehow angering the people in charge. That theory seems to gain further credence in this episode as the hero unit is sent on their next mission and we learn about why another member, Venetim, got stuck being a hero. Also, watching Teoritta gush over stuff is adorable!
After their successful suicide mission at the mine, Xylo and the Hero unit are sent on their next mission…sort of. They don’t get their actual assignment until the halfway point of the episode, leaving them with some freetime at their new destination: Mureed Fortress. An important fortress town on the way to an important city, it’s also the site of a local festival. That means the heroes have some time to relax before they’re thrown back into certain death!
Given how they’re condemned criminals, you would think the Hero unit wouldn’t be allowed to have fun, but you’d be wrong. They each find ways to enjoy the festival. Dotta goes back to his pilfering ways, Venetim…is probably running some sort of scam, and Xylo? He’s willingly choosing to sit in a cell and read poetry. That last part is the most surprising aspect, in my opinion. Still, when Teoritta finds him and demands that he hang out with her, Xylo is in no position to refuse her. Teoritta’s very pushy like that, and it helps that Kivia insists on accompanying them.
Considering how she’s for all intents and purposes a kid, it’s heartwarming to get to see Teoritta have a chance to act like one rather than as a goddess. I couldn’t help but smile as I saw her getting to enjoy the sights and sweets of the festival, with Xylo and Kivia acting like her babysisters/parental figures. Which, of course, only makes what Kivia has to reveal to Xylo all the more heartbreaking. When the kingdom found Teoritta, the military was planning on experimenting on her in the hopes of creating more goddesses. That would’ve been a death sentence for the girl, but thanks to fate or luck, she found her way into the hands of the Hero unit. And as long as they keep succeeding, the higher-ups can’t take her away.
Why do I feel as though something like that will be a plot point in the future?
In any case, Kivia admits that she misjudged Xylo and the others and is grateful they can watch over Teoritta. And if they can change her mind, then there’s hope for the rest of them yet. That is, unless they die in their next suicide mission: defending Mureed Fortress.
So much for R&R
Another Demon Lord is threatening the fortress, and try as they might, the Holy Knights haven’t been able to kill it. Their desperation has gotten to the point where they plan on using Xylo’s unit as bait to lure the demon in so they kill it for good. The one in charge makes it clear that they’re not expected to survive, either. Even if they can come back to life, though, I doubt that will make dying any less traumatic. Thankfully, Venetim manages to get them some better terms for the mission.
I haven’t really talked about Venetim that much, but that’s because there hasn’t been a chance or reason. Voiced by Jesse James Greel, his role is mostly in logistics and planning rather than fighting. He’s also got quite the silver tongue, as he’s able to weasel his way into the most favorable circumstances possible. Before he became a hero, his biggest scam was trying to sell the royal palace to a nearby circus, and it almost worked. This guy could give some of the biggest con men in our world a run for their money.
That’s not why he was sentenced to be a hero, though. It’s because one of the stories he sold to the public ended up being true without even meaning to. He wrote a fake news article saying how the Demon Blight was able to install sleeper agents in society, and somehow, it ended up being true. And that seemed to have ruffled the feathers of the ones in charge.
There’s a conspiracy afoot behind the Hero Unit
Like I said at the start, I’m starting to think that the crimes of the hero unit aren’t all they’re made out to be. While Dotta and Venetim are of questionable moral standing, this is the second time we’ve seen one of the unit get in trouble for something that wasn’t actually their fault. If anything, this stinks of conspiracy and corruption. And I’m willing to bet that the more successful Xylo and the others become, the more dangerous things will get for them on their side. Sometimes, the most dangerous monsters are the ones that look just like us.
The episode ends with a look at another member of the Hero unit, Tsav, and he’s another interesting character. He chopped a man’s hand off for cheating at a game in front of him! It’s pretty obvious that the Hero unit is full of misfits, though, so he doesn’t exactly stand out that much…yet. Here’s hoping we’re proven wrong about that in the next few episodes.
I know it’s WAY to late to say “Happy New Year”, as this is an OG Founder post the night before Valentine’s Day. By the way, for those who celebrate it and have someone special, be sure you love them and take care of them. If you’re single, eh, watch some High School DxD with a bottle of lotion and Kleenex and call it a night. (Most of ya’ll know where I’m comin’ from with that one.)
Now with the dry jokes out of the way, I feel the need to bring this lil’ thing to your attention. It’s 2026, and next month will mark 29 years of me being an anime fan. Yes, I’m ‘Unc’ and old as hell, but in the almost three decades of being a fan, I’ve seen the anime community grow and become what it is today. Now, you’d think that the show that got me into anime would be the usual suspects; Pokemon, DBZ, Digimon, and Yu-Gi-Oh. Of course you’d be right, but those are ‘childhood anime’. The show that really got me into anime, was Tenchi Universe.
This of course came up as part of the Toonami lineup, preferably the ‘Moltar Era’. Its been awhile since I’ve watched it so I might do a “One-2-One” character analysis on one, or more of the characters in a later post. Now back to the real reason behind this post; in the upcoming 29 years that I’ve been an anime fan, I’ve gone through many changes in terms of my opinions and perspectives, of where I stand in my relationship with anime in the modern era. Do I have biases towards certain shows? Yes, especially if they’re guilty pleasures. However with seasonal anime, I find myself experiencing a ‘Love-Hate’ relationship with the hype behind the quality of the shows, that have come out.
With every season; there are some outliers that deserve more attention than it receives, but with every outlier, there’s at least ten duds that are straight BOOTY! That’s another topic for another post. So, DJing and producing music…why do I like doing that, more than watching anime…?
It’s funny that I find myself saying that, because anime is the reason why I started producing music and being a DJ. Back in 2008 when Otakon was still in Baltimore, I went to the raves and stood where the DJ was. After hearing a techno remix of Daft Punk’s “Faster, Stronger!” (ya’ll know the words better than I do), I knew I wanted to be a DJ. At the time I had a passion for creating things, and that passion has led me to create D&A Anime Blog; as you guys see it today. It also led me to create my own DJ & Cosplay Party Promotion known as Club BASSMODE. You’ll hear the REAL reason why it was shut down in a future OG Founder post, and how I bounced back with NEW Thursday and Saturday Nite Events.ย
I believe it stems from creative freedom and artistic integrity; where the music that I produce is only as good as I want it to be, and what I’m feeling at the time. Not having or being on a deadline or an anime simuldub schedule, allows my imagination and creativity to breathe, and not feel rushed. If you haven’t noticed by now from the words of this post, I’m a BIG advocate for creative freedom, and creative control. The creators of your favorite anime have the same passion about the characters and the worlds that they’ve built; from the stories they tell, to the character dynamics that we see.
In my 29 years of being an anime fan, I never thought I’d see Vegeta become who he is today, and Toriyama (rest his soul) wanted to ‘kill’ him off in the first arc. That took time to create, and the payoff was the development of a well-written character going through his redemption arc.
I don’t know, guys. I guess maybe the novelty may be wearing off (probably because I’m still icky about the recast and script for New Panty & Stocking), or maybe I’m nostalgic for titles and shows that take me back to a time when the world wasn’t so damn crazy! So to cope, I channel what I’m feeling through DJing and producing electronic music, and that’s the one thing I can control. Anime will always have a special place in my heart, so I don’t really see myself leaving it any time soon, but DJing and producing music does allow me to take a break; and be creative elsewhere.
So, what cha’ll got? Let me know what ya’ll like to do when you need a break from anime. Type in the comments down below.
2025 has been quite a year for me, in fact I’m pretty sure its been a year for many of you guys. With our tenth anniversary coming up in early-mid January 2026, I just wanna say thank you to all of you guys and gals, that have been rockin’ with us since 2016! Since this will be the last OG Founder post of the year, I’m gonna leave you guys with my confessions.
These confessions are things that I either haven’t gotten around to doing (and probably never will), or things that I just wanna get off my chest. They’ll either be really funny, or really make you question my sanity. So here’s my gift to you, the fans of D&A, my 2025 confessions!
I Never Watched One Piece
Look, I know, I KNOW! I know Shonen fans are probably sharpening their pitchforks, or sliding into my DMs to cuss me out, but HEAR me out! The last time I set eyes on that series was during the ‘horrible’ 4Kids dub, but in my defense, the song actually was a bop. One Piece along with Naruto and Bleach are the BIG 3 that everybody knows, but real ones know that DBZ laid out the foundation. Now, do I plan on watching One Piece in 2026? Eh…mayyybe??? (I probably won’t.)
The last anime I picked up was the new season of Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. (Don’t worry, I’m gonna confess something BIG on that one!) Also, I don’t really have the same amount of free time to watch anime as often as I used to, so its easier for me to bang out a 12-episode title than it is to watch ALL of One Piece. Like I said, I may (probably not) watch One Piece in 2026. Maybe…?
I Don’t Like Competitive Smash Players (That Much)
I went to a small anime convention back in 2017 with Aaron, and they just so happened to have Smash Bros. for Wii U there. Now of course, I’m coming off the heels of Brawl, so Bowser has always been my main since Melee. Me and this other dude started playing, and I playfully taunted him after smashing his character (Beyonetta) off the screen. I had NO idea he was a competitive Smash player, and while it seemed like a gesture in casual playful banter, he took it way too seriously–like its Game 7 of the NBA Finals or something!
Needless to say, I let the dude win that day. I’m just not in the mood for competitive gamers since I’m more casual-leaning, but still play for the love of the game. (See what I did there?) I may pick up Smash again, but I’ll probably pick up the 3DS edition of the Wii U since that’s the only console I have now.
That Time Iย Failed NNN at an Anime Rave, in August…
Puberty is crazy, and if you’re a guy who is going through it, just be prepared for anything. About 16 years ago, I found myself at Otakon back when it was in Baltimore. Now this was during the tail end of the ‘Wild West’ era of con culture, so believe me when I say that anime convention raves back then, were way more wild than they are now. (The afterparties is where its at in many cases these days.)
If you wanted to go to the Otakurave back then, not only did you need a badge, you also needed your ID. There were no ‘All-Ages’ raves back then, if you weren’t 18+ you weren’t getting in! Period!
After flashing my badge and showing my ID, I made my way towards the center of the dance floor. There weren’t a whole lot of people in cosplay at the rave, but I could pick out several Naruto Shippuden characters. About an hour into the rave I ran into this girl. She was a rather curvy redhead and had on a while tank top with some low rise jeans, and wore some black and white Converse sneakers. She asked if I wanted to dance and I said ‘yeah’. We started moving our arms side to side to the beat of the song, and we were both having fun. Surely nothing freaky was going to happen…right?
Well, about 2 minutes later, she went from dancing with me…to dancing ON me. A Daft Punk remix was playing and here I am with my hands around this girl’s waist, while she grinding on me. Guys, if a girl is dancing on you at the club, just make sure you have self-control. I don’t know what she saw in me, but the next two minutes of the song, ‘changed’ my life.
This girl’s left hand was on the floor, while her right hand was gripping my shirt. I saw WAY more cleavage than I needed to because of her low rise jeans. The vigorous amount of twerking she did, was enough to make me…fail No Nut November (in August). I was layered up so she didn’t notice, but I was both embarrassed and aroused at the same time.
OG Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt Had BETTER Writing than New PSG!
I’m not the only one with this confession, or take. When the English dub trailer for the new season of PSG dropped, many OG fans were blasting the hell out of it; from Twitter X to Reddit. Jamie, Monica, and the rest of the cast from the OG series, were recast due to the dub going to Amazon instead of Crunchyroll. That means that it was dubbed in L.A. than Texas, and it was done by Pixel Logic than Crunchyroll. Many fans said that Amazon had enough money to fly most of the OG cast back and forth from L.A. to Texas, but I guess THAT didn’t happen, as they weren’t even called to reprise their roles.
So, EVERYTHING got changed. No creative script, no consistent out-of-pocket dialogue (even though it was there, it just didn’t hit the same), and the ‘edge’ was watered down!ย I still have respect for the new cast and the new girls (Courtney Lin and Christina Vee), and the OG is a tough act to follow, and while I appreciate that ya’ll worked extra hard to honor the OG’s legacy, I think ya’ll fell short in a couple areas. (Especially when it came to line delivery and directional execution, both of which I’m more peeved at the director and writers more than ya’ll.)
I will say that the animation truly was a worthy sequel to an iconic cult classic. And Studio Trigger kicked it up a notch with the insanity that is Panty & Stocking. Maybe if Jamie and Monica were on the writing staff (or even ADR), I’d forgive the recast; but this is something that has caused division among OG fans and new fans of the series, and we’re hoping Season 3 fixes that!
Alright guys, this is it for 2025! May you all have a Happy New Year, if you decide to celebrate it or not!
I know I said I’d drop my LAST fan fiction story before I fully retire from doing these, on my actual birthday; November 3rd. Well, I decided to release it two days early, so now you guys will be able to check out the first two segments (chapters) on Fanfiction.net! There are only three other crossover stories between Kid Icarus and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, however they’re either one-shot stories, or drabbles. Kid Icarus: Anarchy Uprising will be a full-blown, 28-chapter (segment) story; that takes place from the debut of the Demon sisters from PSG season one, to a new three-part finale that parodies The Hunger Games trilogy. New segments (chapters) will drop every Saturday, with the final chapter (segment) dropping May 2, 2026. This will be my last ride with fan fiction, so hopefully you guys will enjoy this one!
About 12 years ago, I used to be a well known fan fiction writer. I went by many names during that time; from D.J. Lewis, to DJ Returns, and November Star. Most of the fan fiction I wrote was anime crossovers. I did one with Sonic & Negima (Series), Sonic & Naruto (Series), and the most popular one; Sonic x Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (Season 1). I’ve already made my review of the new season, as well as what I liked and disliked about the show. Which brings us here today; after a loooo~ng time away from writing stories, I thought I would give it one more shot before I FULLY retire from writing fan fiction.
So, here’s the newest crossover fan fiction; featuring Kid Icarus, and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt…
Kid Icarus x Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt Crossover
[Kid Icarus: Anarchy Uprising (Kid Icarus x PSG)]
Alright so here’s an overview of what this Kid Icarus x PSG fan fiction crossover will be about.
The timeline is set right after the events of Scanty and Kneesocks’ debut. In Palutena’s Temple, the Goddess of Light tells Pit that he’s been summoned by the King of Heaven. At first he’s surprised why the ‘King of the Gods’ would summon him, but then he accepts the summons, and makes his way to the King’s Throne. As Pit kneels before the Heaven King, he tells him that he’ll be given a special assignment; to assist his daughters (Panty and Stocking) in collecting enough Heaven Coins to return home. The King then tells Pit that his daughters are the Princesses of Heaven, and next in line to assume the throne, however they must complete their trial of killing ghosts and demons before doing so.
Pit tells the King of Heaven that he’s honored that he was chosen for this assignment, as Palutena assures Pit that she’ll supply him with new weapons exclusively for his mission; including an upgrade to his primary weapon (The Sacred Bow of Palutena). Meanwhile outside of Cemetery Hills Church, Chuck gets struck by lightning before spitting out a note that reads โIcarusโ. Garterbelt picks up the note as a smirk and a look of relief appeared across his face. Pit may be honored to take on this assignment, but it’s not going to be the cakewalk in the park he thinks it is; especially considering who the ‘Princesses of Heaven’ are.
Chapters 1 and 2 will drop on my birthday, which is November 3rd! The fan fiction will be rated M (cuz’ it’s Panty and Stocking), and as for any ships, there will be some (but I won’t tell you what they are just yet).
Episode 12 and 13 of New PSG is officially in the books. There is so much to unpack here in terms of this new season of an old show, so I’ll be doing a speed run ‘spoiled-rotten’ review of the show as a whole, NOT segment by segment (cuz’ that’s too damn long)! Hope you got your runnin’ shoes on, cuz’ HERE WE GO!!
Oh…hello.
[NPSG Episode 1 & 2: SEGMENTS #1, #2, and #3]
We pick up where we left off 15 years ago (5 minutes in PSG time). Brief, Garter, and the Demon Sisters set off to collect Panty’s pieces. We find out that Stocking is NOT a damn demon, she’s just brainwashed by Corset. He tries to control her more, but ends up becoming โSuper-Sized Bitchโ (Her ghost form). Corset said โFxck Plan Aโ, and went with Plan-B; have Stocking open up Hell’s Gate. Brief and the others collect 665 pieces of our bitch angel (as well as a TON of other tomfoolery), only for the last piece to be inside chuck. He spits it out, Brief and the others bring that piece to Panty, the BITCH is back, and she and Stocking have a Godzilla-vs-Kong style battle. Corset dies for good, the angels are back to normal, the Demon Sisters are now part of the main cast. MOVING ON!
Episode 2 is a remix of episode 1 of the original series. The cast is reintroduced, a ghost appears, there’s now Heaven and Hell coins to collect, and we get a remix of โFly Awayโ and โI Want Youโ from TeddyLoid; during the angels and demons transformation. The ghost dies, there’s 420 in the air, and we move onto segment 3! If you like Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh, then you’ll probably like this one. Panty owes the American equivalent of $3 billion, so she shakes up Brief as he tells here there’s a rare card worth that amount. A ghost shows up as a vengeful card player, Panty beats it with โBlue Eyes White Uncleโ, end of story! I told you we’re speed running through this, so watch the season for more in depth info.
Panty and Stocking have another beef, so Garter send Stocking and Scanty to handle a samurai ghost. They master the ways of the samurai, while having a moment about big sisters, and why they’ll always look out for their younger siblings. Stocking and Scanty lock in, and kill the ghost. (Panty and Stocking make up afterwards.) The next segment is basically what happens when you give an anime/cartoon character a cellphone, and an IG page. The third one of episode 3 is a โFast & Furiousโ parody, and they even did THAT scene in the end. (Real ones know.)
Episode 4; Stocking is in the running to become president, so Brief and the others get a campaign goingโonly to lose to See Through. (Stocking gets a solo trans formation and kills the ghost by the way.) Next segment; Panty destroys a gravestone that belongs to a cat, and Panty bonds with itโonly for it to be purified and its soul goes to rest. (This is the most heartwarming side of Panty all season.) Next segment is a tribute to Jack Kirby, so go watch it, I don’t have time to explain it!
Episode 5; straight Scanty and Kneesocks segment, as Scanty gotta take a sh!t, while a ghost is causing a fuss. Her and Kneesocks lock in and kill it, while Scanty finally had a flush. Next segment; Garter protects a ghost that looks like Mikey from TMNTโonly to be possessed by it. Panty and Stocking kill the ghost and save Garter…or so we thought. Next segment; a big homage to B-Movie Horror flicks, as well as ‘the-dumb-blondes-always-die’ troupe.
The Cotton Candy Twinks Are Here!
[NPSG Episode 6: SEGMENT #13]
The Poly Boys are HERE!! Polyester and Polyurethane pull up (Gen-Z slang and all), and give their cousins (YES COUSINS) Panty and Stocking a hard timeโand NOT in the good way. The cotton candy boys thought sh!t was sweet, but they FORGOT whose name is on the title card! We’re then treated to the most beautifully-executed and sexually-charged transformations, that’ll make any virgin bust a nut. The boys lose, we’re introduced to Ramie (you’ll find out why I hate him later), and we get some plot that will become important to the story later.
Garterbelt, Brief, and Check get sick and tired of the angels and demons bossing them around. They go to Casino City, meet the Poly Boys again, face a ghostโonly for the Poly Boys to steal their kill. The end! Next segment; Panty and Stocking do 25 to life, but play some NFL Football to get acquitted. (I’m taking Scanty over Mahomes any day!)
Episode 8; its pretty much โInferno Copโ but as a parody, and its like this for the next 2 segments. The third one is a musical, where Panty’s tongue gets cut off for saying bad words. That is until ghosts possesses her mouth and gives her the ability to sing. Go watch the episode for more, cuz’ againโI don’t have time to explain it!
Episode 9. WE FINALLY GET A STOCKING SEGMENT!! Stocking gang, RISE UP!! So best girl awaits for a legendary treat at the top of a summit. She has a Rock-Paper-Scissors battle, but loses. Then 100 million Stocking-variant ghosts pull up, and so does Polyurethaneโbut dips mid flight, leaving Stocking pissed off and calling Gunsmith B!tch for help. Let’s just say Stocking won the battle, but lost the war. Next segment; the Poly Boys try to figure out Panty and Stocking’s weaknesses, so they pull up to the church to do soโand it doesn’t go as planned. (At least to them, anyway.) Next segment; a rather touching episode featuring Kneesocks, as she turns 666 this episode. Panty becomes an adoptive big sister, they fight another ghost who eats the Poly Boys, and Scanty gets her sister new glasses. Episode 10 is pretty much an Alien/Species parody, with the second segment being Conan the Barbarian. MOVING ON!!
[NPSG Episode 11: SEGMENTS #24-#26]
This one’s a Brief and Chuck segment! There’s not much to say about it, so go watch the episode if you wanna know more. Next segment; Indiana Brief, Pangelia Jolie, and Stocking are in an ancient ruins looking for a pen!s rock. They run into the Demon sisters, they have a Season 1 Episode 6 battle, the ghosts appears and absorbs Brief, and the Poly Boys do a cameo. Next segment; another STOCKING SEGMENT!! LET’S GO!! Honekoneko’s torn, Tom Croose Jr. appears from the future 2049 (or something), Stocking fights him, then looks for Gunsmith to travel back in time. They find a younger Garterbelt who was the one who made Honekoneko, and fixes the one that Stocking brought to him. SomehowโStocking messed up the timeline, and hilarity ensues.
Episode 12 is a Christmas special centered around Kneesocks, as she and the gang are trying to go to Lingerieland. This segment is pretty much the calm before the storm. Next segment; Panty, Stocking, and the rest of the gang go to Heaven, and meet the Anarchy sister’s parentsโwho got caught in a scandal. Ramie appears with the Poly Boys, steals the crown to become the King of Heaven, turns Panty and Stocking’s parents to stoneโand ‘seemingly’ kills them.
Episode 13 picks up where episode 12 left off. Ramie is in his ‘Uncle Scar’ arc, and plans to overthrow Heaven, and start a war with Hell. Brief and Garterbelt find their way back into Heaven, Panty and Stocking try to stop their uncle and the Poly Boys, but end up getting turned to stone. Final segmentโall hell breaks loose in Heaven. Panty and Stocking seemingly ‘died’ at the hands of their uncle and the Polys, and thought sh!t was sweet. Once again, they FORGOT whose name is ON THE TITLE CARD!! Plot armor gets explained by Garterbelt, as the Anarchy and Demon sisters run the fade with Ramie and the Poly Boys. Studio Trigger does Studio Trigger things, Ramie and the boys get a vacation, the king and queen of Heaven are back on the throne, and the gang go to Lingerieland. Brief confesses his love to Panty, so that ship has finally sailed. Happy ending right? Nah. The king of Hell pulls up, drags Panty and Brief down with em’, and we get another cliffhanger of an older Stocking who is now a priestess; with the son of Panty and Brief, and the daughter of…well you’ll have to wait another 15 years.
Ok, I’m done!
…No I’m not!
[Praise and Grievance]
While the second season of New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt didn’t miss a beat when it came to the animation and action, as seen in the original series. It didn’t go without a praise as well as a grievance from the OG fans, and the new fans. So, here it is.
PRAISE: We Got A Second Season!
After the cliffhanger from the original series, fans were begging for a second season. They waited years and years, as the team that worked on the original series, left to form Studio Trigger. With PSG in Gainax limbo, a second season didn’t seem possibleโuntil Studio Trigger got the rights back in 2022. The year after that we got a promo, and the year after that we got a teaser and the main trailer, and this year, we got the second season!
GRIEVANCE: The OG Cast Got Recast!
This one is one of the biggest grievances if you’re an OG fan of the OG season. Jamie Marchi and Monica Rial do NOT return as the beloved title characters from the first season, as they and the rest of the cast got recast. Why? Because Amazon bought the streaming rights, and thus took the dub to L.A. (meaning its dubbed by a different studio, that being Pixelogic Media). Believe me when I say this ruffled the feathers of OG fans, while many newer fans admitted they were going to miss the original cast, but hoped OG fans would at least give Courtney Lin and Cristina Vee a chance. They both know how legendary the OG dub is (thanks to Jamie and Monica), and that they were going to work twice as hard to match their energy. Me personally, they didn’t do too bad, but for many OG fansโthey know what’s in their heart; they want a redub/director’s cut with Jamie and Monica! (Also the writing didn’t hit the same since Jamie is not the lead writer.)
In Conclusion…
The 15 year wait was worth it, and we hope we don’t have to wait another 15 years.
As of this post, I’ll be taking a break from reviewing anime and posting about it. Like I said, I post whenever I feel like it.
Bryce Papenbrook, AKA Kirito, Cat Noir, Eren Yeager, and many other roles. I have been a fan of him since his Sword Art Online days, but the last thing that I expected was for him to appear in DanDaDan. Nor did I expect him to be voicing the latest addition to the cast, a boy who’s somehow nerdier than Okarun and more of a Chuunibuyo than Aira was during her introduction.
Meet Kinta Sakata, even more of an all-around, stereotypical nerd than Okarun was when we first met him. He likes reading sci-fi about mecha, he acts like a chuunibuyo, and he does JoJo poses like it’s second nature. Unfortunately for him, he lacks the one thing that enabled Okarun to start growing out of his shy and nerdy exterior: rizz. He’s got no rizz whatsoever, and he’s jealous of Okarun for having that.
The first few minutes of the episode are a retelling of Momo and Okarun’s first day back to school after their initial fight with Turbo Granny. The anime wants us to think that he’s been there the entire time watching them, but it’s so obvious that he’s shoehorned in that it’s hilarious. Which I feel like was kind of the point: the series is trying to make him seem like this guy who’s always been there in the background, but now he wants to take the spotlight.
In a nutshell, Kinta has one goal and one goal alone: to get girls to notice him. The problem is that he’s even more socially inept than Okarun was at the start. So when he tries to ask Okarun how a fellow nerd like him is now getting attention from beautiful girls like Aira and Momo, Ken has no idea how to respond. As if to drive the point home, Okarun’s class rep and Momo get into an argument over him because the latter keeps disrupting their studying. And since Kinta has no clue about the golden balls, he mistakes what they’re saying for spicy talk and tries to emulate it, only to come off as a total creep. It’s hilarious!
As a fellow nerd, I can recognize when one of our number is turning people off by trying too hard. And Kinta is trying way too hard! If I were to give the guy any advice, it would be that you can’t force yourself to have charisma. Okarun has rizz without even trying because he’s not trying to be someone he isn’t. He’s a naturally nice person, and so attracts people to him.
We’re Going Kaiju Now!
In any event, Kinta ends up getting more than he bargained for when he follows Okarun and Momo after school. They’re trying to find what they think is Okarun’s remaining nut, only for them to be unable to catch it once it starts flying around all over the place. Yet, despite him being more or less clueless about everything, Kinta does manage to prove to have some value. Thanks to his knowledge of sci-fi, he’s able to figure out that their enemy is using cloaking and finds a way to get past it. And it works! They’re actually able to stop this invisible enemy…for a second. Then they get to see its true form.
That’s right, people! In a series filled with ghosts and aliens, it was only a matter of time before we got one of Japan’s most famous cultural icons, the kaiju! There’s only way to fight a kaiju without summoning another one, and that requires a giant robot. Next week, expect some kaiju on mecha action! But in the meantime, I stand by what I said about Kinta. He might be awkward as they come with his chuuni ways, but he’s going to fit right in with this cast.
Guys, I gotta confess something to you, and this won’t be the only one either. Hope you’re sitting down for this, cuz’ I’m not sure what you’re reaction will be afterwards. Ok, here we go.
I don’t watch anime that much anymore.
I know, I know. Some of you are wondering ‘But why? There are so many good shows out this season! You’ve got Solo Leveling, Demon Slayers’ Final Arc, DanDaDan, like c’mon bro you’re missing out!’ Yeah, yeah, you don’t have to tell me. I know that there are some good shows out, and for many fans they think its the best thing since sliced bread. However when you’re an OG anime fan from the trenches, you get REAL selective of what shows you watch, because your tastes have changed over the years. Matter of fact, the last anime I’ve touched was Fena: Pirate Princess. It was an original anime about pirates that WASN’T One Piece!
Nobody talk about this anymore…
I know I’ve talked about it before, but the anime community is totally different from the time I grew up as an anime fan; especially coming from the 4Kids era of anime dubbing. Speaking of dubbing, how we feeling about the New Panty & Stocking dub? (*goes and reads the comment sections*) Oh…damn…ouch…harsh.
Demon brainwashing created this…let that sink in.
Well, before I address the elephant in the room, I wanna lock this in. You ready? Here we go.
โThe OG dub of Panty and Stocking IS the definitive way to watch the series. Jamie Marchi and Monica Rial (hate em’ or love em’) will ALWAYS be the definitive English VAs of OG Panty and Stocking, along with the rest of the OG cast. Even if they don’t come back to the series in the long run, they have solidified their names in PSG dub history, and nobody can take that from them! Even the new cast acknowledged how legendary the OG series is, and that they’ll work really hard to match/capture the same energy. It’s been 15 years since the OG series dropped, and a LOT has changed in the industry since then. We didn’t think we’d get a second season at all, but by God it’s here!โ
Now that we’ve got that rant/speech out of the way, let’s talk about the shock to the system that was the recast. When the dub trailer for New PSG got announced, all the hype that the fans of the OG series had, was killed. Panty didn’t sound like Jamie, Stocking didn’t sound like Monica, Scanty was ok, Kneesocks wasn’t too bad, Brief sounded like his OG VA, and Garterbelt…was FINALLY voiced by a Black Man! (*insert Kendrick Lamar’s TV Off Instrumental*) Studio Trigger understood the assignment, and the cherry on top was the redesign of his lips!
Like myself, fans of the OG series reacted to the new voice cast reveal in one of two ways; sheer disappointment over the fact that the whole OG cast was recast, and denouncing the dub in favor of only watching the sub since most of the OG Japanese voice cast is back. It was shocking to find out that the OG cast (especially Jamie and Monica) was not returning (even though they REALLY wanted to), and that Amazon didn’t even bother to give em’ a holla, or anything. As usual fans speculated that the recast had something to do with Jamie and Monica’s involvement in the ‘Weeb War of 2019’, and frankly…I’m past that.
With Crunchyroll in the state that it is now, I can see why Studio Trigger gave the series to Amazon Prime Video. Yes, this will probably mean New PSG will be in ‘Amazon Jail’ long after the series is over, so it won’t get the ‘DBZ Kai’ treatment OG fans are hoping for; for it’s Home Media Release. (Who knows maybe it will, but I dunno.) Look, I know I said I was going to talk about my first impression of the New PSG season, so here it is…
I like it, I really like it!
It’s FYRE!!!
I know we’re only 3 episodes (6 segments) in, but Studio Trigger didn’t miss a beat! The OST is bangin’, and the New Opening sounds like an early 2000s Disney Channel Original Movie. If you’re a fan of the OG dub and are expecting New PSG’s dub to be on the same level (or even better) in terms of localization, I hate to tell you this, but you’re gonna be disappointed. (Its not the Jamie Marchi 2012 Remix you’re hoping for.)
However, if you’re not attached to the OG cast, then you’re gonna like the New PSG. Who knows how many seasons and movies we’ll get from this franchise, but one thing’s for sure, the B*tches are BACK, and Stocking will ALWAYS be BEST GIRL!!
The 2010s was a decade many of us remember fondly; from dance anthems like โGangnam Styleโ, to the 2016 Golden State Warriors winning the NBA Championship. Sure, it had its highs and lows like any other decade before it, but when it came to anime, there was one title that was in a league of its own. Some say that it was an Adult Swim contender, while others praised it for being ‘different’. Many fans thought it would never return, but after 15 years when the world needed them most…they returned! The B*tches of Anarchy are BACK!! Let’s GO!!!
It’s been 15 years…
(*Record scratch*)
Hold it! Something’s off. I can’t say for sure, but did Panty’s dub voice always sound like that? Is there something in her throat that isn’t what WE think it is? No? Then what is it? Wait…they did what? They WHAT?!
Ok. So word around the community page is that even though Panty & Stocking have returned for the long-awaited season 2, the cast that we’ve come to know…is not on the show. I’m not sure if it was an executive decision or one made by the OG cast themselves, but all we know is…Jamie Marchi and Monica Rial, are not on the show. I know this is usually the part where fans speculate it may have something to do with a ‘certain individual’, but since the show is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, there’s a bit more to it. Before I get into that, let’s go back to what made the first season of PSG special in the first place.
…You know what, scratch that. I’m sure this video will explain it.
Nostalgia is powerful. I feel like with the current age that we live in, where close to 200 anime titles are released each year, some fans are saying the we might be reaching our next anime bubble burst. The once clowned-on hobby is now socially accepted, and has become a part of modern-day geek culture. Things seem to be going good in terms of new shows coming out, and new fans talking about said shows, however deep down, there’s an outcry from OG anime fans for a much simpler time. A time where anime felt like ‘anime’; with story-driven and character-driven plot lines, and where the emotional turns of those stories and characters connected with you. The nostalgia from Panty & Stocking however, can be akin to how we felt about the infamous Ghost Stories dub. We ALL know that it can never EVER be dubbed like it was in 2004 today, but that’s what made that show fun! The same can be said about OG Panty & Stocking.
Newer fans of the show probably never watched season one (or even care to watch it), which is why they love New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. Studio Trigger picked up right where they left of 15 years ago, so we’re pretty sure the high octane action from the first season, will be in the second. (Which it is, because I watched the first episode.) They’ll be a full review once the show is done, so stay tuned for that. Now, back to nostalgia…
Can’t believe it’s been 15 years!
The OG cast bought a different flavor and energy to the first season dub, and add a touch of Marchi’s spice to the script, and you got a 5-star dish that Gordon Ramsey would be proud of. I think that’s what’s missing, and that’s why fans hold the OG PSG in such high regard. I’m sure that if given enough time; Courtney Lin (New Panty VA), Christina Vee (New Stocking VA) can really bring the Anarchy Sisters to life. I’m happy Garterbelt is played by a Black man (though I probably would’ve asked Samuel Jackson if he wasn’t busy, in fact…I would’ve forgiven the complete recast if he was cast as Garterbelt).
So…here’s how I’m gonna wrap this up. PSG has returned after 15 years and heavy amounts of red tape, and while it didn’t return with the same dub cast that made it famous back in 2012, some fans are a little more forgiving (even though it still hurts). Just like many of you guys, I went through the five stages of grief when I found out Jamie and Monica were not returning (even though they really wanted to). OG fans have expressed discontent with the new dub cast, but I just hope we don’t have another Darling-in-the-Franxx situation (or anything even remotely close to that level). It’s been 15 years, so let’s just see how all of this plays out.
Last year, I stepped away from going to a lot of anime conventions due to personal reasons; the biggest one being disposable income. Being an anime fan is expensive. From Crunchyroll subscriptions to budgeting for anime conventions, we nerds kick out at LEAST $10k-$20k in disposable income a year. I’m surprised we can’t even write that off on our taxes, unless you’re claiming your hobby as a business expense. I guess that’s why many fans decided to become professional cosplayers, anime content creators, and even voice actors; cuz’ at least you get paid to be a guest at the con! (At least the voice actors and professional cosplayers do.)
So yeah, I did step away from the scene for a bit, but now I’m back with a brand new bag! As much as I like going to big name conventions; like Otakon and Zenkaikon, I’ve decided to stay local, and go to smaller anime conventions. This past weekend I pulled up to a small anime convention in Bethesda, Maryland (about an hour from my house). It was held at the Silver Spring Civic Center, and it was called…HanaCon.
HanaCon 2025
When Aaron and I stepped into the place, it did kind of remind me of Khromakon only because of the venue space. Last time I talked about the difference between Classic and Modern anime conventions, so if I were to grade HanaCon based off of that, I’d say this convention has a classic feel with a modern twist. With both Aaron and I being ‘Certified Uncs’ in the anime community, larger conventions are rather overwhelming and crowded as hell! So we decided to shop local, and came to this convention.
Despite the size, there was actually a good amount of programming for its debut year. One new thing that I saw at this convention, that I didn’t really see at other small local conventions, is The Maid Cafe. They’re a staple in the mid-size and large conventions, and have grown in popularity within convention culture. While we didn’t get the chance to go to any panels, most of our time was spent in the Dealer’s Room. A lot of the vendors were local to the DMV, and even some of our Baltimore friends were there! (Shout-out to Crystal Soul Cosplay!) We even stopped by a few of the cosplay guest tables to get a couple pictures, and chop it up about anime and nerd stuff, cuz’ why not?
Of course an anime con can’t be an anime con without a rave party, and DJ Taylor Senpai did just that! Once all the panels were over, many of the attendees headed over to the Moonlight Overdrive Dance Party. The area kind of reminded me of a high school dance with an EDM theme, as the song selection had a little bit of everything (including EDM). I danced a little bit to some of the tracks (including Cupid and Boots on the Ground), and by doing so, I was gassed after 3 minutes…but still had fun. If my brother and his dance crew were there, they would’ve shut the party down!
HanaCon Lobby
So in conclusion; HanaCon is a really cool anime convention, and now that it’s making its way to Towson, MD next year as a 2-day convention, it’ll be twice as good! Will Club BASSMODE be there and throw an official afterparty for them? Only time will tell. With Stellar Con and Miryokucon now back in Baltimore, plus a brand new Anime/Horror themed convention called KurayamiCon (is pullin’ up Halloween 2026), the Baltimore Anime Con Scene is BACK and better than ever!
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