I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; I am an old school retro gamer at heart! While everyone else was getting their fix with their PS4’s, 5’s and Xbox One’s n’ S’s, I went back to the old school with classic consoles like the SNES and Sega Genesis. Yep, I’ve been a Nintendo boy since 1993, and have played through five console generations; with the latest being the Nintendo 3DS. But enough about my gaming timeline, we’re gonna talk about a game that I along with a marginal base of people believe to be underrated, and underappreciated during the time that the SNES was alive and kicking. The game’s soundtrack sounded like music that you’d hear from early 2000’s Pink Floyd (and Electronica), and you’ve got the Follin brothers to thank for that. This is my review of an SNES hidden gem; Plok!
I played this game a lot as a kid!
Ok, so the story of this game is kinda weird; Plok is apparently a king on the Island of Polyesta, and dwells on Akrillic Island (his home). He wakes up to discover that his flag on top of his house is missing, and finds out that its on Cotton Island. He treks through the island; defeating enemies and finding false flags along the way (pissing him off in the process), before running into the Bobbins Brothers – who are the culprits who stole Plok’s flag. After beating them and getting his flag back, Plok returns to Akrillic and finds out that his kingdom is overtaken by fleas; and NOT the ones on your dog, but big blue fleas that have hatched and infested the kingdom. So he goes around the kingdom beating fleas, bosses, other enemies, and finally the Flea Queen herself. After all of that he returns home to sit in his green rocking chair…ย
Now it’s time for the gameplay; its basically a platformer where you have to reach the end of the level on Cotton Island, while collecting shells and power-ups to help smack down your foes. You can use Plok’s limbs to attack enemies, but you have to make sure you don’t lose all four; or else you’re a sitting duck. With the SNES controller, you use the B-button to attack and the A-button to somersault into the air like Sonic. (I actually liked using the A-button more because of that.) You can aim your limbs at fruits to increase Plok’s health, but sometimes those fruits might warp you to a timed bonus stage where if you beat it, you can warp to the next level – and even skip a boss fight in the process. Honestly the Cotton Island levels are pretty much the easiest part of the game, the hardest part is getting back to Akrillic and going through about 10 levels and 4 bosses; not counting the one on Cotton Island (the Bobbins Bros.) or the final 8-ish levels of the Flea Pit.
The opening theme SLAPS!!!
The Verdict
Plok! is an underrated gem that gave you some of the BEST music I’ve heard for the time that it came out! Tim Follin is an absolute genius when it comes to composing gaming music, as he was ahead of his time when creating the music for the levels and boss fights in this game. I feel no one really talk about or even remembers this game; because they were into Mario, Zelda, and Mortal Kombat around the same time. If they did however, they’d know just how much the music slapped! Don’t believe me? Check out the tracks below! Please play Plok! if you get your hands on an SNES Mini, and unless you suck at platformers, you won’t regret it. Until next post, stay nerdy my friends! ๐
Alright guys, ever since I found this little medium called anime, my life became a lot less boring in certain parts; mainly the content creative side of things. In the digital age content creation has become such a hot commodity among Millennials (90’s Kids) and Gen Z (2000’s Kids), because they found a new way to make income that doesn’t involve being yelled at by Ken the Store Manager. (Or Karen the Store Manager.) Believe it or not there have been so many Youtubers whose channels I’ve come across over the years, who have built themselves a fandom from the ground up. Hell, you can take us for example; when we started in January 2016 we didn’t have business cards – we had half-sheets of paper with the very first logo I’ve ever made. And we made our debut at Animore; Otakon’s replacement anime convention when it moved to Washington, DC.
This leads into what I really want to talk about; how to promote yourself organically without getting caught up in the ‘numbers game’. That’s right; the game where you want to garner the attention of the Youtube algorithm so badly, that you’ll go through any kind of extremes to do so – even with the help of third party promoters. The music industry is the same way; with independent artists like myself at the mercy of the Spotify “Featured” algorithm, that I went to a Spotify promotion website (that I thought was legit) in an effort to try and boost my streams high enough for the algorithm to take notice. Sadly what creators (or music producers) don’t realize is that even if those third party promotion websites may SAY that they’ll boost your presence online, how they do it can be pretty…suspect.
My first album got botted on Spotify, so they pulled it.
Creating content or music is one thing, but when you’re marketing skills are ‘mid’, you usually pass that onto someone who’s an expert at it. The thing is; with so many bots everywhere on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, it can get get pretty dicey when you can’t tell if the follows or streams you get are coming from real people, or a bot farm. Promotions that have been around longer may have better relations with getting people to view your video, or stream your music on their playlist; nevertheless when you’re doing ALL of the promotion and advertising yourself, it means you may have to put a little more extra care into your project(s) before releasing them. People are impressionable these days, and will only engage in music or digital content where there’s some sort of takeaway from it; like a lesson learned, or a genuine feeling.
Other times its dumb luck, and your video just happens to go viral at just the right time.
Now you’re probably thinking “Um, doesn’t promotion cost money?” and yes, it does. However, you get to control how much you want to promote, and what to promote based on your budget. The Sonic movies would’ve never gotten big as they’ve gotten had they not promoted it – heavily might I add. The same can be said for Youtubers, podcasters, and content creators; people won’t know who you are if you don’t promote and market yourself, its just that you have to be mindful that if you’re promoting online, do it with third party promoters that social media platforms trust. Chasing numbers can be hazardous to your mental health; as you may feel like everyone’s content is better than yours based on the reactions, likes, and reposts that they’re getting.
STOP!
Everyone moves at their own pace, and there is no reason for you to feel inferior just because Johnny Gameright has 650,000 subscribers and you only got 80. He had to work just as hard as you to get there. Its not about the head count on your social media platform; but the quality of the people that are following you because they like what you do, and want to continue supporting you. So don’t worry about the quantity of your numbers, but focus more on the quality of the people that follow you, as well as the content you’re producing.
Hopefully you took something away from this post, and if you did, kudos! Until next post, stay safe, and stay nerdy my friends! ๐
D&A Anime Blog / D&A Studios Entertainment Weekly (October 3, 2022)
A Founder’s Thoughts with D.J. Lewis!
D&A Anime Blog Founder and CEO, Donte’ J. Lewis shares his thoughts about a variety of topics; such as diversity in anime, the current state of the world, music, DJing, and more! This week we get a brand new post sharing whatever thoughts are going on inside the mind of the founder; happening later this week!
Classic Game Review: Plok!
Somewhere during the 90’s the SNES was in the middle of a console war with the Sega Genesis, but while their respective mascots were going toe-to-toe with one another, we find ourselves reviewing an SNES game; where its OST was ahead of its time. Join us as we turn the clock back to the 90’s, for a classic video game review of “Plok!”. Happening later this week!
The Ecchi (Degenerate) Era of Anime!
There’s this weird lil’ genre of anime called “Ecchi”, and just like “Isekai”; it is both loved and hated by the anime community. We take a deep dive into how this genre became such a guilty pleasure for a subset of anime fans (mostly the male half), why ‘fanservice’ plays a key part in it, why it may (or may not) be banned in certain countries, and WHY anime studios KEEP making it! All this and more later this week!
Here’s What You Missed Last Time on D&A Studios Entertainment!
Guys, this year has been filled with great moments as well as growing pains, and D&A has surely been on the receiving end of some of these pains. However a special individual once said: “Believe in the you, that believes in ME!” (its Kamina from Gurren Lagann), so we never gave up and continued on our quest to be the best blogs out there. Now with the seasons changing and everyone getting Pumpkin Spice fever, we’re prepping ourselves for the 2023 year; which we HOPE is filled with convention appearances! With that in mind, here’s what we’re doing for the 4th quarter of 2022 (or Oct. 1 – Dec. 31):
D&A Entertainment Weekly Returns (with a new logo)
We tried this new newsletter format for awhile, but we felt like it didn’t really have an identity all its own. We’re gonna fix that come October 3rd; so get ready for new posts, new character analysis, and new current events regarding the anime industry!
Premium Subscription Videos Will Launch The First Week of October
Never-before-seen content will be uploaded exclusively to the blog, and if you’re a Premium subscriber, you’ll be able to watch them for a monthly subscription of $5. We’ll be implementing this feature for our biggest supporters during the first week of October, and we’ll keep you updated when the Premium videos drop!
A New Music Page is Coming…
More like we’re renovating our current music page. There will be more information on it within the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
DJ Appearances will also be added to Con Appearances
Once we get the green light for conventions that we want to be “Guest(s) of Honor” at, we’ll post them on our Con Appearances page. Alongside that will be DJ Appearances by Avidd Minddset; so we’ll also be posting those appearances as well.
One-2-One Waifu Wednesday Specials Coming November 2022
Yes, we are going down this rabbit hole. Starting the first Wednesday in November we’ll be doing a One-2-One Waifu Wednesday character that we select. Yep, this is really happening.
Ok, that will do it for these announcements, so until October, stay nerdy my friends! ๐
Hey guys. It’s been awhile since our last post, but lately things have been a little chaotic on the ‘outer boundaries’ of the blog (or in this case we’ve been dealing with the craziness of life outside of D&A). Guess its safe to say that our online presence has grown to a level where being just a two-man operation, might not cut it in the ‘big leagues’, in the world of new article companies. For that we’re in the process of looking for volunteers to become authors and writers on the ‘blog side’ of D&A, so if you’re interested in volunteering, hit us up on our Contact Us page. We’re also working on opening up other positions within D&A as we continue to grow from being a hobby, into a business. For now, we’re looking to build a writing staff and expand our numbers internally.
That’s all we’ve got for now, so until our next post, stay nerdy! ๐
The end of One Piece is near, no matter how badly fans may want otherwise. Mangaka Eichiro Oda recently confirmed his goal to end his legendary manga in around three years. That means that the final battle for the fabled treasure that seems to hold all the answers to the mysteries of the world will soon be upon us. On one side, we have Monkey D. Luffy, the newest Yonko and the living embodiment of fun and freedom. On the other side, we have Blackbeard, the man who slew Whitebeard and took his powers for his own. For many fans, it seemed as though Blackbeard would be Luffyโs last and greatest challenge to claiming the One Piece.
Then, we learned about Rocks D. Xebec, the greatest enemy the Pirate King Gol D. Roger ever faced. Now, fans speculate that Xebec, not Blackbeard or the World Government, will be Luffyโs final opponent. That is something that I strongly think would not be a good idea.
Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger’s Biggest Enemy
Firstly, just who is Rocks D. Xebec? According to the Marines from Garp and Sengokuโs generation, Rocks was the most feared pirate in the world before the rise of Gol D. Roger. A vicious and bloodthirsty man, Rocks sought nothing less than world domination. To that end, he delved into secrets the World Government tried to suppress. In addition, he assembled a crew of powerful pirates that wreaked havoc on a global scale. Among them were three of the future Yonko: Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido. Rocks was considered to Rogerโs first and greatest enemy.
Thirty years before the present day, the Rocks Pirates launched their most ambitious attack yet. On the island called God Island, they attacked the Celestial Dragons. However, they were beaten by an unlikely team up of Roger and Monkey D. Garp. After that, God Island vanished from all records, and Xebec was declared dead by the World Government.
Or is he?
The Fan Theories About Rocks Being Alive
There are rumors and theories going around the fandom that Rocks D. Xebec didnโt die at God Valley. Some fans think he might still be alive in some form, with theories ranging from being the true mastermind behind the World Government to some kind of connection to Blackbeard. Regardless, these fans are convinced that Rocks might be the final challenge Luffy must face to become Pirate King.
Iโm sorry, but no. Just, no.
Blackbeard Needs to be the Final Opponent Luffy Fights
So, I will acknowledge that, regardless of his status in the present day, Rocks has an important role to play in the final stretch of the series. Oda never introduces a character or concept without planning on it playing a part down the line. I can even admit that Blackbeard might have some connection to the Captain of the Rocks pirates. However, I do not think that Rocks will be the final big bad of the series. That honor falls to the World Government and, more importantly, Blackbeard himself.
If you read my review of where the top contenders for the One Piece stand, you should know my rationale for Blackbeard.
โข He and Luffy both became Pirate Captains around the same time
โข Both carry the Will of D.
โข Blackbeard has a Devil Fruit that cancels out other Devil Fruits.
โข Both believe in freedom and fate, but have very different ideas on what that means
โข Blackbeard was responsible for the events that led to Ace and Whitebeardโs deaths.
In other words, Oda has been building Blackbeard up from the start to be Luffyโs antithesis. Thus, it makes sense that Blackbeard, not Rocks, be the final opponent that Luffy must face.
My Theory: Blackbeard is the Rocks of Luffy’s Generation
While I wonโt deny that Rocks is important for that finale, I believe that it wonโt be Rocks himself that will play a role. Rather, it will be his will and legacy that he left behind. Oda has repeatedly talked about the idea of inherited will being passed on. In this case, what if Blackbeard chose to inherit Rocksโ will and desire to conquer all? In other words, what if Blackbeard intends to do what Rocks couldnโt and conquer the world?
We donโt know what Blackbeardโs endgame might be, but given how heโs gathering Devil Fruit powers, world domination isnโt out of the question. One thingโs for sure, though. When the final clash between Luffy and Blackbeard comes, theyโll talk about it for years.
Anime (like music) has many genres; your action-packed fighters, your feely-type cryers, your parody-filled laugh out louders, and your cringe-worthy contenders. For many fans like ourselves if an anime title has a badass opening like Soul Eater (I love you TM Revolution), then you expect the anime itself to have the give you the same thrill you felt during the OP, right? Even the ones that some may consider ‘mid’ or ‘L’ in plot and character development have some decent openings. However we’re not touching on anime openings as we’ve already done that, instead we’re touching on the thing that appears during the anime openings; the Title Cards! Although they’re barely talked about if at all, sometimes title cards can give you an idea of what the atmosphere, feelings, and attitude of the show that you’re watching will be about. For this post we’ll be taking a look at some of the best, mid, and worst title cards in anime history in terms of their color scheme, and what feelings and vibes you get from them.
So let’s get started with one of the most well known anime logos! Dragon Ball!
The Dragon Ball Logo Family (without GT or Super)
Dragon Ball
Every 80’s and 90’s kid has grown up with this franchise. Goku, the saiyan of Earth fighting various villains who pose both world and universe-ending threats. Let’s kick this off with the first logo; the original Dragon Ball logo gives off a vibe of nostalgia with its drop shadow effects and retro shaded colors. It gives you a sense of adventure, excitement, and danger, as Goku begins his quest to collect the seven dragon balls from the forces of evil. The 1996 logo appears to be going through the adolescent transition that everyone has gone through once in their lives. The ‘O’ is basically the one-star dragon ball; which stays in the logos following up afterwards with its first return in the iconic Dragon Ball Z logo. There’s not a single shonen fan who doesn’t recognize this logo, and the feeling you get from it can only be described as an edgy 90’s teenager going through puberty.
When the 2010’s hit they brought back the iconic look but did a shadow gradient on the bottom, and made the one-star ball slightly bigger with a lighter circular fade in the middle. At this point they wanted to appeal to the next generation of Dragon Ball fans while still keeping the nostalgic look older fans have come to know. A few years after “Resurrection F” they replaced the ‘Z’ with Super, but still kept the iconic look of the logo. We’re not gonna talk about GT’s logo because it looks like something a high school freshman who took one graphic design class threw together. (No offense if you’re in this camp, but we’re pretty sure ya’ll can make a better GT logo than what we got.)
Shonen Anime Logos!
Shonen Anime Logos
Shonen anime is always action-packed and usually has those “never give up” type of characters that are usually the MC, but what about their logos? One Piece’s logo actually gets straight to the point because it tells you that the series is gonna be about pirates. The ‘E’ is a ship’s anchor, whereas the ‘O’ is actually the logo of the flag on Luffy’s ship; and the ‘I’ is a red silhouette of Luffy himself! FMAB made their logo look like actual metal with the word ‘Brotherhood’ being the same color as Edward’s jacket. Bleach’s logo has the flames on both sides representing the many fire-based attacks found in the show, along with Soul Reapers, Hallows, and Ichigo. Attack on Titan’s logo gives me a feeling of dread, survival, and giant naked mutant men; which is basically what the series is about! The red slash line could represent the wall that the titans are on, but that’s just our theory.
Hunter x Hunter’s logo gives me the same feeling I got when I watched Dragon Ball, and Naruto along with its Shippuden logo kinda felt like it was trying to take the Dragon Ball to Dragon Ball Z route in terms of its logo, and the attitude of the series. In a couple of ways…it did. I’m not getting One Piece vibes from Fairy Tail’s logo even though the ‘T’ looks like a hook, and Seven Deadly Sins…there’s a compass in the logo, and it definitely gives me a sense of action, demons, betrayal, magic, and booze. (Its Fairy Tale without dragons or the ‘friendship mechanic’.)
Some of these isekai logos are ok, and some are…mid
Isekai Logos
So many of these long-ass titles from this oversaturated genre are a toss-up when it comes to plot and character development. Many of them are 12 episodes long with some of them making it to season 2, but for the rest of them, it feels like they’re just copying and pasting the SAO or Log Horizon formula (for the JRPG-ish ones). In terms of logo and color scheme; a lot of isekai titles appear to go for the cooler colors as their drop shadow, or just inverse them and have a thicker black stroke to emphasize what its trying to represent. I’m not sure what I’m getting from Isekai Cheat Magician’s logo, but Konosuba’s logo gives me a feeling of laughter at Aqua’s expense.ย
Ecchi logos can be just as bad as the series…with exceptions
Ecchi/Harem Logos
For a small fraction of the anime community, ecchi and harem titles are the go-to guilty pleasures that most male anime fans lament over; from your panty shots to your “baka” moments. There’s little to no plot or character development in any of these titles, EXCEPT High School DxD! That series has all the ecchi and harem that you’d find…but with a purpose. (It actually HAS a story behind it!) Shimoneta’s logo is basically the “Parental Advisory Explicit Content” sticker you’d find in 90% of Hip-Hop and Rap albums. Not. Even. Joking.
At the end of the day, its not really about the logos that give you a sense of what the anime that you’re watching is about, but the feeling you get when you watch the opening as a whole. From the music to the artistic direction that the opening video is going in, anime title cards are like the frosting on a triple layer cake; it just makes the overall product look sweet. As for which ones are the best, the mid, and the worst, we’ll leave that up to you guys (if you’re into anime logos at all). For us its not just about the logo of a title alone; but what that title brings to the table in terms of story, character development, setting, and writing. With all that being said, you’ll probably be fine with this logo!
This logo is just perfect!
God is GOOD! Panty & Stocking’s logo was just perfect with the ‘P’ and ‘Y’ being all lacey on the top, and ‘Stocking’ resembling well…striped stockings. Garterbelt was squeezed in the middle because lets face it; he’s the middle character no one in the show cares too much about, not even the angels. Hopefully they keep this logo for the second season, as well as all of the crazy zany sex jokes and adult humor.
That will do it for our take on anime logos, so until next post, stay nerdy! ๐
For many anime fans; plot and character development can make, or break a series. If that’s the case, then what about the series’ title card? The first thing you see in every anime opening before that actual episode starts, is the title or logo of the series that you’re watching. What does it say about the series as a whole? Does it give you clues as to what you’ll be in for if you decide to tune in? We break down and analyze how different anime title cards appeal to different anime watchers, and what feelings they give off as a result. Coming later this week!
Dragon Ball Super Broly’s One-2-One Analysis!
Every Dragon Ball fan knows that there are two different versions of Broly; the OG one that didn’t give a damn and blew up everything while trying to kill Kakarot, and the Dragon Ball Super reimagined version who was exiled from Planet Vegeta. The one that we’re reviewing is the DBS version, and we’ll compare the two based on the concept and development of their character. Coming later this week!
Sonic Redemption: The Rise, Fall, and Return of an Icon!
Sonic has been through a lot in the past 30 years; and with two live-action installments (with a third on the way), two new games, and a series on Netflix (if its still there), it looks like the Blue Blur wants to remind us that he’s NOT dead just yet! From his decades-old rivalry with Mario to bridging the gap between old fans and new ones (basically having one classic Sonic game and one Modern one), Sonic continues down a path of redemption after what appeared to be an inevitable downfall during his career as an icon; after making the transition from 2D to 3D. More on that later this week!
That’s all we’ve got for this issue of D&A Entertainment Weekly! Until next post, stay nerdy! ๐
If you haven’t noticed by now, I am an anime fan. Throughout this journey I’ve had my fair share of online debates, silly squabbles, waifu wars, and toxic fandoms. However like many of us who have stepped into the world of anime during our childhood, I’ve had the chance to watch award-winning titles from the captain of Studio Ghibli himself; Hayao Miyazaki. Anyone that’s heard of him already knows what titles he’s known for; Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, need I go on? He’s one of the most respected individuals in the anime industry to this day, but at the same time he’s also the most critical of what the industry has become. While many in the anime community may discredit his opinions about the state of the industry, others just might understand where he’s coming from. For me of course I’m not one to pick sides when it comes to controversial topics, but Miyazaki’s ‘anime was a mistake’ statement really got me thinking of what he thought would happen to this industry…
I wonder how he feels about oversaturated Isekai…?
Several months to maybe a year ago I talked about unpopular opinions about anime, and how easy it is to get into online arguments over little details about shows where the outcome wasn’t in favor of its fans. Lately it appears that the balance in the overall quality of anime, has shifted into an overproduced quantity of it in the last couple decades. I feel like if some fans took the time to read between the lines of what Miyazaki really meant, they would actually discover that his ‘anime was a mistake’ statement, wasn’t EXACTLY what he said; but rather he feels like with what anime has become in the modern age, Miyazaki thinks that the industry is full of creators who never had any real world experience when creating their characters. One of the things that drew me in to Miyazaki’s films is his way of storytelling and worldbuilding, that was different from what you’d find in most modern anime.
Honestly, Miyazaki was on a whole other level with his plot and character development; and actually took his audience on a journey that felt both heartwarming and realistic – based on the character’s personalities and traits. With modern anime its different; while there are some titles that do in fact have good plot and character development, there’s about ten others that do the complete opposite. I will say however there are some titles out there that take a page out of Miyazaki’s playbook in terms of characters with ‘real world’ personalities, issues, and how to overcome them.
Some titles do come close to Miyazaki’s level…
When it comes to character creation and how Miyazaki goes about doing it, he’s all the way old school. No amount of begging and pleading for him to try and use the modern anime method, will get him to consider it. Everything was hand-drawn; from the characters to the setting of the story itself. Miyazaki wanted his characters to be relatable; through their personalities, behaviors, and how they act and react in certain situations throughout the plot of the story. Now when it comes to how female characters are portrayed in anime, that’s where a lot of Miyazaki’s issues with the industry come from.
The biggest issue being anime tropes.
How many women have you seen in the real world just drop kick a guy for no apparent reason when he makes an honest mistake? Well, that’s one of the issues that Miyazaki has with female characters being portrayed in certain anime genres; especially the ecchi/harem ones. (Isekai, you aren’t safe either.) Its not just that though; as bland male leads, weak women, OP protagonists, panty shots, fan service, lolicons, complex characters, and airheaded male/female characters, are also big offenders in these titles. The list can go on but that’s the basis of what Miyazaki believes that anime has become, and guess what…it has.
Most anime fans would actually agree with what Miyazaki is getting at in terms with what the industry (as well as the fandom) has become. It all leads back to the word ‘Otaku’, and why Western fans have embraced the word as something positive rather than the original meaning from the Japanese. So why have we created an entire culture around a word that is viewed negatively among the country’s inhabitants? Why have we excepted the origins of this word as part of our society; even though its a derogatory term for ‘basement dwelling’ incels who obsess over fictional anime characters, and send love or hate letters to manga artists or anime voice actors? Now that I think about it; Miyazaki doesn’t truly have a problem with the anime industry as a whole, he just doesn’t like weeaboos. (Neither does most of the general public to some degree.)
The most well respected man in the anime community…doesn’t like a ‘certain group’ of the community.
Hayao Miyazaki is from a different generation of anime directors, creators, and producers. He’s by-the-book old school in terms of his style, and how he captures the beauty of his art. To him; anime is an artform that is meant to capture its audience visually and emotionally with its breathtaking scenes, relatable characters, and well put together plots. None of his movies had ‘one-note characters’, tsunderes, senpai chicks, 2D thots, bland MC’s, or over-powered saiyans (sorry DBZ fans). To some fans it feels like Miyazaki’s living in the ‘dark ages’ with his world and political views, and regardless of how the community feels about his criticism on what anime and its industry has become, fans are still passionate about the medium as a whole.
Sure its not perfect, and that fact that so many ‘wars’ and debates still find a way to rear their ugly heads from time to time (Sub v. Dub, waifu wars, etc.) is an ongoing issue, anime fans continue to show their dedication to the medium and the industry; whether they agree with Miyazaki’s criticisms, or not. As stupid as some of these tropes are, they somehow manage to find a way to crack a smile on the faces of fans from all around the West. While it took nearly 20 years for anime to become widely accepted among mainstream audiences, it still feels like it has a bit more of a way to go. Anime, its fandom(s), and the industry are always going to have issues to sort out, but when it comes to Western fans; we’re ALWAYS going to be overexcited about our favorite titles getting renewed, who best girl or best boy is, cosplaying at anime conventions, and enjoying Studio Ghibli films.
Do I personally believe anime was a mistake? No. I think if more artists and creators took the time to go out and draw inspiration from people in the real world, they would be able to tell stories with real-world influence and make their characters relatable. With the way the community is now, some fans are starting to go back and watch more Ghibli films and older anime titles that didn’t have all the crazy tropes you’d see in modern titles. I think, with the direction that the anime industry is going and what anime has become, has allowed it to ascend from the depths of being an ‘underground’ niche medium; becoming accepted from others all around the world and even among mainstream audiences. To reach its final form however, anime creators have to ditch the ‘Otaku mindset’ and get inspired by the beauty of the people and places in the outside world around them.
Six years and nine months ago I was sitting inside our current studio with A. Goldman wondering what it would be like if we had our own anime blog. We’ve spent the last five years going to Otakon when it was still in Baltimore, while going through all of the pictures that we took of us, and other cosplayers. During the month of December 2015 I made the decision to start building our nerdy empire; a website that was going to be different from any anime blog that you would find out there in the world. It wasn’t gonna be your kid brother’s anime blog where all he’d talk about was DBZ and Pokemon all day, it was going to become an experience that you’d have to see to believe.
In January 11, 2016 we made our debut as D&A Anime Blog at a new convention that came to Baltimore known as Animore. The vibe of that convention was very much like conventions of old; where it was just about the medium and the fandom, and not about the mainstream Hollywood attention that its getting today. Right out of the gate people were excited about what we were all about and wanted to support our dreams of being one of the best anime blogs out there. We even became friends with a lot of the voice actors that were there as well; from Anthony Bowling to Tia Ballard (and eventually Steve Blum, Josh Martin, Josh Grelle, and Monica Rial). We also started doing panels during the convention’s run from 2016-2020; but also around that time we started going to other conventions like Zenkaikon, Anime USA, Saikoucon, Thy Geekdom Con, and more! Things were going great and everything was awesome…or so we thought.
Us and Crispin Freeman at Anime USA in 2018
After Animore’s 5th anniversary in January 2020, we received warnings of a possible outbreak of coronavirus we know as COVID-19, and the worst was yet to come. After March of that year; anime conventions and other mass social gatherings started getting cancelled and dropping like flies, although there were a couple defiant ones who thought they were better than everyone else, many in the anime community decided to go virtual with their convention experiences. The last two years tore me apart; from not being able to go to conventions due to Covid, to Animore closing their doors permanently because of the effects that COVID-19 did to them on a financial standpoint.
Now we’ve reached that ‘Seven Year Itch’ phase of our business where A. Goldman and I had a few speed bumps in our business partnership; and even gotten mad at each other at one point. (It’s not just married couples that go through this.) It was extremely hard on my end to not go to cons as attendees anymore; but as all-expenses paid guests with appearance fees to help us expand what we do, and give back to our fans who’ve helped us along the way. It took awhile for me to understand that; because no longer were we going to go as just ourselves, we were going to go as paid performers with a 3-panel convention entertainment experience we call “The D&A Experience”.
Project Paradise Teaser
So I started doing what all other agents do for voice actors in the anime industry; scout out bookings for anime conventions that we wanted to bring this unique experience to. You never know who’s watching, so that’s why you got to keep going if you want that dream gig or that dream experience. For me, that’s what it all came down to; a chance to get back on the road and have all of the fun at conventions like we did in the past, but now making money to help fund and expand our business. As for “Project Paradise”, well, that is still our mission to one day have own own anime convention. January 11, 2026 will be our 10th anniversary as D&A, and what better way to do that than to launch our anime convention campaign through “Project Paradise”.
I will say that once the official name of our con is revealed (probably Spring or Summer 2023), it’ll take on the convention model it was inspired from; Animore. I want to bring anime conventions back to Baltimore, but its gonna take a lot of support and money from the anime community. We’ve been on this journey of ours for a while, and from the looks of things we’re only just beginning.
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