It’s another week! Another week of getting up at 5am, starting the car, and sitting in the parking lot at your job with a bagel and lukewarm coffee just so your boss can’t say you we’re late. For us it means another week of what you might’ve missed on our youtube channel; D&A Studios Entertainment! Just an FYI; for our 30th Nerdz of the Decade podcast episode and onward, we’ll be trying out a new opening and possibly more to enhance the quality of our videos. In the meantime though check out what you missed while you were gone. ๐
D&A Presents: Cons Near U! (June 6, 2022)
For the last couple of months the number one question we get from our fans is this; are we going to return to conventions anytime soon? The answer: yes! The when: soon! Trust us when we say that we miss going to them as much as you guys did during all of 2020 and most of 2021. Though we don’t have a definitive answer as to when we’ll return to cons, we thought we’d bring back an old favorite; Cons Near U. This time around we’re gonna highlight three different ones you can check out (excluding any that are happening this weekend), and if you’re able to make it to any of them, feel free to send us any cosplay pics that you’d like us to add to our Cosplay Fan Slideshow.
Make sure you’re vaxxed/boosted and have your mask on at all times if you plan to attend any of the cons that we list. Why, because we care about you! ๐ That will do it for now, so until next post, stay nerdy! ๐
One-2-One with D.J. Lewis: Stocking Anarchy!
I’ve been watching anime since Toonami’s first promo in 1997, and now I’m proud to call myself an anime reviewer; among being a blogger, podcast host, a DJ, and a music producer. But this new segment isn’t all about me; no, this segment is an anime and video game character analysis series where I talk about their origins, their personalities, their skill set, why people like or hate them, and maybe more. To kick off our first One-2-One, I’ve decided to go with a character from a show that is in a class all its own. I had no idea what I was getting into with a show like this, but what’s even more hilarious is how the show was created. Hope you’re ready bitches, cuz’ we’re jumping into the high-octane, highly-profane, sex-crazed world of Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt with Stocking Anarchy!
I stumbled onto this show back at Otakon 2012. I didn’t even have a clue what the show was about until I saw the preview for it during one of Funimation’s premiere panels. So if you haven’t watched the show yet, I HIGHLY suggest you watch the dub of this show (and skip this One-2-One cuz’ there WILL be spoilers), because with the art style being 90% westernized (and based on 2000’s Cartoon Network titles like Powerpuff Girls and Dexter’s Lab), it’s the only way to watch it! So let’s get into Panty’s little sister (yeah, I said it!) and find out what makes her tick, her backstory, her skill set, and what the hell was that ‘ending’ all about!
Part 1 – Origin Story: Who the Hell is Stocking Anarchy?!
Stocking Anarchy is…an angel. Yeah, I can’t believe it either. So the story goes that she and her sister got kicked out of heaven due to their ungodly behavior, but the real reason might have something to do with the fact that she’s the persona – LET ME FINISH! (Geez, Persona fans!) She’s the personification of Gluttony; one of the seven deadly sins. (Don’t worry, we’ll get to them soon.)
The funny thing about her origin story is the fact that its never really clear HOW Stocking died and became an angel, but then again, this is one of those shows that doesn’t take itself too seriously. With her being the personification of gluttony, Stocking is overly obsessed with sweets and consumes them on a rather unhealthy scale. This was justified during episode 4 of the series; where she tries to lose weight but she ends up gaining it rather quickly thanks to the sweets of a ghost that turns her into a big-ass beach ball. Other than that one time Stocking never really gains any weight from eating a lot of sweets, and even if she does, she claims it goes straight to her boobs – and I don’t have a problem with that! ๐
Part 2 – Personality & Skill Set
Stocking is pretty much like any other goth girl you’ve seen or met in high school; hates popular girls and ginger-haired geeks, likes dark-colored clothing, snarky and sarcastic, and into S&M. (I know the last part because two of the goth girls at my high school told me they like bondage.) In terms of what her ‘type’ is, she’s more into what they’re like on the inside rather than the out. That means if she’s into thicc dudes like Patrick Fargy (from episode 9.5) then I might have a shot! (*wink, wink*) She’s also more level-headed than her sister in terms of interaction with other people, but she’ll cuss you out just as bad if she’s provoked (like she did in episode 6 where she encounters the Demon Sisters, Scanty and Kneesocks).
When it comes to her move set she’s one of the most skilled swordswomen in the series. Stocking is able to transform her stockings into blue and white striped katanas that she’s named Stripe I and Stripe II, and can probably give another sword-wielding waifu a run for her money. (Death Battle! Stocking vs. Asuna! Make it happen!) Although its not proven, Stocking has the capability to transform her swords into bigger swords; like Cloud’s Buster Sword for example, and her combat style has a heavy emphasis on skill rather than power. She’s also shown to be quite durable against enemies (as seen in episode 3 “Catfight Club”) although her one weakness is of course, bondage. Stocking can spin her katanas fast enough to slice through ghosts at high speeds, and her blades are strong enough to bend (and possibly cut) steel and other metal (as seen in episode 5). To kill ghosts all she has to do is swing her blades which create an energy-cutter type of move that slices them up like Wonderbread. If you’re not a 90’s kid you will not get that childhood reference.
Part 3 – Overall Analysis
The idea of Stocking’s conception came from drunken and humorous circumstances, which makes the creation of this show all the more unique. There was never a real story or plotline with Stocking or her sister, as they just went on various ghost hunting assignments trying to get back into heaven by collecting heaven coins. Stocking’s personality is based off of various real-life traits found in girls who feel like they were labeled as “outcasts” in high school, as she’s the more relatable character in the series. (Although her fanbase is bigger than Panty’s, so that’s a win! Ha! XP) Perhaps there may be some level of resentment between her and Panty, but it was probably hidden throughout the show (which doesn’t take itself seriously) and didn’t boil over until the post-credits scene. Yes, we’re gonna talk about the ‘Infamous Post-Credits Scene’.
After the credits roll on episode 13; Stocking along with Panty, Garterbelt, and Brief return home as Stocking asks if their weapons can kill angels. Panty tells her she’d have to try it and see, and just like that Stocking stabs her sister through the head and slices her up into 666 pieces. Garter blows up (again) and a blob version of Corset pops out of Brief’s member to laugh at what just happened. Brief asks Stocking why she did the deed and she stated that she was ‘actually a demon’. Corset blob tells Brief that he’ll leave a trail of Panty pieces all the way to the nearby city of Oten City, and that he’ll revive her once he smashes himself into the other Hellsgate Keyhole. Blob Corset and ‘Demon’ Stocking take off with Garter, Brief, and the Demon Sisters giving the best reaction that the entire fandom was thinking; what in the actual FUUUUUUK!!!
Keep in mind this series was produced by Gainax, so they’re known for pulling these ‘rabbits-out-of asses’ endings to many of their shows. They guys who worked on the show left to form Studio Trigger, which still kept a little of that zany style found in Panty & Stocking, although to this day there is no word or mention of there being a season two. For a character like Stocking, you can say that even though she’s labeled as an anti-hero, she possesses the most heroic qualities that you’d find in a show like this. Yes, she ends up going back to heaven for taking her assignment seriously. Yes, she returned to help Panty while doing a heroic pose akin to the ‘Iron Man Pose’ found in Marvel. Yes, her calling herself a demon is still a debatable topic to this day. And yes, I did write a 14-chapter fan fiction sequel to the series that you can find titled Brief & Soulfire: Panty & Stocking Season 2.
To sum it all up; Stocking Anarchy is a fallen angel trying to get back into heaven by killing ghosts, while battling with her desire to eat sweets. Her personality is based on traits found in girls who felt like they were labeled as ‘outkasts’ and goths. She’s a skilled swordswomen with amazing durability, and gave the fandom the best reaction upon her heel turn, after the credits.
That will do it for this One-2-One post, until next time, stay nerdy! ๐
D&A Studios Entertainment Recap (06.06.22)
Yep, its Monday again. The weekend’s over, the post-con blues has set in, and now its time to clock in and get back to work. We know just how you feel, so to help you out we’re bringing in another recap of what we’ve been working on ‘content-wise’ with our youtube channel; D&A Studios Entertainment! Number 28 of our Nerdz of the Decade podcast is out, as well as other content that we’ve produced this past weekend. Don’t forget; tomorrow kicks off our newest character analysis series One-2-One, and we’re bringing back Cons Near U on Wednesdays (starting this Wednesday)! That’s all we’ve got for this post, so until next time, stay nerdy! ๐
D&A Studios Entertainment Memorial Day Recap!
It’s Memorial Day; the unofficial kick off to Summer 2022! Most of us are off while some of us have to work, but for us at D&A, it means we’ve got some awesome content for you to check out on our Youtube channel! In case you guys are asking about it, we’re working on the 28th episode of our podcast that we hope to have up by next week. Also, we’ll be kicking off a brand new anime and video game character analysis series called One-2-One starting in June. Not only that, but we’ll be bringing back an old favorite from the past next Wednesday that you all know as Cons Near U; where we pick three different conventions you guys might wanna check out if you haven’t already. That’ll do it for us for this post, so until the next one, stay nerdy! ๐
One-2-One! A New Anime & Video Game Character Analysis Series Coming Next Week!
Hey! We’ve got some good news everyone! We’ll be introducing a new series of character analysis posts next week called One-2-One; where we analyze anime and video game characters that you know and love, and try to figure out what’s their story, what skills do they have, why people like (or hate) them, and so on. The series will start on the first Tuesday in June, and end on the last Thursday in September. Some of the characters we’ll analyze will be from series favorites like Dragon Ball Z, SAO, and Fairy Tail; others will be from underrated titles like Chivalry of a Failed Knight, Fena: Pirate Princess, Steins:Gate, and more! We’ll also be doing video game characters too; including the usual suspects Mario, and Sonic. If this series goes well, we just might do a podcast version of it in the Fall.
That’s it for this little announcement of ours, so until next post, stay nerdy my friends! ๐
D&A Studios Entertainment Recap (5.23.22)
What’s good anime fam! Its just another crazy Monday, but if you happened to have gone to a con this past weekend, then today is your day off (we hope)! For us it means another recap of last week’s past videos from our D&A Studios Entertainment Youtube channel. By the way, if you haven’t heard the good news, we now have a page where fans can donate to help us expand our services in order to give back toย those who have supported us since day one. If you’d like to donate, visit our D&A Donations page and give what you can. Every little bit helps. ๐
That will do it for this recap post, so until next we post, stay nerdy my friends! ๐
GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!! D&A Now Accepts Donations!
You heard it from Farnsworth himself! Now our fans can support us directly through our brand new donations page entitled “D&A Donations“! We’ve started this nerdy adventure back in 2016, and now its grown into a full-grown brand with a mustache. With our new page fans can choose donation options that fit their budget; as they help cover operation costs to the website, allow us to produce better content, and more! We thank our fans for all of the support, and for making D&A what it is today. Until next post, stay nerdy! ๐
D&A Studios Entertainment Recap (5.16.22)
It’s Monday again, so we guess we don’t have to tell you what that means; work, bills, and people that you hate most of the time (unless you have a cool job where you work with cool people). For us it means another recap from our D&A Studios Entertainment Youtube channel! We’ve been busy this past week dropping new content and a podcast episode for all of the Pokemon fandom out there, so if you’re a fan of our videos be sure to hit that like and subscribe button so you don’t miss any of our videos. That will do it for this post, but as always stay safe and stay nerdy! ๐
Pixels: The Video Game Movie Nobody Talks About!
When it comes to live-action movies about cartoons, anime, and video games; there are ‘certain’ rules by the fandom of those mediums that production companies, writers, and producers have to follow. We ALL know about the infamous ‘Human Sonic’ that Paramount was going to give the fanbase in 2019, but the fanbase wasn’t having it – like at all! Fast-forward to Present Day; we now have two installments of Movie Sonic (that are box office hits by the way) with a third on the way, and a spinoff origin story about a certain red echidna. With this year being the best time to be a Sonic fan, it seems like the movie franchise is setting the bar high for what live-action video game movies are supposed to be about. Although they don’t adapt the video games directly; the producers (God bless Jeff Fowler) and writers know what they’re doing.
On that same note, there are some live-action video game movies that seemed to have a good idea (as well as a decent budget), but the execution was a bit flawed. Its not that the movie did terrible or anything (though mostly that’s the case with a majority of them), but Hollywood seems to deviate from the source material of the video game that they’re trying to adapt; most of the time its usually the writers or directors who didn’t do any kind of research of the source material, or they’re just collecting a check. Its kinda weird that this movie didn’t live up to the expectations of many movie critics, even though they adapted the arcade video game sprites really well; and stayed faithful to their in-game appearance. The movie that we’re talking about…is Pixels.
Ok, its an Adam Sandler flick, and depending if you like him or hate him, the guy’s pretty funny to a certain degree. So Pixels is a movie about a 13-year-old kid named Sam Brenner (Sandler) who went to a gaming arcade in 1982 and can study patterns in video games. During a championship match against Eddie “The Fireblaster” Plant on Donkey Kong, Sam seemingly loses and for some reason videocassette footage of the event is placed into a time capsule and headed into space. One time skip later Sam is a home-theater installer while his friend, Will Cooper, is the most hated President of the United States since (*insert worst president here*). Somewhere along the line that videocassette tape made it to a group of aliens; who mistook it as a declaration of war, and are now on the attack in the form of the video games from that footage. Now Sam, Will, and his old rival Eddie have to join forces and convince the U.S. Army to help them fight against the aliens in three different rounds (or battles) the form of 1980’s arcade games like Galaga, Arkanoid, Centipede, Space Invaders, Pac-Man (yes even Pac-Man), Duck-Hunt, and more. Although its got a B-movie plot, the renders of the 8-bit arcade video game characters are faithful to how they appeared in their games.
A LOT of money was spent making the movie (between $80-130 million), and it even had a cameo appearance from Toru Iwatani himself; the creator of Pac-Man. Despite the movie getting anywhere between a D+ and a C- based on movie critics, they nailed it with the source material of the arcade games that they were trying to adapt. Many of these games we remember playing when we were young, and if you ask any 80’s kid, they’ll tell you that they were probably just as good at these arcade games, as the characters in this movie. It brought in $245 million at the box office, so despite the cheesy storyline, it did turn some kind of profit – by $100 million at least.
Pixels was one of those movies that had an idea and stayed true to its original source material, but the reception fell kinda flat towards the general audience due to its lackluster story. (Or maybe some of theme just aren’t fans of retro video games.) For some people who saw it; it might’ve been the best movie they ever saw, ‘graphics-wise’, because they stayed committed to the original source material. Regardless of its rating we think Pixels might be one of those forgotten gems of the 2010’s that most (if not all) people never talk about, however with the Sonic movies breaking box office records; setting the tone for the Sonic Cinematic Universe, its going to be one of those movies that people will vaguely remember.
Until next post, stay nerdy my friends! ๐
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