#and episode 1 of samurai jack has done a good job of making me think this will be the same

[nbstevonnie]

sometimes i'm so blown away by animation that was happening 10-20 years ago, it's like. ARE they doing animation like this still? have the corporations bled most creativity dry or am i just not being exposed to it?

[monkey-network]

Good Stuff's Best of 2019

WARNING: Just wanted to say cheers to you for making it through another year. I send you best wishes for next year to be fruitful. Thank you, take care out there, and enjoy. (Best of 2017) (Best of 2018)

Dedicated to Russi Taylor, John Witherspoon, Rip Torn, Tartar Sauce, Caroll Spinney, Peter Matthews, and the many of KyoAni lost in the arson incident. You all did wonderful; rest in peace.

Welp, I figured the last year of this decade would be the most chaotic one by far, then again everything peak after 2012. As for now, I am counting down the best cartoons/animations/comics I’ve seen and loved this year in no particular order other than #1. Same rules apply: No sneak previews of future projects, no repeats, and this time anything goes.

Runner Ups: Superman Smashes the Klan, Marvel’s Aero, Infinity Train, Enter the Florpus, Amphibia, Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart, Helluva Boss, Meta Runner, Lego Movie 2, Forky Asks a Question

Anyways, Badda boom bang whiz, let’s do this shizz...

10. Super Mario Bros GT

Nostalgia can be quite a mystery, especially one that can come out of nowhere. Super Mario Bros Z kicked so much ass as a kid that now, it still frustrates me to this that it got a cease & desist from Nintendo, even the reboot from the same person couldn’t last long. But the gods have offered a slight miracle in the form of this new spiritual successor that has heart and soul put into every pixelated frame. There is much to celebrate with Youtube animation, where many say it’s dying due to the algorithm and all of the site’s corporate bullshit, but it’s stuff like this which helps me understand why we should celebrate. Against all odds, channels like Smasher Block willfully put their works out their for the people and continues to because on top of getting a little dough, it’s what they want to do.

9. DC SUPER HERO GIRLS (2019)

Awwwwww yeah, this is She-Ra and the Princesses of Power done right. Diverse female squad, each given a quality screen time to truly shine (Beecher especially) on their which makes the episodes where they’re all together feel earned and joyous to watch. Certainly reminds me of Friendship is Magic, which is coincidental since they were created by the same woman. I’d like to think this and MLP G4 were the answers to Faust’s cancelled project Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls where multiple personalities collide to one extraordinary superhero team of girls capable great feats that are lifted from their insecurities or drawbacks. And on top of this being a fun series to kick back to all around, it’s a comforting, somewhat aspiring thought to consider.

8. JOKER

I am somebody that rarely goes to the theaters to watch a film; you have to hook my tight just for me to even think of buying a ticket, no less plan to. But honestly, Joker was worth the hype, the ticket, and the fact that it wasn’t the incel uprising that buttfuck normies tried to make it out as. It’s lower on the list because in thought, there definitely could’ve been some tweaks to the dialogue and a couple scenes that I felt didn’t work in the long run. But really, this movie to me worked because of the escalation that leads to a cathartic climax and ending that left me in actual tears. I don’t give a shit if it “doesn’t fit”, having Frank Sinatra sing the film's credits put me in shambles. Joaquin Phoenix was phenomenal as Arthur, and this movie felt authentic in its many details. This is definitely up there with my favorite comic book films of all time. Good thing, too, Spider-Man was taking up most of that shelf.

7. TUCA & BERTIE

This series being what I can’t help but say is a spin-off to Bojack Horseman, a show I respect, was enough to pull me into watching it. But it being like Bojack where it’s tight-roping between a bouncy comedy and a grounded drama was what kept me around for more. It is a damn shame this was cancelled after one season (while 13 Reasons Why gets FOUR seasons like what the fuck), because while this did feel enough like a complete series, I was certainly interested for more because I really enjoyed it all. I have my issue with a couple choices in the show, but I am sure this series would’ve addressed them later down the line. I can see why some women would find this personally endearing, it felt like the personal stories of actual people, and it deserved better. Either way, I enjoyed this series and I recommend it just as much as Bojack.

6. PRIMAL

Genndy Tartakovsky is that kind of cartoon creator where you feel he’ll go beyond if you give him the right amount of space. He’s not a perfectionist like John “Dirty Diddler” Kricfalusi, but with things like Hotel Transylvania and Samurai Jack, he certainly has proven to have the range in animation where you know how he plays. Primal showcasing his noted skill in dialogue-less storytelling and dynamic action scenes, able to convey everything clear with its ruthless yet careful protagonist and his dinosaur friend, all on top of the most luscious backgrounds. This is a series that definitely feels like Genndy’s taken what he’s used from his previous works and putting it together for a brutal yet passionate look at the prehistoric life. He truly brought us an adult series to enjoy and to look forward to more in the coming year.

5. SPINEL

Bet you didn’t expect a character to be on this list, eh? Spinel is the best thing to come out of Steven Universe in general; makes me wish she was in a better movie. The crew certainly did their darndest to make her not only an enjoyable and connectable character through and through, but a very versatile character that the fandom could take in any which way. Call it corny, but Spinel perfectly represents SU as a whole: a lovable goof that can certainly mean business but deep down is deserved of a hug because of what she’s gone through. Wish she had a more satisfying resolution in her respective debut, but really it’s the balance between those three elements mentioned that makes Spinel almost eternally wonderful.

4. MOB PSYCHO 100 II

As someone that doesn’t like reading, I’m a firm believer that the best animations or visual medias elevate the writing to a memorable degree; the visuals hook to the point where you want to think about what you saw and how it was conveyed. Mob Psycho 100, for two seasons now, does this in spades where Studio Bones throw them bones in animating one of the most dynamic animes of the modern era, providing the writing and characters a proper chance to flex its muscles. The characters are especially what makes this and MP100 as a whole work so well, the story being about a boy learning to be more sociable as well as emotionally stronger all while helping others understand maturity and empathy. For more on this, I recommend Hiding in Public’s video(s) on Mob. But with the animation, Bones was able to provide a sense of impact and immersion to the moments that matter, not making it an overstimulating mess, and putting some respect on ONE’s webcomic art style. 

3. KLAUS

Hands down, this is a great Christmas movie. Take away the animation and you have a charming, wanna say ground and authentic, story about the makings of Santa Claus. With memorable and likable characters, a nice escalation in terms of the plot, and moments that are/can be so satisfying, they can bring you to tears. A couple overdone tropes in the road that doesn’t make this the most perfected story, but those sincerely minor compared to everything else that makes this story the best. Now. Add in the animation, and you have a gold, nay a platinum animated story of the year where the visuals definitely enhance the story to a degree where they’re undoubtedly inseparable. The visuals alone is enough to check this movie out and it’s eye-opening when you learn of how it’s all done. Klaus is a film that did it’s job and then some, and I hope this will be well remembered as a classic holiday film for it deserves that status.

2. BEASTARS

I’ll be fair, I’m mostly referring to the manga and not the anime but since the anime premiered this fall, it counts. Because be it the anime or the series overall, Beastars has such well intricate world building all while offering a little something for everyone (violence, romance, slice of life). The story is well paced and even when we aren’t focusing on the main characters momentarily, Itagaki is surprisingly able to make every supporting/side character we come across memorable in their own way; like I said before, the city is much a character in this story. Oh yeah, and the mangaka is the daughter of Keisuke “Grappler Baki” Itagaki, that in itself is a treasuring bit of trivia for this. Everything about Beastars is enticing and Studio Orange certainly helped in giving this series more of a following.

1. GREEN EGGS & HAM

Well, well, well. Guess Netflix is three for three in terms of bringing its best foot forward among its few steps back each year. The best term to describe this series is surprising. Surprising that this is a Dr. Seuss story that got expanded a 13 episode series, that has fleshed out characters, fun hijinks, an easy story, lovely emotional, more quieter moments... on top of being 2D hand drawn animated. I mean, what else is there to say? Green Eggs and Ham is to Dr. Seuss what Seven was for Final Fantasy, what Friendship is Magic was for MLP, what watermelon was before a nice menthol cigarette. This definitely took the top spot because to me, it was able to bring many good elements from the previous entries and knot it all together into a well kept bow that I never knew I wanted until now. I’m genuinely glad this show got to exist the way it is and I am hoping, praying, that the second season keeps that momentum up.

That leads us to the actual number one which is

1. STEVEN UNIVERSE FUT-

Total Dramarama is now the two time World Heavyweight Champion, babey. Will 2020 give us a quality contender? Will the streak last another year?

Stay tuned, and always seek out the Good Stuff.

[aftermathdb]

DEATH BATTLE Review: Samurai Jack vs. Afro Samurai.

WARNING: The following review contains screenshots of large amounts of blood and gore. Please continue at your own discretion.

This battle has been a long time coming. And correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that this is the first time a character that was owned by Cartoon Network has entered the fray, making this unique in more ways than one. Can the Time-Displaced Warrior defeat The Number 1 Samurai? - We find out in a clash of blades.

Personally, I’m excited to use Jack in the story.

So, this is the second time a character from American animation has fought a character from Japanese animation. I’m not linking to the first one because of reasons.

Jack′s Preview.

I’m pretty sure that the usage of the original opening makes this all the better for the fans of Samurai Jack. Even calling Aku opening a time portal a ‘bitch move’ was pretty hilarious. Especially when Boomstick says “Me” instead of “Him.” There’s just so much to laugh at here, that it’s just hilarious.

Then we get into his training, and that’s when we see all the badass stuff.

(Because of course they have to mention “Jumping Good).

Regardless, Jack’s stats are very impressive. And his blade is just as so. Being forged by not one, not two, but three different gods- Jack’s katana is just plain cool. The fact that those gods all come from different pantheons makes it all the more badass to boot.

Even lampshading that Adamantium (at least the Marvel version) shouldn’t be there, Jack’s feats are super impressive. Like the way of how he jumps good. I had no idea that the boulder he wore was nearly forty tons. You learn something new every day.

I mean, with a resume like that, I think Afro really doesn’t stand much of a chance. “Dibs on Jack for my Basketball team” indeed.

Kinda dissapointed that they never mentioned that off a few technicalities (Like lacking a master, and disobeying certain orders), Jack falls under the category of Ronin. Didn’t even put it in a notecard.

And to be honest, I had completely forgotten about that “Who else wants some” line.

Afro′s Preview.

If these guys were trying to get people invested in the Afro Samurai series, I’d say they did a pretty good job. I’d say that if you enjoy something like Berserk, you’ll enjoy Afro Samurai.

Anyways, they go over the sacred headbands first. Talking about their legend, and the supposed powers they bring. But a notecard and some explanation quickly dispenses any notion that there’s any real power to be held by them.

(”An overhyped strip of cloth…” I had a petty comment about a certain American comic character’s fanbase, but making a comment like that is beneath me).

Tangent aside, Afro’s background has some fair similarities with Jack’s. Like…

Not knowing their real name. Seriously?- What is up with that? Do all great samurais on a quest share this trait?

The background for the headbands is pretty cool too. Showcasing both the benefits and the burdens of each. But, there’s really no actual benefit, and it seems to rely on just the honor system. Quick question!- What’s stopping someone from just stealing the Number 1 headband?- Or just creating a replica of it?

And Boomstick brings up a good point here. The hardest part about being a parent in these types of stories seems to be staying alive, rather than… anything else really.

And I have to agree with the weird naming system they have. Next thing you tell me, is that this series has a series of brothers that are numbered [Link]……… goddammit.

And then there’s how he killed Sword Master, and befriended Ninja Ninja… The original point about the naming still stands. Though, given how unhelpful he (Ninja Ninja) is, I doubt that he’ll be of any use in the fight.

Even the blade and arsenal he wields is impressive. And that Perfect Parry technique sounds similar to that parry move that Ryu has. And it seems like he likes fighting dirty. Which is probably going to be the only real thing he has against Jack.

OH! And for some reason, they give Afro the descriptor of Ronin, but not Jack. That just feels like being cheated out of something.

And his resume… Okay, that laser feat, assassin defeat time, and strength are really the only ones that are impressive. At least, when compared to Jack surviving a fall from space. Pretty sure that one feat beats any of Afro’s.

I’m no expert in this series, but his end line… It’s pretty badass.

The Battle Itself.

Luis (Who did Leon vs. Frank and was on the team that did Strange vs. Fate) is hand animating this entirely with some help from Jerky, making this the second DEATH BATTLE that is completely hand animated (The first being Smokey vs. McGruff). Jack will have the voice of Kanji Tang while Afro will be voiced by Devante’ Johnson, music is called Watch out, Samurai! (Youtube link not available at the moment) and is done by Therewolf, and lead audio is by Chris Kokkinios with the help of Philip Spann (No twitter handle available, so here’s his facebook).

So, the story is that… They smell the blood on the other’s blade, and decide to duke it out. I’m not sure if that was the intent, so I’m guessing there’s really no story at all. The voice actors are just there to say some interesting lines. But regardless of that, look at this beautiful hand-drawn animation!

Seriously though, this is your last chance to turn back. The screenshots get more bloody and violent as the battle progresses.

That’s some freaking nice art right there. And it really helps with the battle, considering that just using sprites would probably not work as well as it could.

So the two start fighting, and are capable of parrying most strikes. And I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking “Wait! I thought that Jack’s blade couldn’t harm innocent people! Why can it hurt Afro?” And to that I say, “Afro’s an innocent man?- The dude killed his master all because he had the Number 2 headband!”

We also see Afro’s dirty fighting in action, as he uses his cigarette to temporarily blind Jack. But, it doesn’t work as well as it would in most situations. An earlier notecard revealed that Jack could dodge arrows based on sound, so it’s not likely that Afro could deal damage based on that.

In fact, here it is:

The battle rages on until the rope bridge they’re on turns vertical, and Jack falls to his demise- I’m kidding. He jumps back up. Afro even comments on it. It’s a nice little touch considering that most opponents just assumed that people who can Jump Good are capable of flight. The reactions are rather humorous too.

And we also see that neither are leaving the battle unscathed, as Afro manages to get in some good strikes, and then Jack returns the favor.

(Look at that expression. That feels like it could have come straight out of the show).

So, as we can see, Afro manages to disarm Jack, and Jack manages to return the favor.

And in true Samurai Jack fashion, the blade cuts the rest of the bridge.

And then after an intense strike from above, Afro once again, manages to disarm Jack… Literally this time.

(Yeah, that’s not something you’d see in seasons 1-4).

But no need to worry (Unless you were rooting for Afro), Jack, once again, manages to return the favor and then some.

Yeah… That blood and gore warning wasn’t kidding.

Finishing blow in

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

So, with Jack sporting the Rad Spencer look (without the bionic arm) and Afro looking like Jax (without the bionic arms), Jack finishes off his opponent in a brutal fashion that wouldn’t be out of place in Afro’s series.

(Neat little detail: Jack is wearing the headband that Afro used to wear).

Verdict + Explanation.

So, yeah. Jack’s stats just… They just outclass Afro’s. That’s just… Yeah. I think a lot of people were expecting that, but probably also expected it to be a stomp in Jack’s favor. He didn’t come out unscathed, and I’d say that’s probably a bone to be thrown to the Afro fans. They show some amount of respect toward each other, and I can appreciate that.

Overall impression.

Rundown: Cool and informative.

Animation: Beautiful.

Explanation: Really solid.

Rating: 9.2/10. It’s not as long as something like Strange vs. Fate, but it’s still a really awesome episode, and it’s a really good one too.

Next Time…

This looks like it’s going to get bloody…

… I’m going to need that “Blood and Gore” warning for this one too, huh?

If uh… If anyone wants to help out in regards to Lucy’s character, that would be spectacular.

Is there a fight that you want me to review? - Send an ask/request, and I’ll look into it! 

Do you want to read my fanfic based around DEATH BATTLE itself? click here!

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next time for…

Cassidy vs. Lucy. It’s not a creative name, but it rhymes.

[popculturereport]

Let’s Rank the Samurai Rangers!

Power Rangers Samurai gets a bad rap among fans, probably deservedly so. I don’t watch Super Sentai, but people who do tell me that Samurai is basically a very lazy direct translation of Shinkenger. That may be true, but I actually kind of enjoyed it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s no RPM or Dino Thunder, but it’s also nowhere near as bad as Megaforce. Regardless of where you stand on the show, one of the most consistently-cited issues that people tend to have with the show is the characters (and, depending on who you talk to, maybe the cast too). Again, I tend to hedge on this, because I think most of the actors are fairly capable and do a fine job with what they’re given. That said, I will concede that some of the rangers just...suck. So let’s get to the rankings! From best to worst, here they are (oh, and I’m skipping Lauren):

1. Mike (the Green Ranger)

Mike (Hector David Jr.) is the best, and this is should be so self-evident that I shouldn’t even have to make a case for him. So I’ll limit my argument to this: in “Christmas Together, Friends Forever,” Mike, who loves Christmas more than anything else which automatically makes him the best, gives his only present--a brand new dirtbike--to Bulk and Spike on Christmas, because they have nothing.

2. Mia (the Pink Ranger)

I hesitated whether to place Mia in this spot or the next, but ultimately she gets the nod at second, because I am only a man.

Yes, I may be 31 years old, am happily married, will soon be a father, own my own business, and have a mortgage, but every time Mia (Erika Fong) steps onscreen, I swoon like a 13-year-old girl (I may or may not have even said, “You’re so pretty” out loud). 

Like everything else about this show, her gimmick of loving to cook despite being godawful at it is polarizing, but I think it’s kind of cute, and it also adds a nice touch of brevity in contrast with Jayden and Kevin’s seriousness. She does need further development, but that goes for every else in this series, and like I already said, she’s really pretty.

3. Emily (the Yellow Ranger)

I’m glad that when Saban bought back the rights to Power Rangers from Disney that they decided to carry on the Disney tradition of casting super-cute, perky blondes (Tori, Kira, Syd, Claire, Ronnie, Lily, Summer)...usually as the Yellow Ranger.*

Emily has the potential to be even better, but what we did get is pretty good. She’s fun, kind of clumsy, and occasionally she and Mike make eyes at each other. Yes, they should have done something more with her being chosen to be a Ranger instead of her sister, and her and Mike’s romance could have been developed more (basically they go from sort of flirting to being a couple in the final episode with no in between). That said, when Emily finally gets a chance to go nuts in “Strange Case of the Munchies,” actress Brittany Anne Pirtle grabs onto every scene and takes it for all its worth.

In my own head-canon, I also like to imagine that this episode partly inspired “Dark Betty” in Riverdale.

4. Jayden (the Red Ranger)

Placing Jayden in any place other than last might be controversial for many fans, since he often bears the brunt of their wraith, but I tend to disagree. 

Yes, his brooding lone wolf character probably worked better for his Super Sentai counterpart, given the abundance of these types of characters in Japanese culture (I get Squall from Final Fantasy VIII vibes from him). That said, he does get a lot of backstory that helps establish why he is the way he is, and when you consider that he’s been burdened with the task of destroying Master Xandred since he was a child, you can see why he see’s a bit messed up. It’s not perfect and the execution is sometimes lacking, but there are good ideas there.

Additionally, Alex Heartman actually does have charisma and, on the occasions when he’s given good material, he does a good job with it. Plus, even at his worst, there are two rangers that are much worse than him.

5. Antonio (the Gold Ranger)

There’s things about Antonio that work really well: the fact that he’s a self-trained Samurai Ranger who isn’t descended from a long line of Samurais’, which gives him both a different perspective and approach towards being a ranger, his relationship (bromance? romance? whatever floats your boat) and history with Jayden, and his general light-hearted attitude. The problem is that as good as all those things are, it’s hard to overlook just how grating his character can be.

I don’t mind goofy characters; Ivan and Koda are two of my favorite Power Rangers ever, and I’ve also loved Bridge, Gem and Gemma, Dustin, and Ziggy, among many others. I’ve never understood why some fans get up in arms about these types of characters. Like, you do realize that you’re watching a show made for 5-8 year olds? However, when we’re presented with characters like Antonio (and, even worse, Dax from Operation Overdrive), I can start to sympathize with this mentality.

The problem with Antonio is that actor Steven Skylar spends far too much time mugging to the camera. Everything about the performance is way too over-the-top, including the random Spanish interjections. I suspect that since Skylar is actually of Thai descent, the producers felt the need to have him beat the audience over the head with “Fantastico!” I generally try not to blame actors, especially because it’s entirely possible that they were directed to act in a specific way, but I also can’t help but wonder if I wouldn’t have liked Antonio more if he had been played by another actor.

Still, he’s not the worst. There is someone much more deserving of that:

6. Kevin (the Blue Ranger)

God, Kevin, you suck so much. No, seriously, Kevin, you’re the worst.

(This GIF is priceless, but I also kind of wish that Mike just wrapped his arm around Kevin and strangled him right then and there)

Okay, so if you’ve watched more than one season of Power Rangers, you’re probably seen similar characters. Given that the creators essentially have to come up with a brand-new cast every year for 25 years, it makes sense that they would rely on archetypes. Kevin follows of the mold of the stick-up-their-ass, by-the-books second-in-command much like Kai, Jen, and Sky before him. 

There are a few problems from the beginning; for one, those three were all partnered with more laid-back Red Rangers (Leo, Wes, and Jack), and so they served as nice foils, constantly second-guessing the leader. Over time, these characters would gradually see that, although the Red Rangers didn’t following standard operating procedure, they were effective leaders in their own way, and they would come to respect them. It’s a good dynamic, and you can understand why they’ve returned to that well multiple times.

(That “What the fuck”-look that Mia gives Kevin is exactly how we all feel)

With Kevin, they tried something different (which is good, I guess) and had a serious second-in-command who idolizes his equally intense leader. So instead of forcing them to see (and come to respect) a different point of view, this dynamic just reinforces their own stupid biases. Worse yet, unlike, say Erin Cahill (Jen) or Chris Violette (Sky) who were still likable characters even when their heads were up their asses, Najee De-Tiege has no charisma or charm, and it’s impossible to like Kevin.

If you want a quick introduction to why Kevin is the worst, look no further than “The Blue and the Gold.” So two episodes after joining the team, Kevin still hasn’t accepted that Antonio is part of the team. Antonio tells that he made a new Zord, and Kevin’s like, “You made it from Electronic Symbol Power? I don’t accept that!”

Hey, asshole, how many fucking Zords have you made?

“.....”

None? That’s what I thought. So shut the fuck up!

The other rangers tell Antonio that Kevin won’t accept him unless he can adapt to his training habits. So Antonio follows him around observing his daily routine (i.e. non-stop training) and tries to copy him the next day. Kevin catches him and says, “Despite the fact that you’re gone through all this effort to try to copy me, I don’t think you’re taking this seriously so fuck off!” Before Antonio can tell him to take his head out of his ass, they’re attacked and can’t communicate with the other rangers. It’s not a problem though, because they’ll know something is wrong when Kevin is late. This is when we find out that Kevin has a daily routine that goes down to the minute. As much as I despise Kevin, this is so hilariously awful that I can’t help but love it.

Later they’re attacked again, and Antonio hurts his arm, but he sticks around and defeats the bad guys anyway, and Kevin goes, “Wow! You really are dedicated. I finally respect you,” despite the fact that Antonio has been doing this for the past two episodes. Kevin must be one of those people who says, “Yes, the Golden State Warriors have made three straight NBA Finals appearances, won the championship twice, have multiple All-Stars, and a two-time MVP, but I just don’t think they’re very good.” Then if Golden State wins this year, he’s finally like, “Oh, I get why people think they’re good.”

Welcome to the fucking party, dipshit!

*-After this, they’d do it again with Gia (Ciara Hanna) in Megaforce.

[stacks-reviews]

New Releases 10/17/17

Happy New Release Day! 

In Books --Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai Volume 3 by Hiroyuki Takei “Stray cat samurai Norachiyo wants nothing more than to leave his cruel past behind and live his nine lives in peace, but there are some cats he just can’t get off his tail. After joining forces with an unlikely duo—the son of a catnip drug lord and his fellow feline warrior-in-training—Norachiyo comes face-to-face with an old foe: Shiriya Abyhei, the malicious member of the secret police who’s been in pursuit of Norachiyo from the very start. Can the three samurai make it out with their tails intact, or is it purr-tains for them…?”

It is exactly what it sounds like: Samurai Cats. It is surprisingly violent. I enjoyed reading the first two volumes; though there was a moment in volume two that I wish I could forget and hope to never see again. But aside from that it feels like a cross between Lone Wolf and Cub and Samurai Champloo.

The main character is a stray who was once a ‘kept cat’ until the death of his master. All the characters are cats except for their masters who are referenced to as humans though no humans have yet to make an official appearance. And yes. There is much word play involved.

--Rat Queens Volume 4 by Kurtis J. Wiebe, illustrated by Owen Gieni “The Queens are back! Palisade is still a rat infested hell hole and the only hope of saving it are Violet, Hannah, Dee, Betty and the brand new Queen, Braga! It’s been a long time since they’ve done a good slaughter, so join them as they get back to the basics of killing monsters and drinking away the profits!”

The first full volume of the Rat Queens soft reboot with the new artist, Owen Gieni. The Rat Queens have returned to Palisade after the events in volume 3. There’s a new cult in town, Hannah’s father is currently crashing with the Queens and Violet’s brother stops in for a visit. 

I really enjoyed the new volume. If you haven’t checked out the series yet I would highly recommend you do. It’s a hilarious, violent, and just fantastic series.

--Tokyo Ghoul: re Volume 1 by Sui Ishida “The Commission of Counter Ghoul is the only organization fighting the Ghoul menace, and they will use every tool at their disposal to protect humanity from its ultimate predator. Their newest weapon in this hidden war is an experimental procedure that implants human investigators with a Ghoul’s Kagune, giving them Ghoul powers and abilities. But both the procedure and the newly formed Qs Squad are untested. Will they become heroes…or monsters?!

Haise Sasaki has been tasked with teaching Qs Squad how to be outstanding Investigators, but his assignment is complicated by the troublesome personalities of his subordinates and his own uncertain grasp of his Ghoul powers. Can he pull this ragtag group together as a team, or will Qs Squad’s first assignment be their last?”

The first volume of the second series and it’s a good start. I do have several questions which I’m sure will slowly be answered. Though right now I’m mainly wondering how much time has passed in the world. I’m guessing at least a few years. And what happened to everyone who was alive at the end of volume 14 of the first series. 

In Movies --Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, and Ponyo. The first wave of the Studio Ghibli rereleases by GKids and Shout Factory. I’m pretty excited for these though I’m going to start with the ones I don’t own yet. In this wave that would be Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Ponyo.

--American Gods S1 “Ex-convict Shadow Moon roams a world he doesn't understand, left adrift by the recent, tragic death of his wife. Little does he know his life is about to change after he meets a crafty, charismatic con man named Mr. Wednesday, who offers Shadow a job as his bodyguard. As their journey begins, Shadow encounters a hidden America where magic is real and fear grows over the ascending power of New Gods like Technology and Media. In a grand plan to combat the threat, Mr. Wednesday attempts to unite the Old Gods to defend their existence and rebuild the influence that they've lost, leaving Shadow struggling to accept this new world and his place in it.”

I still need to check out this show. I read the book in 2016, I think, so I was pretty happy to hear that it kept pretty close to the book. Though it did deviate later on. Though to be honest about the book. I was a little disappointed it in. I expected more. I really need to give it a reread sometime. I think I had its rep. built up pretty high so maybe next time I’ll like more.

--Hunter x Hunter P3 “Gon and Killua head to Heaven’s Arena to train the higher a fighter advances there, the tougher their opponents become! Moving up quickly, the two friends soon meet Zushi, who tells them about the power of Nen, and they begin training under his mentor, Wing, to harness their potential. But the duo hits a wall on the 200th floor of the tower their Nen-using foes are strong, and soon Gon is injured. Will Gon and Killua gain the strength they need to advance further?”

Episodes 27-50 of Hunter x Hunter. It covers all of the Heaven’s Arena arc and part of or half of the Phantom Troupe arc. I’ve really been enjoying this series though I’ve only seen a few episodes past where P3 ends. As with the first and second parts if you order from Rightstuf it comes with a replica of the Hunter License. Though this one looks similar to the one that comes with the second part. The first part license has a different look than both of them.

--Samurai Jack S5 and the complete series box set “Long ago in a distant land, I, Aku, the shape shifting master of darkness, unleashed an unspeakable evil. But a foolish samurai warrior wielding a magic sword stepped forth to oppose me. Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time, and flung him into the future where my evil is law. Now the fool seeks to return to the past and undo the future that is Aku.”

The final season of the hit series Samurai Jack. I deeply regret not watching this show when it first aired. I caught a few episodes here and there but just didn’t fall into it. I did start watching it on Netflix, at least until it disappeared, and understood just how good it is. 

--Spider-Man Homecoming “Peter Parker balances his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens with his superhero alter-ego Spider-Man, and finds himself on the trail of a new menace prowling the skies of New York City.”

A pretty enjoyable Spidey standalone film. Peter and Ned are just so pure, we must protect them. I am really happy that Tony was kept out of the limelight, giving most of the screen time to Spider-man.

In Video Games --South Park: The  Fractured but Whole “In the quiet mountain town of South Park, darkness has spread across the land. An entire squad of superheroes will rise to combat this evil, led by a nocturnal scavenger sworn to clean the trash can of South Park society.”

I still need to play The Stick of Truth. It’s been on my list for a while but I haven’t picked it up yet. Still trying to cut back on some of my game purchases until I can beat some of my other games I haven’t even started yet. I will probably pick up this one sometime soon, soon-ish, since it comes with a free download of The Stick of Truth. Or at least it did. I’m not positive if that was for all copies; now and future, or just when it first came out.

[makayla-angelic]

My top favorite Code Lyoko episodes (by season)

Season 1 First place: Code: Earth. Amazing and satisfying. We finally get to see Aelita brought to Earth after so much time. It was nice to see Jeremy forgive Jim and let him help out despite all that's happened. Second place: The Trap. For some reason, I love the concept of Ulrich and Sissi being trapped in an elevator while Sissi tends to Ulrich's broken arm. I don't ship Ulrich/Sissi, but it's amazing what a little bit of trouble will do to the bitch of the school. Sissi, this is how it's done. Just learn to stop being petty and snobby and start having respect and sympathy for people, and maybe you'll get the guy of your dreams. It may not be Ulrich, but you just have to move on sweetie. Third place: False Start. What a nice twist for the supercomputer being shut off means Aelita goes because of her link to Xana. What also a cool twist in bringing Kankrelats into the real world. Honorable mention: Routine(4th place), Ghost Channel(5th place), Holiday In The Fog(6th place), Cruel Dilemna(7th place), End Of Take(8th place), The Girl Of The Dreams(9th place), Just In Time(10th place) Season 2 First place: New Order. Wow, what a way to start a new season! New monsters, new vehicles, Aelita living at the school, and new mysteries to solve concerning Aelita's visions,and the Hermitage. Also, Yumi and Ulrich trapped in the sauna reminded me of Ashely and Ashlyn's tanning death from Final Destination 3. All we needed was the Love Rollercoaster theme playing and I'm pretty sure it would have looked the same. Second place: Common Interest. This episode decides to show us how bad it gets when the supercomputer loses energy, and Aelita is dying, as well as Xana. So Xana possesses a guy to steal some uranium. That's cool and all, but, 1234 for the password code, really? I laughed, but I was still enjoying this episode. This goes in the second place for me because I really love the suspense of fighting to save Aelita's life. If wasn't for the virus, everything would be much simpler. But something felt a bit missing from this episode, I don't know. The first time I watched it, I felt like I was watching a episode of House M.D. It very may have well could been for all we know! The plot sequence is there for it. Patient comes in with unexplainable illness and continues to suffer from bizarre episodes until the brains of the outfit pulls out the solution to the problem that no one could ever think of in a hundred years. Overall, I liked the plot of this episode, it was satisfying, a close call satisfying, like all the other episodes. But it makes me think, "hm, you always have to come prepared, because you never know what can happen." Third place: Temptation and Uncharted Territory are tied together for this one. I chose Temptation because this episode teaches kids that "just because it looks promising, it's not always the good idea." With the case of this episode, Jeremy uses the "Sometimes we have to do the wrong things for the right reasons" kind of path, and destroys his own mental health using Franz Hopper's headset to increase is brain power. Jeremy becomes edgy, smart alec, on the verge of snapping, and misses his classes. I like the plot of this episode because Jeremy tries so hard everyday, and he finally gets tired and loses his steam, which is what Xana wants. Despite Jeremy acting like a jerk because of the headset, I think it teaches a good lesson. Be careful of what you use, and how you use it, you might be under a trap. Uncharted Territory also goes for third, because while discovering sector 5 was a nice, interesting twist, there wasn't much anything else to this episode. This also marks to first appearence of the nightmare inducing Scyphazoa, so that made the episode a little less favorite than the others for me. Honorable mention: The Key(4th place), Contact(5th place), Deja vu(6th place), Cold War(7th place), Ultimatum(8th place), Attack Of The Zombies(9th place), Vertigo(10th place) Season 3 First place: Straight To Heart. A nice, simple way of getting back into the swing of things. But even getting back into the swing of things, there are still twists and turns. Aelita has a new ability; she can shoot pink energy fields out of her hands. Cool! She can be devirtualized and not disappear forever, because she had obtained all her human memories. Extra cool! But I also like this episode because this one too also teaches the reality of life. Yumi friendzones Ulrich, and to some, they saw it coming. While this is sad, I think Yumi did the right thing. Ulrich's jealousy of William and shyness of not making a move is stemmed from his low self-esteem. Until Ulrich can get it together, Yumi doesn't want to bother trying to be in a relationship with him anymore. She's been confused, and she's had enough. This scene, along with William confronting Ulrich after the accident at the pool is one of my favorites, because even though this show had a TV-Y7 rating, (some episodes should have been TV-PG), the writers knew that there would be an older, and more mature audience watching as well, to understand these situations. Second place: Temporary Insanity and Nobody In Particular are tied for this one. For Temporary Insanity, I enjoyed the plot of Odd and Ulrich thinking Earth is Lyoko and Lyoko is Earth. What a wild ride, and their antics inside the mental hospital are funny when they try to shoot at the bloks and crabs that they "see." And a hand clap to Aelita for being the boss on Lyoko when she gets fed up with Odd and Ulrich not paying attention and orders them to listen to her. What a funny episode! Nobody In Particular also goes to second due to the emotion that is set in. Ulrich's body and mind become seperated during a test on sector 5, and his body is stuck on Lyoko, and his spirit is left behind on Earth. Damn, the virtualization program removes souls now? Everyone goes home and cries over Ulrich, leaving the audience watching feeling emotional as well. How can we not? Ulich appears to be dead, and Jeremy feels like absolute crap, because, as the brains of the outfit, knows he's really in it now. But Ulrich appears in ghost form, but since no one can see him or hear him, he enters Kiwi as a resort of communication. This episode was as emotional as it is funny. Seeing Ulrich prance around in Jim's body trying to be the boss was amusing. I laughed when everyone ganged up on him in the cafeteria threw bread and food at him. Third place: Final Round. A wild and interesting conclusion to the short season 3. William joins the gang, only to be possessed by Xana. Brilliant! Only sarcastically speaking, but not for Xana. In my opinion, William makes a good Lyoko warrior, but he was too playful and cocky, which led to his capture. Everyone should have listened to Yumi this time around I suppose. Ulrich's dad showing up was a nice thing as well. Only now we can see why Ulrich is the way he is. Honorable mention: Xana Awakens(4th place), Tidal Wave(5th place), Aelita(6th place), Lyoko Minus One(7th place), The Pretender(8th place), Sabotage(9th place), Triple Trouble(10th place) Season 4 First place: Lab Rat and William Returns is tied for first! I thouroughly enjoyed Lab Rat due to the amazingness of seeing the Lyoko warriors in real life! In 2D Lyoko form that is, we'll get to Evolution later. It was awesome idea for the writers to put this concept into the show, things are really heating up now. (Why are the final seasons of shows, most of them I should say, get so damn good towards the end?) I loved the animation and the idea of traveling to different Replicas and labs to destroy supercomputer's within that region. William Returns is also a good one because first, we see that William is not actually dead, but he's still very much under Xana's control. Congrats to Xana for making it look like William had actually returned to Earth. Second place: This one contains three silver spots on my podium! They are, The Lake, Wrong Exposure, and Music Soothes The Savage Beast. I'm not even sure why The Lake is one of my favorites. It just is. Maybe because I like the idea of the hereoes actually getting a good break for once. Trying to live a wholesome life for once. Also now that William is a threat, things get even more interesting. We also get this interesting scene of Yumi trying to talk to William to make him understand, and he comes back for a second, but only a second. Despite the cliche, "I know you're in there somewhere you just have to fight", it is actually pretty emotional. We see William actually trying to break through. So good job here. Mrs. Hertz being knocked out and Jim almost giving her CPR, or PCR as some of the other students called it, and Mrs. Hertz wakes up and threatens to hurt Jim where the sun doesn't shine if he does. Wrong Exposure earns its silver medal for Aelita finally finding out some more information about her past. I like how the characters handled the principals suspicion about Aelita after Sissi finds out some information about her past. After all, Aelita was 12 when she entered the supercomputer, and being in a virtual world stops the aging process. So I guess this is why time travel has the same effect on a person as well, because it's basically the same as being in another dimension? Is this why Jack never aged for 50 years in Aku's ruling timeline? (I just made a Samurai Jack reference in case somebody reading doesn't know.) This episode almost made it to first place spot, but something was just missing. The Aelita and Ulrich fight sequence was awesome and epic. So we a silver-rated episode, but a gold-rated fight sequence. Then, after the fight is over, we get some sweet moments of Ulrich nudging Aelita towards the tower so she can deactivate it. What a nice episode, what an awesome fight though! And then we have Music Soothes the Savage Beast! Aelita, my girl, is finally shining with the Subdigitals and achieving her dream of playing her remix's on the board. But I am very disappointed with Jeremy in this episode. Yes Jeremy, we all know how strong and powerful Xana has become and what he's up to, but just let Aelita be Aelita! Let her have some fun! Go watch her performance! She spent 10 years of her life trapped in a virtual world with no one to help her, and her earlier years were spent dealing with the fact she had her mother snatched away from her when she was 5 years old! Oh, and let's forget her own father, a second-grade magician as she calls him is the one responsible for all this! Repeating the same day every day for 7 years drove him mentally insane! Come on Jeremy! But I love this episode, because I personally think it shows that Aelita has come a long way. Third place: Skidbladnir and Fight To The Finish earn the bronze medal. I chose Skidbladnir because it was very interesting to see a virtual ship that will carry our heroes through the internet and to the replica's via the digital sea. While this episode was good because of the new ship, there didn't really seem to be much that followed the episode after, other than William's massive attack on the ship and the attack on the real world as well. Fight To The Finish leaves us with a satisfying yet sad end. Xana is finally destroyed, but at the cost of Franz Hopper's life so that he could supply Aelita the power she needed to launch the program that would wipe out Xana. Even though this is the end, there's still one episode left called Echoes, which is basically a filler episode of the heroes thinking back on all the moments of their adventure. I like this episode, but it's sad. How much more can poor Aelita take? It is satisfying to see Xana dead and gone however. I really wish Aelita could have had her dad back though. I haven't seen Evolution yet, even though it's been out for a couple of years, so I don't know if Aelita gets her mother back. Honorable mention: I'd Rather Not Talk About It(4th place), Crash Course(5th place), Maiden Voyage(6th place), Hot Shower(7th place), Lost At Sea(8th place), Distant Memory(9th place), Canine Coundrum(10th place)

[igglybuffliveblogs]

0:48 Water Tribe? WATER TRIBE? Of course my laptop dies right before the episode we get to the North Pole. Bato is the waterbender who's gonna teach Aang I guess? 1:02 Ayy I missed you guys. But I think you all know who I miss more. 1:04 A whale's tooth? Also where's all the snow in the background? I thought we were in the North Pole dammit 1:09 Wait? Are we gonna learn about the part of Sokka and Katara's tribe that went to the Earth Kingdom? 1:22 Ayyy it's Katara. Still waiting for you know who though so I can make my reaction to seeing him again in Bold 1:25 RIP Half of the South Pole Water Tribe 1:29 Yup Fire Nation killed them all. Can we see a dead water tribe person now? 1:33 I like how you're being optimistic about this Sokka but like didn't the Fire Nation raid your tribe once? Than again we can't really tell who won until we see like a dead body or something. 1:44 (Wood in the background) Uhh.. 1:49 Have no idea if that's a Fire Nation or Water Tribe ship. If it's a Water Tribe ship I assume this Bato person is the only survivor. 1:52 Oh okay so it is a Water Tribe boat. Let's go see how this Bato person looks like shall we? Well you probably already know how he/she looks like so... Let's me see how this Bato person looks like shall I? 1:58 Dammit this show has tricked me like 4 times about the North Pole with their titles. 2:00

YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!

AND HE'S DRINKING TEA TOO

2:15

Who the fuck are you supposed to be? Bato?

2:26

Okay using the Avatar animal logic we have a hybrid consisting of a Giant rideable Dog and a... uhh.. Seriously what the fuck is up with that nose.

2:34

Dog and Scorpion hybrid? What's next? A bear and a bee? terrible jokes aside, a Dog and Scorpion hybrid seems pretty creative.

2:49

Sheersku? Is that how you spell it?

3:08

Bato about to ruin Sokka's pointing fire with a stick party

3:08

Oh shit more flashbacks

3:23

How old is Sokka in that scene? He's chubbier than usual.

3:46

So uhh was that his dad?

3:49

Sup Bato was waiting for you to show up evantually.

3:51

UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH What.

3:59

I still have 0 clue if Bato is their dad..

4:05

Never mind, questions were answered immediately for once.

4:09

So why the fuck are you chilling here in the West? Or NorthWest? Or SouthWest if Aang and crew are that slow.

4:16

Inside? inb4 is that's piece of wood from a while ago.

(Screenshot of Wood from 1:44)

Yeah that one

4:18

Good Job leaving the fire. Also where's Momo? He was probably sleeping in the background but I'm too lazy to go back and check

4:34

B-but they didn't tell him he was the Avatar..

4:42

oh there you are Momo

4:56

Papa Arrow about to kill a guy

5:00

Dammit now I wanna see their dad just to see how close Sokka acts like him

5:13

Look on the bright side Aang. Now Momo can feel superior in front of a bear.

5:14

Or not.

5:40

So this episode is gonna involve Aang getting rejected than?

5:49

I know that feeling kid..

5:52

B-but you guys did too... Like uhh let's see Sokka's instincts I guess? How Aang made up a random legend to resolve a conflict.. oh wait that was bullshit not hilarious

6:02

Good to know I'm not the only one who does random shit behind my friends while they talk about something I know nothing about.

6:22

Wtf is Ryu doing in Avatar?

6:38

Uncle Lazy? More like BEST FUCKING UNCLE USED TO BE A GENERAL BUT NOW HELPS ZUKO THE BANISHED PRINCE WITH HIS JOURNEY TO GET THE AVATAR AND IS VOICED BY THE LEGENDARY MAKO FOR LIKE HALF OF THE SERIES WHERE HE GETS REPLACED BY THE SAME DUDE WHO REPLACED AKU IN SAMURAI JACK SEASON 5 AND IS THE BROTHER OF FIRE LORD OZAI IROH

[destiny-smasher]

Curious to see where this season of TWD ends. Tonight's episode recurs a cycle the protagonists keep going through.

Good episode, can't help but feel like the Eugene/Sasha thing was like a foil of sorts to the overarcing thread of the season. Same deal with Maggie and whats-his-name, too. But yea, like...how do they mix up this theme THIS time...?

Because we've already been down the "you either turn bad or turn dead in this world" sorta thread a few times.

I guess the twist with this season is basically the dynamic of there being multiple communities involved, can't all conglomerate, so...-

Overall arc of the series: Individual vs Individual > Individual vs Group > Group vs Group > Group vs Community > Community vs Community > ???

Based on what I know of the comics, I'm...assuming this arc leads to that progression being tossed aside, or flipped on its head. But then that makes me wonder where there is left to go with things in terms of the big picture.

Because they've already thoroughly explored Self vs Group Self vs Self etc All those sorts of internal kind of deals, from different angles.

Just thinking out loud at this point. Guess I'm just a little baffled there's still no end in sight, makes me feel antsy.

The show has its slower points and drags things out but in general the quality of writing has improved, I'd say, as it goes on. Not to say it hasn't made some bad decisions, but it's impossible to have ANYTHING last this long without some duds in the mix.

It's just nice when a larger, big budget show like this has, you know, a projected ending. A climax that it's building toward.

Breaking Bad's was apparent from season 1, and it spends its whole last season squeezing the delicious juice from that conflict, satisfying.

Game of Thrones' direction grows clearer with each season, like a fog being lifted -- we know an end is on the horizon. Feels good.

TWD has done a good job balancing source material with just...better writing decisions, more interesting. But where's it leading toward?

Without that ending on the horizon, without that final climax in mind, I can't help but worry for where it will end up.

You can't just keep things going on this kind of budget just to see how long you can milk it. Stories need conclusions to feel satisfying.

Fear the Walking Dead has its good elements, despite the bad press. But the press is bad because that show was too soon.

FINISH what you start, give your audience the satisfaction of resolution after a long journey...or at least show an end on the horizon.

THEN you start a new story. Could be entirely new. Could be a new story in the same universe.

See: Legend of Korra Better Call Saul

Genndy Tartakovsky could prolly be working on some new fancy thing if he wanted but he KNOWS Samurai Jack needs an ending.

Endings of stories aren't and shouldn't be the end-all be-all, no, but if you story doesn't build toward an ending, it will sour things.

I guess this is all to say I'm just annoyed because I love so much of what TWD does and it pisses me of to feel like it's just gonna die a slow death as its ratings dwindle because it didn't know where it was going?

I could be wrong, of course, but I worry for this story. Feels weird that at Season 7, it doesn't have a palpable ending in sight, thematically.

Oh, and I WAS thinking of live action, big budget dramas, BUT part of ATLA's strength is its solid stance on its overall story arc.

Beginning. Middle. End.

Boom.

It’s just baffling to see such a big series seem to be lacking this structure.