#especially considering sonic has a Lot of American influence and American developers it’s just like

[proudfreakmetarusonikku]

Sonic Adventure 2 is so funny bc like it’s so Incredibly Obvious it came out in July 2001 and I don’t mean the jank of it I mean that like every five seconds in a cutscene you’re reminded it came out like two months before 9/11 like. if you don’t know how much the entertainment industry (in particular the gaming industry) worldwide was impacted by 9/11 it’s an incredibly interesting thing to read about like this isn’t me being america-centric I’m Not American I am just fascinated with the censorship and changes games recieved after the September Eleventh attacks and the fact Sonic Adventure 2 received None Of It makes it really funny after you’ve looked into that. Like, you literally Play As The Guys Who Commit A Terrorist Act like everyone knows the scene from I'm Pissing On The Moon and that’s hilarious but the original scene is fucking great in its own right bc like. It's so pre-9/11 okay. There’s weapons of mass destruction and I’m pretty sure they’re directly called that by name at one point. The government is portrayed as corrupt and horrible and cops are the bad guys. Like children's media and video games specifically were impacted a Lot by post 9/11 worldwide trauma and like understandable again like, kids Everywhere In The World saw people die in front of them that’s traumatic for any kid to watch even on TV it’s very understandable that stuff reminiscent to that was pretty heavily shied away from for a few years after but it makes Sonic Adventure 2 Not Doing That intensely funny.

[angelosearch]

Overthinking "Eyes on Me" and it's 3 AM and here is my crackpot theory with cited sources:

In an interview with Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy VIII’s composer, in the 2005 Ultimania Omega, Uematsu says Celine Dion was considered for the Final Fantasy VIII theme, “Eyes on Me” (GameFAQs). This fact has been rolling around in my head since I learned it a few weeks ago. I started to listening to “Eyes on Me” with fresh ears. Sure, I thought, I could imagine Celine Dion singing this. It would be great.

Tonight, I was listening to Celine Dion (to be completely transparent, stoned) and “Eyes on Me” doesn’t just sound like something Celine would sing. It is a Celine song. Sonically, it sounds a lot like “My Heart Will go On” (1997) – especially the opening of both songs. Listen to them back-to-back.

Also similar in sound is “Beauty and the Beast” (1991).

I wish I knew more about music theory to explain what else sounds similar about these songs. But anyway.

It’s not just that these songs are sonically similar to “Eyes on Me.” The vibe is the same. The love stories, especially the ones told on her “most critically and commercially successful album” Falling Into You (1996), have the same intensity and drama as Squall and Rinoa’s love story (Wikipedia).

And isn’t that what Final Fantasy VIII (1999) is all about, an epic love story? Look at the logo. It’s literally Squall and Rinoa holding each other. The other Final Fantasy logos are not like that.

Celine is at the top of her career in the mid-to-late 90s. She is internationally known as the “Queen of the Power Ballad” (MTV). She tours in Japan in 1998 on her “Let’s Talk about Love” tour (that’s the album my “My Heart Will Go On” is on) and her tickets sell out in a day (Wikipedia).

And this videogame, where the love story is the focus, has the special opportunity of being the first Final Fantasy with a full-length live-recorded vocal track, something Squaresoft had been wanting to do for years (finalfantasy.fandom.com). This is a moment that needs to blow people’s mind.

Celine Dion would be the perfect choice for this song, from a marketing perspective. I believe she was a strong contender for the performance, and, honestly, I think they tried to get her but couldn’t.

Why do I believe they shot their shot with her and failed? Okay, this is where I go full conspiracy theory.

Because the song was such an integral part of the game, the developers wanted Julia to share similarities with the actual singer of the song. This is why, in the final game, Julia was animated to look like Faye Wong (finalfantasy.fandom.com).

But it turns out Julia has some things in common with Celine Dion. Celine started her career singing in a piano bar. Like Julia, she became an instant success with her public debut. Celine first got famous singing in French, and while I know she is French-Canadian, I find it interesting that Galbadia has a lot of French symbolism. Deling City, where Julia performs, has the Arc de Triomphe after all (finalfantasy.fandom.com).

Those are the strongest comparisons. But also, for your consideration:

The first song that she recorded ("Ce n'était qu'un rêve" which translates as "It Was Only a Dream" or "Nothing But A Dream" – also Final Fantasy VIIIish title) was sent to René Angélil who first became her manager, and, later, her lover. He was 26 years her senior. To me, this has a lot of tonal similarities to Julia/Carraway’s relationship.

Does anyone else think this red cut-out Versace gown at the American Music Awards in 1993 kinda looks like Julia’s dress? Even if not, look through Celine Dion’s outfits from the 90s. This is the kind of thing she would have worn, and also red seems to be her color (BAZAAR).

Final Fantasy VIII also SEEMS like it was heavily influenced by “My Heart Will Go On” and/or Titanic in general. I think there’s a reason there are dozens of “My Heart Will Go On” Final Fantasy VIII AMVs on YouTube – The song fits the game perfectly. Have you SEEN the official music video for this song? I don’t know, I see lots of parallels.  

Some of the most romantic scenes in Final Fantasy VIII either take place on a balcony or in view of the ocean, just like in Titanic. Titanic has a dance scene too, though I cannot speak to how similar these are. This seems too outlandish to be relevant but I am going to throw it out there: River Phoenix, who Squall’s facial features were based on (Wikipedia), was considered for the role of Jack in Titanic (IMDb). Maybe the developers wanted a “Jack” of their own.

And DO NOT GET ME STARTED on the Final Fantasy VIII/Beauty and the Beast parallels. I’m just going to link to these gif sets: [x] [x]

And then in FREAKING 2007 Celine Dion comes out with, GET THIS, “Eyes on Me.” But it’s a completely different song. So if you Google “Celine Dion Eyes on Me,” you can’t find anything about them considering Celine for the videogame theme under all the other search results. CELINE WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?!

So here is my stupid conspiracy: I think the game was written, at least in part, as a love letter to Celine Dion in an attempt to do anything to get her to sing for them. I am pretty sure videogames did not have big artists featured at the time, and she was literally the artist of that moment. It would not be easy to convince her to work with them, so they put in Celine easter eggs to try and get her to agree. Because imagine how much bigger Final Fantasy VIII could have been if they could say Celine Dion was attached to it? Hell, I am pretty sure my mom would have played it if that was the case.

I know that the story is that they went through CDs and Faye Wong was the top choice—and don’t get me wrong, she did a great job, and she still made the song super famous—But I just think this is A LOT OF PARALELLS to just ignore.

All I am saying is, what the fuck is Final Fantasy VIII about if not “The Power of Love”?

Thank you for coming to my TedTalk.

[onestowatch]

Nilo Blues Pays Homage to Cult Anime Film Akira in “Akira Harakiri” [Premiere + Q&A]

Photo: Frank Lin

The city of Toronto never ceases to amaze us. What can arguably be considered the epicenter for a new wave of hip-hop, Toronto has become notorious for generating underground sensation after sensation. Through their cultivation of hypnotic and innovative soundscapes, to their impeccable flows and lyricism, Toronto has solidified an extensive roster of industry frontrunners, and Nilo Blues is proving to be the newest addition to the team.

Despite being a self-proclaimed poster child for Generation Z, the 21-year-old is anything but ordinary. Growing up in the Toronto art scene, Blues encompasses what it means to be a multi-hyphenate creative, utilizing his talents as a singer, rapper, dancer, and producer to tell stories that grapple with his Asian identity within the context of western society. 

His debut single, “No Risk Involved,” is an intrepid statement on Asian cultural identity and showcases how Blues’ struggle to live and create beyond rigid stereotypes has ultimately fueled him to pave his own way, in music and life. His nuanced and complex approach to the modern trap soundscape mirrors that of his own evolution and understanding of his own personal identity. Woven within his uncompromisingly honest storytelling and conviction lies the infectious hooks, melodic arrangements, and unsparing production of a true, multi-hyphenate artist. And despite “No Risk Involved” being the official introduction to his discography, we’re here to tell you that it’s just the tip of the iceberg for Blues.

As we patiently await his debut EP, set to release this summer, Blues gives us a peek at what’s to come with his most recent drop, “Akira Harakiri.” Explosive and audacious, this track has the power to cause havoc to the silencers of a corrupted system. Compiled within roaring trap-laden beats and terse hip-hop rhythms, Blues’ adroit vocals and dynamic fluidity convey a sense of fervor, all while challenging the status quo of Asian representation within American culture. 

“Akira Harakiri” pays homage to the anime that Blues grew up with, most notably the raw tenacity of Akira and the thriving energy of Dragonball Z, which influenced its sonic foundation and cinematic execution. In an effort to gain a more comprehensive understanding of his artistry, we spoke with Blues about his position in the current Toronto-trap soundscape and what motivates him to create breakout tracks like “No Risk Involved” and “Akira Harakiri.”    

Ones To Watch: It seems like dancing used to be a significant part of your life before music. What sparked your transition?

Nilo Blues: Growing up I was surrounded by music, whether it be at home or in the dance studio. I always had this natural appreciation for music grow in me because of all the different sounds I was surrounded by. I remember having 10-hour dance rehearsal days and then coming home to record photo booth videos of me and my best friend spitting melodies and lyrics over beats we found. I started producing at 16 when I discovered the iMaschine app for iPhone. I would spend hours trying to cook up beats until one day I decided to learn Ableton Live. My mentor cracked it on my laptop and started showing me the ropes, instantly I was hooked. My musical journey honestly started out from me just wanting to make music I could dance to. I owe a lot of myself to dance. 100%.

Has being a dancer influenced your creative process at all?

Dance has influenced me creatively in many different aspects of the process. Growing up as a dancer, you immediately instill a high level of discipline and work ethic as a young child. We were training like athletes and expressing like actors. It shaped the way I hear music (especially my own), it developed my approach on execution and staying on my P’s and Q’s, and it allows me to perform and add a visual component to the sonics. I grew up admiring Michael Jackson, James Brown, JT, Usher and now Bruno Mars. They all hold all aspects of their art to such a high standard. I’m trying to set that exact same standard and quality, through my own vernacular.

Growing up in what can be considered as the epicenter of Canadian hip-hop, do you think Toronto, and the artists that have put it on the map, have influenced your sound at all?

I started learning how to make music right when the 2015-2016 Toronto rap boom happened, so definitely. I feel like Toronto artists collectively do such an amazing job at emulating the vibe of Toronto. At a time where Toronto was only synonymous with Drake (the GOAT), The Weeknd, and PND, Toronto artists really stepped up to the plate and let the world hear the type of shit we’re on. It's super inspiring, and I just want to keep pushing the envelope. I’m trying to land where no one has before, and make my mark in everything I set my mind to. I’m hungry and I want to get great shit done. I thank Toronto and the lively music scene in the city for sparking that.

Your first single “No Risk Involved” highlights the misrepresentation of Asian identity in mainstream culture. Why was it so important for you to create your own narrative and debunk westernized versions of Asian culture and identity?

My family was the main inspiration for wanting to evoke that conversation. Western media loves to exploit the great ideas from different cultures without ever giving credit to the cultures that cultivated them to begin with. They perpetuate false narratives and generalize us in order to keep control. I’ve seen what my family has gone through in order to even be here. My mom is Filipino, and my dad is Viet-Chin, so I’ve had my fair share of perspectives at a young age. One thing I can guarantee is that Asians aren’t as one-dimensional as the media portrays us to be. It’s about genuinely telling our stories, and being able to control the narrative in the world we share with the culture.

How was it filming the “No Risk Involved” video? Did you have a vision for how you wanted it to look?

It was amazing. I definitely felt back in my element while performing on-screen. The positive energy and hard work by everyone on set was the difference-maker. I feel like that energy shines through the video. I’m so grateful to have had such an amazing cast and crew, they fucking killed it. As for the concept, NRI was one of the very first concepts I started developing with my team. Had my first meeting with Angelica Milash, the director of the video, and everything clicked. The inspiration was drawn from aesthetics you’d see in legendary Hong Kong movies like Young & Dangerous. We also based the female looks on different characters from movies that included Asian characters with exaggerated Asian female stereotypes.

You once tweeted “I love good music but when an artist can pull off a great visual it tells you a lot about that artist.” Do you think it’s important for artists to be active creative directors in the videos they come out with?

Personally, I love dipping my fingers in every pot when it comes to my creative direction. I believe it takes a strong team in order to create beautiful shit, and, as the artist, I want to lead the team to victory. If one of us wins, we all win. Being active as a leader is what’s important. Sharing ideas, and building with the people around you. That’s how the best ideas shine through. You just gotta be a leader with this shit. Take control of your vision and work together to execute. If you aren’t paying attention to every aspect of your craft, you’re only going to see one perspective. At the end of the day, no one will execute your own ideas better than yourself. We all have that capability.

Your newest single “Akira Harakiri” is inspired by the 1988 cult cyberpunk film Akira. How did this iconic anime influence your lyrical and production process?

I wanted the essence of the track to emulate the same essence of the movie. The production was what sparked the idea. Colin Munroe was working on the beat while we bounced ideas around and I instantly felt the beat belonged in an anime. Akira was an automatic click. This song is supposed to feel like a song The Capsules gang would bump around Neo-Tokyo. I loved the dynamic between Kaneda and Tetsuo in the film, and wanted to combine the charisma and poise of Kaneda with the maniacal energy of Tetsuo. That’s also something I want to tap into on the visual component as well. This song is an homage to a visual masterpiece, as well as an iconic moment in film and culture.

What are some of your favorite anime films?

I grew up watching anime on TV like Dragonball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokémon, Digimon. As I grew older, I wasn’t exposed to as much as before, but I rediscovered my love for it in high school when I binge-watched Death Note twice in succession. Now I’m trying to watch as much as possible. I feel like I have so much to catch up on lol.

What are some of your goals for 2020? Both as an artist and as a human being?

I want to work on killing the urge of having a cigarette or vaping again. I quit at the end of 2019, and started working out four times a day with my trainer. I’m trying to stay consistent in doing my laundry but that shit fucking sucks. I'm trying to meditate more, as I’ve recently picked up on transcendental meditation and want to keep consistent. Other than that I wanna keep dropping cool shit and repping what I know best. I wanna keep pushing myself to my limits and keep evolving. I hope people find strength in my music and I want to evoke new thought and conversation.

What can we expect to hear more of in your future projects?

More genuine energy. You’ll definitely be able to feel exactly how I felt when creating the music, from the growing pains to the gratitude. More singing too. You’ll be able to identify the spectrum of my sound, and how dynamic it is.

Who are your Ones to Watch?

I’ve been on my hip-hop shit as of late, so I’ve been bumping a lot of Kaash Paige, Fivio Foreign, The Kid LAROI and shit. Deb Never is an artist that I've been wanting to work with personally. Out of Toronto, definitely keep your eye out for Stefani Kimber. One of the most talented artists I’ve ever heard and a great human being. She’s definitely one of my top Ones to Watch artists.

[blues-and-roll]

Black Label Society - Bored To Tears (Official Video)

Zakk Wylde can be considered one of the most successful guitarists of his generation, accumulating several titles and prizes, becoming the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the election of the American Guitar World magazine. In 2005 he was also chosen as "Best Metal Guitarist", and also received the prizes of "Riff Lord" and "Golden God" of the English magazine Metal Hammer.

Over the years, Zakk Wylde has developed several highly regarded side projects, such as the Book of Shadows acoustic album and the Southern Rock Pride & Glory self-titled album coLive at Budokan) and in 2002 he recorded his own with Black Label Society (Boozed, Broozed and Broken Boned) in a memorable performance at Harpo's in Detroit, where along with the great public present managed to one night to end the entire stock of drinks from the house of shows during the filming. It was the first time in the history of Harpo's Concert Hall that this happened.

Zakk has also made some TV appearances, such as the comedy series "Crapsntando also with special appearances in several works of other bands, like the début of the Damageplan (guest vocalist) and the album of Derek Sherinian," Black Utopia ", next scored by Yngwie Malmsteen.

Zakk Wylde also appeared on some DVDs with Ozzy Osbourne (Live and Loud / hoot) with Jim Breuer, and starred in the Hollywood film industry as "Ghode," the lead guitarist for Steel Dragon, which had been created especially for the occasion, being responsible for the soundtrack of the film, still in its formation no less than the musicians Jason Bonham (UFO, drums) in the paper of "AC", Jeff Pilson (Dokken, down) in the role of "Jörgen", Jeff Scott Soto (Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, vocals) performing vocals for actor Mark Wahlberg and actor Dominic West as guitarist "Kirk Cuddy." The film also features other well-known figures such as Nick Catanese (Black Label Society, guitar) in the role of guitarist "Xander Cummins", from the fictional band Blood Pollution.

Zakk is married to his former girlfriend since the age of 16, Barbaranne, with whom he has four children. Hayley-Rae, 14, Jesse John Michael, 13, Hendrix Halen Michael Rhoads, 4, and Sabbath Page, born in 2012 ("homage" to Jimi Hendrix, John Michael Osbourne and his band Black Sabbath, Eddie Van Halen, Mike Piazza, Randy Rhoads, and Jimmy Page). He was a very close friend of the late guitarist Dimebag Darrell since 1993, even getting to receive guitars from each other in mutual admiration as partners in the song. Dimebag had presented Zakk with an exclusive Dean Custom guitar displaying the painting in the "Bulls-eye" design, a trademark of Zakk's guitars, shortly before his death. Wylde decided to dedicate the song "In This River" to his friend, citing that although the song was not originally made for that purpose, the lyrics would be appropriate for the situation. Wylde has offered the song "In this River" to Dimebag at every performance of it at his shows.

Zakk began to get serious about guitar lessons when he was 15, while working at Silverton Music, a music store in Silverton, New Jersey. He practiced with his guitar daily for about 12 hours, which ended up harming his studies, since he was always falling asleep during classes in high school. It did not take long and began to play in his first band, called Stone Henge and later integrated the local band Zyris. At age 19 and practically unknown, Zakk Wylde made his big step to fame by getting the disputed wave of guitarist in the band of Ozzy Osbourne, also assuming the function of co-author.

Zakk had entered to replace the excellent guitarist Jake E. Lee, who in turn was the substitute of legendary Randy Rhoads, who had died at the age of 25 in a tragic and unfortunate air crash on March 19, 1982. Rhoads is considered as a true idol for Zakk Wylde, who had a kind of altar built in honor of the guitarist who inspired him so much.

There are several stories about how Zakk landed Ozzy's band. One of the most known is reported as follows:

Zakk's girlfriend at the time, Barbaranne (Today's Woman), had heard on Howard Stern's radio program that Ozzy was looking for a new guitarist and sent a demo tape. Ozzy rejected the tape as well as thousands of others, saying they were "just another clone of Randy Rhoads." But a few weeks later Ozzy's drummer told him that he had discovered a great guitarist from New Jersey and then Ozzy agreed to call him for an audition. It was obviously Zakk Wylde himself. Ozzy recognized him on the demo tape and then hired him.

Ozzy saw a lot of promising guitarists pass him after Jake E. Lee left. From the day of his predestined audition, Zakk remembers being hired right away even before he started playing while still tuning his guitar. sources] Zakk was admitted to the Ozzy solo band in 1987 and his first appearance was on the album No Rest for the Wicked of 1988. It is rumored that the first live performance with Ozzy would have taken place in a penitentiary.

Two more successful albums followed (Just Say Ozzy (1990) and No More Tears (1991)) getting huge repercussions in the media. But in 1992, after the No More Tears album tour, Zakk eventually left Ozzy's band and started to focus on the side projects he had been developing, releasing the self-titled album from the excellent band Pride & Glory a powerful Southern Rock sound, loaded with Blueseiras levadas with Heavy Metal. There are those who consider this album the cornerstone for the emergence of the Black Label Society.

In 1994 Zakk returned to work with Ozzy and the numerous sessions of recording of the album Ozzmosis begin. In that same time, Zakk was being probed to integrate the Guns N 'Roses, arriving to make some Jams with Axl Rose. But the lack of an agreement between Zakk's attorneys and Guns N 'Roses, who faced a complicated lawsuit after the departure of the original members, made Zakk's entry into Axl's band never happen. With plenty of time on the agenda, Zakk composed and released in 1996 the acclaimed acoustic album Book Of Shadows, considered by many to be the best of his career.

Parallel to Ozzy's albums in which he participated next, Zakk began to come up with ideas for a solo project to create his own Heavy Metal band, modeled after Black Sabbath. In 1998, in partnership with Phil Ondich (drums), Zakk founded the band Hell's Kitchen, later renamed the Black Label Society, and in 1999 released Sonic Brew, their first album with the new band, assuming their vocation for the post. frontman Zakk Wylde's solo career began to grow, then releasing another studio album and one live at the head of the BLS.

In 2001 Ozzy released the album Down To Earth, in which Zakk ended up not participating in the composition of any of the tracks. In fact Zakk already had a whole set of songs ready to put in the album of Ozzy but this rejected them, saying that "sounded very Black Label". The songs that were then rejected by Ozzy were all used by Wylde on the 1919 album Eternal, which curiously ended up becoming one of the Black Label Society's best albums, releasing several hits such as Bleed For Me, Demise Of Sanity, Bridge To Cross and Graveyard Disciples.

On January 17, 2006, Zakk Wylde was immortalized at the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame, located at 7425 Sunset Boulevard, leaving his hands and signature on the pavement of fame in recognition of his victorious career as a musician and their contribution to the music industry. The ceremony was attended by several rock stars.

Zakk Wylde's playing style is generally characterized by pinch harmonics and his technique in soils is based on the use of the Small Pentatonic Scale with box-pattern fast Licks using strict alternating picking, creating an attack with a quite distinct footprint when compared to musicians with a more fluid style of playing. Another notable feature of Zakk is the liberal use of chicken picking, a technique generally related to the Country music style being rarely used in Heavy Metal, possibly acquired from musician Albert Lee, one of its influences.

Zakk is known primarily for his preference for the Gibson Les Paul Custom guitars with what would become his trademark, the unique painting with the Bulls-eye design he deliberately adopted so that he could visually differentiate from his idol Randy Rhoads (although he has long used an identical hairstyle), which he usually played with a Les Paul Custom cream.

The "Bulls-eye" painting actually should have looked like the spiral of the movie "Vertigo", but although it came from Luthier incorrectly, Zakk liked the result and decided to keep the guitar anyway. Curiously enough, Zakk also owns a replica of Rhoads Flying V Guitar which he considers to be one of his favorites.

In recognition of his charisma and musical success, Gibson Guitars has launched an entire line of custom guitars by Zakk Wylde, a true certificate of his enormous commercial success. Zakk Gibson Les Paul Custom "Signature" custom models include a guitar with the red and flame-maple Bulls-eye design, a white model aged with the Bulls-eye in black, a "Buzz- saw "orange, and a model" Camo "" Bulls-eye "with the greenish camouflage paint. The "Inlays" of the arms are made of mother of pearl.

Zakk's original guitar was bought in a store (and not custom-made, as one might think), being baptized (according to the tradition of several guitarists) of "The Grail". She was missing for some time when she had been stolen from Zakk on the return of a "Gig" (Tour) in Texas. It even offered a reward to anyone who had any information that could lead Zakk to recover his guitar, since it had a great sentimental value because it was a graduation gift received from his parents. Zakk only regained "The Grail" years later, after a fan got it in a pawnshop and realizing if it was authentic "The Grail" guitar through the serial number present in the "Headstock" and the initials "ZW" recorded on the back of the guitar, contacted the Webmaster of Zakk to get his return.

Despite the news of an audition for the possible hiring of a new guiarist for Ozzy, he went back and decided to keep Zakk integrating his line-up, as was seen in the recent performance of Crazy Train at the UK Music Hall of Fame.

In 2006, Zakk Wylde entered the studio for the recording of the new BLS album, Shot To Hell, which was in the US on July 3. Another great success of Zakk Wylde was the song "Stilborn" considered by many admirers of Zakk Wylde and his songs in the Black Label Society the best of his solo career Zakk also gave important touches on Ozzy Osbourne's songs like "Crazy Train" and many others .

[bluriginals]

Blu Blogs: First Thoughts on OK K.O.!: Let's Be Heroes

So after a long day of highs and lows, I arrive home at around 5:40 pm with little expectation for anything big. I'd already heard about the teaser picture of Metal's leg and how Smash is totally, maybe (stay-tuned-for-more-news-because-this-is-how-Nintendo-rolls), coming to Switch . At best I was expecting the highlight for the new content to be some cute new thing related to NEO-KOSMOS (even though we just got a new update the day prior). But no. We got something big, something unexpected. We got...

STEVEN UNIVERSE: SAVE THE LIGHT (A SEQUEL TO THE 2015 APP ATTACK THE LIGHT) WHICH IS A FULL FLEDGED CONSOLE RPG WITH PAPER MARIO GAMEPLAY, 4 PLAYABLE PARTY MEMEBERS BEYOND THE 4 MAIN CRYSTAL GEMS AND A NEW STORY WRITTEN BY REBECCA SUGAR YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES

But that isn't what we're here for today. Today we're here to talk about the long-awaited show 3+ years in the making: Lakewood Plaza Turb--

Oh.

So I log onto tumblr and the first thing I see is this:

So my eye is immediately drawn to the girl because girls are cute she's in the foreground, and I just don't recognize her. I look at the other characters and think "wait is that rad and k.o. what the HELL is going on". So logically, that means the girl is enid, ergo something is going on relating to Lakewood Plaza Turbo. I read the comment below that said "woooo OK KO! theshow i’ve been boarding on for over a year is finally announced!!!!"

I immediately have SO. MANY. QUESTIONS. Is the series getting another app? More shorts? A game? What's going on?! And as I scroll down the truth comes alll the more clear:

Lakewood Plaza Turbo is finally becoming a show.

REDEMPTIOOON SOOOOOOOONG

But not without some changes (ala Steven U). The artstyle, name of the show, and theme were all changed and just like Steven U my kneejerk reaction was "what the fuuuuck IIIIIIIIIIIIIIS this shit?". And also like Steven U it quickly grew on me and I accepted that this was the righteous path. Well, the artstyle and theme anyway, I'm still a bit iffy on the name. But enough context, let's talk about the show!

ok i lied, more context. so part of what contributed to my kneejerk reaction was the fact that Lakewood Plaza Turbo was in development purgatory for 3 years and in that time we got the app/shorts, but also in that time shows that had been in circulation for less time like We Bare Bears and Magiswords had gotten onto CN without seemingly as much struggle. I'd just given up hope for the series becoming a show and on top of that I'd even begun to lose my liking for the pilot, but then again Early Installment Weirdness is my Achilles heel of Tropes so make of what what you will. So when I saw the show come back in such a different form I was instantly turned off. Just from how it looked I was getting Teen Titans Go! & PPG16 vibes: a loss of the show's soul.

The artstyle looked so rudimentary and basic and the theme/intro wasn't doing it any favors, with its lyrics being very non-infortmative to the premise of the show: all fluff no substances. I had come to really like Lakewood Plaza Turbo's theme because its lyrics just felt as though they encompassed the tone and subject matter of the show: stupid(in a good way)ly-awesome with a video game/anime flare). But this was just....a non-event. And once again, the simplistic artstyle is so lame! Until I began to think of it another way...

Lakewood Plaza Turbo/OK K.O.! are clearly rooted deeply in gaming/anime culture and in some ways the new theme, title, and artstyle reflect this. Starting with the new theme, check out the opening shot of it panning from space all the way down to the plaza and the shot of K.O. staring down Lord Box Man with the opposing sides behind them.

Not only is this shot really badass, but it just REEKS of anime influence! And that extends to the theme! The simplistic subject matter and referenec to being friends/heroes feels very reminiscent of 90's anime with Engrish lyrics that have a very simple, positive vibe. It fits! The subtitle "Let's Be Heroes" also reflects it but I'm not as fond of it. You know it's going to be akin to "Adventure Time with Finn and Jake", "The Amazing World of Gumball, "The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack" and "The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius": extra parts of the title that'll all be abandoned in advertising and common discussion in a year. Regardless, the title/opening grew on me. And the artstyle? Awesome! While initially reluctant I came to realize that Lakewood's artstyle wasn't all that impressive. I never really liked K.O. and Enid's noses so the cute little square Elmo/Stan Pines gumdrop is cute.

Precious.

And in general, Lakewood sort've had a generic 2010s base artstyle. It definitely had defining features such as the eyes, aforementioned noses, and character designs but the colors used along with the thin lines didn't do much to set it apart. The new proportions, radically unique way of drawing things, and scraggly crayon-like lines should help. I initially thought the style was too squishy and inconsistent but not in the good, Ren and Stimpy/Steven Universe way. But after I got addicted to the visuals in the opening, I began to really enjoy the style and see the merits of it. Especially in this shot.

It looks SO cool.

I have no idea what this artstyle resembles but the closest I can attribute it too is Sonic CD/Mega Drive and Mega Man which I LOVE.

Also forgot one thing! Both Mega Drive and OK K.O.! have scraggy outlines

It does wonders for K.O., Carol, Lord Box Man (especially Lord Box Man, the way his mouth is drawn all muppet like gives him a real sense of dimension and it's great),

Perfection.

and the other tertiary/background characters but Enid, Rad, and Mr. Gar...

Umm....

Yeaaaaah. Now granted, that opening shot of them isn't doing many favors since admittedly they look REALLY bad (mostly Enid), but even without it they still look a bit. The simple geometrics really makes Gar and Rad's muscles look not very good due to how, well, simple they are. Enid on the other hand suffers an almost opposite issue—her legs are  sometimes drawn with definition/shape (like with the black and white photo storyboarder's picture from the beginning of the Blog) which makes sense considering she's probably based on Chun-Li. Other times, like the picture just above this paragraph, and this one:

Her legs are basically parallel lines that bend. Even worse is that shot above seems to be from an actual episode, meaning Enid will likely look like that a lot. In general, I think I don't think I'm happy with the new design choices for Enid. Not only is there the leg thing, but her ponytail and bandaged torso from Lakewood were a lot more appealing.

Even so it's not impossible to make any of these design choices look great. Just check out the official poster and you'll see all of them, especially the 3 we've been talking about for the past while look great.

One last thing to note on Rad/Gar/Enid's proportions: The strange Garnet-esque chest proportions on Enid and Rad's shirts despite their lower torsos indicating that there's nothing under said shirts.

Enid is a bit more understandable, as nothing about her lower torso indicates that something should be up there but this man Rad is /shredded/. You should definitely be able to see his biceps leading into the shirt, as made evident by Mr. Gar. These don't necessarily detract from the excitement of the show, but they're worth note and could become problematic if made out to be very obnoxious out of proportion in show.

Two more design changes to note before we wrap up: K.O. has a darker skin tone (which I like) and now has buttface.

Buttface, along with flat simplistic colors and thin lines will go down as the defining aesthetic traits of the 2010s.

And also Rad's antenna have gone from being on the front of his forehead to in the middle of the top of his head, which looks a lot less awkward tbh. Overall good choice.

Despite the many issues it has, the artstyle still looks pretty different from everything else we have atm, and the simple way the characters are drawn should be beneficial as with said simple characters action scenes will be a lot easier to make and thus we'll be able to get higher quality, well-animated fight scenes. Despite the bad initial reaction, I have high hopes for OK K.O. Long as they keep the tone and spirit of Lakewood Plaza Turbo alive we could be looking at the next big show. Oh, and great on Ian for percerviering and becoming the second African American to create a CN original. Can't wait to see the young K.O. rise up to greatness just like his creator.

p.s. for being the defensive teammate, steven's hp sure is garbage in that screenshot of attack the light