Note, I used the *Image Overload* Tag with strict emphasis in mind. Finished Guitar Hero on Medium, 5 Starred everything, gotta get back to working on Hard. Then 5 Starring those, and then we'll be into the real difficulty of the game. About that time I figure I'll get sick of even the songs that I like and be forced to get Guitar Hero 1 to keep things interesting. Course, by my current pacing that'll be like mid-June before I've gotten that far.
Anyone wanting to point out that the above pictures (Rider, kinda a grainy scan, and the original, chokers ftw) are actually girls playing Bass can take a seat and a number, not that I'm going to heed any of it -- I prefer Bass anyways.
Back when Christmas rolled around I pondered awhile on asking for a few DVDs of a Cartoon/TV/Anime nature and thusly spent awhile deciding what would actually be worth having in a repeatable format. Obviously it had to be something that I thoroughly enjoyed, probably comedic in nature. David's copy of The Critic is a prime example of a solid decision, that show was so amusing and quotable ("Buy my Book" and "Penguins can't fly!" as primely recoignizable examples). My revised shortlist ended up reaching the following conclusion.
* Pick 1: Teen Titans. Probably the weakest pick on the list, but the show appeals to me despite everything that it's frequently knocked for. The half-adopted anime-mannerisms and style aren't detractions. The show covers some really amusing and rather endearing concepts and does so without resorting to inelegant bloodbaths. Not every episode is a winner but Robin vs Slade fights and anything involving Raven's past are pretty much guaranteed wins.
Anyone wanting to point out that the above pictures (Rider, kinda a grainy scan, and the original, chokers ftw) are actually girls playing Bass can take a seat and a number, not that I'm going to heed any of it -- I prefer Bass anyways.
Back when Christmas rolled around I pondered awhile on asking for a few DVDs of a Cartoon/TV/Anime nature and thusly spent awhile deciding what would actually be worth having in a repeatable format. Obviously it had to be something that I thoroughly enjoyed, probably comedic in nature. David's copy of The Critic is a prime example of a solid decision, that show was so amusing and quotable ("Buy my Book" and "Penguins can't fly!" as primely recoignizable examples). My revised shortlist ended up reaching the following conclusion.
* Pick 1: Teen Titans. Probably the weakest pick on the list, but the show appeals to me despite everything that it's frequently knocked for. The half-adopted anime-mannerisms and style aren't detractions. The show covers some really amusing and rather endearing concepts and does so without resorting to inelegant bloodbaths. Not every episode is a winner but Robin vs Slade fights and anything involving Raven's past are pretty much guaranteed wins.
*Pick 2: Naruto
Okay, so maybe that was totally an excuse to use that image, only not really. Naruto really appeals to me on both the viewer and the group level. Now everyone gives me the strange look about the latter, so let me explain. There's anime that's great to watch, and then there's anime that's great to watch with someone else. I mean, I'm enjoying Welcome to the N.H.K. but it's not the sort of anime you'd bring out to watch as a group, it's not that style. Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about the perverse level to the show (I'm not that far actually) but the complexity, it's the sort of thing you want to flip back through, and have sole control over.I mean, sure, Naruto just fill the generic shounen slot on the watch list, but it's the creme of shounen shows that I have access to. What else is there with that level of battles and relationship interplay? DragonBall-Anything is purely around for mockeries sake, at least as far as I'm concerned, and while Bleach is out, there isn't enough of it yet to really be a contender. I mean, they're not in Soul Society, which, truth be told is all I care about. You have to get Ishida out of the picture in Bleach for me, I just don't like his early introduction or anything in the middle range. It's not until they drop the doilies and the dead mentor/grandfather that I can even begin to appreciate the fact that he's a dead-eye fighter. Same with Chad, but at least they cut the crap quickly with him. Before I totally sidetrack myself, I'd just like to say that Renji's English VA does not fit at all though the attitude is right... ... ... and for the same reason, I'm waiting eagerly for Ichimaru Gin's first arrival.
Back on track, Naruto is aimed right at the mid-adolescent range (some sexual appeal, some violence without going heavy on either and no language) but it doesn't do anything to alienate those outside the range, the US-side editing is light enough not to be troublesome, and its got eye candy for both genders. Sure there's a few nuances, like why the hell they chose Frogs, but they make that work. It's great writing, lots of intrigue, and ninjas, everyone loves ninjas.
Really, I think One Piece could've done this if it hadn't been toned down to kiddy level and butchered so.
See what I mean? Total bad-ass-ness. (Yeah, I realize that's just fan art, but it's cool anyways, and One Piece definately had the potential to be). 4Kids should've had faith in the power of the original to gather a fanbase, instead of trying to force it through edits.* Pick 3: Invader Zim
No brainer really. Zim is awesomeness, mostly in the for of Dib and Gir, but awesomeness nonetheless. J.Vasquez is a brilliant, if twisted, mind and Zim manages to do everything amusing without falling into the overly-disgusting-images/concepts pitfall that brought down Ren & Stimpy, Rocko's Modern Life, and other similar shows.
The Doom Song, Taquitos, the Jolly Boots of Doom, and Gir's cupcake being prime examples of Invader Zim's level of humor, it's definately something I could see myself buying on DVD.
*Pick 4: Avatar
"Wait, you can use your bending?!"
"Sure, they didn't cover my face"
"Why didn't you do that earlier"
"Gin."
"Gin?"
"You know about Gin right?"
"Sure. There's two kinds of Gin: Positive Gin from attacking and Negative Gin when you're defending."
"And Neutral Gin."
"Neutral Gin?"
"When you do nothing and wait for the right moment."
"So there's 3 kinds of Gin?"
"Actually there's 85, but lets just focus on the third."
The frequency with which Avatar: The Last Airbender can get me to laugh is pretty astounding. The show has all the magic that Naruto possess without actually coming from overseas. The groundwork rules that the powers in the show exist within were laid back at the beginning and the creativity they use within those parameters is remarkable and amusing. Avatar is bloodless but still not friendly, themes of Hatred and Revenge are fairly common. The show has likeable and visually appealing characters and the battles are bright and creative. Plus, the dialog not only rocks, but started in English and thus didn't lose any of it's jokes to translation (some things just can't cross the language barrier).
Honorable mention to Firefly.
