December 04, 2019

Give me big, anime eyes

December 04, 2019/ Alanna Larabie

For my final blog, LET’S TALK ABOUT MY EXCESSIVE PIN COLLECTION!

(gets shot.)

FAIR ENOUGH!

Okay…how about I talk about anime for the hundredth time on this blog?

(yay.)

Eh, works for me.

So, to close out this chapter, I’ll talk about my top favourite anime. Just ten. I mean, there’re a lot of anime.

… A lot. And they keep making more.

SO! Here are my top ten favorite anime. Don’t worry, I’ll be quick.

Number 10: My Hero Academia.

I believe I made it clear in blog one I was raised on superheroes, so of course I’m a fan. The show is both awesome and funny, with a really good story. Seriously, it’s like DC or Marvel on a sugar rush. Deku’s a cinnamon roll that must be protected.

Number 9: Cardcaptor Sakura.

God, I wish I could get those Clow/Sakura cards I keep seeing at ComicCon, but they’re so expensive. One day! This show’s really creative, and I love just how unique each card is in appearance and power. Not to mention, that theme song still kicks ass.

Number 8: Fullmetal Alchemist.

Oh, of course I love this anime. Who doesn’t?! I used to stay up to watch it. It’s just one of those amine you need to check out. I love both series. Ed and Al are best anime siblings and, just like everyone else, I was devastated by Hughes and traumatized by Nina and Alexander!

(laughs then sobs hysterically.)

DAMN YOU TUCKER, YOU RAT BASTARD!

Number 7: Sgt Frog.

Where do I even being?

Space frog hijinks…that’s it. That’s the series. It’s a show about aliens that look like frogs trying to conquer Earth (oh, sorry, “Pekopon”) and failing in over-the-top, comedic fashions. It’s just comedic gold, and yet somehow still has its emotional moments.

That’s how you do silly comedy, Teen Titans Go!

Number 6: Ouran Highschool Host Club.

This one is a lot of fun. Just watching the antics of the club and their personalities work off each other always makes for a good time. There’s a reason the fans have been demanding a season two for the last… 13 years. Tamaki deserves the world!

Number 5: Assassination Classroom.

you have until graduation to check this one out

How?! How is this show so good?! It’s about a group of kids trying to kill their octopus teacher! It has no business being this amazing! I knew how it would end and I still cried! KORO-SENSEI! It’s just a really, really good show.

…I miss you Koro-sensei.

Number 4: Sailor Moon.

I’m going to get this out of the way now: Sailor Saturn is my favorite and best scout. Fight me. This was the first anime I really remember getting into and I still love it to this day. I mean how can I not? Its like the magical girl anime!

Number 3: Space Dandy.

He’s a dandy guy… in space! This is just criminally underrated. Seriously, this anime is awesome! And hilarious. And the animation and art are spectacular and…damn, it needs more love! I love Meow so much.

Number 2: Fruits Basket.

a rice ball does belong in a fruits basket — a rice ball *does* belong in a fruits basket

This. Series. It’s just wonderful. The story, the characters, all of it. There’s just so much emotion; it manages to be happy and heartbreaking all at the same time. I can’t recommend it enough, and to say any more would wreck it.

And at Number 1: Digimon.

Weird choice? Maybe, but I really do love this anime. There’s no doubt that the third season, Tamers, is my favourite. It just keeps getting darker and darker… not to mention it gave us Impmon, my favorite character and probably the best character from the franchise. Yeah, maybe there are better anime, but Digimon will always have a place in my heart.

Well, that concludes not just this blog, but my blog in general. I have to say, it’s been an… interesting experience. Here’s hoping you found some enjoyment in my rambling.

Happy holidays!

Alanna Larabie

Alanna Larabie is a student in the Professional Writing program. She also has a diploma in General Arts and Science and a certificate in Pre-Animation.

December 01, 2019

The Next Big 3 Shounen

December 01, 2019/ Guest User

Back in the day, there were three anime everybody saw as the peak, the absolute pinnacle of the medium: Naruto, Bleach and One Piece. Ask anyone who watched anime if they liked these shows: it’s either yes, I love them, or no, they’re just popular garbage; you’ll never hear “Never heard of ‘em”. That’s changed nowadays — with the rise of streaming giants and anime’s ever-growing popularity, it’s harder and harder to point to any three shows which stand at the top. However, fantastic shounen anime continue to be released, and many have managed to climb the hiking trails forged by the greats that came before. Let’s take a look at the contenders for the next big three.

My Hero Academia

This is the obvious one. MHA has a lot of the hallmarks of the greats, such as a plucky protagonist with hidden talent and heart, a rival character with a mean streak, a tournament arc and a multitude of weird abilities to bounce off each other. This show’s greatest sin is how closely it follows the formula, but boy does it use it well. This is an absolute shoe-in for the new big three.

The only big three that matter (via Crunchyroll)

Demon Slayer

(Kimetsu no Yaiba, hereby shortened as KnY for reasons that’ll become clear later)

KnY has many of the same common tropes found in MHA, but with a very unique tone and style to the whole thing. And boy, do I mean STYLE. While MHA has its pretty moments, KnY is a constant treat for the eyes — no surprise coming from the powerhouse studio UFOTable. KnY also has some darned quirkiness, putting it more in line with One Piece than the others, but with an edge not found in a lot of its contemporaries. Definitely a bit niche, but well deserving of a spot in the big three.

Dr. Stone

This is definitely one of the more unique Shounen series out there by virtue of not being an action series. Instead, DS focuses on the progress of science in a (kinda) post-apocalyptic world. This makes DS extremely fresh, unique and well worth checking out, big three or not. However, that unique charm and progressive, ‘science rules’ attitude also means I can’t bring myself not to include this one in the big three.

Sword Art Online

I have a feeling this will be contentious. SAO certainly has a love-hate reaction from fans, and understandably so, but the effect it has had on the anime medium is undeniable. This show is almost solely responsible for the current isekai boom, and that influence gives it an undeniable cultural impact. This show’s biggest setback is its arc-based structure, with every two(ish) seasons taking place in a new setting with (mostly) new characters — a far cry from the ongoing narratives of the previous big three. Nonetheless, that cultural impact alone (and the fact it’s still going strong) earn this divisive series a place on the big three.

One Piece

Speaking of shows that never ended, unlike Bleach and (maybe) Naruto, One Piece is still going on and it’s honestly every bit as adventurous, fun and creative as it ever was. Shocker: One Piece is in the big three.

I seem to have lost count… no harm in a big five, I guess. Then again, I haven’t mentioned Fire Force yet, that’s pretty good.

Ooh, and Attack on Titan. That started kind of slow but, boy, has it been nailing it since season two. It definitely deserves to be in the big six. Eight?

And then there’s The Promised Neverland. Not sure if that’s getting a second season, but the first was really good and every bit as unique as DS. Oh and if you’re hungry there’s Food Wars, which is a bit sexy for my taste but… you do you. That goes in. Then there’s Beastars, which is pretty hardcore It only just started, but I do absolutely love it. Seven Deadly Sins is up there, too… and I hate Black Clover, but it’s definitely popular…

BORUTO. I forgot Boruto. Ugh. No big three, I guess.

Morgan Montgomery

With a burning passion for all things Anime and an equally fiery need to tell people about it, Morgan might be insufferable in person but you should be able to handle his posts.

November 28, 2019

Primitive X Anime

November 28, 2019/ Mary McCann

Primitive Skateboards recently released a line of Naruto Shippuden themed skateboards, clothing and accessories titled “Naruto X Primitive Skate”. The collection dropped on November 1st, and the decks on the Primitive website are already sold out. There are still several shirts, hoodies, socks and grip-tapes available, but possibly not for long.

The Naruto line is surely a result of the successful launch of Primitive X DragonballZ. The Dragonball Z themed line featured a deck for each team member, including Ottawa’s own Wade Desarmo. Desarmo’s deck featured Raditz, Goku’s biological Saiyan brother.

According to CrunchyRoll, Primitive has also released a Sailor Moon collection. The collection is called the Heartbreakers Club and features Tuxedo Mask on select merchandise, including a skateboard deck, grip tape and clothing. The collection apparently came out some time in 2019, between the release of the Dragon Ball and Naruto collections. It’s no longer featured on their website, but you can still find select products from the line on the Zumiez website.

For skateboarders who love anime, Primitive Skate is a dream come true. I hope that Primitive has more Naruto decks in stock by the time I need a new skateboard. On Zumiez.ca the Primitive decks cost around $90. A shop deck at your local skate shop, by comparison, can range on average between $40 - $70.

While the Primitive decks are considerably more expensive, paying the extra $30 is worth it to have your favourite anime character on your board. I suggest visiting your local skate shop before buying anything from Zumiez, though – you never know what they might have in stock.

Primitive has also partnered with many brands that aren’t anime related. They have a large Rick and Morty collection, featuring three decks. They’ve also released three separate food-themed clothing collections. Primitive X Huy Fong is a line of shirts featuring the Sriracha hot sauce; Kikkoman x Primitive is a large soy sauce themed collection, and Tajin is a small collection that features the Mexican spice company logo.

I’m very hopeful that Primitive’s next collaboration will be with another anime and not another brand of condiments.

Mary McCann

Mary is in her second year of the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College. During her spare time Mary enjoys skateboarding, listening to music, petting dogs and eating Mexican food. She is working towards graduating from college and starting her writing career.

November 25, 2019

Watchmen and The Boys Comparison and analysis part 2

November 25, 2019/ Ryan Trigger

So in my last post I compared the the two graphic novel stories Watchmen and The Boys. In that post, I went over brief summaries of both stories, my thoughts on them and the similarities between them. In this post, I will be highlighting some of the differences between the two as well as taking a look at how both stories use very similar story arcs differently. Also, a spoiler warning for those who are unfamiliar with the stories of Watchmen and The Boys

Before I get into it, here is the link to my last article: https://spineonline.squarespace.com/nerd-art-online/2019/11/10/watchmen-and-the-boys-a-comparison-and-analysis-of-the-superhero-satires-part-1

Difference

So now that the similarities have been established between these two stories, it is now time to look at the differences between the two. While these stories are very similar, sharing the theme of pointing out how unrealistic superheroes are, there are more than a few differences in theme and message. Watchmen was written in the 80’s as a satire about how it can be dangerous for people like these superheroes to have no oversight or authority to answer to. The Boys, on the other hand, was written and created for a much bigger purpose: to disprove and destroy the concept of superheroes as a whole.

The Crimebusters of Watchmen. Image via Source. Image courtesy of comicvine.gamespot.com. Art by Dave Gibbons. Published by DC Comics — The Crimebusters of *Watchmen.* Image via Source. Image courtesy of comicvine.gamespot.com. Art by Dave Gibbons. Published by DC Comics

Purpose

Both of these stories have a clear purpose in their narrative. Watchmen was written as a message of caution, By showing how dangerous it can be when people with power don’t answer anything or anyone except themselves. Across the narrative of Watchmen, 3 characters have, in their own unique way, great power. Dr. Manhattan, who is almost essentially himself a god, loses touch with humanity and leaves the planet. Adrian Veidt, who possesses the most advanced intellect on earth, ends becoming little more than a villain inflicting his will upon this world, leaving millions dead. Rorschach serves as caution of how dangerous and unhinged vigilantes can become, throughout the story he displays violent, racist, bigoted, and negative world views because of how much he notices the world is nearing its end.

Now as a contrast, The Boys was written to discredit the entire superhero genre. In the narrative presented, “superheroes” are little more than government sponsored mascots who only save people to preserve their own image, even though they feel they are superior to ordinary people. Three characters in the stories display different points of view: Butcher, who hates “supes” and believes that all of them are only motivated by greed and selfishness; Starlight, who truly wants to be a hero and is forced to face the ugly. truth of the corporate hero world; and Hughie, who hates that the supes are not the heroes that they are supposed to be, but sees that some heroes like Starlight genuinely want to help people.

Controversies

Both of these stories deal with some things that are controversial in nature. In Watchmen, it is shown that because of the interference of The Comedian, the Watergate scandal is never uncovered and Nixon is elected for a third term. This serves as a statement about what people will do to stay in power, as well as ask the question if vigilantes are truly heroes. In The Boys, The corporation that controls the heroes helps to cover up the illegal activities that the heroes get up to, and even meddle in the affairs of other countries. This proves an excellent point about the portrayal of superheroes that we are used to, in that even the best written ones don’t act like real people. And it is for this reason that while the two stories are similar, they are also very different.

The Seven of The Boys. Image via Source. Image courtesy of comicvine.gamespot.com. Art by Darick Robertson. Published by Dynamite Entertainment. — The Seven of *The Boys.* Image via Source. Image courtesy of comicvine.gamespot.com. Art by Darick Robertson. Published by Dynamite Entertainment.

Ryan Trigger

Growing up as a huge fan of comic books, Ryan has read everything from DC and Marvel titles like Batman, Daredevil and Moon Knight to independent titles like Spawn and The Boys. while his knowledge of comic books is vast, he promises to make his posts easy to read.

November 20, 2019

Unsavoury Archetypes

November 20, 2019/ Mary McCann

Any anime nerd knows the “dere” character archetypes that make up the majority of anime heroes and heroines. Even if you don’t know them by name, you’ve seen them if you watch anime. There’s Dandere: the quiet one, or Kuudere: the calm, cool and collected one, etc. If you’re curious about each one, Kotaku.com explains them in detail in this article.

But what about some of the more unsavoury character archetypes that we see in anime? It’s no secret that in 2019 there is little tolerance for bigotry in media. So why does anime get a pass? Overlooking these things can be detrimental to our society. Here’s a list of anime archetypes I’d like to stop seeing in future anime series.

The Pervert

Usually an older man, this character archetype will sexually harass and/or assault women or even girls. I’m not talking about the villains of the shows; the pervert is usually a protagonist that displays predatory traits for comic relief. Yes, I’m talking about the Master Roshi’s and the Jiraiya Sensei’s of the anime world. Since when is it okay for a protagonist to be a sex predator? And since when is pedophilia or rape culture funny? Unfortunately, it seems that this character archetype is still being featured in newer anime series. In the new Netflix Original anime The Seven Deadly Sins, the main character Sir Meliodas is often shown groping the main female character, Elizabeth. Despite the constant sexual harassment, Elizabeth falls in love with him. This leads me to my next unsavoury archetype…

The Helpless Heroine

Female characters are often portrayed as weak and fragile. Even if the heroine is physically strong, she is usually powerless to the male love interest. Oftentimes her emotions will be her downfall. The Helpless Heroine is infatuated with the physically superior male lead and loves him no matter what. This character archetype continues to pine after the hero despite being treated poorly by him. Sakura from Naruto is an example of a Helpless Heroine. The example this character type sets for young girls is dangerous –not to mention, boys who see this frequently might think there are no negative consequences to mistreating women. Finally, this brings us to the last unsavoury archetype…

The Hostile Hero

Why do we love Sasuke and Vegeta so much even though they’re usually mean and, at times, murderous? Because we love a bad boy with a very well-hidden soft side. While this archetype produces some of the most memorable characters, it can be harmful if imitated. These characters scream toxic masculinity. What kind of message does the show send when Sasuke ends up with Sakura even after he tried to kill her? For once, I’d like to see a Hostile Hero that doesn’t get the girl.

To conclude, I’d like to clarify that I am not boycotting shows that have these character archetypes. I believe we should be aware of them and watch critically. Hopefully, anime and manga will steer clear of these tropes in the future.

Mary McCann

November 17, 2019

The Other “Funny” Pages

November 17, 2019/ Alanna Larabie

Graphic novels are a weird genre of literature, aren’t they?

I once heard Neil Gaiman described them as “novels told with pictures or comic books with a longer story.”

…In an episode of Arthur.

…Shut up.

I’ve noticed in the past few years graphic novels have gone from this odd in-between, to a category of their own that seems to get bigger every time I visit Chapters. And I mean that in the best possible way.

My personal collection is smaller than my others, as they aren’t cheap, though I do have a few and there are others I hope to get in the future. So really this is less talking about my collection and more just talking about the best graphic novels I’ve read, in my opinion at least.

Okay so let’s start with the books I do own.

First, we have this cute little abnormality, Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too by Jomny Sun.

And no, I did not spell that wrong…for once.

see, see! I told you I didn’t spell it wrong.

That’s actually how its spelled. Part of the story’s creative choice is the weird misspelling of words. Both the story and art are fairly simple. A little alien comes to earth to observe humans and can’t find any, makes friends with a bunch of creatures, and learns about life and himself. For a book that looks like it was done by a grade schooler, it can get surprisingly deep. It’s simple, but emotional.

Next is an ongoing series, The Adventure Zone. Quick background, this series is based off a popular Dungeons and Dragons podcast, specifically the first arc called Balance, performed by the McElroy brothers and their father. Naturally they also wrote the book with illustrations done by Carey Pietsch. The books themselves are really good and capture the source quite well, and the art manages to be beautiful, comedic, action packed, and somber in a way you don’t often see in western illustrations. Now as I said, its ongoing with only the first two parts published. Part three is scheduled for release next year in July, last I check anyway. And this podcast is at least eight-parts so…

…Yeah, we’re gonna be here awhile.

Sigh, well I am anyway.

“taz” fans, if your out there, say it with me now. “Abraca-fuck you!”

I also have this little book I got at a con called Gloomies by Suzanne Miller. It’s a collection of one panel comics from a web series that, to my knowledge, isn’t going anymore. Basically, it’s a bunch of sarcastic blobs making snarky comments and cynical observations. It’s hilarious, and never fails to put a smile on my face. I don’t know where or if you can still buy the book, but the webpage is still around if your curious.

its angry, sassy, blobs what’s not to love?

Now for what I don’t own!

The Prince and The Dressmaker by Jen Wang, god I love this one. A dressmaker is hired by a prince to make him, well, dresses, because he’s secretly a crossdresser. The art in this is so lovely and the story is so good. And the amount of research she did on the fashion world to get it just right? impressive! You better believe this is on my Christmas/birthday list.

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner. As the title implies, its about this girl learning she’s a witch. Yeah, this isn’t anything new, but it still manages to have its own voice with some cute art. I love the main character, she’s a cinnamon roll.

And ya know, graphic novels aren’t just limited to fiction. There was this interesting non-fiction one I found called…

…Crap I always forget the title! One moment!

(One frustrating Google search later).

KID GLOVES!

…it’s called Kid Gloves.

Long story short, this is a biography documenting author Lucy Knisley’s pregnancy. Specifically, her fertility issues, the experience, the complications, and how pregnancy in general has been preserved throughout history and even today. It’s pretty cool and fascinating.

Honestly, it’s nice to see graphic novels becoming mainstream. They’re a great, creative way to get your stories and art out there, and they can apple to just about anyone. I wish I could talk about all the awesome books I’ve seen, but that would take too long.

…Why are you still here? Go to Chapters and check out the graphic novel section!

Alanna Larabie

Alanna Larabie is a student in the Professional Writing program. She also has a diploma in General Arts and Science and a certificate in Pre-Animation.

November 14, 2019

What NOT to Watch on Netflix

November 14, 2019/ Guest User

Last week, Mary broke down what anime were worth checking out on Netflix. Now that you’re completely addicted to binging anime and looking for more, here’s a list of the anime definitely not worth adding to your queue.

B: The Beginning

Outside of its fantastic opening and ending song, B is a bit of a mess. Having watched most of the series, I really can’t tell you what happened. This isn’t because I’ve forgotten; it’s just really hard to keep track of anything happening in this show. Characters come and go at a blistering pace, concrete plot points are glossed over in favour of vague philosophical musings and the pretty solid action scenes are hard to get invested in when all characters involved are so bland. This is definitely not the worst thing you’ll find on Netflix, but if you’ve got anything better to do, skip it.

Godzilla 1,2,3

I’ll admit, as a long-time fan of the old kaiju I’m somewhat biased here. That being said, if you thought the American Godzilla movie spent too much time focused on the human cast rather than the titular monster, this is on a whole other level. Not that the human characters are bad necessarily, but it’s hard to care about them knowing what’s coming. The third movie in the trilogy suffers from this the least by far, but it’s still not great, and not worth slogging through the others to get to.

Hero/Mask

To make a long story short, Hero/Mask is a mess – a nonsensical plot which starts off too fast to keep track of what’s happening before grinding to a halt for a second act where nothing major happens. It features direction which goes from bland and boring to absurdly overdone at the drop of a hat, action scenes which have so many edits and violate the 180-degree rule so consistently they’re incomprehensible… I could go on. At the end of the day though, it’s really that slow second act that kills this show — it’s simply not possible to maintain interest in the main cast figuring out who the villain is when it’s so obvious and takes so long. Ugh.

Ingress: The Animation

Ingress is based on a phone game called Ingress. It’s the game which served as the basis for Pokemon Go. It has a confusing plot which exists only as an excuse for people to walk around their neighbourhood playing the game. This anime not only hinges its entire story on the viewer being able to follow that story, but does such a poor job explaining it that even I, as someone who played the game for years, had a difficult time following along. All of this is surprising given that the show spends the majority of its runtime explaining the plot. Double ugh.

Robotech

This one will take some explaining. Robotech itself isn’t a bad show, per se, in fact, it has a very strong cult following. The issue with Robotech is that it doesn’t exist outside of the West – what we know as Robotech is actually a bastardized amalgamation of three different anime from Japan: Super-Dimension Fortress Macross, Super-Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross (no relation,) and Genesis Climber MOSPEADA. Needless to say, the legal issues surrounding this are complicated. All I’ll say for now is that Macross creator Shoji Kawamori has practically no control over what is done with his own franchise in the Western markets and cannot profit from any of it. For that reason alone, I’d urge anyone to steer clear of this. For more info, I recommend this Forbes article on the subject: https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2015/12/10/shoji-kawamori-the-creator-hollywood-copies-but-never-credits/

And that’s what NOT to watch on Netflix. If you watched these shows and loved them, let me know, I’d be happy to be proven wrong. Otherwise, have fun not watching these shows!

Images via Netflix

Morgan Montgomery

With a burning passion for all things Anime and an equally fiery need to tell people about it, Morgan might be insufferable in person but you should be able to handle his posts.

November 11, 2019

Watchmen and The Boys: A Comparison and Analysis of the Superhero Satires, Part 1

November 11, 2019/ Ryan Trigger

Over the summer, I watched a new Amazon TV series called The Boys. Having never heard of the show, or the Dynamite comic book series that it was named after, I was both shocked and impressed with how adult and dark the themes were. I had never seen anything quite like this before.

However, one thing I did notice was the show’s similarities to another famous graphic novel, Watchmen. In fact, the day after I had finished watching the show, I decided to go back and revisit Watchmen. To do this, I both re-watched the movie and re-read the Graphic Novel. As I delved back into Alan Moore's world of costumed conspiracies and masked outlaws, I thought about the similarities between these two stories and, after finishing with Watchmen, I decided that I would like to do a comparison of these two stories.

That leads us to where we are now. With this in mind, I went to the nearest bookstore and purchased volume 1 of The Boys. Since there is a lot of ground to cover, this will be part one of my comparison of these two stories. With that said, let's jump into this analysis of superhero satire. Also, minor spoilers ahead if you haven’t read or watched either story.

Short Summaries

Before I get started, here is a quick summary of each story without giving too much away.

Watchmen

Image via Source. Image courtesy of comicsbeat.com. Art by Dan Gibbons. Published by DC Comics.

The year is 1985, and the golden age of costumed crime fighters is at an end. Masked heroes and vigilantes are outlaws, and the world stands on the brink of World War 3. When a retired masked crime fighter is brutally murdered in his own home, our protagonist, masked outlaw and vigilante Rorschach, launches an investigation into the former hero’s death. As shocking secrets and old rivalries are brought into the spotlight, Rorschach comes to suspect that someone is targeting former costumed heroes and is determined to find the person responsible, no matter what the cost.

The Boys

Image via Source. Image courtesy of Screencrush.com, Art by Darick Robertson. Published by Dynamite Entertainment.

In a world where superheroes are controlled as much by their own greed, vices and corruption as by the corporations that own and control them, someone needs to keep the “Supes” in line. When our protagonist Hughie witnesses the accidental death of his girlfriend Robin at the hands of super-powered speedster A-Train, he is set on a path that leads him to meet Billy Butcher, the leader of a secret, government backed team of people dedicated to the struggle against the most dangerous power in the world: Superpower.

Similarities

Both Watchmen and The Boys have the same idea on the surface. Each asks us a question about the validity of the Superheroes we have come to love. Whether it’s Marvel Characters like Captain America, Spider-Man or X-Men… or DC characters like Batman, Wonder Woman or Superman, all these superheroes still act largely the same. Despite the vast differences in character, they all tend to do the right thing when the chips are down.

Another part of the worlds that these characters live in that is rarely explored is how the ordinary people of these worlds raise up these heroes on a pedestal, trusting and depending on them to protect and defend their interests.

What both stories do is break down this belief that superheroes know what's best. To be fair, characters from both Marvel and DC have flaws, occasionally doing bad things or making mistakes. However, at the end of the day, they are still that: heroes. While there is nothing wrong with this depiction of superheroes, it is still refreshing to see new takes on what characters like this could be like. The two stories each address some of the same base issues with superheroes in a “real” setting.

The worlds that each of these stories take place in have a few things in common. In both stories, the history of the world has progressed differently due to the presence of Superheroes. In Watchmen, for example, due to the presence of Doctor Manhattan and other “heroes”, the U.S. wins the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal is never uncovered and Nixon gets elected for a third term. In The Boys, superheroes are part of celebrity culture and the government is considering using superheroes in the Military, which would privatize warfare. Each narrative does its best to flesh out the worlds that these characters live in.

Another similarity between both is that the characters used within each story are parodies of pre-existing characters from other comic books. In Watchmen, Rorschach is a parody of DC’s The Question, Nite Owl of Batman, and Silk Spectre, Black Canary. In The Boys, the superhero team The Seven is an obvious parody of the Justice League, with several members even serving as parodies of their mainstream counterparts. Homelander is obviously Superman, and Queen Maeve and Black Noir are obviously meant to serve as Wonder Woman and Batman respectively.

So now that we know how these are similar, it is time to observe the differences between them. Stay tuned – I’ll cover this in my next post.

Ryan Trigger

November 11, 2019

How Anime came

November 11, 2019/ Amjad Yassine

“My name is Amjad Yassine, I like to read fantasy stories, I think of, and most of all, I’m a huge learning nerd/geek (pick nerd or geek, not both or both. I seek to bring my fantasy worlds to life.”

Introduction:

To any new readers coming here, I’m not sure if you read Anime Challenges Manga. If you did, then you should have found a moment when I talked about the first anime. Anime, as a genre, wasn’t really a thing back then, Katsudo Shashin is viewed more of like Japanese animation, but that was it. The only reason, I must assume, why Katsudo Shashin is seen as the first “anime” to be shown to the world, is due to the animation originally being made in Kyoto, Japan. Did it ever receive an English version? I do not have any idea, though it feels unlikely.

Origin:

While cartoons did come before any official anime came along decades later, it was anime that brought in story-lines, character development. Elements cartoons on their own would have never have discovered any of this; and if they did, they would not have had the guts to truly utilize its potential of including real-life problems. Not only this, but even the least realist design looks more real than a cartoon character would, due to their fear of either traumatizing their audience,[more accurately, children thus being forced to censor the episode, or worse banned.] If they are lucky, they might be allowed to remake the episode. That was all changed. On the day of January 1st, 1963 with the manga adaption for Astro Boy. Back in the day, it was nothing Japan, and later the rest of the world had ever seen. It wasn’t just a simple slapstick comedy like it always has been with others, but rather it held a story, that the watchers could learn from it. Astro Boy would open the gates for other iconic shows to be shown to the world. Where animated series used to have solely humor, now it has life lessons, and serious issues we all have. Thus, the term “anime” has also been coined.

Present:

Like any genre, it also began to receive below decent to simply bad shows. It had started to take hits that were let to be impossible to many who watches anime. There came low-budgeted anime, with an ounce to no passion. Is anime considered a dead genre? If only had to say yes or no. I don’t think so, but it’s getting there. “Dead” would be the right term for it, Well, no, at least not in this century. While not everyone will agree, but like living. Anime will reach its climax someday in the future.

Final Note:

While Anime continues to do great feats of animations and storytelling, it cannot be perfect. Simple.

Fun Fact(s):

While the first “anime” was Katsudo Shashin in 1907 in Kyoto, Japan, the first cartoon to come was Fantasmagorie in 1908 in Paris, which was made by a French film company known as Gaumont company.

While low-budgeted anime don’t get too far, there have been exceptions to that rule. Consider “His and Her Circumstances.” While it’s nothing like DBZ [Dragon Ball Z], Sailor Moon or Kill la Kill. It’s definitely far from being labelled as bad when compared to… other anime *cough* *cough.*
The United Nations is fighting to get anime ban for no reason what so ever. <.< [yes the last three words were needed].

Work Cited:

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MyAnimeList. His and Her Circumstances. MyAnimeList. 2019:

https://myanimelist.net/anime/145/Kareshi_Kanojo_no_Jijou

Quora. How did anime become such a popular genre. Quora. 2017:

https://www.quora.com/How-did-anime-become-such-a-popular-genre

Tofugu. Godfather of Anime. Tofugu. 2013:

https://www.tofugu.com/japan/osamu-tezuka-history/

YouTube. Katsudo Shashin. YouTube. 2017:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dry3ylvqmNM

YouTube. Fantasmagorie. YouTube. 2006:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=76&v=aEAObel8yIE&feature=emb_logo

November 10, 2019

A Thorough Rundown of the Fall Anime Season

November 10, 2019/ Guest User

A lot of anime aired this season. You don’t have enough time to watch all of them. I do.

Normally I’d go pretty in-depth with each show, but I’ve got a lotta stuff to get through, so I’ll keep it quick. Now, in order of popularity according to anichart:

Boku no Hero Academia 4: Watch Hero Aca it’s good, an easy recommend for anyone with any interest in anime. This is the start of a pretty great arc from the manga too, so a good time to catch up.

THIS arc is so good (image via crunchyroll)

Sword Art Online: Alicization- War of Underworld: I dislike most of SAO and honestly this didn’t change my mind at all.

Nanatsu no Taizai: Kamigami no Gekirin: I’ve never watched Nanatsu no Taizai before! this was confusing! I’m sure the series is good.

Shokugeki no Souma: Shin no Sara: This show makes me hungry, and also sad, because this show seems good and I haven’t watched any of it. Pretty fun, check it out!

Shinchou Yuusha: Kono Yuusha ga Ore TUEEE Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru: While it’s not as uproariously funny as Konosuba, as far as isekai parodies go this is a great one. If you love/hate the isekai genre as much as I do this is well worth seeing.

Assassin’s Pride: I’ll give the series this-it’s got a short title. It’s also extremely mediocre. I bet I would have loved this when I was 12, and if you’re 12 stop reading my blog (you’ll see why later), but if you’re not 12 I can’t really recommend this.

Ore wo Suki nano wa Omae dake ka yo: Give this one an episode at least. Seriously. While the series may seem like a generic harem comedy, not something worth seeing, this show has the strongest gimmick you’ll see this season and boy does it work. This is easily one of my strongest recommendations.

best girl fight me (image via crunchyroll)

Psycho-Pass 3: I’m not allowed to watch this yet because the movies aren’t available in Canada yet! Yay!

No Guns Life: Assassin’s Pride felt like a show from the early 2000s in the worst way possible. This is the same, in the best way possible. If you miss the days of Hellsing, Black Lagoon or other hard-edged, gritty anime this is an easy recommendation. Good action, great premise, excellent characters. The works.

Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen Babylon: I was skeptical about this one. An adaptation of my third-favourite arc from the Grand Order mobile game, and one which I didn’t believe could be made for new audiences. It surprisingly works. If you’re not into Fate you might bounce off this hard, but give it a shot, it’s a small part of a fantastic story which I can strongly recommend.

Kantai Collection: Speaking of a mobile game adaptations, here’s how NOT to do it. This series does have pretty good action animation, and some of the characters are fun, but they aren’t pretending for a second that anyone but die-hard fans of the game should watch this. I second that. If you’re looking for intense naval combat with cute girls, go check out Hai-Furi instead.

whoosh woosh pshew pew boom (image via crunchyroll)

Beastars: Did you watch Zootopia? Were you frustrated that it didn’t explore the concept of a society made up of mammals deeply enough? Did you wish there had been more “mature” content? Check this out. Also, if none of that is true, check it out anyways, this show is a seriously good drama and I can’t recommend it enough.

legosi is one of the best protagonists i’ve seen in ages (image via netflix)

Boku-tachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai!: I liked this show well enough when it started, but it runs out of steam fast. Not recommended. Always a bad feeling when the best girl in a harem gets no play.

Choujin Koukousei-tachi wa Isekai demo Youyuu de Ikinuku you desu!: This is a weirdly refreshing take on the isekai formula, with a variety of characters being brought to a new world, but in execution it’s not as interesting as it could have been. Skip this one.

Hataage! Kemono Michi: I am shocked by how much fun this series is. The premise sounds like nonsense, a pro-wrestler obsessed with animals gets brought to another world and becomes a monster tamer, but the execution is GOLD. Give this one a shot.

Ahiru no Sora: Not the best sports show with the word “Sora” in the title this season, but not bad either, just generic. If you’re obsessed with sports anime, might be worth seeing.

Watashi, Nouryoku wa Heikinchi de tte Itta yo ne!: Ironically average. Not as funny as others, like Shinchou Yuusha, not as interesting as Choujin Koukousei. Very much not worth seeing, but not bad.

Babylon: A VERY dry mystery/drama, but a gripping one as well. Most will find this boring, but if it’s up your alley, it’s well worth watching.

Kabukicho Sherlock: Very weird, but very fun. While on the surface the bizarre colour pallette and even more bizarre characters might put you off, the core of this story is a very solid take on the legacy of Sherlock Holmes. Well written mystery, zany presentation, well worth checking out.

This show dang pretty sometimes (image via funimation)

Chihayafuru 3: Boy this one isn’t for me. Not at all. I can’t express enough how not up my ally this is. If you’re into shoujo stories, probably just what you’re looking for. I’m not.

Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: The third series here which came straight from the 2000s, and quality-wise straight in the middle. Not great, not awful either-in fact, kind of fun. Consider giving it a shot.

Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan wo Erandeiraremasen: A great premise wasted on a very cheaply made adaptation. Just watch Dr. Stone, it’s the same gimmick but much better handled. The only person I know who has any interest in this is a professional librarian/archivist, so maybe if that’s you it’s up your alley.

Hoshiai no Sora: A surprisingly drammatic sports show. Be forewarned, this series gets real fast, and if you’re not ready for that it can seriously blindside you. I’ll admit the sports aspect kills my interest, but this series has a lot of potential. Check it out.

Val x Love: My notes on this show’s first episode read “TRASH TRASH HATE HATE”. I watched more. My opinion still stands. This is the worst thing to happen to Norse mythology… ever.

Houkago Saikoro Club: This show is very comfy. I like board games. I like this show. If you don’t like board games, I don’t know if you’ll like this, but it might just change your mind. Give this one a shot!

Radiant 2: More of Radiant. Don’t watch it, it’s not good.

Granblue Fantasy The Animation Season 2: More of Granblue Fantasy. Maybe watch it, it’s okay.

Keishicho Tokumu-bu Tokushu Kyoaku-han Taisaku-Shitsu Dai-nana ka: Tokunana: THEY KEEP GETTING LONGER. Anyways, this is a weird one. I can’t say it’s bad exactly, but I can’t recommend it either, it’s just darned weird.

High-Score Girl II: Definitely worth watching. A very fun romantic comedy through the lense of video gaming in the 80s-90s. Fun trivia, fun characters, just a fun atmosphere overall.

Kono Oto Tamare! 2: Also not for me. See above.

Rifle is Beautiful: Boring. Very boring. Why would anime promise me beam rifles, straight up homage gundam for a single shot, and then take my lofty hopes away from me. I’m not bitter.

Chuubyou Gekihatsu Boy: This might be a hard sell to anyone who doesn’t recognize the word “chuunibyou”, but it’s a very funny and charming show. Check it out!

Fairy Gone 2: More like fairy get out of my anime list 2. Ugh.

Kandagawa Jet Girls: Hope you 12-year-olds are gone now, cuz this is just porn. Straight up porn. If that’s what you want, more power to you.

Africa no Salaryman: This is a surprisingly funny show, but I can’t quite place why? Give it a shot.

Phantasy Star Online 2: Episode Oracle: Don’t watch this. Period. Even if you’re a fan of the game.

Stand My Heroes: PIECE OF TRUTH: This show is about nothing. There’s nothing in it. You may be better off watching a blank screen, or paint drying.

Z/X: Code Reunion: I genuinely don’t remember if I watched this one, despite having extensive notes. That tells you everything you need to know.

ACTORS: Song Connection: This is a show about boys who sing. That tells you everything you need to know.

Shin Chuuka Ichiban!: This is a surprisingly fun little cooking show. Certainly not as high-profile as Shoukogeki no Soma, but still worth seeing!

Pocket Monsters (2019): It’s Pokemon. It’s also really good Pokemon, so definitely worth checking out.

Aikatsu on Parade: This show really isn’t for me, but unlike previous entries in that category, it’s actually not a bad watch. Meh?

Zoids Wild Zero: I used to LOVE Zoids, so it’s a shame this series is so bad. Don’t watch it, just check out Gundam Build Fighters/Divers instead.

Kaijuu Step Wandabanda: I don’t even know where to begin with this one. Don’t watch it. It’s for children. Why did I do this to myself.

And that’s everything! I sincerely hope you don’t copy my idea and watch everything, it’s a very painful and difficult experience. Hopefully you got something valuable out of it, because I sure didn’t.

Morgan Montgomery

With a burning passion for all things Anime and an equally fiery need to tell people about it, Morgan might be insufferable in person but you should be able to handle his posts.

November 07, 2019

What to Watch on Netflix

November 07, 2019/ Mary McCann

In a perfect world, we would all have subscriptions to Crunchyroll and Funimation, Hulu would be available in Canada and we could watch all the anime we want. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Hulu has yet to be available to Canadians, and most people can only afford one streaming subscription, if any. For those of you making do with your ex’s mom’s sister’s Netflix account, this guide will help you get your anime fix!

Netflix isn’t known for its anime content, but I believe it should be. You may be surprised to find some of the most popular anime series on this streaming service. Here are some of the most well known anime shows that you can find on Netflix:

Naruto and Naruto Shippuden

Arguably one of the most well known anime series out there, Naruto is universally praised for capturing the hearts of children as well as adults. Netflix has both Naruto and Naruto Shippuden!

Inuyasha

Inuyasha is a timeless classic. I believe it will be viewed by generations to come.

Fullmetal Alchemist

You can watch Edward and Alphonse’s adventures in both Fullmetal Alchemist and my personal favourite, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.

Bleach

Death Note

Hunter X Hunter

Attack on Titan

Sword Art Online

One Punch Man

Pokemon

Kill La Kill

… And More!

As you can see, Netflix has a large selection of some of the most popular anime shows ever, and this is just a short list of examples. There are plenty more well-known anime series on Netflix. There are also plenty that aren’t so well known! Check out the anime genre on Netflix and you’ll find an abundance of anime shows to choose from.

Netflix has made its own contribution to the anime world by releasing a surprising amount of Netflix Originals! Some of them are truly amazing. Here are some of the anime Netflix Originals:

Devilman Crybaby

Devilman Crybaby is by far my favourite Netflix Original. The(This) horror fantasy is not for everyone, but behind all the graphic violence and sex is a truly meaningful commentary on our society.

The Seven Deadly Sins

A light-hearted action/adventure that has humour and entertaining fight scenes. What more could you ask for in an anime?

Castlevania

Aggrestuko

B The Beginning

Adventure of Sinbad

Carole and Tuesday

Little Witch Acadamia

Kakeguri

Children of the Whales

Ultraman

…and more!

There are several other Netflix Original anime series that aren’t on this list, as well as a bunch of anime series that aren’t Netflix originals. To finish off, I’d like to share a couple of my personal favourites that I discovered just by scrolling through Netflix.

Fairy Tail

This anime about wizards is filled with fun and friendship.

Rurouni Kenshin

A heartfelt story about an ex assassin who now wanders japan saving the innocent using his reverse-blade sword so as not to kill.

Neo Yokio

Not your traditional anime, but perfect for a good laugh! The creator is none other than the front man of the band Vampire Weekend!

According to TheVerge.com, Netflix plans on investing a lot more money into releasing anime! I personally am very excited to see what they come out with next!

Mary McCann

November 05, 2019

Funko is a nerds best friend

November 05, 2019/ Alanna Larabie

Aside from comics, I have a few collections. My biggest definitely has to be my collection of Funko Pops. For those who doesn’t know, Funko is a company that makes collectible figures and other such toys. Their motto is “Everyone is a fan of something,” so they have a very broad selection, especially in pops.

Nothing is off limits for pops. Cartoons, movies, comics, anime, video games, even real-life people. You name it, odds are there’s a pop of it. Seeing as I’m a fan of many things, I have many pops.

The pops themselves are fairly basic: little chibi-like figures with little beady eyes. Nothing fancy, but they’re so simple that maybe that’s part of the appeal. That simple design allows anything or anyone to be adapted into one. Plus, there are variants for even more variety.

I didn’t think too much of them at first, but then I bought La Muerte and Xibalba from The Book of Life at a con, and the rest was history.

It’s honestly impressive how big Funko has gotten, especially the pops.

At the time of writing this, I have…

and it keeps getting bigger every time I go to comiccon!

…a lot.

Cough understatement cough!

And I guarantee there’re plenty more on my wish list! I’ve been thinking of getting Ickis from Aaahh Real Monsters. Of course I’ll have to wait till November’s ComicCon since he’s harder to find, being a retired pop…

…which brings me to the downsides of collecting Pops, or anything really.

Price and availability.

(BOOOOOO!)

Yeah, yeah, I hate those too.

First, price. I should probably mention first how much pops go for. On average they’re about $14, keyword average. Some places charge differently. For example, Hot Topic tends to charge more (shocker) while EB Games charges less, and that’s just for regulars. Like I said, there are too many variants of too many characters to count, and some are exclusive to certain retailers. So, not surprisingly, they usually jack up the price for these.

Second, availability. Ignoring the exclusives for a bit, pops do eventually, as Toys on Fire puts it, “retire.” Simply put, after some time they stop making certain pops. Why? I have no idea. Maybe to focus on the production of new ones? Of course, once they’re retired, they become harder to find. On top of that, the rarer they become, the more both vendors and online shops will charge for them.

Which brings us back to price, joy.

Believe me, I know what I’m talking about. Around the time I began my collection the Regular Show pops had been discontinued for a while, but I still wanted to get Mordecai and Rigby.

You see where this is going.

The webpage I used had only about two Mordecais left for about $80 each. The problem was that it was an American site so, on top of the initial price and shipping fees, there was an exchange rate that brought the pop to around $100 Canadian.

And if that wasn’t enough, I screwed up my shipping information and they charged me to reship it. So now this little pop is one of the most expensive things I own.

I have a limited edition teen titans beast boy statue that cost less than this! (granted, the statue was on sale.)

I should point out Funko does more than pops. They have other products like Mystery Minis, Dorbz, and plushies. These plushies vary, but the main brand seems to be Supercutes which I kind of binge bought this summer. What can I say, they live up to their name.

Like I said, Funko is like a paradise for any and all fans. Their selection and talent for making their products continue to grow, which promises a lot of good things to come in the future. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to continue waiting impatiently for that new Hot Topic exclusive Invader Zim pop.

You will be mine, Zim!

(And your Tallest too…IF THEY EVER MAKE THEM!)

Alanna Larabie

Alanna Larabie is a student in the Professional Writing program. She also has a diploma in General Arts and Science and a certificate in Pre-Animation.

November 02, 2019

Obscure Comics

November 02, 2019/ Amjad Yassine

Introduction

There have been comics whose existence some to most of us have probably dumped out of our memories and left in a cabinet. We might have sold them off to someone or to a flea market. I would like to give a ride back to the past comics that may (or may not) have impacted children (those BRATS), along with the young and the old adults from most generations to the new silent generation. If you’re up for comic redemption, stick around for what happens next.

Quick Run-though

Oh. The good old days, when DC Comics went through their Action Comics and Detective Comics phrases before getting its iconic name, along with Marvel starting as Atlas Comics before getting to where they are today as Marvel, having graced this world with phenomenal stories and stories we just want to dump hate on. Many are led to believe DC Comics gave life to the comic world. It made the comic world popular, but it wasn’t the first… that, you’re about to find out.

Thy Comic Ancestors

Before the comic powerhouses such as DC Comics and Marvel Comics of any form (book, strip, etc) was released to the world decades before the 20th century, there came a book with hand-drawn pictures, Rodolphe Topffer. And it runs with the name of…
*glances at the book title*

(That. Just that).

This comic is said to be THE first comic book to come to this world. It has many things that most comics in the future would need to have success. Naming some:

Well-made designs
Compelling (enough) characters
A full (but bizarre) plot!

Sure, they still exist in this century of writing! Speaking of this century: this comic was made and published in 1837. Yup, the first comic ever is 18 years away from becoming two centuries old. Even for a bizarre plot… if anything, Histoire De M. Vieux-Bois (despite its semi-senseless plot) built the way for other comics to come.

Fun Fact(s):

If we switch from comics to manga for a moment: the first manga technically came in the 12th century, though it’s only a claim by a Japanese artist.

Many state Superman was the first superhero to be shown to the world. While he was the first popular superhero, some say the title of being the first superhero was Hugo Hercules for comic strips, while Mandrake the Magician was the superhero for comic books.

“My name is Amjad Yassine, I like to read fantasy stories, I think of, and most of all, I’m a huge learning nerd/geek (pick nerd or geek, not both… or both). I seek to bring my fantasy worlds to life.”

Work Cited

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Encyclopedia Britannica.com. Marvel Comics. Encyclopedia Britannica.com. 2019:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Marvel-Comics

Geek. History of DC Comics. Geek. 2015:

https://vocal.media/geeks/history-of-dc-comics

Quora. What’s the first manga. Quora. 2017:

https://www.quora.com/Whats-the-first-manga-thats-ever-been-made

ThoughtCo. Generational Names in the United States. ThoughtCo. 2019

https://www.thoughtco.com/names-of-generations-1435472

Wikipedia. Comic Book. Wikipedia. 2019:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_book

Wikipedia. Histoire de M. Vieux Bois. Wikipedia. 2019:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histoire_de_M._Vieux_Bois

Wikipedia. Hugo Hercules. Wikipedia. 2019:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Hercules

Wikipedia. Mandrake the Magician. Wikipedia. 2019:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandrake_the_Magician

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October 28, 2019

Moon Knight: A different kind of hero

October 28, 2019/ Ryan Trigger

Growing up as a fan of comic books, I found that I was almost always drawn to stories that centred on dark, brooding vigilante type heroes. But while almost everyone has heard of Batman, Daredevil, and Green Arrow, one character that has remained largely (and undeservedly) unknown for a long time is Moon Knight. With the recent announcement that a live action Moon Knight TV series is coming, what better time to talk about my favourite Marvel character.

Image via Source, image courtesy of feedmecomicart, Art by Greg Smallwood, Colour by Jordie Bellaire, Published by Marvel Comics.

Who is Moon Knight?

To go over the basics, Moon is considered by many to be Marvel’s answer to DC’s Batman. However, while at first glance this might seem true, a look deeper reveals the huge differences between them. To give you a idea of his character, Moon Knight is a vigilante who fights crime at night with an arsenal of high tech gadgets, most of which have a moon or Egyptian theme. He serves the Egyptian god of the moon and vengeance Khonshu. He wears a white costume because he prefers his enemies to see him and be frightened by him, rather than hiding in the shadows, and he isn’t afraid to use lethal force on occasion. A major part of his character is his struggle with mental health which I’ll touch on later.

Origin

To give a brief recount of Moon Knight‘s origin story: Marc Spector is a mercenary who is killed and left for dead in the Egyptian desert. Here he is resurrected by the Egyptian god Khonshu, who in exchange for a second chance at life tells Marc that he must become the moon god’s earthly avatar. Marc accepts, and after being returned to life returns to his home of New York City and establishes himself as Moon Knight, The Fist of Khonshu.

Mental Health

One of the most important parts of Moon Knight as a character is his struggle with Mental Health. Marc Spector suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder. Because of this, a key part of Marc Spector’s character, is that he has 4 personalities. The first is Marc Spector, secret Identity of Moon Knight; the second is Jake Lockley, a New York City cab driver; the third is Steven Grant, a wealthy businessman who runs Spector Corp; and the last is Mr. Knight, a detective/crime fighter for hire and criminal consultant for the NYPD. However, another important part of this facet of his character is that this causes Spector to question whether what he sees is real or just a product of his own fractured mind.

Why He Matters

With the number of superhero movies and TV shows today, I guess it’s worth talking about what makes Moon Knight Important, especially amidst the many other similar characters who are, well, more popular. What sets Moon Knight apart from other comic book characters is that his story is not just his struggle against other villains, it's his struggle with himself to control his disorder and ultimately to just keep himself together. It’s a series and character that takes a look at both being a costumed crime fighter, and dealing with mental health issues in a very compelling and action-packed way. And it is for this reason that Moon Knight stands out in the modern era as hero that matters.

Ryan Trigger

October 15, 2019

The Evolution of the Naruto Run

October 15, 2019/ Mary McCann

Naruto is arguably one of the most well known animes out there, but after its recent exposure even those who don’t watch anime are familiar with the show. These days, becoming a meme can lead to going viral. In this case, Naruto’s claim to fame was the unique way that the ninjas run on the show. Apparently, this type of run struck quite a chord in people because it played an important role in the famous Area 51 raid that happened last month. Let’s take a look at how the Naruto run rose to fame on the internet.

gif from crunchyroll, Naruto running with friends.

Long before the Area 51 raid was a thing, videos of people doing the Naruto run started surfacing on the web. It became increasingly popular over the years leading up to the raid. KnowYourMeme.com has a timeline of the evolution of the Naruto run as a meme. It all started with a 30 second Youtube video of someone doing the Naruto run, posted on Sept. 6, 2006. After Youtube was crawling with all kinds of Naruto run videos, Facebook events started to pop up. On Aug. 8, 2017, a Facebook event was created for a group Naruto run that would take place in Philadelphia on Sept. 10. The event had over 7,000 interested people and, soon enough, Naruto runs like this were being organized all over the world.

Image from globalnews, People doing the naruto run outside area 51.

On June 27, video game streamer SmyleeKun posted an event to Facebook titled "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us." In the event he writes, "If we Naruto run, we can move faster than their bullets. Let’s see them aliens." The event was posted as a joke, but of course we all know just how much attention it got. On Sept. 20, the day that the event was supposed to take place, about 150 people showed up to the entrance of Area 51. They weren’t there to break into Area 51, though; they were there to Naruto run and participate in the joke. I never thought I would see major news outlets talking about the Naruto run but I guess that’s the power of the meme. Naruto’s Wikipedia page now has a section called the Naruto Run and the popular game Fortnite even incorporated the Naruto run into the game. Get ready fellow nerds, because this thanksgiving you won’t be the only one in your family talking about anime.

Mary McCann

October 11, 2019

So I’m a Comic Nerd

October 11, 2019/ Alanna Larabie

My dad is a huge comic book fan, so growing up I was exposed to Batman and Spiderman as much as I was Disney, basically I was predestined to become a comic book nerd.

Admittedly my actual collection is fairly small compared to others. However, I still think its decent, and I’m here to share it with you.

To start off, let’s take a dive into the first official comic series I collected, Teen Titans Go.

…The 2003 cartoon! Not the one you’re thinking of!

When there’s trouble you know who to call (told you)

I started collecting this series back in high school after my dad got me the first three issues. This was the first time I really got into the world of comic books and though out the majority of my high school days once a month would be spent going to my local comic book store to pick up the latest issue and then getting Burger King. Good times.

The series is still one of my favorites. It mainly consisted of one-shot stories that played out just like an episode, the Titans face off against a threat in the form of a villain and general teen woes and hilarious/emotional hijinks ensued. I wish I could say I have all fifty-five issues but unfortunately issue fifty-three never came in and at the time of writing this I’m still searching the Comic Con scene for it.

I’m nothing if not stubborn.

For a few years after that I fell out of the habit as there was nothing that really caught my interest.

…And then I started watching My Little Pony.

For me the main comic line was okay but nothing too special, the Friends Forever line? Now we’re talking. What originally began as just buying issue two because it had my favorite character turn into a new monthly trip to the comic book store. Just another standard series of one-shots, but what made it interesting was their premise of taking, typically, two characters, paring them together in a situation and just watching their personalities work off each other. Sadly, it ended at thirty-eight issues.

Seriously, they couldn’t have just gone two more and end at an even forty?

I do own some other MLP comics, mostly miniseries, but these take up the majority of them.

Now to talk about the newest addition, a comic based off a show I’m a bit of a fan of.

(Its Invader Zim isn’t it?)

…Yes.

Invader Zim was brought back in comic form in 2015 and I couldn’t be happier! I love this comic, in my opinion it’s just as good as the show. It really does feel like they picked up where the show left off. Thus a new monthly trip to the comic book store. The majority are single issue stories but there are a few story arcs that span two or four issues long. There are currently forty-seven issues with issue fifty confirmed for December and I really hope it goes on for a while. The longer I can spend with my favorite insane alien jerk the better.

After that, my collection gets a little random. I’ve got some Pixar miniseries surrounding Monsters Inc., Wall-e, and two Finding Nemo stories; a miniseries surrounding Megamind and Kung Fu Panda; and a number of volume collections for random series.

Two that stand out are this ten issue Edward Scissorhands series that acts like a sequel to the film, and an awesome Cartoon Network crossover series called Super-Secret Crisis War that had six issue, plus five tie-in single issues, so elven in total.

cow and freaking chicken got an issue but not courage?

Like I said, my collection is nothing impressive but I’m pretty happy with it, and I was happy to have an excuse to revisit it. To the comic book store!

Alanna Larabie.

Alanna Larabie is a student in the Professional Writing program. She also has a diploma in General Arts and Science and a certificate in Pre-Animation.

October 07, 2019

Anime Challenges Manga!

October 07, 2019/ Amjad Yassine

“My name is Amjad Yassine, I like to read fantasy stories, I think of, and most of all, I’m a huge learning nerd/geek (pick nerd or geek, not both… or both). I seek to bring my fantasy worlds to life.”

Introduction:

We’ve known both of these categories for years now. Anime and Manga have been keeping each other's backs for decades. But what would happen if they were pitted against each other? I’m going to talk about the differences between anime and manga.

Anime:

Imagine watching someone else read the manga to you, along with charming, brilliant or simple animation to drive your soul into. Bring in “Animation,” shortened as Anime. Having the purpose to bring manga most people have wanted, or just a random series brought to life. Though unlike the manga counterpart, the anime costs a ton of cash to produce, and it isn't guaranteed to succeed. Making the animations; handling the voice actors; releasing a new episode weekly Not to mention piracy; a common but huge issue for anime and its industry. If it can be accessed from a website - It would be a huge issue for the company that owns the anime series.

Manga:

To those who are more into reading comics than watching anime. If that turns out to be you; let me greet you with Manga. The original version of a Fictional Japanese series that would end up becoming such iconic anime shows; like Dragon Ball; Sailor Moon; One Piece; and most other successful series to receive the anime adaptation to follow later on. It’s responsible for some of the most iconic franchises to grace the Japanese and English audience’s screen. But before we ever got the anime version of the series, most fans have come to love for its new animation. We got the black and white manga, the one that gave life to most anime shows (mentioned in 1st) we’ve come to know. Like its anime counterpart, money would be a huge issue, depending on the number of pages, the amount of quality, etc. However, how big the cost could be will depend on the quality, and amount of pages a manga will have.

Champion

As for a winner… well. For the pros, and cons of both sides. I would have to give it to the Manga. Sure, you’ll have to read, page after page. However, the manga counterpart is the original version of a series, at least most of the time (looking at you Dragon Ball Super). If anything, you also get to have the original experience of a series, before it gets an anime adaptation. While there are good adaptations, there are definitely bad adaptations as well. If anything, and if you can find it, read the manga adaptation first.

Fun Facts:

Anime:

Anime is Japanese' way to say animation.

The first “Anime” came to Japan in 1907. Oddly enough, its creator is currently unknown.

Manga:

The term, Manga has existed, since the late 18th century, but its usage at that time was far different, especially compared to what Manga has become.

Work Cited:

Amino. 20 interesting facts about anime/manga. Amino. 2015

https://aminoapps.com/c/anime/page/blog/20-interesting-facts-about-anime-manga/V1t7_u5Yrx7qmd3x13BXD0jNN5aG0Z

Youtube. Katsudō Shashin. Youtube. 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dry3ylvqmNM

October 03, 2019

Top 5 Anime of the Summer

October 03, 2019/ Guest User

Now that the summer anime season has wrapped up, let’s take a look at what was worth watching.

#5: How Heavy are the Dumbbells You Lift? (Dumbbell Nan-Kiro Moteru?)

Dumbbell is certainly the best pure comedy of the season. Despite that, a lot of my interest in the show doesn’t stem from its solid comedy, but from the surprisingly effective educational elements. If you’ve been thinking of trying to lose weight, build muscle or just want to learn a few things about staying in shape, Dumbbell manages to use its entertaining cast of characters to deliver simple, clear instructions on various exercises, life-style changes and aspects of gym etiquette that could be immensely useful to people starting out. Even if you’re not into that, the show is plenty entertaining without it. It’s also a spin off of Kengan Asura, a brutal fighting anime that recently popped up on Netflix, although they have almost nothing in common besides a love for muscles.

Streaming at funimation.com

#4: Dr Stone

For most anime fans, Dr. Stone likely needs no introduction. When the manga released, it quickly rose to the top of popularity polls, and the anime has been receiving a massive advertising push from Crunchyroll. Does it live up to the hype? I can comfortably say, mostly. While it certainly isn’t the best shounen I’ve seen (not even the best this season, with the second half of Kimetsu no Yaiba having only just ended,) Dr. Stone is definitely a good time. The fusion of scientific exploration, stone-age culture and tech, and the interesting rivalry between savagery and science makes for a very compelling experience, even if the show never quite excels beyond “compelling” and into the realm of the incredible.

Streaming at crunchyroll.com

#3: Maidens in their Savage Season (Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-dono yo)

While I’ve never been a pubescent girl, I can still say that Maidens is one of the most uncomfortably relatable and hilariously familiar shows I’ve experienced in a while. While that may not sound appealing to everyone, and Maidens doesn’t shy away from some uncomfortable subject matter, it’s definitely worth giving an episode or two.

Streaming at hidive.com

#2: Astra: Lost in Space (Kanata no Astra)

Now we get to the really revolutionary stuff. While Astra doesn’t seem like much from the get-go, and the double-length first episode might put some people off, trust me when I say it’s definitely worth watching. Sci-Fi anime aren’t rare per say, but shows that really explore complex potential futures don’t come every day. Solid mystery shows are rarer still, and Astra is a fantastic example of both. I hesitate to say more — discussing this show is difficult without blatantly spoiling it — so I’ll end off by saying that the characters in particular really shine in this one. Give it a shot.

Streaming at funimation.com

#1: Vinland Saga

Vinland Saga is undeniably a classic. The manga is among the best pieces of historical fiction to come out of Japan (or anywhere, for that matter) and the anime does it justice in spades. Vinland Saga is an easy recommendation for those interested in the history of vikings, those who love action, anyone who enjoys a good revenge tale and, really, anyone who enjoys anime classics. The only people who should steer clear are the faint of heart. Vinland Saga certainly doesn’t shy away from the brutalities of history, be it hyper-violence, slavery or a cruel indifference to human suffering. These elements aren’t used simply to shock the audience, but serve to drive home the series’ thematic message. This is one I’ll be recommending to everyone for a long time.

Streaming at primevideo.com

Morgan Montgomery

With a burning passion for all things Anime and an equally fiery need to tell people about it, Morgan might be insufferable in person but you should be able to handle his posts.

September 30, 2019

The Beginning

September 30, 2019/ Guest User

Nerd Art Online

Five college nerds embark on the adventure of a lifetime, diving headfirst into the world of foreign and obscure media. To introduce our stars:

I’m Morgan, and anime is my passion. My hope is to bring everyone up to speed on what’s new and hot both abroad and around Ottawa.

The name is Amjad. I like to read, write and, most of all, learn. I seek to bring my fantasy worlds to life.

My name is Ryan. I enjoy comic books, collectibles, comparing comics and graphic novels with similar stories as well as more obscure comics that many who don’t read a lot of comic books may not be familiar with. I also like reading stories that take a look at human nature, expanding my collection of collectible figures and statues, comparing adaptations of comic book stories from splash page to screen, and reading comics and graphic novels like Spawn, Watchmen and Moon Knight.

I’m Mary, and I only started watching anime at 18 years old! My favourites are Naruto, One Piece, Dragon Ball, Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop. I will be providing a newcomer’s perspective to the blog.

You can call me Alanna. In my contributions, I will be talking about my own interests and opinions about the world of geek media, up to and including comics, anime, and collectibles. Nothing is off limits, not even my own collections.