RJ Writing Ink

2019 will be upon us in a matter of hours, and there is already so much to look forward to. It is a tradition of mine every time the new year rolls around to look over all the things that I have to look forward to in 2019. Now that I have this blog, I thought “why not share it with everyone?”

Then I suddenly realized that a lot of the things I have to look forward to in the new year involve the end to stories that I have followed for years. So I decided to call 2019 “The Year of Endings”.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly

BROLY’S LEGEND FIRST BEGAN IN 1993, WITH BICEPS BIGGER THAN GOKU’S HEAD AND A HEART THAT LONGED TO BE FREE!

Broly Chronicles, Team Four Star

This is the Dragon Ball film that fans have waiting for. The reason can be summed up in a single, five-letter word: B-R-O-L-Y.

Debuting in the 1993 film Broly: The Legendary Super Saiyan, Broly has proven to be among the most popular villains in the Dragon Ball franchise. This is in spite of the criticism to his backstory, which Team Four Star has summed up as being “really dumb”. So when it was announced that a reworked version of Broly was going to be the main villain in the next Dragon Ball film, fans went bananas. It premieres on January 16th in the US, and I got tickets for opening night. And you can bet your bottom dollar that I’m going to write about it after I’m done! If the reviews are any indication, though, I am not going to be disappointed.

Kingdom Hearts III

To say that I have been waiting for this game would be an understatement. It has been six years since Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. That’s the same amount of time since Square Enix first announced this game. On top of that, it’s been nearly fourteen years since Kingdom Hearts II came out. So, I have been waiting for a long time.

I’m gonna get that game, then I’m going to play it until I beat it on the hardest difficulty. It’s as simple as that. And I hope that it is one of the best games that I have ever played, or I am going to feel an empty hole in my heart for the rest of my days.

Captain Marvel

First referenced in the post-credits scene of Avengers: Infinity War, she is going to be playing a big role in Avengers: Endgame. Before that happens though, Marvel is going to take us back to the origin of Captain Marvel.

Taking place in the 1990s, the movie is going to give us the origin story of the titular hero as she uncovers the secrets to her past as she protects Earth from an intergalactic war. It also shows more about the past of Nick Fury and how he came to know Captain Marvel. Plus, Phil Coulson will be coming back! He’s been plenty active in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but the last time he was on the big screen was in the original Avengers movie. This will be a welcome return.

With this being the only film left before Endgame, there’s a lot riding on this film. Knowing Marvel and Disney, I am not worried. It’s going to be weird seeing Blockbuster again, though.

Avengers: Endgame

Dear god, where do I even begin with this. There’s not enough time in the day. This is part two to the story that the MCU has been building up from since the very beginning. Everything we have seen, everything that has happened, has all led to this moment. Infinity War ended with the Avengers be completely defeated by Thanos as he wiped out half the universe. This movie is going to be about picking up the pieces and figuring out how to fix things. The stakes have never been higher.

I know that Thanos’ actions will be largely undone. The fact that there’s another Spider-Man film coming makes that clear. Still, there is no guarantee that not every hero is going to make it out of this movie alive, which makes it all the more agonizing to have to wait for. If you’ve read the comics this is based on, you can get a bit of an idea of how this might end, but I am still excited to find out.

This film is going to mark the end of the MCU as we know it, with a new status quo being set up afterwards. It’s the end of an era for Marvel. Perhaps the most bittersweet thing about this film is that it will be one of the final confirmed appearances of Stan Lee doing his cameo. Something in my gut told me that the story of Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet was always going to be Stan Lee’s final cameo, and I was right. It’s fitting that the finale to this stage of the MCU will include a final appearance behind one of the men who created Marvel. I think I might cry when I see him.

Game of Thrones Season 8

For nine years, Game of Thrones has shocked and captivated audiences around the world. I could spend an entire blog talking about how big the show has become. But the Song of Ice and Fire will be coming to its end in April 2019. And it is going to be one of the biggest events in television history.

So many questions are going through my head about the final season: who is going to live? Who will die? Will Westeros survive the White Walkers or not? Given the show’s history, I will not be surprised to see some of the remaining characters die, but we simply don’t know which ones will! Everyone is on the chopping block in the finale; literally everyone. While I wish for either Jon or Daenerys to make it out of the show alive, I am trying to make peace with the fact that they may not.

There’s only one thing I want more than anything in the final season: to see Cersei Lannister die. If she dies, I hope it’s by one of the following:

• Jaime Lannister kills her himself.
• Arya Stark kills her
• If she is pregnant, she dies giving birth to a dwarf.

While I’d love for her demise to be violent and painful (she deserves it), I’m hoping it’s option three for ironic reasons. The best kind of reasons. If Westeros freezes over, I’ll at least have the satisfaction of seeing her get what she deserves.

Star Wars: Episode IX

The new Star Wars Trilogy will be coming to an end in 2019. Disney is keeping a really tight ship in regards to that, though, so I don’t have anything to show of it. What I do know is that it takes place one year after Episode VIII and that it claims it will be the final chapter of the Skywalker saga. I don’t know about that, but if this is the finale to Star Wars as we know it, then it’s going to have to work extra hard.

I’ve been on the fence about the sequel trilogy since the beginning, to be honest. I thought that Return of the Jedi was already a great way to wrap up the story of the Skywalkers. That, and the franchise had been carried on by books, TV shows, and video games that spanned into the future of the original cast and thousands of years into the past. It felt like a waste to see most of that shoved to the side. So I have taken the sequel trilogy with a grain of salt.

I also didn’t like how they turned Luke into, in my own words, a whiny old man. He was almost the complete opposite of the Luke I watched and read about as a kid. I just hope that this is going to be good.

End of the Road

The end of the road is always a bittersweet moment, but one that we have to deal with, eventually. I have so many things to look forward to in 2019, and many of them involve endings to stories that I have followed for years. Mind you, they are not ending for good. Game of Thrones already has a prequel series planned. I think Square Enix will continue Kingdom Hearts someday. And I know that Disney is not going to give up on Star Wars or the MCU. They already have the next Spider-Man film set for July.

It’s going to be an interesting year for everyone, and I honestly can’t wait to see what 2019 brings us. So, from me to you, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The year 2018 was a huge year, as far as I’m concerned: superheros dominated the box office, we lost a lot of celebrities, and saw stellar game after stellar game released. It was also a big year for me personally, thought that is another story. With today being the last day of 2018, I thought I could look back on some of what I thought were the defining moments of 2018.

“Wakanda Forever!”- The Black Panther

I already talked about it in my post on superhero movies I saw for 2018, but I will say it again: Black Panther was one of the biggest hits of the year. Its success goes well beyond that, however. It celebrates the traditions and customs of African cultures while also showing what it can become. That’s what Wakanda stands for.

To outsiders, Wakanda looks like a third-world nation. In reality, though, it has the kind of technology and economic prosperity that would make America green with envy. They have hoverbikes, people! HOVERBIKES!

At the same time, Wakanda is in tune with African culture and traditions. People walk through the streets of the city wearing traditional garments alongside more modern clothing. Wakanda’s military rides into battle in warrior garbs that are laced with vibranium and holographic shields. The method through which T’Challa officially becomes King is through ceremonial combat. It’s an amazing blend of technology and tradition, and shows what African culture can be. I can’t wait for the next time we visit Wakanda.

The Ultimate Pop Culture Drug- Ready Player One

Oh my god, this movie was the absolute BEST. For someone who has spent their entire life surrounded by popular culture, this movie was like being a kid in the world’s coolest candy store. I would have to spend days looking through the entire movie to list every cultural reference in this game. I hope Ernest Cline is proud of how the movie adaptation turned out.

If you didn’t see the movie or read the book, here’s the synopsis: it takes place in 2045, where everyone has basically given up on fixing the world. Instead, they put on VR headsets and hang out in the OASIS, which is the ultimate VR hub-universe where you can do anything! It was co-created by this giant pop culture nerd and gamer James Halliday. When he died, he left a scavenger hunt for three keys in the OASIS. The player who finds them first gets full control of OASIS. So, it’s Willy Wonka meets Bill Gates. If you haven’t seen it already, see it now.

RIP Dr. Stephen Hawking

Dr. Stephen Hawking was one of the most brilliant minds of our time, but he was always living time. He was diagnosed with ALS in his 20s, but that never stopped him from living a full and happy life. It also didn’t stop him from make guest-appearances as himself on various shows. And somehow, he managed to live for fifty years with the disease. But, he passed away in peace on March 14, 2018. I think he would have found it funny that he died on Pi Day.

“I don’t feel so good…” The Snap of Infinity War

If you’re one of the handfuls of people that haven’t seen Avengers: Infinity War, then here’s a spoiler: Thanos wins and kills off half the universe. I watched half the cast of the movie turn into dust and fade away before my eyes, but the hardest part was watching Spider-Man die. I NEVER saw that coming.

At any rate, Tom Holland’s line “I don’t feel so good” as he turned into dust from what pop culture has dubbed “The Snap” became a staple of pop culture for 2018. All over social media, people started using the disintegration special effect to recreate The Snap and dusting. It was our way of coping with the genuinely traumatic sight of watching characters we never thought we’d see bite it die. My only regret is that I couldn’t find one of Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones turning into dust.

Seriously, I WANT to see her die in 2019.

End of Adventure Time

One of the greatest cartoons of all time, Adventure Time brought on a renaissance for Cartoon Network. Several awards, critical acclaim, and a fan base that spanned across all generations and nationalities, Adventure Time was a cartoon that only comes around once in a lifetime. But all good things need to come to an end. Or else they up like The Simpsons (that’s right, I went there).

On Labor Day, 2018, Adventure Time came to an end with the hour-long finale, “Come Along With Me”. But even though it ended its run on TV, it’s legacy has inspired other cartoons and helped to launch a new generation of creators, one that I think we have only begun to tap. Besides, it’s not like the show is gone for good: it’s still be continued in comic book sequels.

Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4

Never in my life have I have ever needed something so badly and never knew it until I got it. This was probably my favorite game of 2018, even if it didn’t win Game of the Year.

We Were Right About Global Warming

You know how all those people kept saying that global warming wasn’t real, in spite of the evidence. Guess what? WE WERE RIGHT! Global warming is real, it’s already here, and it’s dangerously close to the point of no return on it. And people are starting to wake up to the danger of it, despite the fact that Donal Trump insists that it is not real.

As more and more of the world begins to go green in order to reduce the effects of global warming, estimates are coming in. It’s believed that the demand for fossil fuels will peak in about 11-12 years, and then decline as green energy sources become widespread. That’s promising, but it still might not be enough to stop our planet from being irreparably screwed over. It’s never too late to try, though.

RIP Stan Lee and Steve Dikto

This one doesn’t really need any more explaining. I already covered my feelings about it plenty in my post about it.

In case people forgot, though, I would like to point out that Steve Dikto, who co-created Spider-Man with Stan Lee, died earlier this year. So I think it’s only right to mention him. Hopefully, those two are with Jack Kirby in that great comic book studio in the sky

RIP Stephen Hillenberg

Nor does this need any more explaining. RIP, Ocean Man.

Fallout 76

From the moment I saw the lackluster reaction to it at E3 2018, I knew that this game was going to have problems. Still, I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt and pre-ordered it for myself. So far, it feels like it was a waste of my money.

This game has been plagued with issues from the very start, and they have only gotten worse. Bethesda has repeatedly broken its promises and abused the trust of its customers with poorly made merchandise related to the game. I wish that this game would improve, but so far it doesn’t look likely.

ANIME IS NOW MAINSTREAM

Gentleman, let us mark 2018 as the year when anime was officially mainstream. For evidence, I provide this video: Goku’s balloon at the 2018 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

I watched that parade from start to finish just for this parade, and I think plenty of other people did as well. It was an amazing experience showing that we were no longer a niche group of fans but a full part of pop culture. I did groan in frustration when the host pronounced “Saiyan” wrong.

BTW, Pikachu doesn’t count. He was a video game character before he got his own anime.

So, what were your favorite moments of 2018? Let me know in the comments below! Happy New Year, and check out my other blog on what I look forward to in 2018

Eden’s Zero Chapter 25 Review/Recap

Sorry, it took so long to get this done. The holiday season, after all. Anyway, that brings us back to Eden’s Zero.

Shiki’s Got Skills

So, let’s review what has happened last chapter: Evil Sister showed up and started duking it out with Rogue Out, Rebecca went off on her own to find a missing B-Cuber, and Weisz and Homura found another Sister in the basement of Rogue Out’s Church.

Continuing where we left off, Shiki is being forced on the defensive thanks to Rogue Out’s gunfire. It seems he has learned marksmanship from watching Rebecca fight and has developed a way to compress is Gravity Ether into balls. And he’s good at using them.

Natsu probably would have just tried to brute-force his way through Rogue Out. Shiki, on the other hand, prefers to fight smarter. Both of them, though, do get furious when people attack the ones they call friends. Sister earns Shiki’s wrath when she uses Jin as a shield against his attacks. Yes, Sister can heal them no problem, but that’s not the point.

Meanwhile, Rebecca is looking for Copa the B-Cuber when she comes across Illega’s… collection

Rather than say it myself, I think it would be funnier to let Dr. Hojo from TeamFourStar’s Final Fantasy VII Machinabridged say why Illega kidnaps pretty girls and turns them into statues

Well, it’s true. And guess what? Illega is holding Copa hostage like the coward he is. And instead of turning her into furniture, Illega plans on keeping Rebecca as his toy. Which I can only assume is another way of saying “s** slave” or something dirty like that.

…. yeah, screw that.

Gravity Shot

Dang, Rebecca is really good with a gun! One shot and Illega goes down. Meanwhile, Shiki…

K.O.! Shiki wins in a knockout! And then, that other Sister shows up and declares that the evil sister is going to pay for using her powers without her permission. This all but confirms my theory that the one in the basement is the real sister, and the leader of Rogue Out is an imposter or duplicate. Next chapter we will probably see the evil Sister be destroyed or taken down in some way. Can’t wait.

Oh, and since I meant to put this up on Christmas, here’s a sketch of Rebecca in a Santa costume.

Click here to see more animanga stuff

When I look back on the year 2018, there are a couple of things that I want to remember it for (and I will be covering some of them in my Review of 2018 here). Looking back, though, I think I can sum up my memory of 2018 in four words: the Year of Superheroes.

Year of Superheroes

Superhero movies dominated the film industry in 2018, churning out movie after movie up to the final weeks of the year. In hindsight, aside from a few exceptions, the majority of the movies that I went to see in theaters were superhero movies. I didn’t get to see every last one of them, but I saw a good deal of them, sometimes more than once. With the year wrapping up, I thought it would be fun to go back and give my thoughts about what I did see.

So, without further delay, here it is, true believers! My thoughts on this Year of Superheroes.

Black Panther

Dear god, where do I even begin? As someone who has read Marvel Comics for years and scoured the internet for lore, I knew the basics about the Black Panther: the first African superhero. Created in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, he was a game-changer then, and he is now. This was the first time in living memory (that I know of) that an African or African-American superhero had the spotlight to themselves, and the people who made the film knew how important that was.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this movie would be as big as it got. I thought Infinity War was going to be the big superhero movie of the year, but this one seems to have made the bigger cultural splash. I loved it, and I would watch it again in a heartbeat.

Avengers: Infinity War

From the moment I saw Thanos in the mid-credits to Avengers, I KNEW that this moment was coming. I watched nearly every Marvel film for the last six years, watching the pieces fall into place and the Infinity Stones be revealed. When it finally came, I was one of millions of people who went to the movies to see it. What I saw exceeded my expectations.

I felt I had a lot of reasons to worry about this film not being a success. I was worried that, with so many characters, there wouldn’t be enough screen-time for everyone. Or that, after repeatedly topping themselves so many times in terms of scope, that this would be the moment when the MCU stumbled. Thank GOD that it didn’t.

I was enthralled by the film from start to finish. I gasped out loud at some of the moments, I laughed, squealed in delight, and at one point, I quietly screamed in sorrow.

By the time the credits rolled around, I just sat there with my mouth hanging open. I don’t know if it actually happened, but I swear people started applauding it. This was one of the best movies I have ever seen, and it was a night I will never forget. Big highlight for year of superheroes.

Deadpool 2

I’ll be the first to admit it: once upon a time, I hated Deadpool.

I’m serious. I thought he was annoying as hell. But then Ryan Reynolds somehow made me fall in love with the Merc with a Mouth. Actually, I think it’s more like I’m in love with Ryan Reynold’s performance as Deadpool. I don’t know how, but the way plays DP is just hilarious, and you can tell that he has fun with it. Shoot, I think he only agreed to play Pikachu in Detective Pikachu just to make fun of it as Deadpool.

What were my favorite scenes: just this.

I laughed my butt off with my friends in the theater when I saw what happened to most of the team. It was a big spit in the face of the concept of superhero teams. But then the film manages to top it in the mid-credits by correcting some…mistakes.

And Ryan Reynolds got to stop himself from making the biggest mistake of his career.

Thank you, Marvel.

Incredibles 2

I didn’t particularly like the original film, but I think that when I saw it, I wasn’t in a good mood that day, so that may have affected my viewing. Nonetheless, Pixar and Disney times Incredibles 2 perfectly. With superheroes dominating the box office, this was the best time to release the long awaited sequel. I don’t really know what else there is to say, other than when’s the next one coming out?

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Initially, I wasn’t going to see this movie. Because after the events of Avengers: Infinity War, I thought that there would be no point. There was no way this movie could top it. Overall, I was right. There were no universally-high stakes in Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Maybe that’s what moviegoers needed to see, though. It wasn’t as big or as epic as Infinity War, and it knew it couldn’t compete with it. So, it didn’t bother trying. It was a light-hearted film that helped take the edge off of having to wait another year for the next MCU film, and the ending does help set up for Avengers: Endgame.

Teen Titans Go! to the Movies

I was a fan of the original Teen Titans show, so when I saw this show for the first time, I wanted to puke. But then, for reasons I fully don’t comprehend, I decided to go see this movie. And you know what? It wasn’t that bad. Actually it was, pretty good.

Put the torches and pitchforks down. And drop the shotguns.

I still don’t like the show! But the movie made me realize that Teen Titans GO! was never meant to be like the original cartoon. It’s trying to be its own thing and entertain a different audience, and so far it seems to be working. What I’m getting at is that this movie is basically the show telling the haters that it’s proud to be silly, and that doesn’t stop it from being cool when it needs to be. Just look at this!

My Hero Academia: Two Heroes

Considering how much I love superheroes and anime, I wonder how I did not get into My Hero Academia sooner than this year? Well, better late than never. I love this show, and I loved the movie, and I don’t know what I can say clearly to express my admiration for the author or the people who work on the show. I just wish I could find an actual clip of the final battle. The moment you hear “You Say Run”, your hair will start to stand on end in excitement.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Anything that I say here will have already been said in my review of this movie, so I will keep it brief. I thought Infinity War was the best superhero movie of the year, but compared to this, I don’t think it even treads water. This film is a love letter to one of the greatest heroes of modern culture and a tribute to the recently deceased creators of Spider-Man, Steve Dikto and Stan Lee. If you haven’t seen it yet, then you need to drop what you’re doing and buy some tickets. You will not regret it. Just look at this scene!

My hair stood up in excitement. This captures what makes Spider-Man great, in a way that words alone cannot capture.

Year of Superheroes in Conclusion

So, in conclusion, this year was an amazing year for superhero movies, and it’s going to be one of the things I will remember it for. For the other things I want to remember about 2018, check out my year in review, out soon! Peace out!

Let me tell you a tale: four years ago, there was only one thing that I wanted for Christmas. I didn’t care if I didn’t get any other presents that year! WHAT I WANTED… was to The Last: Naruto the Movie for Christmas. Christmas day came and went, and like I knew I would, I couldn’t see the movie. It was only coming to N America in February. But then, on December 29th, I got my Christmas miracle: someone, somewhere managed to upload a watchable copy of The Last: Naruto the Movie onto YouTube, WITH ENGLISH SUBS. *Cue “Hallelujah”. I didn’t take any chances, and just dove in right then and there. It was one of the best gifts I ever got.

And that’s why this is my honorable mention for my “25 days of Christmas”. I know it’s not a Christmas movie, but I have my reasons beyond this for why it’s on here.

Reason 1: the Rinne Festival

Part of the film revolves around the Hidden Leaf Village getting ready for a holiday known as the Rinne Festival. What is that, you ask? It is a holiday where people exchange gifts with friends and loved ones. Sounds an awful lot like Christmas, doesn’t it? On top of that, it’s snowing in the Hidden Leaf. I didn’t even know it could actually do: up until this movie, we only ever saw the Hidden Leaf in the spring or summer time. That’s including in October when Naruto was born. No falling leaves. They were all green.

Reason 2: Romance Plays a Big Part in This

Romance was never one of the strong points of Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto, the author and creator of the franchise, even admits that he didn’t really know how to write a good romance. The Last: Naruto the Movie was his way of trying to make up for that, particularly regarding an unresolved plot thread.

If you know most of the Naruto fandom, you will hopefully about Naruto’s friend and fellow ninja, Hinata. Since the start of the manga, Hinata has admired Naruto due to his self-confidence and kindness towards others. That admiration eventually become love, something that everyone else they knew noticed. Even I noticed it in the anime, and I was ten at the time. Naruto was the only one who didn’t realize it because he’s dense about romance.

By the time of the movie, two years have passed since the climax of the manga, and Naruto is now considered the greatest ninja alive and adored by everyone. Especially girls. They just run right up to him and give him gifts. With the Rinne festival coming up, Hinata decides to make Naruto a home-made scarf in order to finally tell him how she feels. But then her sister gets kidnapped, the moon starts falling, and next thing you know, NINJA’S ON THE MOON!

My point is that romance plays a huge part in this film, as Naruto grows to understand how much Hinata cares about him and realizes how much he actually cares about her. At one point, the two of them end up walking around an abandoned city together. It actually felt like they were on a date. And Christmas Eve is associated with romance in Japan. Get my point now?

In Conclusion

So, yes, this is not a Christmas movie in the slightest. But it does draw on the cultural depictions of Christmas in Japan: a time of gift-giving and romance. I will accept that. But I wanted to include this because it was, honestly, the second best gift that I ever got for the Holidays. I just watched the film from start to finish in my room without stopping, and I loved every second of it. The music was good, the plot was interesting, if not a little convoluted (ninja’s in space. That’s both cool and dumb), and Kishimoto made a genuine effort to appease the fans who were left hanging. So on that note, Happy Holidays!

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The First Spongebob Christmas Special

This special has been on long enough that I don’t think I need to explain much about the plot. So let’s just go over the basics.

After Sandy teaches Spongebob about the concept of Christmas, he shares the holiday with the rest of Bikini Bottom, and soon everyone is in on it. Everyone except for Squidward, who thinks everyone is being stupid.

So Christmas Eve comes, and Squidward is being the Scrooge who refuses to celebrate the holiday. So while everyone is waiting for Santa to come, he goes to sleep. Santa doesn’t show up, and everyone becomes disillusioned with the holiday. Even Spongebob tearfully admits that Squidward was right. Feeling guilty, Squidward decides to dress up as Santa to make Spongebob happy, and then ends up giving away all his stuff as gifts. Then the real Santa shows up and thanks him.

Good Times With Spongebob

As a kid who was making the transition from Nick Jr. to Nickelodeon proper, this was one of the first Christmas specials that I saw growing up, and I loved it. I was a huge Spongebob fan throughout my childhood and tried to emulate him as much as possible. I enjoyed watching his Christmas special every year. That being said, there was one thing about the special that always bugged me: why did everyone stay up to wait for Santa?

As a kid growing up, I was always taught that if you wanted Santa Claus to show up, then you needed to go to sleep so that he wouldn’t be seen. Granted, I know that that was so that parents could put out the presents. Why wouldn’t Sandy tell him that? Most kids will know that idea.

Furthermore, I get why Squidward wanted to rub the fact that he was right in Spongebob’s face. I would be probably be annoyed by Spongebob’s attempts to get him into the holiday spirit. But being right doesn’t give him the right to be a total jackass. Even so, I think Squidward’s decision to dress up as Santa was one of the nicest things I’ve ever seen him do. Too bad I don’t see him do that any more.

In all, though, this remains one of my all-time favorite Christmas Specials, and I hope that you guys have a Merry Christmas.

Click here to see my other animation stuff. Or here to see all holiday related posts!

Yes, people, I am a Brony, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I never cared for My Little Pony at first, thought it was not for me. But then I saw Rainbow Dash beat the circuits out of Starscream in an episode of Death Battle:

And then Pinkie Pie fighting Deadpool:

And then Twilight Sparkle fought Raven.

The point being, the ponies from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic are pretty cool. Unlike previous versions, the characters in this version are not overly “girly” and go on funny and exciting adventures. But I’m not here to talk about the show outright. Today, I want to talk about their new holiday special, The Best Gift Ever.

My Little Pony: The Best Gift Ever

It’s the day before Hearth’s Warming Eve, the Equestrian equivalent to Christmas, and the Mane Six is busy trying to get each other gifts. And Twilight is… having her holiday meltdown from the stress of getting gifts for everyone. And preparing for her family to visit.

So Applejack suggests that they do a Hearth’s Warming helper (AKA a Secret Santa). So the gang goes their separate ways to find the perfect gifts for each other:

• Rarity heads to recover the gift she got for Applejack after it got sent to the wrong address
• Discord tags along with Rainbow Dash to get Fluttershy a new pet
• Fluttershy and Applejack head to a craft fair for gifts for Spike and Rainbow Dash
• Spike wants to get Rarity the best gift ever (because he loves her).
• Pinkie Pie heads to a trio of Reindeer to get a gift for Twilight.
• And Twilight’s gift for Pinkie Pie?

It wouldn’t be an adventure, though, if they didn’t run into hijinks. So things end up getting crazy, and no one ends up getting the gifts they wanted to give.

That’s alright, though, because, like any episode of My Little Pony, there’s a moral behind everything. The moral in this case is that you shouldn’t stress so much about what to get your friends and family for the holiday season. Getting gifts is always fun, but the best gift can be just spending time with loved ones and enjoying yourself. That’s what the holidays are for!

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s mention the touches that I liked about this special- in photo form!

So, yeah, the message of the story is one that has been told a thousand times, but I don’t think that that is a bad thing as long as it’s told in a fun way. And considering how much care Hasbro, the cast, and writers of the show put into it, I’d say that it was plenty of fun. I know I enjoyed it, at least.

Don’t go anywhere yet! I’ve got a bevy of more blogs that I want to do today! Then, check back tomorrow as I go over a bonus movie, recap the year, and what I look forward to in 2019.

Click here to see my other animation stuff. Or here to see all holiday related posts!

When it comes to Christmas Specials, I’ve seen plenty of them over the years. I’ve watched A Charlie Brown Christmas countless times, and some of the other Peanuts specials. I’m familiar with Frosty the Snowman, seen it a couple of times. And I hold the Spongebob Squarepants Christmas Special as one of my favorite specials. Christmas movies, though, I don’t know that many.

I’ve seen several adaptations of A Christmas Carol, including one I wish I never saw. Nightmare Before Christmas was terrific, and every year my family loves watching A Christmas Story on repeat. My favorite Christmas movie, though, has to be 2003’s Elf.

Elf

I never saw Elf in theaters, but I love watching it every year. I don’t know why, but I just love it.

Let’s start off from the beginning: the movie’s about a human named Buddy. Buddy is a normal human who came to the North Pole as a baby and ended up being raised by Santa and the elves. But then the day comes when he realizes that he is actually human, and the elves tell him the truth. His mom and dad fell in love, his mom gave him up for adoption (and passed away), and his dad doesn’t know he exists. He’s living in a “magical place” called New York City.

I couldn’t help but laugh at that joke. So, Buddy, wanting to meet the dad he never knew he had, heads to New York.

The thing I like most about Elf is the fact that Buddy is clearly a fish out of the water, in a good way. Buddy is childlike and sees the good in everyone that he meets, greeting each day with a skip and a smile. In contrast, this is… well this is New York. It’s the city that never sleeps, and it’s an ocean of cynics. Almost everyone that Buddy meets either doesn’t believe him about being from the North Pole or is convinced he has an ulterior motive. Buddy just takes it in stride, though. And his optimism ends up rubbing off on everyone he meets. Plus there’s this.

Thank heavens for gifs. Everyone he meets ends up regaining their holiday spirit, and what it means to be nice in general. Everyone except for his dad. Dear old dad ended up on the naughty list for being the Scrooge of New York. And in spite of Buddy endearing himself to the rest of his family, Walter wants nothing to do with him. At the lowest point of the film, Walter snaps at him and tells him to get out of his life.

Things Get Better

This was a sad sight, but even sadder was how it almost broke Buddy. But at that moment, Santa (played by Ed Asner. This is where I got my love of him as Santa) comes crashing into Central Park. The sheer lack of Christmas Spirit sucked his sleigh dry. So, like any good Christmas movie with Santa, Buddy has to save Christmas.

The way he ends up doing this is in one of the most heart-warming ways I have ever seen. Buddy ends up reconciling with his dad, who finally accepts him as his son no matter who he is, and they all team up to save Christmas through the power of song.

I loved the caroling the most. I’ve heard Christmas Carols sung better, but what gets me is how many people sing it. Everyone that Buddy has met since he came to New York ends up joining in to sing “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town”. This moment goes beyond the plot of the movie for me, though. I think it shows just how much of a positive impact the kindness of one person can have on people. That’s something that a lot of the world desperately needs. And it works: Santa’s sleigh gets back up to full power on its own, and Ed Asner gives such a hearty “Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!”

I could keep rambling on about why this movie is great, but I don’t want to take away from your sugarplum dreams. I loved this movie, it’s my favorite Christmas film, and plenty of other people agree with me on Elf

Don’t think for a second that my 25 Days will be done tomorrow because it’s Christmas! I’m going to be doing a double-header tomorrow as I talk about two more Christmas Specials I watched. And on December 26th, I’ve got a bonus story about one of the best Christmas Gifts that I ever got. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Click here to see my reviews for various films. Or here to see all holiday related posts!

The year 1968. The way I see it, it was one of the the worst years in American history. It started with the Tet Offensive: dozens of strikes by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese agents across South Vietnam. It awoke Americans to the fact that, despite everything their government told them, the Vietnam War was not going their way. Then in April, the Civil Rights Movement lost one of its greatest champions. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination triggered riots across the country poured out their grief. Then, a few short months later, presdiential candidate Robert Kennedy was assassinated. It must have felt like the world was caving in. America needed something good to end the year on. What it got can only be described as a kind of magic. Magic that comes from being in the right place in the right time and making history. We got Earthrise.

For seven years, NASA had been moving step by step in its exploration of space. The endgame: landing a man on the moon and return him home before the decade was out. With less than a year left before the deadline, NASA decided to speed up its plans: they would travel all the way to the moon before the year’s end. So, on December 21st, 1968, a Saturn V rocket carried three men, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders, to deep space. For the first time, humanity would leave Earth behind and head for deep space. They weren’t even sure if they could make it to the moon. Even the astronauts said the odds of success were fifty-fifty.

Three days later, Christmas Eve, 1968. Apollo 8 prepared for the burn that would place it in orbit around the moon. For several tense minutes, there would be no contact between Earth and the crew. Down to the very second, the crew reported in. It was one of the most important events in human history. But that was nothing compared to what the crew and the people on Earth saw next. I’m not going to even bother describing it, just watch this clip:

I wasn’t alive when this moment happened, but when I learned about the story about this moment, I felt like I was going to cry from how beautiful it was. To see the world that we called our home, the only place in the universe that we can call our home, and then to hear the crew of Apollo 8 read from the Book of Genesis, on Christmas Eve no less! I know it sounds cheesy, but it feels it like was true miracle, the greatest gift humanity had ever gotten. The Christmas that mankind saw its home as it truly was, something very special.

Mankind needed Earthrise when it happened. The year had seen pain and hardship and turmoil. America had opened its eyes to the war it was fighting, it felt loss, and then despair. But in just a few moments, all that hardship was erased by the sight of our home. And mankind knew how important that moment was. Time chose the crew of Apollo 8 as its Men of the Year. After the crew came back, Frank Borman recieved a simple telegram that sums the importance of Earthrise:

Thank you, Apollo 8. You saved 1968.

Fifty years tonight since that fateful moment, and so much has changed. 2018 has seen its fair share of triumphs and losses. Movie history was made, there were controversies, tragedies, and the loss of great people (Stan Lee, Stephen Hillenberg, and more). We could use something like Earthrise again, but I think we can do something just as good. Tonight, look at one of the greatest photo’s in human history and remember what we can do with the will and drive to succeed. If we can go to the moon, then we are just as capable of solving the many problems our world is facing. Good night, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays no matter who you are or where you come from.

People, I believe that I have now hit rock bottom on Christmas Specials. Why? Because I just found the Christmas Episode for last season of American Dad. I was into American Dad for a time, along with Seth Macfarlane’s other shows (even got his autograph). But then I grew out of them. But then I saw this special and decided to give it another shot.

American Dad Christmas

Two things you need to know about American Dad: it’s about the family of extremely conservative CIA agent Stan Smith, and every Christmas Special has seen something bad happen to them. Past examples include:

• Getting separated by the Rapture
• Fighting the Anti-Christ. Twice!
• Stan wishing to be single for Christmas only to end up with the wrong family after the wish was undone
• Santa sending an army of elves to kill them
• Santa killing Stan’s dad and turning him into Krampus

Bottom line, the Smiths and Christmas don’t mix. So in this episode, Stan decides to just bail on the whole thing and have the Smiths go into stasis for the day to wait out the holiday. Except for his son, Steve, is isn’t ready to give up on Christmas and runs off to ride a train. But then that train full of kids gets kidnapped and taken to the North Pole by Santa.

Crazy Plan

Apparently, Santa needs them as slave labor in his mines to search for these magical gemstones. They were once part of the eyes of this mythical giant that was slain by the ancient Sumerian hero Gilgamesh and granting him godly power. Santa’s plan is to use them to do the same thing to himself.

Why, though? What on earth does he possibly have to gain from such a convoluted plan? That’s really dumb, but also cool at the same time. But still dumb! That is literally what I thought to myself while I was watching this episode! I admit that this episode had an interesting premise, but it didn’t really do much to make me think of the Christmas spirit. In fact, the revelation that Santa set up everything just for a ridiculous plot to become a god made Steve finally hate Christmas. Thankfully, the hate doesn’t last long and by the end Steve likes Christmas again. Oh, and Santa and the elves got sucked into the giant’s mouth, but then we see his hand climb out the neck in dramatic fashion.

Not a traditional Christmas Special, by far, but this is adult animation. So it gets a pass. I think I need to go have some eggnog after this. American Dad can be weird at times.

Click here to see my other animation stuff. Or here to see all holiday related posts!