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Edens Zero Chapter 33 Review/Recap

Well, this story certainly took a twist. The Digitalis Arc is shaping up to be a momentous one for Eden’s Zero as Shiki faces unexpected opposition, and may be betrayed by someone he thought he could trust.

Picking up where the last chapter left off, the players that Jamilov had impaled glitch out like the characters from Tron. Actually, this is exactly like Tron or Sword Art Online. Death in Digitalis will kill a player in real life.

I’m going to ignore how unoriginal this concept is and hope that Mashima doesn’t lean on other people’s concepts. The bigger issue is Jamilov’s weapon, Maria.

The only other weapon I can think of that can do that kind of thing is Samehada from the Naruto Franchise. That could only absorb Chakra, though, while Maria seems to eat everything. Very creative, and deadly! It doesn’t change the fact that Shiki manages to kick Jamilov’s butt by dropping a tower on him.

Before the fight can go any further, Jamilov is suddenly called away by Drakken Joe, and hightails it out of Digitalis. As fate would have it, he didn’t get everyone in the village

The villagers are grateful enough to the crew that they tell them where Hermit is: she’s sitting on a hill to the north of the town.

This is the first thing that Shiki says as soon as he finds her:

Really skipped a lot of key details, Shiki. I guess that being overeager is a recurring theme in Mashima’s heroes. After explaining everything in detail, it doesn’t matter: Hermit’s not going anywhere.

Yeah, she really does not like humans. Hermit hates them with every fiber of her being

I can only guess why Hermit hates humans right now, but it may have something to do with Ziggy disbanding the original crew of the Eden’s Zero. So, now they have to deal with this mess for the time being.

There’s a bigger problem, though: Homura ran off on her own to explore the city. That’s what she said, but it turns out, she’s meeting someone.

“Undercover stuff”? What could that possibly mean, and what does Homura have planned for Shiki? I have so many questions right now, and sadly, I don’t have enough info to start making theories! All I know is that I did not see this twist coming.

What do you guys think about what’s happening? Leave your thoughts down below in the comments!

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Sword Art Online: Alicization, Episode 3, Review/Recap

Hey, everyone, it’s me, J! Now that Kirito went through the introductory cutscenes, it’s time for him to start learning how to play the game. I know this isn’t actually a video game, but I wanted to stick with the “setup to a JRPG” I mentioned last time. Let us continue Sword Art Online: Alicization.

LINK, START!

Recap

As dawn begins to break, Kirito begins his second day in Underworld… at 5:30 in the morning. The nun introduced in the last episode, Selka, nearly has to tear the sheets off of him. He then wakes up to an image of his cousin/little sister, Suguha.

Kirito joins Eugeo as he continues with his (pointless) job of chopping the Gigas Cedar. Once he’s done with his morning work, Eugeo talks more about Alice, and reveals that Selka’s actually Alice’s little sister. Alice’s sacred task was to study the Sacred Arts, which are really the world’s system commands. The Underworlders just think they’re magic.

Alice was apparently a prodigy at the Sacred Arts, the best the village (Rulid Village). She even found a Sacred Art to stop a person’s life from decreasing. Eugeo then mentions the creators of the Taboo Index, the Axiom Church, located in Centoria.

Chop Down a Tree With A Sword

Suddenly, Kirito hits upon a bright idea of finding something stronger to chop down that stupid tree. Eugeo gets his most prized possession: the Blue Rose Sword. It was left behind by a famous hero after he slew a white dragon in a cave near the village; the same cave Kirito, Eugeo, and Alice went to in the first episode. A few years later, Eugeo went back and got it.

Kirito immediately tries to use the sword to chop the dumb tree down. He ends up flat on his back, but he was able to make a dent. If they want to use the sword right, they need to master it first. The problem is, they lack the authority to use it.

Simply put, System Authority’s like a level in Underworld. In order to wield the Blue Rose, Kirito and Eugeo need to raise their System Authority to match the sword.

That night, Kirito thinks over the Taboo Index and the Axiom Church. Right now, the Index’s the only thing keeping Eugeo from getting Kirito to Centoria. He then talks with Selka about Alice, and just how important she was to her and Eugeo.

Eugeo can’t stand the fact that Alice was taken away and he couldn’t do anything about it, which is why he seems so sad all the time. Kirito then tells Selka why Alice was taken by the Integrity Knight.

The next morning, Selka is nowhere to be found. Before they could figure it out, I knew what it meant: Selka had gone to the cave the three went. Thats when they find her being held by a group of Goblins. They’re quickly spotted, and the last thing we see is Eugeo paralyzed by fear.

Review

Continuing with the whole “JRPG” thing from last episode, I would say that this episode would be the part where the player character (that’s Kirito) begins the tutorials and starts being able to move around and do what he wants. There’s still plenty of cutscenes, but they’re for the purpose of explaining the mechanics of the game; in this case, Underworld. After basic movement’s done, they move on to the combat tutorial, which is what the next episode will be about.

Speaking of combat, it may be because I’ve watched Goblin Slayer, but the design of the goblins in this show feels similiar. The main difference between the two is that the goblins in Underworld are more intelligent. They’re capable of speech and rationality, which makes even more dangerous. The fact that they’ve captured Selka is proof of that. Forgot to mention that part.

Once again, this series is progressing slowly and focus on exposition. I get that that’s important to a story, but leaning on it too much can cause it to suffer as a result. That’s bad. I just hope this show doesn’t do that as much.

I’d give this episode a passing grade of 3.5/5 stars. It passes, but barely.

Next episode, we should finally see some much-needed action. I’m looking forward to it: the fights in Sword Art Online are usually very entertaining.

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If you’re an anime fan, then you might have heard arguments about which is better: subbed or dubbed? Flame wars have waged across the Internet over this debate for years, but the answer might not be either. That’s right; sometimes the best version may be fan-based parodies called abridged series! Case in point, Hellsing Ultimate Abridged.

Created in 2010 by Takahata101 of TeamFourStar, this parody of Hellsing Ultimate is a gem. It keeps all the over-the-top violence of the original series, but also adds enough humor to match it. Fans of the series are even saying it’s better than the original dub by Funimation. Not to belittle Funimation’s efforts, but here are five reasons why fans might be right.

TAKAHATA101 PLAYS ALUCARD

If you know TeamFourStar, then you know what Curtis “Takahata101” Arnott is about. From Nappa to Red XVIII, he likes to give his characters varying levels of crazy. Add that to a battle-loving monster like Alucard, and he goes nuts.

The original Alucard is pretty arrogant and knows how strong he is, but he still respects Integra. In contrast, Taka’s Alucard is very much a troll, who loves to cause trouble for everyone. He messed with the Cristo Redentor to anger Anderson, gets off on hearing he was right, and tilted every painting in a hallway to give Integra a headache. 

He may be a troll, but Takahata still gives Alucard some hidden depths. Like any good comedian, he knows when it’s time to be serious about something. He shows genuine concern for Seras when she is in danger and is very solemn at the sight of Father Anderson’s passing. Then he flips his lid when Walter interrupted Anderson’s final words.

THE SOUNDTRACK GETS AN UPGRADE

Choosing the right music can be what makes or breaks a scene. In that regard, TeamFourStar has mastered it with their choices for the series. For example, when the time comes for The Major’s “I Love War” speech, it’s appropriately accompanied by Gustav Holst’s “Mars the Bringer of War.” They also choose to kick off Millenium’s assault on London with Edwin Starr’s “War,” the irony intentional.

Let’s not forget all the killer moments of Seras Victoria, AKA the Police Girl. Every time she ends up going on a rampage, its accompanied by a Rob Zombie song. The hospital fight had “Feel So Good”; tearing through the Nazi’s in Hellsing Manor, “Living Dead Girl”; beating the Captain, “Werewolf Baby!” The heavy metal rock drives home how badass Seras is at these moments.

The best example, though, comes in Episode 8 with Alucard’s return to London: the moment you hear Andrew W.K. playing, you know what’s going to happen next. Compared to the softer music used in the original dub, this version knows it has to excite you up for what’s to come. It manages to go above and beyond and make viewers want to scream “YEAH BABY!!!” at the screen.

STAYS TRUE TO THE SOURCE MATERIAL

This show is, at its heart, meant to be a parody, so TeamFourStar was going to change characters up for comedy. Any good satire has to exaggerate its story for this reason. That said, it’s essential to remain faithful to the original, and Hellsing Ultimate Abridgeddoes this quite well with its characters.

For example, Alucard may be a total troll in the abridged series, but other than, he’s pretty much the same. He’s as arrogant and full of himself as the original but is way more in your face about it since he knows no one can stop him. He also maintains his love for battle, especially when fighting Alexander Anderson. He even admits getting turned on from fighting Anderson, imagine that.

Then there’s the series big bad, The Major. The Major is the same as he is in the original. He doesn’t give two cents about being a Nazi and wants to cause as much destruction as possible. His “I love war” speech is funnier than the original, but has the same point: “I VANT WORLD VAR III!”

BETTER DIALOGUE

Since this series recycles the footage from the Hellsing Ultimate OVAs, changes come in writing. While most of the dialogue becomes humorous, TFS can still make it epic as hell. In some cases, it surpasses the original versions.

Take the climactic moment in Episode 8 when Alucard unlocks his full power. Instead of that “Bird of Hermes” line from the original, he calmly says, to the music from Castlevania, no less:

When hope is gone, undo this lock, and send me forth for a moonlit walk. Release restraint level… *Zero*

Anyone who’s seen Hellsing Ultimate knows what happens next and those who’ve only seen the abridged will figure it out quickly. It’s the perfect set-up for Alucard’s big moment.

GETS RID OF ALL THE UNNECESSARY SCENES

The definition of an “abridgment” is to shorten something without losing its essence. In that regard, Takahata boils the series down to its essentials. Most of the episodes are usually a third of the OVA’s length, sometimes less than a quarter. 

The episodes don’t always follow the structure of the OVA’s, though. TeamFourStar shuffles some scenes into different orders to better suit their story. For context, some scenes are retold in flashback. Altogether, though, the structure of the story is intact enough for someone to make sense of it.

JUST WATCH IT!

If you’re a fan of Hellsing Ultimate, then you will love what Takahata101 and TeamFourStar have done with it. Or not, but they don’t care about it. Alucard won’t, that’s for sure.

*The following was originally published on FANDOM. Due to the FANDOM Contributor Program being shut down, it has been copied and moved to my blog. Thank you!

Before Beerus, the greatest villain in the Dragon Ball films was Broly. Possessing a seemingly infinite amount of power and an insatiable bloodlust, the monstrous Saiyan became a cult favorite among fans of the franchise. So when an announcement came that a revamped Broly would be the villain in the Dragon Ball Super film, fans went nuts.

Boasting a new look and an altered personality, this new take on Broly is just as deadly as the original. And now that he’s made his big screen debut, we can safely say that he’s also pretty impressive. But does Super‘s new and improved Broly trump the original? To answer this question, we’ll have the two face off in several categories — backstory, personality, and power — to determine which version of Broly — OG Broly or Broly: BR — is the best, once and for all.

BACKSTORY

In both versions, Broly’s unnaturally high battle power as a baby made King Vegeta freak out and try to get rid of him. The only difference is how he goes about eliminating Broly. In Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan, King Vegeta’s men stab baby Broly, leaving him and his father, Paragus, for dead. In Dragon Ball Super: Broly, the Saiyan King sends Broly to a violent planet full of monsters in hopes that they’d kill him; both plans fail.

To their credit, both films do an excellent job of setting up who the two Broly’s would later become. In OG’s Broly’s case, it’s not hard to see what made Broly into the crazy monster we see in the films. He gets stabbed in the chest, watches his planet blow up, and, worst of all, has to endure baby Goku‘s crying for hours on end — all before he can even form words. No wonder he turns into such a mad beast.

When compared to OG Broly’s backstory, Broly: BR’s backstory feels like a cakewalk. Sure, he spends most of his life stuck on a grim planet with only his father for company, but this doesn’t break Broly, or make him lose his mind. But it does leave him with poor social skills and great loyalty to his father, who OG Broly was more than willing to kill.

When audiences first saw how violent OG Broly was, they couldn’t help but wonder what turned him into such a monster, and they got their answer. Broly: BR’s backstory does a lot of the same, but it doesn’t quite measure up to the original’s tragically epic backstory. OG Broly wins this round!

PERSONALITY

At his core, OG Broly’s defined by two traits: his sadistic madness, and his hatred of Goku. A self-proclaimed devil, he’s willing to kill everything in his path, simply because he can. When Paragus tried to flee the planet they were on, OG Broly crushed him inside his pod, laughing the whole time — brutal.

But it’s his hatred of Goku that defines him. He associates Goku’s crying with all that trauma he experienced as a baby and, in turn, blames him for everything. The mere sight of Goku was enough to send him into a rage in the first film.

In the second movie, Dragon Ball Z: Broly — Second Coming, Broly’s defeat at Goku’s hands washes away the little sanity he had left. In fact, aside from a single instance, the only word he can utter throughout the entire movie is “Kakarot,” Goku’s Saiyan name. He’s so obsessed, he can’t even tell Goku apart from his sons.

Thanks to only getting exiled, Broly: BR retained his sanity. Unlike the original, he’s a kind and gentle soul who hates fighting. And with his father as his sole companion most of his life, Broly: BR longs to make friends, as he did with the monster Ba.

Despite being loyal to his dad, Paragus treats his son no better than a tool; he’s always ordering him around. It’s Paragus who forces Broly: BR to fight, even going so far as to use a shock collar to force his son’s obedience.

When he does fight, though, Broly: BR has much in common in with his counterpart. He has yet to learn to control his power correctly, so it and his Saiyan instincts eat away at his sanity. It gets to the point where he can’t tell friend from foe, leading him to fight anything that moves.

So, in one corner, we have a Broly whose only defining traits are being a crazy bruiser and hating Goku. In the other, we have a Broly who hates fighting, likes making friends, and has an actual personality. Broly: BR has an actual character, and after seeing how Paragus treats him, it’s easy to sympathize with him. Broly: BR is the clear winner here.

POWER

As we’ve already said, OG Broly’s power is terrifying. In the very first scene of The Legendary Super Saiyan, we see him annihilate an entire galaxy. Not to mention, during the film’s big fight, Broly faces five Super Saiyans and a Super Namekian at once. He then, of course, proceeds to curb stomp them all.

To defeat him, everyone has to pour their energy into Goku — and even that doesn’t kill. It takes blasting him into the Sun to do that!

OG Broly was a terrifying monster, but he doesn’t hold a candle to the likes of Beerus, who can destroy entire universes at once. Broly: BR not only matches Beerus and the Destroyer Gods in power, he easily surpasses them.

Goku and Vegeta had to go Super Saiyan Blue (SSB) in Dragon Ball Super: Broly to fight base form Broly: BR, and once Broly went Super Saiyan, even that wasn’t enough to go toe to toe with him. It took them fusing their powers to become SSB Gogeta to beat him.

Both versions of Broly clearly have near unlimited power and strength. But Broly: BR’s power level surpasses that of actual gods. Broly: BR wins in a landslide!

AND THE WINNER IS…

By a wide margin, the new Broly is a welcome improvement over the original. While he may not have as dark a backstory as OG Broly, Broly: BR is better written and far more likable. With both Goku and Frieza having expressed interest in making him an ally, we will almost certainly see him again soon. Who knows, maybe he has a divine future ahead of him. No matter what, Broly is here to stay, and his fan power is maximum!

*The following was originally published on FANDOM. Due to the FANDOM Contributor Program being shut down, it has been copied and moved to my blog. Thank you!

Let’s all take a moment to stop and appreciate how awesome DragonBall Z Abridged is. Sure, TeamFourStar’s masterpiece makes fun of the show a lot, but it’s done out of love for the show many grew up with. In a lot of ways, DBZA improves on the original show, thanks in no small part to its re-imagining of the cast.

DBZ has a lot of interesting characters that are easily forgotten as soon as they are no longer relevant. But DBZA solves this problem by giving the characters more memorable personalities. TeamFourStar made these seven characters hilarious and you will quote everything they say.*

*the original writing was “so hilarious you’ll want to quote everything they say”. That was edited by FANDOM despite being a reference to a quote from the show. I was not happy about that.

ZARBON

Abridged Zarbon is the same as his original counterpart, but the hints that he’s gay are more visible. It doesn’t help that he often makes accidental innuendos whenever he talks. His transformed state is even worse, as Vegeta comments that he’s a lot less subtle about it in that form.

His portrayal may seem like a stereotype, but it’s the setup for a hilarious punchline: not only is Zarbon straight, but he has a girlfriend. This revelation was enough to make Frieza do a hilarious double-take. TeamFourStar either wanted to make a point about stereotypes being dumb or thought it’d be funny to subvert expectations. Either way, fans will remember this Zarbon better than the original for his innuendos.

SUPER KAMI GURU

The Namekian Elder is the complete opposite of his official counterpart, and we love him for that. He’s an arrogant, mean-spirited old man who hinders the heroes rather than helps them. Such examples include:

• Renaming himself “Super Kami Guru” when he hears Earth’s Guardian calls himself “Kami.”
• Dying on purpose as soon as Porunga’s summoned because he thought it would be a “real d–k move.”

Super Kami Guru is a selfish jerk, but we can’t help but think he’s funny because of how he doesn’t care about anyone. Keeping in mind how nice his official version somehow makes him funnier. By the time he actually leaves the show, you’ll be rolling on the floor with laughter.

TIEN

He doesn’t appear much in the first two seasons of DBZ Abridged, but in season three, Tien finally gets to shine. Tien doesn’t match other characters in strength, but he makes up for it with attitude. He has a snarky comment in store for the androids and even some of his allies, especially Vegeta. When asked why he likes irritating Vegeta when he knows Vegeta can kill him, he responds with the following:

At this point, it’s a game. If he gives in, I win, and he knows that.

Another notable improvement is Tien’s awareness of his increasing irrelevance, much to his frustration. This builds to his encounter with Cell, where he serves as a stand-in for angry fans whenever non-Saiyans are sidelined. The cherry on top is that when Cell is ready to kill him, Tien intends for his last words to be “Ki-koh-f–k yourself.” What a badass.

PICCOLO

A reversal of his character in the anime, Abridged Piccolo is lonely. This changes, though, after he fuses with Nail and later Kami. Rather than write them out of the show, DBZA lets them stick around inside Piccolo’s mind.

This was a stroke of genius for TeamFourStar. Not only do Kami and Nail remain apart of the story, but Piccolo has someone to talk to without needing extra scenes. This leads to some of Piccolo’s funniest moments in the series, chief among them:

YOU CAN WIN! YOU FEEL GREAT! YOU! CAN! DO THIS!

ANDROID 16

In the Episode 60 Breakdown, DBZA‘s editor and director, KaiserNeko, said that Android 16 was one of TeamFourStar’s favorite characters. The only real change was that his love of birds and hatred for Goku became more pronounced, yet it somehow made us love him more — which makes his death at the hands of Cell even more heartbreaking.

TFS thus decided to give Android 16 the closure he never got in the anime. In the final credits for the season three finale, they refuted Cell’s earlier remark of 16 never having a soul with this drawing:

CELL

Where do we even begin with this guy? TeamFourStar’s version of Cell is an improvement in almost every way possible. Sure, he still commits the same atrocities as before, but TFS made him creepier and more sadistic than the original ever was. To emphasize this, his introduction has him singing an eerie rendition of “Mr. Sandman.” He then immediately followed up with the following words to Piccolo:

Let’s answer your question, with another question: WANNA SEE ME DRINK THIS GUY!?!

Another welcome improvement is his wit. This version of Cell loves to pick his opponents apart with snide remarks. When he wrecked Vegeta, he added insult to literal injury by telling him to learn his place … and wait for Goku. Perfect K.O., pun intended.

As evil as he is, though, his personality is way more likable. As he admits in his theme song (yes, he has one!), he is very eccentric. Which is good, because he deals with Goku’s stupidity better than Frieza did. You may have been evil, Cell, but you were also a ton of fun. We’re gonna miss you.

NAPPA

Bearing no resemblance to the original, TeamFourStar’s Nappa is an idiotic but lovable man-child obsessed with Pokemon. Much of the first season’s humor stems from Nappa’s antics and the cast’s irritation from it, especially Vegeta. Thankfully, his death doesn’t mean Nappa is gone forever — Ghost Nappa still hangs around to keep us company.

Taking a forgettable character like Nappa and making him the breakout star of the show is an impressive feat in itself. Being able to break from the source material to bring him back, though, is a sign of real improvement. Nappa is one of TeamFourStar’s most beautiful creations, and he continues to entertain fans with his appearances in the group’s projects. We love you, Nappa, for you are hilarious, and we’ll quote everything you say.

*The following was originally published on FANDOM. Due to the FANDOM Contributor Program being shut down, it has been copied and moved to my blog. Thank you!

Three things make Halloween a fantastic holiday: costumes, candy, and TV specials. Every October networks air special episodes to help people get in the spirit of the holiday. When it comes to a holiday that children love, though, no one can get kids hyped for a night of tricks and treats quite like Nickelodeon, “The First Kids’ Network.”

In its first ten years on the air, Nickelodeon gave kids shows that they’re now nostalgic for as adults. Many of these shows would air annual Halloween specials. When it comes to laughs and scares, these five classic Nicktoons Halloween specials are among the most frightful and funny in Nick’s first ten years on TV.

“CANDY BAR CREEP SHOW” — RUGRATS, 1992

It’s Halloween night at the Pickles’ house in episode “Candy Bar Creepshow,” and the babies have only one thing on their mind: Reptar Bars. They’re delicious candy bars molded in the likeness of their favorite dinosaur, Reptar. The only problem is that they have to go to a haunted house. A haunted house filled with spaghetti brains and grape eyeballs (cue scary music)!

Few things are as memorable as going trick-or-treating as a kid. Through the Rugrats, this episode captures the joy, and fear, of the holiday. This episode also built on the in-show popularity of Reptar with the Reptar Bars. The candy proved to be enduring enough to warrant a real-life release in 2017 by FYE, just in time for Halloween.

“SUGAR FROSTED FRIGHTS” — ROCKO’S MODERN LIFE, 1995

In the episode “Sugar Frosted Frights,” Rocko and Heffer discover Filburt is afraid of Halloween, so they try and teach him the joy of the holiday. Their plan backfires when Filburt goes into a sugar-induced frenzy and begins to tear apart O-Town in search of candy, ultimately ending up at an old cemetery. Of course, the cemetery is haunted by a local ghost, the Hopping Hessian.

Nick may have canceled it in 1996, but Rocko’s Modern Life has maintained a cult following among fans. With the revival movie coming soon, now is the perfect time for fans to rewatch this special episode. The real cherry to this episode, though, is the Hopping Hessian, which spoofs Washington Irving’s Headless Horseman. Way to reference an American classic, Nickelodeon.

“ARNOLD’S HALLOWEEN” —  HEY ARNOLD!,1997

On Halloween night, Arnold and Gerald decide to prank the residents of the Boarding House. They broadcast a fake radio transmission about an alien invasion, but things get out of hand. The host of a local UFO show picks up their broadcast and shares it with the entire city, causing panic. It doesn’t help that Arnold’s classmates dressed as aliens for Halloween, either.

This episode serves as a tribute to Orson Welles’ famous “War of the Worlds” broadcast in 1938. The UFO host is even voiced by the king of Orson Welles impersonators, Maurice LaMarche, aka the Brain from Pinky and the Brain. The nods to the legendary actor, along with the Halloween setting, make for a hilarious special. Not to mention, Arnold and Gerald pulled a great prank.

“SCAREDY PANTS” — SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, 1999

When SpongeBob gets tired of everyone scaring him on Halloween, he decides to do the scaring for once. So, after Patrick gives him a quick head shave, SpongeBob becomes the Ghost of the Flying Dutchman. The duo tries to scare everyone at Mr. Krabs’ Halloween party, only to incur the wrath of the real Flying Dutchman.

“Scaredy Pants” is classic SpongeBob at its finest. From SpongeBob jumping at everything to people’s confusion at his attempts to be scary, this episode has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. The funniest moment by far, though, is everybody’s reactions to what’s underneath Spongebob’s costume. Watching the Dutchman and partygoers run away from the sight of Spongebob’s brain is comedic gold.

“HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR OF SPOOKY DOOM” — INVADER ZIM, 2001

Following a mishap with one of his dad’s inventions, Dib, and Zim, get sucked into a nightmarish world based on Dib’s imagination. Led by a monstrous version of Ms. Bitters, the nightmare creatures want to use Dib’s head as a portal to the real world. As such, the two rivals are forced to work together to escape the dimension and return home. Meanwhile, GIR is terrorizing kids and stealing their candy.

If you’ve seen Invader Zim before, then you know that it is the darkest Nicktoon to ever air. So you know that the Halloween special is going to be dark and disturbing, if not more so given the holiday. Not to mention, inhabitants of the Nightmare Realm are grotesque and terrifying to look at. The scariest thing, though, is the sight of a bloated chocolate-covered GIR resting on a pile of stolen candy.

*The following was originally published on FANDOM. Due to the FANDOM Contributor Program being shut down, it has been copied and moved to my blog. Thank you!

Not every video game based on a cartoon is going to be good. In fact, one of the most reviled games in history is based on a superhero cartoon! It’s actually better that video games based on cartoons don’t try and appeal to critics. It’s more important that these games stay true to their cartoons, as fans are the ones most likely to want to play the game.

Gameplay and critical reception aside, what the players and fans of the shows think about a game can be of bigger importance. In that regard, these five games live up to the fans’ love for their respective shows.

RUGRATS: THE SEARCH FOR REPTAR

Nickelodeon’s Rugrats was one of its first shows, and one of its most successful. This success led to several movies, spin-offs, and even video games such as Rugrats: The Search For Reptar. The game focuses on the efforts of Tommy Pickles and his friends to find his missing Reptar puzzle. This means going through more than a dozen levels, most of them based off episodes from the show itself.

Now, the graphics for this platformer have not aged well over the years, but that doesn’t stop it from being a fun game. For any kid who watched Rugrats on TV, being able to play through different episodes would have been a dream. This game ended up a huge hit with kids on the PlayStation, enough to be re-released under Sony’s “Greatest Hits” brand. Plus, how awesome was it to rampage through a city as the big dinosaur himself, Reptar?

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: THE BATTLE FOR BIKINI BOTTOM

In his latest scheme to steal the Krabby Patty Formula, Plankton builds a massive army of robots in Spongebob Squarepants: The Battle For Bikini Bottom. It backfires, though, when the robots throw him out of the Chum Bucket. They proceed to run amok in Bikini Bottom, leaving it up to Spongebob, Patrick, and Sandy to clean up the mess — which includes giant robot versions of themselves.

This action-adventure game is so enjoyable because it stays true to the show by being as silly as possible. Even the character’s moves are ridiculous — Spongebob’s moves revolve around bubble-blowing! This game has gotten a cult following over the years and will likely be one of Spongebob’s best games. Also, if you 100% the entire game, you will get a special reward …

ED EDD N’ EDDY — THE MIS-EDVENTURES

Cartoon Network’s trio of idiots may have had a hit TV show, but their short track record with games made us want refunds. The exception to this was their console release, Ed Edd N’ Eddy — The Mis-Edventures. Ed-fans get to control their favorite trio as they run through the Cul-De-Sac and annoy the other kids. That, or earn money for Jawbreakers — if you saw the jawbreakers, you’d understand.

This 3D platformer is short at six hours, and there is no overarching plot at work. This can hinder the game’s creative potential as a whole, but at the same time, each level feels episodic. Combine that with the game retaining the art style and humor of the show, and it’s clear why fans of the show like it. This makes for a short, but fun, romp through one of Cartoon Network’s most successful shows.

THE ADVENTURES OF JIMMY NEUTRON BOY GENIUS: ATTACK OF THE TWONKIES

Players control Jimmy as he saves Retroville from the menace of the Twonkies in this game based on the Jimmy Neutron special. Yeah, they may look cute at first, but when they hear music, they go full Gremlin and wreak havoc. So, it’s up to us to use terrible singing and a Ghostbusters-esque vacuum to round them up and ship them off to space.

The most impressive thing about this game is that it takes a single TV special and expands it into a full video game. Not something a lot of video games have done that or have done so in as entertaining a fashion. By the end of the game, players will have traveled all over Retroville and visited places found in the show. This action-adventure is a must-have for fans of this 2000’s Nicktoon, and it’s a fun parody of the Gremlin movies, to boot.

SOUTH PARK: THE STICK OF TRUTH

If the other games were like episodes of a cartoon, then this was an entire flipping season! Since no one else could do it right, the creators of South Park decided to make their own game for their hit show. The end result is South Park: The Stick of Truth.

You play the game as a new kid who has recently moved to South Park and go outside to make friends. Before you know it, you’re caught in this giant fantasy game played out by the town’s kids. That’s only how it starts, though: there are Nazi Zombies, Aliens, and Al Gore dressed as ManBearPig. It’s something you have to play to believe.

Since the game’s made by the show’s writers and actors, it resembles the show on every level. Not only is the art style the same as the show, but the show’s love of ripping on everything carries over, as the game pokes fun at RPG tropes every chance it gets. Even the in-game items contain callbacks and references to the show’s history. Bottom line, if you’re a South Park fan, you have to play this game.

*The following was originally published on FANDOM. Due to the FANDOM Contributor Program being shut down, it has been copied and moved to my blog. Thank you!

Well, homies, we all knew this day was coming: Adventure Time is clocking out. After eight years, the Adventure Time series finale finally premiered. It may seem sad now, but it has been a sweet ride. The show has had its highs and lows, but it has left us with so many good memories.

Adventure Time has given us moments on both ends of the emotional spectrum. From moments that made us laugh or start crying, we got plenty of great memories from this show. So, whether you’ve already watched the finale or are preparing to get blown away, here are seven mathematical moments from Adventure Time.

FINN BEATS THE LICH, MORTAL FOLLY

While Finn and Jake have fought bad biscuits like Ice King and the villains of the week, The Lich was a game-changer. The sole goal of this dark necromancer was the destruction of all life in existence. In Jake’s own words, he was the duos “first saving the world deal.”

While Finn and Jake would face The Lich several times in the show, nothing beats their first battle. The sight of Finn overcoming his mind control through sheer will and feelings for Bubblegum was impressive enough. Watching him use Bubblegum’s sweater to destroy The Lich, though, was flippin’ awesome!

UNACCEPTABLE!, TOO YOUNG

Before there was Rick and Morty, there was the Earl of Lemongrab. Justin Roiland first brought his voice for Lemongrab in the episode “Too Young,” and the fans loved it. As a result, the sour, neurotic Lemongrab became a recurring regular on Adventure Time.

While Lemongrab’s scenes are always bloobaloobie, nothing beats his first appearance. Seeing the state Bubblegum’s Castle is in, Lemongrab screams his now-famous catchphrase. That iconic moment is forever in the annals of internet meme-dom. We love you Lemongrab, even if you do act like a dingus.

ICE KING’S ORIGINS, HOLLY JOLLY SECRETS PART II

At the start of Adventure Time, Ice King was Finn and Jake’s main enemy. As the show went on, though, Ice King went from being a villain to their, sort-of, ding-dong friend. That transition started with this essential dramabomb about the Ice King’s origins.

An old VHS tape shows Finn and Jake, and the audience, the story of Simon Petrikov. Seeing Simon’s transformation into the Ice King is a massive revelation to everyone. Later episodes build on this backstory, revealing Ice King has almost no memory of his past. Ice King thus goes from villain to tragic figure, and this was the moment where it started.

FINN MEETS FLAME PRINCESS,INCENDIUM

When Finn became sad about his crush on Bubblegum, Jake tried setting him up with Flame Princess. He freaks out over her volatile personality, though, and she chases him back to the Tree House. Once there, she slaps Finn and storms out in anger. Stunned, Finn stands there and says, “Dude, I think I have a crush.”

This brief moment was a significant milestone in Finn’s development as he begins moving on from Bubblegum. Taking an interest in a girl his age is a clear sign that he is growing up and as a character. Giving Finn a girlfriend opened up many new story opportunities for the writers. Finn and Flame Princess were an enjoyable couple to watch, too … until Finn blew it, man.

FINN LOSES HIS ARM, ESCAPE FROM THE CITADEL

When Finn learns his human dad is alive, he and Jake go to meet him in the season six premiere. Too bad, though, that Finn’s dad is a total butt who bails on him first chance he gets. When Finn tries to stop him, he not only fails but also loses his arm in the process.

This was the moment in Adventure Time that made us all go “oh my glob!” Viewers had never seen Finn fail like this before or look so defeated. While Finn does get his arm back, he spends the rest of the season sorting out his feelings about his dad. To be honest, though, he is better off without that deadbeat.

LSP SAVES OOO, SKYHOOKS II

An unlikely hero saves Ooo in one of its craziest hours. After an elemental spell goes awry, Ooo’s split between the elements of Fire, Ice, Candy, and Slime. Yet, Lumpy Space Princess is one of the few unaffected by the elemental magic. This is because she is the anti-elemental, which can cancel out elemental magic.

With Finn and Ice King’s help, LSP uses her lumpy powers to boss Ooo back to normal. This moment is so algebraic because it gives us one of the best quotes in the entire show: “Clam your face, you noid!” More than that, this moment and the events leading up to it have lasting consequences for Ooo.

GUMBALD AND FERN ARE BACK,SEVENTEEN

When a green knight crashes Finn’s seventeenth birthday, two shocking revelations occur. First, the knight is actually Finn’s doppelganger, Fern, back from the dead. Second, Bubblegum’s Uncle Gumbald has returned from imprisonment.

These two revelations not only shock Finn and Bubblegum but set Gumbald and Fern up as the show’s final villains. While it is not relevant to the plot right away, it moves the show towards its grand finale. Now, all that’s left is an all-out war between Bubblegum and Gumbald for the fate of Ooo.

For those who do not want to say goodbye to Adventure Time yet, don’t worry. Starting in October, Boom! Studios will be continuing the story in comic book form. Finn, Jake, and all our favorites will be sticking around for a while.

*The following was originally published on FANDOM. Due to the FANDOM Contributor Program being shut down, it has been copied and moved to my blog. Thank you!

Ask anyone who’s played it, and they’ll say that one of the best games for the Nintendo 3DS is Fire Emblem: Awakening. Released in 2012, the game’s received praise for its storyline and the depth of its characters. Most notable about the characters is the in-game mechanic known as the support system. This allows players to build bonds between characters that can even lead to marriage.

The marriage system gives rise to a lot of shipping amongst fans of Fire Emblem: Awakening. While providing the children characters good stats is essential, it doesn’t decide shipping. In fact, based on their support talks, these six are among the sweetest ships in Fire Emblem: Awakening.

CHROM AND SUMIA

Sumia’s introduced early in the game as part of the Shepherds, but she is prone to being quite clumsy. Meanwhile, Chrom is the leader of the Shepherds and eventual Exalt of Ylisse. While the game makes Chrom marry one of the Shepherds women after Chapter 11, Sumia is the first choice by default. Ignoring the gameplay mechanics, Chrom and Sumia do make a good couple.

In her first appearance, Sumia’s hinted to have feelings for Chrom, given how nervous she acts in front of him. As she grows more confident in the game’s first half, she becomes someone Chrom can depend both in and out of battle. By their supports end, Chrom admits that he sees Sumia as a source of personal strength, which is why he fell for her. This mutual bond can lead to their eventual marriage and is what makes this ship so sweet.

GAIUS AND MARIBELLE

These two may come from different backgrounds, but there is prior history between this noble and thief. Their conversations reveal Gaius had framed Maribelle’s father for false charges. Her dad may have avoided execution, but Maribelle remains angry at Gaius for his actions. What’s great about this couple, though, is that shows the heart of gold Gaius has within him.

It turns out, Gaius got blackmailed by a group of nobles to accuse her father in exchange for her life. Maribelle forgives him when she learns the truth, but Gaius feels guilty regardless. Seeing the good heart lying behind his thieving can lead to Maribelle to fall for him, while he can fall for her. Together, these two make for an unusual but sweet pair in the vein of Han Solo and Princess Leia.

HENRY AND OLIVIA

Olivia is one of the shyest members of the Shepherds, while Henry is outgoing and a little crazy. Given their different personalities, a romance between them seems as mad as Henry. Yet it works because Olivia comes to see that, despite his smile, Henry had a pretty rough past. Being abandoned by parents and living at a neglectful magic school can do that to someone, after all.

Olivia makes it her mission to teach Henry to feel real emotions, but Henry thinks she’s crazy to do so. Regardless, Henry does learn a little from Olivia about what it means to smile, and the two grow closer as a result. In return, Olivia comes to appreciate the dark mage for his odd behavior, which can lead to marriage. Together, they somehow make this ship work out, weirdness and all.

LON’QU AND PANNE

Lon’qu and Panne have a lot in common with each other. Both of them bear the wounds of a tragic past: Panne lost her people, while Lon’qu lost a childhood friend. Their trauma has made each into loners, with Lon’qu afraid of women, and Panne distrusting of humans. Finally, both have great skill at hunting and tracking, with Lon’qu even able to track Panne.

Given their similarities, it would seem natural for these two to get paired together as a couple. At first, Panne’s irritated by Lon’qu’s refusal to come near her, taking it as a hatred for her species. Once he reveals the nightmares he has over his friend’s death, she feels sympathetic. She later admits that she, too, suffers from nightmares — in her case, of mankind wiping out her people.

A great way to overcome pain from one’s past is to meet someone who understands your pain. Lon’qu and Panne both suffered in their childhoods, making them know each other’s pain. By talking to each other, they help heal the scars of their past, and that leads to lasting love and marriage. They give each other a chance for a better future and are thus happier as a couple.

ROBIN AND LISSA

As the Avatar character, Robin can marry anyone of the opposite gender in the Shepherds. This makes for a lot of shipping, but male Robin with Lissa stands out as particularly noteworthy.

From the start of the game, Lissa seems the most interested in Robin, being the first to want to help him when he’s found. This interest only grows, as out of the Shepherds, she’s the most impressed with his talents. This leads Lissa to desire to spend more time with Robin by pulling pranks, leading to funny moments.

Despite her pranking, Robin grows to love her spirit and loyalty, leading her love to be mutual. This leads to one of the best S-ranked supports in the entire game. Robin’s blushing as he confesses his feelings, followed by Lissa’s tears of joy, is adorable. This makes for the kind of passionate scene fans live for, and, as an added bonus, it means Chrom and Robin are brothers!

*The following was originally published on FANDOM. Due to the FANDOM Contributor Program being shut down, it has been copied and moved to my blog. Thank you!

Can you remember the last time a DC film was good? Of course not. Aside from Wonder Woman, they haven’t made a good film since The Dark Knight Rises. With so many bad films lately, the last thing you’d expect to succeed would be DC’s latest film, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies. Yet, it manages to do just that.

Teen Titans Go! gets a lot of hate from the original show’s fans for being immature and childish. Still, its movie has a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to Justice League’s 40% rating. So, how is that possible, and what can the DCEU learn from the success of Teen Titans Go! To the Movies? They can learn a lot.

BETTER PLOT, SHORTER MOVIES

The DCEU’s films are long, each running more than two hours. When films are that long, pacing can be an issue. While good writing can make a movie worth the length, this was not the case with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Fans would have forgiven the two-and-a-half-hour runtime if the titular fight was worth it. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.

The premise for their fight in the film is flimsy at best. Batman’s tricked into thinking Superman’s a threat, while Superman’s blackmailed. It lacks the sheer excitement fans would expect from this clash of titans. Worse still, the whole fight gets overshadowed by the battle with Doomsday.

In contrast, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is far shorter, at less than 90 minutes with a more focused plot. Since the whole movie is about the Titans learning to be themselves, each scene builds on that lesson. This culminates in the final fight where Robin admits that the Titans may be goofs, yet they’re still heroes. Combine that lesson with the Titans kicking Slade’s butt, and the audience enjoys a more significant payoff.

What the DCEU can learn from the plot and length of Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is that they can tell a good story in less time and with less content. Batman v Supermantried adding too much material, and it left fans with a confusing story. By the time the actual fight between Batman and Superman comes around, you wish the movie was over! Compared to that, Batman and Robin feels like an Oscar-winner.

STOP TRYING TO WORLDBUILD

DC had wanted to do Justice League so badly that it made the DCEU run before it knew how to walk. They crammed a gang of characters into each film but didn’t take the time to develop them. Zack Snyder thought that adding a bunch of famous heroes would be enough, and it backfired on him. The result? The DCEU is an unsatisfying mess.

Unlike Justice League or Batman vs. Superman, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies doesn’t try to worldbuild because it knows that it would be a waste of time. Fitting into a larger universe means conforming to pre-existing plots, which limits creative freedom. Not having to worry about that means Teen Titans Go! To the Movies has more time to focus on making sure the film entertains the audience. The result is a standalone film that is fun to watch.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is a wake-up call to DC: they need to stop trying to force together a shared universe. Instead, they should focus on ensuring their films can stand on their own at the box office and with critics. If enough standalone films are a success, then DC can consider more crossover films down the road.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO LIGHTEN UP

A big problem with the DCEU thus far is how it is so dark — almost depressing — in its tone. It feels like DC injected Batman’s darkness into its other films in the hopes of recreating that success. Instead of success, though, audiences watched overly-edgy, complex stories with bad ratings.

The DC films don’t need to be as dark and as heavy as an ordinary Batman film, and Teen Titans Go! To the Movies shows what they can do instead. Even if it’s at their own expense or makes them look like goofs, the Titans aren’t afraid of making viewers laugh. Besides, if they like prank calling Superman or pooping in a prop toilet, that doesn’t make them any less of heroes.

The DC films have tried being dark and gritty, and that hasn’t worked out as well as they hoped. So instead of doing that, DC should try to inject some humor into their films. It doesn’t have to be to the extent of Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, but throwing in some snappy comebacks and one-liners can take the edge off a tense scene. Finding the balance between the Titans and Batman is what DC needs right now.

Despite how goofy it can be, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies has enough charm, humor, and self-confidence to work as a stand-alone film. DC should take note of this animated film’s success and see what its fans are looking for in a movie.