Blocked Party Rock

I CONTINUE ANTICIPATING! (What I'm anticipating in 2011 - Part 3)

2010-12-29T15:30:00.001-05:00

Got eight more items I'm anticipating, along with eight more paragraphs explaining them and a mix of pictures/video to illustrate.

K-ON!
I got curious about K-ON! back at AWA 2009 when I saw the first two episodes and watched the rest of it earlier this past year. It was a good slice-of-life series about the members of a high school's "light music"/pop music club and their band. Sure, they do more talking and non-music activities than play music, but that's part of the charm. And, when they do play, the songs are very catchy. Bandai Entertainment is releasing it on DVD sometime in 2011, and I will be buying it. Hopefully, the English dub will deliver.

Kotobukiya's Bishoujo Statues
This is my purchasing vice. These are some of the best statues out there. And that's disregarding that the previous attempt to create superhero/anime crossover statues was the terrible Ame-Comi line from DC Direct. In 2009, Marvel's relationship with Japanese collectible maker Kotobukiya led to them creating a line of figures designed by talented artist Shunya Yamashita. The result are the header pic at the top of the post: very well-designed figures that make Marvel's superheroines sexy and appealing. It was so successful that in 2010 Koto announced that they would make bishoujo, or "pretty girl", figures based on DC characters in addition to their Marvel output. In December Koto released Emma Frost and Batgirl, and will release Catwoman (above) in March. Is my wallet ready? Nope.

Maid-Sama!
IT'S A SHOUJO SERIES! RUN FOR THE HILLS! Kidding aside, I actually began reading Maid-Sama earlier this year out of curiosity from looking through Barnes & Noble. It is a charming series, which got an anime adaptation back in April and got licensed by Sentai Filmworks in June. The series centers around Misaki Ayuzawa, the first female student body president in the former all-male Seika High School. She desires to have the school be more female-friendly and is tough around the boys. However, after school, she works at a maid cafe, where she shows a softer side. And, when Japan's equivalent of Ferris Bueller accidentally discovers her secret, the story begins. Sure, it is loaded with clichés, but somehow everything comes together in one entertaining package. It's a guilty pleasure at least. I've seen bits of the anime but have waited for the DVD release, which may come out in 2011. From what I've seen, I liked.

Mardock Scramble
I've been reading good things about it and that is what got me interested into it. It's a unique sci-fi story from Japan's Tow Ubukata that won the Nihon SF Taisho Award in 2003. It's about a hooker who dies tragically and comes back to life illegally as a cyborg. She then has to obey the person who resurrected her - who then orders her to kill her murderer - and deal with her low self-esteem and new abilities. Those that have come in contact with the series have enjoyed it from what I've seen and read. While there is an anime movie - and first in a series of films - out in Japan, the US will get the novel and the manga adaptation first; Viz will release the novel in January while Kodansha will release the first manga in the summer.

Marvel's Movies
This is cheating, as I got two entries for the price of one. But, to hell with it.
I'm more of a Marvel guy than a DC guy: growing up watching the 90s Marvel cartoons, collecting the Marvel trading cards more than the DC ones, and reading and getting their comics. I have this attraction to the Marvel universe and characters more than the DC ones beyond mainly Batman. A bit of that attraction stems from the fact that Marvel movies tend to be better than DC's films, and that was before Marvel decided to self-finance their own films and try to unify the movie franchises into one coherent universe. Heck, I thought that Robert Downey Jr. would make a great Iron Man before seeing him in action. And now, there's going to be two main Marvel movies this year that ties in to the upcoming Avengers movie: Thor, in which Chris Hemsworth plays the thunder god in a movie directed by Shakespeare fanboy Kenneth Branagh; and Captain America: The First Avenger with Chris Evans throwing that mighty shield. I know I'm taking opening night off for both movies as I think they will be the best of the summer season.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3
The Marvel Vs Capcom fighting game series have been my favorite series. Marvel characters and Capcom characters getting together to beat the living crap out of each other in a fast-paced frenetic fighter. This game is making me consider buying an $150 FightStick. Hell, I'm so psyched I have this on loop.

Now you know where I got "Fuck The Knicks," if you haven't already.

Mortal Kombat Tournament Edition's arcade stick
For those not into video games, FightSticks and other arcade sticks essentially replicate the feel of playing an arcade game. Instead of a D-Pad or thumb stick you got a actual stick to move your character. The buttons are huge. And the ones I linked to earlier feature authentic Japanese arcade parts and a layout similar to a Japanese arcade cabinet. For the revival of Mortal Kombat, a very American game compared to contemporary Street Fighter's Japanese roots, it is getting an arcade stick that will be released as a part of the game's "Tournament Edition" package. It also uses authentic arcade parts that would have been used in an actual MK cabinet and sports a button layout that reduces the amount of games you can play with it to, well, Mortal Kombat. Still, I'm willing to spend the $150 to get the package. Or at least offer it separately from the game by 2011's end.

Onion on Television
Satirical newspaper The Onion has embraced new media with The Onion News Network, tackling how television news is covered in their own way. It has since expanded, parodying not just the 24-hour cycle but also punditry, daytime talk, ESPN, and even C-SPAN. And, in January, it will invade TV in two new shows. The first, above, is Onion SportsDome on Comedy Central, continuing the OSN segments that parody sports and The World Wide Leader. The second, and below, is straight up called Onion News Network on IFC, but is mainly the home to the ONN series FactZone with Brooke Alvarez. Both look well done and looks like The Onion is not skimping on their budgets. Or at least gave their graphics department new toys.

More tomorrow.

PROOF VIA PHOTOSHOP FOUND ON INTERNET (and my anticipated of 2011 - part 2)

2010-12-28T15:30:00.002-05:00

Told ya Reggie was creepy at E3 2010. Eight more things I am anticipating in 2011 are beyond the break.

Video Games | Fire Pro-Wrestling | TGS 10: Debut Trailer (Cam)

Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Nintendo Wii | PC Games

Fire Pro-Wrestling
There is a reason why Xbox Live is better than the PlayStation Network. One of those reason is the games; the Xbox Live Arcade platform is one of the best gaming services around. It also nets some exclusive titles. One of them in 2011 will be the latest game based on the long-running Fire Pro Wrestling series. The difference between this XBLA-exclusive title and those of the past is that the downloadable game will be in 3-D (that's 3-D graphics/gameplay and not the stereoscopic 3-D in theaters) and use the Xbox Avatars instead of using 2-D gameplay and sprites. While some diehards are crying foul, others like myself wanna get their hands on it. There is a craving to see the Xbox Avatars, introduced in 2008, be used beyond their current state of just standing around the Xbox 360 Dashboard. While Avatar games are increasing, the desire still stands like a homeless person craving for change. We want our Avatars to do more. That includes seeing them in a luchador mask doing suplex upon suplex.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood returns to [adult swim]
I'm still not yet warmed up to the latest Fullmetal Alchemist series, which returns to [adult swim] on January 8. Part of that involves the first series, which while not faithful to the original manga and diverged from it at a certain point, was excellent and a clear recommendation, especially for its English dub. Another part involves some of the elements present in Brotherhood that aren't in the first anime; the comedic, light-hearted, animation-style-shifting "farts" Brotherhood does are annoying and distract from the good series. And another involves those who think that Brotherhood is the best anime ever, because it is not and mainly due to the animation "farts". Maybe they don't show up at the end, but I don't have a boner for Brotherhood. That's not a cardinal sin. But that doesn't mean I'm not anticipating the airing of episode 27 onward on national television. The series is a faithful adaptation of the original manga and there are some solid dub performances, mainly from Vic Mignogna reprising his most-known role of series protagonist Ed Elric as he searches for the Philosophers' Stone with his brother to regain their bodies. It's a very good series and worth watching.

Gears of War 3
Let's get things straight: I am not a shooter fan. I suck at Goldeneye back on the N64. I don't give a rat's ass about Halo or Call of Duty. And the only times I was exposed to Gears of War were Gears of Awesome and spoilers from Internet exposure. I suck and proud to admit it because they aren't my thing. However, earlier this year, at the urging of my brother, I picked up the first Gears of War game and played online co-op with him. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed killing Locust upon Locust with my brother. So much so, that after we beat the first game, I bought Gears 2 for myself and played co-op at his house since he didn't have it (I have given him a copy for Christmas). I've also became absorbed in the Gears universe, reading the first novel Aspho Fields and picked up the first graphic novel. With three more novels left to read and probably a good half left of Gears 2 to beat, we'll have time to be ready when the final installment comes in the fall.

Green Lantern
I don't know what to say. I do like the Green Lantern character and storyline. He's my second favorite character in the DC Universe, number one being Batman. I do look forward to upcoming movie starring Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, a test pilot who stumbles upon a wrecked alien ship and becomes a space cop. And, I will see it in theaters. It's just that I'm not a big DC fanboy outside of Batman. I'm more of a Marvel person. But, I will see Green Lantern.

Homefront
Another shooter, this game surprised me when I was following the E3 2010 coverage. The main thing is its story, taking place in a near-future United States that became occupied by North Korea, who have been annexing countries and gaining power while the US collapsed economically. It was revealed creepily in its backstory trailer and got me hooked ever since. The solo campaign involves you joining a band of resistance fighters as you try to survive, while the multiplayer takes place during the initial invasion, where you fight and gain Battle Points to spend mid-game on weapons and vehicles. The plot is written by the dude behind Red Dawn. It's scary and is the opposite of Halo and Gears of War.

Hyperdimension Neptunia
I don't do a lot of PS3 gaming, on the account that the PS3 in my house is the family PS3 and is used mainly as a Blu-ray player. I wish I had more time to play games on it, but when I do get access, I wanna watch Burst Angel instead. Maybe once I get my own, I can finally finish up Folklore. However, while I don't play on the PS3, there are two games that I want that come to the PS3 in 2011; Hyperdimension Neptunia is one of them. Essentially Captain N meets console-tans, Neptunia sees a goddess who embodies a game console try to save the world of Gameindustri from pirated software with the help of others. It intrigued me since it was first revealed in Japan and I want to get it. Even if it means I'll spend more time staring at the box than playing the game.

Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians
Part of me is ashamed of this, but another part is not and see potential in one of the almighty fanservice series. For the uninitiated, Ikki Tousen is a fighting anime series that puts a bunch of Japanese high schoolers - mostly female - in a series of fights while loosely following of defying their destinies of the ancestors/namesakes from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It's trashy, has a poor plot, and almost exists just to titillate people. However, it is somehow quite enjoyable as the series walks a fine line between taking itself seriously and just having a bit of fun at itself. It's decently animated, too, and the fights do deliver. Great Guardians is actually the third season of the series, following the original 13-episode first season and the 12-episode second season Dragon Destiny, which was released in 2010. I expect that Great Guardians will come out in 2011 and hope to watch it on my Xbox 360, where Ikki is somehow popular.

JFORCE: UNSTOPPABLE
One of the bright spots about Xbox Live is the Indie Games section, where independent developers can create and release their works to the Xbox 360. It's a great service and home to some good gems. In August, the XBLIG community had itself a bit of controversy and ethical dilemma as developer JFORCE Games - or at least the dev group's spokesperson - announced that they were going to make a massage game literally as a quick cash grab. They had good and reasonable intention, as they need money badly to make sure that development for their "dream game", UNSTOPPABLE. Their/his attitude drew ire amongst the XBLIG community including XBLIG success story James Silva, creator of XBLA title The Dishwasher; Silva and JFORCE are probably still feuding over Twitter as Silva - a supportive developer amongst the XBLIG community - continues to belittle JFORCE and JFORCE continue to boast how awesome UNSTOPPABLE will be. In either case, this "bad" publicity and the fall of my one-time favorite dev into an elitist prick has now made me anticipate UNSTOPPABLE just to see if this is a good game. And, when it comes out, everyone who follows XBLIG and regardless of their views of JFORCE will admit that at least the cutscenes and graphics from Flash animator Egoraptor are entertaining/decent.

Eight more tomorrow.

Something smells. Also, what I'm anticipating in 2011 (part 1)

2010-12-27T15:00:00.006-05:00

Sorry if I haven't been posting here in a long time. Life happens. Also, laziness. If you want more from me, find me on Twitter and read my random thoughts/brainfarts. You may consider them to be pointless. You may think I don't know what I'm talking about or purely speaking out of my own ass*. But I'll tell you this: I know more than you. Because there's no chance in Hell Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt will be licensed in the US by Aniplex US, a company mainly serving as an extension to its anime-making Japanese parent and will 99.9% not release an anime from a rival company.

Another thing is that I want to do a writing and posting exercise. With 2011 on the horizon as of this writing, I want to share what pieces of entertainment I'm anticipating in the following 12 months. I have managed to think of 35 40 television shows, games, movies, books, and media events that I have more than a passing interest in. The list is presented in alphabetical order with no ranking whatsoever because 1) it's a pain to do, and 2) you will hate what I think would be numero uno. Some items, you actually are interested in. Others, not so much. Heck, I guarantee you that there's one thing in this list you might say is not worth being interested in. To which, I reply, "Too bad. Create your own list, butt-horn."

This will be spread through five days. First eight is below and the remaining 32 over the remaining days.

Anime Weekend Atlanta 2011
An event that has become a working vacation I enjoy doing. Every year in mid-to-late-September, the Renaissance Waverly Hotel in Atlanta, GA becomes host to a three-day convention for those who enjoy things connected to anime. You can watch anime, read manga, attend some panels, meet famous people, play video games, dress up in cosplay and get your picture taken by people who will post it on the Internet, buy massive amounts of stuff, and/or hang out with your fellow con-goers and do stuff like in the video above from the most recent AWA. For me, it is a great way to recharge my batteries as I merge my normal vacation time (buying crap, hanging out with past friends and acquaintances, doing what I want to do) with my duties for nerd news blog gaijINside (reporting, but mainly take pictures and video that will be flooded into the site's Twitter feed). My wallet's been ready.

Chaos;Head
An adaptation of a Japanese visual novel of the same name, Chaos;Head follows Takumi, a high-schooler who lives the life of a shut-in, as he becomes involved in a mass conspiracy, strange events, and a string of murders known as "New Generation" Madness. As his mind gets closer and closer to crazy town, he encounters others who would lead him to his purpose, including a fellow high-schooler who Takumi saw at a murder scene. Upon seeing it last year, I felt that it could be adapted to US television as a live-action series with New York as the setting. It could be done and done well, but the rest of the details will be at a later time. In either case, Funimation announced in May that they got the series and I am anticipating its English-language release. I did enjoy watching it and want to see it again, this time on DVD.

Claymore Vol. 17
This is cheating. It's supposedly coming out next week, but to hell with it. I love Claymore, Norihiro Yagi's brutal shounen fantasy epic. I have the anime, wall scrolls, figures, and an art book that are all connected to this franchise. I will name my daughters after the main characters; if I have twin daughters, they will be called Clare and Teresa. This is my favorite series ever since I picked up the first English volume in 2006, and the wait for the official English-language volumes has become a major pain as it would have been over half a year between the sixteenth and seventeenth volumes. Not painful enough that I would have to resort to unofficial scanlations to figure out what's going on, but still agonizing. COME TO ME, ALREADY!

Crackle.com following up Anime Overdrive
Crackle.com is a video portal owned by Sony that is used to showcase movies, television shows, and original productions. In the past year or two, Crackle began to debut some anime that never made it to US shores, beginning with their dub version of Rurouni Kenshin produced for their network Animax Asia and following it up with another Animax dub, Nodame Cantabile. A couple of months ago, Crackle debuted a new collection called Anime Overdirve and added a different series or movie every week, beginning with the Animax dub of Humanoid Monster Bem and ending with the original HD CG production LaMB. Sure, Anime Overdrive was loaded with anime that is available on other platforms like Macross, which was on Hulu.com well before Crackle, and shows from Toei that have been available on Crunchyroll.com and Funimation.com, but that broke the mold for the site that was mainly a platform for Sony-produced projects. They said on Twitter and Facebook that after LaMB, they will continue adding anime in 2011 which excites me. Some on Toonzone's forums want Cyborg 009 to emerge from Sony's vault and onto Crackle. I want them to break out the dub for Nodame Cantabile: Paris.

CrossGen rebirth
If you don't know about CrossGen, here's a brief story. In 2000, CrossGen Comics became the newest comic book company to release comics to the masses. They were unique as they specialized in a variety of genre comics like fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, and horror that were connected by a common theme. In 2004, as the CrossGen Universe was building up to an anticipated mega-event, the company imploded and declared bankruptcy; by year's end, the company's assets were bought by Disney, who proceeded to do almost jack with the properties. In 2008, Disney bought Marvel. Two years later, Marvel announced that they were going to do something with the CrossGen properties. In March, Marvel will reboot CrossGen with two titles: the epic sci-fi/fantasy Sigil and Victorian mystery title Ruse. For me, who was interested in CrossGen but lacked the funds to get the titles, this may be a way to get into it. Plus, with Ruse being pretty much what it was back then, I won't get strange looks from the die-hard CG fans who are ticked that Sigil is not Sigil and that there's no chance Negation War will finish up.

Dogs: Bullets & Carnage Vol. 5
Like Claymore, this is another monthly series from Japan whose official English translation has caught up with the Japanese volumes. Volume 5, the most recent Japanese volume, came out in March 2010 and will come to the US sometime in 2011. I love the intense action and the art presented by Shirow Miwa. The manga focuses on four anti-heroes - an old assassin, an investigative journalist/information broker, a young swordswoman, and a gunslinger/genetic experiment - as they proceed to go deeper underground of a futuristic dystopia. While plot is not yet there, it is enjoyable and the action, art, and character designs make up for it.

E3 2011
Yahtzee of Zero Punctuation fame might say otherwise, but heck the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is at least worth anticipating. Every year, gaming companies come to Los Angeles to show off their latest and upcoming video games. And gamers and fanboys anticipate it every year as a way to bicker over which company is "the best" or which company delivered "the worst." In either case, E3 marks the time when the second half of the year gets less fuzzy and we will begin to anticipate the destruction wallets will receive - your wallet, the wallets of others giving you Christmas gifts, or both.
Also, for those of you who said that Nintendo had the best showing at E3 2010, you are wrong. Konami had the best E3. Yeah, they debut the 3DS, but I don't have a big boner for it until Nintendo reveals they abolished the Friend Code. Plus, Reggie went from the bad-ass mythical creature from E3 2004 to creepy in E3 2010. Konami created performance art of the highest caliber, resulting in videos like the one above highlighting what went down. And that seem to forget the high school choir used to promote Karaoke Revolution: Glee.

Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance
When it was announced that seminal anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion was getting a reboot/retelling via a four-movie saga. Anime fans around the world became excited and interested. One of the biggest, most influential, and most controversial anime series is getting a big-screen treatment with 100% brand-new animation and probably an ending that isn't a head-scratching WTF. While the first movie was pretty much a rehash of the first 5-10 episodes, the sequel is where the new movies diverge from the original series and follow-up movie. A new EVA pilot joins the three main protagonists as they try to save Earth from doom. Or, maybe, bring doom upon the Earth since some characters may have ulterior motives. The movie will get a limited theatrical run in the States before coming to home video as the spruced-up Evangelion 2.22. I'm so buying it.

Eight more tomorrow.

*I'll admit that sometimes I speak out of my own ass. But, I am damn good at it. That type of writing got me by Intro to Anthropology with a B instead of a C many moons ago and gave me the confidence to pursue writing. I can tell you that story at a later date.

Wow, There's A Lot Of Dust In Here

2009-09-16T12:10:00.000-04:00

This post is going to be straightforward; sorry for not updating in months. Right above these words is the unboxing of the Bishoujo Rogue figure/statue from Kotobukiya. I got it on Monday and expected it to come to me today. It looks really good and I love the design of her from artist Shunya Yamashita. It almost made me consider getting the Black Widow figure/statue. Anyway, I also posted a bunch of pictures of Bishoujo Rogue on Twitter, and you can find them over on my TwitPic account.

More points:
-I advise you or anyone reading this blog to follow me on Twitter. Or, at the very least, bookmark my Twitter page. I update there a lot. Like, heavily. Say what you will about the service, it is bloody easy to become addictive to it, especially with tools like twhirl. It's great.
-Last month, I became a writer/reporter for gaijINside, a nerdy newssite/blog dealing with nerdy things. Cartoons, comics, video games, sci-fi, gadgets, and toys, we cover the bases as best as we can. I will be linking to my reviews/featured articles on here, like my review of Black Lagoon Vol. 7. Black Lagoon is a badass series and well worth your time to watch the anime series and read the manga volumes. Just don't begin with Vol. 7 because you will be lost and partially disappointed.
-I'm also writing for my school's newspaper, The Tiger's Roar. I'll post any articles that hit the net on here and pick up the August/September issue later this month if you live in the Savannah, GA area.
-Also, tomorrow (as of this post), I'll be going to Anime Weekend Atlanta, an anime convention held on Sept. 18-20 this year. I will be doing many things, chief among them is picking up 12 effing volumes of Love Hina.One of my friends on Toon Zone tried to sway me away from this series last Sunday because it sucked to him and gave away spoilers. First off, I enjoy Love Hina. Secondly, I have looked at the cover of the final fucking volume before he even spoiled it (it pays to be at Barnes and Noble for hours without working there!). And finally, the series has been fucking discontinued without any chance of it getting republished. Either way, I have gone off-topic. Next point!
-I will be in Atlanta this weekend. I will have little to no Internet since I'm staying at the con hotel (the Renaissance Waverly), where they charge you extra for Internet regardless if it's wired or wireless. I have my cell phone on me, so expect some updates on my Twitter account. Also, gaijINside (the site I now work for) will be there, and they too will be updating on their Twitter feed as well as the main site. I'll also be bringing my video camera, my Flip video camera (responsible for all of my videos), and my new digital camera, so expect some pictures and videos in the coming days and weeks.

Blocked party Rock...forever

Video Of The Moment: Insane Stand-off

2009-05-20T14:49:00.003-04:00

My parents watch Fox News. A lot. It's on right now. It's at a volume where I can faintly hear it in my room. It's annoying. However, it does present itself with advantages, like this standoff from last night in Los Angeles. I was walking to my room when Fox News showed the video, and I laughed my ass off. I kinda feel sorry for him, but then I read the article where the embedded video came from, and I now kinda don't. Watch and enjoy.

Pure Randomness #13 - Muscle March

2009-05-17T19:58:00.002-04:00

This is bizarre. And maybe gay. And on drugs. It's essentially Cho Aniki plus Hole In The Wall in terms of gameplay and style as bunch of muscle-bound people and a polar bear chase down people who stolen their protein supplement. Nothing but high-quality weird from the people who brought you a crotch-plate flamboyant king of space and whatever the hell Noby Noby Boy is.

Pseudo First Impressions On The New Version Of Marvel VS Capcom 2 On The PS3!

2009-05-16T23:25:00.000-04:00

I'm not lying when I say there is some language.

When I mean by "pseudo," I mean that my real first impressions were from when the demo was first available on April 30th. And my parents were there to see me download it, since the PS3 is in the living room. And, they are not tolerant to me cursing. Plus, there was no camera. But, mark my words when I say that what I'm saying in this video is what I feel about the demo.

Plus, this is the first time I posted a video to YouTube and my first original video for BPR. :) Expect more.

One more thing: F**k the Knicks.

VOTM: "Playing With The Boys" on Top Gun Day

2009-05-13T15:22:00.001-04:00

This is Video of the Moment, or VOTM, a whenever-I-feel-like-it series of post highlighting a certain video that I'm liking for the moment. And, today, I'm liking Top Gun, a 1986 movie about US Navy pilots attending a fighter school for advanced pilots. Today, May 13, is Top Gun Day, a fusion of Talk Like A Pirate Day and Tom Cruise. In celebration, here's a video. Above, is one of the most infamous scenes in Top Gun, where Tom Cruise, Gilbert from Revenge of The Nerds, Val Kilmer, and some other dude who isn't as famous as the other three play volleyball. It's so infamous, there's an easter egg on the recently-released iPhone/iPod Touch game where you can play volleyball just by changing your pilot's name to "VOLLEYBALL". Plus, there's two more easter eggs (including another Tom Cruise reference) that are discussed here.

Also, if you're wondering who would win in the epic matchup between them, The Love Of Sports posted 5 reasons why should be rooting for the Ice...man!

Now, if you excuse me, I gotta sing "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" over on Lips for the 360. Who will be my Goose to my Maverick?

Pure Randomness 12 - Mega Man 2 Drumline

2009-05-10T12:00:00.003-04:00

You may have seen this, you may have not. I'm going with not. This is the Winter Drumline at Kansas University performing material to Mega Man 2. It is geeky. It is good. It is cheap. It's still good. Drum me up a beat! I want a drumline and a college choir do "Libera Me From Hell". Someone pass this down!

Also, new non-Pure-Randomness post and content coming. Pinky swear.

Video discovered via Destructoid

Pure Randomness #011 - Your Government Not At Work (Featuring the Power Rangers)

2009-05-03T21:43:00.003-04:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

Your Government Not at Work - Jane Harman Scandal

thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Economic Crisis

First 100 Days

I love The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. I watch it every night. I also love the Power Rangers. They were my childhood heroes and my guilty pleasure today. Although, right now, the current season, RPM on ABC, is by far one of the best shows for kids this year and quite possibly the best PR season in the past several years. When a congresswoman's problems get surfaced, I got peanut butter and chocolate mixed together. The first time seeing this made me laugh hard.

Also, for more RPM, check out Power Rangers On-Air Central. It's the perfect source for figuring out when RPM is on in your area.

Pure Randomness #010 - The Effin Power Rangers Theme

2009-04-26T12:04:00.003-04:00

...as performed by Armcannon.

I love the Power Rangers. They have been a part of my childhood since they debuted back in 1993. My older brother took me to see the first movie when it debuted in the summer of 1995. And, with the advent of Power Rangers RPM, the supposedly last season of PR, my interest got shot back up and I now watch it every week. Well, except yesterday, but that's because I had to go to work; anyway, I still recorded it. :)

But, to be fair, this song is the real reason why I'm back into the Power Rangers. Click on the video above (or, if it's pulled out, go on Armcannon's Myspace page) and listen. THAT, my friends, is the definition of EPIC. It is 100% Awesome Sauce. From Rita's opening statement to the final guitar solo, Armcannon made a cheesy 1990s tv show that used Japanese stock footage and made it badass. If the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series is ever revived or remade, this has to be its theme song. No ifs, ands, or JAM Projects about it. It is that good.

Also, some linkage:
If you want to own this song, it will be on Armcannon's next album, which won't be out for a while. Until then, do what I did and get the Child's Play 2008 Charity CD. It has the song plus contributions from MC Lars, MC Frontalot, Anamanaguchi (they kick ass), Jonathan Coulton, Freezepop, Piano Squall, and many more. It's 10 bucks plus shipping and supports Child's Play. If you steaal this album, then you are Jack Thompson. And, no one wants to be Jack Thompson. And, if the song gets you into Armcannon like it did with me, you can still pick up their first album on their website.

Pure Randomness #09 - Me Llamo Cilantro

2009-04-19T21:11:00.004-04:00

Cilantro es muy malo. El cilantro es un burro. Cilantro es lapidada. Cilantro va a cantar al diablo.
Aquí está otro vídeo.

Pure Randomness #8 - Stuff I'm Watching

2009-04-12T16:50:00.001-04:00

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (only if Funimation put the show on Hulu, I will be happy)
Basquash! (mecha playing basketball; one of the best animated shows out there)
Power Rangers RPM (It may be the last season of PR, it may not, and hell it's a ripoff of Terminator Salvation and Mad Max, but it kicks ass)
Shinkenger (if PR survives, this is what year 18 will be based on - the most Japanese season of Super Sentai ever)
Chaos;HEad (really bizarre, but good)
RideBack (motorcycles with arms; also good)
ESPNEWS HD 9best network EVAR)
Mighty Boosh (it's good)
King Of The Hill on [as]
Transformers Animated

Maybe I should call this blog Pure Randomness, since it's the only posts I've been putting up. I'll probably post something about Peggle this week. And maybe a review of FMA: Brotherhood. Speaking of, the OP is up top. PLAY IT. It kicks ass. :)

Pure Randomness #007 - I have a Megazord Made Out of 12 Different Zords

2009-04-05T16:24:00.006-04:00

Do you? I got it straight from Japan. Sure, it's traditional to have a Megazord or combination mecha made out of 5 smaller parts. Heck, 3 parts are now in style. But, I want 12 different parts. I want a Megazord where 2 zords make up unnecessary shin guards that go on top of the foot. I want a Megazord so tall, it's twice the size of normal monsters. I want a Megazord who's finishing move is by sliding to the giant monster and teabagging it. That's what I want.

And, strangely enough, it will happen. The video above is from Engine Sentai Go-Onger, which is the basis for this year's season of Power Rangers called RPM. And, both are good in their own ways. While Go-Onger was light and silly, RPM is dark and rips off Terminator Salvation. Both have brought me joy this past month. :)

Pepsi

2009-04-01T14:23:00.004-04:00

Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi

Diet Pepsi Max

Pure Randomness #006 - This Is Not The Big Post You're Looking For

2009-03-29T21:10:00.001-04:00

Pic unrelated

Yeah. Sorry for not posting this past week. And, again, sorry if you were expecting a big post. Because this is not it. Work can do that to you. Expect something on Wednesday (if I can pull myself away from the Toon Zone forums). Until then, enjoy this video from the past week of a series I want to finance if I had the cash (found at Topless Robot):

BTW, I'm a PC, and I wrote a blog post.

Pure Randomness #005 - I Am Lazy.

2009-03-22T21:02:00.005-04:00

I NEED MOTIVATION!
Sorry for the delays. Also, expect something big next week during Pure Randomness.
Source

Video Of The Moment: "June Madness"

2009-03-19T19:04:00.000-04:00

NCAA Expands March Madness To Include 4,096 Teams

I already posted this on my Twitter account earlier, but since today's the proper start of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, it's appropriate to post this gem from The Onion a couple of weeks ago. Enjoy.

BTW, I'll probably film the first installment of "The Assessment" tonight or tomorrow.

Prepare to pay full retail (and then some)

2009-03-18T14:09:00.000-04:00

Pic courteously from Destructoid

I was genuinely excited for Hasbro Family Game Night. You can call me a casual dumbass for saying that, but the idea of playing board games with others is an ideal I support. Hell, I even bought a travel version of Sorry! just so I can play with others without having to get the full version. And, the idea of playing Sorry! and several other games (including Battleship and Scrabble) online with others via Xbox Live made me consider getting the game. That is, until the pricing was shown to the public.

The Xbox Live Arcade version of FGN is free, but it comes with no board games. If you want those, they will set you back at 800 M$P (or $10 in US currency) per game. And, only a select few - Battleship, Connect 4, Scrabble, and Yahtzee - are only available with the others (Sorry!, Sorry! Sliders, and Boggle) coming soon. Honestly, I think that's bull-cacca. Even though I spent $9 for SFIV costume packs and blew money on 360 themes and gamerpics, I'm not willing to spend excess cash for these titles (even though they may be technically cheaper than the real McCoys).

And then, I remembered something. I remember seeing this game listed for the Wii and PS2. And, when I went to the official web site, lo and behold, those versions existed. Guess how much they cost? $40 and $20 respectively, and both come with 6 games, the lone excemption being Scrabble. Guess how much it will cost to get all seven on XBLA? 5600 Microsoft Points, or in better terms, 70 bones. 70. United. States. Dollars. Horse Armor is technically better than this price-gouging bullshit.

While curse words fill my head (and probably yours, too), here's something I just discovered along with the price. This is technically a la carte gaming, in which you pay for only the things you care about instead of having to deal with the whole shebang and get crap you won't play ever. I remember hearing and reading about how the FCC has been hammering on the cable and satellite companies to allow the existence of a la carte services, giving the consumers to pay for only the channels they want and supposedly save some cash. This proposal technically led some companies like DirecTV and Dish Network to create cheaper "Family" Packages to allow consumers to get safe-for-the-kiddie networks ranging from kids networks (Disney Channel), kid/adult hybrid channels (Cartoon Network/Adult Swim and Nickelodeon) and general-interest/infotainment channels like Discovery that won't corrupt a child's "fragile little mind" (like the Dirty Jobs host artifically inseminating a cow by shoving bovine semen up a cow's vagina). The problem is that if the channels you want cost more than paying for the Total Choice package that contains the channels you want plus more at a cheaper price, it's just economically smarter to just go ahead and get the Total Choice package and fiddle around with the settings so you can only see the channels you care about.

Technically, I only care about a few games (Sorry! Sliders, Scrabble, Battleship, and maybe Yahtzee). But, there will be a few Xbox 360 users who are going to get all the games. And they are going to get burned big time when they pay $30 or $50 dollars more than the Wii and PS2 versions for the privelage to say, "Hey look! I got the same game as you, but I can play online and have Scrabble included as well!" The creators (EA) and Microsoft need to do what Rock Band (ironically a product that EA distributes) and others do: Offer the board games together at a discounted price. Like, say, the initial 4 for $30 and the next three for $20. Sure, that tallys up to be $10 more than the Wii version, but a logistical counter-argument will be the ability to play online and Scrabble. And, it's still cheaper than 70 effin' dollars.

BTW, Buy The Get The Funk Out Track Pack For The Rock Bands NOW

2009-03-17T23:19:00.002-04:00

I love Rock Band, or Rock Band 2 to be specific. It introduced (at least on the home console level) the ability to play as a complete band (guitars, drums, and vocals) simultaneously and made paying over $160 for plastic fake instruments cool and hip. It also pioneered the use of Downloadable Content, with virtually weekly releases of songs that could easily make up multiple versions of Rock Band that could be sold at Gamestop for $60 a pop. Plus, the song selection is eclectic, spanning multiple genres and decades. One week, you can have the best of The Who, and the next you're sampling country music. It's Awesome.

Although, it sometimes doesn't look like variety. Recent stats have shown that there are more rock and alternative songs available for the game. Hell, there's more metal songs than progressive rock, punk, blues, and country songs combined. Check the chart. It's somewhat sad. But, things are looking good, at least for this week. A wide variety of songs came out this week, but the most notable is the "Get The Funk Out" track pack. For about 440 Microsoft Points (or about $5.50 for those with the PS3 version and don't have to deal with Microsoft's Space Bucks system), you get three songs from James Brown, Average White Band, and Earth Wind & Fire. I played through the guitar tracks on each song, but these songs make me want to get some people together and create a band to play these songs. Or, at least get a microphone to wail through "Get Up (I Feel Like a) Sex Machine." If you have Rock Band 1 or 2, and you haven't gotten the Track Pack yet, get it NOW! I'll see you on Xbox Live.

BTW, buy the Track Pack on the 360 here. For a preview of the songs, click on the videos.

Happy Day Of Drink! (aka St. Patrick's Day)

2009-03-17T00:09:00.001-04:00

I live in Savannah, GA. And tomorrow (or today, since I was typing this late last night) is going to be one of the biggest days of the year for the city. Why? Because tomorrow's St. Patrick's Day, a holiday which lost all original meaning whatsoever and became nothing more than a holiday for drunkenness. Our city's parade is one of the largest in the country, either 2nd or 3rd biggest (always behind New York's). We dye a fountain green. And, the city will have to deal with drunks, crazed women kissing marching cadets from the local all-boys military school, and more drunks. Crap, the city even tried to contain the purchase of liquor in downtown Savannah (where the parade is held) into one district and have it fenced off, creating a drunk display for a local zoo.

I really have no clue if they're doing it again this year (I believe not) because I don't care about the parade. I've been to it before as a kid, and really have no interest to fight the crowds since I became older. In fact, while the parade happens, I'll be at work bagging groceries; yes, that's my job but it's not my career. But, for the few of you who read this blog (hey, bro!) and to the rest of the Interwebz, I wish all of you a happy and safe St. Patrick's Day. Or, ever since I saw the Family Guy episode "Peter's Two Dads," a happy and safe Day of Drink!

(I couldn't find a clip of FG where Peter and his biological dad start playing "The Game Of Drink," so you get the end of the episode where they engage in a musical number. Still suits the holiday, though. Either way, go watch "Peter's Two Dads" to commemorate the holiday. Even if it means you buying the episode off of Xbox Live or iTunes, or even getting the DVD, do it NOW!)

Pure Randomness #004

2009-03-15T20:35:00.001-04:00

The picture above is from the one-shot manga Tonari no Tarō-kun, in which someone who looks like President Obama and his neighbor, who looks like Japanese Prime Minister and self-proclaimed otaku Tarō Asō, get involved in kinky situations. BTW, did I mention this is an erotic manga? No? Okay, then. For more NSFW "highlights" (for a lack of a better term), go here. If you want to learn more about Obama, Asō, and their connections to manga and Japan in a safe-for-work manner, go here.

But, the thing that startled my mind is not that Obama is in an ero-manga, it's who else is involved. In the pic above, you see that fake-Obama's wingpeople are lookalikes of John McCain and Hilary Clinton. McCain doesn't bother me. It's Hilary. Because she's hot. I mean she's hot. Look again at the pic above. Now, look at the pic below of the real Hilary:

Sorry, scotsindependent.org, but your pic of Hil was the first result on Google Image Search

As you can see, fake Hilary looks younger than the real deal. Heck, I now have a plan to use the person I now dubbed "Hot Hilary" in a future post.

Speaking of future postings, here's what else you can expect from BPR:

Pure Randomness Assessment: After every four Pure Randomnesses, expect a video walkthrough of my stupid thought process. The first Assessment will come later this week.
Reviews on energy drinks.
Power Rangers and Super Sentai (the original Japanese version)
What I dub "The Anti-Twilight"
Xbox 360 Community Games
Old-School Xbox 1 games
Crap that makes me cry
Songs that should be on Rock Band
Is Star Ocean 4 erotic?
Lists
Features involving lists
This:

Video(s) Of The Moment: XBLA In Brief - Crystal Defenders/Peggle + Bonus FoD Vids

2009-03-14T01:34:00.001-04:00

I enjoy following/reading Joystiq Xbox (formerly called Xbox 360 Fanboy). Sure, most of the posts now are actual posts from Joystiq proper, they still put out some regular features exclusive to the Xbox section like XBLA In Brief. This weekly video series features playthroughs of the week's newest Xbox Live Arcade demos as host Richard Mitchell describes whether or not you should pay full price for them. This past Wednesday's was special. It featured the two new titles out, Crystal Defenders and Peggle. Crystal Defenders is a tower defense style game made by and featuring jobs from Final Fantasy. Peggle is Peggle, a pachinko-like game hailed by many as extremely addicting. If you haven't played Peggle yet, play it here or here if you have IE. I have both games, and both are very good. You can blame the video above for me buying them.

BONUS VIDEOS FROM FUNNY OR DIE!
Funny or Die, the humor video site from Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, gave the geek world two delightful gems. One features Jon Hamm of Mad Men as Lex Luthor. Another stars Malin Akerman (aka Silk Spectre II from Watchmen) and quite possibly the worst roommate ever if you are beautiful and star in geek cinema. Since both are awesome, the full versions are posted below. Watch them if you haven't seen them yet. Or, watch 'em again. Your call. (Metacomment: One day, I'll figure out how to do the "Read More" tags, but I'm too tired to care now)

"Lex Luthor Bailout" with Jon Hamm from Jon Hamm

Watchmen Tour with Malin Akerman from Malin Akerman

Video Of The Moment: Pork

2009-03-09T21:34:00.000-04:00

I never really like liked Tim And Eric. Their shows, Tom Goes To The Mayor and Tim And Eric Awesome Show Great Job!, have been hit or miss. Some are genius, like John C Riley as Dr. Steve Brule and Child Clown Warehouse, while others, like when Tim's dad started to treat Eric more like his own son more than his real one, are misfires that question why [adult swim] is wasting money on them. But, to give them credit, they're certainly better than Young Person's Guide To History; God, I hate that show/special.

This clip, and your current VOTM, is from the most recent episode. Of course, I didn't watch it, but if I did, it would have been for this because it was the only thing interesting from the episode's promo. Bring on the pork.

Pure Randomness #003 - Chris Brown On Vacation!

2009-03-08T18:24:00.001-04:00

Chris Brown pictured here in his "Thug Life" pose. "Yeah. Look at my muscles." What a douchebag.

Now, I know this is horrible. But, I don't know the full situation between hip-hop/R&B singers/performers Rihanna and Chris Brown. Should we base all of Chris Brown's past, present, and future behavior over one incident when he took a lyric from "Boyz n the Hood" literally and allegedly beat Rihanna? Maybe. Maybe not. There probably is a logical reason why she probably took him back. Maybe it really was a fluke incident and not really reflective of Chris Brown's behavior. Maybe he's great in the sack. Who the f--k knows and who the f--k cares. We'll learn eventually when Rihanna becomes our generation's Whitney Houston and after she embarrasses herself and her career by saying some really stupid things on par with "Crack is whack" and one of Chris Brown's songs gets covered horribly by the biggest teeny-bopper female star out there like what Britney did to Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative." God, that cover sucked.

But, this Pure Randomness post is not about Rihanna and Chris Brown. Not directly, anyway. It's about the covers of the supermarket tabloids like the US Weekly above. They, along with the paparazzi, decided to go after the couple during their recent vacation to a beach (really don't care where). And, of course, 4 tabloids - US, OK, In Touch, and Star, all had covers devoted to the couple this week, with In Touch deciding to go with easy Photoshopping two file photos instead of using the on-assignment paps. What they chose for the Chris Brown cover photos really inspired me to comment on them. Like US Weekly's above. Half of what I'm thinking about when I see "Thug Life" CB makes me think of him as a "Wanksta". Reason? I know he dances for a living! I may be a nerd who loves punk, rock, and Japanese pop, but I study about pop culture and been exposed to MTV and VH1, along with attending a Historically Black College and University (Go Savannah State!) to know what Chris Brown does for a living; it also makes me feel confident to also call him my generation's Bobby Brown. Can't wait to see his potential criminal record. Until then, here's more covers!

Here, we have Star's pick. Note the fact that it's an insert pic, just like US Weekly's (did a good zoom job on that). The zoomed-in on aspect of it, along with Brown's pose, head tilt, and facial expression, makes me think of one of two quotes: "Huh?" and "Where's My Dinner, Woman!" Clearly, the paps and Star want Rihanna to dump Mr. Brown. Also of note is Rihanna's apparent disgust. What is she giving the look to and why? Is it because the paps are there? Did Chris Brown do something stupid? Did she get the wrong order?

Next is OK Weekly's cover. Rihanna looks happy and has her arm around Chris' neck. Two things could have been running through her mind: "I'm so happy to be here!" or "I'm about to choke that bitch Chris Brown's neck!" As for Chris Brown's facial expression, a few things, the two dominant ones being anger ala Gears of Awesome or the Howard Dean scream.

Finally, In Touch went with file photos. The way they're Photoshopped together makes me think Rihanna is cautious about Chris. Menwhile, Chris is rocking one s**t-eating grin right there.

The following VOTM Is Not Safe For Work Or For Baltimore

2009-03-07T02:28:00.001-05:00

I found this video over on Deadspin earlier this week. Apparently, someone over at ESPN.com accidentally/purposely made a link to this video instead of this week's "Tuesdays With Mel" column, where ESPN's NFL Draft expert gave you his latest opinion on the upcoming draft. Since I found this video, I have watched it several times. And it's still funny. It even brought me a smile when I was at work just thinking about it and the lines from it. Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is Awesome Sauce.

Just Remember: The video above is Not Safe For Work.
Expect something on Sunday.

BONUS SAFE-FOR-WORK LINK!
Watchmen as a Saturday Morning Cartoon (Newgrounds)

Seth VS Deathbringer

2009-03-04T21:46:00.001-05:00

I have been playing Street Fighter IV ever since it came out two weeks ago. And, quite simply, I love it. The fighting mechanics are solid. The graphics are great. And, outside of a few nitpicks regarding features that could have carried over from Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (like you not knowing who your opponent selected), online's a blast. But, outside of the online components, there's one other thing that I don't like about SFIV:

Seth Sucks And Is A Cheap Bastard.

I mean, seriously, he sucks. He is an uncontrollable cheap bastard. In case you don't care about SFIV, Seth is the final boss in the game. He looks like Dr. Manhattan with a frickin' yin-yang ball in his mid-section, he can use the best moves from select fighters (the Shoryuken, Sonic Boom, Yoga Teleport, etc), and his Ultra combo involves literally sucking you inside his midsection and spitting you out. Also, he can be cheap with some of his moves. For example, almost everytime I faced him, he always seem to execute one special where he uppercuts you, jumps up in the air, and then does a spinning piledriver on you. And, he does this move almost every friggin' time I faced him! He sucks ass!

In fact, I'm actually beating the same old drum now. Almost everyone who has commented on SFIV has talked about the cheapness of The Other Blue Naked Man. Some people have even compared him to the final bosses of SNK games like The King Of Fighters. (BTW, I'm getting KOF 2002/2003 on the original Xbox soon) However, there's one other boss Seth reminds me of. That person is Deathbringer from Battle Fantasia.

Battle Fantasia is a fighting game from Arc System Works, the people behind Guilty Gear. And, that's about it since Battle Fantasia dumps GG's love of future-tech and 80's butt-rock for more fantasy setting, excluding one character's usage of a chainsaw/sword/gas-poowered hoverboard mid-battle. The final boss is Deathbringer, a dark knight. When you first encounter him, he's just like every other character and not some supreme d-bag. However, it's not until after you beat him the first time when he becomes a supreme overpowered douche. It is in this final form Deathbringer becomes a true a-hole. All your attacks - punches, kicks, specials - don't do damage to this jackass. It's only when you're in Heat Up mode, the Super Saiyan of Battle Fantasia, that you can do serious damage to him, if he hasn't beaten you to a pulp, cancelling your Heat Up mode, and pull off his final, megaton death blow that I have not yet learned how to avoid, if at all. The final version of Deathbringer has been such a problem, and so much different from his previous form, that I call him Deathbringer Turbo. He's that much of a dick. Hell, he might have even inspired Seth since Yashimori Ono, SFIV's producer, has credited Battle Fantasia for inspiring SFIV's 3D-style-meets-2D-gameplay attitude.

So, how does Deathbringer Turbo like Seth? They're both final bosses and they're both cheap, hard, and almost impossible to beat. On the easiest settings for both games. It took me over thirty times to beat Seth as El Fuerte, and Deathbringer Turbo has made me afraid to even progress further into Battle Fantasia. Who's the bigger douche? Who knows? They could probably be out-douched by the final bosses in BlazBlu (Arc's new 2D fighter) and King of Fighters XII when they come out later this year. And, I'll be getting both, get abused by them, and love every single minute of it. Just the way God attened.

Pure Randomness #002

2009-03-01T14:35:00.004-05:00

Sorry about me not posting in a while. Life happens. Like work. And laziness. Until the next post, enjoy the creepiness that is the new Gatorade Tiger labeling.

Video Of The Moment: Kid + Giant Dodge Ball...

2009-02-24T21:50:00.000-05:00

Funny - Funny Videos

...equals comedic gold. Found this today while looking through Twitter. I don't have anything to add to this awesomeness. It IS Awesome Sauce.

Well, expect a new post tomorrow that isn't a VOTM. 4 reals. :)

Via KingLaserface's Twitter feed (NSFW background; go read KSK for refrences)

Pure Randomness #001

2009-02-22T20:00:00.002-05:00

One week ago today, I decided to create this blog. Two days from now, it will have been one week since my first post. And, come Thurday, will be my one-week anniversary on Twitter. If you came from whatever means, please stick around, and also comment on this blog. I promise more stuff coming out, including a talk about Seth and Street Fighter IV, a game that inspired me to launch the wonder that is Blocked Party Rock, and on February 17th in general. Plus, more Video Of The Moments to keep your brain occupied. Until then, meet a new regual feature, and a way to end the weekend: Pure Randomness. They're like VOTMs, but, instead of being just awesome, they are made with a mixture of Awesome Sauce and Stupid.

See that pic above? Yeah, it's a cover to the latest Cosmo. But, look at the big white text, saying "HIS BIGGEST SEX SECRETS." Ladies, if you're reading this blog, you don't need Cosmo to tell you what our biggest sex secrets are. Ernest Borgnine kinda revealed it for us on Fox and Friends last year (rated WEB-14):

Yeah, thank you Earnest. Not only did you reveal one of our darkest secrets, you also gave away one of the biggest health secrets of all time. Also, the cheapest since it doesn't involve getting a book by Kevin Trudeau.

Also, you can access and spread the love of this blog by copying the following link. You'll be glad you did:
http://tinyurl.com/BPR-Blog

Thank You For Your Support Of Blocked Party Rock.

Why Circuit City Failed

2009-02-22T18:48:00.010-05:00

As many of you have heard/read, electronics retailer Circuit City, after trying to get new investors/suitors like Blockbuster and contemplating bankruptcy protection, announced last month to shut all of its stores and began to liquidate and sell all remaining items and fixtures, a process that supposed to end on March 31. It is sad and not awesome to see a retailer collapse, especially one that your parents frequently shopped and got their television sets and Playstation 3s, and it's a little bit cruel to state that you took advantage of liquidation prices to pick up Rock Band 2 and a wired X-Plorer guitar controller for underneath 60 bones, like I did a couple of weeks ago, when it's the same retailer that got you three of your favorite games of all time - Guilty Gear X2 and Amplitude on the PS2 and the Gamecube version of Skies of Arcadia - in one trip many moons ago. However, a trip yesterday to my local Circuit City allowed me to examine why Circuit City failed. The reason?

THEIR PRE-LIQUIDATION PRICES WERE TOO HIGH!

Seriously. They had way higher prices for most of their products when compared to the direct competition like Best Buy (who was actually across the street in Savannah), especially for computers and computer accessories. Example: Yesterday's trip was the result of me wanting a new external hard drive. All they have (beyond the portables) was a 500 GB Western Digital My Book Essential; they had plenty of those on stock. The liquidation price was 30 percent off the displayed price. The displayed price? About $140. [/shock] Yeah, meaning the liquidation price was about $100. A fellow shopper near me, also looking for computer parts, said that he wasn't going to pay those prices and thought about heading towards Best Buy. So, shortly after the little conversation, I went to Best Buy. Guess what? The same 500 GB My Book was available, at $99.99, non-liquidated. You know what happened next? I ended up buying a different hard drive - a 500GB Seagate FreeAgent Desk - which only cost me $79.99. $79.99. And, I ended up using the $20 difference to pick up the Guns N Roses Chinese Democracy album. Talk about adding insult to injury. And, that's just one story! I bought my laptop in 2006 at Best Buy because they did away with mail-in-rebates and factored in the rebates into the actual price you paid up front, a technique I don't even know if Circuit City adopted.

Of course, it's not always about prices, because it it was, we would be ruled by Walmart. When I was at work later that night explaining my trip, a fellow co-worker expressed two seperate instances where Circuit City's customer service was crappy to him. In one instance, the store charged him more for a season set of South Park, even though it was in a bin with a bunch of other South Park seasons on sale for 20 bones. In another instance, he asked a clerk in the gaming department if Guitar Hero 3's Les Paul guitar (PS3 Version) would work with other guitar games on the system; the clerk was clueless (although in this situation, I would have consulted Joystiq's Instrument Compatibility Matrix for help, in which it says it works with all of them). Prices sometimes mean nothing if good customer service is factored in. The last remaining factor, the only place in town that carries said product, can be rendered pointless with online shopping unless you lack the means (again, becomming more pointless with gift cards being able to do online shopping).

So, in hindsight, Circuit City was probably destined to fail. But, I didn't get bad customer service from them when I was there, and if they had the crap I want (like anime) and weren't gouging me for them, I would have shopped there more. Alas, by March 31, Circuit City will join the ranks of Goody's, Montgomery Ward, and Toonami in becomming nothing more than a distant memory. I hope those that are affected (like employees) hopefully land on their feet and get new jobs as quickly as possible, despite how crappy this economy is. And, I hope that the executives weren't Greedy McMoneybags in causing its destruction, like those who sold Midway Games for $100,000 plus the debt.

VOTM: Wall Street Fighter 4

2009-02-21T16:32:00.000-05:00

I've been playing Street Fighter IV since I got it on Tuesday. Beyond the ultra-cheap final boss, Seth (expect a much detailed post from me in the coming days about him), the sometimes laggy online mode, the pension of every player online to pick Ken instead of, you know, ANY OTHER CHARACTER (Hell, I would like to see someone pick Ryu when they face me online), and the overall crappiness of the Xbox 360's D-Pad, it's an awesome game. It's truly not like an updated version of SF II or Alpha clone some have been calling it thanks to the combo mechanic and the Super/Ultra Combo systems. And, I'm in so much of a mood, check out the above video from CB FRESH. Maybe if we see Wall Street executives duke it out with thier fists and go all MMA on themselves via Pay-Per-View, the recession would be solved. Or, make us forget a little bit that these are some of the same douchebags that got us into this mess in the first place. Either way, someone's going to get their ass handed to them. Yay!

Thank you, ShadowGUN from the Toon Zone forums!
BONUS LINK: F*CK YOU, SETH! (BahamutZero's blog on Destructoid)

Video Of The Moment: Mad World meets "Mad World"

2009-02-19T17:48:00.005-05:00

Mad World is this year's biggest risk-taker. It's graphics are in black-and-white (save for red blood and the comic pop-out words), it's uber-violent, and oh, yeah, it's on the Wii. But, it looks uber-fun and may be the first Wii game I've bought and play since Smash Brothers Brawl last year, along with another M-rated title that came out this year, The House of the Dead Overkill. If you want to see my point, check out the trailers for it, or watch the video above. The good fine people over at Games Radar played the first three levels of it and have set the footage to "Mad World," the song loved by Donnie Darko and Gears Of War fans (right next to the Cole Train song at the end of Gears 1). Watch, enjoy, and be shocked. :)

BONUS STUFF

-Evolution of Death in Video Games (Games Radar) [extra bonuses: things influencing games and game logo evolution]
-Capcom's 10 Commandments (MTV Multiplayer)
-Evangelion 2.0 Japanese release date (ANN) [extra bonus: El Cazador]
-HD 101: Why there are black bars on HDTVs (Engadget HD)

"...Actually, It IS You."

2009-02-19T13:20:00.005-05:00

Dear Criterion Games,

I like you guys. I like your games. More specifically, I like your Burnout franchise. I enjoy arcade racers more than sims, and my favorite games from the N64 era were the San Francisco RUSH franchise - which does include the N64-exclusive RUSH 2: Extreme Racing USA, one of my most-played games from the era. I enjoyed the thrill of driving cars really, really fast and seeing them wreck spectacularly, and I was glad to found a potential successor last console generation when I played the original Burnout on the Gamecube. I had fun when you unleashed Burnout 2 on the PS2, but it wasn't until y'all hooked up with EA and gave the world Burnout 3: Takedown. I played that game to death. Being able to take out your opponents with aggressive driving finally made Burnout the RUSH successor I wanted to play. I did get Burnout Revenge, but it wasn't my favorite of the franchise.

That is until you released Burnout Paradise on the next-gen systems. I got a taste of the demo on the PS3 last year, and thought it was the bomb. In that little taste, you gave me a fluid online system and an arcade racer meshing with an open world that makes me happy. And, when I got my 360 later that year, the trip to Paradise City was one of the first games I've ever got. And, it was filled to the brim with Awesome Sauce. The open world was fully realized. The online play mechanics integrated seamlessly into the gameplay. It was literally Burnout meets GTA in the sense that you can race around Paradise City and not even bother with the main quest until you were ready. It was fun, and it also got my brother into the franchise.

And, then, you took the base game and made it better through downloadable content. You did DLC better than anyone last year by offering game-changing content. Cagney was cool, but the Bikes Pack was truly the best and shows why some people (including myself) think you are the only developer worthy enough to tackle a revival/remake of Road Rash, one of EA's classic franchises (which include Wing Commander and the Strike series). And, all of it was free. You added more Awesome Sauce to the game without corrupting it. And, you are still supporting the game, adding in an offline multiplayer mode, 4 kick-ass tributes to pop culture's iconic cars (like the Ecto-1, the General Lee, KITT, and the flying DeLorean), and more coming down the pipline as paid DLC. And, all of it is good and cool. But, this is where we part, Criterion.

Look at the pic above. In order to access the Legendary Cars pack (the pop culture tributes), I have to download the latest update to Burnout Paradise. And, guess what? That update takes up over 870 MB of hard drive space; it's even more annoying that the download to activate the Legendary Cars is a little over 100 KB. And, you did the same thing with the Party Pack - large-ass free update, tiny activation pack. Now, this is fine and dandy, if I had a large enough hard drive. But, instead, I got a 20 GB, purchased when they first went down in price (better known as a "liquidation"). And, I'm not going to delete more space off of my hard drive to support this or any more of your updates. So, it pains me to say/type this, but we have to part ways, Criterion. I can't support your game anymore. My hard drive cannot handle any more updates until I upgrade to the 120 GB, which won't be for a while; other purchases like DVDs, food, graphic novels, and a backup external hard drive for my computer are more important at this moment. So, until then, or when you make another game, we part ways. Just remember: it's not you, it's me...

...Actually, it IS you. STOP RELEASING DLC THAT IS TOO HUGE! Those of us on both the 360 and the PS3 with small hard drives already near the brink cannot hold these updates without deleting stuff we want. Plus, the 1.6 update is gone from the XBLM servers! Do we still need it? I Need Answers!

Signed,
-Jonathan, aka Vyse the tetrisdork (XBL: tetrisdork)

Burnout Paradise's listing on the Xbox Live Marketplace (Xbox.com)
Criterion Games home page
Criterion on Twitter (looks like I know where to ask...)

"Welcome To The Future"

2009-02-17T14:45:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the future, Welcome to the future..
Get into the new speed, Get into the enemy...
Mass communication (genemanipulation)
So what's the occupation? (what's your dedication?)
Welcome to the future, Straight into the future

-Lyrics to "Bigtime" by The Soundtrack Of Our Lives

Well, welcome to the future. My future. The Internet's future. A future built at first by blog posts. A future where, at the beginning, will be solely my thoughts, opinions, reviews, stories, and other writings. And, eventually, I will also include videos I created myself. Original productions of mass insanity. But that's in the distant future; how distant, I don't know. But, I do know is that I will deliver every post with an image and/or a video. THAT IS A FACT!

For the foreseeable future, this site is a work-in-progress. I will add more features as time goes on. I will also learn to alter the look so that the site will look purty and more to my style. I am working on it, but until then, this will do.

In the meantime, welcome to my place on the net. A place where games, music, comics, anime, movies, television, books, and sports collide into a smorgesboard of crazy and filled to the brim with Awesome Sauce. Because, it is my goal to build a site made with Awesome Sauce. And, trust me when I say, this is going to be awesome.

Welcome to the future. Enjoy the ride.

Welcome to Blocked Party Rock.

P.S. I love "Bigtime" by The Sondtrack of Our Lives. It fits the tone. :)


Lyrics taken from Dapslyrics.com