Monday Meme: Its Over 9,000....Calories!

 

Happy 30th Birthday Sailor Moon!

On this day 30 years ago on March 7, 1992, the superheroine anime series Sailor Moon debuted on TV Asahi in Japan.

The original run of the show, known in Japan as Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon -- later as Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon -- was produced by Toei Animation and was based on the outstanding manga series of the same name written by Naoko Takeuchi published from 1991 to 1997 in Nakayoshi.

The anime series was first aired in Japan on Saturday, March 7, 1992 with the first episode "The Crybaby: Usagi’s Beautiful Transformation" and would run until Saturday, February 8, 1997. Later the series would be dubbed into various territories around the world, including the United States where it would become intensely popular among animation fans at the time.

The English dubbing of Sailor Moon was first done by DIC Productions, L.P. (now Wildbrain) and the series premiered in Canada on August 28, 1995 on YTV and in first-run syndication in the United States on September 11th of the same year with the title of the first episode being renamed "A Moon Star Is Born".

Despite being cancelled after the first two seasons and being put in lousy time slots, thanks to a fan petition the English dub of the series would continue production and later go on to appear on the USA Network in 1997, and then later on Cartoon Network's weekly anime block Toonami in the late 90s and early 2000s -- fondly remembered by many anime fans today as the golden years of Toonami. 

The story of Sailor Moon is fairly simple. A 14-year-old underachieving young schoolgirl named Usagi Tsukino (Serena in the English dub) meets a magical talking cat named Luna. Luna gives Usagi  a magic wand and the ability to transform into her magical alter ego, Sailor Moon. Usagi is then tasked with locating the moon princess and battling the evil forces of the Dark Kingdom (the Negaverse in the English dub).

When Usagi transforms for the first time into her magical sailor suit with Luna's help, she overreacts and then reluctantly accepts her fate, not sure what has happened to her. At the time she does not know the enemies she will face, the friends she will make, or the experiences ahead of  her. All this despite the fact that she's a somewhat lazy underachiever, and more than just a bit clumsy at times.

As she moves forward in the series, she accepts her fate, finds allies with a core friend group of other girls with similar magical abilities, discovers true love with a dashing and mysterious male ally, and realizes the importance of fighting evil and defending the innocent -- all the while maintaining her charming (and admittingly annoying at times) young teenage demeanor.

All of this is a lot of pressure for a high school girl, obviously. This is made much more so as time goes on and she discovers the truth about her ultimate destiny (sorry no spoilers!). All the same the times when Usagi steps up and gets serious as Sailor Moon shows her growing into her role as defender of the Earth.

The series itself was largely brought over to the U.S. to capitalize on the success of shows like the widely popular Mighty Morphin Power Rangers TV series.

In a way, Sailor Moon ran pretty much along the same basic superhero formula as Power Rangers: the bad guy sends a monster, Sailor Moon and her Sailor Scouts face it, do their power moves on said monster of the day, and then Sailor Moon uses her finishing move and vanquishes the creature; all the while dealing with some everyday teenage crisis which usually involves someone's relationship issues -- hey these are teenage girls we're talking about here.

Yet the story arcs are done so well that the series hooks you and then you find yourself waiting to see what happens next and how Sailor Moon and her friends are going to overcome their adversaries. The series -- particularly the first three seasons -- are charming and written very well.

Though the series is largely targeted towards female audiences, it does have a major following among male audiences as well -- your favorite blogger included.

So, is it weird for a guy to like a series targeted for girls? Well, even as a boy in the 80s I -- like many other boys of that generation who will admit to it -- watched cartoon shows like She-Ra: Princess of Power (largely due to the connection to He-Man: And the Masters of the Universe) on Saturday mornings.

The cartoons we watched as Gen-X kids in the 80s and early 90s were largely interchangeable with boys and girls enjoying a wide selection of shows regardless of how they were marketed. I've known just as many girls at that age who idolized Lady Jaye and Scarlett on G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and just as many boys who knew all the characters on Strawberry Shortcake TV specials. As for me, I'll freely admit to jamming to all the Jem and the Holograms songs from time to time. 

Today as an anime fan (and a currently 45 year old pseudo-adult) I'll admit that a younger 19 year old version of yours truly first got hooked onto this series in the summer of 1996 during a boring summer following my first job after high school. I would come home from work and unwind in front of the television in time to see an episode of Sailor Moon in the late afternoon time slot when nothing else was worth watching other than talk shows, and became interested in what happened next. So much so that, when my work schedule changed, I set my VCR to record the episodes so I could watch them later.

Even though the series is pretty light-hearted, I admit that a couple of scenes in a few episodes hit me in the feels too. One death scene in particular in the season one episode: "Naru's Tears: Nephrite Dies for Love" ("A Friend in Wolf's Clothing" in the English dub) where one of Sailor Moon's antagonists, Nephrite, sacrifices himself to save one of Usagi's friends, Naru, and passes away in her arms after apologizing to her. Many fans of the series site that moment as one of the saddest of the series.

Naturally, as this show turned into probably my formal gateway into anime (actually Mobile Suit Gundam was my first official anime series, though I never got into it very deeply) other series eventually took over as favorites of mine, especially once I began watching late-nite Cartoon Network's Toonami block in the late 90s. Other shows like the ever-popular Pokemon series would eventually bring Japanese animation fully into the American mainstream.

All the same, Sailor Moon will always be remembered fondly by me and many other devoted anime fans as the one series that led us down the deep rabbit hole of Japanese animation.

Happy 30th Birthday, Sailor Moon -- Thank you for all the memories!

"Fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight,
never running from a real fight -- she is the one named
Sailor Moon."
Image courtesy of Toei Animation, Japan.

Southern Fried Nostalgia & Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood -- Ten Years Later

10 years ago this month, two brothers returned home
after completing their long and fateful journey.

"There's no such thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary. You can't gain anything without losing something first. If you can endure that pain and then walk away from it, you'll find you now have a heart strong enough to overcome any obstacle. A heart made fullmetal." ~ Edward Elric

On Friday, July 4, 2010, the 64th and final episode of the shounen anime series, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood aired, bringing to a close the epic journey of two brothers seeking redemption for their attempt to break the laws of nature using alchemy.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the second adaptation of Manga author Hiromu Arakawa's award-winning series Fullmetal Alchemist, is widely considered by many fans of Japanese anime as one of the greatest anime series ever made -- well, maybe second only to Cowboy Bebop in this writer's humble opinion anyhow. 

I watched the series several years following its final episode airing in the United States on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim nighttime programming block from February 2010 to September 2011, and later on Netflix when I was finally able to see the whole story in 2015. It remains to this day one of the most emotionally satisfying and beautifully written anime series I've ever watched. 

With immaculate world-building, exciting action, rounded and multidimensional characters, and an emotionally resonant story, FMA: Brotherhood will change the way you think about anime. It will have you laughing, crying, and everything in between while providing you with a memorable story that will stay with you long after the final credits play.  

(Warning: slight spoilers ahead)

FMA: Brotherhood is the story of two young brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, (voiced brilliantly in the English dub by Vic Mignogna and Maxey Whitehead) who attempt to break the laws of nature by using alchemy to attempt human transmutation and bring back their dead mother. The attempt goes horribly wrong and results in one of the most dreadful and emotional scenes in amine history. This failed attempt to break the taboo results in both brothers being physically and emotionally scared -- the elder brother, Edward, loses his right arm and left leg; while the young brother, Alphonse, loses his body completely, resulting in his soul being bound to a suit of armor.

As a result of this, Alphonse is doomed to live in a body that does not allow him to sleep, feel human contact, warmth or cold -- a truly terrifying concept to imagine for anyone to go through, let alone a young boy. Edward meanwhile must undergo painful surgery to install automail prosthetics to allow him to walk again. With the help of their childhood best friend Winry Rockbell and her grandmother Pinako (both automail mechanics) Edward is able to fully recover physically within a year.

Feeling guilt over what happened to Alphonse, and determined to find a way to help his suffering younger brother, Edward later reluctantly becomes a State Alchemist for the military dictatorship of his home country, Amestris, to allow him the freedom of traveling with Alphonse to search for a method to recover Al's body.  

After passing the exam under the direction of Colonel Roy Mustang, Edward is dubbed the "Fullmetal Alchemist" by the military. Following this the brothers begin their long quest to regain their full bodies through the use of the fabled Philosopher's Stone, which is capable of alchemy without sacrifice, or equivalent exchange. 

Along the way, the brothers encounter and defeat corrupt officials and religious leaders, and earning a reputation for helping people; facing new enemies and making new friends and allies. In their search they make a horrific discovery, one that will lead them to another even more terrifying revelation, one involving their estranged father, Van Hohenheim, and the secret of a lost civilization that died out hundreds of years before. 

The anime shows the bond between siblings as they go through hardships and hurt. These brothers stick by each others side no matter what. A fateful journey that takes up 64 outstanding episodes that never feel like they are too long. Even the less exciting scenes don't seem like filler and they lead to major plot developments and character growth for the vast selection of the secondary characters of the series.

With the help of their friends and allies, the Elric brothers must help stop a major conspiracy within their country's military, one that would have unimaginable consequences for everyone in the country. 

Edward and Alphonse (Al) Elric on their journey to restore
their original bodies and find peace with their past.

The journey of the Elric brothers will take you on an epic journey that is a roller coaster ride full of incredible fight scenes, drama, action and some pretty dark elements. FMA: Brotherhood also has some strong themes about the value and dignity of human life and the bonds of love between family. What truly sets it apart is it's ability to evoke such a powerful emotional response on a deeper level at the same time.  

The story deals with real problems in the world like war, hurt, trauma, love, dealing with grief and loss, acceptance, overcoming obstacles, and above all never giving up when you are knocked down.

Now I will give y'all fair warning if you are an easy victim of those pesky onion ninjas, FMA: Brotherhood is chock full of emotion, with heartbreaking sad and beautiful moments throughout the series that will move even adults to tears.  

Despite the comedy side to this animated tale of redemption -- and believe me there are more than a few -- the tough scenes balancing them really do hit hard. Particularly when it comes to the permanent nature of death. 

This series is a masterpiece of beautiful storytelling that will leave a mark on your heart that you will never forget. If you haven't seen this series yet, you're truly missing out. Please check it out, you will not regret it.

My Trip To Ichibancon 9

Outstanding cosplayers gathering at the stairwell inside the
Embassy Suites Hotel in Concord, the home site for
Ichibancon 9.

Greetings and Salutations my friends and fellow travelers!

Today's blog post details my first ever trip to an anime convention. I've been to plenty of fan conventions, but this was my first ever trip to one devoted exclusively to Japanese anime. 

The event, Ichibancon 9, was being held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Concord, North Carolina, about 65 miles from where I live. I had enough money to attend for one day on Friday, January 12th. Ichibancon is an annual event and is billed as the second largest anime con in North Carolina.

In the interest of full disclosure, the choice to go there was a last minute spur-of-the-moment decision on my part. I hadn't planned on going until that morning, and I just needed to get out and do something on my one day off from work. I also needed something to distract me from my recent loss -- my grandmother Carolyn died the week before and we'd buried her two days before. Even though I am a major introvert, I really felt the need to be out with people at this time. 

The trip took just over an hour and a half from where I live, largely due to the traffic on I85 near Charlotte. I left my home just after ten o'clock and arrived just a few minutes after noon.

On an interesting note, I decided to wear my Ulster Red Irish Tartan kilt to the event. The weather, while not really warm, wasn't really cold. It was raining off and on, but that wasn't so bad. Turns out I wasn't the only guy wearing a "skirt" at the event -- some were young guys doing the gender-bender thing -- though I am pretty sure that (with a couple of exceptions) I looked mine better in mine than they did theirs. I did end up getting plenty of complements on my kilt, especially from several lovely ladies -- including one particular beautiful person that I plan to go into better detail about in a future blog post. 

The cosplayers were outstanding all around. Not all of the cosplayers themes were necessarily anime related, but as is the case in all of these fan gatherings, people from all walks of life and various fan groups appeared. Everyone from Furries to popular Disney characters and science fiction characters, all of them simply wonderful and diverse folks.

Also included were Itasha cars -- the fashion of decorating a car with graphics of characters from anime, manga, and video games.

There were several outstanding guests there, including one in particular I was thrilled to see live in person: Mr. Dante Basco, a famous and outstanding voice actor best known for his portrayals of Prince Zuko in the Nickelodeon anime series Avatar: The Last Airbender, and the title character in American Dragon: Jake Long, among other notable characters. 

The following are the photos I took from the event.

Concord Convention Center at the Embassy Suites.

"Let's see, anime shirt: check.
Kilt: check.
Day pass: check.
Let's do this!"

"Ruuuuun! It's Godzilla!"

Pro Cosplayer Chris Nguyen looking frighteningly awesome!

Rex loves Godzilla....uh, maybe a bit too much!

The only thing more awesome than furries?
Furries with lightsabers!

Gravity Falls cosplayers.

Tia Dalma cosplayer from Disney's
Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
One of my top four favorites from the visit.

Sailor Mars and Super Sailor Moon cosplayers.
These two were awesome.

Asuna and Kirito cosplayers from the excellent
anime series Sword Art Online.

The actual Asuna and Kirito from Sword Art Online.

Sesshomaru cosplayer from the outstanding anime
series Inuyasha.

The lovely singer and songwriter Miss Kazuha Oda of the Japanese
3 piece rock band Kazha was in attendance.
Really beautiful wings and gracious personality. I really loved meeting her.

"Thunder! Thunder! Thundercats! Hoooooo!"

My absolute favorite cosplayer of the event,
the beautiful Space Pirate Ryoko Hakubi from
Tenchi Universe with Ryo-ohki.

Toph Beifong from the outstanding anime series
Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Katara and Zuko cosplayers from Avatar: The Last Airbender
doing a bending demonstration.

You can never have too many Narutos.

No-Face spirit from Miyazaki's Spirited Away,
one of this blogger's favorite anine films. 

"Seems like we have ourselves a standoff here!"

Saitama cosplayer from One-Punch Man.

Rick Sanchez cosplayer from Cartoon Network's
Rick and Morty.

Grandma Sophie cosplayer with Calcifer from the
beautiful anime film Howl's Moving Castle.

Lovely Coraline and Elsa cosplayers.
Coraline is like, "Seriously Elsa, let it go." LOL!

Rey and Kylo Ren cosplayers with BB-8 from
Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Voice actor Dante Basco entertains with some marvelous poetry reading and stories.
Mr. Basco has done the voice acting for a number of animated characters, most famously as the voice
of Jake Long in American Dragon Jake Long and Prince Zuko in Avatar:The Last Airbender.

The absolutely adorable Japanese POP singer and recording
artist Miss Chii Sakurabi.
She actually complemented me on my kilt. (blush)

Cosplayers posing for my final photo of the event.
All of these marvelous young men and women were outstanding
folks, and I was glad to meet and hang around with them.

I stayed for the better part of four hours and enjoyed myself very much. It was a much needed distraction and a pleasure to once again be around people who share my love for fandom and great animation. In keeping with the theme of the con, I'd just like to say: Arigato Gozaimasu, Y'all!

Well folks, I hope y'all enjoyed this post and my photos. Please let me know in the comments section below what y'all thought.