Lone Lancer

Jurassic World: Dominion - a good film that could have been a great film. Coming from me, this is high praise.

Jimmy Hart & J.J. Maguire - Repossessor Blues

Depending on genre, anime is also usually presented in a more dignified and wholesome sort of way that makes it safe to watch with kids around. No more having to worry about bad things being pumped into the little kiddo's grey matter. Just use some discretion and common sense with all the stuff marked "ecchi" or "hentai" and everything should be okay.

Robot Masters - read "villains." I don't know how often this subject comes up in gaming circles but, I was always curious how other people perceived the antagonists in the original series ( 1-8 ). I enjoyed playing the games when I wasn't getting creamed, yet I saw something more in the series than just having fun on the bean bag. The enemy characters were often a pain to play against when you didn't have their weakness in your inventory but, I always really admired the conceptual design that went into some of the characters from an artistic point of view. I would always look at the stage boss and think, "I wanna play as this other dude, he's cool!" In comparison, Rock's armor was always very plain Jane - it looks like the costumes used for the film "Tron," only not as cool. Even after receiving the signature weapon of the defeated master, it was often nerfed and didn't even look as impressive to watch being used; Elecman's Thunder Beam was one exception to the general rule. Rock himself was basically a jack of all trades, master of none. ( Rock = Mega Man ) Back on topic though, I always saw a lot of untapped potential in the backstories behind the Robot Masters. I would actually argue that some of them should have gotten their own spinoffs with them as the main characters. I'm aware that attempts have been made toward this route in titles like the remake of the original, "Megaman: Powered Up." To be honest, I didn't like everything they did with that; they turned Iceman into a deranged mentalist, Fireman sounds way too bombastic, and they transposed Vega's personality in "Street Fighter" onto Elecman ( both games are Capcom titles I know ) . Also, what's with the whole 'chibi' art style? Do they have to make some cutesy bobblehead version of every franchise? I don't get that. Does anyone else get the feeling that Capcom was wrong not to use the enemy characters to create something resembling the DC Universe's Justice League instead? In any case, does anyone have any particular favorite robot masters from the classic game series? What are the charismatic qualities they have that make them appealing to you? I thought about making this a poll but, there's too many. It would be almost impossible for me to choose only one that I like more than all the others, I could more easily name the ones I didn't like. so I'll just name some of mine and describe my thoughts about them. No particular order. Shadow Man - Perhaps the most popular robot master. He always seemed very over with the fans of the series and I can see why. He's like Mega Man's answer to the Hitman - he's the excellence in execution, the greatest technical robot master; the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be -- okay, I was just being facetious with that analogy ( or at least half of it ). It would actually be great to see some fan art where he's got Rock in the sharp shooter. He's got the cool helmet which basically resembles the New England Patriots Logo with a 4-sided star on it. For the longest time, I didn't even know he was actually supposed to be patterned after ninjas as his motif. He was noted for being one of the more formidable masters of Megaman 3. They definitely should have given this character his own game. It would have sold, and likely quite well if done competently. Gemini Man - Easily one of the coolest and most unique characters in the entire franchise. His ability to attack with a clone duplicate of himself was really freaky ( and frustrating ). His silver armor is totally rad. This is another one I could imagine selling like hotcakes as the protagonist of his own game. His official info describes him as a narcissist so, maybe doesn't have the most likable personality. I still think they could market him as the cool anti-hero pretty effectively though. Quick Man - Yeah, I know that it's obvious that this character drew heavy inspiration from the Flash but, there are certain aspects to his design that also set him apart. Another character with one of the coolest helmets I've ever seen. His actual projectile weapon in the game left a lot to be desired visually, but he did move around quite well. Despite having a weak name, and an even cheesier stage theme, there is something special about him that gives him that babyface quality that the fans would root for. Although the canonicity of "Super Adventure Rockman" is questionable, there was an actual cutscene where for one brief moment Quickman actually turned babyface and took a shadow blade, sacrificing himself to save Rock's life. This shows that the writers were actually thinking about it. Skull Man - For a character in a game aimed at kids, this guy's motif was rather edgy. Then again, if anyone has watched the original Japanese versions of "Power Rangers" ( Super Sentai ), they would appreciate that the tone is usually darker ( which I actually prefer ). I never did read any of the manga based on the "Rockman" Universe, but apparently this robot master was given a sympathetic redemption ending as a tragic anti-hero. I always thought it odd how covers of his stage theme are generally done in an 80s synth rock style...I guess Skullman must be a real maniac on the dance floor. lol Seriously, I don't understand why they didn't experiment more with the idea of giving this guy his own series too. Fire Man - Arguably one of the most original character designs in the first game - often imitated, never duplicated. He's got the head with the always burning torch, and a pretty flashy attack animation for the time. This would be another winner here. Elec Man - My favorite robot master from the first game, though Fire Man follows a close second. His design is maybe not the most original but, still pretty neat. His weapon is so destructive that it forces the player to respect him. I hated how weak they made him in the Ruby-Spears cartoon from the 90s. I honestly don't care if his theme sounds like it was ripped off from other songs, it was still the best one in the game. Although he's said to have taken up playing the electric guitar in his official info, you never see any art of him playing the analogue synth on a keyboard like Mortal Kombat's Rayden is sometimes depicted doing in fan art - it's actually disappointing. Star Man - I know that tactically he's really just a filler character to cover all of the eight villain slots in MM5 but, he's still kinda cool. Wish his weapon was something never seen before up to that point though. Gravity Man - As cool as this character already is, there was so much more they could have done with him, albeit not without making him practically unbeatable. The name says it all, need I say more about him? Crash Man - The guy with the "G-Force" style helmet and drills for hands. Little bit of trivia, the name "Drill Man" was actually suggested for him before settling on the name Crash Man. The name "Drill Man" would later be used for a future robot master in "Mega Man 4." I'm not sure if he would be material for his own game without having more tricks or abilities. Still a very deadly opponent if you didn't have his weakness equipped. Flash Man - Despite his attributes, he was the easiest robot master to beat in MM2. Even so, I love the concept of a weapon that freezes time. I also love his stage theme. Snake Man - This is one of those characters that looks cool but doesn't do anything really flashy. A big let down in regards to abilities. Well composed theme song though. Spark Man - One of the less human looking droids, his design was original. He had some rather visually impressive attacks for the graphical capability on an 8-Bit system in the day. Magnet Man - Cool motif, though it would seem that the character would lack versatility in any situations that didn't involve metal or electronics in-game. How would one make a solo act out of such a specialized character? Freeze Man - Entering the 16-Bit Era, he was the one robot master that really stood out to me in the cast of MM7. He looked much more menacing than his predecessor Ice Man did. He was also one of the most difficult opponents in the game.

Enigma - Modern Crusaders

I am going to preface this entry by stating that I am quite aware of the scripted, theatrical nature of pro-wrestling as a profession. Although people really do get hurt sometimes when doing a show, I am aware that it is not actual fighting in the sense that the premise of "Street Fighter" and "Virtua Fighter" would have you believe it is - if that were the case then Zangief probably would have been programmed to be able to whip every other character's arse very easily in the game as the final boss in place of Bison; instead he was the most vulnerable character in the game when he wasn't using his throw moves ( getting sidetracked here ). In any event, pro-wrestling does have the stigma attached to it of being seen as puerile or childish. Is it entirely justified? Probably. Even that being, there is no doubt that the flashy entrance music that was in use 35 years ago enhanced the overall presentation quite a bit. Back then, it was not like today where all the music is contracted out to a bunch of no-talent hacks whose unremarkable songs mostly sound the same - maybe that sounds harsh but, I am unimpressed with all the monotonous nu-metal stuff that wishes it were as cool as Ultimate Warrior's theme was. The new guys they have doing the music now cannot compare to the sublime work done mostly by just three people: Jim Johnston, Jimmy Hart ( "Mouth of the South"), and J.J. Maguire. I'll give an honorable mention to Rick Derringer, the guy who composed the Hulkster's theme from the days when he was at his peak as the babyface hero of the circuit, sporting his iconic red and yellow tights. There were also a few themes that the now defunct WCW had that were good too but, I don't remember any that could hold a candle to the WWE's "Federation Era" - I would say Ric Flair but his theme song was simply taken from the movie "2001: a Space Odyssey." Maybe classic Sting ( the wrestler, not the singer ) before he adopted his "Crow" persona during the Heel Hogan/NWO Era. So why am I writing about classic WWE Music on a site dedicated to anime/manga and gaming? Oddly enough, it could be argued that there is some overlap in the art direction, particularly back in the day. It is well known that pro-wrestling is at least as popular in Japan ( maybe more so ) than it is in the United States, and hence one of the reasons I write this. To be honest, it would actually be kinda cool to see more anime/manga about pro-wrestling done in a more down-to-earth way...preferably with less violence than Kinnikuman had. And which classic entrance themes do I personally find the most musically pleasing to the ear and why? I already know that probably everyone else would answer Bret " The Hitman" Hart or Ultimate Warrior - both have huge devoted followings and both are excellent theme songs to be sure. I actually rather liked those of Mr. Perfect and the Million Dollar Man quite a bit. Rather than certain theme songs which were intentionally made to sound menacing or threatening as in the cases of Sycho Sid ( <-- the correct spelling ) and Bam Bam Bigelow, I tend to gravitate more to the ones that sound more like actual songs. In particular, these following four would be my personal picks for the GOAT ( greatest of all time ). I will also be sharing my own thoughts about the songs themselves and the personalities who walked to the ring to them. All of these songs were from before the infamous "Attitude Era." First up, we have Razor Ramon ( aka Scott Hall ). Mr. Hall actually passed away earlier this year ( RIP ). The character he portrayed in the WWE was a reference to the movie "Scarface." I was first introduced to him from playing "Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game" and "Royal Rumble" on SNES at my cousin's house ( fond memories ). The first time I remember actually watching him wrestle on TV was after he had already jumped ship to the ill-fated WCW and founded the NWO with Nash and Hogan. As often the case with the heels ( per the unstated rule of "kayfabe" ), Scott was reportedly a very nice guy in real life ( at least to his fans ); in character, he always acted like a total jerk and a bully on camera ( rather convincingly ), which lets us know that he was very good at his job, one of the best. Whatever backstage politics or scheming he was supposedly up to with his buddies in the whole HBK "Kliq," it is hard not to admire this man's contributions to the profession in hindsight. Without Scott, the overall character of the sport would have been wanting. For many fans, he basically introduced them to the concept of the bada$$ anti-hero babyface. I never did care for his NWO gear...that spray paint logo looked really cheap and tacky; in my opinion, it was ill-befitting for his in-ring persona. Razor's WWE entrance had a very nice application of keyboard and synth drums. Next is the entrance theme for another of one of the most infamous heels in wrestling history. Jake the Snake is probably best remembered for the feud he had with the Macho Man, wherein he struck Ms. Elizabeth on camera and sicked his cobra on Savage while he was down. In the new TV series called "Heels" ( one of the few modern non-anime shows I can even stand to watch anymore ), the fictional character Wild Bill Hancock shows signs that he was intentionally designed after this very individual. Whatever one thinks of his in-ring gimmick, you can never say that he wasn't a good showman. Although he was already retired before I started watching during my childhood, I knew him by his reputation. He was a very colorful character in contrast to the vanilla cast we see today. Jake's entrance theme is basically straight up synthwave through and through. Jim Johnston's talent as a keyboardist really shines in his song titled, "Snake Bit." Truly an epic masterpiece that deserved play on the radio. The next entrance theme is one of the few great masterpieces that Jim Johnston and crew had nothing to do with. It would be impossible for me to pick an absolute favorite among these four but, I would certainly say that this one is my favorite entrance theme to rock out to. It was performed by Robbie Dupree and became the entrance theme to the now largely forgotten babyface tag team known as "Strike Force." Of the two of them, I only remember Ricky Martel ever being somewhat successful after their split. Under his new moniker, the "Model", Ricky would be featured on wrestling board games and card games - and probably video games too...hey, I haven't played all of them. The sound of the song is very bright and optimistic in the most quintessentially 80s way, though I think it was being used during the early 90s. People have remarked that it sounds like a song from an 80s Saturday Morning Cartoon. Others point to the similarity of the song's rhythm to Elecman's stage theme from Mega Man I - this actually isn't the only song from that era that sounds like that ( maybe in pro-wrestling ). A bizarre little known fact about this song, is that it was actually given to Ted Dibiase ( Million Dollar Man ) on Wrestlemania for the NES ( in 8-Bit chiptune form ) due to the fact that Ted did not yet have his famous Money Inc. song at that time. I actually posted the official video for this song in another entry but, the audio quality is noticeably better on this upload. It feels fitting that the theme I should close this out with is Lex Luger's original entrance theme from his introduction as the Narcissist. Unbeknownst to many people, Lex was originally intended as a bad guy. Vince, desperate to find someone else to fill the big shoes of the Hulkster after he had left the company, decided to turn Luger into a face which would lead to him adopting his better known All-American persona where he became the tag team partner of the British Bulldog. This change never did take with the fans, who mostly favored Hart, HBK, and Razor as the principle good guys following the departure of Ultimate Warrior, Hulkster and Savage. Regarding my thoughts about this musical composition, I absolutely love this song but, it just seems entirely unsuited for being used as the entrance music of a heel character. It has a happy, yet poignant sound about it. The airy ethereal notes of this number make it feel as though you are hearing the sounds of Heaven or the Elysian Fields as you walk on the clouds...this is going to sound corny ( I know it does ) but honestly, it is hard for me to listen to this without feeling like I am going to choke up in tears of joy. It's almost like having a spiritual experience. It induces a tremendous emotional state which Generation Y has eloquently termed as "the feels." It really is that good. Some people have stated that it sounds like a song from a "Final Fantasy" title; I'm not big into RPGs, as they seemingly make obvious choices needlessly complicated - legendary video game journalist Adam Sessler actually made fun of this aspect of RPGs in a skit he did years ago on one of the many iterations of his long running video game review show he used to have. The only video game Lex appears in as a selectable character that I know of to feature a chiptune version of this song was Royal Rumble for the SNES ( Super Famicom ). Like Razor, it was through video games that I first became familiar with Lex. UPDATE: I forgot that this other character ever existed, awesome theme song though...even if the voice-overs in it are just sound samples repeating the same thing. I had to include this one. That makes five if anyone here has the superstition that the number 4 is unlucky. I will also give an honorable mention to the themes of Big John Studd and Owen Hart's first theme before he changed it. RIP Owen and John. Jimmy Hart & J.J. Maguire - Repossessor Blues [ YET ANOTHER EDIT ] I went back and listened to Greg "The Hammer" Valentine's theme again. I've changed my mind, Greg's theme is legit and it belongs here. To be honest, I have always preferred the more outrageous gimmick of his old tag partner Brutus Beefcake when watching old footage. That entrance theme of Greg's is something else though... Jimmy Hart & J.J. Maguire - Hammer Man

Joe Satriani - Summer Song

Information Society - Peace & Love, Inc.

New Retro Wave has started a new talk show featuring interviews and music videos from some of the heavy hitters who are currently active in the Post-80s Synth Music Scene. Only three episodes have been made so far. It will be interesting to see where this goes as it develops. The first episode is Gothic/Halloween themed. The "Nightmare on Elm Street" gag was pure gold. I had mixed feelings about the second episode. I'm not as familiar with this Josh Dally fellow. I'm sure he's probably a nice bloke and everything but, as a purist I feel that doing crossover titles blending contemporary pop with retro synth pop sounds kinda defeats the whole purpose of going retro in the first place. Let 'em Riot had a song with similar themes/lyrics that was way better than Dally's was at the end.* Although Futurecop! has had a distinguished run in the synthwave scene, they too have been guilty of major no-nos in some of their music in years past. I suppose that at the end of the day, it's a matter of taste. I am very particular. --> * In the third episode, I thought that the first song by the featured artist that was showcased was rather weak. Second song was okay, and the third one was really good. I think it was awesome that she actually came forward as a Type-O fan. Extra cool points just for that! NewRetroWave - youtube channel NewRetroWave - Official Website

Depending on genre, the choices used for an anime's music and score should fit the setting and theme. I know I'm a huge synth guy but, it doesn't always necessarily have to be synth or ambient. The Irish Celtic Music used for the introductory title bumpers for episodes of "Fairy Tail" actually suit the quasi-Medieval fantasy world setting quite well. In other cases where the story in question is in a modern setting ( less rustic ) with a more sentimental tone and fewer comic elements to it, I think this obscure little gem pretty much typifies the sound that I would be looking to implement into the soundtrack of the hypothetical anime series/film. By some people's questionable tastes, this would actually be considered rather "kitschy." Yeah...whatever. "Girls In Cars" by Robbie Dupree

I remembered that they used to be in the Vrv lineup but then pulled out later. At one point, curiosity stream and others were also onboard.

Is it just me, or does it seem like Crunchyroll/Vrv ( now merged w/ Funimation ) and Asian/Retrocrush are the only legit streaming sites for general anime? Are there others? In spite of Crunchyroll's boasts about having the most complete collection of titles, I have noticed that quite a few are not on there.

This is actually one of my favorite animes. Funny thing is, I ran out of space while filling out the field. To answer your question though, I really can't comment. I don't know the novel you're drawing these parallels from. I think it's very interesting seeing threads like this though. I think it helps to keep things active while also helping us to look at these shows in a new way.

Back in the day, many of the movie posters were done by the great Boris Vallejo and/or Julie Bell. Unbeknownst to many, they also did the box art of some famous video game titles as well. They followed the "Heavy Metal" trend in graphic art. They would eventually go on to be the ones to do the box art for "Eternal Champions" and "Golden Axe II" on the Sega Megadrive.

I know that the whole point of this song was to make fun of Morrissey of the Smiths but, I can actually relate to much of the lyrics. One thing though, if I thought that my neighbors were loyal and kind, I wouldn't dislike them so much. You don't know my neighbors...they're a bunch of perfidious 'necks. Quilloughby feat. Lisa Simpson - Everyone Is Horrid Except Me ( And Possibly You )

Smooth jazz fusion is my favorite type... Kim Pensyl - In Need of Your Love

Ginjo junmai sake is about as exotic as it gets in the little backwater where I live. There's not much choice here.

The classic anime film "Akira" is often hailed as the gold standard that all anime art is judged by. From a purely visual angle, it would be hard to disagree with that. My whole problem is that I personally just didn't much care for the story...great visuals though. If I were ever fortunate enough to have the pleasure of being the Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of my very own anime studio, one of the very first things I would want is a return to form using the classic hand-drawn art style that was in use during the '80s and '90s. See the gallery of Deviant Art user bluethebone to get an idea of what I mean -- you will notice many popular anime characters from the new generation being re-imagined there in this style. In the hair and wardrobe department, it would be nice to see some new shows that feature throwback fashions which serve as an anachronism to the present day. Give the chicks nice big luscious manes of hair like the styles that Farrah Fawcett and June Chadwick used to wear in the shows and movies they were in during their prime. Have the characters wearing brightly coloured casual shirts featuring all-over prints with geometric shapes that would look right at home on the set of Saved By the Bell. That one scene from My Dress-Up Darling where Wakana Gojo is shown trying on one of these while out shopping with Marin was great - that shirt was so me. I wish I could have taken it right off of his back to claim it as my own. One of my other big things is the music. Okay, admittedly most of the good anime being made to this day typically has a good opening theme song which would please even a tough customer like yours truly...but, have we also not heard better before? I feel that there is often too little synth being used in the themes and scores of many modern animes, though this isn't to say that the keyboard is entirely absent in all of them; however, the warm fuzzy vibes of the low resolution synth of the past is largely phased out because..."progress." In the genre of comedy, it feels most appropriate to go for theme music done in the style of a smooth jazz fusion which blends the synthy goodness of the keyboard with an accompaniment of lots of sweet saxophone. The music should provide a pleasant feel-good atmosphere; and yes, all the cues and jingles too. Also, each episode should end with the traditional freeze-frame right before the credit roll starts. I know that none of the anime comedies do this but, I always thought it would be better if they did. As my musical example, I will cite "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now" by David Pomeranz - better known as the theme from Perfect Strangers. I also included the closing theme arrangement. To my sensibilities, this is how a sitcom theme is supposed to sound.

I have a question too. Are they good places to recruit manga artists for collaborative projects in the spirit of the Mashiro/Takagi dream team ( Bakuman )?

Ever had that feeling that a game's character roster is somehow missing something? I know I have. Take Guilty Gear by Arc System Works...it already has a bounty hunter ( Frederick/Sol ), a pirate ( May ), and a surgeon ( Faust ). I really think the game could use a barber. Not just any barber, an insane barber toting a big pair of menacing garden shears, whose super move is to cut his opponent's hair while they are passed out and show them their bad hair day using a hand mirror. What could be cooler than a madman with garden shears, what with all the struttin' and the cuttin'? It would be even more hilarious if the character had a feud going on with Millia - the character who uses her hair as her primary mode of attack in the game. It would be even better if the character sported brightly coloured leopard and zebra prints on their outfit, as well as a bowtie choker to complete their look. I know that this barber theme doesn't really fit in with all the easter egg references to rock bands ( that I am aware of ) but, neither did Baiken when she was introduced - I know Baiken actually started out as a secret character in the first game - kinda like Mortal Kombat's Reptile. Okay, I'll 'fess up...I really just miss the hilarious antics of Brutus the Barber Beefcake ( aka Ed Leslie ). It doesn't even matter that the guy's finisher was only a sleeper hold, he was a great showman. I know that wrestling isn't real, but it was still one of the greatest gimmicks in all of sports entertainment history. If it was decided that the character would be a chick, then that would actually make her a cheesecake. In such a case, I would favor making her a strapping 6 ft. tall amazon with an insane hard body - like the one Elena has in Street Fighter. The game also probably needs an evil clown like Doink. Man, I should be given a job in creative control at one of those companies...

I'm very much into the songs which are heavy on the keyboard because...synthesizers rule. Two of these are from the 80s, and three are from the 90s. Someday when I pass on to the great blue yonder, I want the music I hear to sound something like this. Screw your harps God, I want a Roland Juno! Kimagure Orange Road Song #2 "Orange Mystery" FTW! Best visuals and opening song in the series. I wanted to post only that one, but none of the other uploads include the fully animated opening of the series. The art style looks very much like Aha's "Take On Me", which I think is awesome. All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku ( intro from the series ) Yu Yu Hakusho End Credits Theme #2 ^ ^ ( Has a sound reminiscent of the Psychedelic Furs ) Kodomo Band - "Purple Eyes" from Hokuto no Ken the Movie "You're Under Arrest!" - End Credits Theme from late in Season 1 ( forget if it's the 3rd or 4th one )

I have never played any personally but, I think they can be therapeutic for young single men. If you feel embarrassed, just remember that you were made this way for a reason. @MediaConsumesMe I didn't know that the Fate games had actual hentai scenes in them, I've only watched the animes. Now you've made me curious...

Kayfabe Definition: colloquial term for the unstated rule in professional wrestling that wrestlers must always stay in character for events and public appearances to maintain the illusion of reality in the eyes of the fans. For anyone here who hasn't had that conversation yet, these people are actors portraying a character; this is not who they are in their personal lives. Wrestlers have had their cars totalled because fans perceived the heels as actual bad guys. Joke Definition: a diminutive form for a person whose given name starts with a letter 'k' and whose surname is "Faber." <- I made that up.

I feel a little embarrassed to be asking this but, is the "dere" field supposed to reflect the way that I am personally or the traits of my top anime crushes?