Cartoon Sunday: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Stardust Crusaders & Stands

How's it going lurkers? I must say, I am definitely surprised as well as pleased with the fact, that MORE of you enjoyed yesterday's Song Saturday blog. 

Yes' song, "Roundabout" was something a little different from their usual, "Owner Of A Lonely Heart."

As I mentioned at least twice, Yes' 1983 hit single, "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" was used as a sample in Season 1: Part 2 of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendency.

After publishing yesterday's Song Saturday blog and sharing it around social media, I saw a Viz Media promotional video by the voice actor, Patrick Seitz. 

Throughout the last 10 years or so, Seitz has voiced many characters for Shonen, Seinen, Josei, and Shojo age and gender demographics.  

Patrick Seitz is best known for voicing Luke Valentine from the Hellsing franchise, Bleach's Isshin Kurosaki and Kenpachi Zaraki, various characters from the Naruto franchise, Blue Exorcist's Igor Neuhaus, and most importantly... DIO Brando from the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood "It Was I, DIO!" (2012)

 

If you would like to learn about other characters he has voiced, click HERE.

As I was saying, a Viz Media promo appeared in my Facebook news feed, which featured Patrick Seitz. He was promoting JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders for Adult Swim's Toonami block.

Viz Media: Patrick Seitz Promotes JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders For Adult Swim's Toonami Block (2017)

 

Watching this Viz promo for Stardust Crusaders made me giggle. It was clever. I love the way Patrick Seitz held that rose in his mouth, while delivering a witty promo. Seitz has voiced villains in the past, but voicing the villain, Dio Brando makes me snicker sadistically.

The supervillain, Dio Brando is the namesake of the late Metal frontman, Ronnie James Dio.

During the preceding promotional video, Seitz referenced to Dio Brando's Stand, The World. This particular season of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure focuses on Stands. 

Stardust Crusaders begins with Joseph Joestar's grandson/protagonist of this season, Jotaro Kujo purposely staying behind bars in jail because he claims to be possessed by a supposed evil spirit.

Eventually, Joseph and his fortune telling friend, Mohammed Avdol strategize how to coax Jotaro into leaving his jail cell.

After Joseph, Mohammed, Jotaro, and his mother, Holly leave the jail, they have a meeting at a coffee & wine shop about their ancestry. This also includes revealing more shocking news about Dio Brando's association with The Joestar Clan.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders "Dio Brando's Revival" [English Subtitles] (2014)

So, what it is a Stand?

A Stand is a unique, supernatural personification of life energy, which is attached to the body. It can ALSO represent the manifestations of a human or a creature's innate "fighting spirit." To an extent, Stands embody the psyche.

At the start of this season of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, it was already revealed that Joseph Joestar is a Stand User. He snaps screenshots and smashes his cameras as evidence to support his claims about having a Stand.

Who and what are Stand Users?

Stand Users are humans AND creatures with Stands, which can be used for various purposes.

Obtaining a Stand is currently unspecified. However, it has been hinted that having a Stand can be connected to bloodlines, rigorious spiritual and/or "Ripple Training" and/or a very STRONG will power, desire, and passion.

Since this season of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure focuses on Stands, here is a list of Stand Users with their Stands.

Stardust Crusaders: Stand Users With Their Stands (2017)

In case you missed the previous Cartoon Sunday blogs I published regarding the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise, simply click on the 3 blog links below.

Cartoon Sunday: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Phantom Blood Review (2016)

Cartoon Sunday: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood & Battle Tendency Music References (2017)

Cartoon Sunday: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Recap With Stardust Crusaders Music References (2017)

Song Saturday: Yes' Roundabout

How's it going lurkers? I have some exciting news, in regards to Adult Swim's Toonami block. Yes, I know today's NOT Cartoon Sunday. 

In fact, I am sharing this news for all those, who watch the block. There appears to be a schedule change as of TONIGHT. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders and Tokyo Ghoul have been moved up.

Toonami Regains Half Hour of Programming

It would be nice if Naruto Shippuden was airing at the start of the Toonami block, but I can live with its new timeslot. I believe that The Toonami  Team actually took what I said, earlier this month into consideration on Facebook.

On the official Facebook page for Toonami, I told them that in order for more viewers to have a better chance of watching JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders and Tokyo Ghoul, both shows should be airing at earlier times. Then, both of their viewer ratings would be higher.

We all know how NEUROTIC Toonami zealots can be over cartoon ratings that were already RIGGED.

Regardless, I am so excited to see Stardust Crusaders! Hopefully, Toonami plays The Bangles' "Walk Like An Egyptian." It is the ending theme song for Stardust Crusaders, after all. 

On April 29th, I published a Song Saturday blog, featuring the band's music video. TALK ABOUT THE SO-CALLED FEELS!!!

Over 3 decades later, I still have The Bangles' album, Different Light on vinyl. 

My mother bought their 2nd album for me, when I was a preschooler. What can I say? Cartoons and music videos were a major part of my childhood, during the 1980's.

Now that I think about it, not too much has changed as an adult. I suppose some can say, that "old habits die hard." 

Meanwhile, the ending theme song for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency was a song I never heard in all my life. That was until last year.

When I heard Yes' "Roundabout" as the ending theme song for Phantom Blood AND Battle Tendency, it reminded me of the 1970's Disco group, Earth, Wind & Fire. Because Yes was a Progressive Rock band from the '70s, Jazz, Funk, Latin, and Disco can be heard in their song, "Roundabout."

This song from their 4th album, Fragile released in 1971. That was 11 years before I was born. 

Considering that I listen to some songs, which happen to be YEARS before my time, it is surprising that I have never heard "Roundabout" on radio stations.

Yes released their song, "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" 1 year after I was born. I have known about that song for the last 3 decades and still love it until this very day.

Speaking of "Owner Of A Lonely Heart," a quick sample of the song was featured in an episode of Battle Tendency. 

The song quickly played, when Joseph Joestar was in the middle of doing his Hamon training with Lisa-Lisa and Caesar Zeppeli, last season.

Since today's Song Saturday blog is mostly about the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise, here is its original ending theme song by Yes.

Yes "Roundabout" Fragile (1971) JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood & Battle Tendency Ending Theme Song (2012)

Cartoon Sunday: Blue Exorcist's Season 1 Episode 1

How's it going lurkers? It has been a while, since I last talked about, much less watched the Shonen Jump Supernatural Acion Anime, Blue Exorcist. 

Nearly 2 years ago, I published a Cartoon Sunday blog, which consisted of the series' bloopers. Early on, I noticed that Blue Exorcist was somewhat similar to Vampire Knight.

     Vampire Knight (2008)

 

Blue Exorcist (2011)

 

I spent HOURS last night and earlier this morning trying to find pictures showing the physical similarities between Vampire Knight and Blue Exorcist. 

 

The preceding images were the closest I could find regarding the similarities in high school academy uniforms. Both are Horror and Supernatural Action Anime.

Vampire Knight is a Shojo Anime meant for female viewers whereas Blue Exorcist is a Shonen Anime meant for male viewers. 

In order to give a better understanding of both Action Anime, I have compiled a list showing the similarities and differences between Vampire Knight and Blue Exorcist.

Vampire Knight: 

* Shojo Horror Romance Action Anime meant for female viewers, which heavily revolves around tragedy

* Somewhat considered Horror because it has some horror elements to it, that being vampires

* Cross Academy is named after the vampire hunter now turned headmaster, Kaein Cross

* Cross Academy is a segregated high school comprised of  vampire students attending night classes and human students attending day classes

* With long distance barriers, human and vampire students can socialize with each other on campus without being attacked 

* Yuki Cross is the female protagonist, who was adopted by Cross Academy's headmmaster and later discovers that she is a Pureblood Vampire

Blue Exorcist:

* Shonen Supernatural Action Dramedy Anime meant for male viewers, which has some tragedy

* True Cross Academy is a prestigious Exorcist Cram School, which is the Japanese branch of the True Cross Order

* True Cross Order is the main organization of Exorcists and a global exorcist institution that is controlled by the Vatican

* True Cross Order has roots to Christianity and was founded by Medieval Christian Knights

* Some Biblical scripture is used in this series

* Rin Okumura is the male protagonist with the ability to see demons

* Rin and his twin brother Yukio were adopted and raised by Father Shiro Fujimoto, who was an Exorcist

* Before Father Shiro Fujimoto sacrificed his own life to protect Rin from the demons of Gehenna, Rin discovers that he and Yukio are both Satan's bastard sons

Judging by the list of these particular Action Anime, BOTH use "Cross Academy" in their high school academy names, have protagonists discovering they were adopted because they're NOT fully human, and possess supernatural powers.

In addition to what has been listed about Vampire Knight and Blue Exorcist, BOTH series have male brunette characters wearing eye patches in high positions at both the Cross Academies.

It would've been so much better if I could've found a split screen picture of Vampire Knight's Toga Yagari and Blue Exorcist's Igor Neuhaus. They wear eye patches, have brown hair, and have COLD personalities.

If you have NEVER watched Vampire Knight or Blue Exorcist, you should definitely watch them both and observe their similarities.

It would be nice to see the 2nd season of Blue Exorcist and the entire Vampire Knight series air on Adult Swim or possibly on another network. We all know that Adult Swim will NEVER air Vampire Knight.

The men running Adult Swim not only show disrespect towards their OWN viewers in general, but also love discriminating against women. The assholes in charge of Adult Swim and the creeps that posted on their official forum for over a dozen or so years expect women to be inferior to them.

Otherwise, the teams at Adult Swim and Toonami put on facades by pretending to promote "women's empowerment," all the while showing female characters with very LITTLE self-respect and respect for other characters.

In spite of Adult Swim and Toonami Teams' facades, I really hope Adult Swim and those running the Toonami block renew their license to re-air Blue Exorcist's 1st season, then air its 2nd season, Kyoto Saga. Its 2nd season finished premiering in Japan, a few months ago.  

There have been claims by Toonami fans that Blue Exorcist's license expired for it to be re-aired on Adult Swim, and that the Shonen Jump Supernatural Action Anime supposedly did badly in ratings. 

Considering the negativity bias coming from Toonami zealots, who fixate on cartoon ratings for every series ad nauseam, I don't know if the bad ratings statement is true.

Some of us already know how much of zealots certain Toonami fans are, when it comes to the Nielsen Ratings. 

Because Blue Exorcist uses some excerpts from the Bible, has trained exorcists, students training to become exorcists, and the protagonist just happens to be 1 of Satan's bastard sons, I believe certain viewers are or will be repulsed by this series.

Judging from the ilk of Toonami sycophants and rabid zealots I have endured on Adult Swim's forum (before it was shut down), they are threatened by Christianity, Satanism, and religion in general.

Religion "triggers" this particular ilk of fans. They CANNOT  handle the sound of religion much like the rest of us can't handle them throwing temper tantrums like 2-year-olds over a cartoon's low ratings.

I advise viewers to watch and enjoy a show for yourself, NOT  because of a show's ratings. Much like polls can be rigged, ratings can be rigged too. Every household does NOT  own a Nielsen's box.

The fact that there are men, women, and children allowing a show's ratings to control them is pathetic in itself. If you need to obsess over a show's ratings, you will NEVER enjoy ANY show.

Since TONIGHT'S Cartoon Sunday blog is mostly about Blue Exorcist, let's start from the very beginning. Simply click on the link below.

Blue Exorcist Season 1: Episode 1 (2011)

Cartoon Sunday: Pitchfork TV's A Brief History Of Emo

How's it going lurkers? Today I wanted to switch things up a little for Cartoon Sunday. Every so often, I like discussing a variety of different topics, including the different types of animation not affiliated with Adult Swim's programming.

Next month, I will be sharing another cartoon that aired on MTV shortly before the network canceled it. Some, if not most of you already noticed that I constantly talk about Adult Swim.

As I have said many times in the past, I was watching Liquid Television Animation on MTV, during the 1990's. This was YEARS before Cartoon Network launched the original Toonami block and before Adult Swim was ever launched.

More recently, younger Millennials and Gen Z have been discovering older cartoons that used to air on MTV, during the '90s. Here's the real kicker, Adult Swim's latest animated promos for the network are only imitations of some of MTV's promos from the 1990's (circa 1992 and after to be more exact).

MTV Promo: "Ding-Dong" (1992)

This promo for MTV is only 1 example. I believe that Adult Swim is currently trying to copy what MTV started doing more than 2 decades or so ago with Adult Swim's latest promos. 

Don't believe me? 

Watch Adult Swim during the commercial breaks, especially on the weekends.

It is an absolute disgrace to see how so many networks and the people running them have LOST  their integrity. 

Rather than showing quality entertainment, local, cable, and satellite channels intentionally launch more low-brow Reality TV shows to pander, glorify, and normalize self-centered, attention-seeking, and highly entitled men, women, children, and pregnant teenage girls.

Speaking of entertainment, you may recall that earlier this year, I published several blogs about the Goth Sub-culture. 

In fact, I published a Cartoon Sunday blog about Pitchfork TV giving a brief yet comedic history lesson about the Goth Sub-culture. In case you missed this blog, click on the following link.

Cartoon Sunday: Pitchfork TV's History Lesson About The Goth Sub-culture (2017)

For the last 10-15 years, I've had some people, including an ignorant and estranged, affluenza man-child for a so-called college "friend," label me as being Emo. By no means am I Emo and have never dressed Emo. 

South Park Season 17: Episode 4 "The Difference Between Goths & Emos" (2013)

Regardless of the clothes I wear, the music I listen to, and TV shows and movies I watch, I have been Goth, since childhood.

Friends and classmates from 6th to 12th grade would not know it because my physical appearance was NOT  Goth, at the time. However, I did have some Goth friends in high school and my interests were always dark and morbid.

Decades later, I am STILL Goth.

Despite the negative depictions of Goths in the media, every Goth is NOT  a horrible person. Also, Goth Fashion does not always translate well, when you are in the workforce.

Depending on the company's dress code, you have to wear "normal" clothing, in order to assimilate. If you work at a company that allows you to wear whatever you want, OR happen to be self-employed, you can Goth it up as much as you want. Most companies in the workforce will NOT  allow it.

As I was saying about Emos, they are NOT  the same as Goths. The gif above is of the character, Sasuke Uchiha from the Naruto franchise. 

For the last 16 years, there have been plenty of gifs and memes about Sasuke because this character looks and acts like the stereotypical Emo brat and HURTS. 

I'm really surprised there hasn't been a meme with "Woe is Sasuke" captioned on it. Sasuke Uchiha memes captioned with "I'm so Emo" have been floating around the Internet, since 2005.

Emos normally listen to shitty Pop-Punk bands and "Crybaby" Rock Music whereas some Emos may physically appear as Goth because of their make-up, hair, and some clothing.

When you see someone with dyed black hair, an asymmetrical and/or spiky haircut, swept over bangs like Sasuke's, and possibly wearing horned-rimmed glasses, THAT person is without a doubt an Emo.

During my last 2 years at Carthage, an estranged guy friend continuously mocked and mislabeled me as being Emo-Goth. That's excluding his need to disguise his snide remarks and cheap shots as jokes. 

BTW: This was coming from an affluenza man-child, who gave a speech about his ACTION FIGURES in Speech Class! A female friend's roommate told us about it in their dorm room, which is the only reason why I know about it. Little does the affluenza man-child know that the joke's really on him. 

Because such a so-called "friend" had his tendency to mock me and disguise his cheap shots as jokes, I distanced myself from him, after graduating. That's not including he and his homely-looking girlfriend at the time causing division among us and mutual friends. Those were some other great reasons for dumping him. Welp, that's enough about me being intentionally mislabeled as an Emo-Goth.

When you watch Pitchfork TV's informative yet humorous cartoon about the history of Emo, you should realize that Emo is different from Goth Rock and the Goth Sub-culture in general. 

You should especially notice that I have NEVER featured ANY  Emo Rock bands in previous Song Saturday blogs.

Listening to songs by A.F.I. is MY ONLY EXCEPTION to Emo. Otherwise, like most people, I HATE Emo Rock Music! Anyway, here is Pitchfork TV's "A Brief History Of Emo" for Cartoon Sunday.

Pitchfork TV: "A Brief History Of Emo" (2017)

Cartoon Sunday: Schoolhouse Rock's Fireworks

 

How's it going lurkers? How did you enjoy Ikimono-gakari's "Hanabi" for Song Saturday? In case there are any confusions, I bold the links to these blogs to make them more visible for readers to click on.

If you missed the link in yesterday's Song Saturday blog, click on the link above. As a quick reminder, there have been some changes to Adult Swim's schedule.

Starting next Saturday on July 8th, Naruto Shippuden and Tokyo Ghoul are remaining at their same times. 

Earlier this morning on Toonami, it was confirmed that on July 29th, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders WILL be premiering at 12:30 am/11:30 pm Central!

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders [Toonami Promo] (2017)

My Reaction:  

Right now, I am overjoyed and would love for Blue Exorcist's 2nd season to also be shown. Adult Swim SHOULD renew its license for this particular series and re-air Season 1. 

Then, air Blue Exorcist's OVA, following it up with Season 2, which is Kyoto Saga. This is what I would like to see on the Toonami block.

Aside from Adult Swim's schedule, let's return to the topic of national and patriotic holidays. Our country already celebrated 2 of them in late May and last month.

Before our so-called Independence Day Weekend, you may recall the number of times I mentioned Flag Day. In case you are new and did not already know, I celebrated my 35th birthday on Flag Day, last month.

Speaking of Flag Day in our country, the following video explains about the American flag, its history, and etiquette. 

Andre Malok: American Flag Facts, Etiquette, & History (2016)

Some Americans are extremely proud and passionate about OUR American flag and our country. 

Our American flag represents that we FLED from England and THEIR control over us by building our OWN country.

Think about controlling and abusive relationships. Imagine being a man/woman in a controlling relationship. The best solution is to break FREE from that controlling man/woman.

THAT'S what the 13 original colonies did to free themselves from England, which is WHY the United States of America exists today!

Remember the ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon, Schoolhouse Rock?

Younger Gen Y born in 1985 and Gen Z probably know very little if anything about Schoolhouse Rock! This cartoon was an Educational Animated Musical from 1973 to 1985.

Schoolhouse Rock! covered school subjects such as Grammar, Science, Economics, History, Mathematics, and Civics.

Honestly, I always preferred Schoolhouse Rock! over Sesame Street. My family will testify on the witness stand and tell you how much I always HATED Sesame Street.

As a little girl, I felt that PBS's programming was patronizing and still is today; PBS always insulted children's intelligence, including mine. 

Being "educated" by a man dressed in a yellow bird costume pissed me the fuck off.

As I digress, Schoolhouse Rock! supposedly has a total of 7 seasons. These seasons are really short. In fact, all the cartoon's seasons are very short.

In 1975, America Rock was the 3rd season, which featured the segment, "Fireworks."

This exact segment even featured the song named after the episode, "Fireworks." "Fireworks" was written by Lynn Ahrens. 

Originally, the song "Fireworks" was performed by Grady Tate. Literally 2 years later in 1977, Mark Bowen, Kelly Mccubbin, and Laura Bruekner covered it.

This particular Schoolhouse Rock! song can be found on Season 3: Episode 8 of Schoolhouse Rock's! America Rock. 

"Fireworks" teaches viewers about the Declaration of Independence and the reasons behind America's 4th of July celebration. 

With that being said, here is the original segment by Grady Tate singing "Fireworks" for this festive Cartoon Sunday!

Grady Tate "Fireworks" [ORIGINAL] Schoolhouse Rock!: America Rock Season 3: Episode 8 (1975)