Admin

I honestly don't see a huge difference in the block. They're pretty much sticking to the gameplan. I mean, mostly pop anime with a few shiny newer things tossed in there and a few toonami-related nostalgia things. If you want to watch anime - nobody's stopping you. But Toonami is kind of a thing unto itself. It has its own vibe, and I think it's been pretty much true to that throughout the AS run so far. And every show isn't my personal cup of tea. But it all feels very Toonami to me. I would say - don't go to a book store if you're looking for music. It's not like people don't know what Toonami is and basically always has been. If you want that, you know where to get it. If you don't, go to a different place that has the stuff you want. Life - she is really not so complicated as we try to make it.

yep. http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/game-of-thrones-script-episodes-of-hbo-series-leaked-online-w495056 http://ew.com/tv/2017/07/31/hbo-hacked-game-of-thrones/ https://www.polygon.com/tv/2017/7/31/16069966/hbo-hack-game-of-thrones-script https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/31/16069774/hbo-hack-game-of-thrones-ballers-room-104-leaks

also the hashtag #noconfederate was trending during GOT. Confederate is the next announced project of GOT showrunners Benioff and Weiss.

Apparently HBO got hacked and a bunch of GOT data got stolen, including scripts and upcoming episodes.

watching the new one now. I'm struck by - like how quickly I get a little tired of Game of Thrones. Like Season 7 is shortened. Only 7 episodes. And after the first 3, I'm already seeing the commercial cracks and how, for the sake of budget/economy/whatever they're killing off this person, fast-tracking this or that plotline, even though it makes no sense time/space wise, or even sometimes logistically. Kind of that commercial process of - taking a good solid foundation of a story and characters, and then smacking it with a hammer until it fits into the Teevee. Twin Peaks, we're 12 episodes in and I just don't want it to end. Not one moment of this have I sensed that commercial process. It's been 100% story/art/creative. This episode, I was also struck by the Ben Horne scene. I love how, rather than - like having this be "Twin Peaks the Reunion Special" or something, they're just advancing the story in all dimensions. And it's built on the old show. It's a continuation of that. But it is to tv today what that was to tv in the 25 years ago. So it's - not some extension of that. it's kind of its own creative thing. The Ben scene was awesome in that it was neat to see what happened to that character. In the original series, a man out to control the entire town, with ambitions probably beyond that. And then 25 years later, there are shreds of that man, but he's much more mellowed and settled. It's neat that they didn't just be like "well Ben Horne is trying to steal the town again" and instead, he's just this guy who used to be that 25 years ago, but now is a product of the evolution of that space of time between then and now. It feels organic, but different. He's sort of the same Ben. But also different in a neat way. It'd be interesting to see what tempered him in those 25 years. One can assume Richard has a bit to do with it. Jerry becoming increasingly untethered. His marriage falling apart. I kind of want to go back and rewatch the back half of season 2 again because I don't remember where they left Ben when the series ended that first time.

watching 302 now. new intro is fan-tastic. WHAT IS ALL THIS SUMMER STUFF it's RICK and MORTY not Rick & Morty plus Summer. That would be too long to say and bad for branding. I know we're all into this female empowerment thing and - you know, maybe they can get some chicks in to write and direct or something. Aren't there a lot of chick writers on this show? I mean, it feels - really feminine a lot of the time. Kind of like how this one is about post apocalyptic world, and Mad Max 4 had a chick in it. The vanity card companies that put on this show need to stick to the concept and the basic title and make it about Rick and Morty or else the internet will come down HARD on them. because the internet does not like girls.

i don't understand the cat ones. are those cats?

DID U HAVE SOME TEA N CRUMPETS AFTER?? WELL DID U???

literally and figuratively.

In theory, there's 3 dragons, so she'll lose one to Cersei, one to the Night's King, and maybe somehow end up sacrificing the last one herself because dany. The more I actually think about that Ballista scene, the stupider it seems. Just as a scene, and as a plot device in general. By featuring it so prominently, one would think they're probably going to use it. Otherwise - there really wouldn't be a point to having Qyburn bring Cersei all the way down into the basement just to show her a common Ballista. What I would have loved to see was, like Qyburn, with a triumphant smug smirk on his face, demonstrates his "dragon killing machine". And Cersei just goes "Qyburn, this is a ballista, everyone has these". And he just kind of gets shruggy and fidgety and is all "well, back to the drawing board then..."

I'm still not convinced Dany will attack King's Landing at all. If you figure 5 episodes left in this season, next episode is Grey Worm Vs Casterly Rock and Jaime Vs Highgarden. that leaves 4. One of those is probably Dondarion/Night's Watch Vs Night's King, which leaves only 3. And there's a lot of intrigues laid already. Cersei may not be open to peace, but she's not powerful enough to advance on the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. If Dany doesn't advance on her either, she's sort of screwed, as most of her strategy is defensive at this point. If Dany is convinced the Night's King exists, which is likely, she'll likely try to make some form of truce with Cersei to confront the larger threat. If somehow Cersei were to kill one of the dragons, I think Dany would probably want to level King's Landing before moving against the Night's King. Maggie the Frog already predicted Cersei's fate. She'll definitely be deposed by a younger more beautiful queen. I think it's inevitable that Cersei will fall, just not sure if it'll be this season or next season. My guess is this season will be about uniting the seven kingdoms, and next season will be about - like an all-out war with the Night's King.

I think Nikki Glaser kind of already did this with her "Tinder Tapout" segment on her shortlived Comedy Central show.

basically what I like about Gormenghast is just the general freakish vibe mixed with kind of a gray quality. The characters are also very sort of like larger than life masquerade/festival type characters almost. The writing is interesting. Like how he chooses to relay information and through which characters. Just started it, and right away - the very first dialogue is between Rottcodd and Mister Flay, neither of whom seem much skilled in communication, nor do they seem particularly interested in communicating. yet there they are. The purpose of the exchange story-wise, is to announce the birth of the Earl's heir, but it also sets up a number of other things. And I love that Flay has no idea why he decided to visit Rottcodd. And just from beginning to end, the exchange is full of the tiny little neuroses of both characters. it's fantastically obtuse and uncomfortable. And then as the book progresses, business picks up in terms of intrigue and manipulation, as Steerpike begins to spread his wings and fly. But it's been a long time (like probably over a decade) since I've read it. So long enough that I don't remember some of it. Certainly not the smaller details. Though I do remember how and when a lot of the characters die, which doesn't matter so much with this, because the situations are so interesting and odd and sometimes funny, even with the deaths, that it's still entertaining even when I remember what's coming. I like it because it's sort of grand and overstated like an opera. But also humorously fixated, cantankerous and self-deprecating. It's oddly light and heavy at the same time. It's funny, but also very well considered and presented, and can be moving. It's got a moral center to it, even though a lot of the characters are morally bankrupt, or missing parts of their emotional selves. I've only read it like twice I think. A long time ago. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed it.

Just started Gormenghast again for some reason.

round 1 part 4: Dive! episode 1 Vs Enmusubi no Yoko episode 1 Dive was difficult to make it through for me. too slow and kind of like Ballroom in that I didn't feel like it hit any high notes with the animation. I didn't really like Ballroom, but there were memorable things in it, and beats it hit story-wise that were interesting that I feel like Dive maybe missed. Enmusubi, right off the bat, it's pretty charming. Degenerates at times into overt anime stupidness, and is sprinkled lightly with cheap fanservice. As lighter-vein action-comedies go, it's not too bad. There are a lot of interesting little things in it all through the episode. Bits of it are kind of embarrassing. But there's something about anime where that element somehow adds to the aforementioned charm. Not great. But the overall tone is light enough, and the underlying power struggles are interesting enough that it makes for an entertaining distraction. Definitely going with Enmusubi of these two.

am looking forward to those too.

had skipped princess principal but will add it in again. cuz - two recommendations in a row.

round 1 part 3: Children Of Ether episode 1 Vs Clione No Araki episode 1 Children Of Ether is definitely more up my alley with the violence and the blood and all like that. Ninja fights and supernatural powers and traincrashsplosion! A meat n taters anime with lots of violence, but also lots of heart. Packed with interesting characters, neat visuals, and plenty of action sequences. All that in a half-show (14 minute segment). Economical and awesome. This would be an excellent choice for Toonami. Clione no Araki is also short. And, for what it is, not too bad or anything. But I'm not really into this type of anime, more slice of life, at least in this chapter. Not bad. Kind of dull though, because more into action anime. There's just no way I wouldn't pick Children Of Ether. Basically Ether had literally everything I love in an anime. Can't wait for more.

point #1: Toonami is kind of a nice mix of different things. New/old. Nostalgia/edgy. etc. And people were pretty much unanimously insane for it when it came back. It's not even really a matter of opinion. I mean, if you were online period during that time, you know it was huge, and people were crazy excited about it. Since then I think the lineups have sometimes skewed too far one way or the other, but the ratings have been pretty consistent. Most weeks they have several shows in the top 10 and I think pretty much the whole block lands at least in the top 20 or so. More often than not I think Toonami has the #1 show for the night with the demo they are trying to attract. It's one thing to say "meh, not for me". It's another thing to make shit up and/or try to make "meh not for me" sound somehow like it's not for anybody, when clearly, by the data, a ton of people watch it and are interested/invested in it. point #2: This ain't eds/rants or Dumpster Fires. So don't flame each other in this folder. point #3: This is a Toonami fan folder. If you don't like Toonami or any of the shows Toonami runs, you shouldn't be posting in the folder.

Cable networks are facing the same challenges that broadcast networks and affiliates faced with cable came on the scene. Some adapted and survived, many did not, and folded. Now both broadcast and cable networks are being forced to adapt again to a streaming environment. Some will adapt and survive, many will not, and will fold. I think what CN is attempting to do with Boomerang is a good idea, but unfortunately I don't think they're promoting it much. Turner content (especially that CN/Boomerang/AS content) is particularly suited for streaming. Yet I think, of all the networks out there, AS and Turner seem to have the least grasp on how to work to that format. AS.Com I think has always been behind the curve by quite a bit with its streaming. Buddha had to really twist their arms to get it for the site. Just as cable sort of has one foot in both worlds, in their attempt to become the sole internet provider in each of their territories, but it feels like that's simply a way to maintain their cable markets, rather than grow new ones. Same with Turner. Or at least it feels that way. Rather than reach out for the new, they seem more intent on using streaming simply as a means to point toward their cable content. Which is a bad way to go I think simply because - people are telling them what they want and how they're wanting to receive their programming just with their behavior. Some companies will read that and capitalize on it. Others will instead attempt to channel consumers in a different direction than they actually naturally seem to want to go in. Which can sometimes allow for the treading of water, but ultimately is doomed to stall out eventually. Those companies that were born into streaming, and because of streaming, will probably continue to make huge gains. Broadcast will adapt in the same manner that they did with cable. And cable will largely drive itself into a ditch I think. I'm not sure cable networks have quite the same capacity or freedom to adapt that broadcast networks seem to enjoy. Cable providers seem pretty zealous about holding their ground, and playing dirty with cable networks to do it. So I think some cable networks will get strangled by providers' inability to adapt. Some will simply fall victim to their own inability to adapt. And, probably most of the big ones will probably eventually cast of their shackles once they realize that, if they don't make a move, they stand to lose a ton of money.

Jarrett is scrapping TNA, rebranding it Global Force Wrestling (the company he made after ditching TNA) and a bunch of people are jumping ship. look for business to pick up in ROH. and I suppose possibly NXT.

yeah the ballista things was like - uh - they don't... already have those?

I would say, more about creators than celebrities for me, and more about their work than their deaths. Most recently I guess Romero. His work provided a gigantic early spark in my brain, and then throughout my life, his work continued to do that for me. It's not the same as having somebody in your life one minute and then have them just be gone. But - I feel like there are people that I've learned from, but never met them. And it almost feels like there's an edge of disappointment there, like a debt hanging in the air that can't be repaid or something. Like I wonder if they really got to experience that knowledge in a real way that they were inspiring to people, or teaching people things. I mean, I never met him, but I still feel a very genuine and deep sense of gratitude for George Romero, his work, his writing, some of his core principles. I've felt that way about a lot of writers and directors and artists.

I kind of miss the tv. I stream everything now. I miss having that - sort of background noise of the TV on AS or whatever.

also, even that scene where Yara was saying Theon was her protector, she seemed like she was being sort of coy. Like really she was sort of thinking of herself as his protector and trying to build up his shattered psyche. My impression of that whole deal is that Yara is actually trying to protect Theon. And Theon might want to protect Yara, but he's just not strong enough. Or doesn't see himself as strong enough. because they cut his dick off.