December is Ranger Key Month! January is.....? Gokaiger 199 blip!

Hello~!

If you haven't been following my blog, chances you aren't reading this then you'll be pleased to know that the formerly tentative Ranger Key December is now a reality! I have shot videos for Sets 06, 07, 08, and SP already with the Treasure Box being my next project. I have the Treasure Box video mapped out in my head...all I need to do it shoot it!

I have been blabbing on about plans for January on Twitter, but I haven't talked about it here. Next month has me very excited... I will be doing an entire month for Ninja Sentai Kakuranger! Here is how it will work...

01.January.2012 Treanger Box w/Ninja Red Ranger Key
08.January.2012 DX Tsubasamaru/Super Muteki Shogun
15.January.2012 DX Kakure Daishogun/Super Kakure Daishogun
22.January.2012 DX Ninjaman
29.January.2012 *WILD CARD*

I have a number of things I can do for the final week of Kakuranger month. I might do the range of Playdera Ninja Red Mecha (Red Saruda, Battle Saruda, God Saruda), I might do Chogokin Ninja Red, I might put together a Kakuremaru review...who knows! As with all of my reviews, I'll be doing whatever strikes my fancy at the time. Whatever the case is, there will be more Kakuranger videos beyond Kakuranger month. Like everything...i'll get to it all eventually.

I really look forward to Kakuranger month. The show is my favorite of the 90s...for some reason people tend to tell me that Carranger is my favorite 90s Sentai. Whatever. It's Kakuranger! You heard it here. Kakuranger, then Dairanger, THEN Carranger. I'd order them that way for me.

With Kakuranger though, i've been a little bit slow to get reviews out there. So far i've done Doron Changer...TWICE, Muteki Shogun, and Jusho Fighters. The last video came out a whole two years ago... The result is Kakuranger month. I so look forward to it!

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A quick review.

I don't have the time or patience to watch the Gokaiger 199 movie. I did, however, watch the mecha fight at the insistence of many. All I can say is...Wow...

...

...

...what a load of boiled horse testes. That thing they were fighting came straight out of that 90s CG Cartoon Reboot or even Transformers Beast Wars. Dragonball Z called, they want the "Genki Dama/Spirit Bomb" back. Using the same sword sound for every slash was annoying as all hell. Why does the effects department need to make everything glow so brightly? So. Much. SHIT.

I think i'll pass on this movie. Toei really has been buying into their own bullshit about Sentai being more fairytale than say...Kamen Rider, the Highlander. Just make a good fucking Sentai show. Please. They did it so well for a long, long time. It's been nothing but cheap CG and cheap laughs ever since.

Zero excitement. All excrement.

...and on that tangent i'm off.

Until next time...

-CC

¡LEAKED IMAGE!

Dammit! Dammit! DAMMIT! Fun Fact: If you spell "Dammit" without an "N" it isn't a swear. The more you know...

I should have seen this coming. There is a leaked image of me on the internet. I might as well come clean and explain myself here...

Until now, this is as close as anybody got to seeing my face on the internet:



That is from the Aura Changer Trailer and Review that I made in late 2007. I swore to myself that my face would be like Fort Knox. It is full of gold afterall...

So here we are four years later. I get a mysterious email containing a link to a photo of me and a demand that I send my Dragon Buckler, which is the supreme ruler of all Tokusatsu toys NOT, and a case of Toblerone to a P.O. Box. Before I can call my brother and tell him to get a life, I get another email that says "P.S. This is NOT your handsome brother". I'd say I pissed my pants, but that isn't manly. I excreted fear from my genitals. That's better.

So instead of ordering a case of crappy chocolate and parting with my favorite toy ever NOT, I decided to post an official version of the picture myself...

So here it goes...

^^^CLICK FOR MORE^^^

The story: It was Halloween in the year...umm... XXXX. I was dressed as Brodie from the hit movie "Mallrats". Being the shutterbug I am, I posed for a picture without any proding from the Ukrainian maid...

Damn.

So first you saw my chin. Then you heard me go "Pssst!" to a confused married lady. Now you've seen a little bit of my nose. My whole world is unraveling...

I'll be in my mountain retreat if you need me.

-CC

P.S. As of right now, my hiding in the mountains should not tamper with my December release schedule.

Goggle Five-Go-Go + December Schedule!!!

I'm back for another round of...complaining! That's right, I have a chip on my shoulder about something once again...

Most people out there know the theme song from Dai Sentai Goggle Five. It's tolerable, but definitely the worst Sentai theme song of the 80s. I covered this previously in my list of best Sentai theme songs, so check that out if you want to know why I don't get along with this song.

What I didn't mention previously is how much of a mess this song is. If you listen to the beginning, there is a little synth bit at the intro--before the main song kicks in. The trouble is, it doesn't match the synth at the outro of the song. For reference...here is the original:



Being the intense Sentai Music fan that I am, I own the Dai Sentai Goggle Five Complete Song Collection. On it, there is an alternate version of the song which goes something like this...



Did you hear it? The intro matches the outro in the Alternate version! The trouble is, they also tacked on that awfully recorded "Goggle Five-Go-Go" bit. This is where the SUPER intense Sentai Music fan in me comes alive. I made a version of the song that makes sense. This is the version that resides on my mp3 player and this is the version that I start my Goggle Five playlist with. Here is...the CCLemon99 Version of the Goggle Five theme.



If you think i'm crazy in this post--fine. This is just something that has bugged me for a long time leading me to take action into my own hands a few years back by creating my version. It just sounds whole, doesn't it???

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The TENTATIVE December video schedule...

I am still working on the order that I want to put the remainder of my November videos. Keep your eyes glued to my channel for that. This is what can be expected in the month of December...

04.December.2011: Ranger Key Set 06
11.December.2011: Ranger Key Set 07
18.December.2011: Ranger Key Set 08
25.December.2011: Ranger Key Set SP
01.January.2012:Gokai Treasure Box

The last two videos are locked-on to those dates. It's gonna be an SP Christmas and a...Boxy New Year wha? so yeah. Ranger Key Sets 06~08 really depend on how the weather cooperates between now and then. If they don't happen on those dates, expect them to carry over into a January theme month instead with Set 06 airing a week after the Box video. Excited!? I...um...am!

So that's that for now. I have some more stuff to write about so come back to my blog soon. In the meantime, hit me up on my Youtube Channel you know, the place that probably sent you to this blog or on Twitter.

See ya next time~

-CC

Shotaro Ishinomori Created Twitter

That's right. He created Kamen Rider, Kikaider, Super Sentai, Twitter, and the list goes on...

Want proof? Fine. First I need to explain.

In 1974 Ganbare!! Robocon hit the airwaves. You may or may not of heard of the show, but you should definitely know it for historical sake. Kamen Rider had 98 episodes, Himitsu Sentai Gorenger had 84 episodes... Ganbare!! Robocon had a whopping 114 episodes. It's pretty sad that I know these numbers without looking them up.

Success leads to rebirth. Super Sentai went on. Kamen Rider has gone in and out of consciousness. It's natural that Robocon was given another shot. In 1999 a new Robocon series aired called Moero!! Robocon. If you've ever seen the show... You might have seen the following image during the second opening sequence... You ready for that proof now?




...you sure...?





...set sails for fail...

That's right! Robocon is carrying the all-too-familiar Failwhale of Twitter fame! Look at the original!



Clearly i'm on to something here!

-CC

P.S. Yeah, I know that Moero!! Robocon was released posthumously.

P.P.S. Isn't it funny how this show was pretty much a stopgap for Toei between Metal Heroes (1982~1998) and 平成Kamen Rider (2000~ )?

It's been awhile. How about some content?

September was a busy month for me. I managed to finish out a nine week stretch of videos...two whole theme months! I also had quite a lot to do with work and real life stuff. So how about another round of housekeeping?

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I don't want to jinx anything, but I have something HUGE coming. Actually, a bunch of huge additions to my collection. This haul is made possible by Kingranger NOT the TV-Nihon guy. If you haven't seen his incredible customization/fabrication work...you're dead to me need to check out his Youtube Channel and also my video on the fantastic Fire Wolzaphone that he created for me...box included! If you're on the loathed forum circuit chances are you've also seen his work on Rangerboard. He truly lives up to the Kingranger name (that other guy...doesn't come close).

More details soon...

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I do have some car reviews on the horizon. I was tempted to put up my Honda NSX video this weekend, but decided to hold on to it for a little while. I might want to tweak the music and tighten some editing. It looks good, but not quite at the level I want it to be.

I also have some other cars I want to have reviewed by year's end. It's looking like only two more car reviews will be done in 2011, though. Maybe we'll get another Ferrari video for Christmas... Batmobile in 2012...?

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Gokaiger...the series that I can't seem to escape. I am in the process of writing a blog about the series, but I can't quite seem the words to adequatly sum everything up. It'll happen soon. In the meantime, I have a grand total of five toys coming my way for the series. In addition to a ton of Gashapons that I haven't put together yet (I have sets 1-4 and see no reason to stop getting them). Here are the toys I have...

-DX Treanger Box w/Ninjared Key
-Ranger Key SP Set
-Ranger Key Set 06 (Go-onger)
-Ranger Key Set 07 (Shinkenger)
-Ranger Key Set 08 (Goseiger)

Videos for all? I might. This would lead to another full month of Gokaiger videos (November?). Who knows on RK Sets 06~08, but I will DEFINITELY be doing videos for the SP Set and Treasure Box. I have some tricks up my sleeve for the Treasure Box video. The SP Set...i'm still working the logistics out on (It's gonna be a long video).

Stay tuned for that~!

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New review series...?

Sure, I plan on making atleast one video on one of my favorite parts of my collection...my near-complete 8cm/3inch CD Single collection!

I currently have every 8cm/3" CD released by Nippon Columbia for Sentai, Metal Heroes, and Kamen Rider except for one. The one i'm missing is the Kamen Rider no uta 99/Mahou Suka Sally no uta 99 single from 1989. It's super-rare, but not all that interesting IMO. KR no uta 99 and it's karaoke version are included on the Kamen Rider BLACK RX Complete Song. It's a song about...multiplication tables. If you want to learn your multiplication tables in Japanese and hear what Ichiro Mizuki sounds like when he's out of breath then check it out. Very little to do with Rider, though.

There are also two CD Singles put out Nippon Columbia's crappy mini label called Forte Music that I can't seem to track down. I'm missing the Blue SWAT single (I have the Janperson and B-Fighter ones that Forte put out) as well as the single for Yugon Jikko Sisters Shushutorian...Grrr...

Anyway...

I've reached a level of super-nerd that I feel a video needs to be made. I made a post months back about how I collect CDs and that the music in my videos comes from said CDs...well I think I need to put my money where my mouth is.

I haven't quite figured out how I will be doing it, but I will be making a video of all of my Nippon Columbia CD Singles starting from Kidou Keiji Jiban (February 1989) all the way to the last of the Kamen Rider Kuuga Singles (October 2000).

...stay tuned!

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In other review news, I will be featuring some weapons coming up. I will try to throw some figures and Changers into the mix as well. There is always something to look forward to on my channel~!

I'll be sure to write more, I promise!

-CC

Theme month two: Gokaiger Catch-up

So now that my five-week ACTION WORKS reviews is in the over, it is time to play some catch up with Gokaiger releases. In the month of September you can expect to see...

04.September - Gokai Cellular Part 1
11.September - Gokai Cellular Part 2
18.September - Ranger Key Set 04
25.September - Ranger Key Set 05

I wanted to make the Gokai Cellular into a singular review, but it just wasn't working out. Oh well.

Is this it for me and Gokaiger? Nope. There are two future items that I have secured and plan on reviewing...

-Ranger Key SP Set
-Gokai Treanger Box

The Ranger Key SP set comes with the remaining DX Red Ranger Keys and the Treasure Box comes with the Ninja Red that isn't included in the SP set--or any other previous set for that matter.

Anyway, that is my brief update. October will have some fun videos.

I will be back soon with a report card blog on Gokaiger now that more than half of the series has aired... I have a lot to say...

See ya!

-CC

How do YOU pronounce CCLemon99?

I was thinking about this earlier in the day... I'd kill to shut my brain off for five minutes sometimes. How do you think the "99" in CCLemon99 is/should be said?

Is it "Ninety-Nine"?
Is it "Nine-Nine"?
Is it "Kyu-Kyu"?

If I get a shout out on video, people tend to refer to me as just "CC Lemon", so maybe I'm on to something here...

So how do you say my name?

If you have a Google/Youtube/Gmail/Blogger account, you should be able to comment here. If not, hit me up on twitter @CCLemon99.

Short & Sweet. I'm out. Bye.

I will not make a list. I will not make a list. I will not make a list.

I realize that I have typed up two list posts pretty close together. I'd apologize, but people seem to enjoy this. Meh. I feel bad for the lack of genuine content, though.

Here is what has been going on recently...

When I make a video and it goes seemlessly, I am in heaven. I've been doing this for over four years now and still get a great feeling when I export a video that is, in my opinion, as good as it can be. I really get a kick out of making videos of toys for the enjoyment of fans and myself alike. This has, and will forever be the reason I make videos.

The problem is obstacles.

Youtube makes it difficult to upload the videos that I really want to upload with their "brilliant" updates. I really think that being the only game in town [face it, they are] they have no time to properly test or even think their updates through. It used to be "Hmm. That's new." but now it's "What now?". This may be an old complaint, but the whole "random thumbnail" bullshit is a drain on my time and disk space as well as bandwidth for Youtube. Lose-Lose situation. It always feels like it gets less and less user friendly in each iteration.

Another problem I seem to be having is energy. I have officially fallen into a slump. I hate Gokaiger. With a passion. Going back and reading my entry where I seemed to be full of optimism stings a bit. I wanted to show to pan out. It's almost at the midway point, and i'm very slowly getting back to speed. It's a very hard watch for me now. Zangyack is a virtually threatless enemy, Basco is a dick with a perm, and Gai is a retarded man-child who somehow escaped from his beaten-down-single-mother's leash [his father, ofcourse, died in a mine collapse]. BTW, I say that based on nothing...but it might as well be his official back story considering they haven't given him one opting, rather, to turn the "annoying" dial up to eleven to make up for it. Hell, maybe I need to make an update blog on Gokaiger...in time.

Anyway...

My point is this: When the shows start to suck this bad, I lose interest. It pains me to say this, but Gokaiger is the tipping point. It's especially bad with this one since you want to tune in to see how the old shows are incorporated. If I lose interest like this, it's a chore to make reviews. Not just for the current show--all reviews. I have been biding my time with the monthly car review, but anything beyond that is difficult. Like the Gokai Cellular. I've had it for quite some time now and don't want to review the thing. I don't want to look at it. It's still in the shipping box it arrived in. You don't want me to review something I don't want to review. It won't go well. Infact, let me break it down...

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Youtube people: Review the Tensouder/Mobirates/whatever already! It's been out for seven hours and i've seen twelve reviews on it!

Me: I need a song, and I need to be in the mood or the review will suck.

*Upload the review*

Youtube people: WTF! What do you mean two stars!? You're biased!

Me: Hey. Who wanted me to review this toy? Wasn't me, so why are you pissed that I didn't like it?

Youtube people: You're so rude! No wonder nobody likes you! When are you reviewing Leon Cellular/Gokai Cellular/whatever?

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I have that kind of exchange to look forward to everytime I upload a review of the newest toy. Demotivational much?

I truly, truly, truly appreciate anybody who takes the time out of their day to watch one of my videos. It's a nice feeling knowing that any given moment several people are watching my videos. My latest insight stats have me very close to breaking the 50,000 views/day barrier on my strong days with the lightest being about 38,000/day. Almost 2,000 views an hour. Amazing. I love the feeling that I can turn a toy, the backside of a large poster, sunlight, a five year old camera, and my laptop into something people really enjoy watching.

It pains me when the same people rail against me constantly. Or they make demands. Or they make requests. Or they can't be bothered to do some searching on their own. As someone who is tettering on the brink of losing complete interest in making videos, you're lucky to get anything, bitches. Let me do my thing and i'll ride out my lack of interest and find a groove that I can lock into.

That being said, I really had fun making the Uchuu Keiji Action Works figure reviews. I took a lot of the pictures months ago and never did anything with them. I recently did some pick-up shots and am finally in the middle of uploading them. It's a good way to get back into the swing of things by finally getting to do something I want to do. It's therapy for me, and content for those who seek it. This time...it's a Win-Win.

Enjoy the Sharivan review. I'm pretty sure Shaider will be next week. After that, I have two more videos to close out the Action Work Uchuu Keiji videos. The first is Saibarian, Gavan's motorbike. The second is a mail-away exclusive set that is too awesome to explain now. All I will say is... You'll see~!

So long for now. Take care.

-CC

My favorite Super Sentai suit designs...

A few weeks back I posted a list of my favorite Super Sentai themes in five blocks of seven shows. I decided to go back to that concept and apply it here to suit designs. I get asked about what suit designs I like enough to warrant this topic, so let's get to it. Same rules apply, so here goes.

Oh, and i'm a little bit strapped for time so no pictures. If you don't know what each Sentai team looks like at this point, why are you even reading my blog?

Best Design, Goranger-Dynaman: Himitsu Sentai Goranger

Easy choice for me and probably a lot of fans out there. The suits may be a little mismatched (inconsistent glove/boot colors) but they are the perfect launching point and standard for Sentai suit design. Not too complicated, individual yet falling into a pattern. Definitely to best of the bunch. JAKQ and BFJ went flamboyant, and Denjiman-Dynaman was a little too uniform. The Goranger suits really are the greatest design.

Worst Design, Goranger-Dynaman: Dai Sentai Goggle Five. Bland and not particularly good looking.

Best Design, Bioman-Fiveman: Hikari Sentai Maskman

I'm not sure why I love these suits so much. Their design is a kind of sleekness that hadn't existed to that point. It was as if the helmets were designed in a windtunnel or something. Add that to the gun slinging with the Laser Magnum and we're all set.

Worst Design, Bioman-Fiveman: Bioman. I might catch some shit for this, but their helmets look absurdly large on their bodies. The suits themselves look like pajama onesies...

Best Design, Jetman-Megaranger: Ninja Sentai Kakuranger

Along the same lines as Maskman, the Kakuranger suits are sleek and smooth. Each shape used for the visor is very simple to differentiate from each other, which is a nice touch. It's a suit designed for great action. No frills, just a sword and a dagger/gun. Love it.

Worst Design, Jetman-Megaranger: Megaranger. This is another one I know people might disagree with me on. Every suit is the same and the helmets look very similar to each other. They get the job done...just.

Best Design, Gingaman-Dekaranger: Hyakuujuu Sentai Gaoranger

Each of these suits is well done and has a nicely sculpted helmet. There is a lot of detail throughout. Just looking at the suits, they just scream the word "Wild"...

Worst Design, Gingaman-Dekaranger: GoGo Five. I looooove GoGo Five. Love it. The suits, however, are like a peppermint-clone fest.

Best Design, Magiranger-Gokaiger: Engine Sentai Go-onger

I don't care for the show at all, but the suits look fantastic. Bright, plenty of detail, and work nicely in conjunction with the mecha. They seem a bit on the bulky side, but that's OK. They look nice.

Worst Design, Magiranger-Gokaiger: Magiranger. By default, Magiranger gets "worst" anything. Fuck Magiranger...

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That is all I have to say about suit designs. It's a pretty straight-forward question that seems to find it's way to my inbox every so often.

If you want me to talk about something, hit me up on Twitter! @CCLemon99

See ya next time!

Get Wild And Tough!

A lot of people seem to make assumptions about me when it comes to entertainment. For example, I received an email earlier in the week from a viewer who was asking me a question about a Transformer that he/she had purchased. Truth be told...I know about three words in Transformer speak: "Optimus Prime", "Autobot", and "Decepticon". Something tells me that those are the only three words needed to follow that drivel, but I digress.

I'm not a fan of Star Wars, Star Trek, Transformers, Video Games, Sports, Power Rangers, or even Anime. Yet, I get questions about all of those subjects all of the time.

I should clarify, though, that while it is easy to not be a fan of something as specific as Star Wars, Anime is a difficult thing to not like entirely. Truth is...I do like an anime...but in it's state of neglect and inactivity, it's just easier to say that I don't like anime.

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably have picked up on my recent rediscovery of the hilarious show called "City Hunter". It has been nearly six years since the last time I breezed through all 140 episodes from the four series produced (City Hunter, City Hunter 2, City Hunter 3, and City Hunter '91). This recent revival in interest really stems from two things. First, because I finally have some free time to watch stuff again. Second, because last month a new Korean Drama called "City Hunter" started airing.

I caught wind of this new Korean Drama being produced about four years ago. It felt like the project had been shelved until earlier this year. News came out that it'd air in late May and ofcourse, I told my wife that this fucker was finally coming to fruition. She was interested in watching the anime with me, which was like giving a recovering addict a free bump. Oh yes, i'm hooked all over again!

So after watching a few episodes of the anime, I asked her what she thought and if it drew any similarities with the new Drama. She thought it was funny, but really didn't see the connection between the two outside of the title. She said the show was more of a revenge story. My memory of that conversation being "...sounds like Kill Bill...". Compound that with Jackie Chan's weak, but OK attempt at a City Hunter film and a few other attempts from Hong Kong and it is totally safe to say that if a Live Action City Hunter comes along, walk away. Walk away quickly.

I've also been told that the anime is inferior to the Manga. I am willing to give the Manga a shot in the future, but I do have a couple of hang ups with that. The first being that it is 35 volumes. Sure, I could buy them all used for a very low price, but shipping is probably a beast for 35 books. No complete adaptation has been released in America. One company attempted, and only got something like five volumes in. Also, the manga is missing a crucial component that makes City Hunter great: Akira Kamiya, the voice of Ryo Saeba.

Which brings me to my ultimate point.

Seeing that this show is a gem of the late 80s with adult themes, there is niltch in terms of merchandise. I guess there was nothing wrong with this, but it would've been cool to have something outside of the odd book or two they published. December of this year, this all changes.





Oh. My. God...

Worth the wait! If only there was also a 1/6 Scale Mini for him to drive in. There is also a figure of the ultimate cocktease, Saeko Nogami, which is cool...but why her? Why not Ryo's partner Kaori Makimura?

Yes! Ryo! My obscure little anime finally has some awesome merchandise from the same company responsible for handling many higher profile franchises.

I preordered my figure already, I might come back for Saeko at some point, but for now it's all Ryo. Yes, there will be a review. Granted, it might not be a popular one, but it has been a dream to review anything from City Hunter for a very long time.

Check out the anime if you like fantastic voice acting, comedy, action, and just a fun time. It's truly fantastic. This is coming from someone who doesn't like anime, so that must be worth something...

Mokkori Hips!

-CC

One. Two.. Three... FOUR!!!!

Has it really been four years since i've started my Youtube channel? It has! 25.06.2007 was the day I created my channel as well as shot, edited, and uploaded my very first review.

I just wanted to review some of the Super Sentai Henshin items i'd managed to collect over the years. Here I am four years later, with a review of every Super Sentai Henshin item from 1982-Present...and many more.

I never pictured myself getting to any of the Kamen Rider Henshin Belts that I own, but I managed to review my two favorites: BLACK & BLACK RX.

Never pictured myself reviewing model cars, and for the past year i've done so roughly once a month. Sure it may not be totally in focus with the rest of the content on my channel, but I enjoy making car reviews...plus it brings in a new type of viewer. Hell, even some of my regulars dig my car reviews and were pleasantly surprised to see them.

More importantly, I never pictured myself making videos of the various Mechas I own. In the almost three years I began making mecha videos, they have become a very important staple of my video catalog. Which is why I decided to center my second, third, and now fourth anniversary videos around them...

That's right. My fourth anniversary video will be...

DX Gokaioh!

That may be a bit underwhelming, considering my last two anniversary videos were spectacular (so good that I had to removed them from Youtube to avoid the copyright ban-hammer). This is something new, though. This is the earliest i've done a mecha video to date. Usually I release my Mecha video late in the series (or in the case of the old mecha I have...years after the series is over). Gokaiger has been on for four months...which makes this the quickest turn around possible. I had to wait until the first Gokaiger OST was released (which sucks BTW) a few weeks back. Now I have it in my mitts, and thus have all the music I need to complete my video.

Really, I have so much more to say when it isn't important... So I will leave this blog entry with the same thing I say at the end of every video...

Thanks for watchin'! See ya next time!

My favorite Super Sentai opening theme songs...

I was hard up for a topic for this week's blog entry. Naturally I took to Twitter and asked my followers what would be a good topic. @MisturYellow suggested that I talk about my favorite Sentai OP theme songs. Good idea!

I've been meaning to make some kind of post regarding this for quite some time. I've mentioned in the past that I am a Sentai music junkie (both songs and BGM). Hell, every day I listen to a Tokusatsu album at work. It's usually my first tweet of the day. For some reason I forgot to mention that I listened to Megaranger songs (again for some reason...I listened to them not too long ago). I usually type something like this.

I've decided to break this down a certain way. Instead of doing a top five or a top ten, i've decided to do my favorite theme from a block of shows. This will eliminate bias toward older shows (I tend to be biased) and really make the decisions tougher for me. So here goes...my Top...um...7 favorite Sentai opening theme songs.

Best Theme, Goranger-Dynaman: Taiyo Sentai Sunvulcan



This one was a close call with Ah Ah Denshi Sentai Denjiman. The Sunvulcan theme is just timeless. I mean, sure, it's definitely an 80s song. It is one that gets the excitement going just listening to it. If you ever watch those horrible godawful recorded Tokusatsu concerts, this is the song that gets the crowd moving. It has a combination of energy, beat, and charisma that really hasn't been matched since. What a great song.

Um...as for the worst between Goranger-Dynaman. Hands down, that is the Goggle Five opening theme. It cast Sentai themes back into the dark ages. Then again, the Sunvulcan theme was a tough act to follow. As a side note, this song is SO bad in it's normal form that I made a custom edit of it to even out the Intro/Outro. I've replaced the song with my edit on my computer. Still have the original version on CD, though. > <

Best Theme, Bioman-Fiveman: Kosoku Sentai Turboranger



This was another one that was a tough call. Hironobu Kageyama did a wonderful job on Dengeki Sentai Changeman and Hikari Sentai Maskman, but they seem to fall a little short against the Turboranger theme song. I think depth is what makes the Turboranger theme song stand out. I don't have the disc in front of me, so i'm not sure who composed the Turboranger songs...but whoever that composer is made one of the best Sentai themes. One featuring the lead character on vocals no less!

Worst theme, Bioman-Fiveman: Fiveman. Boooooring. It's alright...but booooring.

Best theme, Jetman-Megaranger: Gosei Sentai Dairanger



This was a very tough call. In this span of seven shows, almost all of the theme songs are pretty damn solid. I mean...think about all of the great theme songs here! What makes the Dairanger theme song shine to me is how it all came together. They hired the perfect singer for the show, not necessarily the song. I know that sounds weird, but the singer matches the suits, the mecha, everything. NEW JACK Takuro is a bit of a mismatch for the song itself. If they hired Akira Kushida (of Sunvulcan fame) to sing the song, it would've been the right match, but the song wouldn't have been as good. The composition itself is wonderful as well. Oh, and it ends with a gong. That should give it the win alone...

Worst theme, Jetman-Megaranger: Jetman. Poor Kageyama. He is such a wonderful singer, but his last Sentai theme ever is such a poorly written mess. "Jetto-Jetto-Jettoman! LET'S GO tobidase!" That's the entire song right there. It's alright, just uninspired.

Best theme, Gingaman-Dekaranger: Seiju Sentai Gingaman



Hear me out on this one...it's complicated. I've never been a fan of veteran singer Masato Shimon. I don't know what it is about his voice, but I just don't dig him. However, this is the song that really won me over from him. His singing is a little lower here, which helps, and he really gets into the song. The music is fantastic to say the least, it really paints a vivid picture. Gogo Five may have the cooler, faster, and better theme song...but I just consider Gingaman to be my favorite from this era a little bit more...

Worst theme, Gingaman-Dekaranger: Dekaranger. I know this is a favorite to many, but what a piece of shit. Psychic Lover was really digging their role as the band for the theme, which is a cool thing. YOFFY is just a horrible singer. Shrill and annoying. NEXT!

Best theme, Magiranger-Gokaiger: Juken Sentai Gekiranger



I dug the show, I like the theme. The singing isn't all that great, but the composition is bang on. Sadly, this was a very easy choice for me. The theme songs in this era are pretty much garbage. Which leads me to...

Worst theme, Magiranger-Gokaiger: Magiranger. This song, and the rainbow-fucking horrible show it's attached to, can go directly to hell. This song and show represent a time when I was seriously ready to hang up my hat and not give a shit about Sentai at all. Mercifully Gekiranger came along. Seriously, fuck Magiranger.

Well that about does it for this entry on my favorite Sentai theme songs. I will be back next time with...well, maybe i'll do the same thing with Kamen Rider next time... If you want me to talk about something, hit me up on Twitter! @CCLemon99

Thanks for reading!

-CC

The day that Super Sentai died...

Does that mean anything to you? It might just look like the entry from Toei's website about the eighth episode of Megaranger, but in truth, it is the obituary for the long running Super Sentai series.

Why?

The first seven episodes of Megaranger aired Friday nights at 5:30PM. The rest of the series aired at it's current timeslot of 7:30AM on Sundays. Hard to believe, but Sentai series had several timeslots between Goranger and Megaranger.

Hey! You said you love Kamen Rider Black and Black RX. What gives? They aired on Sunday mornings!

This is true. My gripe with Super Sentai is not that it moved to mornings, however. Kamen Rider Black and Black RX are perfect examples that timeslot alone didn't have a negative effect on how much a show can kick ass. There is a crucial X Factor that killed Super Sentai in the move to Sunday morning... They added five minutes to the show.

More is better! More Tokusatsu is the greatest gift anyone can give! You're seriously crazy, CC!

In it's history Super Sentai has fluxuated in runtime. Between Goranger and the ninth episode of Dynaman, Sentai shows had a full 30 slot. My favorite shows happen to fall within the shortened 25 minute slots. I feel that putting a tighter limit on something cuts the fat. Let's break it down...

25 Minute Show

Opening Credits: Approx 1:30
Commercials: Approx 3:00
End Credits: Approx 1:00
Episode Preview: :15

This leaves about 18-19 minutes of runtime depending on the show. That is absolutely plenty of time to start a show, have some fights, abbreviated mecha fight, show end. Keeping it tight keeps the momentum of the show. There isn't time for useless scenes of the characters bored, or goofing off (poorly), or endless mecha introductions.

Time limits are essential, IMO. I have had several complaints about Youtube over the years, but the one thing i've never had a problem with is the former ten-minute time limit. It worked for me. Even my longest mecha videos were worked into the ten minute frame. It was a challenge, but it worked well. I cut the fat. It was ten solid minutes when I had to put it all together.

So I have been tweeting about the death of Super Sentai this week. I promised an answer that didn't have to do with content, hell, I love Gogo Five. It's just... I cannot get into the shows anymore. They haven't figured out how to properly utilize the extra minutes in each show some fourteen years after they extended the shows.

I hope this was a little bit of enlightenment for a change.

Take care, see ya next time!

-CC

P.S. Gokaiger is really boring. Looking forward to seeing Kyousuke this weekend and how Red Racer plays in.

CCLemon99 FAQ Vol.2

I'm back for more! More A's for your F'n Q's!

So...let's just dive right in!

Why the name CCLemon99?/Is "CC Lemon" a real drink?

I'm not sure why I started using the handle. I've gone by numerous handles on the internet, each is quite different from the other. The seed of "CCLemon99" started long before I even had the idea to start a Youtube channel. When I first got my trusty Sony Cybershot DSC-W50 in 2006 (I still use this camera for my reviews, 20,000 pictures/videoclips later!) one of the first pictures I took was of a case of CC Lemon. Yes, this is the same picture you see at the end of all most of my videos.

Flash forward a few months. I am listing some auctions on ebay. I decided to set up a Rangerboard account to pimp my auctions, but also had the folder open with all of my pictures (this is before I set up new folders for individual photosets). The case of CC Lemon always was at the top of the page. So when I needed to come up with a handle, CC Lemon came to mind. Two months after registering at RB as "CC Lemon", I started a brand new Youtube channel. "CC Lemon" was taken, naturally, so "CCLemon99" came to mind. I liked the way it looked. Kinda like ((Lemon)). The 9's bookend the name nicely. I kinda regret not having a less brand-oriented name, but I like CCLemon99 for it's catchiness.

Is it a real drink? Very.

Fun fact: In my title card with the case of CC Lemon...if you look veeeeeery closely, you can see a Futurama DVD in the top right corner of the picture. It's dark, but you can make out some of the letters. I see what you did there...

What do you do for a living?

I am asked this question a lot, so I feel I should atleast acknowledge it. I do not want to answer. Fill in the blanks.

What is with all the Kamen Rider hate?

For the record, I looooove Kamen Rider. You know, the property closely supervised by Shotaro Ishinomori. In the past ten years, the series has gone from a "man on a mission" to "boy models in leather". I don't find the appeal in watching year after year of rail thin guys with hair styles previously seen on certain breeds of dog, fighting vague enemies with LIMITLESS EGO. An enormous ego is almost certainly interchangeable with any other serious character flaw if one isn't present.

I just don't understand the appeal.

It could also be that i'm not a Sci-Fi fan. At all. Super Sentai is a story of team-work, to me. Showa Riders is about revenge, adaptation, and cool-ass bike stunts. Metal Hero is about...well anything--just look at the variety! Heisei Riders, and to a lesser extent 00/10's Sentai, are about... bitching, moaning, and haircuts. You know, nerd stuff.

Will you review any more Rider toys?

I think that ship has sailed. I have a few belts (Kuuga, Agito, Skyrider), figures (random), and other stuff (Henshin Onsa) that probably won't be reviewed. Is it necessary?

Will we ever see your face?

No. You can see my reflection in some car reviews (look in windshields/windscreens). You saw half of my face in the Aura Changer Trailer. That's all you're getting.

What is your first name?

I don't like to say. Isn't it better to keep identities a mystery? I kinda have to divulge the name when I sell stuff..but otherwise, nope--not saying.

How do you watch tokusatsu shows?

I have scores of VHS that I like to watch. Most stuff can be seen online, but a lot of my tapes are either first generation copies from TV, or are original rental tapes (better quality than some rips online). TV recordings have the added bonus of commercials. You know I love toys, so naturally I love the commercials!

What are your thoughts on Power Rangers*insert name*?

Haven't seen any Power Rangers since the 90s. Not for me.

Are you willing to lend me/us/them a hand on a project that is in the works?

Whether it be me actually doing work, or simply lending permission to use photos I took, the answer is no. It'd have to be a truly epic project to get any kind of involvement from me. It isn't laziness, it's just that I barely have time to cover my own ass. I manage to upload a new video every week and still have a full time job, a neverending continuing college career, wonderful wife, and copy of Gran Turismo 5 to worry about. I spend a lot of time banking videos, but there are times when I rush to get something out on Sundays (every Sunday!).

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That is it for now. I wrote waaaaay too much in this entry. Yet, I probably have some more FAQs I should probably give an answer to. I've been doing this almost four years now, you should see the crazy messages in my inbox. > <

Anywho...

Take care! See ya next time!

-CC

CCLemon99 FAQ Vol.1

I get asked the same questions all the time. Often i'll give a brief (and obvious) answer to the question...but i'd like to dissect these questions and give REAL answers. Here we go...

How much did you pay?

This is a pretty rude question. Nobody needs to know that I paid $300 for my Masking Brace or $10 for my DX Gingaioh. What I pay for my toys is really no concern to anybody. Also, what I pay shouldn't be held to any kind of standard of value. For example, I paid $30 for my first Dyno Buckler in the 90s. Yeah...why do people need this information? This is beyond me...

Where did you get it?

Japan. Duh. What a fucking stupid question. I've been a high roller on Yahoo! Japan Auctions for a very long time. I also order through a myriad of webstores or just do my shopping the old fashioned way from another country... I'll ask a friend. There is no "secret" or hidden treasure trove at the bottom of the sea in a safe deep within the Titanic. > <

Can I buy it from you?/Sell it to me/SEND IT TO ME FOR FREE!

No. If it ain't on ebay, or if i'm not selling it elsewhere...no. Don't ask.

Where did your Shinkenoh video go? I remember it!

"Visual" Copyright claim by Toei Animation. I'm not sure why...since it's 100% made up from self-created photos/video. The music rights techincally belong to either JASRAC or Nippon Columbia. So i'm a little confused as to why Toei got involved. I'm not sure when the Shinkenoh video will return...

Why don't you talk in your videos?

I hate talking reviews. Talking reviews seem to be a western thing. People in North America and Europe really need someone to hold their hand and walk them through the toy review. Really? I prefer international appeal. My top five most popular countries among my viewers do not speak english as a primary language. Naturally, Japan is my top country. My channel is also big in Vietnam, South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia...THEN, the United States. 100% of the moaning about me not speaking in my reviews comes from North America, which is apparently the center of the universe.

What the...? Cut those nails!

A couple years back I was having some issues with my finger nails. They were growing in very uneven and almost brittle. I've taken the necessary steps and have since solved the problem, but back then I had to grow them out a little bit. That way, any cracks in the nails would've be as devastating (and painful). This might be too much information, but it is yet another thing that people ask about.

Where is the *insert new toy name* review/video?

I usually wait until the appropriate music is released for the toy. Makes sense, no? Sure it takes a little bit longer, but I feel it is well worth the wait to make the video that I want. I'd be very unhappy with a rushjob.

Will you make an unboxing video in the future?

No. I'd feel bad for wasting Youtube's bandwidth on an unboxing video.

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I hope this answers some questions. If you've known me for awhile, you probably knew the answer. Still...it's nice to be able to elaborate. I have more Q's that I can give A's to, hence the "Vol.1" in the title. Stay tuned for that...

Take care!

-CC

Video Answer + Auctions For Japan

Hello,

Before I get into any of my topics I would like to explain my new icon. I have synched all of my accounts to my new icon and will probably be using it going forward. It is the same photo that I have been using since December 2007 (yes, I had a different Youtube Icon prior to that). The only difference is that I switched it to white and red colors. If you don't understand why I have done this, check out my charity auctions below.

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The video answer...

Last Sunday I posted my car review for the month of March (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhTB2vfHzfQ). I posed a question that nobody has stepped to the plate to answer: Can you name the songs used in the video? I did hint that the first song was from a Super Sentai Series and that the second is a song by a former Kamen Rider actor. The answer is........

1. JAKQ Machine Rock [Karaoke] Yeah, the song used is bit newer than the car in said video. I think it works well. The lyrics to the song are about the vehicles used in the show.

2. "t" [Plugged] by Joe Odagiri. That's right. The second song is sung by Kamen Rider Kuuga himself: Joe Odagiri. Not only does this song exist, the single it is from is considered part of the Kamen Rider Kuuga CD Collection. It is the rarest disc in the collection, and has become highly sought after in the years since.

3. Well...this is one of the zillions of variations of the "ai no Skyline" theme by BUZZ.

Now you know!

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My charity auctions are now live!

Last week I promised to list atleast three toys for charity. On Monday night, I listed seven auctions. As promised, 100% of the proceeds will be going to charity. The charity in question is GlobalGiving's Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.

There has been some positive response so far. I hope it keeps up! Take a look if you're interested: http://shop.ebay.com/njprime/m.html?_trksid=p4340.l2562

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Thank you for reading my blog this week. I'll be back next week with some new Gokaiger talk.

Take care!

-CC

Charity auctions. Simple car repair made complicated.

Hello,

It has been a week since the devistation in Japan. I still have a very difficult time putting my feelings into words on the matter, yet Japan consumes almost all of my thoughts during the day. Between the earthquake, subsequent tsunami and now nuclear crisis, I can do little but pray and try to comprehend everything that is happening to one of the greatest countries in the world.

Having recently become a broke fool (see images below), I am not able to donate as much cash as I feel I should. So...here is what I will be doing...

Starting this Sunday I will be listing charity auctions. I will be pulling out atleast three cool toys to sell from the depths of my collection. 100% of the proceeds will go to GlobalGiving's Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. If the auctions are a hit, I will try to find more items to sell. The type of things I will be selling are stuff I normally wouldn't sell or hadn't really considered selling.

I hope to see some bids from some of my viewers. I will post more details once my auctions have been listed.

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On to some other events....

As some of you might know, I purchased a new vehicle recently. My new vehicle is a 2002 Lexus IS300. I am learning very quickly that the smallest things are no simple task. So let's start with one of the first and most basic jobs I will be performing on the car: new marker lights.

I've decided to go with the clear marker lights for the sole reason that they were much cheaper for a SET than to replace the single light, which was broken prior to me purchasing the car. The clear marker lights also kinda match the taillights. So...Win-win.

The problem I first noticed was that the lights did not have simple screws going through them like every car i've owned in the past, no, these HAVE to be different. So I got to work:



Right. I had to remove the trim, mudflap, and layer of burnt rubber from the wheelwell. I also had to unbolt half of the bumper and caaaarefully remove the plastic support clips.



Then I had to snake my arm down the narrow gap between the body and half connected bumper. I blindly unbolted the remainder of the broken light housing and scratched the hell out of my arm in the process.

So I fiddled and fiddled and finally got it all squared away. The finished look...



Meh. It's alright I guess. :p It was easy, I guess. It should've been a two screw job, though...not a big dismantle. Hahaa.

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So that's all for this week.

Take care.

-CC

CD Collection! Plus...some Gokaiger talk.

I'm back! I'm officially on Spring Break! Yeah!

I figure this would be the best place to talk about something near and dear to me. This is the unsung hero of all of my videos. It isn't the toys. It isn't my slapdash editing. It isn't even my shoddy photography. It's the music!

What you hear in my reviews and videos are tracks that came straight from my immense CD collection. I've been buying Tokusatsu and Anime CDs since they first became somewhat affordable Yeah Right in the early 90s. The very first Anisong CD I purchased was Dragonball Z Hit Songs 7~The Journey Of The Seven Balls. It might not be the best of the twenty, yes 2-0!, Hit Song CDs from DBZ, but it always holds a special place with me...

Since that fateful day, i've been making steady purchases of CDs from Japan. I went on to finish buying the Dragonball, Dragonball Z, and Dragonball GT Song Collections and singles. In truth, this wasn't difficult. I really started collecting them hardcore once the show was done. Hell, i've never even seen GT.

Now, I really don't consider myself an anime fan by any stretch of the imagination. I've always been a Tokusatsu fan with a few anime series on the side (City Hunter 4ever!). Problem was, Sentai CDs were always rare and expensive. I had started picking up albums and singles one by one where I could. Eventually I started finding CDs on ebay for pennies almost. This was back when you could type "Sentai" and only come up with maybe 30 listings tops. By 2002 I had a pretty formidable collection. I had all nine Kamen Rider Song Collections, all eighteen Super Sentai Song Collection, and a slew of singles. Over the next five years I built up my CD Single collection...

Between 1989 and 2001 Nippon Columbia issued CD Singles in a 8cm (3inch) format. My goal was to track down and buy as many of Columbia's Sentai, Kamen Rider, and Ultraman singles I could. February 2007, I completed my goal. I found the last single I was missing: Merry Xmas! from Carranger.

So what's the point of this blog post?

Stop fucking asking me to send you music for free all the time! Hours and hours and tons of cash went into my CD Collection. It's easy to send a stupid email demanding free tracks, but it was years of work and money putting my awesome collection together. Yup, call me crazy...but i'm entitled to say "NO!", no?

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Gokaiger! I've been keeping up with Gokaiger so far. The first two episodes were cool. I wasn't crazy about 3 and 4. They were loaded with kinda lazy plot and some lousy effects shots. Oh well. There is still some excitement seeing all those snazzy suits appear. I saw Ninjablack with a skirt and this weekend we'll be seeing the Dairanger suits! Good stuff. Look forward to whatever Zyuranger arc is on the horizon...

Thanks for reading! See ya next time!

-CC

All about Gokaiger

So Gokaiger has finally come in to wash away the stink of Goseiger. I was going to write about the premiere as a blog entry last week but ended up not getting my review toys in time on top of being insanely busy (bought a new car!). Here is a write up of overall thoughts and some specific moments from the first two episodes...

The Opening Theme: It's OK. It's a pretty slow song, which is nice I suppose. It isn't very catchy, though. I guess it'll stick in my head at some point.

The Closing Theme: Bad. I tend to like ending theme songs more than opening songs. This series is not the case. Like those horrible Go-onger ending songs, they are trying to cram as many lyrics, or in this case names, as they can into a verse and call it a rap. No thanks. Didn't like three years ago, and I don't like it now. Moero! Super Sentai Tamashii was a great example of how you can name off shows and be classy.

Episode 1 Thoughts:

The premiere episode of Gokaiger was alright. Watching it, I couldn't help but think they were intentionally shaking things up a bit by putting the episode out of order in terms of the formula. I can't think of too many series where there is mecha before we see a ground-level fight (Kakuranger). At the same time, it did feel like any other Sentai premiere episode with some big toyetic moments (Mobirates, Gokai Belt, Gokai Gun, Gokai Saber, Gokai-oh, and......Ranger Keys), children in peril, and rushed plot points. Either way...it gives me some hope that this will be a series i'll be able to watch on a weekly basis. I'll try not to give up on the usual 24 episode mark.

Episode 1 Moments:

-The premiere is kicked off with an enormous fight scene featuring pretty much every Sentai Hero (alive and dead) fighting off the invasion of Zangyack. This scene was pretty brief and only used to serve as a plot kick-off rather than serve much in the way of entertainment.

-The big fight scene at the beginning featured Dragonranger, Red Hawk Flying, Big One, and a double attack by Ninja Red and Hurricane Red. Interesting, I guess. Would've been pretty cool if they expanded the scene with more dream scenarios. It was nice to see everyone fighting together instead of against each other (Suck it, Decade!) AND the fact that Akaranger was in charge. Works for me!

-After spotting Earth, the Gokaiger team gets into a brief skirmish against the Zangyack. The fight scene featured a varied mix of CG and plastic models. The plastic models were very slow in comparison to the speedy Gokai-oh, which made quick work of the Zangyack ships. It was nice to see some model work in space (Metal Hero foreverrrr!) but the debut of Gokai-oh was very flat.

-Money. They decide they need money. OK, I understand that they're new to Earth and need some currency, but this is like second-episode material here. Selling off a ring for a wad of cash really could've waited until next week. (Filler)

-The big fight scene. I have to say...it was cool. The gun and sword play was pretty quick and fun. Goranger Hurricane was a nice touch. The gender-bending suits are quite confusing to me, but I guess it's something to get used to. If they were going to break all the rules, why not atleast make Magiblue a darker shade?

-They decide to stay (ofcourse). It was pretty much a given that the Gokaiger team would stay. The power of curry rice.

Episode 2 Thoughts:

This episode was pretty cool. The pace was still a bit furious, but the episode accomplished a lot in terms of plot and action. Captain Marvelous is shown to be quite arrogant by letting the boy in black use the Mobirates and fight as Shinkenred, and Don Dogoier is established further as the team punching bag (good!).

This episode was presented in a more traditional storytelling. In it's element, the show works well so far. I haven't seen some of the crappy CG effects that have plagued recent shows, either. Though, there is one moment when Shinkenred is smacked into a building where I kinda groaned at the horrible effect. Oh well.

Episode 2 Moments:

-The villians have yet to make an impression on me. This isn't really a moment, more like lack of moment.

-Ranger Key stolen. Briefly...but, sheesh. That was fast. I guess anybody can use the Mobirates.

-The source of the chest of Ranger Keys is revealed. Akared. I never liked that guy...oh well. What started as a lazily created character in the 30th Anniversary movie now has some kind of purpose. Good for him. Still hate the suit.

-FINALLY! There is a gattai sequence for Gokai-oh. I liked it. The hat adjustment is pretty funny...reminds me of Magiking in a way.

-Speaking of Magiranger...

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So this has been my long winded intro blog to Gokaiger. Overall I have some high hopes for the show. There are some good and weak elements, but the good seem to shine through here. I'll try my best to make the time for the show in the next two months. After that...it should be smooth sailing *rimshot*.

Anyway.

Expect a trailer for my Mobirates [plus Blue, Yellow, Green, Pink keys] review, Ranger Key Set 01 Video, and Gokai-oh video this weekend or next. Ranger Key Set 01 will probably come out in March, April for Mobirates, and May-June for Gokai-oh. All tentative.

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed.

-CC

So busy!

Things sure are crazy now!

Here are three fast updates:

1. Gokaiger stuff. I haz it. I should be getting a shipment of an array of toys shortly. I haven't been promised a DX Mobairates in this first shipment, but I should be getting one shortly. As soon as I get it, i'll be working on my trailer.

2. iPhone 4. I haz it. My network put up preorders for it last Thursday and i'm happy to say that I got my phone early and actually like it. If you have an iPhone, the Lightbikes App is flippin' awesome [and free!].

3. Batman & Robin. I haz it...infact I have all of the Batman films on Bluray. I've been watching a Batman movie weekly and since I just watched the not-THAT-bad Batman Forever, Batman & Robin is next. This is the only one I haven't seen, and in preparation for this legendary awful film...let's just say i'll be looking to the Skyy vodka for some guidance.

Anywhooo...

I have prepared some new videos. Not sure which video you'll be seeing this weekend, but it's bound to be a good one! [Aren't they all?]

See ya there!

-CC

P.S. I'm very close to buying a new vehicle...

Auto Show! Gokaiger merch news!

Earlier today I was at the Philadelphia International Auto Show. It has been a long standing tradition of mine to attend this show and I always look forward to it. I always take a ton of photos while i'm there as well. Here are some brief thoughts about various cars...

Honda CR-Z: I've grown to like this car more and more over time. Sure the nose is a bit funky looking, but it's actually a very nice looking car in person. Nice enough for me to consider purchasing one... I can't quite wrap my head around it being a Hybrid, though. With that, it does have an enormous engine for a Hybrid. Oh, and that grille would be the first swap-out i'd make if I got one. Hmmmm... Decisions...

Hyundai Genesis Coupe: Also a serious for my dollars. It is a little bit more than the CR-Z, but what you get is SO much more. Bigger interior, bigger engine, bigger everything--for not too much more money.

Mercedes Benz SLS AMG: Where we're going we don't need...roads.


Chevrolet Camaro: By far the worst car i've ever seen in my entire life. It should be noted that contrary to all of the iconic imagery, this car wasn't a tribute to the Troops or anything. Just a slippery American boner with four wheels. Make sure you check out my photoset for more pictures of this propelled diarrhea.

Porsche 959: I'm not a Porsche guy...but this is one of my favorites. I've been a huge fan of this car since it was in production. This is the first time i've seen one in person (only 337 were made--not many left Europe) and I was NOT disappointed. Excellent car!

Ford GT40 MkII: Another car i've always admired yet have never seen in person. The iconic Ford racer from the '60s was at the show! I prefer the taillights from the MkI GT40, but it's the same basic premise here. Pure sex.

That is basically all I wanted to say about the Auto Show. I took a ton of pictures and posted the majority of them on my flickr photostream. Be sure to check them out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/50333869@N07/sets/72157625963622766/

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Gokaiger Merchandise News!

OK, so the premiere of Gokaiger is fast approaching. Typically I try to preorder or secure multiples of the annual Henshin Device prior to the show's debut. Here is my situation...

1. Two webstores cancelled my preorders of the DX Mobairates. Fuck.
2. Friends I typically rely on to purchase easy items are understandably too busy for my silly hobby. (Bummer)
3. I'm not sure I even like the damn thing.

The good news is...my discounted preorder of DX Gokaioh is still good. Y4300 isn't a bad price. I did manage to get...whatever the hell the Goseiger mecha is (seriously, i'm drawing a blank on the name) for Y4000. To be honest, the conversion rates have screwed me up so bad for finding good deals that I don't really care about spending copious amounts of time looking for the rock bottom price. (EDIT: Gosei Great! I finally remembered the name of it)

So yeah, i'm still looking to secure atleast one DX Mobairates for my 29 year strong complete Sentai Henshin Device collection. I'd really like to just say "To hell with it, I won't even review it until March or so." but I still want to release my trailer of it before the month is up. Preferably on the 20th.

We'll see how it goes. Maybe i'll try some alternate routes for a preorder. Or see if I can get one someone as soon as it is released. In all honesty, I can't spend too much time in front of a computer to do so... We'll see. There will be a review. There will be a trailer. There will be blood...

I type too much...

-CC

Cordozar Cometh

I just woke up from an extended nap. Tell me if this doesn't sound like an odd dream...

I was considerably younger and at my Grandparents' house. For some reason they were putting up famous people in their guest rooms, but none were staying there at the time. For some reason my wife was there at the house also. She is looking at the walls which have pictures of the famous people as they were staying at the house. She gets to one picture and says "He was here? I wonder if he'll swing by again.". Sure enough, I hear a low rumble of a loud car coming down the street. I go to the front door to see the car and I don't see anything. Just then, what can only be described as Bruce Willis's Honda Civic from Pulp Fiction crashes through the front of the house where i'd just been standing. The door flies open and who should step out...




Snoop Dogg.


He gets out of the car and says "I need to work on my car. Wasn't this a Jiffy Lube?" and leaves a pitcher of what I can only imagine is Kool Aid (based on his entrance) on the table. He gets back in his car, puts on these aviator goggles and a scarf, and says "I'll be back tomorrow.".

That's pretty much how it ended.

Thoughts? I haven't had a crazy dream, or really any dream i've been able to remember when I woke up, in a long time. What does it mean? O_o

Here it comes...

My vacation is in the past now. Bummer. There is so much stuff on the horizon for me, so I will be going back to my 3/4 or 4/5 week uploading schedule. So after my next video, there will be a one week break between that and my next video.

The bulk of my week is consumed by my full time job, my full time college schedule (didn't I graduate already...?), my wife, making videos, and playing Gran Turismo 5. Whatever else...just happens.

I'll be sure to continue my mid-week blog. Even if I don't have much to say...i'm sure i'll be able to talk about Gokaiger pretty regularly once that begins.

Until next time...

-CC

P.S. I've update my 1:18 Scale Model Car page. See if you can spot the bitchin' new editions...

Vacation! Some Tokusatsu speak at long last

I'm on vacation from work this week. I was planning on making a bunch of new videos with my new-found freedom, but that has pretty much fallen through. I'm very tired of work and just need my rest I suppose. Next week, i'll be running in top gear until May once again...so I need the rest.

I will, however, be making videos of two of my latest Autoart scale models. A few weeks back I received my Porsche 959 in white and just a few minutes ago I received my Nissan Skyline 2000 Turbo RS-X (R30) in, you guessed it, white. If you want to check out a full list of scale models that I own, click on the 1/18 Scale Model link in the right column, or just click here.

Speaking of pages, I plan on adding more pages. I'm in the midst of typing up a Gran Turismo 5 page where I pick apart a game that took five years for them to make, and less than two months for me to *nearly* complete. I'm at 86% currently. So, ha!

I will be creating some Tokusatsu pages and I will be blogging more about Sentai shows when the opportunity presents itself. To hell with it...I have some time...here goes some random thoughts.

Goseiger: I haven't watched since episode 12. I also saw a clip where Gosei Knight showed up and the rest of the team was covered in poop or something. I'm simply not interested in the show. It struggled from the beginning and felt like an orgy of successful gimmicks from previous shows. No thanks, i'll pass. I don't feel the same great fan reaction that shows like Shinkenger had, either. It feels like filler until the 35th Anniversary show debuts.

Dairanger: It may not be my favorite Sentai series, but it's up there. I've seen it the most aswell. It has insane replay value that no other Sentai series has. So why do I mention it? I have just finished watching it straight through once again. This must be the sixth time i've watched the show. I really love the fight title screens they started doing during the teen episodes. Too bad it didn't last too long.

Kamen Rider OOO: Much like everything since Ryuki, I have no interest in the show. I haven't seen a single episode. I have nothing good or bad to say about it. I just wish people would stop telling me that I need to be watching it. What passes as a Kamen Rider show is a far cry from what I watched as a kid. This new format for Rider shows has nothing for me. So please please PLEASE stop telling what I should be watching. It's not for me.

Gokaiger: I get a lot of messages on Youtube asking for my thoughts on Gokaiger. I can't comment on the show too much (other than I hate the pirate theme) so I will talk a little bit about the toy pictures that have been released. I will be going through this series as cheaply as possible. I noticed that there are a lot of re-issued mecha (that I won't be buying). I guess that's cool. I've already owned all of them once...so there is no need to buy them again. The rest of the toys, nothing has really caught my eye. Shinkenger and Go-onger are the only two series in quite some time to have cool toylines.

Yeah, so I finally have something to say about Tokusatsu in this blog. I really haven't had anything to say due to my lack of viewership. Maybe next time i'll talk about Kakuranger or something. Right?

Anyway, my mp3 player has some battery life in it now. I'm off to shovel snow.

-CC

Podcasting? Me? Help!

I'm thinking about starting up a new project. Since I tend to be a person who really enjoys his privacy, this one is quite a doozy.

A little back story...

I *love* when I get bursts of creative energy. I work in a job where I used to have free reign over pretty much everything I did. Years later i'm doing the same work, but I really need to stick with a tight program (when people are watching...). The best thing to happen to me creatively has to be my Youtube channel. I love making videos so much that I even started up a second channel (CCDBZ99) and broadened my horizons on my main channel to include pop culture reviews (Honda ASIMO, Segata Sanshiro, Pepsiman, etc.) as well as the thing that has really been honing my photographic skill, my 1:18 scale car model reviews.

Since last October-ish I feel that I have been in a rut. I really, really need to try something new. The first step was to bring this blog to life. I registered this account god knows how long ago and am finally getting around to using it. The next step...

...

...I might try micropodcasting. This goes against everything i've built up over the years. I don't like talking in real life, or online. I might be the lone PSN hold-out that doesn't own a microphone. I think I need to atleast try my shot at making some kind of audio Q and A type thing to get started. I'll be taking some time in the future to put a script together and whatnot.

On the otherhand, I feel that not revealing my voice really strengthens what I do with my reviews. Hmmm.

It's still up in the air. I figure...if i'm going to take a chance, it might as well be something that won't leave me maimed or otherwise disfigured.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Advice?

-CC

P.S. No, i'm not going to reveal my face.
P.S.2 Don't be afraid to tell me I should've been doing this for awhile.
P.S.3 Don't be afraid to tell me to take this idea out back and shoot it in the head.
P.S.4 Twitter @CCLemon99

Wasted space no more!

I have decided to finally put this space to use. It's about time! I have been threatening hinting at my return to blogging for quite some time now.

Since my previous blog at *sigh* Myspace has been pretty much abandoned, i've pretty much taken to Twitter with all my ranting and raving. Recently, however, I noticed that exactly almost 87% of my tweets have been about Gran Turismo 5. This does not bode well for my followers (I imagine). So... I have decided that I need to split forms and get myself blogging again. Even if nobody reads this, I will be able to get what I have to say off of my chest.

Expect a lot of talk about Tokusatsu, Cars, my videos (and channel for that matter), and while I still have thumbs Gran Turismo 5. I have a lot to say about all of them. Sometimes 140 characters isn't enough dammit!

Let's see how this goes...

-CC