Tangled Up...

Hi,

I've been very busy for quite some time now. In fact, remember that schedule I posted a couple of months ago? The dates are going to remain the same, but here is an update on to what upcoming videos are completed [AND pre-uploaded] as of the 20th of July...

[X] #330 DX Gaburichanger [28.July.2013] @
[X] #331 DX Kyoryujin [04.August.2013] @
[X] #332 DX Zakutor [11.August.2013] @
[X] #333 DX Parasagun [18.August.2013] @
[X] #334 Mercedes Benz 190E 2.5 16v Evolution II [25.August.2013]
[X] #335 Kamen Rider X Figuarts [01.September.2013]
[X] #336 Amazon Rider Figuarts (Amazon.co.jp Edition) [08.September.2013]
[X] #337 Kamen Rider Stronger Figuarts [15.September.2013]
[X] #338 DX Won Tiger/Kibadaioh [22.September.2013]
[X] #339 DX Gao Lion [29.September.2013] *
[X] #340 DX Gao Kentaurus [06.October.2013] *
[X] #341 Power Animal Round-up [13.October.2013] *
[X] #342 Skyrider Figuarts [20.October.2013]
[X] #343 Kamen Rider Super-1 Figuarts [27.October.2013]
[  ] #344 Red Hawk Figuarts [03.November.2013]
[  ] #345 Black Condor Figuarts [10.November.2013]
[  ] #346 Tyrannoranger Figuarts [17.November.2013]
[  ] #347 Dragonranger Figuarts [24.November.2013]
[  ] #348 Ryuuranger Figuarts [01.December.2013]
[  ] #349 Audi Quattro LWB [08.December.2013]
[  ] #350 350th VIDEO [15.December.2013]
[  ] #351 Kibaranger Figuarts [22.December.2013]
[  ] #352 Tackle Figuarts [29.December.2013]
[  ] #353 DX Kakulaser Set (Kakuranger) [05.January.2014] %
[  ] #354 DX Change Sword Box (Changeman) [12.January.2014] %
[  ] #355 DX Ranger Stick Set (Zyuranger) [19.January.2014] %
[  ] #356 DX Five Laser (GoGo Five) [26.January.2014] %

@ Kyoryuger Month
* Gaoranger Month 2
% Side-arm Month

As you can see, I have added videos for the last two weeks of 2013 and covered January 2014. I have been working pretty hard to get these videos done since I don't have a whole lot going on this Summer. I might spend a weekend doing track days (and casino for the Mrs.), but I have the time to knock out photo-taking for four videos in a good seven-nine hour block. Yes, this sounds crazy--but when the Winter rolls in and my videos still have the bright Summer sunlight, I think it will be worth it.

I'd like to cover a few more topics since I feel like I have a lot of loose ends to tie up.

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Figuarts. I have them. Quite a few of them. In my earlier post I mused how I would be buying a Kamen Rider BLACK Figuarts if they made an updated version. SURPRISE! It happened. Also, I pondered where the hell Kamen Rider ZX was. BINGO! I just hope they fix his helmet (The picture of the prototype looks more like Meatwad with that too-wide head) before it is released.

Well, I ended up buying a lot of the three BLACK Figuarts. I kind of look forward to comparing the 2009 BLACK to the fantastic looking 2013 version coming up. Since Shadowmoon is only a re-issue, there is no sense making that purchase again (the intial figure came out in 2011 and looks quite good). Now...we can just wait on a new version of BLACK RX.

Check out my list of Figuarts figures.

OH. Also, I haven't been too keen on Sentai Figuarts until Tyrannoranger came out. Seriously good figure. Much better than Dragonranger.

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Twitter. Fuck Twitter. I'm very sick of that service. These days I find that it's only value to me is to notify a portion of my followers of new videos that follow me for that reason.

I know there are a great deal of good people on Twitter, but this is what runs through my head whenever I look at my timeline recently. I know the simple solution is to just unfollow a ton of people until I'm left with (the inactive) @BeastieBoys and @BreakingNews, but I think walking away without threatening to leave (as this seems to be the cool thing to do...) is my best option.

Of course, if you need to get a hold of me...there are other places. I also read mentions. I'm just done with the feed. I'm fairly certain I follow adults, yet all I see is incessant bitching about the quality of the subbed DVD-rips that they downloaded or "why me!?" bullshit. Feh. To those I say...grow up. You'll never find yourself if you are a chronic victim.

To the cool people on Twitter...sorry. Chances are I know you from other places, so I'll see you there.

Maybe I'll be back, but this is just out of control.

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That's all for now. I'll be back next month with a brand new Rare CD Round-up featuring......Shinichi Ishihara.

Bye.

-CC

The Top 7 Anime Theme Songs

I'm not entirely sure why I am making this list. I am not much of an anime fan...maybe only a handful of shows. In my many years of being an anison fan, however, I have crossed paths with the genre and have come to like a lot of it's music.

Now I don't want to make a list of obvious contenders...so the following songs are all great and should be on this list, but are just too...common.

CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA [Dragonball Z]
Moonlight Densetsu [Sailor Moon]
Pegasus Fantasy [Saint Seiya]
Just Communication [Gundam W]
makafushigi Adventure! [Dragonball]
Soldier Dream [Saint Seiya]
Flying in the Sky [G Gundam]

All songs I love to death, but this list would've been kind of boring if I included them. Everybody loves those songs...so what's the point? So...let's look at my favorite anime theme songs!

07. Mach Go! Go! Go! (1966) LINK

This might be cheating, but I think it's fair to say that the American dub version of this song vastly surpasses this in popularity. Meanwhile, this version has much better car sound effects (the Speed Racer dub uses the sound of toilets flushing sometimes...I wish I was making that up!) and the opening video has more international travels. It's just better...especially the crazy drum solo at the beginning.

06. Cyborg Kuro-chan (2001) LINK

Two things I don't like...cats and raggae. Somehow this combination comes together for this absolutely bonkers song. I'm not entirely sure how I came across this song (I think it was during the WinMX/WinNY days) but I liked it immediately. The show itself looks very bizzare...but we're talking theme songs here. Also, sorry not sorry if this gets stuck in your head.

05. Ru-Ru-Ru-Russian Roulette (Dirty Pair - 1985) LINK

I like this song for reasons I don't quite understand. Maybe because hearing it makes me think of 80s Sunrise animation. Maybe I like a theme song that seems to celebrate stuttering. It's probably the bass. Yes, it's the bass.

04. ottodokkoi nihonbare (Kyatto Ninden Teyandee - 1990) LINK

Again with the cats??? What the hell! OK, so this song is great. Insanely catchy, and a lot of fun. I've been meaning to revisit this show now that it's out on DVD, but I know it won't be as good as I remember. I'll always have it's theme song, though.

03. Dunbine tobu (Aura Battler Dunbine - 1983) LINK

For whatever reason, MIO/MIQ is a prolific anison singer who hasn't really crossed the realm into Tokusatsu songs. From what I can gather, she has only done two. One was a cover of "Danger Melody" from Sharivan for the Tokusatsu Oh remix album in 2001. The other was a song from Gekiranger. Of all of the anime on this list, this is probably the one I know least about.

So the song...it's like a much better version of the Bioman theme song. I dig it!

02. Running to Horizon (City Hunter 3 - 1989) LINK

I am limiting myself to one City Hunter song for this list. Many of you will agree, that I picked the right one. Running to Horizon is from my favorite JPOP album of the 1980s, so really it is no surprise that it ended up near the top of this list as well. The album in question is called Digitalian is eating breakfast by Tetsuya Komuro. He also happens to be the keyboardist/producer behind the band TM Network...you know, the band behind Get Wild.

If you ever feel like falling down the Youtube rabbit hole, check out a few videos of Tetsuya Komuro doing work as a producer. You'll appreciate how much depth goes into pretty much any song he touches. This song is probably the masterpiece of his producing skills.

I can go on and on about how great his music is, but let's face it...the reason this song is on this list is because it's an anime theme song. As a theme song, it works brilliantly. There isn't a show out there I think could make this song work as a theme other than City Hunter. Granted, it's City Hunter 3...but I'll let it slide.

01. Yoroshiku Tuning (Yoroshiku Mechadoc - 1984) LINK

This is the perfect song for me. I know it's pretty damn obscure and that 100% of the people reading this list will disagree with me. Oh. Well. This is the ultimate song for the boy racer in me.

Oddly, I am not very familiar with the show that this is attached to. I was inspired enough to purchase the Animex 1200 CD of it's soundtrack. Years later, it's one of the few Animex 1200 CDs still available for sale...pity, I think it's dynamite.

Tune-tune-up!

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Isn't it odd that two of the shows involve cats and that it begins and ends with shows about boys racers?

Anyway, yet another Top 7 list has been done. If you'd like to revisit my previous eight lists, here is a handy link to a page with links.

Catch you later, you badly animated fools!

-CC