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Cryptical Mystery Tour

1/3/2025

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#76 -So Weird
1999-2001, Ages 13 and up

Gather round and I'll tell you the tale of a teen who investigates paranormal phenomena while traveling with her rock-and-roll touring family. 
(1/3/25)

​
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
As a kid fresh into teen hood, I originally got hooked on this short-lived Disney Channel series for the same reasons anyone at that age would: the creepy creatures and the spooky strangeness. But as I got older and was finally able to refresh myself on it again via Disney+, I realized there was another reason it appealed to me so. It provided me with my first real glimpse at the possibilities and benefits of running one’s own website. More than just a digital work of art the owner can continually personalize to their heart’s content, it provides the ability to reach out to those who share their passions no matter the distance between them. Of course, this is common knowledge now, but to me back then, it was the epitome of technological genius and unbridled imagination. And the awesome young protagonist couldn’t have provided a better introduction.
 
Fiona Phillips, or “Fi” for short, isn’t your typical teenager. She lives on a tour bus, traveling cross-country with her mother, Molly Phillips, a famous rock star, and the rest of their family and crew. But that’s not the only thing unusual about Fi’s life. She harbors an unshakable belief in the supernatural, enigmatic, and unexplained in all its forms. And despite what her skeptical family thinks, her bizarre phenomena are neither fantasy nor science fiction: they are very real. And dangerous. On her website, the aptly named “So Weird,” Fi shares her experiences and conducts research with her followers to solve the many mysteries which threaten her loved ones or seek out her help in setting old wrongs right. And along the way, she hopes to solve the most important mystery of all: the one behind her father’s death.
 
So Weird was to The X-Files what Gargoyles was to Batman: The Animated Series; even without the adult language and violence, this otherwise similar hi-tech truth-seeking series was the darkest show the Disney Channel produced at the time and possibly ever. One of its greatest strengths is its diverse subject matter in the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres, with Fi and her family encountering everything from ghosts, aliens, and monsters to time travel, parallel universes, and government conspiracies. I think part of this can be attributed to the eclectic experience of series creator, Tom J. Astle, who’s written for numerous films and TV shows for all ages before and after this one, like The Twilight Zone  in ‘88, Stargate SG-1, Elmopalooza, Failure to Launch, and Home, to name just a few. Another major part, as mentioned, is its timely portrayal of the internet. Fi’s website is often used to get her out of a wide range of paranormal predicaments. When not performing its ordinary intended function of providing her with the info she needs in a pinch, it can sometimes perform extraordinary functions as well, like telling the future through videos and online articles:
 
(Fi opens an unknown website link which opens a page entitled “The More Than You Could Ever Want to Know About Molly Phillips Page.”)
 
Fi: (Amazed) Whoa, Mom has a fan page? Cool! Primitive, but cool. (Clicks on a link to a review article and reads in confusion) “All Washed Up”? Wait a minute, Mom doesn’t play the Paramount until tonight.
 
To allowing real-time chats with a coma patient:
 
Fi: (Urgently) Mrs. Simmonds, maybe the EEG wires shorted to the ethernet wires, and that could be why Kamilah can send messages out directly from her brain onto the internet.
DR. WILLSTONE: (Baffled) What?
Fi: If that’s what happened, it was one-in-a-zillion chance. It’ll never happen again.                   
 
Plus, there are few things more nostalgic to this adult millennial than the sweet sounds of a modem dialing up.
 
That said, it’s also unfortunately the biggest indicator of the show’s datedness. Considering how no current internet user in their right mind would open emails from unknown senders or visit suspicious websites, I can’t deny that watching the characters do exactly that at least once is cringeworthy to say the least:
 
(Carey opens a strange email from “Jordan” that reads “Click HERE for a wonderful surprise!”)
 
CAREY: Darn, this one’s addressed to Fi. “Click here for a wonderful surprise!” Fi won’t mind if we check this out, will she?
JACK: (Gets up quickly to stop him) Wait, wait, wait, wait! Carey, Carey, don’t click on it.
CAREY: (Clicks the link) What?
(The screen goes black)
[. . .]
(The screen shows a smiley face emoji with the caption, “WISH YOU WERE HERE. JORDAN.”)
JACK: (In exasperation) That’s how computer viruses spread, Carey. Some loser sends an e-mail with an infected file attached, and suddenly your hard drive is history.
CAREY: (With alarmed remorse) I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
JACK: (Not letting up) Fi is going to freak when she finds out you melted her laptop.
Carey: (Quickly) Shh. I didn’t know.
 
Almost every episode begins with Fi giving a quick monologue, accompanied by a montage of text, images, and footage—some courtesy of sources like ISMI Masterclips, ClickArt, and Master Gallery—that does more than introduce the spectacle of the week. In under a minute, Fi’s delivery speaks volumes about her character: smart, enthusiastic, and open-minded through her fun facts, but also bold, witty, and relatable through her side quips and associated memories. Yet we also see sensitivity and introspection through her attention to the real-world implications of such otherworldly things, especially in relation to her late father, Rick, suggesting that her interests are much more than a hobby, that just maybe, given the chance, she might use such close encounters to bring him back to her reality:
 
FI: (Narrating) [. . .] There are people called “mediums” who say they can use these feelings to contact the spirits of departed loved ones. I don’t know if it works, but I figure if you’ve lost someone close to you, someone you love, or maybe someone you never got the chance to love, isn’t it worth a try? I mean, how can it be wrong to hope?
 
While several of the entities Fi meets are indeed malevolent, others have human emotions and flaws to the point where they consider their power a curse. The ease with which they bare their souls to Fi upon her discovering their secrets can feel contrived at times, but their stories are poignant nonetheless. Among many others, a young immortal who can never make friends for the simple reason that she will outlive them by centuries:
 
REBECCA: (Angrily) I know what it’s like to be alone. And you think it’s so amazing, but I don’t want to be amazing. I don’t want to be a freak! I hate my life! Odio mi vida! Ich hasse meine leben! Watashi no jinsei wa dai ki rai! Thu-val ci-sa mach huth! That was Etruscan. My mom had a friend there when she was a little girl. (In a trembling voice) That girl’s bones are dust now. Even her language is dead.
 
A performing siren whose enchanting voice leaves her trapped by an exploitative manager and unable to find true love:
 
CALLIE: (With frustration, then sadness) They love my song, not me. They don’t even know me. It’s the curse of being a siren. Men say they love you, [. . .] but you never know if it’s true, if it’s real.
 
A teen science prodigy who feels existentially lost upon learning he’s a clone:
 
RYAN: (Full of resentment) [. . .] I guess I’m just getting mad at myself, right? Genetically speaking, we’re the same person.
Fi: (Gently) No. There’s a difference. You’re different.
RYAN: (Protesting) But there’s not. I mean, same genes, same DNA . . . I have no identity.
 
And a werewolf child who fears losing the love of her human parents should they learn of her beastly heritage:
 
(Fi enters the tour bus to find Laura, naked and freezing)
LAURA: (Trembling and near tears) I’ve been changing. I’m so scared. I don’t know what’s happening to me. (Fi wraps Laura in a blanket and cradles her in her arms) You can’t tell my mommy and daddy. I’ve been keeping it a secret. Only going out when they’re asleep. If they knew, they wouldn’t love me anymore.
 
I also find the group’s varied reactions to Fi’s claims and their own close encounters very refreshing. While I would argue that Fi could be compared to characters like Courage the Cowardly Dog or Sylvester in the Looney Tunes short, Scaredy Cat, in that she’s usually the only one aware of any supernatural danger and must therefore rescue her loved ones singlehanded, thankfully said loved ones aren’t like Eustace and Muriel or Porky Pig, oblivious or disbelieving to the point of becoming idiots and/or jerks. Though no-nonsense band manager Irene has little patience with mysteries and gentle giant tutor and bus driver Ned sees them only through a cultural or historical lens, the couple has the Philips’ best interests at heart, Irene sharing a sisterly bond with Molly and a sincere interest in cultivating her career, and Ned showing the same care and affection to Fi and Jack as their own sons:
 
IRENE: How did you cook it so fast?
ASTRID: How do you think? (Laughs cheerfully with raised hands) Magic!
IRENE: (Obviously not caring) Oh, yeah. OK. Well, look, once we get the bridge fixed, I just want to know, are there any other local quirks that we need to know about on the way to St. Paul?
 
—--
 
NED: (With enthusiasm) I’ve always loved the richness of Native-American Tradition. Maybe one day I’ll do a vision quest. [. . .] It’s how you discover your true nature and destiny, and it’s often when your spirit guide is revealed to you.
 
Clu, with his surfer-dude persona, and Carey, with his love of the music scene, each epitomize their own brand of “cool”—with varying degrees of success. They may not share Fi’s brains or her beliefs per se, but they do share her sense of adventure and imagination, and will often go along with her plans for fun as well as backup:
 
CLU:
- (Excited) Bird-monster thing? Cool!
- (Mind-blown) Cosmic weirdness, man. I wonder if this means I’m gonna have to study Physics?
 
CAREY:
- Getting an open tuning. [. . .] (Grinning) I want to play some slide.
- Maybe, maybe not. The only way to know for sure is if we ask it another question. (Holds up a key card and smiles mischievously) [. . .] Can we ask it the real lottery numbers?
 
But it’s Fi’s mother and brother who act as her foils and really put the concept of faith in perspective. In typical older-sibling fashion, Jack loves to tease Fi for her so-called ridiculous stories, and easily gets frustrated by what he sees as her making herself a public nuisance:
 
JACK:
- (Mocking Fi) Hey, check it out. Cyber girl’s looking for little green Martians again.
- (Scolding Fi) And now you’re even bugging her right before she goes on stage. It’s not fair that you keep pressuring her into believing all this stuff you keep seeing.
 
Yet as much as he hesitates to believe in miracles and offer false hope, he knows deep down that Fi means well and really does want her to succeed in helping others, whether the methods are normal or not. And when he does find himself face-to-face with something he can’t rationally explain away, he proves time and again that his love and loyalty are stronger than his cynicism and doubt:
 
JACK: Look, I’m not exactly sure what’s going on with this girl, but I am sure it’s not what you think is going on. But how about we try looking for her one more time tomorrow? If you just shut up for one minute, I bet you could think of something to say that actually might help her.
FI: Thanks, Jack. I think.
 
Molly’s fears run deeper than just the ordinary hardships of single-parenthood, long travel, and tight schedules. As her late husband was also her professional partner, her artistic passion is a double-edged sword, his spiritual presence that she wants to believe she feels beside her on stage equally comforting and painful. This along with trying to understand and support her headstrong daughter while trying to keep her safe not only makes her empathetic as a mother and human being, but also genuine as a singer and performer. The music tour angle isn’t just a convenient plot device to get a new location for each episode. Molly’s songs often play pivotal roles in both plot and character development. It’s unfortunate that some are either incomplete or have dialogue and sound effects on them as the soundtrack, like the show, never got an official release. Still, whether ballad or blues or acoustic or Celtic, as I listened again after over twenty years, I lost count of how many times I found myself bobbing my head or being moved literally to tears:
 
MOLLY: (Choosing her words carefully) I’m not as sure about things as you are. Fi. But sometimes . . . especially when I’m playing . . . it’s like your dad’s right there with me on his 12-string, you know? It’s just a feeling. Maybe it’s not the same as believing in ghosts . . . but it’s something.
 
“More Like a River” excerpt:
 
I wanna be more like river
Less like a wall
Not trying to hold back
This feelings at all
‘Cause when I miss you
When I’m dying to kiss you
I’ve got to let that flow
More like a river
 
When lead actress Cara Delizia wanted to leave the show, Fi was replaced by Alexz Johnson as family friend and new protagonist, Annie Thelen. Whereas Fi’s two seasons comprise a detective story packed with high stakes and a dark history, Annie’s more colorful and light-hearted third and last season is a journey of self-discovery spurred by her own budding musical talent and a mysterious connection with a benevolent phantom black panther. Not bad, just different. Like this entire show. So Weird represents one of the rare times pre-21st century that the Disney Channel would push the envelope with its youth-oriented content to create a mature, nuanced drama as well as an awesomely chilling urban fantasy. But more than that, it showed me that when it comes to truth being out there, the sky really is the limit, both scientifically and spiritually.
 
CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” - Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison​​
EPISODE SONG:
“Mostly Strange” - Jake Searl

https://www.facebook.com/JakeSearlMusic

All other music and sound clips are from So Weird (created by Tom J. Astle; production by Sugar Entertainment, Ltd. No Equal Entertainment, Inc., and Fair Dinkum Productions; released by Disney Channel).

- Season 1, Ep. 1: “Family Reunion”
- Season 1, Ep. 2: “Web Sight”
- Season 1, Ep. 5: “Escape”
- Season 1, Ep. 8: “Strangeling”
- Season 1, Ep. 9: “Rebecca”
- Season 1, Ep. 11: “Singularity”
- Season 1, Ep. 12: “Lost”
- Season 2, Ep. 1: “Medium”
- Season 2, Ep. 3: “Siren”
- Season 2, Ep. 8: “Werewolf”
- Season 2, Ep. 9: “Second Generation”
- Season 2, Ep. 10: “Oopa”
- Season 2, Ep. 16: “Blues”
- Season 2, Ep. 17: “Avatar”
- Season 2, Ep. 19: “Troll”
- Season 2, Ep. 24: “Encore”
- Season 3, Ep. 25: “Annie’s Song”

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Download the full 15-minute episode here!

So Weird on Wikipedia

So Weird on IMDb

So Weird on Rotten Tomatoes

So Weird on Tv Tropes

So Weird on Fandom

So Weird on Disney+

So Weird books on Amazon

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^^ Back to TV Shows, Web Series, and Other Narrative Programs
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Brave New Quest

7/1/2022

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#67 - Jonny Quest
1964-1965/1986-1987/1996-1997,
​Ages 10 and Up

Gather round and I'll tell you the tale of an adventurous boy who globetrots with his scientist father, thwarting evil and saving the world along the way. 
(7/1/22)

​
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
On my eighth Christmas morning, my little sister and I each received from our mother a VHS movie featuring a single TV episode of two very different cartoons. For her: The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room. And for me: twenty-five of the most terrifying minutes I had ever seen in fiction up to then. Like Poltergeist/Exorcist/Ring kind of terrifying. Of course, the effects have long since been dulled, but here’s the real kicker. Later on, as an adult, I looked up the cartoon on Wikipedia just for fun and found the listing of the infamous episode in question, entitled “The Invisible Monster.” This is how its description ends:

“Note: this episode is generally remembered as the most frightening one in the series.”

I swear, I had not laughed so loud and so hard in a long, long time.

On the surface, Jonny Quest is your typical American kid, but his life is far from typical. His father is Dr. Benton Quest, a brilliant scientist whose life’s mission—besides caring for his only son—is to use his research for world peace. Jonny is in constant danger from enemies who would use him to compromise or exploit Dr. Quest’s work. Luckily, they are not alone. With them is Race Bannon, the Quests’ strong and steadfast bodyguard; Hadji Singh, Jonny’s adopted Indian brother and closest companion; Race’s equally adventurous and intellectual daughter, Jessie; and the Quests’ playful but fierce dog, Bandit. Together the team travels the globe seeking priceless artifacts, creating experimental devices, and studying mysterious phenomena, protecting them and each other from any who desire world domination and destruction.

Not unlike Walt Disney’s Gargoyles in the mid-1990’s, the franchise’s first series, Jonny Quest was animation juggernaut Hanna-Barbera’s first foray into the action-adventure genre, after the studio had established itself with comedic cartoons like The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, and The Jetsons. When comic book artist Doug Wildey was hired to design an animated TV adaptation of the 1930’s radio drama Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy, Hanna-Barbera couldn’t obtain the rights, so Wildey borrowed its core elements to create an original story. But Jack still has a small place in the Quest legacy. In the opening shots of Jonny Quest’s end credits sequence, the two figures escaping the African warriors via hovercraft are actually Jack Armstrong and his friend Billy Fairfield. Not only would Jonny Quest pave the way for more action fare from Hanna-Barbera, like Space Ghost, The Herculoids and Birdman, it would inspire many parodies and crossovers, the best known of the former being the Adult Swim series The Venture Bros.

I was too young to remember watching much of the 60’s series other than my VHS tape, but I think my later taste in older science fiction has helped me better understand and appreciate its presentation. Though it utilizes the same limited animation as the slapstick cartoons that came before it, I think it complements rather than cheapens the authentically detailed, thick-lined action comic book design. Its episode titles and title cards resemble the beautiful hand-crafted sci-fi movie posters of old, like “The Mystery of the Lizard Men,” “The Dreadful Doll,” and the aforementioned “The Invisible Monster.” And also like vintage sci-fi flicks, the episodes are a lot more fun than the generic names would have you believe. Racially insensitive though it may be by today’s standards with its stereotypical depiction of foreign enemies and indigenous cultures, it’s still a fascinating time capsule of the Cold War era, illustrating the values and consequences of scientific progress behind the riveting exploits of a kid’s action cartoon.

I knew nothing of New Adventures as a kid, but having watched it now, I feel it neither emulated the original enough to feel nostalgic nor updated it enough to make it unique. The Real Adventures series is the one I’m most familiar with, as I watched it on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block. This revival brought its protagonist to his teen years and its franchise into the newly evolving internet age. One nice subtle touch is its use of OCR-A, an electronic font developed in 1968 to be recognized by both early computers and humans. More prominent is the addition of 3D animation via Quest World, a computer program which allows the heroes to enter cyberspace as virtual avatars. The unrefined CGI is nowhere near Code Lyoko or even ReBoot quality due to time and budget. But that’s made up for with modernized threats like cyberterrorism, nuclear warfare, and even paranormal activity to raise the stakes, making this show as much an upgrade as an update.
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These and other features make comparing and contrasting the original and revival an interesting exercise in story critique and analysis. Whereas the former’s futuristic espionage look and tone remain consistent, the latter’s troubled production history and many staffing changes during its run resulted in its two seasons looking and feeling as different from each other as they both do from their 60’s counterpart. Real Adventures Season 1 revamped the characters with more believable qualities and wrote more plausible plotlines based on documented phenomena, like ancient history or cryptozoology, such as the Jersey Devil and the Revolutionary War in “The Spectre of Pine Barrens:”

HADJI: (Reading from the computer) The Jersey Devil has been blamed for the disappearance of young children . . . (with sudden shock) This has been going on for the past two centuries!

[. . .]

MOTHER: (Snarling) Stand where you are, colonialist dogs!
JOSIAH: (Arrogantly) Come for a taste of Republican lead, you Royalist cur?

Season 2, on the other hand, brought the characters back to their 60’s roots while, rather ironically, delving into more supernatural territory—aliens, demons, and ghosts, etc.—like in another episode I personally found very chilling, “The Mummies of Malenque:”

MEDICINE MAN MUMMY: (To Dr. Salazar in a raspy voice) It was our own evil that wiped us out centuries ago. We will not let you do it again!

While not objectively bad, this can make for a somewhat jarring viewing experience. Thankfully, the main characters stay the same where it matters most. Jonny is as bold as his name with a spirit to match. He has a boundless curiosity, competitive spirit, and mischievous streak, playing harmless pranks on his family (and not-so-harmless ones on the villains), but he never comes off as annoying or obnoxious. While not as scientific as his father, preferring to be in the thick of the action and using his keen intuition to stay out of trouble, Jonny cares for him deeply along with any good soul he comes across, human or otherwise:

- JONNY: (Pointing up at the sky) Hey Race! Looks like Dad’s got visitors! Come on, Bandit! Let’s see who it is!
- JONNY: You keep him busy Hadji, while I take care of Operation Push-over!
- JONNY: (To the Officer) But . . . but those poachers are still out there! What about Ndovu? What about the elephant?
- JONNY: (To Race) Clark's knife made a metal sound against the vines. Just like that spike. I knew they're fake, made out of metal.
RACE: (Approvingly) Smart kid.
- JONNY: Come on, Race! Let’s find my dad!

Dr. Benton Quest has a very kingly demeanor: dignified and firm, but benevolent and patient. He is never focused on his work to the point of obsession or negligence, nor does his thirst for knowledge close his mind to myth and legend in favor of facts or motivate him to exploit them for personal gain. He may be a top U.S. government scientist, but he is first and foremost a loving parent and a good man, the lives of others worth more to him than all the wisdom on the planet:

- DR. QUEST: (To his colleagues) You have just seen a demonstration of the power of sonic waves on a scale model. As scientists, it is our duty to explore the use of sonic waves for the good of mankind.
- DR. QUEST: (To High Lama) We came here hoping to find a monster and instead found a sapient culture more evolved in many ways than ours. We will no longer attempt to prove their existence, Holiness. Clearly to do so will only lead to their destruction.
- DR. QUEST: Disappointment? Ha, I've never heard of anything more ridiculous.
JONNY: (Jonny turns to see him; whispers uncertainly) Dad?
DR. QUEST: (To his doppelganger angrily) No one talks to my son like that.

Race, a former Special Agent, protects the Quest team and especially Jonny, “twenty-four hours a day as tutor, companion, and all-around watchdog” (JQ S1E1: “The Mystery of the Lizard Men”). Race underwent the most striking alterations out of the cast from one show/season to the next. Compared to his near identical depictions in the original and Real Adventures Season 2, in Season 1 he looks younger and lankier, with an almost distracting southern accent and a patent for witty, if corny, cowboy quips. He is well-versed in judo and various kinds of weapons and vehicles. While he performs his duty with the utmost seriousness, he is treated by his charges less like an employee and more like a member of their family, acting as Dr. Quest’s most trusted confidante and a father figure to the kids with levelheadedness, some dry humor, and grit.

- RACE: (Teaching Jonny Judo) Now Jonny, the first thing to remember--
JONNY: I know. Use your opponent’s weight against him.
RACE: Right. Like so.
- RACE: I don't know, Benton. That young lady's colder than a catfish on marble.
- RACE: (Stops Dr. Quest) No! If that twister hits Jonny and Hadji, the Outboard will be as much use as a chocolate fire screen.
- RACE: (Angrily) Surd isn't going to get away with this. If anything happens to Jesse or Jonny, I'll . . . (Heads for the exit)
DR. QUEST: Race, where are you going?
RACE: To Brattleford Prison. I'm going to get the abort code from Surd. One way or the other.

Hadji joins the team after saving Dr. Quest from an assassin’s dagger. His introspective mysticism balances out the story’s otherwise strict science, and he serves as the voice of reason to his age-mates’ impulsiveness, often speaking in proverbs and riddles—many of which go over their heads. Depending on version, he is proficient in tricks like snake-charming, levitation, and telekinesis, or in actual yogi abilities, like slowing his breathing to simulate death. His devotion to his own faith and culture is matched only by his love for his American family.

- HADJI: Wait! Wait, Jonny! Perhaps I could be of help. (Places a cloth on top of Bandit) Sim Sim Salabim! Our problem is gone! (Lifts the cloth to reveal Bandit has disappeared)
JONNY: (Amazed) Gosh, Hadji! That was great! How’d you do it?
HADJI: I cannot tell you, Jonny. It is an old trick that has been in our family for years.
- HADJI: A dog that walks around will find a stick.
JONNY: (As Bandit looks up with interest) What’s that supposed to mean?
HADJI: (Smiling) It mean be careful of what you wish for.
- JESSIE: Hey, Hadji, how come these pests aren't biting you?
HADJI: We have an understanding.
JESSIE: (Rolls her eyes) Oh, come on.
JONNY: (Skeptically) What's the trick, pal?
HADJI: (Calmly) It is an old family secret. The proper frame of mind. A correct spiritual point of view. The right eye. But mostly . . . (Pulls out a bottle of bug spray) It is this mosquito repellant. (Chuckling) Would you like some?

Jessie was a late but invaluable addition to the franchise. The first version of her (with a different backstory) appeared in the New Adventures episode “Deadly Junket” but rarely again after until she became a permanent fixture in Real Adventures. But she is no mere token female. Though the most academic of the young trio, she has a deep and earnest reverence for the world’s splendor that goes beyond mere study. She also shares the boys’ love of exploration and courage to face impossible odds for the sake of what’s right.

- JESSIE: Hey, you! Drop him! (Hits a huge thug in the face with a disk, forcing him to release Jonny) Never thought being a frisbee champ would come in handy one day!
- JONNY: See Jess? I do break for lizards.
JESSIE: (After examining the lizard Jonny nearly hit with the jeep) Lucky for you. These are fringe-toed lizards. They’re endangered.
- JONNY: Careful, Jess!
JESSIE: (Annoyed, while climbing the dangling cage Jonny and Hadji are trapped in) Ugh, I never understand why people say that! It's like, what? Am I stupid enough to take an impossible risk?
- DR. QUEST: A rubbing?
JESSIE: Right. You taught me to always make one whenever dealing with rare artifacts.

The Quests’ bulldog, Bandit, is so named due to the black mask-like markings around his eyes. Unlike most of Hanna-Barbera’s animal characters, Bandit is a natural, non-anthropomorphic dog. That said, in the first show he is the comic relief, showing human expressions and intelligence, and his curiosity—even greater than Jonny’s—often getting him into adorable mishaps. These cartoonish features were toned down in the revival to make him even more realistic. Nevertheless, he saves his human friends countless times as any brave and loyal dog does.

- BANDIT: (Races toward the Quests’ jeep which is getting away) Bark! Bark! Bark!
JONNY: (Catches Bandit as he jumps in) Aw, come on, Bandit. You know we’d never leave you.
BANDIT: Bark! Bark! Bark!
- JONNY: What do you say, huh, boy? Are you a mutt from another planet?
BANDIT: Bark! Bark! Bark!
- JONNY: (From inside the rolling mine cart) Bandit! Get help!
BANDIT: (Obediently runs down another shaft) Bark! Bark! Bark!
- BANDIT: Bark! Bark!
ESTELLA: Thanks for finding us, Bandit!

Regardless of the show or decade, I can imagine many a kid and adult finding the protagonist’s likability, relatability, and overall confidence and inner strength just as appealing as the adrenaline-fueled adventures and exotic locales he and his comrads encounter. Whether you like a good old-fashioned sci-fi B-movie or a modern technological thriller, Jonny Quest wraps up all the size and scope of both in a nice, neat little after-school package.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
EPISODE SONG:
“Epic Escapade” - Jake Searl

https://www.facebook.com/JakeSearlMusic

All other music and sound clips are from:
- Jonny Quest (created by Doug Wildey; owned by Hanna-Barbera [Warner Bros.])
- The New Adventures of Jonny Quest (directed by Ray Patterson; production by Hanna-Barbera Productions; distributed by Worldvision Enterprises)
- The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (developed by Peter Lawrence and Takashi Masunaga; directed by Mike Milo and Davis Doi; production by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons; distributed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution).

JQ: Season 1, Ep. 1: “The Mystery of the Lizard Men”
Season 1, Ep. 3: “The Curse of Anubis”
Season 1, Ep. 5: “Riddle of the Gold”
Season 1, Ep. 6: “Treasure of the Temple”
Season 1, Ep. 7: “Calcutta Adventure”
Season 1, Ep. 10: “Alien in Washington”
NAoJQ: Ep. 4: “Deadly Junket”
RAoJQ: Season 1, Ep. 3: “In the Realm of the Condor”
Season 1, Ep. 5: “Ndovu's Last Journey”
Season 1, Ep. 7: “East of Zanzibar”
Season 1, Ep. 9: “Ezekiel Rage”
Season 1, Ep. 17: “The Spectre of the Pine Barrens”
Season 1, Ep. 22: “Expedition to Khumbu”
Season 2, Ep. 1: “The Mummies of Malenque”
Season 2, Ep. 4: “Race Against Danger”
Season 2, Ep. 16: “Other Space”
Season 2, Ep. 17: “Digital Doublecross”
Season 2, Ep. 18: “Thoughtscape”

​Download the full 15-minute episode here!

Jonny Quest on Wikipedia

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest on Wikipedia

Jonny Quest on IMDb

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest on IMDb

Jonny Quest on Rotten Tomatoes

Jonny Quest on Metacritic

Jonny Quest on Common Sense Media

Jonny Quest on Tv Tropes

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest on Tv Tropes

Jonny Quest at Barnes & Noble

Jonny Quest on Amazon

Jonny Quest on eBay

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Live Action - NOT the Final Frontier

9/3/2021

0 Comments

 
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#62 - Star Trek: The Animated Series
1973-1974, Ages 7 and Up

Gather round and I’ll tell you the lesser-known tales of the immortal USS Enterprise and her legendary crew.
(9/3/21)

​
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
I’d like to dedicate this entry to a dear friend of mine, Aaron, who single-handedly rekindled my love for science fiction. Ironically, Star Wars was what had virtually killed that love in the first place. As a kid, I thought it was boring with a capital B. As an adult, I do appreciate its place in cinematic history, but I consider it absurdly overrated. If not for Aaron, I might never have given its rival a chance; now I, too, will “boldly go” for Gene Roddenberry’s space exploration saga over George Lucas’ space opera any day of the week. But it was actually a different series in the former’s franchise that I watched first since its episode count was much less intimidating. In hindsight, this wasn’t a good idea as far as spoilers were concerned, but I was able to ignore that long enough to decide it was totally worth spending the next two months binging on all eighty episodes of The Original Series on Netflix afterwards. And so, here’s to you, Aaron, for making me a full-time Trekker. Live long and prosper, my friend.

By the 23rd century, the humans and aliens of the Milky Way galaxy have come together to establish the United Federation of Planets, an interstellar government which strives to maintain peace between all forms of intelligent life. To strengthen such relations, they have sent out a Starfleet crew in the Federation vessel, the USS Enterprise, led by the steadfast Earth man Captain James T. Kirk, on a five-year mission to explore space. The Enterprise crew encounter and befriend a variety of beings—some strange and intriguing, others as old and wise as creation itself—, and experience cosmic phenomena both wondrous and perilous, while facing off against sworn enemies like the cunning Romulans and the deadly Klingons, all in their quest to share what they know and learn what they can so that they may protect the universe and all its myriad races.

Believe it or not, there was a time when the future of Star Trek was threatened by low ratings. Only a massive fan-mail campaign ensured TOS a third season at all, yet no number of letters could save it from an unceremonious cancellation in 1969. But then, syndicated reruns began. All of a sudden, its popularity soared; viewers from all over the country were crying out for more Star Trek! As neither another live-action show nor a feature film was a feasible option, creator Gene Roddenberry approved an animated show instead. Not to be confused with 2021’s Lower Decks, this first animated spin-off is a direct continuation of the live-action series of the 60’s and brought back nearly all of the main cast to voice their reprised roles.

- William Shatner as Captain Kirk: brave, earnest, and fully dedicated to his mission to preserve and protect:

KIRK: (To the magic-wielding inhabitants of Megus-Tu.) Look at General Order #1, “No starship may interfere with the normal development of any alien life or society.” Compare that with the Earth you once knew.

- Leonard Nimoy as the ever impassive and logical Vulcan First Officer Spock:

SPOCK: An incredible experience, Captain. If find this scientifically fascinating.

- DeForest Kelley as Chief Medical Officer Leonard McCoy, aka “Bones”, who brings a human heart to his hi-tech healing:

BONES: (To Spock, passionately.) I’m a doctor, Spock, a doctor! Get us beamed aboard.

- James Doohan as Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott, or “Scotty,” to whom the Enterprise is both family and home:

SCOTTY: (Preparing to shut down the ship’s main computer.) Time for a nap, old girl. Captain's orders.

- Majel Barrett as Bones’ loyal assistant, Head Nurse Christine Chapel:

NURSE CHAPEL: Our halo fish is bright as ever, Doctor. Now, this species loses all color at the least environmental change.

Initially only these five were to return due to budget concerns, but Nimoy firmly refused to participate unless African-American Nichelle Nichols as Communications Officer Nyota Uhura—as compassionate as she is intelligent—and Japanese-American George Takei as the calm, collected, and informed Helmsman Hikaru Sulu, were brought back as well. He argued that not only were they, too, struggling for work at the time, but to leave them out would deny the very principle of inclusion and racial diversity the first show stood for. Needless to say, this was quickly rectified.

UHURA: Please believe me. There’s no reason to harm [the crew].
MASTER COMPUTER: They serve the sky machine, but they are not essential.
URURA: Oh, but they are. They’re most essential.
_____

SULU: (To the Kzini leader, Chuft Captain.) The Kzinti fought four wars with humankind and lost all of them. The last one was 200 years ago, and you haven’t learned a thing since.

But I’d be remiss for not mentioning Walter Koenig, whose Russian character, Ensign Pavel Checov, was unfortunately cut. As compensation, he was asked to pen an episode, “The Infinite Vulcan,” with the added bonus of the Retlaw plant as a tribute and fun little Easter egg (“retlaw” being his first name spelled backwards):

KIRK: What happened to [Sulu]?
AGMAR: He was bitten by the Retlaw plant. It is deadly only if unattended.
KIRK: (Impressed.) Your medication worked quickly.
AGMAR: (Dismissive.) A minor achievement.

On a similar note, Spock was sadly the only non-human crew member of the Enterprise in TOS (half-human heritage aside). This was resolved with the addition of two new recurring alien characters. One was Lt. Arex, a tripodal Endosian. If E.T. was man-sized and thinner, with bright orange skin, three arms and legs each, and a high trumpet-like voice, he’d be something like Arex. He is usually seen at the helm alongside Sulu:

AREX: (Viewing the space cloud.) It’s immense. Twice the diameters of Saturn, Jupiter and Neptune together!
KIRK: Put up our present position, Lieutenant Arex.
AREX: Yes, Captain.

The other was Lt. M’Ress, an attractive felinoid female of the Caitian race. She sometimes takes over for Uhura as Communications Officer and strongly resembles a lion, sporting golden brown fur, a tufted tail, a mane-like hairstyle, and a soft, husky voice often punctuated by strong purring:

M’Ress: Emergency rescue party is aboard the shuttlecraft, Mr. Scott. All hatches secured. *Purr*

Unlike its predecessor, this was a half-hour Saturday morning cartoon for all ages rather than an hour-long drama for teens and adults. It was animated by the now defunct Filmation, well known for producing its shows as quickly and cheaply as possible via limited animation. TAS was no exception. Of particular note, fixed stock shots of characters are plentiful, movement coming only from mouths and eyes (including Spock’s famous raised eyebrow), with the former sometimes hidden entirely by hands or extreme close-ups. While matching the relatively blank faces to vocal emotions is seldom problematic, this can unfortunately cause the few legitimate facial expressions to appear sickly or even creepy. But let’s give some credit where it’s due, shall we? The actors’ likenesses are very accurate, and the rotoscoping of the Enterprise blueprints created for TOS more authentically captures the ship’s meticulous details. Besides, it’s not like we sharp-eyed cartoon connoisseurs haven’t seen recycled footage before. Just look at classic Hanna-Barbara and Disney, not to mentions dozens of anime both old and new.

But what TAS may have lacked visually, it made up for narratively. Animation offered a creative freedom TOS couldn’t afford, allowing for new worlds, scenarios, and of course, aliens, that would have been too costly and impractical for live action. Examples include Kirk and Spock being turned into water-breathers by the reclusive fish-like inhabitants of Argo:

AQUAN: The surgo-op was excellent. They have mutated perfectly!
KIRK: (Holds up a webbed hand.) Your scientists induced these mutations?
DOMAR: We do not wish to kill, even air-breathers.

A bombardment of planetary radiation which causes the crew to shrink rapidly:

KIRK: Captain’s Log, Stardate 5577.7. We will lose effective control of this vessel at the point when we have become approximately one centimeter tall. At the present rate, we will reach this less-than-fingernail length in 32 minutes.

Bem, the arrogant colony alien commander of Pandro who selfishly uses his separation ability to trick Kirk:

KIRK: (Frustrated.) Commander Bem, if you could split yourself into separate parts, why didn’t you escape on your own earlier?
BEM: (Smugly.) And deny you the opportunity to prove your value to planet Pandro by rescuing this one from possibly dangerous situation?

And an alternate time-reversed universe which regresses the crew into children:

KIRK: (Now a teenager.) How’s our course, Mr. Sulu?
SULU: (Also a teenager, confused.) I don’t know. What am I doing here? What is all this equipment?
SPOCK: He’s too young, Captain.

Strangely, the greatest controversy surrounding TAS doesn’t revolve around quality or content, but rather its status as franchise canon.

WHY?! Because it’s a cartoon?!

But rather than going all Trekkie stereotype on everyone, I’m going to calmly and logically point out that not only is Roddenberry himself credited as Creative Consultant, but TOS head writer Dorothy Fontana has gone on record saying this show is effectively the previous show’s fourth season. Plus, when Filmation co-founder Lou Scheimer initially proposed to make TAS exclusively educational for children, Roddenberry put his foot down: either make it like the old show, or don’t make it at all.

But of course, the new show still needed the 70’s equivalent of a TV-7 rating.

I think this is TAS’s most impressive aspect: being more family-friendly without sacrificing what TOS fans loved. The cast’s traits, personalities, and interactions are spot on, right down to the legendary bickering between Spock and Bones:

BONES: (To Lucian, irked.) Being in one piece is very natural where we come from.
SPOCK: I find all this quite absorbing, Doctor.
BONES: Probably because you’re not very natural to begin with, Spock.

The show did offer elementary science lessons to explain as well as compliment the exciting Saturday morning dilemmas:

SPOCK: The wave tends to wind tight such spiral molecules as dilithium. There is one other molecular structure.
KIRK: Of course. The double helix of DNA, nucleus of every cell in our bodies. What happens when DNA is compacted completely?
BONES: The strands wouldn’t break, Jim, they’d just quit winding.
KIRK: Then we can calculate the limits to our shrinkage.

But like its predecessor, TAS was never afraid to offer its younger audience social commentary few other children’s shows at the time would dare touch. Uhura—a black woman—once commands the Enterprise when all its male crew are incapacitated by siren-like beings:

URURA: (Recording a ship’s log.) Due to Chief Engineering Officer Scott’s euphoric state of mind, I’m assuming command of the Enterprise. [. . .] (To Nurse Chapel.) Nurse Chapel, until further notice, you will act as Chief Medical Officer.
NURSE CHAPEL: Yes, Lieutenant.

Pet euthanasia is addressed through a young Spock bidding farewell to his beloved sehlat, I-Chaya:

YOUNG SPOCK: (To the Vulcan Healer.) Is there nothing you can do?
HEALER: I can prolong his life, but he will be in pain, or I can release him from life.
[. . .]
YOUNG SPOCK: (Composed.) Release him. It is fitting he dies with peace and dignity.

But arguably the most provocative is when Kirk defends the satyr-like Lucian—implied to be the Devil himself—as a fellow living being:

ASMODEUS: (To Kirk, amazed.) Would you defend him still if you knew he had another name, too? The Rollicker. The Tempter. Lucifer!
(Thunder cracks loudly to emphasize his point.)
KIRK: (Firmly.) We’re not interested in legend. He’s a living being, an intelligent life-form. That’s all we have to know about him. We will not join in harming him.

It was this exact mature writing which scored the franchise its greatest achievement up to then: the 1974 Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program. The submitted episode, “Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth,” uses the conflict between the crew and the Mayan wyvern-like deity, Kukulkan, to illustrate the somber truth that children can’t stay dependent on their elders forever, no matter the latter’s good intentions, lest the former lose the ability to think and learn for themselves:

KIRK: Because we have minds, we can’t be what you wanted us to be. If we fail or succeed, it has to be our own doing. Intelligent life is too precious a thing to be led by the nose.
KUKULKAN: (With increasing sadness.) But you are my children. I hoped I could teach you. Help you.
KIRK: (Reassuring.) You did long ago when it was needed most. Our people were children then. (Trying to be kind.) Kukulkan, we’ve grown up now. We don’t need you anymore.
KUKULKAN: (Resigned.) I will let you go your own way. I have already done all I can.

I’m really glad this series was seen for the artistic goldmine it was, rather than just the literal one. More elements from here than I can name have since been adopted and utilized in future spin-offs and films, from The Next Generation series in the 90’s all the way up to J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot and beyond. I believe that this, along with the aforementioned credits, should be proof enough of its rightful place in Star Trek lore. But regardless of the canon debate, all the original show’s thrilling action, stimulating concepts, and admirable character development abound in Star Trek: The Animated Series, the little sci-fi cartoon that helped its franchise help future generations boldly go where no imagination had gone before.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
EPISODE SONG:
“An Exploratory Enterprise” - Sean Zarn

https://www.facebook.com/sean.zarn

All other music and sound clips are from Star Trek: The Animated Series (directed by Hal Sutherland and Bill Reed; based on Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry; produced by Filmation, Norway Productions, and Paramount Television Service; distributed by Paramount Television Distribution and CBS Television Distribution).

EPISODES:
Season 1, Ep. 2: “Yesteryear”
Season 1, Ep. 3: “One of Our Planets is Missing”
Season 1, Ep. 4: “The Lorelai Signal”
Season 1, Ep. 7: “The Infinite Vulcan”
Season 1, Ep. 8: “The Magicks of Magas-Tu”
Season 1, Ep. 9: “Once Upon a Planet”
Season 1, Ep. 11: “The Terratin Incident”
Season 1, Ep. 13: “The Ambergris Element”
Season 1, Ep. 14: “The Slaver Weapon”
Season 2, Ep. 2: “Bem”
Season 2, Ep. 3: “The Practical Joker”
Season 2, Ep. 4: “Albatross”
Season 2, Ep. 5: “How Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth”
Season 2, Ep. 6: “The Counter-Clock Incident”

​Download the full 15-minute episode here!

Star Trek: The Animated Series on Wikipedia

Star Trek: The Animated Series on Star Trek's Official Website

Star Trek: The Animated Series on IMDb

Star Trek: The Animated Series on Fandom

Star Trek: The Animated Series on Tv Tropes

Star Trek: The Animated Series on Paramount+

Star Trek: The Animated Series on Amazon

Star Trek: The Animated Series on eBay

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Iron Armored Wills

3/6/2020

0 Comments

 
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#53 - Ronin Warriors
1988-1989, Ages 10 and Up

Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of five young men tasked with saving the world with the power of ancient magical armor.
(3/6/20)

​
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
January 12th, 1998. Toonami had barely been on Cartoon Network for a year, and I was already bitterly disappointed in it. Why? It had cancelled Voltron: Defender of the Universe and replaced it with Robotech. Why couldn’t they have taken one of the other cartoons off? I wondered in despair. ThunderCats was tedious, Cartoon Roulette was bland; and The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest was actually pretty good, but . . . (sigh) . . . it just wasn’t the same. I do exaggerate, of course, but at the time, in my tender little twelve-year-old opinion, Robotech was to Voltron what a lump of tofu was to a Double Quarter Pounder. Though later anime like Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon would satisfy my craving for the fantasy Robotech lacked, they themselves lacked that distinct classic feel that only the 80’s could provide. Unlike Voltron, the other shows had either only one or the other. But then, fast forward to September 27th, 1999, when this little shōnen surprise joined the roster. It was no Voltron, but it sure wasn’t Robotech, either.

After centuries of exile in the Nether Realm, Tulpa, demonic emperor of the evil Dynasty, has returned to the mortal world to exact his revenge. Almost instantly he brings humanity to its knees, his Nether spirits leaving misery and darkness in their wake, and his four Dark Warlords—Anubis, Warlord of Cruelty; Cale, Warlord of Corruption; Sekhmet, Warlord of Venom; and Dais, Warlord of Illusion—destroying any and all who would oppose him. There is only one hope: the Ronin Warriors, five young men gifted with the power to summon ancient magical suits of samurai armor, each equipped with powerful weapons and abilities according to the natural elements and their symbols of goodness. Aiding the heroes are friends both mortal and mystical: the kindly scholar Mia; Yulie, a sincere and fearless boy who idolizes the Ronins; White Blaze, their fiercely loyal white tiger; and a wise and mysterious monk known as the Ancient One. And so the Ronin Warriors must wield their armors to defeat the evil emperor and the might of the Dynasty in order to save mankind and the world from eternal destruction.

Known in its native country as Samurai Troopers before its U.S. premiere in 1995, this series holds the distinction of being one of the few anime shows at the time whose English adaptation remains virtually identical to its Japanese counterpart, with next to no cuts or censorings. Though originally created to cash in on the popularity of Saint Seiya, another anime featuring young male heroes with mystical armor, Ronin Warriors quickly became a hit in its own right. Part of its success in North America stemmed from its broadcast during the still-fresh wake of the Power Rangers craze. In fact, listen to the first few seconds of the intro and tell me you don’t feel that old “Saturday Morning” toy commercial nostalgia just wash over you.

And like any good old-fashioned superhero team of the age, each Ronin has his own color scheme with a personality to match. Ryo of the Wildfire is the unofficial leader—in red, of course—guided by his symbol of virtue; at times brash and impulsive, but bravely committed to defeating Tulpa, always putting his friends’ safety above his own.

RYO: - (To a Dynasty soldier.) Hello there, Bucket Head! Finally decided to face me, huh?
- (To Yulie, about his lost parents.) You’ll see them soon, trust me. (Vowing with determination.) I’ve sworn to crush the Dynasty’s master.

Kento of Hardrock, guided by justice, is the strong man and the quintet’s equivalent to Michelangelo of the Ninja Turtles: he wears orange, is a laid-back, fun-loving, short-tempered goofball, and loves a hot meal as much as a good battle:

KENTO: - (Annoyed) Man, I am sick of talking about how great Talpa is. He won’t even come out and fight!
- (Moaning loudly) Rrrrraaaah, I’m starving! What’s taking Mia so long? I’ll probably be dead and buried by the time she gets here and fixes us something to eat!

Cye of the Torrent, guided by trust, is the gentle, compassionate one, artistically exemplified by his light blue attire and soft, British-accented voice. He is empathetic toward both his human friends and the marine life who inhabit the aquatic world from which his armor draws its power.

CYE: - Yes, Yulie. Every creature on this earth will suffer. That is, if Tulpa ever gets his way.
- Armor of Torrent! Please purify the water polluted by Dynasty evil!

Sage of the Halo, guided by wisdom, is formal, aloof, and easily annoyed by childish antics and cocky attitudes. But this outward coldness belies a deep devotion to protect like the dignified guardian he is, not unlike the forest which shares the green of his armor.

SAGE: - (Irritated by Yulie running off.) We don’t have time for that kid’s games. We’re on the Dynasty’s turf, Cye, and we have to stay sharp.
- (To Yulie, after being saved by him.) I always thought you were a pain, to have to take care of you, Yulie. (Hangs his head, humbled.) I’m sorry. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what would have happened.

And Rowen of Strata, guided by life, is the most rational and intelligent of the five, his demeanor as cool and calm as his indigo armor. When tempers flare and egos fly, his is the voice of reason that keeps his teammates’ compulsive urges in check and their lives intact.

ROWEN: (To Kento, who wants to use his armor to break through a dark subway.) Look, we’re not supposed to destroying this place. We were given the power to restore civilization, not rip it apart. And we’re in the middle of Dynasty territory. We should wait for their move before we make ours.

Of course, it’s only fitting that armored heroes would face an armored villain. Whether Tulpa is a malevolent spirit or a flesh-and-blood beast is unknown, as we see only a grotesque, metal mask with hollow eyes and demonic jaws. This, combined with a monstrous voice that booms like a splitting mountain and echoes like thunder, makes this being a force to be feared.

TULPA: (Appears as a giant apparition before the Ronin Warriors and their friends.) I, Ronin, am Tulpa! I am the ruler of the Nether Realms! Now is the time that my empire shall ascend!

What makes this show stand out among its contemporaries, anime or otherwise, is its Sengoku touch. Take the armor transformation sequence: the visuals of sakura (cherry blossoms) and furoshiki (traditional wrapping cloth) set to the sound of light Taiko drums add a layer of gentle beauty to an otherwise forceful scene. But if the cultural appeal is for the academics, then the music is an 80’s rocker’s dream come true. Series composer Osamu Totsuka makes extensive use of synth, electric guitar, and drums to complement high-octane battles, moments of tranquility, and anything in between: quiet and meditative, eerie and intense, or poignantly epic.

Now, normally the good guys can rest easy knowing that, even if they lose a battle, it won’t be because their secret weapon betrayed them. The Ronin Warriors don’t have that luxury. In an interesting twist, it’s established within the first third of the series that the Ronins’ armors were created from that of Tulpa himself, meaning it always runs the risk of being corrupted by his evil. Rather than just a single isolated episode in which the heroes’ power source is tainted and they are forced to re-purify it and make it theirs once more, the heroes have to constantly fight to keep it—and by extension, themselves—pure. Not only does this raise the stakes of each episodic battle, it gives each victory and defeat more impact and meaning because it continually forces the protagonists to look in the proverbial soul-searching mirror and face whatever ugliness or weakness they see in themselves.

- KENTO: (With a tremor of confusion and despair in his voice.) A human wore the armor of the evil Dynasty. What does that mean for us?

- TULPA: When will you fools learn that there are no battles fought by heroes?

- ANCIENT ONE: Your armor originally comes from the body of Tulpa. Look for the peace in this battle, and ignore the turmoil and strength of your foe.

- RYO: (Sadly.) Fighting our own armor might only produce regrets. Sadness and regrets. But we have to hope for something that lies beyond regret. Something that lies beyond sadness!

As the series progresses (and particularly in the early 90’s OVA’s), the theme of the inner struggle between the good and evil within man becomes increasingly prominent. This struggle wears on each of the heroes because, no matter how much evil they defeat, as human beings by nature they will never be free of it, nor can they be sure whether their normal lives won’t be affected in turn. All they can hope is to do what they feel is right if ever and whenever the time comes.

As I said, Ronin Warriors didn’t completely fill the void that Voltron left, but it did keep me invested for reasons besides that particular old-fashioned look that I absolutely adore in pre-90’s anime. Its teen heroes have that retro charm and attitude we Sailor Moon/Ninja Turtles/Power Rangers fans all know and love, but with its own unique and exciting samurai action and splendor. Yet through those characters and their story we also get a healthy dose of philosophical thought regarding humanity, both individual and as a whole: are humans truly destined to be defined by the sins of the past, or can they make the choice to learn from those sins and change themselves and the world for the better? Just as we can head-bang with rhythmic delight to that killer soundtrack one minute and listen with quiet rapture and anticipation the next, we can choose when and how we fight for our beliefs in this world, because the human heart, like armor, is ever resilient.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
EPISODE SONG:
“Daybreak” - Briand Morrison
All other music and sound clips are from English dub of Ronin Warriors (Samurai Troopers) (produced by Sunrise Inc.; licensed by Discotek Media).

Ep. 1 - “Shadowland”
Ep. 2 - “Glory for Anubis”
Ep. 6 - “The Counter Attack”
Ep. 11 - “Assault on the Dynasty”
Ep. 12 - “Shallow Darkness”
Ep. 13 - “Fate of the Ronin Armor”
Ep. 14 - “Armor of Life”
Ep. 24 - “Sun Devil, Ambassador of Evil”
Ep. 25 - “Torrent's Evil Twin”
OVA: “Legend of the Inferno Armor, Ep. 4 - Searching Beyond the Sadness”

OST Songs:
“Ronin Warriors Theme” (English Intro)
“Quiet - Noble Warriors”
“Theme of Arago”
“Burn - Armor’s Power”
“Gathering Heart of the Armor”
“Ki - Aratana Yokan”

​Download the full 15-minute episode here!

Ronin Warriors on Wikipedia

Ronin Warriors on IMDb

Ronin Warriors on Toonami Wiki

Ronin Warriors on Anime New Network

Ronin Warriors on Tv Tropes

Ronin Warriors on Amazon

Ronin Warriors on eBay

​
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Fleece of Fantasy

3/31/2019

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#41 - Jim Henson's The Storyteller
[1987-1988]; Greek Myths [1990], Ages 7 and Up

Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of the mastermind behind the Muppets and his own take on classic folk tales.
(11/2/18)

​
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
I don’t mean to boast, but I decided one day to perform a random act of kindness for my younger sister. I bought her the DVD Labyrinth, one of her favorite movies, as well as mine. Before watching it, we first decided to go through the trailers just to see if there was anything interesting. I don’t know about her, but one trailer certainly caught my attention. It was an ad for a TV show, another creation of the legendary Jim Henson. A narrator invites viewers to “a magical world where tales of fantasy and adventure come true”, during which we are treated to a montage of enticing fairy tale images: ancient castles, beautiful princesses, brave adventurers, strange creatures, and true love. But what about the show itself? Does it live up to its promise? All that and more, my dear readers. All that and more.

In a castle with no name, in a land of shadow and dust, an old man rests in his tattered armchair, a goblet of wine at his side and a warm fire blazing in the hearth before him. A strange old man he is: ears like saucers, a nose like a cherry, his hair like snow-laden grass and his robe a mishmash of faded colors and threadbare patches. In another mystical part of the world known as Greece, there is another man: an Athenian thief with little but the rags on his back. Deep within the maze of the dreaded Minotaur, he wanders in search of treasure, even as he seeks a way to escape the passages as cunning as he. But you mustn’t be fooled by these appearances, for these are no ordinary souls. With a twinkle in their eyes and but a few words, they have the power to conjure whole worlds, revive eras long past, and bring the most glorious visions to life. In short, they are each a Storyteller. And so, night after night, and accompanied by their loyal though rather snarky dog, these sages of the spoken word regale their audience with tales of beauty, valor, joy, sorrow, and wisdom . . . and all with their own unique flair.

Both the original and Greek Myths series were developed and written by Anthony Minghella, who directed such renowned films as The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Cold Mountain. The first series consists of nine episodes and focuses primarily on the retelling of more obscure European folk tales, a combination of German, Russian, and Celtic. The spin-off miniseries consists of four episodes and focuses, as the subtitle states, on the myths of Ancient Greece. Both shows are formatted with a framing device of their respective Storyteller in the “real world” introducing a story, which makes up each episode proper. Like many of Henson’s works, The Storyteller features a combination of human actors and puppets, with the former taking on the lead roles.

The original Storyteller was played the late John Hurt, of Watership Down, The Elephant Man, and Nineteen Eighty-Four fame. Henson originally intended the eponymous character to be a puppet himself, but eventually decided to instead have him played by an actor wearing heavy make-up. Thanks to this design choice as well as his superb acting, Hurt reminds me greatly of characters like Merlin from Disney’s The Sword in the Stone, and Brother Aiden from Tomm Moore’s The Secret of Kells. Despite his impish appearance and humble surroundings, he seems to possess a borderline wizardly insight and power that one can’t help but be awed by. But he also has a lively, creative zest and a grandfatherly charm and amiability, punctuated from time to time by some goofy, but still very human absentmindedness.

[EUROPEAN] STORYTELLER: (To the King.) I am a teller of stories . . . a weaver of dreams. I can dance, sing, and in the right weather I can stand on my head. I know seven words of Latin. I have a little magic and a trick or two. I know the proper way to meet a dragon. I can fight dirty but not fair. I once swallowed thirty oysters in a minute. I am not domestic. I am a luxury, and in that sense, necessary.

The Greek Myths Storyteller was played by Michael Gambon, better known to Harry Potter film fans as Albus Dumbledore from The Prisoner of Azkaban onward. Though physically younger and more robust than his European counterpart, he is no less wise and candid, as fascinated and reverent of the ruins around him as a historian or archeologist. With eloquent speech and a rich, strong voice, he projects an almost royal, warrior-like nobility as he honors Greece’s greatest tragedies, treating their heroes, gods, and monsters with the dignity and respect that such tales are due.

[GREEK] STORYTELLER: (Excitedly exploring the labyrinth.) This must be the labyrinth of Knossos. Nobody’s been here for centuries! This was the Minotaur’s prison. A thousand Athenians died in these passages. [. . .] The Minotaur must have charged that way, trampled that very path. [. . .] (To the audience.) Half man, half bull, mad with hunger and sadness. Until a hero came with a bold heart and a bright sword.

But, honestly, what’s a Jim Henson production without the puppets? The other half of both main casts is the Dog. His gravelly voice, courtesy of Henson’s son, Brian, will be instantly recognizable to Labyrinth fans as that of the delightfully cantankerous dwarf, Hoggle. Aside from being the literal audience within the show, the Dog also represents us, the viewing audience. As excitable as he is cynical, he often interrupts the Storytellers with questions and remarks, nit-picking and correcting any detail mistakes, but generally becoming emotional in spite of himself when the stories get really good. Plus, the Dog injects a healthy dose of comic relief in a show that might otherwise have ended up overly grim or somber, no matter how interesting or beautiful the legend in question.

[EUROPEAN] STORYTELLER: And he began to dance as only Kings once lost and then found can dance. A jig, a jiggle-joggle, and a leap!
DOG: (Interrupting firmly.) I’ve heard this story, and you’re telling it all wrong!

[. . .]

DOG: (Horrified.) Terrible! That’s a terrible story!
[EUROPEAN] STORYTELLER: (Surprised.) What?
DOG: (Angrily.) The baby died! What do you mean ‘what’?
[EUROPEAN] STORYTELLER: (Eying him intently.) Who said the baby died? I didn’t. This is a luck child.
DOG: (Suddenly understanding.) Oh . . .

[. . .]

[GREEK] STORYTELLER: (Addressing the audience.) Orpheus wanted to keep [Eurydice] away from the untrimmed trees and the ragged depths of the forest because he knew who was there.
DOG: (Anxiously.) Who was?
[GREEK] STORYTELLER: Centaurs, fauns, satyrs. Creatures given up to pleasure. Hairy and unpredictable.
DOG: (Luxuriously rubbing his back against the floor.) Like me, heh, heh.
[GREEK] STORYTELLER: (Smirking as he rubs the Dog’s belly.) Hairy anyway.

I think the juxtaposing of real and synthetic creatures is both smart and entertaining. The practical and green screen effects and the make-up on the humanoid creature actors are applied and performed with so much heart, care, and authenticity, from the beastly but noble-hearted Hans, the “grovelhog”:

HANS: (To the Princess.) Then I want you to be my wife and come live with me in the forest. I want you to be my Princess of Sweetness and Cherry Pie. I want to catch you up, and sing to you. I want you love me.

To the Graeae, three haggard sisters with one eye between them:

(All screeching out, as one sister rolls a dice while the other two wait, beside themselves with excitement.)
SISTER #1: Zeus! Father of the Gods! Lord of the Storm! Cloud Gatherer! Give me a six!
SISTER #2: Give her a two! Give her a two!
SISTER #3: Give her nothing, Zeus! Give her nothing!

But the meticulous, imaginative designs of the puppets and masterful performances of their puppeteers and voice actors insure that they steal every scene that they’re in. And the creators weren’t at all afraid to make them as creepy, outlandish, or fanciful as their given stories, from the spindly, blood-red Devils from “The Soldier and Death”:

SOLDIER: (Holding his deck of cards.) What shall we play for?
DEVIL #1: His soul!
DEVIL #2: His whistle!
DEVIL #3: (Matter-of-factly.) His teeth! I collect teeth!

And the gluttonous, ear-piercing Griffin from “The Luck Child”:

GRIFFIN: (Sniffs up and down, left and right.) My sniff snuff snaff manwhiff!
LITTLE MAN: (Cheerily.) Of course you can smell a man! That’s me!
GRIFFIN: No! Snuffle snort other sort!
LITTLE MAN: There’s no one else here! Now, are you hungry?
GRFFIN: Mmmm! My could eat a house!
LITTLE MAN: (Laughing.) Of course, you could!

To the majestic, beautifully white Thought Lion from “The True Bride”:

LION: (Kindly.) Ayna. Don’t be frightened. I’ve come to help you.
ANYA: (Amazed.) Where have you come from?
LION: From your thoughts. ‘Is there no one in the wide world to take pity on me’, you thought. Well, there is. And here I am.

And the ominously arrogant vulture from “Daedalus and Icarus”:

VULTURE: (Taunting Daedalus.) When I look down from the sky, things are small. I see fields of corn like raffia mats. People shrink to the size of dolls. I see you hate your nephew!

Both shows have two primary strengths. The first is relatability. Sometimes either Storyteller will begin narrating straight away, but most often he may be reminded of a tale by something quite ordinary. After getting rid of a spider for the terrified Dog and admitting to him his own fear of rats, the European Storyteller decides to speak of a unique lad, aptly named “Fearnot”, to while away the dark, frightening hours.

DOG: (Fearfully.) What should we do until morning?
[EUROPEAN] STORYTELLER: (Holding him comfortingly.) Well, I could tell you the story of the boy who set forth to learn what fear was.
DOG: (Surprised.) You mean he didn’t know?
[EUROPEAN] STORYTELLER: No.
DOG: He wasn’t frightened of rats or bats or cats or . . . things beginning with S?
[EUROPEAN] STORYTELLER: (Shaking his head.) No, a rare boy.

Likewise, the Athenian Storyteller enters a room filled with statues of cold-eyed soldiers, while the Dog finds a half-buried stone head from which snakes rise up like beckoning fingers: the head of the dreaded Medusa; the Storyteller is thus prompted to recite the myth of “Perseus and the Gorgon”:

[GREEK] STORYTELLER: (Joining the Dog to examine his discovery.) A thing of darkness. A night fear. Don’t even look at it!
DOG: (Terrified.) That face! It’s horrible! Where does it come from?
[GREEK] STORYTELLER: A long way away on a rock at the edge of the world lived a woman, with terrible claws, wings of bronze, and breath as foul as corpses. Her hair was a nest of poisonous snakes. Hissing. Alive. Catch her stare, and she could turn you to stone. Her name was Medusa, the Gorgon.

The second strength is immersion: both shows apply inventive ways to merge the “real” and “fantasy” worlds together to simulate the atmosphere of listening to an oral tale even as we still literally see what is happening on screen. This can be as simple as some well-executed camera edits and dissolves in which a story character drops an object in one shot and that same object appears by the Storyteller in the next. A more fantastic example is when he speaks while standing near a painting and we see the characters’ silhouettes move inside it accordingly. And it’s especially fun whenever he and the Dog “watch” the characters (in miniaturized form) as though they are actually present. In one such scene, Fearnot cheerfully dips his feet into a “pond”, a pond that just happens, in reality, to be the Dog’s water dish.

One of the gifts of Jim Henson was that he could make it very easy for us to forget that his puppets are just that: puppets, illusions, fantasies, creations of foam and fleece. But why would we want to remember such a thing anyway? The same principle applies to good stories, and The Storyteller provides children with an excellent introduction and education. Striking just the right balance between funny, thrilling, and romantic, this series retells these timeless classics in a mature and sincere way that respects the intelligence of younger audiences utilizing the whimsy and charm that Henson is known for. These are among the masters whose standards I always try to adhere to as an aspiring teller—and collector—of tales.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
EPISODE SONGS:
“Once Upon a Time” - Paul Gutmann

https://www.facebook.com/paul.gutmann.77

“Hunting the Mystery” - Paul Gutmann
All other sound and music clips are from Jim Henson’s The Storyteller and Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Greek Myths (produced by Jim Henson Productions; distributed by The Jim Henson Company)

ST Ep. 1 – “The Soldier and Death”
ST Ep. 2 – “Fearnot”
ST Ep. 3 – “The Luck Child”
ST Ep. 4 – “A Story Short”
ST Ep. 5 – “Hans My Hedgehog”
ST Ep. 9 – “The True Bride”
GM Ep. 1 – “Theseus and the Minotaur”
GM Ep. 2 – “Perseus and the Gorgon”
GM Ep. 3 – “Orpheus and Eurydice”
GM Ep. 4 – “Daedalus and Icarus”

​Download the full 15-minute episode here!

The Storyteller on Wikipedia

The Storyteller on Fandom

The Storyteller on the official Jim Henson Company website

The Storyteller on Jim Henson's Family Hub

The Storyteller on Den of Geek!

The Storyteller on Tv Tropes

The Storyteller on Common Sense Media

The Storyteller on IMDb

The Storyteller: Greek Myths on IMDb

The Storyteller at Barnes & Noble

The Storyteller TV series on Amazon

The Storyteller books on Amazon

The Storyteller on eBay

​
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The Urban Legends of the Internet

3/31/2019

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#38 - Creepypastas
Circa 1990-Present, Ages 17 and Up

Gather round and I’ll tell you of the chilling tales born from the deepest, darkest corners of cyberspace.
(8/3/18)

​
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
WARNING: THESE STORIES CONTAIN MATERIAL THAT MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME AUDIENCES. LISTENER/RESEARCHER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

It was a dark and chilly night, many years ago. There I was in my workshop, wandering through that online domain one inevitably gets to after jumping from YouTube horror video to YouTube horror video until the wee hours of the morning. Long after 3:00 AM, I found the strangest video yet. The thumbnail looked pretty cool, but the title seemed to cheapen it. “What on earth,” I asked myself, “does Sonic the Hedgehog have to do with noodles?” Maybe someone had made up one of those DIY food recipes with a story theme. You know, like Dr. Suess’ Green Eggs and Ham, or Bruce Bogtrotter’s chocolate cake, inspired by Roald Dahl’s Matilda. Now officially curious, I clicked the video. At first, I just skimmed through it without listening to see what I was in for. I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I was a bit disappointed to see it was just clips from a bunch of different Sonic games, nothing I haven’t seen before. Still not understanding what kind of video this was, but being too tired to watch it fully just then, I decided to skim again, this time listening to a segment here and there to try and at least get a basic idea. I was . . . slightly less confused, but still confused in the end. And so, I looked up other videos with similar titles—after a good night’s sleep, of course. When I finally understood, I felt somewhat glad that I didn’t watch that first video from start to finish in the middle of the night. After which I thought to myself: “The internet is a weird, weird place.” Not that I didn’t already know that, but this certainly helped to further solidify that conviction.

A creepypasta is a horror story that has originated on, and been continually copy-pasted around, the internet, usually in the form of an image or a block of text. These stories may stem either from an existing event or piece of pop culture or from a wholly original idea, the common thread being its gory, shocking, or otherwise disturbing content. The word itself evolved from the internet slang term, “copypasta” (copy-paste-a). The true origins of the creepypasta are unknown, making an exact study of its history difficult. This is mainly due to many early creepypastas being written and posted anonymously. One claim among many is that the first creepypastas emerged with the advent of reposted chain email texts on internet forums. In any case, these early stories were like urban legends in that they were fairly realistic and believable. But over time, creepypastas have become increasingly supernatural in nature. Moreover, most creepypasta creators today prefer to give out their names in order to garner recognition as legitimate writers; as a result, copying and pasting these writings has become rare as many in the creepypasta community now see this as intellectual theft.

Arguably the most famous creepypasta character of all is the Slender Man, created in 2009 by Eric Knudsen of the Something Awful forum. This thin, unnaturally tall humanoid creature wears a black business suit and possesses a featureless face and tentacle-like arms. It usually targets children and young adults, causing numerous afflictions, such as paranoia, delusions, and nightmares. While the Slender Man has proven popular enough to inspire video games, films, and fan fiction, it also, unfortunately, led to the horrific 2014 incident in which two 12-year-olds attempted to murder a classmate as a sacrifice to the monster.

Thoughts and prayers to the victim and all those involved.

Creepypasta website and forum administrators and community members have since expressed condolences and overwhelming support to the victim and her family, even helping to raise money for medical costs. They have further reiterated that while they do specialize in making and sharing scary stories, they do not condone real threats or acts of violence; theirs is a literary community whose purpose is to encourage the growth and inspiration of aspiring authors, dark and gruesome though their subject matter is.

As the creepypasta has evolved, so have readers’ tastes with regards to theme, style, and quality. From crazed murderers like “Jeff the Killer”, to demonic creatures like “Smile Dog”, to haunted objects like the Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask game cartridge in “Ben Drowned”, virtually every trick and trope in the horror genre’s repertoire has been utilized in a creepypasta’s creation. Older, shorter ones tended to fall into one of three categories:

- Anecdote – in which the narrator recites a frightening event from his/her own past. I.e., “Ted the Caver”; “Candle Cove”; “Abandoned by Disney”.
- Ritual – in which the audience is given instructions that, if followed, will cause something scary to happen. I.e., “Bloody Mary”.
- “Lost Episode” – in which the narrator tells of an unaired episode of a famous and generally light-hearted T.V. show that involves distorted audio and video and/or characters behaving strangely, often to the point of graphic violence or death to themselves or others. I.e., “Squidward’s Suicide” (Spongebob Squarepants); “Dead Bart” (The Simpsons); “Suicidemouse.avi” (Disney).

Today’s creepypastas are much more elaborate in conception and presentation. Easily some of the most fascinating, for instance, are those that stem from fan theories of well-known franchises. There are way too many to list here, let alone describe in detail, but some prominent examples include “Squall is Dead Theory” (Final Fantasy VIII), “The Numbers Station” (Fallout 3), “Giygas = Fetus Theory” (Earthbound), “Garfield Hallucination Theory” (Garfield), “Post-Depression Theory” (Scooby Doo, Where Are You!), and “Ash is in a Coma” (Pokémon [anime]), just to name a few.

But, of course, like any piece of literature, some creepypastas are better written than others. Even basic mistakes or inadequacies in word choice, world-building, and character development are all it takes to ruin the experience. One example I know of is the story, “The Theatre of Puppets”, inspired by the song “The Puppet Master” by Danish Heavy Metal band, King Diamond. The idea and setup are very promising—I love me a good gothic story—but the less than professional writing makes it fall pretty flat. To give you an idea, here is an excerpt from the story:

          “The Puppet Master and his wife entered. I couldn't speak, as I was shocked. Emergencia put the lantern on a shelf, and The Puppet Master went to an altar, with ancient books and human skulls on it, lit few black candles which lighted up the room a bit. I saw a strange symbol on the wall. The Master started chanting magical words from ancient tongues. I felt some kind of Magic inside me . . . I got afraid and, in panic, kicked one of the shelves with the jars, one of them fell down and broke . . . in light liquid was red, it was blood!
          The Puppet Master turned to me and said: "How dare you disturb my work!?" and in that moment a demons head, red as blood appeared on the wall. I felt a sting in my eyes, they were given eternal life, because of the disturbance in the ritual. The Puppet Master continued chanting and I could feel . . . feel my soul leaving my body and felt tingle in my skin. The tingle grew in pain and I felt magic in me. In the next moment I lost my consciousness.”

All that being said: in my experience, I find that the best way to get the most out of a creepypasta, rather than reading it oneself, is to listen to someone tell it, especially in the form of videos. Not movies with plots and acting, but simply recordings of a single person telling the story with the aid of background music, a few images, and maybe a sudden sound effect or two for good measure. There are numerous video-makers out there that specialize in creepypasta retellings, but my favorite is the Youtuber, CreepsMcPasta. Regardless of a given story’s quality, his measured and proficient voice mixed with top-notch editing skills and image choices make the experience all the more deliciously frightening. Take his video retelling of “The Girl in the Photograph”. (WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.) As he narrates, an image of a pretty girl holding up two fingers in a peace sign is all that comprises the visuals . . . until the final line. The accommodating image change is so quick and abrupt that I jumped during my first viewing, my adrenaline rushing long after the video had ended:

          “One school day, a boy named Tom was sitting in class, doing math. It was six more minutes until school let out. As he was doing his homework, something caught his eye.
          His desk was next to the window, and he turned and looked to the grass outside. It looked like a picture. When school was over, he ran to the spot where he saw it. He ran fast so that no one else could grab it. He picked it up and smiled. It had a picture of the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She had a dress with tights on and red shoes, and her hand was formed into a peace sign.
          She was so beautiful he wanted to meet her, so he ran all over the school and asked everyone if they knew her or have ever seen her before. But everyone he asked said ‘No.’ He was devastated.
          When he was home, he asked his older sister if she knew the girl, but unfortunately she also said ‘No.’ It was very late, so Tom walked up the stairs, placed the picture on his bedside table and went to sleep.
          In the middle of the night, Tom was awakened by a tap on his window. It was like a nail tapping. He got scared. After the tapping, he heard a giggle. He saw a shadow near his window, so he got out of his bed, walked toward his window, opened it up and followed the giggling. By the time he reached it, it was gone.
          The next day, again he asked his neighbors if they knew her. Everybody said, ‘Sorry, no.’ When his mother came home he even asked her if she knew her. She said ‘No.’ He went to his room, placed the picture on his desk and fell asleep.
          Once again, he was awakened by a tapping. He took the picture and followed the giggling. He walked across the road, when he was suddenly hit by a car. He died instantly, picture in hand. The driver got out of the car and tried to help him, but it was too late. He saw the picture and picked it up.
          He saw a cute girl holding up three fingers.” (Original author unknown; retold by CreepsMcPasta, YouTube video uploaded January 7, 2013)

Horror stories have been told both for as long has humanity has known fear, and as long as storytelling has existed, through voice, in print, and on screen. But it is only the creepypasta that has its place solely online. What makes the creepypasta an especially unique form of narrative expression, let alone horror fiction, is that it wouldn’t be what it is, or even be at all, without the internet, a powerful technological system and an abstract worldwide entity rather than a classified artistic medium like books and T.V. It’s also opened up a whole new avenue through which writers can scare their audiences, and through which new audiences can get their scares. And with the right words in the proper context, what’s told by the glow of a computer screen can be just as atmospheric and spine-tingling as anything told by the glow of a campfire.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
​
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
EPISODE SONGS:
“Haunted House” - Briand Morrison
“Sanguine Road” - The Curellis

https://www.facebook.com/JakeSearlMusic

“Vorago” - The Curellis
Download the full 15-minute episode here!

Creepypastas on Wikipedia

Creepypasta.com

Creepypasta.org


Creepypastas on Fandom

Creepypastas on Tv Tropes

Creepypasta books on Goodreads

Creepypasta books on Amazon

Watchmojo's Top 10 Scariest Creepypastas

Watchmojo's Top 10 TV Creepypastas

Watchmojo's Top 10 Video Game Urban Legends

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Clay Cuteness

3/31/2019

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#32 - Morph
1977-Present, Safe For All Ages

Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of a little guy made of clay and all the fun he has within the art studio he calls home.
(2/2/18)

​
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
I know for a fact that I’m not alone in this, but one of my favorite cartoons growing up was Wallace and Gromit. At least a dozen times when I was a kid I’d ask my parents if we could go down the block to the video store to rent one (if not all) of the short films on VHS, my personal favorite being A Close Shave, the sheep, especially Shaun, being as funny as they are adorable. And I swear, to this day, my dad gets completely cracked up by the scene in A Grand Day Out when the title duo blast off in their homemade rocket from their basement and the crowd of mice whip out their sunglasses to wear as they watch. And as an added bonus, Dad still likes to poke just the tiniest of fun at me as Wallace and I are both, as the lovable protagonist himself would put it, “just crackers about cheese!” Seriously, though, I do love me a good slice of cheese :) But I digress. As Aardman Animation, the studio behind Wallace and Gromit, began putting out more top-quality Claymation works and even movies over the years, like Chicken Run, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, and, of course, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, I decided I wanted to see what some of their older stuff was like. What I found didn’t disappoint. One of their first franchise characters is still alive and well after 40 years, and not just on the other side of the pond.

Residing within a large art studio in the heart of England, Morph is a living figure of tuscan red clay, who sleeps in a pencil box and, just as his name implies, is able to transform into various creatures and objects, often with quirky results. With a curiosity and mischievous streak belied by his four-inch stature, Morph is always on the hunt for fun, the more than occasional cake, and a good old-fashioned prank with—or on—his even more mischievous and more hungry white-colored partner in crime, Chas. Joined by his other friends, both the humans who stop in at the studio and the other hand-crafted residents who live underneath the table, every day means the start of a new adventure for the amazing Morph!

That Morph has been in so many British T.V. shows over the years is a testament to his popularity. He first appeared alongside BBC children’s T.V. host Tony Hart in his two art programs, Take Hart and Hartbeat, from the late 70’s to the early 90’s. From 1980-81, Morph starred in a spin-off show of his own, The Amazing Adventures of Morph, with Hart narrating and sometimes participating in the shenanigans of Morph and his friends. He got yet another spin-off in 1996, The Morph Files, narrated by English actor Neil Morrissey and featuring a mix of new animation and storylines with footage from Amazing Adventures in order to create new stories, which now center partly on Morph and Chas’s interactions and hijinks with their new (human-sized) computer. He even made a guest appearance (a rather creepy one) in the second third-season episode of the sci-fi police procedural drama series, Ashes to Ashes in 2009. And then, after a highly successful Kickstarter campaign in October 2013, Aardman co-founder Peter Lord has led production on brand new Morph shorts to be uploaded to Morph’s official Youtube channel. Since then, Morph’s earlier series and shorts have also been uploaded for audiences around the world to enjoy.

Since its founding in 1972, Aardman’s specialty has been the ability to create characters so expressive that no words are needed to understand them. Morph is the result of this talent turned into both a work of art and comedy gold. Morph and the other characters do speak, but in a sort of high-pitched gobbledygook. To achieve this, the animation is played at half speed while the voice actor records in his normal voice. Then both the video and the vocals are sped up to twice normal speed, achieving the characters’ signature chipmunk voices. Here, the “words” sound mostly like (ridiculously cute) baby talk, while the intentions are portrayed through tone, expressions, actions, and body language. But every so often, it is somewhat possible make out a semi-coherent sentence, such as when Morph, about to draw a picture of himself, proudly declares to the audience something very much like, “I’m gonna make a self-portrait, of me!” or when Chas, about to fix a washing machine for Morph, announces, “Never fear, Chas is here!”

Also noteworthy is the way each character’s voice is just different enough to reflect their distinct personality: Morph has a smoother voice, being the more sensible one (though I use that term fairly loosely), while Chas’s voice is rougher and more gravely, as befitting a natural-born delinquent.

Morph’s other friends are also instantly recognizable and funny in their own right:

- GrandMorph – Morph's bearded, googly-eyed grandfather, an inventor who likes to travel by skateboard
- Delilah – A bossy, easily annoyed female with large glasses and a yellow dress
- Folly – A bead-eyed tin-foil girl who is kind, if somewhat ditzy
- Gillespie – Large and slow-witted, but gentle and patient
- Nailbrush – Morph’s dog-like pet that also just so happens to be a literal nailbrush
- The Very Small Creatures – A collective group of small colored plasticine balls that always travels together, with Little Green, the smallest of all, often trying extra hard just to keep up (Poor thing!)
- Gobbledygook [Go figure!] – A little green alien child with bright red eyes, a large appetite, and a language even the others can’t understand—and believe me, that’s saying something!

From a storytelling perspective, while narration isn’t necessary in a typical Morph short, the choices made in The Amazing Adventures of Morph and The Morph Files regarding not only narration, but also context and editing, make such a striking difference in the viewing experience, even with the footage being exactly the same in each series. In Amazing Adventures, Tony Hart appears on screen in each 4-5 minute episode, reading aloud from the book that chronicles Morph’s exploits (hence the series’ name) and often translating into intelligible words what each character is saying. At the same time, Hart acts as a sort of parental figure to them, praising them, scolding them, and otherwise interacting with them directly. We never actually see him talking on-screen, but sometimes he (or at least his hands) and any of the Claymation characters will be in the same shot together. (Note the subtle change in frame rate of Hart’s movements in these shots, namely how it flows a lot less smoothly due to the stop motion.) In The Morph Files, Neil Morrissey is never on-screen and says just enough to keep the story going, often in the form of jokes or other humorous remarks. And scenes of Morph and Chas with their computer (the screen images being 2-D animated) are interspersed in between footage from Amazing Adventures and other shorts in a given 9-10 episode, tying them all together in a single narrative. Consider the episodes, “The Baby-sitters” and “Babysitting”, respectively, which both involve the gang trying to get a crying baby to sleep. In the former, Hart begins by stating that the problem arose when Folly failed to tell everyone that she was babysitting, and now they all have to band together in order to stop the noise. In the latter, Morrisey frames the episode as being about Morph trying to get peace and quiet so that he can relax, and the baby’s screaming is yet another hindrance he has to address in extravagant fashion.

I must say, though, that the combination of multiple shorts in The Morph Files can be a bit jarring. Because they were all made at separate stages and times, the differences in the age and quality of the animation is glaringly obvious. But this is a minor nitpick in my opinion. In fact, it is cool to see through each series how much Morph has evolved over time, much like the art of Claymation. What’s more, half the fun comes from watching all the humorous ways the various art supplies and knick-knacks in the studio are utilized, especially the ones that are small to humans but large to Morph. From disguising himself as a pencil among pencils during a game of hide-and-seek, to using an electric fan’s wind to fly a kite. As traditional as life-sized bananas in Morph’s garden, or as modern as he and Chas running and dancing to the rhythmic scratches of a turntable’s records. Because Morph’s designs, characters, and settings are so simple, nothing in a given plot ever feels dated or out of place, allowing for a boundless array of scenarios, limited only be one’s imagination.

Like many good shows aimed at children, Morph’s greatest strength lays in its approachability. Episodes are short and not complex, with amusing, creative little stories that provide a quick but genuine and satisfying laugh. Narrated or not, the actions of the characters are what tell the stories, with their “words” being a bonus to the charming aesthetic rather than a language barrier. And with non-English speaking audiences able to get in on the fun as well, here is a series that literally anybody in the world and their inner children can smile at.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
EPISODE SONGS:
"Play Time!” - Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
“Wild Imagination” - Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
All other music and sound clips are from the following Morph series (created by Peter Lord and David Sproxton):

Short: “Self Portrait”
Short: “Washing Machine”
The Amazing Adventures of Morph, Ep. 1: “How it All Began”
The Amazing Adventures of Morph, Ep. 2: “The Day Nothing Happened”
The Amazing Adventures of Morph, Ep. 3: “Morph Plays Golf”
The Amazing Adventures of Morph, Ep. 4: “Morph’s Birthday Party”
The Amazing Adventures of Morph, Ep. 15: “Anyone For Cricket”
The Amazing Adventures of Morph, Ep. 17: “The Strange Visitor”
The Amazing Adventures of Morph, Ep. 19: “The Small Creature Green”
The Amazing Adventures of Morph, Ep. 20: “GrandMorph’s Beard”
The Amazing Adventures of Morph, Ep. 21: “The Baby-Sitters”
The Amazing Adventures of Morph, Ep. 23: “Gobbledegook the Burglar”
The Morph Files, Ep. 1: “Babysitting”
The Morph Files, Ep. 7: “Games”
Morph (2013), Season 1 Ep. 10: “Messy April Fools”

​Download the full 15-minute episode here!

Morph on Wikipedia

Aardman Animations on Wikipedia

Morph's Official Website

Morph on Aardman's Official Website

Morph's Official Facebook Page

Morph's Official Twitter Page

Morph's Official YouTube Channel

Aardman's Official YouTube Channel

Morph on Tv Tropes

Morph at the Aardstore

The Morph Files on Amazon

The Morph Files on eBay

​​^^ Back to TV Shows, Web Series, and Other Narrative Programs
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Warrior's Code

3/30/2019

0 Comments

 
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#27 - Code Lyoko
2003-2007, Ages 8 and Up

Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of a group of kids who must protect a virtual world in order to save their own.
(9/1/17)

​
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
By chance, does anyone remember Miguzi? For those who either don’t or haven’t heard of it, this was a TV block that aired on Cartoon Network from 2004-2007. This is likely due to my age at the time—I was in my final years of high school—but for the most part I considered Miguzi something of a poor man’s Toonami. It was similar to Toonami in that it aired cartoons of the action genre, but theirs, like Totally Spies! and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (’03), felt a bit too juvenile for my taste when compared to the latter’s more mature fare. But there was one Miguzi cartoon that did get my attention, partly because its animation style was like none I was familiar with at the time. Aside from anime and the claymation of Aardman (i.e. Wallace and Gromit), this was one of the first cartoons in my memory that truly opened my eyes to the idea of animations from other parts of the world. Needless to say, it was quite the learning experience—but of course, the plot, characters, and action weren’t too shabby, either.

Hidden in the depths of an abandoned machine factory in present-day France lays a supercomputer, more powerful than any that had been made before it. Within this computer is the mysterious parallel universe of Lyoko, wherein two sentient beings reside: Aelita, a kind and brave elflike humanoid female, and X.A.N.A., a formless and malignant computer virus that seeks to conquer Earth via the activation and control of the many towers found throughout Lyoko. The only ones who can stop it are four regular earth kids attending a nearby boarding school. Through the use of full-size scanners and a highly advanced virtualization program, the quiet and pensive Ulrich, the strong and loyal Yumi, and the comical and gluttonous Odd are able to be literally transported into Lyoko itself, while computer genius Jeremy informs and guides them via the supercomputer’s controls from the real world. Transformed into their own virtual avatars, each with unique individual weapons and abilities, they battle X.A.N.A.’s myriad creatures on Lyoko in order to protect Aelita, who is the only one capable of deactivating the usurped towers. With her aid, the four friends must thwart X.A.N.A.’s plans and save the world while keeping their mission secret from the watchful eyes of their parents, teachers, and classmates.

This series provided not only one of my earliest exposures to foreign animation—in this case, French—, but also my introduction to anime-influenced cartoons. Veterans of the style will note many of the visual and archetypal tropes associated with it, though I think they are much more subtle in this case. Just to name a few to those less familiar, a highly common one seen here is the premise of otherwise normal teenagers juggling school, family and friends with fighting evil. The characters’ physical features are only slightly exaggerated and stylized: their design is very angular, especially the eyes, which are also much smaller in relation to their head size in contrast to eyes large enough to take up most of the face, making the girls almost exotically beautiful and the guys, even the less intelligent ones, somber and cool. And unlike cartoons like Teen Titans and Avatar: The Last Airbender, the more extreme emotional clichés of anime are absent here, like the “sweat drop” indicating nervousness or exasperation or the glowing eyes/fanged teeth indicating intense anger. And Miyazaki fans in particular may catch some interesting little Easter Eggs, such as the stuffed animal in Yumi’s bedroom that looks like the iconic character Totoro, or the fact that Mr. Delmas, the school principal, bears a more-than-striking resemblance to the legendary Japanese director himself. One other major anime trait is the frame-by-frame repetition of “action” animation, like when characters transform into their superhero personas or prepare to blast off in their giant mecha vehicles. Though some individual shots may cut or rearranged according to an episode’s plot, the exact movements of Jeremy virtualizing Ulrich, Yumi, and Odd into Lyoko are the same each and every time, getting the audience both nostalgic and excited for the action that awaits.

Another unique aspect of this show is its incorporation of both traditional 2D animation and CGI, the former for scenes in the real world, and the latter for the virtual world of Lyoko. But there are elements of “magical” fantasy weaved in to balance out the facets of pure science fiction. Lyoko is made up of four different “sectors”: forest, desert, mountain, and ice. To me, this represents the four elements of nature and ties in especially well with the fact that Aelita’s virtual form is that a mythical creature with power over the “natural” environment of Lyoko. Similarly, each character’s Lyoko form embodies their own strengths and personalities. Ulrich appears as a young samurai with super speed and a powered-up katana due to his solemn demeanor and love of martial arts. Odd’s litheness and carefree attitude make him a humanoid cat, with paws that shoot swift and powerful “laser arrows.” And the avatar of Yumi, calm, sensible, and of Japanese ancestry, is a lovely geisha with razor-sharp fans which can be thrown like discs to slash enemies.

ULRICH: (Swinging his sword experimentally.) Wow, this sword rocks!
ODD: (In protest.) Hey, that’s not fair! How come he gets to be a samurai? That’s so much cooler!
JEREMIE: I have no idea why. Maybe the computer just reads into your own subconscious desires and projects them onto your digital incarnations.
ODD: I don’t dream about giant purple cats!
[. . .]
ODD: (Examining his paws, changing his mind.) Hmm. These arrows are pretty cool. I take back what I said.

Of course, a show like this wouldn’t be complete without a bit of romantic drama, one source being Jeremie’s not-so-secret crush on Aeilita. A major plot point of Season 1 involves Jeremie working night and day to figure out how to materialize Aeilita and bring her to Earth as a real human being. Their adolescence adds a charming innocence and believability to an otherwise very strange and seemingly unnatural and impossible relationship. When not helping the others fight, Jeremie is often seen pleasantly chatting with Aeilita through his monitor; her naivety regarding the real world and his shyness make for some of the most enjoyable bits of the show, ranging from heartwarming and sweet to humorously awkward.

AELITA: (Thoughtfully.) It’s strange that they’re made at each other. Yumi and Ulrich always get along so well.
JEREMIE: (Reasonably.) You know, Aelita, very often people who get along well have fights.
AELITA: Really? What about you and I? Why don’t we ever fight?
JEREMIE: (Stammering) You and I? Well, I don’t know, really, I, uh . . . anyway, uh, X.A.N.A.’s been pretty quiet lately. Too quiet, don’t you think?

[. . .]

JEREMIE: Anyway, there’s one thing that I’m sure of: I’ve never been as close to the answer as I am now.
AELITA: (With longing.) Oh, honestly. It’s so hard to imagine. We can be face-to-face in the same room. We can tough each other. Even kiss.
JEREMIE: (Blushing and stammering.) Uh, yeah, that’d be, uh . . . um, uh, interesting. I mean, well, uh, I guess.

What I especially like about Code Lyoko is its sheer creativity. The group’s secret is endangered constantly and they’ve actually been caught by outsiders before. Their secret weapon? The “Return to the Past”, a program that literally rewinds time, so that anyone who learns too much—or is even on the verge of dying at the hands of X.A.N.A.—comes back good as new and none the wiser, while the protagonists’ virtualizations make them immune, enabling them to recall everything that happens. This is such a cool and clever idea as it not only revs up the suspense whenever one of X.A.N.A’s offensive is about to turn deadly, but it also provides more light-hearted and positive moments for the four friends, namely opportunities to mess a bit with the goofy P.E. teacher, Jim, and especially the school’s bratty bully, Sissy, or even better, for them to learn from and prevent any mistakes on their part that may have caused pain or misfortune to loved ones.

MILLIE: (Blushing and teary-eyed.) Uh, Ulrich, would you, would you be my date tonight?
ULRICH: (Awkwardly.) Uhhh, I’m sorry, Millie. It wouldn’t be a very good idea. I’m too old for you.
[. . .]
SISSY: (With haughty triumph.) You see? (Laughs.) What did I tell you?

[. . .]

MILLIE: (Blushing and teary-eyed.) Uh, Ulrich, would you be my date?
ULRICH: (Approaches her, smiling; kneels before her, puts his hands on her shoulders comfortingly.) Be glad to, Millie. I’ll see you here at 8.
SISSY: (Outraged.) What?! But . . . Ulrich! You’re gonna—go with that . . . that silly baby?
ULRICH: (Confidently.) That’s right, I sure am. But don’t worry. When your brain gets another neuron to two, maybe I’ll go out with you, too.
SISSY: (Growls and blushes with fury.)

And speaking of offensives and misfortunes: part of the pleasure of watching this comes from seeing exactly what X.A.N.A.’s next scheme and its consequences will be. Now not to sound negative, but some of these have been seen and done before in some fashion in other action cartoons, though they are no less entertaining for all that. Consider these episodes:

- “Seeing is Believing” – in which X.A.N.A. plots to accumulate enough electricity to blow up a nuclear power plant:

JEREMIE: (Watching the computer monitor as it beeps.) The pylon can take one million volts. Once it’s all accumulated, X.A.N.A. can blow everything up.
YUMI: (Worriedly.) Nuclear sabotage. That’s a little over our heads, wouldn’t you say?

- “The Robots” – in which X.A.N.A. builds a huge killer robot that wreaks havoc among the helpless humans:

JEREMIE: (To Aelita on his laptop.) Everything okay?
AELITA: No, not really. X.A.N.A’s activated a tower and the Blocks are after me!
JEREMIE: And we’ve got a humongous robot at school that’s causing total panic wherever it goes!
YUMI: But how could X.A.N.A. have ever made a thing like that?
ULRICH: I wish I knew. But one thing is sure, it’s us he’s after.

- “Satellite” – in which X.A.N.A. takes over an orbiting military satellite and aims it at the school:

JEREMIE: (Mumbling as he calculates.) Let’s see . . . U466 . . . a military satellite armed with . . . (In horrified realization.) A highly destructive laser beam!

Fairly standard for a sci-fi action show for kids, right? But the real fun comes from X.A.N.A.’s more unconventional methods of attack. The evil virus actively infects and possesses not only other machines, but also non-electronic objects, chemicals, and even organic materials and living creatures, making them just as frightening and dangerous as any technological weapon. Some of these include:

- “Laughing Fit”—in which X.A.N.A. takes control of laughing gas and attempts to suffocate victims by making them literally die laughing:

ODD: (To JEREMIE and AELITA.) It was crazy, I really didn’t feel like laughing at all, but it was impossible to stop. As soon as Sissy poured water on me, that was it, I stopped immediately.
JEREMIE: (Seriously.) N20. Laughing gas. Ms. Hurts said that the only thing that could volatilize it was water.

- “Plagued”—in which X.A.N.A. possesses a swarm of rats and sets them loose all over the school:

ULRICH: Ah! Oh, no! (Sees a huge mass of rats outside blocking the cafeteria door.)
ODD: Uh, oh.
ULRICH: (Bangs the door.) We’re trapped!
ODD: Nice going, X.A.N.A.! The rats all waited for nighttime, and they attacked us as soon as we were all in the cafeteria!

- “Amnesia”—in which X.A.N.A. builds microscopic robots to attack brain cells and wipe away memories:

ODD: (Looks at the spider-like nano-bots through the microscope in disgust.) Ulgh! What are those ugly creatures?
JEREMIE: What I was afraid of. They’re nano-viruses. And X.A.N.A. must have created them to attack memory cells.
YUMI: (With horror.) That means that it is contagious.
JEREMIE: Like all viruses, you can catch it from food, contact, sneezing; soon the whole school will be infected, including us.
ODD: (Softly.) A world without memory . . .
YUMI: Under X.A.N.A.’s control!

- “Killer Music”—in which X.A.N.A. composes and formats a song which puts those who hear it into a coma:

YUMI: (On her phone as she runs, breathing heavily.) Jeremie, it’s the song that’s causing it!
JEREMIE: What do you mean, the song? I don’t understand.
YUMI: It is! It’s the song! “Glad When You’re Bad”!
ULRICH: Oh, no! I think that’s the song Odd downloaded from the web yesterday!
JEREMIE: X.A.N.A.’s using the media for maximum coverage.
YUMI: He’s formatted the song! And now he’s spreading it all over!
JEREMIE: (Muttering angrily.) A deadly melody.

It’s possible that I’ve thought a bit too deeply into it, but this in particular has always been one of Code Lyoko’s most fascinating aspects to me. It makes me wonder and consider how closely related and similar science is to nature on a molecular level, as well as how manipulative and dangerous our own technology can be no matter how much we strive to build and study and understand it—or exactly because of how much we try to control it.

I don’t often go for shows like this because, if done wrong, the real-life drama involved can easily make the characters stupid, whiny brats and the subplots insufferably cheesy or boring, all of which may overwhelm and ruin the story. (A major reason why I tend to find many “Magical Girl” shows—anime or otherwise—particularly painful.) Luckily, the personalities of Code Lyoko’s characters are portrayed realistically and believably without sacrificing the quick pacing and inventive action, making them fully fleshed out heroes—whether that flesh is pencil-drawn or pixelated.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund


https://www.briandmorrison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
EPISODE SONG:
"Working the Code” - George Ellsworth

https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeLEllsworth

All other music and sound clips are from Season 1 of Code Lyoko (created by Tania Palumbo and Thomas Romaine; directed by Jérôme Mouscadet; production by Antefilms; distributed by Mediatoon Distribution).

Ep. 1: “Teddygodzilla”
Ep. 2. “Seeing is Believing”
Ep. 6. “Cruel Dilemma”
Ep. 9: “Satelite”
Ep. 11: “Plagued”
Ep. 15: “Laughing Fit”
Ep. 17: “Amnesia”
Ep. 18: “Killer Music”
Ep. 20: “The Robots”
Ep. 22: “Routine”
Special: “X.A.N.A. Awakens (Part 1)”

OST SONG:
“Racing”

​Download the full 15-minute episode here!

Code Lyoko on Wikipedia

The sequel series, Code Lyoko: Evolution, on Wikipedia

Code Lyoko on Fandom

Code Lyoko's Facebook Page

Code Lyoko on IMDb

Code Lyoko on Common Sense Media

Code Lyoko on Tv Tropes

Code Lyoko's Official English YouTube Channel

Code Lyoko's Official French YouTube Channel

Code Lyoko on Amazon

Code Lyoko on eBay

​
​^^ Back to TV Shows, Web Series, and Other Narrative Programs
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Demonic Infection

3/30/2019

0 Comments

 
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#25 - Mononoke
2007, Ages 17 and Up

Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of an enigmatic merchant whose vast knowledge of the healing arts extends far beyond the selling of natural medicine.
(7/7/17)

​
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
Have you ever come across one of those pieces of art that seems so strange on the surface that it unnerves you in a way that you can’t even name? Not nightmare-inducing scary, but just daunting somehow? I was once wandering through the anime section at Best Buy when my eye fell upon a single DVD. For the first two milliseconds all my brain could perceive was a splotchy mess of color. Two steps and a proper view later: “Oh. That’s a person I’m looking at. Okay then.” Still, I felt intimidated enough to move on and all but forget the title, until last year when I saw it appear as an Honorable Mention on WatchMojo.com’s List of the Top 10 Beautiful Anime. Being more experienced in strange art and stories by this time, I decided to revisit it. Let’s just say that the phrase “Better late than never” would be a massive understatement.

In Edo Period Japan, a quiet, unassuming man makes a living wandering the land and selling the wares he keeps within the large trunk he carries upon his back. He identifies himself only by his occupation: Medicine Seller. Nothing more, nothing less. However, every so often he comes across cases in which people are attacked or murdered by brutal, even unnatural means—and that is when his real work begins. The Medicine Seller is also a slayer of Mononoke, evil demon-like entities that feed off the negative emotions of humans before killing them. The only thing capable of neutralizing these beings is the Medicine Seller’s mystical Sword of Exorcism. Armed with nerves of iron, a sharp mind, and various magical abilities of his own, the Medicine Seller must root out the Mononoke and learn their weaknesses so that he can destroy them and restore peace to the human world.

Looking this show up by name is somewhat tricky as its title is annoyingly similar to, and therefore often confused with, the film, Princess Mononoke, by Hayao Miyazaki. (Emphasis on the “ANNOYING”!) And therein, sadly, lays one of the reasons why even hardcore anime fans tend to not know it exists. This 12-episode series is actually a spin-off of an anthology series from 2006 called Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales, with episodes 9-11, collectively entitled Goblin Cat in English, serving as both its basis and its prequel. This show follows a similar format in that the Medicine Seller is literally the only reoccurring character in the various 2-3 episode stories that otherwise have nothing to do with each other, featuring different characters, settings, and of course, mononoke to kill.

While mononoke are most certainly monstrosities in every sense of the word, that doesn’t mean they attack without some kind of catalyst. Mononoke are formed when unnatural spirits called ayakashi merge with the deepest darkness of the human heart, born from malevolent thoughts and actions. However, even if the Medicine Seller is aware of a mononoke’s presence, he can’t simply unsheathe his sword and vanquish the demon right then and there. Not yet. Even ignoring the disturbingly realistic imp-like face upon his otherwise exquisite-looking sword, it is heavily implied that said sword is actually alive. In fact, there are specific conditions that must be met in order for the sword to be drawn, almost as if the Medicine Seller is following its orders, rather than vice versa. He must first know 3 vital things about the mononoke in question:

1) Katachi (form) – what sort of creature it is and what it looks like
2) Makoto (truth) – the factual circumstances of how and why it came to be
3) Kotowari (reasoning/regret) – its state of mind/the motive for its attacks

MEDICINE SELLER: (Addressing the entire Sakai household.) The katachi, or shape of the demon is determined by the human’s fate and karma. Now your truth and reasoning—or makoto and kotowari. I must hear everything about them.

Plot-wise, I find this a very unique spin on the concept of a murder mystery, which is essentially what this series is. The Medicine Seller is a detective, questioning any involved about their past and learning the heinous secrets lurking underneath the guise of a traumatized victim, secrets that mononoke latch onto and thrive upon like parasites. Now this could easily have turned into nothing more than filler before the glorious epic finale in which the Medicine Seller finally unsheathes his sword to combat the mononoke, but no. This idea, already supplemented by superb storytelling and character interaction, provides an excellent backdrop for exploring questions regarding the human condition, not to mention helping to make each mystery all the more deliciously tense, the monsters all the more creative, and the final battles all the more riveting.

MEDICINE SELLER: Demonic spirits have their own way of reasoning. Their grudges may never be explained or understood by humans . . . But, unless their hatred is absolved, they will continue to cause harm to the ones who created them.

[ . . . ]

KATSUYAMA: What is this makoto and kotowari you keep mentioning? And why should we care about them?
MEDICINE SELLER: Makoto refers to the facts. Kotowari is the reason for the demon’s grudge.
KATSUYAMA: (Brusquely.) So what?
MEDICINE SELLER: Something happened in the past and for whatever reason the spirit became resentful. Now, unless everything becomes clear, the sword won’t be able to hold the power and cut down the demonic spirit.
SASAOKA: (In confirmation.) So we need to know the reason.
MEDICINE SELLER: First off: Why are there no cats in this house? Someone must have done something to a cat. (Whispering thoughtfully.) Now what could it have been?

Few of the horror aspects may be obvious at first glance, though. Based in large part on Ukiyo-e, a form of art prevalent in Japan from the 17th to the 19th centuries, the visual style of this show has a flat, papery look to it, colorful to the point of being psychedelic, and presented structurally like a Japanese play, with sliding doors acting as curtains at the beginning and end of each episode. Not only that, but aside from the Medicine Seller, the main characters of a given narrative—no matter how many or few—are given full artistic attention while any extras are prop-like rather than realistic, with their faces hidden or distorted while other distinguishing features are almost nonexistent. (Depending on the respective story, this in itself can also be highly symbolic.)

Even with such a vibrant background, however, the protagonist himself still manages to steal the show flawlessly. With his multi-colored robe, purple headscarf, matted, straw-like hair, intricate pieces of jewelry, and blood-red face paint upon his deathly pale skin, the Medicine Seller’s appearance somehow manages to tread a fine, albeit somewhat bizarre, line between “clown” and “warrior”. But his personality is nowhere near as loud as his attire: he is calm, reserved, and distant; ever observant, rarely fazed, and speaking only when necessary, and even then in a voice of such serenity and composure that can easily catch anyone, from pompous high-ranked officials to disgruntled servants, completely off guard:

TOKUJI: (Gruffly.) Now listen, man, we don’t need any. We don’t need any medicine. You’re standing in the way of our guests, go somewhere else! Hey, vendor! Did you hear what I said?
MEDICINE SELLER: (Completely unruffled.) No, no, listen. I just . . . want to stay . . . over night . . . and that’s it. 

He can even show a rather snarky sense of humor when he feels so inclined, giving him a bit of humanity to balance out his otherwise somber demeanor. Sometimes this can be harmless, like calling a loud-mouthed vassal out for insulting him behind his back:

(The Medicine Seller hands Odajima a huge pot of salt; Odajima takes it and nearly drops it due to its weight.)

ODAJIMA: (Struggling to hold the pot.) What’s the deal?! You expect me to carry this?
MEDICINE SELLER: (Smiling pleasantly.) Yeah, to make sure I don’t have a chance to poison it.
ODAJIMA: (Grumbling in embarrassment.) You overheard me?
MEDICINE SELLER: Well, you talk so loud it’d be impossible not to hear you, even if I tried.
ODAJIMA: (Angrily.) You’re makin’ fun of me!
MEDICINE SELLER: Uh-oh. You noticed.

But at other times it can seem downright sadistic. At one point in the “Nue” story, the Medicine Seller presides as a judge over an incense game; just as the court official, the samurai, and the fish-monger are about to begin, however, the Medicine Seller suddenly claims to have made a rather horrible mistake with the preparation of the incense, only to “scold” himself by ever so gently tapping his head in a mock beating.

MEDICINE SELLER: No, wait. I’m sorry. I’ve made a mistake here.
COURT OFFICIAL: Hm? What’s wrong? What mistake did you make?
MEDICINE SELLER: A small one. See, I have a lot of medicines. I put the oleander aside because we shouldn’t be using it in a game such as this one. But then I mixed it in by mistake.
SAMURAI: Why? What’s wrong with using oleander, huh? It’s a medicine.
MEDICINE SELLER: Well, yes, the leaves are medicinal in nature. However, the branches don’t share the same property. They’re a lethal poison.
COURT OFFICIAL: (Choking with shock.) Wha . . .
FISH-MONGER: (Demanding angrily.) What are you saying?
MEDICINE SELLER: Among these five scents here, which one contains the oleander? That’s the issue I’m dealing with right now. (Still smiling as he lightly taps himself on the head in sarcastic self-reproach.) How careless of me.

What’s more, this is a character who carries himself with the air of one who has long since made complete peace with the life he lives and couldn’t care less about what others think, speaking of the present danger of the mononoke with no hesitation and absolute bluntness, regardless of any disbelieving jeers or crazed hysteria on the part of those ordinary humans unfamiliar with such things. Interestingly, in spite of his dedication to his work and how seriously he takes it, the Medicine Seller in fact holds no ties to anything in this world, even the people he tries to save. Granted, almost no one in this show is innocent of some wrongdoing, but the Medicine Seller will never mourn anyone’s death, accepting such occurrences as just another part of the job—almost to the point of seeming heartless at times—and preferring to focus on exorcising the mononoke that can sometimes be more deserving of sympathy than the humans who brought them into existence:

MEDICINE SELLER: Goblin Cat, I understand your truth and reasoning. Now . . . I’ve taken it to heart. [. . .] I understand what you’re capable of, I’ve seen your actions. And I know what must be done. You aren’t fated to belong in the dimension. I will exorcise you. Forgive me.

The most fascinating aspect about the Medicine Seller, however, is the mystery that surrounds him, borderline antithetical to how a fictional character typically is—or should be—presented. While not revealing everything about a character can make them interesting, sometimes revealing too little can make them confusing, boring, or both. And yet here it is done in a way that is beautifully haunting to the imagination. By the end of the final episode, we don’t know any more about this character or his history than we did at episode 1. What’s more, it is unclear whether he is really even human. Is he a sorcerer? A god? A spirit himself? Or perhaps some other being for which there are no mortal words?

Just as it initially did with me, this show might put some people off, due to its rather extreme visuals as well as its genuinely disturbing and violent content. But with a variety of intense and provocative stories to go with an animation style that’s mind-blowingly gorgeous even by anime standards, Mononoke definitely deserves for more attention than it gets. It can often be well worth the experience if a story and its presentation challenge an opinion or perception one has—some personal “truth” that one has come to believe—should one wish to explore more deeply.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
EPISODE SONGS:
“Get a Move On!” - Paul Gutmann

https://www.facebook.com/paul.gutmann.77

“Haunting Memory” - Paul Gutmann
All other music and sound clips are from the English dubs of Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales and Mononoke (directed by Kenji Nakamura; licensed by Siren Visual and Discoktek Media):

Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales - “Bake Neko (Part 2)”
Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales - “Bake Neko (Part 3)”
Mononoke, Ep. 1 - “Zashiki-warashi (Part 1)”
Mononoke, Ep. 9 - “Nue [Japanese Chimera] (Part 2)”

Download the full 15-minute episode here!

Mononoke on Wikipedia

Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales on Wikipedia

Mononoke on IMDb

Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales on IMDb

Mononoke on Anime News Network

Mononoke on Crunchyroll

Mononoke on Tv Tropes

Mononoke DVD on Amazon

Mononoke on Amazon

Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales on Amazon

Mononoke on eBay

Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales on eBay

​
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Nightly Heroes

3/28/2019

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Picture
Picture
#16 - Gargoyles
1994-1997, Ages 8 and Up

Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of a family of ancient nocturnal creatures who vow to protect the modern world they find themselves in after awakening from a thousand-year sleep.
(10/7/16)

​
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
My memories of when this show first aired aren’t all that vivid . . . but, somewhat to my chagrin, I remember very clearly my initial thought upon first seeing it. It was something to the effect of: “Oh . . . another Ninja Turtles knockoff.” Not only was I dead wrong about this, but I feel like I really missed out on something truly unique. Though, looking back, it’s entirely possible that the seven-year-old me wouldn’t have been able to follow it anyway. Regardless, Toon Disney thankfully gave me another chance, just in time for my high school years when I felt that my understanding and tastes of fiction had matured greatly. Much as I was hooked on the anime shown during the glory days of Cartoon Network’s Toonami, this was a very nice change of pace for me during those years, especially considering that it was made by an animation company that, even to this day, is better known for creating both films and T.V. shows that are cute and funny rather than dark and complex--Walt Disney Animation.

In Scotland, 994 AD., Goliath is the leader of a clan of gargoyles that makes its home within a large castle. As is their nature, they “sleep” as stone statues during the day, but “awaken” as flesh-and-blood warriors at night. The gargoyles make it their duty to defend the castle and its resident humans from various invaders, while the humans in their turn protect the gargoyles during their stone hibernation. In spite of this arrangement, tensions between both races run high as the humans fear and shun the gargoyles for their demonic appearance, while some gargoyles feel insulted by the humans’ ingratitude. Things really come to a head, though, when a heinous act of human betrayal leaves most of the clan dead and Goliath and only five other survivors frozen in a permanent stone sleep—only to reawaken in the radically different world of Manhattan, New York in 1994, having been transported and revived by the cunning billionaire David Xanatos, who wishes to use the gargoyles to serve his own ends. With the aid of the tough but compassionate NYPD detective, Elisa Maza, Goliath and the remainder of his clan must battle Xanatos and other villains—both modern and magical—to protect themselves and each other while trying to adjust to the 20th-century world they must now live in.

While the show technically has no credited creator, the title of “co-creator” has since unofficially gone to then Disney executive, Greg Weisman, who made the original pitch of the show and went on to co-produce it. In its early stages, Gargoyles was much more light-hearted, influenced by comedy in the vein of Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears. (This is turning into quite the blast from the past, isn’t it?) In time, however, it became much more serious in tone, its best comparison today still being Batman: The Animated Series.

On that note, this show realistically but not too heavy-handedly addresses one of the greatest issues still plaguing modern society today: racism. One of its most rare and admirable qualities is that it encourages, if not forces us to take a good long look at ourselves as human beings. In Disney’s portrayal, gargoyles are seen as “unnatural creatures” or “monsters”. In reality, they are as refined and intelligent as humans while being animalistic enough to maintain a sort of inherent purity, capable of surviving almost anywhere and having neither need nor desire for material possessions, or to exploit, enslave, or harm others, especially the weak.

This is illustrated brilliantly by the show’s exceptional ensemble cast. While gargoyles typically don’t have names, Goliath was named by his Scottish charges after the famed, though controversial, Biblical figure, his physical strength, intimidating demeanor, and combat skills being the stuff of nightmares to any who would seek to harm him or his protectorate. But unlike his namesake, Goliath the gargoyle has all the qualities of a great leader and role model: just, patient, open-minded, and always putting the safety of others above his own. Despite the callousness with which humans treat him daily, Goliath nonetheless fulfills his mission of protection with dignity and honor, much like what real-life stone gargoyles perching atop old cathedrals and castles were built to do according to legend. This presentation is further enhanced by Emmy-winning actor Keith David, who provided Goliath with a deep, authoritative voice, capable of both gentleness and wrath, and more than suiting the nobility of his character.

GOLIATH: No apologies needed. We are what we are. Her [Princess Katherine’s] opinion will not change that. . . . It is the nature of humankind to fear what they do not understand. Their ways are not our ways.

Furthermore, the two recurring villains each represent some of the worst aspects of the heart of any sentient being. Xanatos—not unlike many humans—is a master manipulator, arrogantly treating almost everyone and everything as either a business opportunity or a game in which the winner takes all, and always with a tranquil eye and a suave smile on his face.

XANATOS:
- (To Goliath.) You’ve got it all wrong. I’m the best friend you [Goliath] have in this world.
- (While Goliath holds him over a ledge, threatening to drop him.) Go ahead. Without me, you’d still be gathering moss.

The other primary villain is Demona, a rogue gargoyle and (tragically) Goliath’s former lover. While Goliath believes that not all humans are evil just because gargoyles have been hurt or killed by some, the deeply embittered Demona sees only humans’ apparent foolishness, greed, and treachery. Ever devious, frighteningly vengeful, and as cold as she is lovely, she now wants nothing less than complete genocide upon every human on the planet—and she will not hesitate to kill even her own kind should they stand in her way.

DEMONA:
- (To Goliath.) Humanity is a poison that must be purged from this planet!
- (To Puck.) I want you to get rid of the humans. All of them.

Acting as a foil for both is Elisa. To make one TMNT analogy, she is to the gargoyles what April is to the Turtles. She acts as their guide and link to the modern world, able to access places and information they can’t and offering invaluable companionship in a domain even more dangerous and cruel to their kind than ever. I think it worth noting that Elisa herself is non-Caucasian, having an African-American mother and a Native American father. Though she is naturally confused and fearful of the gargoyles at first, she comes to admire and respect them not only as close friends, but for the true heroes they are.

ELISA:
- (To Goliath.) You’re judging [the modern world] the way humans have judged you. I mean, sure this city shows an ugly face sometimes, but . . . there’s more to it than that.
- (Angrily to DA Margo Yale.) Gargoyles are not animals! They are noble beings who happen to be far more evolved than we are. But you’ll never see that as long as you’re bent on prosecuting them to advance your career.

Goliath’s fellow gargoyles are also a joy to watch, each named (by themselves) after a New York landmark and each with different personalities that still mesh very well.

Hudson, the group’s elder and veteran soldier who guides the others with his wisdom and experience:
- A gargoyle can no more stop protecting the castle than breathing the air.
- (To the young trio.) I know sorcery when I see it, and this is the darkest kind.

Brooklyn, a bit sarcastic and rebellious, but quick-witted and always ready for combat:
- (To Broadway and Lexington during a battle at the castle in Scotland.) Shall we let our brothers and sisters have all the fun?
- (Wearily to Bronx.) No sense staying up here while it’s safe.

Broadway, an overweight gargoyle whose love for books and old movies is matched only by his love of food:

- (Imitating John Wayne while foolishly playing with Elisa’s gun.) Let’s go pilgrim, and don’t forget the horse!
- (Excitedly to Angela, another gargoyle.) Oh, you’ll love it here [at the castle]! They’ve got an incredible kitchen, and an even better library!

Lexington, the youngest, who is fascinated by technology and loves to tinker with gadgets and machines:
- (To Elisa.) Just a machine? Ha! Just the latest in robotics technology hooked to virtual reality!
- (As he hovers with fascination over a motorcyclist as he’s riding.) What a beautiful device!

And Bronx, a dog-like beast who serves as the group’s fiercely loyal pet and companion.

Another major—and awesome—tangential learning highlight of the show is its inclusion of real-world fantasy literature and mythology. The best example: about a third of the second season consists of the story arc known as “The Avalon World Tour”. Here, Goliath, Elisa, and Bronx travel to the legendary island of Avalon to battle an ancient enemy, after which they are sent to different parts of the globe to right whatever wrongs they find while encountering various mythological figures, creatures, and even gods. Among others, these include:

Anubis, the Egyptian lord of the dead:
- (To the Emir.) I grant but one boon, mortal. And it will be given to you as it is given to everyone, when your time has come.
- (Getting angry.) You cannot comprehend the forces you unleash.

Anansi, the African spider trickster:
- (To Diane [Elisa’s mother].) [Fara Maku] came to me, storyteller. He believed in the legends and hunted until he found me.
- (Laughing evilly.) You will all serve me, you puny creatures!

Oden, the warrior king of the Norse gods:
- (To Goliath, with Elisa as his hostage.) Hear me, gargoyle! This is Oden who speaks to you! . . . Return my eye, or forfeit the maiden’s [Elisa’s] life.
- (To Elisa.) Quiet, wench! I am not the most patient of gods.

As well as various Shakespearian characters, such as the ever famously mischievous fairy trickster Puck:
- (To Demona.) Serving humans is fun; they have a sense of humor. You have none!
- (To Demona as Goliath appears in Titania’s mirror.) How quaint. After all these centuries you’re still carrying a torch. Well, if that's what you want, I can make [Goliath] love you again, piece of cake; given your charming personality.

And of course, the almighty rulers of the Fair Folk themselves: Lord Oberon and Lady Titania:
OBERON: (Growing irritated with Titania.) You are over-pert, my queen. I lived my millennium among [mortals], just as you.
TITANIA: Then grant them the opportunity to save themselves.
. . .
OBERON: When I can wipe them off the isle with a gesture? (With bored distaste.) Why bother with such foolish fairness?
TITANIA: Because if you win, my lord, I’ll stand by your side again.

One thing I should mention to new-comers: with the exception of the first episode, the third and final season of Gargoyles—also known as The Goliath Chronicles—is technically non-canon, as it involved an almost entirely new writing staff and was consequently considered by fans to be much weaker in quality compared to the first two seasons. However, Weisman did continue the story through a series of comics released after the show’s cancellation, which are now available online. They are a bit rare and expensive now, but if you want the true continuation of the story, check those out; highly, HIGHLY recommended.

To help sum up, here are some excerpts from the introduction to “Clan-Building: Volume 1” by Elfquest creator, Wendy Pini:

“To say the least, we human types are complicated. We’re able to be both frightened by and, at the same time, drawn to the very thing we fear. . . .

. . . Gargoyles . . . went where no cartoon series has gone before: deep into the realm of Human meets Other. And what is “Other?” Something that’s like us, but unlike . . . alien, older, primal, not bound by conventional wisdom or law . . . something magical, powerful, beautiful and terrifying that makes us yearn for a lost part of ourselves. . . .”

Humorous and thrilling in the vein of classic Disney, humbling and philosophical regarding the human condition, Gargoyles is a good-old fashioned superhero show with a healthy dose of crime drama and action mixed with sword-and-sorcery romance and adventure that both kids and adults can really sink their teeth into.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
EPISODE SONGS:
“The Time Has Come” - Paul Gutmann

https://www.facebook.com/paul.gutmann.77

“God's Holy Blood” - Andrew Lipke

https://www.facebook.com/andrew.lipke.2025

All other music and sound clips are from Gargoyles (created by Greg Weisman; production by Walt Disney Television Animation, Jade Animation, Tama Animations, and Nelvana; distributed by Buena Vista Television).

- Season 1, Ep. 1: “Awakening: Part 1”
- Season 1, Ep. 2: “Awakening: Part 2”
- Season 1, Ep. 3: “Awakening: Part 3”
- Season 1, Ep. 5: “Awakening: Part 5”
- Season 1, Ep. 8: “Deadly Force”
- Season 1, Ep. 10: “The Edge”
- Season 1, Ep. 13: “Reawakening”
- Season 2, Ep. 1: “Leader of the Pack”
- Season 2, Ep. 5: “The Mirror”
- Season 2, Ep. 31: “Grief”
- Season 2, Ep. 34: “Mark of the Panther”
- Season 2, Ep. 36: “Eye of the Storm”
- Season 2, Ep. 42: “Ill Met By Moonlight”
- Season 2, Ep. 52: “Hunter’s Moon: Part 3”
- Season 3, Ep. 13: “Angels in the Night”

Download the full 15-minute episode here!

Gargoyles on Wikipedia

Gargoyles on Fandom

Gargoyles on IMDb

Gargoyles on Common Sense Media

Gargoyles on Tv Tropes

Gargoyles at ShopDisney

Gargoyles the TV Series on Amazon

Gargoyles the Comics on Amazon

Gargoyles at Barnes & Noble

Gargoyles on eBay

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