In this episode we return to Teen Titans Season 2 focusing on episodes “How Long is Forever?” “Every Dog has its Day,” and “Terra.” We talk about wibbly-wobbly-time travel shenanigans, Easter Island man-babies, and Slade creeping on Terra. And does anyone else notice how Raven doesn’t mind being licked by an alien dog?
In this episode we discuss Teen Titans, Season 1, “Mad Mod,” “Car Trouble,” and “Apprentice” parts 1 and 2. We talk about Mad Mod’s crazy house, the wonderful, rare pairing between Cyborg and Raven, and how Slade is just so freaking creepy. Also, we ask ourselves, is Slade Robin in disguise?
Hey everyone. It’s with great enthusiasm that Mary and I are launching our own podcast called “Mary and Andy Geek Out!” This is just a fun, amateur podcast where we talk things that we’re interested in. This first season, we’re rewatching the hit Cartoon Network Show, Teen Titans, and discussing each episode as we watch. The first podcast episode is up already and focuses on the first three episodes of Teen Titans.
The Soundcloud link is here
The iTunes link is here
We’re planning on making this a weekly podcast so the next episode will be up in a few days. Have a good week!
Andy
Here’s a fun fact for you, did you know that the creators of Danganronpa and Zero Escape are friends? I’m not honestly surprised and in fact, I find that enduring, given the creators perchance for making dark video games with diabolic and white, cuddly characters. Although I have not yet played Danganronpa (mainly through lack of specific hardware) I have seen the anime and it’s quite good in all honesty. After seeing the anime, I really want to play the game even though I know the ending to it.
Video game adaptations to the small screen can be hit or miss but can be done right and even extremely well. In particular, the visual novel genre seems to hit a particular easy-adaptation and well-produced stride among other video games. It’s not surprising given how there is already a well-thought out story immersed with fleshed-out characters and plot twists galore. A simple elimination of the minimal player interaction combined with a full anime budget and you got yourself a decent miniseries on hand. Ace Attorney has finally gotten its own anime adaptation and I’m hoping that Professor Layton will follow suit soon. As such, why hasn’t Nine Hours, Nine Persons, and Nine Doors (or “999”) gotten its own anime adaptation yet? I honestly think it will adapt quite well.
I think 999’s biggest problem is the branching storyline that is absolutely essential to the game. 999’s alternate histories and complex plot could easily confuse new viewers who may lose focus even for a moment. What’s more, 999’s, and its sequel, loves thought experiments and hypothetical situations, which take time to explain and may further confuse a person who would question why these are here in the first place.
Before I offer suggestions how this could be resolved, let’s look at another visual novel-adapted anime that also has branching storylines, Umineko: When They Cry.
Umineko focuses on an extended family that visits their island after the head of the household dies. The greedy family wants to know who inherited what in the will of their now deceased father/grandfather. What follows are a series of supernatural events where many deaths occur and many alternate histories are explored.
What made Umineko easy to follow was how the main character was aware of these alternate storylines. Through him, he can remind us how things happened and how he was going to change them. What’s more, the anime made watching easy for the viewer and sped up certain already-seen events while establishing who was alive and when. In the end of the first season, we are left with a cliff hanger but we are not confused thanks to the excellent plot development.
The anime adaptation of 999 should follow a similar tract. Some events, mainly those at the beginning of the game, are ones that we will witness over and over again. A simple reminder of what happened and when will help orient the viewers of where they are in the timeline and what puzzle rooms have been solved. What’s more, Junpei’s ability to jump timelines should be more heavily explored near the beginning of the anime so the viewer is not confused why events are happening differently this time. The thought experiments, which are very dialogue heavy, is probably the trickiest part of 999 to adapt as the original flavor of the game would be lost if these aren’t included. I honestly think these can be done though given the right circumstances. If other, thought-provoking anime shows, like Death Note, are not afraid to be complex and not talk-down to the audience, then 999 shouldn’t be afraid either.
If you wanted to be poetic, the anime could be produced into nine episodes. I’m not honestly sure if that would be feasible or not but given the circumstances, it’s possible.
With the final Zero Escape game coming out this summer, I would welcome the possibility of a complete anime adaptation of this series but I stress that an anime adaptation of Virtue’s Last Reward would likely be insane. 999 had only five separate endings whereas Virtue’s Last Reward had over 20! True, you probably wouldn’t have to explore every single damn ending (quite a few of them aren’t necessary), but the amount of timeline jumping in that game is craaaaazy. The game had a helpful timeline chart you could look at but I bet the anime wouldn’t have it as easy as that.
I think the best course of action is just to stick to 999 as that game is more concise compared to its sequel. Video games are a form of art and sometimes, just like from books to movies, you can’t do the original media justice when you transform the source into something else. And maybe an anime adaptation of 999 will fall to pieces because of which. You just can’t adapt the player interaction into an anime. But hey, it could work.
It’s National Park Service Week and today, I’ll talk about my favorite American Civil War Military Parks preserved by this great agency. I recently got to experience these parks for the first time on a father-son trip this month and that was wonderful. This trip was special for my dad and I as we had never been to a military park before. Now, we visited all the famous battlefields in America history such as Shiloh, Manassas, and of course, Gettysburg. Many of these places were great so only the cream of the crop made the list. I highly encourage you to visit these parks in the first place but if you don’t have time, definitely check these out. For a full list of the places I visited, check out the list at the end of the article.
Manassas National Battlefield Park
For being so close to the nation’s capital, Manassas lacks encroaching suburban developments that plague the D.C. area. This is wonderful and certainly helps visitors interpret the battlefield thanks to its wide open fields and tour stops. Manassas also has one of my favorite visitor centers on our trip thanks to its well-polished orientation video and map diagrams. The first battle of Manassas was the first major battle of the American Civil War and the visitor center highlights the initial ignorance our country had about the conflict in 1861. My family was also lucky in getting a ranger-led program for both the first and second battle of Manassas. Both of the rangers were well informed, gave detailed, but not overwhelming, battle descriptions and answered our questions with ease. A beautiful park that any D.C. native should check out. Half-a-day recommended.
Petersburg National Battlefield Park
A hefty chunk of the military parks are driving-oriented so if you want a break from that, look into Petersburg. Not only are the trails very scenic but the original Civil War-earthworks still stand today. These earthworks, which are usually trenches dug out by the soldiers, helped me understand the battlefield and how close the combatants were from each other. The sign posts were also helpful as they act like a silent park ranger and tell who was doing what at what time. Very well organized and I highly recommend you check out “the crater,” which was a failed attempt by the Union to breech the Confederate line and capture Petersburg. Half a day is stretching it but achievable if you focus mainly on the eastern front portion of the park.
Vicksburg National Military Park
Unfortunately, this is a driving-heavy park but gosh darn you’re going to have a beautiful view anyway. We went in April which is probably the best time to visit this park, true, there weren’t any ranger led programs when we went but what you get in return is great weather and a low amount of park visitors. Again, earthworks are plentiful but they really add to the driving tour as you first go through the Union front, turn around and go through the Confederate front. Traversing the Confederate front really made me realize how close these two armies were to each other and it’s insane. There is a hidden gem in the park that many people don’t know about and that’s the U.S.S. Cairo, a sunken, Civil War gunboat that was raised in the 1960s. There aren’t many gunboats that are left from this time so I strongly suggest you check it out as the small visitor center really hones in on the river ships used during the war. Very interesting. I recommend a full day at the park.
Gettysburg National Military Park
I don’t think many of you are surprised that this is on my list but guys, this park is so worth it. First off, the military park is immense and every important part of the battle is preserved almost to perfection. When you’re at the field where Pickett’s Charge took place or standing on the rocky slopes of Little Round Top, you get this real humbling experience that nowhere else can replicate. The best part about the visitor center is the cyclorama which is very beautiful. It’s worth buying the ticket just to see it. We also had the best ranger-led tour on our trip by Ranger Matt. You are enthralled in his easy-going nature as he recounts tales of hardships and sacrifice. Not only did he teach me about Gettysburg but he also taught me how to be a better Park Ranger. Gosh, thanks to Ranger Matt, my dad and I ended our trip in a satisfying manner. Great park and a full day is recommended.
Extra Credit-A Park Celebrating its Annual Commemoration
My dad and I visited Shiloh during the anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh (April 6th and 7th) and we lucked out and visited both Fort Sumter and Appomattox Court House during their annual commemorations. The parks go above and beyond for their annual commemoration and I highly recommend you guys to check them out. At Shiloh, we arrived to the visitor center at 5:00 am to “witness” the first skirmish of the battle and from there, we followed ranger after ranger on the various battles that happened that day. Phenomenal. At Fort Sumter, we saw a rifle demonstration and at Appomattox we saw a reenactor who also knew his stuff extraordinarily well. The parks may be more crowded than usual but you are guaranteed a great time.
Here is a list of all the parks my dad and I visited: Vicksburg Military Park, Raymond Military Park, Shiloh Military Park, Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, Chattanooga Military Park, Kennesaw National Battlefield, Battle of Rivers’ Bridge State Park, Fort Sumter National Monument, Petersburg National Battlefield Park, Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania Battlefield Park, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Bentonville Battlefield State Park, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Antietam National Military Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, and Gettysburg National Military Park.
Rather than swamp Unapologetic Nerd with reaction articles and alike to Civilization Battle Royale, I decided to make a side blog, “From the Sub.” There, you can see my responses and more to updates for the CBR. I’m still playing around for its overall appearance so the layout may change in the near future. In the meanwhile, I’ll continue to write articles for Unapologetic Nerd as well. Just spreading the word out. Until next time!
Link to site https://fromthesub.wordpress.com/
Several years ago, my friend and I watched a whole bunch of Creepypasta films and stories on Halloween and were delightfully creeped out by the majority of them. They ranged from the Russian Sleep Experiment to Ben Drowned. Ben Drowned certainly creeped me out and gave me constant shivers down my spine. However, the problem with tackling Creepypasta stories altogether is that you eliminate that doubt the hangs around in the back of your head. You know these tales aren’t true simply because people have gone out of their way to debunk them and you are reading them all on a Creepypasta page.
So one year later, while I was doing research at the library, one of my Facebook friends posted a link (see below) on his wall and commented on its weird and chilling nature. So I clicked on the link and sat back and watched it.
The video starts with a calm and stoic voice that introduces you to a story of a man who has hid quite a bit of money somewhere in Great Britain. The content of the video, as it divulges information, strikes a healthy balance between seriousness and dark comedy that does not outright seem farfetched or outlandish. I myself related to the video as I had by then hosted two riddle challenges for my friends where I hid a prize somewhere in my hometown.
The introduction of Fortress is another convincing piece of evidence for this video’s authenticity. Although Fortress may have been a bit over the top, the use of old Youtube footage from 2005 sparks this degree of believability as by the time the video was released, this was six years ago and Youtube had gone though many major overhauls to its structure (such as the “star rating” system). What’s more, our memories are untrustworthy so when we see old footage like this, we may lead towards video credibility if we are pushed justly in that direction.
Then we get the Pardoner’s Tale flash animation story. Not only is the story delightful and creepy, it is well made and delivered. This again lends credibility towards the video’s story on this riddle challenge. If someone wanted to properly showcase an almost forgotten story on the internet, they would make sure to deliver quality services to its inquisitive viewers.
As the video continues, we return back to Fortress’ attempts to solve the puzzles. The puzzles are hard but Fortress, along with his amateur video quality, takes us through his thinking process and finds the puzzles ones by one. However, the video quietly takes a dark tone and this creepy music, similar in style to the movie It Follows, slowly seeps into the video and I can’t help but get these chills along my spine as the narrator’s voice just suddenly turns me off even though he barely changed his disposition. And oh God that reveal at the end with the yellow letters just pushed it into uncomfortable territory. But what really seals it for me is that creepy photograph at the end with the article about the dead body and the mystery of the unidentified person. Fuck, no matter how many times I watch the video I still get these horrible chills from it.
So when the video ended, I had to check it out if it was real and, truth be told, it took me awhile to figure out that this was fake. But here, I have to say, the video’s believability combined with its intriguing storyline, makes this my favorite Creepypasta story. You see, I wasn’t watching this video during Halloween or actively looking for a video like it, it fell upon my lap most innocently and from there, I believed it, even if it was only for a few minutes. That’s what makes a great Creepypasta, the ability to deceive while at the same time make you as uncomfortable as possible.
Stand upon thee o great Butte!
This land I see is a mixture of hills with painted strokes upon their flanks and ark pine trees dotting the palate
The only thing above you are clouds who even they and their shadows are small enough to be seen
Their shadows creep along the landscape like an amorphous amoeba, covering everything in its path
I shout, but no one can hear as the wind overbears my voice and drown it in the hillside
Below me is a hidden trove of fossils who lurk in anticipation to be discovered
They do not mind me walking on them as rock and rock and rock has already smothered them
The grass is sparse but the stones are free from all trampling temptation
Burnt lichen cover them in hopes of a passing rain cloud
I am only me up here-the deer just leave prints, the ants do not march, the birds do not fly, and the rabbits just hide from their blazing oppressor
Still, I am just me up here, sitting and thinking, thinking.
How on Earth do I get down?
Ghost fish Ghost fish
Tee dum Tee dum
Trapped in the purple Hillza
beNeath the grassHoppers Trillza
Ghost fish Ghost fish
Bazaw Bazaw
Backbone Missing
Ostracods Twistings
Ghost fish Ghost fish
Bazaw Bazaw
Living PostParaDise
Nothing’s here Nothing nice
Ghost fish Ghost fish
Tee dum Tee dum
Dismal Life-like
Salty Bleak-life
Ghost fish Ghost fish
Chip chip Chip chip
Stare Right with the Whita
Stare Back with the Blacka.
Ghost fish Ghost fish
Tee dum Tee dum
Ghost fish Ghost fish
Chip chip Chip chip
Chip
chip
In the summer of 2009, I was going on my first geology field trip soon and I knew I needed an Adventure Hat.
The problem was, for whatever reason, it was difficult for me to find a hat that fit my head perfectly. I remember one time I was trying on a hat and it didn’t fit me quite right, looking at the tag, I read “One size fits most.” But after much looking around, I found one and it has been by my head ever since.
I have been with this hat longer than I have known my girlfriend, many of my current comrades, and all of my nieces and nephews. It has been with me so long that many of my peers and acquaintances recognize me from a distance solely based on me wearing this sucker. It has traveled with me from cities to the middle of nowhere, through rainstorms and snow, through deserts and forests, and glared by the blazing sun and splashed by a beach’s salty waves. It has traveled to Istanbul, DC, Paris, San Diego, and even the little town of Drumheller, Alberta.
Pins adorn the hat to the point that some may call tacky or compare it to a car’s bumper overfilled with stickers but I don’t care. They are pins that describe me, or are part of my identity, or I just find interesting. The constant exposure to the elements has made their needles rusted over time but they hold firm to the Hat.
I can’t tell you how many times I have lost my Adventure Hat. Sometimes, I may simply have misplaced it, but other times, it will be gone for weeks at a time. One time, I was over at a friend’s house, I was sitting on her couch and I took off my Hat and set it on top of the couch. The Hat slid off and fell behind, trapped in the shadows of the netherworld. I then left her place and forgot about it (I do that a lot unfortunately). It wasn’t until I came back almost a month later that I found it again.
All of its adventures have taken a notable toll on this hat. Its edges are frayed, the color has faded, a sweat stain spreads slowly on the brim, and holes form previous pins are scattered throughout its exterior. And yet, I still wear it because it does its job right.
But I have grown very attached to this piece of fabric despite its aged appearance. As such, I have a request…
If my soul gets separated from my body for whatever reason and you need a material object to bring it back, PLEASE USE MY HAT! I can’t emphasize that enough. It will make your life sooooo much easier if you use my hat (provided I hadn’t lost it again). Also, if I’m possessed by some raging demon from the fifth dimension and I’m shouting how bad you smell, use the Hat. I swear, I bet this hat is filled with some sort of luck charm or whatever based on how many times I have lost and found it.
I wouldn’t be surprised if a part of my soul is even in the Hat itself. If I had a horcrux, it would be the Hat. No shocker there. The best part is that if I died, all I need is somebody to take the hat and wear it temporarily. My soul could then slowly take over there body! Soon they’ll be wearing socks with sandals, sing Gilbert and Sullivan, and write pointless blog articles on the internet! The problem with that is no one would wear such a tattered thing! You might as well just bury it with my body for all the good it will do.
This Hat means a lot to me and I still find it useful to this day. I’m looking forward to taking it with me to Fossil Butte National Monument where I’ll be a park intern this summer. It’s going to be so awesome wearing my park uniform with my Hat! My Hat has been with me for many years, and I hope it will keep on, keeping on for more years to come.
The Unapologetic Nerd 