Review

Zeke’s Year in Review – Wrestling (Indy Edition)

Posted on by Zeke

Zeke’s Year in Review – Wrestling (Indy Edition)

In 2011, if you had asked me what “Indy Wrestling” was, I wouldn’t really know what to tell you. I honestly had no interest in it…not even TNA! Ok, TNA can be argued one way or another, but the way they handled the Bobby Roode (Rooooooooooo) situation at Bound for Glory made me just stop even trying on Thursday nights. But that’s besides the point. I was mostly unaware of the entire Indy scene until my good friend, and tag team partner, Jacob (go #SlightlyBlack) introduced me to Evolve and Dragon Gate USA. I was floored by the level of craftsmanship these guys brought to the ring. It was an easy jump in to also pick up Chikara, ROH, and PWG when I could. I didn’t watch as much as I wanted to, but I’m happy to report that I saw just about every Evolve and DGUSA event that went on this year, including getting to see Evolve life when it came here to Jacksonville. So with that being said, let’s move out to the Indy Edition of my Year In Review.

2012 Wrestler of the Year – El Generico.

Jacob is not a very loud, rambunctious man when we sit down to watch wrestling. He typically picks his seat on the couch, leans back it a Cold One, and enjoys. So when El Generico’s theme sit during the Dragon Gate USA “Chuck Taylor Invitational” I knew I’d have to pay attention. Jacob lost his mind. And by lost his mind, he calmly stated “Guys…I’m marking out right now.” His performance in the match was awesome, and he went on to have an amazing series of matches in Evolve/DGUSA alone with Samuray Del Sol (one of my favorite “rookies”), CIMA, Ricochet, Sammi Callihan, and more. I dove into his past work, as well as his work with other companies, and I was floored not only with his in-ring ability, but the sheer over the top nature of his gimmick, that of the “generic luchardor” (when he’s really just a white guy from Canada). His promos were witty, his tweets were hilarious, and the love that he has for the business and his fans is nearly unmatched. El Generico is my Indy Wrestler of the Year…and he more than deserves it.

2012 Tag Team of the Year – The Super Smash Bros

When I first laid eyes upon this tag team, I honestly didn’t expect much. I mean, they were named after a video game, how good could they be? Their first match was decent, but the more I saw of these guys, the more I wanted. They have a great “big power man, smaller agile man” tandem, and their chemistry is incredibly tight. Each match brought out something new and exciting. I found myself cheering for them to when, even when they were against a team of guys that, individually, I liked more. They are currently the PWG tag team champions, and I have a feeling they will be seeing more and more titles before their careers are done. The Super Smash Bros are definitely smashing.

2012 Pay-Per-View/Event of the Year – Chikara King of Trios

Every year, Chikara puts on a multi-team tournament consisting of, what else, trios. Some are well established factions and stables, who are together every year in and year out, like F.I.S.T. (First In Similar Tights), The Colony, and The Spectral Envoy. Others are blasts from the past like Team WWF (The 123 Kid, Aldo Montoya, and Tatanka) or Team Extreme (Tommy Dreamer, Jerry Lynn, and 2 Cold Scorpio). And then you have a team up of solid competitors, like Jigsaw, Quackenbush, and Toyota. These 16 teams compete over 3 days to be crowned the King of Trios! It’s an exciting tournament full of great tag team, singles, elimination, and of course, 3 on 3 matches. Prior winners include The Colony, F.I.S.T., and this years winner: The Spectral Envoy! It was a great event with some fun, exciting matches, for an all around grand time.

2012 Match of the Year – Johnny Gargano vs AR Fox vs Ricochet vs Akira Tozawa (DGUSA)

For over a year now, Johnny Gargano has defend the Open the Freedom Gate Championship in Dragon Gate USA. He’s taken on all comers, against the likes of Masato Yoshino, Chuck Taylor, and the three guys mentioned above. So for their final show of the year, they had a four-way elimination match, pitting the champion Gargano against the three men who the fans had voted his best opponents had been in 2012. And this match delivered! There was some amazing spots, some great counters, and in the end, Gargano managed to overcome an injury that almost took him out of the match at the hands of rival Jon Davis to retain his belt. If you want a match that shows you what the young, fresh competitors of the Indy circuit, as well as some of the best talent Japan has to offer, then this match is a great place to start.

2012 Story of the Year – Kevin Steen vs ROH.

Kevin Steen, sometimes known as Mr. Wrestling, lately has been referred to as Wrestling’s Worst Nightmare. When he rejoined ROH after his defeat against long time rival, and former tag team championship winning partner, El Generico, many thought that Steen had seen the light, and was ready to make amends for his former ways. That feeling didn’t stick around for long, as Steen began to run rampant over the entire ROH locker room, defeating anyone and everyone in his path. He eventually found his way to a match with Davey Richards, and walked away with the ROH World Championship. Since then, not a single person has been able to stop him, as he’s defeated every person thrown in his path. Even Jim Cornette, who at the time was in charge of ROH, wasn’t able to escape being his victim. At the final show of the year, Final Battle 2012: Doomsday, one man had stepped up to end his reign of terror. That man was El Generico. But at the end of the day, despite coming up the victor in the past, Steen was able to silence his eternal rival, and goes into 2013 with the belt firmly around his waist. Is there anybody out there who can stop Steen? From the looks of it, we ain’t seen nothing yet.
And that’s it for my 2012 Year In Review! Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know why! 2012 was a great year for aniRAGE, and we look forward to making 2013 even better! So stay tuned for more right here at anirage.com!

Zeke’s Year In Review – Music

Posted on by Zeke

Zeke’s Year in Review – Music

When it comes to music, I have to admit that I’m rather plain-jane. I typically listen to whatever comes on the radio, and if I like the song I’ll check out the album. That means that I don’t typically “discover” music, rather I enjoy what others have discovered. That being said, there was a lot of big stuff happening in music, and I have for you my 2012 Song of the Year and Album of the Year!

2012 Song of the Year – PSY: Gangnam Style

Cliche? Predictable? Uninspiring? Maybe. But there’s no denying that this song took the country, hell even the world by storm. Whether it was it’s catchy beat, it’s unforgettable (even if incomprehensible) lyrics, or it’s crazy music video, Gangnam Style was a musical anc cultural sensation, ranging from podcasts to stage shows to even the amazing performance with MC Hammer at the American Music Awards. I know a lot of people absolutely can’t stand the song, but despite it’s questionably overplayed status, I can’t help but hear it singing in my head, and doing the horsey dance down the halls of conventions, my apartment, and even at work. From the countless parodies to the classic original, Gangnam Style is without a doubt the Song of the Year.

2012 Album of the Year – Muse: The 2nd Law

2012 was a great year for music, but I’m going to have to go with a personal favorite here. Ever since I first heard Knights of Cydonia, I was a Muse fan. Each new single and album release gave me more and more reasons to love them, and to me they are one of the greatest rock bands out there today. Their blend of rock and electronica is haunting and mysterious, intriguing and passionate. While a lot of their songs share similar musical blendings, each one is unique and powerful. This is another one of those albums where I can’t seem to find the “skip” button no matter what song comes on. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely great, and it earns my 2012 Song of the Year.
Come back tomorrow, when I’ll discuss Gaming! What’s my Game of the Year? Tune in to find out!

Zeke’s Year in Review – Movies and Television

Posted on by Zeke

Zeke’s Year in Review – Movies and Television

In 2010, I did what I hoped would become an annual event of the year in review, where I went over some of my favorite movie, music, and gaming best-ofs. Unfortunately, 2011 became rather hectic towards the end of the year, but I’m proud to announce that Zeke’s Year In Review is back! Today I’d like to discuss some of my best-ofs in Movies & TV. Remember, these are merely one man’s opinions, if you have a different one, post it in the comments!

2012 Movie of the Year – The Avengers

It’s hard to name any other movie than this spectacular blockbuster as my 2012 Movie of the Year. A lot of really good flicks came out this year, but only one made me want to see it several times. The Avengers took all your favorite Marvel Movie characters and jammed them together in this epic story. Joss Whedon, known for his brilliance in ensemble casts, managed to weave a tale that gave everyone ample screen time, and showed off each member of the super-team’s highs and lows. From Hawkeye’s surprise villain twist, to Black Widow’s acrobatic combat style, to Iron Man’s witty smarm, each character was able to shine and show of their personality. Well, maybe not Hawkeye…but there’s always Avengers 2! The dialog was witty and refreshing, and the humor was subtle but full of impact. As with most things Joss Whedon, there was no feed-line/punchline setup to the jokes, it was all well written in the dialog to make it seem natural, and it all came out of left-field. There were things I heard in my second, third, and beyond viewings of the movie that I had missed in prior showings because of all the laughter in the theater. The whole crowd got behind the film and you really felt like you were experiencing magic. So there’s no other movie that I could give this two. If you haven’t seen it, shame on you.

2012 TV Series of the Year – Sherlock

I’ll be the first to admit that, outside of Wrestling and Doctor Who, I don’t watch a whole lot of TV. So when a series comes out that I go out of my way to make sure I catch, you know it’s gotta be good. While I would have loved to pick something like Game of Thrones or even Breaking Bad, the fact of the matter is, I haven’t taken the time to properly experience those shows to the fullest. But one show that I definitely have is the BBC’s Sherlock. With Steven Moffat of Doctor Who fame at the helm, this show is more like a series of made for TV movies, and the added length compared to a standard television program definitely goes to it’s advantage. These shows are witty, clever, and have enough twists and turns to always keep you guessing. Many shows have tried to do a “modern day take” on Sherlock Holmes, from House to CBS’s Elementary. Even shows like Monk and Psyche have taken the Sherlock formula and done their own twist to it. But when it comes to Sherlock Holmes, it’s hard to beat the series helmed by Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. If you haven’t had a chance, definitely give this series a watch.

2012 Episode of the Year – Doctor Who: The Snowmen

Despite being a giant Doctor Who fan, I spent a good portion of 2012 dreading the show. Whether it was Steven Moffat’s show-running, or Matt Smith’s portrayal of The Doctor, Amy Pond’s continued mary-sueing, to the gradual grinding down of the mystique of River Song, the 6th and beginning of the 7th season of the premier time-traveling show from the BBC left a sour taste in my mouth. So when the announcement came of Amy and Rory’s departure, as well as the premier of a new companion for the 2012 Christmas Special was announced, I didn’t hold my breath. I was excited, but anxious. I didn’t want to be let down again, as I had felt so often in the past few years. Let me take this opportunity to wash away your fears: The Snowmen is one of the best episodes of the Matt Smith / Steven Moffat years. It ranks right up there with The Eleventh Hour and even the amazing episode The Doctor’s Wife (written by Neil Gaiman, who is set to return in the second half of Season 7). This episode refreshed the entire series for me, and seemed to breath new life into not only the series, but Matt Smith’s The Doctor as well. Before this episode, I would approach 2013 for Doctor Who hesitantly, with much reserve. But after this episode, I’m rejuvenated once again. I’m happy to be a Doctor Who fan, and if you haven’t been able to catch this episode, find some way to do it. You won’t be disappointed!
Well, that’s all for today. Tune in tomorrow when I’ll be discussing Music, and reveal my Song and Album of the year!

My Favorite Sailor Scout? Not so easy!

Posted on by Zeke
I’ve seen an influx of Sailor Scouts at conventions as of late. I”m not sure if it’s due to the upcoming re-release of the series or something else, but it’s re-ignited that debate: whose is your favorite scout and why? That’s a really hard question to answer, personally. While plenty of people have their easy favorites, as of late I’ve had a really hard time pinpointing one down. In the past I’ve had my favorites, my least favorites, etc, but over the years, that’s changed. So in this article, I will go down my favorites, from first-favorite and on, and examine why they caught my eye. Now remember, these are just my personal memories of each character, I’m sure others will have a difference of opinion.
Sailor Venus:
When I first started watching the show, the first one to jump out at my and gain my attention, in terms of “oooh I like her” was Sailor Venus. Venus has that “model” quality to her, which makes sense with how her character was. I also think I had a bit of a thing for blondes at the time, as a lot of my favorite characters had long, blond hair (as far as females went). But despite that “model” look, she seemed like a very down to earth character. She didn’t have that snooty preppy personality, she felt like a girl you could talk to and relate to. She was kind, caring, and selfless, and of course very cute. She was the first scout I had that “connection” to, and went “Her. I like her!” While she has lost that “top spot” as my favorite, I can’t say that I dislike her these days, cause you never forget your first.
Sailor Mars:

I’m not quite sure what it was about Mars that first attracted me to her. I think I was going through a long, straight hair phase. There was something about her fierce, devil-may-care attitude. She was a bit more selfish and a bit more “look out for number one” than Venus, and she had that fiery personality that went along with her element. That tough exterior and icy heart were just asking to be melted, and I wanted to be the guy that showed her that while fire could burn, it could also warm the heart.

Sailor Mercury:

For the longest time, Mercury was my least-favorite. I didn’t like her shy, quiet personality, especially when compared to many of the other boisterous personalities that the other sailor scouts had. But soon I started really liking that quiet, calm nature that she had. She was an intellectual, a characteristic that gets much more appreciated as you mature. While she wasn’t as “stunning” or “gorgeous” as the others, she was definitely cute, and could definitely have that “sexy librarian” look that is so appealing. Mercury definitely grew on me.

Sailor Moon:

I’ll admit, for the longest time, I hated Sailor Moon. She was selfish, annoying, loud…no thanks. Now, here’s where I admit, it wasn’t really the character that flipped that switch. Sure, I grew to not be so annoyed by her, but that wasn’t what did it. What was it? Cosplayers. That’s right, cosplayers. For some reason, I saw so many awesome Sailor Moon cosplayers, and my heart melted. All of a sudden, I found myself liking the character more and more. So you can thank your favorite Sailor Moon cosplayers for turning me to the moon side.

Sailor Jupiter:

I’m not sure why it took me so long to come around to Sailor Jupiter. Maybe it’s because, compared to the other characters, with their outlandish hairstyles, zany personalities, or fiery personalities, she is very plain. But that ended up being the very thing that drew me to her. She has that “girl next door” look to her. A tomboy at heart, she’s the type of person who you’d have to hold back in a fight, if someone dissed you. She seems so fun-loving and energetic, the type you’d never have a dull moment with. In the end, the thing that makes her at first not stand out, is the very thing that makes her unique!

When I think of the Sailor Scouts, these are the main ones I think of. Having not read most of the series, and not seen the seasons that weren’t put up on toonami, I don’t have a lot of experience with the outer senshi and the stars. I don’t have a lot of opinions on Saturn and Pluto, other than both obviously being attractive. But that’s a given. However, I do have one final group I’d like to say a bit about.
Sailor Neptune
& Uranus:

These two are often found in pairs, so I’ll talk about them in pairs. Of course the whole “lesbians” thing is insanely hot to any red blooded male, but individually they both have strengths. Neptune I’ve alwas found attractive, and I believe it has to do with her wavy blue hair. Maybe it just reminds me of Bulma (someone who I could write a whole seperate article about), but I always found her very attractive.

Uranus, on the other hand, never really stood out to me. However, like Sailor Moon, I saw a wide variety of very attractive cosplayers that quickly changed my mind. At first I thought that it was just because most of them were paired up with the already attractive Neptune, but after seeing them solo, I realized that the character, despite not fulfilling some of the tropes or stereotypes that I usually go for, was a very strong, attractive character. As a package they are awesome, but that doesn’t take away from their individual awesomeness.

So there you have it, my run-down on the Sailor Scouts. Each one has their strengths, their weaknesses, and their pluses and minuses. Each of those is going to persuade everyone differently. But to me, I just can’t choose. Can’t I just have them all?
-Zeke

The Walking Dead – Season 1: Walkers Gonna Walk

Posted on by Zeke

This weekend I had the pleasure of watching the first season of The Walking Dead. Based upon Robert Kirkman’s graphic novel series of the same name, this AMC series is an excellent addition to any zombie lovers library. While I do plan on picking up the title in print, this is about the TV series, which will start it’s second season in October of this year. This review does contain some spoilers, so be careful

The series centers around Rick Grimes, a sheriff’s deputy in King County, Georgia. He is your typical everyman, who wants to help everyone, but is helpful to a fault. People flock to him because of his confidence, and he takes that responsibility hard. He always wants to do the right thing for everyone, which sometimes leads to dangerous situations. But people respect him and look to him for leadership. While Rick spent most of the start of the zombie panic in a hospital, trapped in a coma-like state due to a very damaging gunshot wound, he manages to bring himself together in time to make it to his house, and meet a man and his son. While they are initial scared of his wounds (assuming it was zombie-inflicted), he gains their trust and takes them to the sheriff’s department station for hot showers, guns, and ammunition. Despite splitting ways so that the father could teach his son how to use a gun, he gives them a walkie-talkie so that he can keep them posted on if he finds survivors, and safety. There are several scenes of him at dawn, trying to reach out to them.

There are many characters that are introduced throughout the season. Some are there for the long haul, like Rick’s wife and son, as well as his former partner from the police force, Shane. Shane is an interesting character, a conflicted hero. He lied to Rick’s wife that Rick had died, in order to get her and Rick’s son to safety. However, the two bonded over their grief and grew closer, which only hurt him more when Rick arrives at the refugee camp, and the wife basically shuns Shane from that point on. You can tell that he is happy to have his old partner and friend back, but he sees the way that the wife and everyone else flocks to him, and his jealousy quickly grows.

The rest of the refugee camp is full of colorful characters, from a racist hick whose crossbow skills end up making him an invaluable addition, to a hispanic family just trying to survive, to a mechanic whose family died, and it takes a severe toll on his mentality. There is a pair of sisters who have more survival skills than you might assume at first, a kind old man who seems very comfortable with a gun and has an RV. There’s also a family whose father is quite abusive to his wife, and potentially child…but karma has a way of giving him some hard times.

The story really is about the humanity, or lack thereof, of the refugees, and the other people you meet along the way. During an outing into Atlanta, Rick and his group runs into a group of thugs, who act tough and savage, but in reality are the only thing keeping a group of old folks alive, after they had been abandoned and left to die. The redneck who seemed to just hate everyone actually becomes an invaluable member of the group, often being one of the best in the fights against the undead, despite his personal feelings towards others. The story really draws you in to each character, and while the zombies play a big role in the story, it’s more about the people. It makes you really care about them, suffer with their loses, and cheer on their successes.

The first season was over before I knew it, and I was desperate for more. I plan on marathoning the graphic novel soon, and I look forward to the second seasons this fall. If you love zombies, you definitely need to watch this. I’m not sure what took me so long, but it’s definitely worth the watch!

-Zeke

aniRAGE Year In Review: Zeke on Music

Posted on by Zeke

aniRAGE Year In Review: Zeke on Music

This year was, in all truth, a great year for music. But for me personally, I found it to be more about discovering older music rather than embracing some of the newer works released. That being said, I do have a choice for both Album of the Year and Song of the Year. I also have an honorable mention, which would have won album of the year, but I’ll get to that in a bit.

Song of the Year: Ceelo Green – F**k You.

When he was just the vocal talents of Gnarls Barkley, I thought he was an amazing talent. And his newest Solo Album “The Lady Killer” only proves that. I might be tempted to go ahead and give him album of the year…but honestly I haven’t heard the album yet. However, his song F**k You is so damn catchy and so damn true! It starts off with something that just about everyone can understand: heartbreak. He goes on and on about everything that he tried to do to please the girl of his dreams, but to no avail. However, what makes this song really great is that instead of being a sappy song about unrequited love, he goes on to say “Ya know what, Fuck You”, and moves on. Very inspirational in a very catchy, very awesome package. If you haven’t heard this song, check it out. And it’s Radio-Friendly version “Forget You” isn’t too bad either.

Album of the Year: Scott Pilgrim vs The World Soundtrack and Original Score.

Ok, so maybe I’m starting to get a bit biased, with Scott Pilgrim winning awards in Video Game, Movie, and now Music. But regardless, this is a very catchy album. There are a lot of great songs on these albums, and all of the “original” songs that Beck wrote are performed both by Beck himself, AND by Sex Bob-Omb. And truth be told, I like the Sex Bob-Omb versions better. The only strike against this album is that it doesn’t include Brie Larson’s cover of Metric’s “Black Sheep”, which was amazing. Again, another cover from the movie that I enjoy better than the original (though that being said, the originals are all good). While it may seem like cheating to give the award to both the Sound Track and Musical Score, in my mind they go hand in hand, and I even went in and edited it on my MP3 player so that they are the same album. Even the small little techno remixes that make up generic background music are catchy, and I find myself zoning out while listening to them. Next thing I know, my work is done, or my drive is over, and I feel pumped. Definitely a great set of albums to pick up.

Honorable Mention/Album I Discovered in 2010: Chevelle – Sci Fi Crimes.

This album, which isn’t eligible for Album of the Year since it came out in 2009, did something that is a rarity. There is not a single track on this album that I don’t like. From begining to end, I love it. Usually I deem an album “great” if I like at least half of the songs on it. Previously, the album that was doing the best as far as song I disliked was Rise Against’s album “Appeal to Reason” where I only disliked one song. With zero songs ever getting the skip, this album has taken the top spot in my book. I knew of this album upon it’s release, but I didn’t really listen to it in it’s entirety until 2010, so I gets my Honorable Mention award, coupled with “Best Album I Discovered in 2010” award. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Chevelle, or this album, do yourself a favor and pick it up.

And there we go! The aniRAGE Year In Review is complete! Or at least, my portion is! It’s been a great year, with lots of awesome happenings. I hope you enjoyed my Top Games, Best Movie, and Favorite Songs of 2010! 2011 has a lot to live up to, but I bet that it’s going to be great!

As always, stay tuned to aniRAGE.com for more awesome articles, videos, reviews, and more! We hope to see you back!

-Zeke

What Happens when you spend 14 hours in two theme parks back to back with Dashi? He gets leg muscle pain for the next two days, and a awesome experience!

Posted on by dashi

Greetings Programs!

I recently got to spend a entire day at Universal Studios and Islands of adventure and I was blown away, I never had so much fun in my life.. and never felt so sore afterwards.. XD I’m definitely going to go back but here is a review of both parks for you guys!

Islands of Adventure: This.. this is like a grown up Disney World, there is so much to do and a lot of awesome rides and scenery I will review this by each section of the park so here we go!

Marvel Super Hero Island: This was a neat part of the island, going through and finding all the awesome comic book references was neat, seeing costumed superheros and villains was awesome was a neat experience.. lets go with the rides now!

The Amazing Adventures Of Spiderman: This ride was alot of fun, although the only issue I had was I did not know if it was the angle I Was sitting or if it was my glasses but the 3d felt wobbly in my vision, like it did not look right. all and all it was a fun little mini ride, and I give props to the Ride Attendant Bro who let me and Vicki sit together even for being Single Riders.. 8.5 out of 10

Hulk Roller Coaster: …OMG from the takeoff to the finish it is a INCREDIBLE COASTER If you got balls please ride it.. it was the greatest experience I had at the island, the only issue I had was I had to ride in the modified seats because of my shoulders, and they only had two per coaster, so I had to get nudged to the side for one ride while I waited for another coaster to come back so I could sit in it, but after the wait, the coaster was quite extreme will ride again.. Hulk smash. 10/10

Doctor Dooms Fear Fall: Passed as I was the only one that wanted to go on it, meh.. maybe next time!

Storm force acceleration: ..also passed but there is next time!

Comic Stip land: This place was pretty cool but I did not do any of the rides here.. there’s always next time!

Jurassic Park: Oh man, This was pretty awesome just going through the area and seeing buildings like there were from the movie, quite exciting eating at the cafe was fun too but.. ON TO THE RIDES

Jurassic park boat ride: Oh this is nice.. a boat ride.. ah! were being splashed and sprayed! not coo.. oh hey were going into a building.. WHAT A TREX He looks Fake! Oh Hai Drop.. DROP?! FUUUUUUU.. and Soaked. that was fun, lol 6.5/10

Discovery center: went in out of curiosity, and did not like, will pass as I did not have little kids..

Lost continent: Pretty looking, did not see the eighth voyage of sinbad but there’s a next time,

Poseidon’s fury: Neat lil show, awesome effects and was entertaining 8.5/10

The Magical World Of Harry Potter: Its like being in the movie! all these shops.. and the rides.. and the lines.. and the crowds.. PROTIP: Go early in the morning and Late in the evening to get the best experience, as midday its PAAAACKED.. ONTO THE RIDEEEZ..

The Forbidden Journey of Harry Potter: ..THIS RIDE WENT UPSIDE DOWN?! I did not know it! ..was alot of fun definitely 10/10

Flight of the hippogriff: Cutsey lil rollercoaster.. but never let sibby and dashi share the same seat.. was crampted but fun

Dragon Challgene: Did both sides, Chinese fireball is fast. Hungarian Horntail Is Intense. BOTH. AWESOME. COASTERS. If you love coasters Do this one and the Hulk. 10/fuggin10

Food of Harry potter!: Butter beer is delicious, I prefer it regular instead of frozen, Three broomsticks is a nice place to eat in, the hogs mead brew is decent for a beer, if you get to eat anything in Honeydukes, Eat the Rock cake, its a HUGE OATMEAL Rasin Cookie Cake! 10/10

Dr Seuss: Babiesland, Did the Seuss Carousel for lacie like a Bro.. but it would be good if I was younger definitely

Results of Islands of Adventure: will go back, 10/10

ONTO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS!

Main Entry: Was nice, easy to get into, until we hit the Macys christmas parade, LINES LINES LINES, Had to push through to get to the rides we wanted to do here in the park.. ONTO THE RIIIIIDES..

Revenge of the Mummy: Pff this will be a dark kiddy scary ride.. Its not scary at *psst* “rollercoaster in the dark” Huh..? Rollercoaster in the wh..AH JESUS ITS FAST AND DARK AND FUUUUAWESOME! 10/10

Men In Black The ride: Absolute fun, and I pwned everyone else with my score of 190k, 300k here I come! 10/10

The Simpsons Ride: Now I was skeptical about this ride, I thought It was going to suck and be a stupid motion simulator ride.. it is.. but it was one of the best damn rides I have ever been on! nonstop laughs and everything else! I want to go back on this so bad, but dont want to pay extra to get into two parks at once, might have to buy a annual pass for just this.. 10/10

Hollywood Rip Ride Rock-it : Your next time my friend.. next time.. Did not get to ride on as I was coastered out.. and by the time I was exhausted and my legs hurt and my back hurt..

Results of Universal studios: Good rides, I wish they still had back to the future, and there are a few rides and shows that i still need to go see at that park 7.5/10

Overall summary: Excellent, excellent excellent, and I might have to get the meal deal plan next time as that might be cheaper to do definitely.. I will put my munies into a annual pass on this then at Disney World.. BUT WAIT, IM GOING TO DISNEY  IN JANUARY!

SO STAY TUNED NEXT TIME KIDS! As Dashi will have a 2parter review of Disney as he goes to Disney World! and Hollywood Backlot studios!

Till next time!

aniRAGE Year In Review: Zeke’s Top Movie of 2010

Posted on by Zeke

Zeke’s Top Movie of 2010

There were a lot of excellent movies that came out this year, and even some that are still slated for release. However by far there is one that stood out among all the others in my eyes. It may not have the best of any one thing, and may not be up for a million awards when all is said and done…but this is the only movie I have willingly paid money to see multiple times.

That movie is Scott Pilgrim vs The World.

By no means is it the perfect movie. Say what you want about certain casting choices, it’s editing, it’s sound track…really anything you want. But at the end of the day, this movie gave me the most entertainment a movie has given me in a very long time.
This is also the first movie I have ever watched and gone to immediately find not only the soundtrack, but also the musical score. That was a big a part of the movie as anything else.
The movie has quite a following behind it, and often times I wonder if I’m merely falling for the hype, and loving it for things that don’t even exist. However, whenever this happens, I merely pop the bluray into my PS3 and take it for another spin, and I remind myself all over again why I love it.
If you haven’t seen the movie, I implore you to go see it. Will it be the best movie you have ever seen? Will it change your life? Will it cure cancer and solve world hunger and bring world peace? Nope, but it will entertain the hell out of you.

-Zeke

aniRAGE Year In Review – Zeke’s Games of the Year

Posted on by Zeke

Zeke’s Games of the Year:

As part of the aniRAGE Year In Review, this will list my picks for Games of the Year. I have seperated them into 5 categories:

  • Major Releases, or games that came out this year that were sold at full retail price, and were full fledged games.
  • Downloadable Games, games that you downloaded off of X Box Live or Playstation Network, typically at a low price. In this category I also disqualified re-release games, and concentrated on purely original games.
  • Free Games, usually in the form of flash-games in a web browser.
  • Mobile Games, games found (typically) exclusively on phones and other mobile devices.
  • Downloadable Content, add-ons purchased to the game to expand it’s playability and unlock new features.

Major Releases: Red Dead Redemption.

This game came out with a LOT of fanfare, and a ton of hype. It was by a well-known and respected studio. It promised a lot, and in my opinion delivered on it to a T. Some people aren’t huge fans of open-world games like this, but even those that I talked to that played it found it very fun and entertaining. It’s musical score, it’s dialogue and characters, it’s story, and it’s game play were all superb. There were very few games that were released this year that met, and exceeded, the hype to their release. In that category, Red Dead Redemption shines.

Downloadable Games: Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game.

I don’t think I have had that much fun with a 10 dollar game in a long, long time. Usually I’ll grab one of these off the PSN, play through it once, and then forget about it. But I played through this game so many times, and dragged so many people in on it with me. It has a high replay value, and it’s multiplayer is great. The only gripe about the game is it’s lack of online multiplayer, but in the end, it’s much more fun to play in-person anyway.

Free Games: Robot Unicorn Attack.

How do you take Unicorns, Rainbows, Fairies, and the British band “Erause” and make it cool? Throw in robots, of course. This game is so simple, and so utterly outlandish that it’s addicting. It’s one of the few games that I’ll actually keep the sound on for, because strangely the song fits the game so well. In fact, when I play muted I find that my scores go down drastically. If you haven’t played this game yet, you’ve done yourself a massive disservice. Go do it. Now. It’s free.

Mobile Games: Angry Birds.

This one is almost a no-brainer. You have birds, who are angered, and pigs, who steal their eggs. And thus the birds fling themselves at high speeds towards the pigs. HOLY CRAP is it addicting. The fact that you have different stars that you can achieve, which ups it’s replay value, and the creators are constantly pushing out new levels and content, it’s just amazing. The game is available on just about any mobile device you pick up (if it runs Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android platform). If you haven’t had a chance to play this game, well hold on tight, because PC and Console versions are in the works.

Downloadable Content: Borderlands – The Secret Armory of General Knoxx.

There have been many games that are rooted in comedy, but rarely in these the storylines are hackneyed and secondary. Few games series come to mind that make it’s humor a central aspect of the story, while still keeping it fresh and compelling. Sam and Max comes to mind. This game took the core of the Borderlands games, which is to run around and blow the crap out of ANYTHING that isn’t you, and kicked it up a notch. New guns (I guess eleventy billion wasn’t enough), new missions, new characters, and a big boost on the level cap made this add on a must-have for all players of the game. I haven’t had a chance to full take in the newest DLC, but honestly Borderlands has had the best DLC content of any game I have played. And this one just took it to a new level of awesome. If you have Borderlands, make sure to get this game. And if you don’t have Borderlands, go out and get it. And then get this DLC. You won’t regret it.

And there you have it! The best games of the year…at least in my humble opinion. I’m sure you have conflicting decisions, so post them in the comments section! And stay tuned, because the aniRAGE Year In Review is still going on!

-Zeke

Rediscovering Old Music

Posted on by Zeke

Now that my desktop is back in my possession, I decided to scour my often overlooked music folder.  I don’t have a huge music collection, but it does stretch back to my highschool days in some places.  With my MP3 player now being 16 gigs instead of 4gb, it was time to update the music on it.  (When I first got it a couple months ago I just transfered everything from the old one to the new one).

One little treasure that I rediscovered buried deep in the music folder was the Black and Blue album.  Not just any Black and Blue album though, a very specific one.  One that wasn’t released in stores.  Let me give some backstory.

Back in 2003 when Jay-Z released his Black Album, he also released a vocals-only version of it, to encourage mixes and mashups with his lyrics.  One of the more popular mashups to come out of this movement was The Grey Album, which put Jay Z rapping over The Beatles.  MTV would later “mash up” Jay Z and Linkin Park, but both bands had a hand in that one, while most of the others were done independently of either of the utilized talent.

The Black and Blue album combined Jay Z’s “The Black Album” with Weezer’s Self-Titled CD, often called “The Blue Album”.  Most wouldn’t think that either of these artists would make a good collaboration, and indeed some of the songs don’t fit together very well.  But when they do, which ends up being a majority of the songs, then it’s just audible awesomeness.

My personal favorite is the track “Encore for Wayne”.  When I first discovered this, I used to play it over and over to drive my buddy Cliff batshit insane, because he was such a huge Weezer fan and hated to hear it “ruined by Jay-Z”.  Bah I say!  It sounds awesome and I don’t care!

If you are a fan of either Jay-Z or Weezer, and even better both, then go check it out!  The “band” who makes the album is called Jay-Zeezer, and you can find the album, which was made by the “DJ” who goes by Mike, and by the DJ name “Uh…Mike”, over at http://www.jay-zeezer.com/ It really is awesome, and Mike goes into what went behind creating the album (or as he puts it, “The Story of How an Indie Rocker Learned to Love Like Rap Music”).

I’m sure as I dig deeper into this collection I’ll find more and more gems from the way-back machine.  Until next time!

-Zeke