Aaryanna Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 [CENTER][IMG]http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3185/timesjq3.jpg[/IMG] [SIZE="1"]Banner by:[/SIZE] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=4082"][SIZE="1"][U]The Kuja[/U][/SIZE][/URL] [SIZE="1"][alink=Entertainment][u]Entertainment[/u][/alink] | [alink=Community][u]Community[/u][/alink] | [alink=Creative Works][u]Creative Works[/u][/alink] | [alink=Members][u]Members[/u][/alink] | [alink=Beyond OtakuBoards][u]Beyond OtakuBoards[/u][/alink] | [alink=Reviews][u]Reviews[/u][/alink][/SIZE][/center] Welcome to the first installment of the OtakuBoards Newspaper. As you can see we intend to cover each area of the boards. Just click on the link above to be taken to the each area where the articles are listed. Not only do we wish to thank everyone for their input, support and the articles and banners they made for this endeavor, but also for future involvement. [center][aname=Entertainment][b][SIZE="6"]Entertainment[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] [B][U][URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57159"]The Anime Feud[/URL][/U][/B] The Anime Fued is basically a clever variation of the different game threads that pop up at OtakuBoards from time to time. However unlike many other game threads the creator of it The Mask took the unique approach of actually modeling it after the real Family Feud which is a television game show that pits two families against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey-type question posed of 100 people. Only in this case all of the survey questions are related to anime in some manner. Even if the questions don't match the standard 100 that was used in the television show, so far it's been widely received and is still running. [SIZE="1"] ~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=20994"] [U]indifference[/U][/URL] [/SIZE] [CENTER][aname=Community][b][SIZE="6"]Community[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] [url=http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?p=778584#post778584][B][U]The BIG Otakuboards Anime Event[/U][/B][/url] In celebration as [B]White?s [/B] new place as the Otakuboards event master as well as to bring a wave of excitement to Otakuboards, the BIG Otakuboards Anime Event was created. Whereas many seem to think that Otakuboards has distanced itself from anime in recent times, this event reminds Otakuboards members where their roots lie and shows that still many members are on the anime up-and-up. For the sake of keeping things simple, fun, and accessible, the game allows players to post in each round without having to sign-up or make any obligations to posting every round. The rules are first-come-first-serve with answers and each participant can only post once per round. The first round was Guess that Hairstyle. There were 12 images of unique anime hair and the goal was to guess which character each hair belonged to. While most of them were not terribly difficult, there were a few that threw contestants for a complete loop. By the end of the round, though, all 12 had been correctly guessed. Round 2 was a picture caption game. There were 3 images ([url=http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/number3copytl5.jpg][B]Phoenix Wright [/B] pointing his finger[/url], [url=http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/number2copycv2.jpg]dizzy [B]Pikachu[/B][/url], [url=http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/howls-moving-castle-200505310135086.jpg]and [B]Sophie and Calcifer [/B] from [B]Howl's Moving Castle [/B] talking[/url].) While there were plenty of hilarious captions, the results were slightly controversial in that [B]r2vq [/B] won for 2 of the pictures despite general consensus that he is not funny (captions being - [B]"Oh SNAP!~ He got PWNED!" [/B] For #1 and - [B]"And thus, Pikachu got pwned"[/B] for #2. [B]Sandy [/B] also took the prize for picture three with an absolutely hilarious caption ([B]"As Sophie was about to blow out the candle, she noticed that the flame had gotten extraordinarily large and it was staring at her hungrily[/B].") Round three was a bit more odd in that it was an image scavenger hunt. With each image, the contestants would be given something to look for and it would be specified whether they were allowed to look on the internet or in the real world. The first round was to find a man cosplaying as [B]Sakura [/B] from [B]Naruto [/B] which Sandy found with relative ease. The next job was finding a picture containing an oversized plushie, a bed, a TV, and a live animal. After 8 days with no attempts, [B]Desbreko [/B] finally came forward with an image he staged with a friend of his. The third round was to be a picture of the contestant cosplaying as a non-humanoid character. After several weeks with no replies, though, White edited his post to proclaim himself on hiatus. Though the thread was thought to be dead, it just very recently was reopened by White who announced that the BOBAE was not over, but was now going to Part 2 which would begin in August or September. [SIZE="1"] ~Article submitted by: [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=29754"][U]2007DitigalBoy[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [B][url=http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57242][U]Hentai and Bigger Stuff[/U][/url][/B] Recently, in the OB [B]Suggestions & feedback [/B] forum a massive debate broke out over hentai and bigger images for banners. While the thread appeared to have started as a joke, it quickly developed into fierce debate. While most tried not to take it seriously, a volley of valid and un-valid points began being flung about and soon, the posts escalated into heated quote-on-quote action. The people posting in this thread mostly belonged to a game that was made as an argument between the two sides. Two people, [B]Premonition [/B] and [B]Nonentity [/B] actually managed to get kicked out of the game for taking it too seriously, though there were others who shared similar feelings of uneasiness toward the morals represented in the debate. Eventually it became hard to tell who was serious and who was joking around, and the whole thing wore a grim face. As with most threads involving such high-brow members of the OB, though, it managed to go well over 100 posts in just 2 days. Whether or not these are actually good ideas for the OB probably doesn?t matter at this point - as the thread has reduced to bickering and somewhat personal attacks. This thread is a [B]Recent Event[/B]. [SIZE="1"] ~Article submitted by: [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=29754"][U]2007DitigalBoy[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [CENTER] [aname=Creative Works][b][SIZE="6"]Creative Works[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] [B][U][URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=56992"]The Community Anthology Thread[/URL][/U][/B] The community anthology thread, created by DeathKnight, serves the purpose of culminating the works of many OB members together to save space from all the compilation threads in the OB Anthology that weren?t getting replies. The idea is a good strategy because this way, if someone wants to post a new poem, but their thread is already dead or dying, they will always have a place to do so. While there have been other threads of this variety in the past, this one is unique in multiple ways. Firstly, it is not just for poetry, but for short stories as well. Secondly, it asks the posters to critique the other works being posted as well as posting their own. The thread was created a little over a month ago and had almost lost momentum until it recently picked back up again. Though the OB Anthology has been one of, if not the slowest portion of the boards lately; it hopes to help incite some new life into this part of the boards. At first, DeathKnight and 2007DigitalBoy were the only ones keeping the thread alive, though over the course of the past week or so some of the Anthology?s historic posters have come forth to make the thread live up to it?s ancestors. With the re-emergence of the extremely prolific poet Mitch, the thread is sure to erupt with posts soon enough. [SIZE="1"] ~Article submitted by: [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=29754"][U]2007DitigalBoy[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [b]Title[/b]: [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57091&page=1&pp=15][u][B]The Panopticon[/B][/u][/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57092][u][B]The Underground[/B][/u][/URL] [b]Section[/b]: Creative Works [b]Category[/b]: RP [u]Participants:[/u] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=29754]2007Digitalboy[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=30155]Allamorph[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=26538]BKstyles[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=28442]Darren[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=32428]HellsMinion6676[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=20994]Indifference[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=27864]Premonition[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=30891]Rachmaninoff[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=2206]Sandy[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=2034]Soliel[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?userid=17833]SunfallE[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=774686&postcount=1][center][u][b]Meet the Characters[/u][/b][/center][/URL] [center][u][b]The Panopticon In General[/u][/b][/center] Take the words controversial, nutty, and entertaining and proceed to adding them into the dictionary under synonyms for panopticon. The third installment of what has come to be known as the ?Death-Card? series (Labyrinth, The Maze, The Panopticon), created by 2007Digitalboy, offered it?s participants yet another opportunity to insert themselves into an amorphous atmosphere in which the surroundings are limited only by the imagination, and to think of the most gruesome and impacting ways to gradually introduce each character into their own personal death scene. The idea of this installment is very much similar to the previous two, with a few twists down the line. The death card is the one definite reoccurring theme between the three games, and they are most certainly not lacking in The Panopticon. With only a few post requirements to be met each chapter in order for death cards to be used, each one was used with extreme prejudice as expected. More memorable deaths ranged from two characters meeting their deaths during a showdown in a coliseum to an abrupt gunshot ending the life of one of the game?s most controversial characters, with many others meeting their demise in imaginative and brutal fashions. Just as in Labyrinth and The Maze, the user of the death card has complete control over how he or she wishes to integrate the surroundings of the venue into the character?s fatality. Elaborate death however was not the only theme invoked due to the RP?s mature rating. Within the main thread there can be found many hints and scenes dealing with sexual acts and innuendo. Whether it be the questionable acts of certain characters engaging in sexual intercourse, attempted rapes, or successful rapes and the ramifications thereafter. The reading is clearly not for younger audiences or those easily offended by such material. Such contents were also sources for much conflicting discussion within the disputatious underground thread. One new addition to the series introduced in The Panopticon was the imprisonment system. Secret rules were set in place and were only known by the host of the game and the one in charge of making imprisonments, Indifference. If these rules were broken by any of the participants within one of their posts, the character who perpetrated the ?crime? was forced out of the main game?s progress and was faced with a harsh punishment for an allotted amount of time. Imprisoned characters however, were still prone to being killed off via death card usage. A character being imprisoned had no technical benefit in terms of protection nor a disadvantage toward a higher susceptibility to death, the system was more so for shaking things up and adding to the main progress made by each group of characters. Though ask any contestant, they will tell you the real fun of this system was seeing what kind of disconcerting method of punishment the deranged mind of Indifference could come up with each time a rule was broken. [center][b][u]The Special Cards[/b][/u][/center] The special cards also played a more abundant role in The Panopticon, right away in the first chapter two dual death cards were handed out to two participants. Characters Claire Montoya, Marcus Fenix, Kayrel Malone, and Moatilliata Graden were dispatched via use of these dual death cards by participants SunfallE and BKstyles respectively. [center][img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/dualdeathcardpanopticon.jpg[/img] Allows the user to kill two characters in one turn. * * * * *[/center] The amount of special cards increased into chapter 2, as everyone now possessed a card that had an added effect other than outright death. Cards with the ability to switch the locations of two characters, poison a character to the point where they would die in a certain amount of time unless a post was created in which they found a cure, and the most intriguing one which switched the minds of two characters into each other?s bodies. Needless to say the cards offered some entertaining posts and much confusion to shake up the seemingly steady foundation of the game. [center][img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/switchcardpanopticon.jpg[/img]: Let?s you instantly switch the places of any two members of the game. [img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/poisoncarpanop.png[/img]: This card is used to poison one of the characters. When a character becomes poisoned, anyone can heal them simply by writing a post where they get the antidote. The catch is, though, that they only have 2 days to post about the character finding the antidote, or the CCC will post their death. killing with poison does not cost the poster their death card. [img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/bodytrade.png[/img] Allows you to make two characters switch bodies. Basically, one person's mind would suddenly be in another's and vice-versa. * * * * *[/center] As chapter three came, everyone now received their own individual special card, each one having a tremendous effect on the course of the game. This time around, each card had the potential to change the course of the game not just for the sake of the story itself, but for the participants behind the characters to strategize against one another for the sake of figuring out the best ways to preserve one?s characters for the win. Though many of these cards had potential post-use consequences, such as revealing your character to the other participants or making yourself a target by incurring the vindictiveness of your opponents. It was also the first time the Life Card was used in the game, which was a larger part of the previous two game installments. During this chapter, the Creation card was also handed out to a participant which allowed a completely new character to enter into the game. Such special cards cards included the automatic dispatching of a character by targeting them with the card in the underground thread, the protection from death during the entire chapter, the cloning of a deceased character, tying two character?s fates together in death, and the option to mimic the effect of a card already played. [center][img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/zombiecardpanopticon.jpg[/img] When the body looses its soul but remains operational, it becomes nothing more than a machine. When another entity inhabits it, though, it is considered undead. A character who is ?undead? can still win the game and can still be killed using a death card. Regardless of who?s soul is in the body, the original creator of the character is considered it?s owner. [img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/fatecardpanopticon.jpg[/img] This card binds the fate of the two target characters together. If one of the characters is not killed by within two (2) Death cards of this card's usage, both characters will die. [img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/infinitycard.png[/img] This card makes it so one character's mind is released from their body. The body will be left alive, but the mind will exist out side of it, able to do as it pleases. If the body is destroyed, the character will still be alive until it's mind is destroyed. Other minds are allowed to enter it's body in it's abscence. [img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/clonecardpanopticon.jpg[/img] This card can only be used on a character who has died in Chapter 3 of the Panopticon. This will create an exact clone of the character. The effect is the same as a life card, only the player themself has to be the one to revive their character. [center][img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/shieldcard.png[/img] Whoever this card is used on shall not be allowed to die for the duration of chapter 3.[/center] [img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/pkcardmuhaha.png[/img] This card is actually to be played in the Panopticon Underground thread. the poster must choose one other player and the CCC will select one of their characters and kill them without costing the poster a death card. [img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/dittocard.png[/img] This card lets you choose one of the cards played this round and use it's effect. It cannot be used on death, life, or creation cards, though it can be used on Zombie cards. * * * * *[/center] The final chapter left everything almost on equal grounds as the only special cards handed out was to the only player without a living character in the game at this point, SunfallE. She was given two cards that would allow her to somewhat make enough of an impact on the game to make up for her lack of allowance to kill. These cards allowed her manipulated the form of a particular character and change them into any animal of her choosing. The other literally switched off two characters in terms of their owners. So now the character that has been representing their chance to win has been instantly changed. [center][img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/Bklynstyles/beastcard.png[/img] Turns any character into an animal of the card user's choosing. [img]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/userswitchcard.png[/img] Switches the owners of the two characters switched by this card. Once played, the owners of the two characters switched no longer owns their original character.[/center] [center][u][b]The Progression[/u][/b][/center] The game began in three separate groups due to the amount of players involved. With three characters allowed to ten participants, thirty characters were indeed a lot to be moving along in one large group. Posts began being made, indicating whether or not they were dealing with group one, two, or three, until later on when a fourth was created. The first order of business was for each of the thirty characters to be introduced well enough in order for even a smidgen of their personality to be discerned. Once that was done, the deaths were allowed. Certain characters immediately caught everyone?s eye by the way they were worked with and how their personalities were formulated. Such characters, like Katar, was made out to be a callous and self-preserving ruffian who was used to taking what he wanted and treating others, especially women, like crap. Another character who attracted much attention was Brittany, for not only being the first to be imprisoned but also due to being the character that underwent the first really drastic personality twist. Because of this she was looked at differently, this was also a large issue brought up amongst the controversial nature of the underground thread. Other definitive personalities developed within the first chapter were Claire?s stuck up corporate princess demeanor which irritated most everyone, Lucia?s timid yet helpful nature which was tested by the situations in the panopticon and characters such as Katar, Marius?s leadership qualities and protectiveness, Julian?s hyper and generally frightened behavior, and Uriel?s meticulous mind and cautious actions. Sandy, who drew first blood in each round, broke the ice by killing off the first character once everyone was generally introduced. The deaths seemed to grow increasingly creative and brutal as more posts were made, and as the chapters changed. Nearly everyone was glad to see Desmond killed off as well, as Premonition stuck primarily with portraying this character and the annoyance of it all pretty much made Desmond a target to everyone. After a warning by Digitaboy, Premonition?s characters were erased from the game in the first chapter. This would be the first of three deletions. In chapter two, characters were now nearly fully within their own personalities. Blood had been drawn numerous times and the mysteries of The Panopticon were setting in as harsh reality that everyone in the story were forced to deal with. The trepidation and shock set in and it was well established that it was all about survival. Special non-death cards were thrown into the mix here, the switch cards, poison cards, and body-trade cards, each one used by two people. Failure to use their special cards or make a post altogether in the second chapter caused Hell?sMinion6676 and Soliel to also face deletion. Their remaining characters were taken out and they were permanently out of the game. Sandy once again drew first blood, and the killing was not lacking what so ever from this chapter as well. Chapter three is where things really got shaken up, it was announced in the underground thread that everyone received their own unique cards, and the game of ?wait and see? began with everyone deliberating in their heads when the best time to use theirs was. Little time passed however before the very first one was used, and it was without a doubt the most shocking card in the entire series. The PK (Player Killer) card was used by SunfallE in the underground thread to instantly expose and destroy one of Allamorph?s remaining characters, taking that character out of the game permanently. This move earned SunfallE her nick name of ?Ruthless Sunflower?, and caused much commotion in the underground thread. The remaining cards were used throughout the progress of the game, the Fate card binding Etamet and Mary, the Infinity card alleviating Satasha?s mind and spirit from his (or rather Dafine?s) body, the Shield card ensuring immunity for Delita for the entire chapter. It was after these cards were used that another bombshell was dropped in the underground thread when Rachmaninoff revealed his Ditto Card, and mimicked the PK card?s effect, aiming it at SunfallE in a turn of ironic justice. The last card was then used to revive a fallen character via cloning, which brought the third chapter to an end. With Chapter four underway, six characters remain, five death cards, no special cards amongst the participants that still have a chance to win it. It?s a straight forward chapter that will decide one definite winner, who will come out on top?only time will tell that. [center][b][u]The Underground Thread[/b][/u][/center] A great deal of the attention drawn by the game itself, for both participants and outside viewers, was thanks to the underground thread. I referred to this thread earlier as disputatious and it is certainly no understatement. With over four hundred posts currently and more than double the views of the main thread, the underground yielded many of the issues and discrepancies had by the participants about the main game. Conflicting discussion began almost instantly during the introduction phase of the game, in which disagreeing perspectives were expressed concerning what entailed a proper introduction. As characters became introduced, lists were made to make things easier for everyone to follow along, the appropriateness for certain names being on that list is what lit the fuse that led to the first real debate of the thread. More concerns arose pertaining to inconsistencies of posts and the knotty follow through of posts previous to the ones that were in question. Such problems so early in the game seemed so trivial considering the ample room for improvement, yet an aura of discomfort overcame some players almost causing their voluntary withdrawal from the game. Matters later in the thread that drew much heat as well were the incongruity in opinions on how the host of the game had treated certain aspects of the main game. Most distinctively the deterioration of certain character?s established personality types in posts made by 2007Digitalboy. The most controversial incident being that of Lucia and Satasha?s engaging in sexual intercourse upon finding a temporary safe zone of The Panopticon. More so out of character for Lucia, it still encroached onto the mutually understood persona for both characters, and it was made well known in the underground thread. Further incidents concerning disagreeable degrees of host participation erupted later after the aforementioned issue was resolved, this time leading to the willingness to bow out of posting participation altogether by 2007Digitalboy. Despite the examples of controversy however, the underground thread has not been all about negatives. As any member of The Panopticon cast will say, the underground thread was indeed more fun and exciting as well. If not for the hints of deceit to try and throw each other off or making claims of knowing character identities, then for the discussions about the main game posts and deaths and the tangents into amusing off-topic conversation influenced by them. Much has gone on to captivate the majority of the attention away from the main thread. When searching for the RP ?The Panopticon? in the future, the underground thread will be remembered and seen as stealing the spotlight in the Arena. [center][u][b]Death Scene Favorites: As voted by the participants[/u][/b] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=776674&postcount=65][u]Delilah burns in a sea of flames[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=775971&postcount=57]Katar takes a bullet for his troubles[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=775238&postcount=37]Moatilliata and Kayrel fight for the right to die[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=777850&postcount=80]Lucia sees the light[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=776684&postcount=66]Eliana falls for the team[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=775829&postcount=55]Merik makes a wrong move[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=776585&postcount=61]Meredith succumbs to punishment[/URL][/u] [b][u]The Imprisonments[/b][/u] [u][URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=774945&postcount=19]Brittany[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=775060&postcount=26]Nadia[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=775628&postcount=47]Alcuin[/URL] [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showpost.php?p=776003&postcount=58]Meredith[/URL] [/u][/center] I've asked Panopticon participant, SunfallE to answer a few questions concerning her experience with the RP, to give everyone some insight as to what it was like being involved as well as being an observer. Without further ado: [center][u][b]The Interview[/u][/b][/center] [b]1) What were your expectations coming into The Panopticon?[/b] -My expectation was that it was going to be fun. I had played in the first death card game the Labyrinth, watched the Maze and from what 2007DigitalBoy had put for the sign up it looked like he was going to take it so much further than the first two. It also looked like fun due to the players who had signed up since since many of them are very talented at RPGing. [b]2) Which characters based on their profiles and pictures immedietely stood out to you from the beggining?[/b] -The silly assassins/hunter/mercenaries, for the simple reason that there were way to many of them. My first thought was that each and everyone of them needed to be taken out. One or two was fine but beyond that it was overkill. After that the ones I really found more interesting were the ones that weren't some warrior or fighter, just ordinary people like the photographer and the dog sled runner. Those characters in my opinion were far more fun and I found the idea of developing their personalities exciting since they wouldn't have any type of fighting skills. In the end they seemed more real than all those assassins/hunter/mercenary types ever did. [b]3) Which characters did you think underwent the most detailed personality progression?[/b] -The one that changed the most in my opinion was probably Delita, she hardly got touched upon in the game but when she got turned into the Eternal Onlooker she quickly became a central figure in the story. Other ones that stood out to me were Meredith, Oromis, Lucia, Brittany and the others who got nailed by the punishments. Any character that got punished really stood out to me since I found myself feeling sorry for them. [b]4) Compared to the original Labyrinth, what areas have The Panopticon improved on and decreased in?[/b] -The original Labyrinth used the aspect of not knowing who was responsible for each character to make it fun. It gave the game a level of suspense that was interesting to watch since you were rooting for characters more than for any one player. The second game the Maze took that even further by making any changes such as life cards even more secret as well as throwing in new cards such as the dual death and creation cards. The Panopticon took that concept and stretched it even further. The sheer amount of different cards really gave it a new feel since you never knew what was going to happen. The poison cards, the body switch cards as well as the punishment system made it more unpredictable in an enjoyable way. And using an outside player, one without any characters for doing the punishments was in my opinion very well done. It too gave the game a distinct feel of terror since just seeing that indifference had posted was enough to make one cringe and wonder if their own character had been 'punished' The area where I think the game was a bit lacking was host involvement. I believe it was unintentional, but 2007DigitalBoy ended up being a little too involved. From revealing that his own characters had died, as well as throwing in elements into the story that other players objected to since they contradicted how the players were developing the characters. It spawned a number of arguments and fights in the underground thread and prompted the statement that the underground thread was more violent than the real game! Yet in spite of all that, I still think 2007DigitalBoy did a good job. Instead of getting frustrated by it, he did his best to pull back from being too involved as the host, he wasn't always successful, but not from lack of trying. [b]5) Which death scene stands out the most in your mind?[/b] -Cameron's did for the simple reason that Allamorph made that whole post so epic. By the time you got to where he died, part of me was thinking...No! Even though Cameron's character wasn't mine. The other one was Meredith's since the idea of sinking into darkness like that just creeps me out. lol There were other deaths that were more graphic to be sure, but those felt more unique, in the same way that Eflair's death in the Maze was. [b]6) How would you describe the activity in The Panopticon underground thread?[/b] -Insane. From being wacky to crazy it's made the regular thread seem almost redundant. Between all the arguments, jokes and constant goofing off, in many ways I've enjoyed the underground more than the actual thread. [b]7) How do you feel about the job Digitalboy has done with hosting the game?[/b] -In all honesty, in spite of the mistakes he's made, I think he did an excellent job. The Panopticon had a lot of elements in it to make it memorable and he executed them rather well. And even with all the problems that arose, he still kept coming back and finding ways to either fix them or to find a compromise that everyone would be happy with. Or listening to the players ideas when he wasn't sure what to do. [b]8) What would you like to see implemented in the next installment of the "Death Card" series?[/b] -More zany cards and unexpected twists like the one where 2007DigitalBoy had an outsider posting random things like the punishments. As well as a different storyline. I know I've got my own ideas as to how to do another installment of the 'Death Card' series, though it will be a while since Darren's working on one and I'm sure everyone is ready for a break. I'd also like to see less host involvement since in the end, the game on many levels is really meant for the players. Though it's understandable, since I can imagine that it's hard to sit back and watch when you've got characters that practically beg to be developed. [SIZE="1"] ~Article submitted by: [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=26538"][U]BKstyles[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [center][aname=Members][b][SIZE="6"]Members[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] Member of the Month:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=32594"][B][U]Affection[/U][/B][/URL]. She's a new member who's exhibited excellent post quality all around. [CENTER] [aname=Beyond OtakuBoards][b][SIZE="6"]Beyond OtakuBoards[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/center] Perhaps most notable as far as news outside OtakuBoards would be the recent issue with the submission side of [url]www.theOtaku.com[/url] going down. An [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/not_again.../2509/"][U]Otakulypse 2.0[/U][/URL] as Adam put it. Though fortunately it seems that things are back to normal. [center][aname=Reviews][b][SIZE="6"]Reviews[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] Though there were no reviews submitted by members of OtakuBoards for this edition. Panda, a member of both sites often writes reviews of new DVD releases and posts them at [url]www.theOtaku.com[/url] OtakuBoards sister site. Many thanks to indifference for taking the time to obtain the links. We look forward to reviews written by members here in the future, just send any you write directly to [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=27884"][U]Aaryanna_Mom[/U][/URL] [URL=http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/afro_samurai_(dvd_review)/2402/]Afro Samurai (DVD Review)[/URL] [URL=http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/black_cat_vol._4_(dvd_review)/2381/]Black Cat Vol. 4 (DVD Review)[/URL] [URL=http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/case_closed_vol._3.1_(dvd_review)/2415/]Case Closed Vol. 3.1 (DVD Review)[/URL] [URL=http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/demon_prince_enma_vol._1_(dvd_review)/2389/]Demon Prince Enma Vol. 1 (DVD Review)[/URL] [URL=http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/full_metal_panic:_tsr_vol._4_(dvd_review)/2380/]Full Metal Panic: TSR Vol. 4 (DVD Review)[/URL] [URL=http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/gunbuster_2_vol._1_(dvd_review)/2390/]Gunbuster 2 Vol. 1 (DVD Review)[/URL] [URL=http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/peach_girl_vol._1_(dvd_review)/2368/]Peach Girl Vol. 1 (DVD Review)[/URL] [URL=http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/trinity_blood_vol._6_(dvd_review)/2369/]Trinity Blood Vol. 6 (DVD Review)[/URL] [URL=http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/tsubasa_reservoir_chronicle_vol_1_dvd_review/2401/]Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Vol 1 DVD Review[/URL] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 [size=1]These are some great articles. High-fives all around! That Panopticon article is [i]enormous[/i]. Just from reading it I get a strong sense that all of the players and creators have put a lot of thought and effort it. I'm very tempted to throw my hat into the ring during the next installment of the Death Card series. Of course, that's assuming I make it past sign-ups... I'll definitely second the decision to make 'Affection' OB's Member of the Month. In every thread I've encountered her she's always been extremely pleasant and thoughtful. There are some members who have been around for years who could probably learn a thing or two from her (myself included.) Anyway, this was a really interesting read. My expectations for an OB newspaper were pretty low, but you totally blew me away. I can't wait to read the next installment, and hopefully I can contribute some articles of my own. -Shy[/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mask Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Wow! [I]The Anime Feud[/I] in Otaku Times! Makes me feel really proud and honored. Great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 [color=#606060]Wow, this is amazing. I can't believe I didn't notice this earlier. You guys have put in so much work...we've really never had anything this elaborate on OtakuBoards before in terms of a newspaper. Well done! The Panopticon definitely seems quite incredible. I'd heard of it but I haven't followed it - your article really brings me up to speed. I really think it's great that we still have so much highly creative and innovative RPGs going on out there - I'm so proud of all the contributors. I am definitely eagerly awaiting your next issue, guys. This thread is fantastic. Perhaps in future I should make an announcement as each new issue is launched - I think this newspaper really deserves the promotion. If you'd like me to do that you only have to PM me when each new issue goes up. :catgirl: [/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaryanna_Mom Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I'm really glad to hear that you enjoyed it James. :catgirl: Everyone put so much work into it. And you can bet there will be another issue. It's going to be posted either this weekend or the first part of next week. We've already got enough material for it. And speaking of that... I need to get some pm's sent to people since I'm running a little behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaryanna Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 [CENTER][IMG]http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3185/timesjq3.jpg[/IMG] [SIZE="1"]Banner by:[/SIZE] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=4082"][SIZE="1"][U]Jeremiah[/U][/SIZE][/URL] [SIZE="1"][alink=iss2Entertainment][u]Entertainment[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss2Community][u]Community[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss2Creative Works][u]Creative Works[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss2Members][u]Members[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss2Beyond OtakuBoards][u]Beyond OtakuBoards[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss2Reviews][u]Reviews[/u][/alink][/SIZE][/center] Welcome to the second installment of the OtakuBoards Newspaper. As you can see we intend to cover each area of the boards. Just click on the link above to be taken to the each area where the articles are listed. Not only do we wish to thank everyone for their input, support and the articles and banners they made for this endeavor, but also for future involvement. Also special thanks to both [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=4033"][U]Revelation[/U][/URL] and [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=30155"][U]Allamorph[/U][/URL] for providing editing services for many of the articles. [center][aname=iss2Entertainment][b][SIZE="6"]Entertainment[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57263"][B][U]Movie Limericks [/U][/B][/URL] ?Movie Limericks? is much like a guess-this-movie game by virtue of a clue given for people to use to figure out the answer. However, this thread varies in that unlike the standard simple game it requires the participants to creatively write up the clue in the form of a limerick, as can be seen here: [INDENT]A Disney gal with a set of pipes Had a world of underwater gripes Though her voice had to flounder Her prince charming found her He was one of those wish-washy types.[/INDENT] Though ?Movie Limericks? has not received a lot of responses, it is definitely one of the more fun and creative game threads to be found on OtakuBoards. [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=20994"] [U]indifference[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57662"][B][U]Parents And Anime: Do They Approve?[/U][/B][/URL] It's a question that never seems to end: do your parents approve of anime? As the opening poster mentioned, many areas still have people who believe that anime is nothing more than pornographic garbage. Such prejudice is widely confirmed, as some replies have included others in a book store loudly proclaiming to everyone that all manga is garbage while another accused someone purchasing manga of supporting porn even though the manga in question was not?an act that was clearly from ignorance since, ironically, the state where the manga was being sold does not allow porn to be distributed on the shelves of a book store. Such material must be ordered online or gotten in another state. In spite of this misunderstanding, it is clear that many parents do not see it this way, as more than a few replies have been along the lines of the member's parents having little to no issue with anime. Others simply tolerated it instead of trying to keep their kids from watching it. But what makes this thread interesting is that one of OtakuBoards few parents, Aaryanna_Mom, posted in favor of not believing that all anime is bad, a fact confirmed by her claims in another thread that there are some shows such as Fruits Basket and Case Closed that she watches and enjoys. [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=20994"] [U]indifference[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [CENTER][aname=iss2Community][b][SIZE="6"]Community[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/center] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57609"][B][U]OtakuBoards Hall of Fame '07[/U][/B][/URL] [B]&[/B] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57581"][B][U] The Great OtakuBoards Bermuda Triangle Mystery! [E] - Everyone's Invited![/U][/B][/URL] After a spell of inactivity in the community events area of the boards, two new events finally got underway, inviting everyone to be a part of the process. Both events are quite different from one another. The OtakuBoards Hall of Fame is primarily an admiration event in the sense that it will recognize five members each year as being ?famous? at OtakuBoards. Basically, any member can nominate someone they think that, through their posts and actions, are a prime example of what OtakuBoards is all about. The rules to the event are simple: each member is only allowed one post and one nomination. They are encouraged to explain in detail why the member they nominated should be one of the five chosen this year. There is only one exception for nominations: it must be a regular member. No staff members are allowed, though staff are encouraged to participate in nominations. Also, it?s worth mentioning that even members who have been banned or are retired staff members are also eligible to be selected. Eventually, after a judging process, five of the nominations will be selected to be the first members to become part of the OtakuBoards Hall of Fame. One serious drawback to this event is that no time frame has been given as to when the time for nominations will close or even when the judging will finally take place. Regardless, if you have yet to nominate someone now is the time if you wish for them to be part of the OtakuBoards Hall of Fame for 2007. The other event, the Bermuda Triangle Mystery, is a take off of last year?s Scavenger hunt, only with a twist. In this event, items, people, functions and threads have been strewn about the site due to the mysterious force associated with the Bermuda Triangle. It is up to the members to hunt them down and restore them to their proper place. Via special banners made by Aaryanna, the items have been placed in threads by indifference, and cryptic clues are all that the members have to go on to find the missing items. In an ironic twist, instead of being more obvious, many of the clues have been based on more than clever wording for describing the thread where items are located. As indifference put it: [indent]Just a reminder, this is also about how you find the information and not just keywords. To give you an example I'll explain this clue from the first round: [B]Clue 8: Depending on your point of view. This army stands at the top.[/B] By choosing to have the Adventure Square show all threads since the forum began and then clicking on the button to sort it based on how many views each thread has had... Depending on your point of view [SIZE="1"][times it's been viewed[/SIZE]] it stands at the top. So it's time to think outside the box since the clues are a mix of more obvious keywords and methods of how one would find the thread itself. Now as to which clue is which, that is still a mystery.[/indent] As a result, many of the clues have been difficult to find since simply typing in a key word or two was not enough to find the thread in question. So far, each round has resulted in a clue that was not found. And in yet another twist, instead of telling where they are, additional clues were provided and the clues carried over to the next round. The nature of the final battle for the title [B]OtakuBoards Bermuda Triangle Mystery Champion[/B] has yet to be revealed. Even the prize at the end is still a mystery, as neither indifference nor Aaryanna has verified just what it is. [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=30891"] [U]Rachmaninoff[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [center][aname=iss2Creative Works][b][SIZE="6"]Creative Works[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/center] [B][URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57362"][U]DeadSeraphim's Guide To Becoming An Internet Superstar At OtakuBoards - An Essay [/U][/URL][/B] In perhaps one of the more serious attempts at humor in regards to popularity at OtakuBoards, DeadSeraphim started the thread: [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57362"][U]Guide To Becoming An Internet Superstar At OtakuBoards - An Essay[/U][/URL] With the first three methods of How to obtain Stardom at OtakuBoards. It quickly caught on as other members started adding to the initial three methods with other methods of how one could become an OtakuBoards Superstar. However it quickly degraded into methods that as Raiyuu put it: [INDENT]As Des suggested, more lolz and less thread derailment plz. Where by thread derailment I mean posting any method where the 'mentors' include yourself. I mean, how vain do you have to be? I've enjoyed this thread so far. I think a lot of other people have too. Over the last page or so it's been dragged down with ego massagers. The lesson to remember is: you don't get to decide whether or not you are a 'superstar'.[/INDENT] The moderators felt that many replies were nothing more than shameless promotions of oneself, making it clear that whether or not one was actually a Superstar on OtakuBoards was something decided by the members and not a case of one person claiming that they were. [B][U][CENTER][SIZE="4"]The Methods:[/SIZE][/CENTER][/U][/B] [B]Method 1: Be a serious jerk.[/B] This method involves selling your sense of humour, having a one word screenname (names starting with 'R' with some vaguely authoritive conotations are a good bet) and posting in a small font. If you take this route, you're never allowed to join in on any humourous threads and you're gonna have to overreact to trolling in such a severe manner that you end up looking like an arsehole instead of the troll - it's cool though, cause people will expect that from you. You're on a grand crusade against the trolling menace, and if anyone gets caught in the crossfire, they know that this is war, and there will be casualties. RPing at a rate of a million RPs per minute will also help. You will have a great chance at becoming a mod this way. [i]Your mentors: [/i]Sandy, Retribution, Neuvoxraiha. [B]Method 2: Be a troll.[/B] Trolls are clearly the most underappreciated class of OB denizen, and usually gain a level of INFAMY over stardom, but it is a way to get yourself noticed. Short, dismissive replies that make no attempt at being serious, public mocking and defaming of other members and inflammatory avatars and signatures are a hallmark of this method, though they have to be counterbalanced by a large percentage of real posts that are ontopic and sincere, or you risk banning. Being friends with staff will keep you from banning, but only for a while - as the sad tales of Papa Smurf and the original lavalamp illustrate, trolling can get you banned if not done properly and with restraint. You have a soso chance of becoming a mod, but I wouldn't hold your breath. [I]Your mentors: [/I]Charles, Deathknight, wristcutter. [B]Method 3: Have half a brain.[/B] As has been shown time and time again, if you actually use your ****ing head once in a while, you'll have no problems making friends and influencing people. This is the least travelled route for reasons unknown, but you can be pretty sure if you try it you'll become internet famous in no time. There's no prerequisites, but having a screenname that is vaguely ominous sounding usually helps. Also, not resorting to trolling when bored as well - some of our best trolls once used this method, but later joined the dark side (largely cause this method can get shockingly boring if you've got nothing better to do). Chances of moddom are high, but not as high as being a serious jerk. [I]Your mentors:[/I] Aaryanna_Mom, Shy, indifference. [B] Method 4: Develop a creepy cult of stalkers.[/B] If you're one of the beautiful people, this is the easiest attention to get, but the hardest to get rid of. Simply post a picture of yourself in one of the recurring Photos of you! threads, and let the compliments roll in. It will take several photographs to get firmly established as an internet celebrity, but after that, you're golden. Once you've arrived, people will revere you for your beauty long after your original picture thread has been locked and forgotten. It doesn't matter if you contribute to the boards in any other way?you can be one of the most active, intelligent people on OB, or one of the most vapid and annoying?people will only remember you as their "hot geeky girl on teh interwebs!" fantasy. [I] Your mentors:[/I] Juuthena, Babygirl [B]Method 5: Be gay (or just think you might be!)[/B] OtakuBoards has always had gay members. Lots of them. However, many of these members didn't realize they are gay until visiting the site, and as a result the entire community is forced to sit through their long and difficult proccess of self acceptance. Perhaps anime message boards just attract a lot of homosexuals, or maybe it's your Dad's fault. Who knows? Since gays are always defending themselves and their lifestyle, they are prone to becoming strong writers and debaters. This makes them strong candidates for staff positions ([spoiler]and other kinds of positions, too.[/spoiler]) While some OB gays are on the "D.L." others are loud and proud of their sexual orientation. Decide which method works for you, because being gay is a surefire way to become an OB superstar! OB gays can be usually be identified by a clever (or sometimes not so clever) declaration of their homoseuxality in their avatars and/or signatures. Also be on the lookout for gender-neutral pronouns when they describe their lovelife and/or "type." [I]Your mentors: [/I]Transtic Nerve, Sandy, Shy. [B]Method Six: Be an Argumentative Slut.[/B] Manage to always insult others while drawing from both method two and three. Chances are you're rude and cruel to others because you're young, acned, and unattractive to the opposite sex as well as your own. You post in every thread that doesn't need you, because you feel that you're needed anyway and that your arguments have some merit. Your OB life however will be very short, because you'll soon be banned or on your way to being banned. Additionally, you will most likely have a nemesis that gets you and the other into serious trouble. This is why you are/have been banned. [I]Mentors:[/I] Copycatalyst, Alex, Mnemolth, Transtic Nerve [B]Method Seven: Be a Douche[/B] It's not hard to get people to notice you if your always there. It also helps if you're a total douche. Just go out there and purposefully be completely ignorant and disagree with as many intelligent opinions as possible. Eventually, people will be like, "hey, that gues a douche" but at least everyone knows you're a douche. [I]Mentors:[/I] 21st Century Digital Boy, Premonition, Kazuwa_Nomura [B] Method 8: post sapmmy-ness for about 10 posts, then show them your skillz.[/B] If you post complete stupidity then later show that you can post, you just might find stardom. This example can be seen in the past where members that post excellent today, posted really bad a few years back. Just don't get too overboard, or the mods will have at you. [I]Mentors:[/I] Tical blue, Charles (from wat otakupedia told me) [B] Method 9: Be H-O-T, Attractive.[/B] One of the oldest ways of being liked from the get go. Be good looking. It's not that complicated, and while tastes may differ, usually SOMEONE's going to like you for what your Mama gave ya. Sometimes it's unanimous, other times it's a small crowd of admirers. Hopefully it's the former for you. Just don't be shy, and it should work... oh, and don't be a liar. No body likes an identity theft. [I]Mentors:[/I] Neuvoxraiha, Anomlay, SaiyanPrincessX, BabyGirl, Sandy, Annie, Revelation, Ezekiel, The Boss, Shy, Caoimhe, White, DeadSeraphim, Retribution (hawt). [B] Method 10: Be obsessive and proud of it.[/B] Find something to obsess about -- something other than Naruto and Kingdom Hearts, mind you -- and display your obsession proudly. The more eccentric the obsession is, the more likely you are to get noticed. Take every opportunity to display a wide range of knowledge about your object of obsession, make references to it frequently, and find ways to relate it to other subjects of conversation. Keep it up consistently and you'll build a reputation as, "that person who's crazy about...." If your obsession happens to match up with one of the forums you'll also have a decent chance of becoming a moderator this way. Just be careful not to come off as a stupid fanboy/girl. [I]Your mentors:[/I] Desbreko, Aaryanna, Charles [B]Method 11: Be a mod[/B] Being a mod pretty much guarantees that regardless of your level of intelligence, strength of your sense of humor, writing ability, ability to use ridiculous font choices or general hygiene you will be liked and lauded by some group of people. Even if they don't understand the main point of your argument (assuming there is one at all), your very existence will be appreciated on some level. Expect numerous pointless PMs and IMs from out of the blue that are likely not welcome at all. [I] Weaknesses:[/I] Chances are that unless you're actually, genuinely likable this will disappear along with your title if you ever resign. [I]Mentors:[/I] Every mod ever. [B]Method 12: Write an Awful Lot[/B] If you write enough, most people will not have the time to actually read every last word of your post and thus assume you're the smartest person in the thread. You've automatically won whatever the debate entails by default in the eyes of more than half of the userbase and since popularity is all that matters you've essentially won at The Internet. [I]Mentors:[/I] Fill this in yourself. [B]Method 13: Use an Army of Flying Monkeys[/B] Using an army of flying monkeys to strong-arm your way into OB stardom is a concrete and well-used method of acquiring fame. Strutting your stuff physically or proving your intelligence is far too common for the likes of you. Simply arrive with your simian posse in tow and watch the compliments, friend invites and PMs roll in. [I]Weaknesses:[/I] Whole lotta falling poo. [I] Your mentors:[/I] Sephiroth, Sara, DeadSeraphim. [B]Method 14: IM[/B] Start IMing all the major members of the boards. Everyone seems to do it, and eventually youll be mentioned in someone's sig or have your own story based on the IM conversations in the anthology. There are members out there who expanded their popularity just be IMing someone like Charles or Shy frequently. [B]Method Number Next: Don't Give a Flying Monkey's Arse[/B] While not exactly a discipline for those who aspire to fame, this method will ensure that you remain unaffected by wherever you end up in the hierarchy of the internet. It's almost the same as Method Three, but with more "meh," involved. Those who follow this method strictly will probably never even be aware that such a hierarchy exists, and so it is perfect for them. [I]Your Mentors: [/I]How the devil should I know? [B] Get Banned In a Spectacular Way[/B] Some members actually acquire more "fame" once they have been banned. Although momentary fame often accompanies a public banning, this category uniquely belongs to members who are remembered for years after their banning. Hilarious/bizarre/supremely obnoxious situations much surround the banning of a member in this hierarchy of shame. Former staff member, kuja, is remembered for receiving a banning for threatening to sue Adam and James for his removal from the staff. Zeh, another staff member, is remembered for impersonating the administrators and offering members jobs. Alex is often remembered for mass flaming members and fighting with James in dozens of essay-length posts about a video game before getting banned. [I]Mentors:[/I] Rick Hunter, kuja, Poisontongue, zeh, shift [B]Using a font colour that could glow in the dark[/B] People think it's cool, unique, and gives you an identity, but it is just annoying. It's barely readable and results in having to highlight the text in order to read it, not that it helps much. This and Method 7 go hand in hand. [I]Mentors: [/I]2007DigitalBoy, 2007DigitalBoy, 2007DigitalBoy, 2007DigitalBoy, 2007DigitalBoy [B]Method 18: Pretend To Hate It[/B] Find something about the 'Boards that you don't like and make that the crux of your apparent OB hatred, taking time to complain about anything else that happens to irk you along the way. Insults should be thinly-veiled (unless directed at the less popular members) to avoid being banned. This way you can just about escape warning-free. It helps to throw in crude jokes or the odd swear word. Pretend to be better/cooler/know more than everyone else, so every post is apparently a waste of your time. Woe betide anyone who should criticize you. Through your stinging commentaries on various members, thread topics and site designs; your sarcastic, semi-insulting comments will glean you a charm amongst the OB populace, and while you have a cantakerous, argumentative and rude outer facade, inside you will be standing proudly on your OB podium with a smile on your face and a tear in your eye. [I]Weaknesses:[/I] Don't expect to get modded if you start like this from the off. And make sure to hide those early posts wherein you were a lowly, unconfident newbie with a font two sizes too big for your words, asking sheepishly 'Can I post my wallpaper here?', otherwise your big 'bad-boy' image is shattered forever. And of course, you leave yourself open to the one fatal flaw in the 'Pretend To Hate It' method; the simple question: If you dislike the site so much, why are you here? And then you may just have to admit that, actually, you really do love it here and cry every time you get torn away from the screen to go to bed. This method can sometimes be confused with Method 1, but while those using that method can just be jerks, people who Pretend To Hate It are not always necessarily jerks. [I]Your mentors:[/I] cloricus, Altron Gundam, DeadSeraphim [B]Method 19: Love Yourself[/B] Some would argue that the best way to acquaint everyone with yourself is by a massive self-advertising campaign. After all, who knows you better than yourself, hmm? How will all these people appreciate your greatness if someone doesn't tell them how good you are? Write humourous fan-fictions starring yourself, constantly, and don't let up for a second. Self-confidence is a great thing, so use it to your advantage! [I] Weaknesses:[/I] Believe it or not, people can have too much of a good thing, so it's best to give them a break every now and again. Heavens, even you may tire from seeing your own face too often! And that would be a great shame. [I]Your mentors:[/I] Dragon Warrior [I]Accompaniment to Any Method:[/I] Once your popularity is established, by this or other methods, you may want to start self-gratifying threads about OtakuBoards so you can count how many times your name pops up. You may want to namedrop as many people as possible in order to get reciprocation. This is an indulgence many people undertake, popular or not, so don't worry if someone has beaten you to it. Either way, if your name doesn't come up enough, it's time to get working again! [B]Method 20: Pretend your sister died.[/B] Think your OB history is just a little too respectable? Want to shake things up a bit? Luckily for you, the solution to your problem is a simple one; tell everyone you just went through a horrible tragedy! To apply it properly, wait for someone to criticize you. Don't worry, its OB; it'll happen in no time. Respond to that criticism with a simple "you jerk my sister just died today," and you're in! The harsher the criticism the better, but timing is also a factor. Use your judgment. The best part of it is, it's foolproof! Who's going to question that story? There's no need to keep up the charade on other OB related message boards; it's not like anyone's going to check, right? Just sit back and bask in the attention. The Downside? Sooner or later, somebody will figure it out. Chances are, if you have to resort to something like this, you're not the brightest bulb. As such, the ill-gotten superstardom will fade quickly, often in a day or two, and you will then become an OB pariah. Keep up crap like this, and you're sure to be banned, which makes this method the perfect lead-in to the "Getting Banned in a Spectacular Way." In all actuality, it's a win-win! [I]Mentors:[/I] Ultimia. [B] Method 21: OMG POST COUNT[/B] A by-product of almost all of the above methods is an increasing post-count. This is great, because a having a high postcount is a form of superstardom all by itself! To really reach Superstar status, though, you need to post a lot?we're talking an average of fifty times a day. This means you need to post in every thread on the boards, multiple times?it helps to have a fellow candidate for superdom to work with, because that allows you and your partner to raise your counts simultaneously by holding converations in multiple threads. Another option is to join the hell out of as many RPGs as possible and just go at it. [I]Drawbacks:[/I] This is an old-fashioned method, made almost obsolete by the current format of the boards, which does not automatically display your post count in the header of your post. Don't worry! You can add your post count to your signature, custom title, avatar, or simply mention it in every post you make! [I]Bonus:[/I] Everyone knows who you are, not only because of your post-count (that's why they respect you), but by sheer force of presence. You're inescapable. You're everywhere! [I]Your Mentors:[/I] thimoc, firemac, ulitmia, neuvoxraiha [B]Method 22: Form an elitist clique, mention it frequently, and don't let anyone else join.[/B] Choose your clique members wisely! You don't want nondescript members dragging your group down?no one would care about a club made of ten Naruto fans! You want to associate yourself with high-profile (or upwardly-mobile) members. This is best used in combination with one of the above methods to cement your status in the minds of others. Not only are you great... you're so great that you're in an exclusive club! And everyone else is out-of-luck, because unless they're already in... they're just not good enough to join. [I]Your Mentors:[/I] Adam's Angels, Otaku Triad [B] Method 23: Super-annoying catch phrase[/B] Coin yourself a phrase and use it as often as possible, preferedly in every single post. No matter how many cease and desist PMs and annoyed posts people send at you, keep using it as if you don't even notice it. Pretty soon it'll be in every OB parody that comes around and become synonymous with your name. [I]Mentors: [/I]Gavin [B]Method 21a: Start ten trillion threads[/B] Run out of threads with which to up your post count? Start some new ones! But make sure they're all along the same lines - you don't want people just thinking "so-and-so started loads of threads today". You want people thinking "OMG where did all those game threads come from". When they work it out your name will become synonymous with that subject. [I]Mentors: [/I]ChibiHorsewoman (game threads), Adahn (pretentious pseudophilosophy) [B] 24: Rephrase everything that's already been said, bashing members in the process. Also, whenever people attempt to actually participate in the discussion, throw a wrench in the works by holding a completely unrelated conversation with another member in the same thread.[/B] People will then realize that you are "too cool for rules" and blindly follow you in admiration. Blatant sarcasm works, too. [I] Mentors:[/I] Like I'm actually going to list names. [B]Method Number 25: Dont be an AJeh[/B] These membertypes are the (very loosely said) 'all-rounders' who dont seem to excel in any of the other 24 previously mentioned methods. Instead they linger on in the forums for prolonged periods of time before decidingly disappearing very suddenly, lest they become too visible. Because of this, these members usually have extremely long but inconsistent (and regrettably forgettable, in the bigger picture) lifespans compared to most. Though this may suggest that these members may have a real social life they are more dedicated to, the odds are against it (just like with most other anime forum member types). [I]Non-mentor(s):[/I] AJeh, other forgettable oldies, current few in the making [B] Method 26: Get away with stuff[/B] The saying 'Go big or go home' applies here. The idea is to violate the rules so frequently and in such significant ways that you will inspire shock and awe among your fellow members. The moderating staff will be so blown away by your blatant disregard for authority that they won't know how to react, and in the end, probably won't react at all. As long as you get away with it people will respect you (or probably hate you, but either way you'll get your name out there.) [I]Weaknesses: [/I]Unfortunately, your rebellious nature will be your undoing when you are banned for one of your relatively minor offenses (as opposed to one of the really big offenses you have been committing for months.) The trick is to keep outdoing yourself and stay away from gaming discussions. Just remember that there will come a time when you have to choose between violating federal law or losing your reputation at an internet message board. I think you know which choice to make. [I] Role Models:[/I] The term 'role model' doesn't seem quite fitting with this particular method. I'm sure they have some examples listed at your local post office. [B]Method 27: Brainwash Others[/B] So maybe you're not the best-looking person around. Maybe you don't practice what some call "good hygiene." Maybe you're just totally fugly with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. To put it simply, maybe you're a gigantic douche. But you still have a chance to be a superstar at OB. Just get a few of your IRL friends to register at OB, and position yourself so they'll start a "[your name here] for Moderator" campaign, including banners, avatars, etc. Pretty soon everyone will know who you are, regardless of whether you actually became a moderator or not. [I]Drawbacks:[/I] One problem with this method is that if your friends happen to be bigger douches than you, are crazy, or go crazy, or screw something up, it'll reflect poorly on your campaign, which will reflect poorly on you. It's like modern American politics. [I] Examples: [/I]PoisonTongue, Drix D'Zanth (it was an obscure campaign, but it was there), Barack Obama. [B]Method 28: Actually Be Nice[/B] Far less certain or even obtainable than the other methods since it actually requires lots of ridiculous behind the scenes work. Such as answering the pm's of poor newbies who are lost or confused. As well as avoiding obvious trolling or clobbering of members who really should be clobbered. It also requires at least attempting to respond politely to personal attacks instead of going off the deep end. It's also rarely done since like method three, it can be shockingly boring. Still chances of modship are a possibility as well as eventually being recognized. [I]Drawbacks:[/I] Chance are no one will ever know that you're pretty nice to people. You'll just slip through the cracks and be considered nothing more than an ordinary member. Also, it requires actually having patience. [I]Your Mentors:[/I] Panda, James, SunfallE, Shy, Aaryanna_Mom [B]Method 69: Suck Up To People Like You're Sucking On a Popsickle[/B] When Ken posts complaining that he's only a troll, or say someone else feels down in the OB dumpster, give them a nice fellatio and say things of import to them which aggrandize their Ego to heightened degrees; almost like giving a Mitchbackmassage, one could say, in some sense, or a Jehburger with extra cheese. This method is perfect, for once taking the blow-up doll of another's Ego and blowing and blowing it, it arises largesse and colossus like the end boss on Shadow of the Colossus, or like a nice breast augmentation (only this is a beast augmentation); and lo and behold, you have become the boy wonder of the Supermen, a side-kick superstar like Flash Gordon on crack going to the OB halls as if it's some justice league. [I]Models:[/I] Your mom. Definitely. She is a gooood model. [B]Method 70: Actually post once in a while.[/B] As 2007digitalboy said, if you're everywhere, it's hard not to get noticed. This is where I fail. [I]Mentors: [/I]2007digitalboy, DeadSeraphim. [B] Method 71: Always be right[/B] Okay, not technically "right," but post stuff others can't argue with. For example, if someone asks you what the meaning of life is, give 'em a dictionary definition. Most imoprtant person in your life? HUGE pic of Jesus Christ. [I]Mentors:[/I] DeadSeraphim [B] Method 72: Troll your butt off[/B] This is the one where you either type Leik diss OMG!!! or pick a member and follow them around flaming them. The upside is you get noticed. The downside is you get IP banned and most of your posts are deleted. [I]Mentors:[/I] Well, you don't wanna tread this path anyway. But... maybe me on a bad day. [B]Method 73:[/B] Be absolutly cool, all knowing, philosophical, and do so in a nice way so that everyone looooves. When I try, people tell me to change my font color. (I know, I'm a conformist) [I]Mentors:[/I] Charles [B] Method 74: Perv it up.[/B] Talk dirty. Mention hentai in every post. Say "that's what she said" in response to things that don't even sound remotely sexual. Pros: You will get noticed. I guarantee it. Cons: you just might get arrested. [I]Mentors: [/I]2007digitalboy. [B]Method #29: All your posts call for a "WTF?!" reaction.[/B] If your posts are just so ridiculous that people laugh at you and don't even bother replying, you're on the right track. If you can keep this up without being banned then you are definitely on the right track. However nobody has really gotten away with it (eventually getting kicked). Nonetheless these mentors are still Superstars in my books. [I] Mentors: [/I]Naps the Cat and Prick Wizard. [B] Method 75 or 30: Post with your friends and annoy the crap out of everybody.[/B] If you post insults, friendly comments or even threats against your friends in a thread you will get noticed. [I]Pros:[/I] People will post about it. [I]Cons:[/I] they'll will hate you in that post. [I]Mentors:[/I] 2007DigitalBoy, Premonition [B] Method 30: Be Deathknight[/B] It doesn't matter what the state of your hair is, or that you have a turtleonhead fetish, just being Deathknight is enough. Spreading fear and terror where you go, but being loved by everyone simultaneously, you can't help but be a superstar. Unfortunately, the usage of this method has run its course, and no longer works. It is included strictly for posterity. [I] Mentors:[/I] Deathknight [B]Method 31: Be okay where you stand[/B] If your not popular, and people know that, be okay with your rank. Soon after resuring yourself that being you is good, people will begin to notice you. Soon you'll become more known around OB, as "the guy who just doesn't give a crap about popularity."The process may take long, but it's worth it. [I]Mentors: [/I]Premonition [B] Method #?? - Play Literati.[/B] It's a great way to make contact with other members (new and old) in a fun and relaxed environment, you might learn new words to add to your vocabulary, the games will usually provide brilliant quote material for your sig, and if you're really lucky you could earn yourself a 24-hour ban from OB! [I] Mentors: [/I]Sara (Queen of Literati), Shy (King of Literati), Kei (Literati Boss), Shinmaru (Literati Ace). [I] Bonus Mentor:[/I] Charlie/Heaven's Cloud (Literati Joker). [B] Method [insert what ever number here]: Something Productive..[/B] Whether?s it?s by allying yourself with random people just being weird or something of the sort, do something. Add to threads, post anthology works, just do something productive. Realize that people have their noob moments. I?ve had them, and if you saw my PM inbox, I could give a list of names. Just do something. Yes, it?s fun to irritate others in a plethora of ways, but think: Is it really getting you anywhere? Also, post things that make others think. Hell, you could even make a friend whom you PM constantly and have random discussions with, thus having most of your pm?s from that person. [I]Role Models: [/I]The Boss. The Mods. Raiyuu. Shy. Shinmaru. In the end the list was meant to be a fun poke at all the different ways people get noticed at OtakuBoards instead of a set of guidelines for members to actually follow. [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=17833"] [U]SunfallE[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [B][URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57470"][U]What is OB?[/U][/URL][/B] The universe, in all its grandiosity, is an illusion. All things belong to the collective mind which links us to the state of being. We disperse, though, and become nothing more than frail humans. Our society has become a corrupted hub of ADHD madness and despair! Even the places we once considered to be of value in alleviating our sorrows have been corrupting into stations of conformist bigotry! Can?t you see? What good is the world when even a forum like Otakuboards, that is meant to be a place for everyone to be fun, is fraught with overbearing rules and herd mentality meant to drive out those it does not accept?! [B]What is OB?[/B] That?s what [B]CopyCatalyst[/B] (aka [B]Mitch[/B]) asked the boards, though apparently it wasn?t really what he wanted to know. While most of the thread?s replies took the question literally and explained what OB was to them, Mitch was truly questioning what was wrong with the site and was trying to demand it be fixed. As much as he continually assured people that he was ?having fun? and didn?t hate the site, he continually stood against it and delivered harsh criticism to those he opposed. While the frontlines of his battle weren?t entirely contained in this thread, the final battle would be held there. [B]James[/B] stepped into the thread and delivered a harsh slice of reality onto Mitch before striking down on him with his mighty mod-rod and banning the pseudo-intellectual page-filler for his 3rd time. A sigh of relief resounded from the depths of OB, and dozens came forth to praise James? decision. Oddly enough, all turbulent events across the OB abruptly ended, as if Mitch had been single-handedly weighing down the entire community. [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=29754"] [U]2007DigitalBoy[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [center][aname=iss2Members][b][SIZE="6"]Members[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] Member of the Month: [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=33065"][B][U]Konata[/U][/B][/URL]. She's a new member who has blended in beautifully with great posts and worthy suggestions. [CENTER][aname=iss2Beyond OtakuBoards][b][SIZE="6"]Beyond OtakuBoards[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/center] [U][B][URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/major_announcements,_part_1:_who_is_gia?/2569/"]Who is Gia?[/URL][/B][/U] As it says in the update over at [URL="http://www.theOtaku.com"]www.theOtaku.com[/URL] Gia Manry, formerly the head writer of FUNimation's animeOnline, has agreed to join the news team at [url]www.theOtaku.com[/url] with the primary mission of making them a more competitive force in daily otaku news coverage. If you haven't yet, be sure to go and give Gia a warm welcome. [U][B][URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/otaku_democracy:_original_characters/2527/"]Otaku Democracy: Original Characters[/URL][/B][/U] Recently there has been a huge cry among artists that characters created by artists for a specific series do not fit in the hub or category for that show. The debate among artists was fierce to the point that moderators such as [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=17833"]SunfallE[/URL] often had to step in and break up fights that had degraded to personal insults and attacks. Finally after much deliberation Adam posted a poll to see just what people wanted done, if only to end the pointless arguments. A few days later the results of that poll were known and a new hub was adding at [url]www.theOtaku.com[/url]. [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/original_characters_verdict/2533/"] [U][B] Original Characters Verdict[/B][/U][/URL] The verdict? Original Characters for a series now have their own hub [U][URL="http://fanart.theotaku.com/category.php?id=224"]Fan Characters (OC)[/URL][/U] to call their own. Whether or not this solution is ultimately accepted. One hopes that artists will go back to drawing instead of arguing over where their art is displayed. [U][B][URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/theotaku_reaches_500,000_members/2543/"]theOtaku Reaches 500,000 Members[/URL][/B][/U] On a more fun note, [URL="http://www.theOtaku.com"]www.theOtaku.com[/URL] reached an important milestone. Congratulations on having half a million members! [SIZE="1"]~Many thanks for the news updates [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=20994"] [U]indifference[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [center][aname=iss2Reviews][b][SIZE="6"]Reviews[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] Though there were no reviews submitted by members of OtakuBoards for this edition. Panda, a member of both sites often writes reviews of new DVD releases and posts them at [url]www.theOtaku.com[/url] OtakuBoards sister site. Many thanks to indifference for taking the time to obtain the links. We look forward to reviews written by members here in the future, just send any you write directly to [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=27884"][U]Aaryanna_Mom[/U][/URL] [U][URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/beck_vol._1_%28dvd_review%29/2531/"]Beck Vol. 1 (DVD Review)[/URL][/U] [U][URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/peach_girl_vol._3_%28dvd_review%29/2532/"]Peach Girl Vol. 3 (DVD Review)[/URL][/U] [U][URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/solty_rei_vol._5_%28dvd_review%29/2550/"]Solty Rei Vol. 5 (DVD Review)[/URL][/U] [U][URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/tsubasa_vol._2_%28dvd_review%29/2551/"]Tsubasa Vol. 2 (DVD Review)[/URL][/U] [U][URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/suzuka_vol._2_%28dvd_review%29/2561/"]Suzuka Vol. 2 (DVD Review)[/URL][/U] [U][URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/black_cat_vol._6_%28dvd_review%29/2562/"]Black Cat Vol. 6 (DVD Review)[/URL][/U] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japan Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 [COLOR="DarkRed"]You forgot to mention Charlie's Angels[/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaryanna_Mom Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 [quote name='Japan_86'][COLOR="DarkRed"]You forgot to mention Charlie's Angels[/COLOR][/QUOTE]Perhaps you could be more clear? Left it out of what? I am not sure what you mean by Charlie's Angels. Since I don't see how that TV show or the movie has anything to do with any of the articles in the newspaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japan Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 [COLOR="DarkRed"]Then I shall tell you... [QUOTE]Method 22: Form an elitist clique, mention it frequently, and don't let anyone else join. Choose your clique members wisely! You don't want nondescript members dragging your group down—no one would care about a club made of ten Naruto fans! You want to associate yourself with high-profile (or upwardly-mobile) members. This is best used in combination with one of the above methods to cement your status in the minds of others. Not only are you great... you're so great that you're in an exclusive club! And everyone else is out-of-luck, because unless they're already in... they're just not good enough to join. Your Mentors: [B]Adam's Angels[/B], Otaku Triad [/QUOTE] Charlie's Angels is a group that I started with me, Mei, and Kittylyn, who both are no longer with us because they grew up from this place. Such like Queen Asuka, Babygirl, and Lady Macaiodh. Kittylyn is the blonde, I'm the brunette, and Mei is the red head.Who Charlie is is self explainitory. You see, we are also a otakuboards clique and not to be thought as the girls from the movie. And what of C[SIZE="3"]A[/SIZE]TTITUDE?[/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desbreko Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 [color=#4B0082]The article is just quoting what people posted in the thread. You'd have to complain to Sara for not including Charlie's Angels since she wrote that method. Charlie's Angels was rather obscure compared to Adam's Angels though.[/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerdsy Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 [quote name='Japan_86'][COLOR="DarkRed"]Then I shall tell you... Charlie's Angels is a group that I started with me, Mei, and Kittylyn, who both are no longer with us because they grew up from this place. Such like Queen Asuka, Babygirl, and Lady Macaiodh. Kittylyn is the blonde, I'm the brunette, and Mei is the red head.Who Charlie is is self explainitory. You see, we are also a otakuboards clique and not to be thought as the girls from the movie. And what of C[SIZE="3"]A[/SIZE]TTITUDE?[/COLOR][/QUOTE] [color=deeppink]If [i]I've[/i] never heard of it, it doesn't qualify for Superstardom. ; )[/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaryanna_Mom Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 [quote name='Japan_86'][COLOR="DarkRed"]Then I shall tell you... Charlie's Angels is a group that I started with me, Mei, and Kittylyn, who both are no longer with us because they grew up from this place. Such like Queen Asuka, Babygirl, and Lady Macaiodh. Kittylyn is the blonde, I'm the brunette, and Mei is the red head.Who Charlie is is self explainitory. You see, we are also a otakuboards clique and not to be thought as the girls from the movie. And what of C[SIZE="3"]A[/SIZE]TTITUDE?[/COLOR][/QUOTE]Like Desbreko already mentioned, the article is quoting what is actually in the thread. So if we were to add things like that, it wouldn't be subjective anymore since we've be adding things that were not a part of the original thread. The point was to report what others had written. Also... I am sorry, but neither I nor SunfallE who took the time to gather all the information from that thread are aware of the group you are referring to. If you really wanted it included, the best place would be to go and post in the actual thread, but even then, the article here will not change since it was not there at the time it was written. The same goes for cattitude, even if I have heard that phrase before, it's up to the members to write those methods and post in the thread, so this is the wrong place for informing the original poster that they forgot to include them. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaryanna Posted September 9, 2007 Author Share Posted September 9, 2007 [CENTER][IMG]http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3185/timesjq3.jpg[/IMG] [SIZE="1"]Banner by:[/SIZE] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=4082"][SIZE="1"][U]Jeremiah[/U][/SIZE][/URL] [SIZE="1"][alink=iss3Entertainment][u]Entertainment[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss3Community][u]Community[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss3Creative Works][u]Creative Works[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss3Members][u]Members[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss3Beyond OtakuBoards][u]Beyond OtakuBoards[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss3Reviews][u]Reviews[/u][/alink][/SIZE][/center] Welcome to the third installment of the OtakuBoards Newspaper. As you can see we intend to cover each area of the boards. Just click on the link above to be taken to the each area where the articles are listed. Not only do we wish to thank everyone for their input, support and the articles and banners they made for this endeavor, but also for future involvement. [center][aname=iss3Entertainment][b][SIZE="6"]Entertainment[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57786"][B][U]What are You Watching/Reading Now?[/U][/B][/URL] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57780"][B][U]What Are You Playing?[/U][/B][/URL] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57779"][B][U]What Are You Listening To?[/U][/B][/URL] It's the easiest question to answer. What are you watching, reading, listening to, or playing now? And it can be answered a million different ways. I decided to do an interview with the visionary mastermind 2007DigitalBoy, and find out why he's been camping these threads so adamantly. [B]Totally not DB[/B]: So, DB, what inspired you to create the 'What are you watching/reading now?' thread? [B]DB Original [/B]: 'Twas a conglomerate of ideas, my dear Watson. T'all began o'er at the forums entitled 'Megatokyo.' 'Tis a thread eponymous of my own. There I did find residence amongst the random lists and standalone comments constantly announcing every little tweak in my viewing or reading schedule. 'Twas the date of my birth upon the arrival of many a DVD on which I proclaimed that I ought a place where things could be spoken of on OB where no thread need be brought about for but a whimsical viewing of which no eyes would glance. [B]Watson?[/B]: I... see... I think. So, it was a complete fluke that the other threads created by Revy came into being that same day? [B]Original[/B]: Yeah, well, it was like... I sent this big-*** PM to Dagger cuz I was like, all scared n' junk over whether I'd be breakin' rules or som'n like that, n' by the time I got a reply, them other threads was already up. N'then, like, Revy ain't create onea'dem janks up in the anime forum or nothin' so I headed over there n' done it myself. [B]NotDB[/B]: Are you feeling alright? [B]Original [/B]: Undoubtedly. Do I speak as though I suffer ailment? [B]NotDB[/B]: I mean... can you take this seriously? Just for a couple minutes, I mean this is for the newspaper, it's my job. [B]Original [/B]: Right, right, I'll do that then... [B]NotDB[/B]: ... [B]Original [/B]: ...really... [B]NDB[/B]: ...okay. So, from what I've heard, you've been acting totally full of yourself over the success of this thread for no real reason, not to mention half the posts in the threads are your own anyway... [B]Original [/B]: Wait, what? Who's saying that? For real? [B]NDB[/B]: Ah... never-mind... [B]Original[/B]: Seriously, man! That's not cool, alright? I mean, those threads are awesome. They're non-restrictive, and if you just want to bring up something little, you can do so without the need of a big thread, and that way people actually read what you say about that stuff, so it's like a community thread and stuff and... [B]NDB[/B]: I can't do this anymore. I'm out of here. [B]Original [/B]: I'm not done bragging yet! [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=29754"] [U]2007DigitalBoy[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [CENTER][aname=iss3Community][b][SIZE="6"]Community[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/center] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57624"][B][U]Signature Size?[/U][/B][/URL] If you haven't noticed it yet, size really does matter. Though the discussion was brief members now can toss off the shackles of limited 500 x 100 banners and enjoy the newest signature size 550 x 120. Though the idea has been brought up before, perhaps most remembered as a point in the rpg FQFG where the terrorists were demanding a signature size increase, it wasn't until member Andy brought it up again in the Suggestion & Feedback section of the boards before an increase was finally done. Though as Boo said in the classic Charles picture response style in the Otakupedia thread: [CENTER][IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/signaturepics/sigpic2223_2.gif[/IMG][/CENTER] It was clear that the 'terrorists' from that rpg were claiming credit for the new signature size. [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=19869"] [U]Aaryanna[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57742"][B][U]Mmm, Chocolate [Or: If You Were Chocolate, What Type Would You Be?][/U][/B][/URL] Hey baby. How bout I wrap my lips around ya and let ya melt in my mouth? I wanna feel your creamy texture on ma tongue... I wanna lick you off ma lips when I'm done. But first, I wanna ask ya... what kinda chocolate are ya baby? [B]FACT[/B]: Chocolate comprises a number of raw and processed foods that are produced from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. So, if you were a chocolate bar, what kind would you be? That's what Lady Asphyxia asked the OB, and not just that. She wants you to be creative. [I]What would your wrapper look like, and what would you be called?[/I] Come on now baby, tell her all about it.... [B]FACT[/B]: The cacao tree is native to lowland tropical South Africa, where it was cultivated for three millennia by the Maya and Aztec civilizations and made into a beverage known as xocolatl, an Nahuatl word meaning "bite water." Answers came in all shapes and... tastes... with names like "[B]Dark Obsession[/B]", "[B]CLURR[/B]", "[B]ALMOST-CLURR[/B]", "[B]nutella[/B]", and "[B]Irish Love[/B]". Some party poopers tried to claim they'd be melted, but deep inside, I know they longed to hold the flavor of rich goodness as they sweetened up someone's life. So what say you? Will you be my box of chocolates, baby, or melt in my hand? Head down to the thread and tell me all about it... [B]FACT[/B]: Wikipedia knows a lot about chocolate. :p [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=29754"] [U]2007DigitalBoy[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [center][aname=iss3Creative Works][b][SIZE="6"]Creative Works[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/center] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57681"][B][U]The Challenge: A Survivor Story [PG ? LV][/U][/B][/URL] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57681"][U]The Challenge: A Survivor Story[/U][/URL] is an OtakuBoards fan fiction based off of the fourth installment of Sandy?s highly successful [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=56280"][U]OtakuBoards Survivor[/U][/URL] series. However, unlike many fan fictions posted in the OB Anthology section of OtakuBoards, this one came entirely from a dream one of the then current players had. In the actual Survivor RPG the team, The Sunflowers had lost the recent challenge to the opposing team, The Aces. As is required The Sunflowers voted to evict one of their own teammates, but in a strange twist of fate each member received one vote each. Sandy then placed the decision in the hands of The Aces, but the decision did not come immediately and that?s when SunfallE dreamed about the challenge and decided to convert it into a story format and post it in the OB Anthology. Unlike the true challenge where The Aces had made their decision to evict SunfallE, at the time when she posted the first chapter to her strange dream, The Aces had yet to post their choice. In the dream, where everyone lived at OtakuBoards as if it were real; Sandy, disgusted with the lack of a quick response from The Aces, and the constant complaints he had received during the duration of the Survivor RPG, decided to literally evict them into the real world. He placed bounties on their heads so that the local authorities of the ?real world? would hunt them down and catch all of them. The goal of the challenge was to be the last one caught and thus earn the right to evict one person from the Survivor RPG regardless of what team they were on. And then, in spite of the protests of the remaining nine Survivors, they were tossed into the real world by indifference, in the middle of a busy mall no less! Leaving BKstyles, SunfallE, Aaryanna, Aaryanna_Mom, Shy, Rachmaninoff, Ezekiel, White and Keyblade Wielder to figure out how to avoid the authorities and to be the last one caught. Sandy claimed that indifference had given them protection against being killed while they were in the real world, but not from being shot by the mall security and local police that came after them immediately. Though those shots were converted into jolts of electricity. The entire dream from start to finish ended up being six chapters long with all sorts of fun and hilarious attempts by the Survivors to evade the authorities as well as being ?captured? as Sandy would call it as each time someone was caught, he would announce it over the mall?s announcement system. Though SunfallE woke up just before the challenge would have ended, it was close enough that she wrapped it up to match how things really went in the Survivor RPG as well as tossing in the revenge that the Survivors were plotting against Sandy. Something that as Gavin commented on in the thread: [INDENT][I]I can taste the irony, and I have to say, it tastes good. I really enjoyed the story SunfallE and as weird as this sounds, I hope you dream about OB more often, just so you can supply us with a few more cool stories.[/I][/INDENT] The short story was well received and several members also wished that SunfallE would have more dreams if only to provide more stories like the one she had posted. [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=20994"] [U]indifference[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [B][U]Special Interview of 2007DigitalBoy creator of the successful rpg The Panopticon:[/U][/B] [B]So what strived you to go forth with the Ponopticon?[/B] I got off extremely lucky with the Panopticon - it's an opportunity not a lot of people get. There had already been two RPs with this style - the Maze and the Labyrinth - both of which had a lot of high-profile role players participating. The Maze was the first rp I had been in years, and the Panopticon was my first ever-successful rp. When I created it, I already knew that it would have great players who would want to constantly keep it going, and that it would solidify my place as a host, meaning I'd be set for future projects. I'll be the first to admit that I made a lot of mistakes with the Panopticon, mostly in regards to the story itself, but I also created a unique and awesome experience that I doubt many will soon forget. The biggest driving factor with the Panopticon was just knowing that I could be really experimental with it and have a lot of fun creating it. There were certain posts in that rp that took up to 5-6 hours to create, from the posts themselves, to the graphics and images and art.com pages and even 3 videos that I created - I've personally never seen that much work put into an rp by the host. I couldn't have done any of it, though, without being able to work with so many amazing writers. Even though we argued and fought like children in the (revolutionary) underground thread, our collaborative effort created an undeniably great experience from every perspective. This is one of the few stories one can say they had more fun writing than people might have reading. When I remember the Panopticon, it's not just the 7-page story I think of, but all the fun and melodrama of the underground. Even though I made some huge mistakes, at times was hated by everyone participating, and the story didn't always go in the direction I wanted, it was a great time creating what any reader will surely see as an amazing story. [B]Has it made an impact on your membership now?[/B] Immensely. When I open my buddy list, half the members in there are people who played in the Panopticon with that I never would have become so close to if I hadn't spoken to there. Almost every day, I talk to Indifference and Rachmaninoff like good friends - I keep in touch with SunfallE and Allamorph and even consider all of them to be like my OB family. Not only that, but as I said before, it very much solidified my place as an RP host. I find this kind of funny, because even though I was granted the title 'Worst RPG Host Ever' by unanimous decision, I was still remembered positively. Because of that, I've created Esper Jam (although that is now in the possession of GuyYouMetOnline - formerly Takuya whom is an amazing and far more experienced game master than myself), which I had fun with for some time, and now Shinigami Dance, which I'm incredibly excited about and have done a LOT more planning for, lol. In the end, the Panopticon really changed my OB experience on every level. Before, I was always known as the sort of scourge of OB, which sucked because I've been here for so long and I?m ALWAYS here, so it's a miserable experience to have no friends here. Now I have all these friends from that, and the OB has become a lot more fun for me. I cannot thank those people enough for being so supportive of me. What was the story behind Esper Jam? How did you come up with the back story? Hm... I cannot fully recall all of the origin of Esper Jam. It really sort of came into existence all at once. The first thing, as is true for most of my projects, was the name itself. I wrote the word 'Esper' and I thought 'Jam' gave it a nice ring. First, I knew I wanted it to be about bending reality. I've never been a fan of most rps mostly because they are always some anime-like bullcrap that bores me to tears. I wanted to make something with no boundaries - where existence itself wasn't even solid. So I started with the opening paragraph of the sign-up and I thought it sounded like it might be a speech given at the start of a school year at a college or something. From there, I thought it might b interesting to create a sort of college environment, but I didn't want to do a school story since it seemed to cliché. I finished up the sign-up with that in mind and just sort of wrote it with little idea of what I was doing. All the planning was done on-the-spot and between waiting for the sign-ups and creating the thread I decided how I wanted the flow to be - it would start out as a slice-of-life and gradually a conspiracy would come to attention - basically, it was to be like Psychonauts in an RP. It didn't turn out that way, though, which is how I lost interest. [B]If you had stayed 'Tical Blue', do you think any of this would come into play? Did "DigitalBoy" really change much?[/B] First of all, you must understand that there was a couple months between the death of T_B and the real life of FOY (Flourecent Optic Yellow - my first name on this profile.) The name 'Tical' in one form or another has been my name on everything since forever. T_B may have been the biggest representation of the death, but I killed Tical everywhere at once. I no longer use the name except on youtube cuz I've got so many favorited videos, lol. T_B was the death of my entire old mentality - a whole part of my life. Back then I was on OB and another site a lot, and after a huge incident in my life, I stopped going to that site entirely, and got rid of T_B here. When I came back as FOY, I wanted to pretend to be a whole different person. For a while, I only talked about things that I had never talked about as T_B, but more importantly, I changed my posting style. I made sure every post was very long, and I even typed them in MSWord for good spelling and stuff. Because I have always dreamed of being a mod on OB, I was hoping to make a good impression all the way. Later on, I screwed up in a moment of weakness and became less-liked again, which ended up leading to the realization that I was definitely. Up until not long ago, I was still being looked down upon, mostly because I was depressed and liked to say stupid things out of angst. Only since my depression has ended have I become such an apparently more respected member of OB. Back when I was T_B I changed my name every 3 months or so to whatever I felt like. I've used DigitalBoy for around 9-10 months now. I take everything I am given, and I am what I am, and I plan to keep this name for years to come. DB and Tical are two very different people, indeed, but just because of that DB is not a better person. It's only because DB has become stronger that I am where I am. [B]Well, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be where I am now really. If you hadn't apologized to me, I wouldn't have a role model, and my post quality would be bad. So do you think you're a good role model for new members?[/B] I probably sound like a jerk for saying so, but definitely. I think I am probably the most friendly to new members, because the minute I see a new member, I often talk to them. Sometimes it's just if they have similar tastes to me, but when I see a new member with great pst quality, I PM them and tell them how cool it is to have them here, and when I see a new member with terrible quality, I PM them and give them some pointers. I always like to see potential future megaposters of OB, and I want to keep them here. Members like Affection, Konata (congrats to both of them on being Members of the month!) and Kanji all make great additions to OB. I find that new members also sometimes approach me, unprovoked, with questions. Probably because I post just about everywhere, and I've got that easygoing-but-knowledgeable air to me XD Prem, you in particular are a special case, since I mostly started helping you since I felt bad about horribly insulting your first story XD. I bet you're happy for that thrashing now, though, eh? [B]What members have made an impact on you for that matter?[/B] A lot, throughout my history on OB. There's always been a certain member or group of members who I looked up to. The very first was The Boss, whom without I probably would have never started hanging out here in the first place. The first member to ever make an especially large impact on me, though, was Dragon_Warrior. D_W is a creative genius in every field. He's made comics, rps, stories, parodies, games and so much, all of which always bewildered me. I loved his stories and followed his posts religiously. I even called myself the white mage for a while, lol, out of desire just to be anything like him. I really idolized D_W. I've always wanted to be like the great posters on OB who are great and intelligent. I've always felt like sort of the kid on OB and everyone else was an adult who I wanted to grow up to b just like. I always put everyone else on a pedestal, like their opinions were more important than mine and they really knew what they were talking about, so I strived to be like that. Over everyone else, I always wanted to be like the mods in all their glory, lol. I think that these days I feel like I am one of those people. I feel like I am well-known on the OB and that my opinion is paid attention to, even if disagreed with, so it's like I'm living the OB dream, lol. The people who influence me most are my friends like all the people mentioned in my sig (you too Prem!) and people like Jakehammaren and Dagger who have influenced my tastes a lot. If there is anyone on OB who I still idolize, it is Desbreko and James. Anyone can agree, they are the epitome of greatness. [B]What's your next plan? Any projects you have in mind?[/B] Well, I really want to concentrate as much as possible on Shinigami Dance for the time being. Seeing as school will start soon, I won't have the kind of time I do now to go around creating rps and managing them. I like it that way, because I am really enthusiastic about SD. As far as literary works go, I will have something going soon. I am working on a pretty grandiose multimedia project that I hope will be well-received. I'm not sure if it'll work out, since it's a story I've been trying to do for over a month now, but hopefully I can work out. I like what I've got so far. In fact, by the time this newspaper is published, yo'll probably at least be reading the beginning of it. Look forward to/look for the Shotgun Dance by Conrad (Digital Boy) C! [B]If you were to meet all the members you've mentioned, what would you do to/with them and why?[/B] Heh. If I met Jakehammaren, we'd sword-fight while listening to ensiferum, and we's circle-head-bang in unison. If I met you, I'd *****-slap you, laugh for a minute, then we'd go eat at Wendy?s and every car ride I'd force you to listen to my music. If I met Fyxe, the two of us would hang out in an arcade and play DDR and probably hug as often as possible. If I met Rachmaninoff, SunfallE, and Indifference, I'd use the fact that they're so much older to trick them into paying for my food, and we'd probably talk about something intelligent but not-quite-that-intelligent and then I'd force them to watch tons and tons of anime with me. If I met Allamorph, we'd have tea and crumpets. I wouldn't mind going to an anime con with Konata and Dagger or watching Desbreko play Zelda like a badass. Or [strike]sleeping with[/strike] talking to FasteriskHead. If you could have changed anything you've done throughout your OB history, what would you change and why? I never look back! MASSUGU GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [SIZE="1"]~Interview conducted by [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?find=lastposter&f=87"] [U]Revolver[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [center][aname=iss3Members][b][SIZE="6"]Members[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] Member of the Month: [URL="http://otakuboards.com/member.php?u=33213"][B][U]Kanji[/U][/B][/URL]. He's an incredible poster who has molded into the ranks of the intelligent posters of OB rather nicely. [CENTER][aname=iss3Beyond OtakuBoards][b][SIZE="6"]Beyond OtakuBoards[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/center] [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/myotaku:_now_absolutely_ad_free/2751/"][B][U]myOtaku: Now Absolutely Ad Free[/U][/B][/URL] Tired of advertising? Then myOtaku is where you want to be. As site founder Adam says in the brief news update: [INDENT]For September and October, all myOtaku blogs will be 100% ad free. On behalf of our 60,000+ myOtaku bloggers, thanks to: Fullmetal Alchemist, Mushi-shi, Witchblade, School Rumble, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, and Glass Fleet. It's rare for advertisers to actually sponsor the taking away of advertising and is a much appreciated gesture. [/INDENT] So kick back and enjoy a brief break from those annoying ads. [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/epic_theotaku.com_anime_art_contest_announced/2686/"][B][U] Epic theOtaku.com Anime Art Contest Announced[/U][/B][/URL] Looking for some new manga? Then look no further than the fan art contest being hosted by theOtaku.com. Not only will the fifteen finalist entries be featured at the New York Anime Festival but the winning entry will be sent a copy of Art of Otaku, and Del Rey Manga will be mailing the winner a copy of every manga it publishes in 2008. The contest is open until November 1st. If you've yet to get your entry in, now would be the time. [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/epic_theotaku.com_fan_manga_contest_announced/2690/"][B][U] Epic theOtaku.com Fan Manga Contest Announced[/U][/B][/URL] If you've ever wanted to be published in the world of manga then this contest is for you. The New York Anime Festival has teamed up with Go! Comi and TheOtaku.com to present the Go! Comi and TheOtaku.com Doujinshi Contest. Like the fan art contest, the fifteen finalists will be featured at the New York Anime Festival. But even more importantly, the winner will be sent a copy of Art of Otaku from TheOtaku.com, and Go! Comi will publish the winning doujinshi in an actual volume of Black Sun, Silver Moon. The winning doujinshi will also be put on permanent display in the AnimeNEXT Manga Library. This too is open until November 1st so be sure to take the time to enter. [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/theotaku.com_wallpaper_contest_announced/2741/"][B][U]theOtaku.com Wallpaper Contest Announced[/U][/B][/URL] If the first two contests didn't blow your mind, how about yet another amazing contest being hosted by theOtaku.com? One tailored to those of you who excel at making wallpapers. There are four prizes. First place, judged by Adam personally with the help of a small advisory panel, receives a Wacom 6x8 tablet, a box set of 32 Copic markers, and a $100 Amazon gift certificate. This package is worth over $600. Three other winners will receive a set of 12 Copic markers. With so many fun contests, theOtaku.com is definately the place to be right now. [SIZE="1"]~Many thanks for the news updates [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=20994"] [U]indifference[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [center][aname=iss3Reviews][b][SIZE="6"]Reviews[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] [B][U]Hayate the Combat Butler vol. 4 (Graphic Novel Review)[/U][/B] Hayate the Combat Butler is a story of a young man named Ayasaki Hayate who, since age 9, has had to work tons of part-time jobs to support his worthless, slacker, gambler parents. The story begins when Hayate is fired from his job as a bicycle delivery boy because the boss discovers that he's only 16. When Hayate gets home, he finds a not from his parents that they have left him with a debt of over 1.5 Million yen (around 600,000 bucks) and that they have sold his organs to the yakuza. Hayate escapes the yakuza's clutches and in a moment of depravity, attempts to kidnap a 13-year old girl named Nagi Sanzenin. Via semantics, Nagi mistakes his threat to kidnap her for a confession of love, and when she is kidnapped by a pair of real kidnappers, Hayate ends up saving her with his amazing Gundam-like strength and skill. Hayate ends up working as Nagi's live-in butler because he is in her debt, and Nagi is absolutely ridiculously rich. Hilarity and madness ensues. The first chapter of volume 4 finishes where volume 3 left off, and the second chapter begins the second logical 'arc' of the story. For those following the anime Hayate no Gotoku, everything in volume 4 has already happened, but earlier in the story because the animators wanted to introduce the more popular characters from the beginning. The basic plot of volume 4 revolves around Nagi's school, Hakuou Gakuin. Nagi hasn't been to school in a long time out of general disinterest, so Hayate convinces her to go at the start of the next semester. After an adventure (and awesome Utena parody) involving bringing Nagi her lunch, Hayate begins to realize how much he misses his own high-school days and finds out that he is no longer enrolled at his old school, but a certain student has not forgotten him. Then, Maria and Nagi try to get Hayate enrolled at Hakuou Gakuin. Hayate the Combat Butler volume 4 continues the silly, wacky, and often hilarious adventures of Hayate and the gang while adding a whole new layer to the plot. Whereas the first 3 volumes were focused only on the group of rich folk with connections to Nagi, volume 4 takes an entirely new direction. It introduces a whole new set of characters and new environment to show them in. The only problem with this is that rather than balancing between the school and rich folk settings, almost none of the rich folk show up at all in volume 4. That is most likely due to the fact that the school characters are commonly noted as being far more popular than the others, and so it is obvious that the author would want to feature them as much as possible, and since volume 4 lays all of the groundwork for the new setting, it leaves room for both stories to be active at once in future volumes. Volume four thankfully tones down the references a little bit, which is helpful because the references in Hayate are often forced on the reader and only tend to subtract from the experience for anyone who doesn't get them (it's hard to, since most of them are bleeped.) Hayate is always an incredibly absurd story, with cheesy robots, talking tigers, mechs, the occasional cross-dressing, and a room full of monkeys, but as the series has progressed, there have been less silly gags, and a lot more focus on character development, and this is especially true in volume 4. Aside from Hayate pulling out a machine gun to fight a mech and the occasional absurdity, Volume 4 goes more in the direction of a harem-comedy. Overall, if you have read any of Hayate and enjoyed it, volume 4 will not disappoint. It's also a good idea to watch the anime, Hayate no Gotoku, along with it since there are a lot of differences that are greater appreciated having witnessed both. [SIZE="1"]~Review submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=29754"] [U]2007DigitalBoy[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [B][U]Mushi-shi vol. 1 w/ Art Box (DVD Review)[/U][/B] [B]Funimation's[/B] release of the first volume of [B]Mushi-shi[/B] with or without the art box is possibly one of the greatest tributes to a series through packaging that I've ever seen, and if you are a fan of the series, it is your duty to buy it with the box. In case you're new to the series, Mushi-shi is an episodic anime starring a traveling Mushi-shi or "Mushi Master" named [B]Ginko[/B]. In each of his adventures he deals with the mysterious life forms known as Mushi - the earliest life forms of the earth and the ones closest to nature. Where mushi and man coexist, sometimes the mushi create phenomenon unexplainable to regular people. A Mushi-shi roams the earth and helps people deal with their problems involving Mushi. Each episode features different characters and Mushi who Ginko interacts with. The series is known both for it's creative stories unlike any other and it's cosmically outstanding artwork that outshines all others. While staying completely faithful to the manga, the anime creates a lush, vibrant world with meticulous attention to detail. Having already seen the anime myself and possessing the manga, I already knew what to expect from the first 5 episodes which are the same as the 5 chapters featured in the manga's first volume. Even so, it was still fun to see these stories again, and they barely loose their intrigue. Just for fun, I actually read the manga along with one of the episodes and found that it matched up image to image, word to word, except that the anime had far more detail. Whereas your average manga-turned-anime that remains faithful to the original work usually takes each individual panel and blows it up to fullscreen, Mushi-shi goes above and beyond the call of duty. Rather than simply blow up the individual images, it's like they placed them on-screen in their natural size and then drew in the rest of the scene, adding onto the images. The English dub of the series is very well-done, though there were certain times where an americanized version of a phrase became annoying. The only one that was particularly bad being that the word "Mushi-shi" is never even used, completely replaced by the term "Mushi Master". Other than that, though, there are no real problems. Ginko's voice is fitting enough, though it actually makes him feel slightly older than his Japanese voice did. The guest characters in each episode were well-casted to the point that I wondered if Funimation was really the company behind this. Having covered the show itself, it's time to get down to what makes this release so worth having. Firstly, the extras on the disk include a ten-minute dialogue between the director and Ginko's Japanese voice actor, a twenty-minute interview with the director himself, a brief tour of the animation studio who created the series, and of course the clean opening and closing animations. These bonus features are quite impressive and give a fairly thorough insight of just what went into making this show. On on note, it's painfully obvious that the director was not used to talking for a camera, and his dialogue with the voice-actor was almost hilariously strained, but still enough to hold my attention. Ignoring the Funimation ad-booklet, the DVD is enclosed with a couple interesting bonuses of it's own. The 10-page information booklet truly flaunts just how much this release is brilliant. Contained within are concept sketches of each major character who appears in the 5 episodes, as well as director commentary on he designs of Ginko. One of the pages is even dedicated to comments on a few of the interesting minor details presented in these episodes. Also enclosed with the DVD is a post card of one of the well-known images associated with the show. The cover of the DVD is also a flip cover. On one side, there is an image of Ginko trudging through the snow that covers both sides of the case. The other side has separate images from the second episode on the front and back. The blurb is left off of the cover entirely in favor of the slip-cover. The DVD slip-cover features the same image of Ginko in the snow, presumedly so that you can use the flip-cover on the DVD itself and still have both images. My only complaint about the slip-cover is that it's so form-fitting that it's almost difficult to slide the DVD case into, but it's sturdy and beautiful so it's excused. But wait, there's more! If you purchase the art box along with the DVD you're in for even more surprises and more beautiful art. The insert box that sits next to the first volume to hold it in place is quite different than most art boxes. Rather than a flimsy half-box that only serves to hold the DVD in place, there is a full box that itself is littered with art. On one side, the picture from the post-card, and on the other, a new image in the same general setting. What I am to do with this box after buying the next DVD I am not sure, but it will surely remain displayed. Moving onto the actual art box, it features a wrapping-around image of Ginko walking through a field of green mist and interesting plants with, of course, the title printed on the side, top, and bottom. Alone, this would mark a beautiful spot on your shelf. But it doesn't stop there. The art box itself actually has it's very own slip-cover with it's own wonderful art. Not only that, but the blurb on the back of the box is only stuck on by an easily-removed glob of stick, so the art can completely surround the box. This way, you can marvel at the wondrous Mushi-shi world while you grumble over having to go through all this trouble to get to the disk. Mushi-shi is a beautiful series, and this is a beautiful release worthy of any fan's small bit of extra money. [SIZE="1"]~Review submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=29754"] [U]2007DigitalBoy[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [B][U]Air TV Vol. 1 (DVD Review)[/U][/B] To many otaku it came as a bit of a surprise when [B]ADV[/B] licensed [B]Air[/B] - an anime from [B]Kyoto Animation[/B] based on a bishoujo game by [B]Key[/B]. Of course, the words [B]'From the makers of Haruhi Suzumiya' [/B]on the show's web-page made it quickly obvious how they were going to try and sell it. Because it isn't the type of show with mass appeal, though, it wasn't really expected that ADV would go all-out with it. The first DVD is the sort of standard release expected of an ADV anime. It's got a pretty cover and 4 episodes, and that's all they really intend to sell you. There isn't even an insert slip inside the case, not that it's really a problem. As far as the DVD extras go, it's standard again, with 6 ADV previews, a clean opening and ending animation, and the option to watch Japanese audio with english subtitles. The English vocal cast of Air is one of the better I've heard, if not among the best. [B]Vic Mignogna[/B] ([B]Edward Elric[/B] in [B]FullMetal Alchemist[/B]) does an excellent job as Yukito excelling in both comedic and dramatic portions. Some of the characters, such as Kano, had voices very different from their Japanese counterpart but still very fitting. The best of them all was [B]Lucy Christian[/B] as Haruko Kamio who played a stirringly believable drunk. Her lines consistently felt so natural it was creepy. For those who don't know the story of Air, the blurb does a pretty good job of explaining the premise. [I]"Yukito is a traveling performer - a wanderer. He survives with only the clothes on his back, a puppet, and a story from his mother - the story of "The Girl in the Sky." He doesn't know who or where she is; only that he must find her. On the verge of starvation, he is befriended by a young misfit named Misuzu, who's eccentricities serve to hide a troubled home life. Misuzu offers Yukito a place to stay, and in return he listens to her dreams - dreams in which she lives in the sky. To make ends meat, Yukito takes odd jobs from the local doctor, where he meets Kano, who has her own interesting story. As his search moves forward, Yukito finds that the possibilities are as numerous as the pitfalls. Will he find the girl in the sky? Does she even exist? The answers change with the breeze. The questions are up in the air."[/I] Because it is based on a game with multiple character paths to take, the Air anime has quite a few arcs, based on whichever character the most focus is placed on. The first DVD has the 4 episodes that make up the arc about Kano, so it has a perfect climatic ending for the DVD. With the way that the DVDs are set up, this should work for each arc of the series, which should be interesting. As for the show itself, it is absolutely wonderful. Kyoto Animation are renowned for being the best in the biz in terms of animation, and this anime showcases their excellency thoroughly. I found myself at times analyzing the details to the extreme and being absolutely sucked into the vibrant and alive world created by the series. The early episodes featured on this release have the perfect blend of comedy and drama to get anyone into it. Whereas one minute you might be laughing heartily at the hilarious situations brought onto the misfortunate Yukito, the next you'll be sobbing like a child at the dramatic and often heartbreaking plot twists. Air holds the record for the fastest time to have me on the verge of tears, doing so within the first 3 episodes. Air is an excellent show that shouldn't be missed and that anyone can get into. I'd advise you to pick up volume one as soon as possible so you'll be able to save your money for the art box that comes with volume 2. [SIZE="1"]~Review submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=29754"] [U]2007DigitalBoy[/U][/URL][/SIZE] We look forward to more reviews written by members here in the future, just send any you write directly to [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=27884"][U]Aaryanna_Mom[/U][/URL] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachmaninoff Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Seeing DB's post in another thread reminded me that I forgot to comment on this, which is a shame since it's a great edition. I really like how DB did the different approach to the chocolate thread along with the in depth interview as well. It's a pity not many people are commenting on it. The newspaper, in my opinion is one of the best things at OB that I look forward to seeing when it comes out. :catgirl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomurah! Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 [COLOR="HotPink"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]Just noticed I got called a douche. Props to whoever wrote that. :][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaryanna Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 [CENTER][IMG]http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3185/timesjq3.jpg[/IMG] [SIZE="1"]Banner by:[/SIZE] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=4082"][SIZE="1"][U]Jeremiah[/U][/SIZE][/URL] [SIZE="1"][alink=iss4AV District][u]AV District[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss4The Square][u]The Square[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss4Cultural District][u]Cultural Districk[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss4Members][u]Members[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss4Beyond OtakuBoards][u]Beyond OtakuBoards[/u][/alink] | [alink=iss4Reviews][u]Reviews[/u][/alink][/SIZE][/center] Welcome to the forth installment of the OtakuBoards Newspaper. We are happy to announce the relaunch of The Otaku Times after a long hiatus. To bring you up to speed, much has changed since the last addition, include new names for the different sections of the boards as well as a nifty new skin, indigo! Now as you can see we intend to cover each area of the boards. Just click on the link above to be taken to the each area where the articles are listed. Not only do we wish to thank everyone for their input, support and the articles and banners they made for this endeavor, but also for future involvement. [center][aname=iss4AV District][b][SIZE="6"]AV District[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57157"][B][U]Worst Anime[/U][/B][/URL] We all have our favorite anime right? So how about our worst? That's right this is the thread where you can openly explain in your own words how much you think a particular show stinks. Are you right? Who knows? One thing is certain, not all anime is created equal and don't miss out on letting everyone know just which show you feel should never have seen the light of day. [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=19869"] [U]Aaryanna[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=58495"][B][U]Games that you never finished[/U][/B][/URL] One is always talking about what game they are currently playing, those games that pull you in with a stellar storyline, graphics and game play. But what about those games that fell short? That you never got around to finishing? If you haven't done so yet then head on over and tell us which and why certain games were not finished. [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=19869"] [U]Aaryanna[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [CENTER][aname=iss4The Square][b][SIZE="6"]The Square[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/center] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=58537"][B][U]The OtakuBoards Nifty Fifty: 08 Edition(Nominate or Die)[/U][/B][/URL] Are you nifty? Why not take the time to find out? That's right, it's that time of year again, where you nominate those things that in your opinion truly were nifty at OtakuBoards last year. Perhaps this time it's a fellow member or a wacky thread. Whatever you do, don't forget to get your nominations in! [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=19869"] [U]Aaryanna[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=58526"][B][U]To whom do I direct this to?[/U][/B][/URL] The infamous Rick Hunter has returned to OtakuBoards! In this thread, Rick Hunter assures the community that he has matured substantially over the years, but at the same time, complaines over the use of an image he himself had posted on OtakuBoards. Kevin went as far as to insinuate that the use of the imagery was punishable in court. Ironically, the article in question was over a year old and by posting about it in public, he drew more attention to it than it would have otherwise received. If anything the thread is living proof that there will always be some form of '[I]drama[/I]' at OtakuBoards. Many thanks to Otakupedia for the information included here. [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=19869"] [U]Aaryanna[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [center][aname=iss4Cultural District][b][SIZE="6"]Cultural District[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/center] [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=58529"][B][U]The Otakuboards Celebration: Part 1[/U][/B][/URL] In an ironic twist, the drama from the thread [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=58526"][U]To whom do I direct this to?[/U][/URL] resulted in a popular OtakuBoards fan fiction spin off which poked fun at the circumstances surrounding Rick Hunter's return. From outlandish duels to constantly shifting locations and silly fun. Don't miss out on this highly enjoyable spin off story where the only constant is that there isn't one! [SIZE="1"]~Article submitted by:[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=19869"] [U]Aaryanna[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [center][aname=iss4Members][b][SIZE="6"]Members[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] Member of the Month: [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=8713"][B][U]Korey[/U][/B][/URL]. He's one of those quality contributor's to the site with thoughtful and always polite responses to the various subjects at OtakuBoards. [CENTER][aname=iss4Beyond OtakuBoards][b][SIZE="6"]Beyond OtakuBoards[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/center] [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/parting_is_such_sweet_sorrow/3403/"][B][U]Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow[/U][/B][/URL] In a sad moment, Gia, the newest addition to the news team at theOtaku has been offered a new job and has moved on. Her fun and entertaining means of keeping theOtaku updated will be missed. Good luck in your new job Gia! [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/"][B][U]theOtaku Version Vibrant[/U][/B][/URL] If you haven't heard about it yet, you don't know what you're missing. In the upcoming days Adam will be launching a new version of theOtaku. To catch a glimpse of this new Version Vibrant, head on over to theOtaku and scroll on down to the bottom of the page to check out the trailer. [SIZE="1"]~Many thanks for the news updates [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=20994"] [U]indifference[/U][/URL][/SIZE] [center][aname=iss4Reviews][b][SIZE="6"]Reviews[/SIZE][/b][/aname][/CENTER] There are no reviews for this edition though now that we are back up and running, we look forward to receiving reviews written by members here. Just send any you write directly to [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/member.php?u=27884"][U]Aaryanna_Mom[/U][/URL] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Doldrums Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 [quote name='Aaryanna'] [B]Method 20: Pretend your sister died.[/B] Think your OB history is just a little too respectable? Want to shake things up a bit? Luckily for you, the solution to your problem is a simple one; tell everyone you just went through a horrible tragedy! To apply it properly, wait for someone to criticize you. Don't worry, its OB; it'll happen in no time. Respond to that criticism with a simple "you jerk my sister just died today," and you're in! The harsher the criticism the better, but timing is also a factor. Use your judgment. The best part of it is, it's foolproof! Who's going to question that story? There's no need to keep up the charade on other OB related message boards; it's not like anyone's going to check, right? Just sit back and bask in the attention. The Downside? Sooner or later, somebody will figure it out. Chances are, if you have to resort to something like this, you're not the brightest bulb. As such, the ill-gotten superstardom will fade quickly, often in a day or two, and you will then become an OB pariah. Keep up crap like this, and you're sure to be banned, which makes this method the perfect lead-in to the "Getting Banned in a Spectacular Way." In all actuality, it's a win-win! [I]Mentors:[/I] Ultimia.[/QUOTE] I can’t believe people still remember that… In my defense, it sounded like a good idea at the time. I think a certain loudmouth reined my plans. To clarify, obviously she isn’t dead. Unless you consider large sums of credit card debt, auto and student loans "living." :smirk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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