Wednesday, 18 November 2009

  • Censored Cartoons of the 90s


    What's this?  TWO xanga updates in a week's span?  Unprecedented!

    When the school semester is over, I usually take the opportunity to do some serious cartoon watching to celebrate.  This week's lineup included selections from G.I. Joe: Season 1.2, X-Men: Vol. 4, Dragonball Z: Season 4, and my all-time favorite, Batman: The Animated Series.  The late 80s and early 90s were a really interesting time in animation and the censorship regulations became pretty strict for fear of cartoons pushing the limits of violence and mature themes.  In Spider-man: The Animated Series, for example, all characters were forbidden to punch each other, so animators were forced to employ more creative ways to stage the fight scenes.  The first U.S. dub of Dragonball Z prohibited any reference or suggestion that characters could die, so they had to use phrases such as "he was sent to another dimension," and whole cities being blown up were justified with lines like "good thing it's a Sunday or those buildings would have been full!"  In most every show, guns were replaced by laser blasters and it was a rare occurrence when somebody actually got shot.

    Some shows got away with more than others.  The 90s X-Men Animated Series got away with one explicitly religious episode in which the mutant monk named Nightcrawler engaged in apologetics with the cynical Wolverine.  The 1986 Transformers animated movie traumatized a generation of kids when they killed off the star of the show, Optimus Prime (at least until he was resurrected in future episodes).

    I like to find old magazines with articles on these classic cartoons like Starlog, Animation Magazine, and Comics Scene.  Some times you find some really interesting stuff, like this example of a guide the animators used for Batman: The Animated Series to educate their creative team on how to keep the show within the censorship guidelines.  I think it's a hilarious and informative piece of animation history, but it is a little on the risqué side, so I'll just provide a link to it instead of posting it outright:
    http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/adamwinters/btacensors.jpg

    The funny thing about the Batman series was that the show pretty much broke every rule on the censorship sheet at some point in it's run. 
    Real guns? Check & Check.
    People getting shot by real guns? Check.
    Smoking? Check.
    Strangling?  Check.
    Religious themes? Check.
    Drug use? Check & Check.
    Violence against children?  Check.
    Suggestive themes? Check.

    As a weekday afternoon and Saturday morning show, Batman pushed the envelope of dramatic storytelling more than just about any other cartoon of its era.  Maybe that's why it is so fondly remembered by it's fans of all ages

Wednesday, 11 November 2009

  • Halloween on a Half Shell

    I know it's late but...



    Ninja Turtles for Reformation-Ween Day.
    All red masks like the old school comic-book style!

    And check out this awesome TMNT movie airing Saturday, November 21 at 10 am Eastern Time:

    http://www.4kidstv.com/tmnt/tmnt-25th-montage/0025

     
    10 Years of Technodrome.com

Wednesday, 08 July 2009

  • When the Obvious Hits You!

    This is, quite possibly, the most random thing I have ever posted [and that's saying a lot! -ed.], but I just had to note this for posterity!

    I was struck by the difference in how we write and how we speak. For instance, in the written word, we use the indefinite article "an" (rather than "a") before words that begin with a vowel. All words beginning with a consonant are usually preceeded by the indefinite article "a" rather than "an." However, in the spoken word, this precedent does not always feel natural.

    For instance, I was typing out the phrase "a SBC history" (short for "Southern Baptist Convention"). Now, if I were to say "a Southern Baptist history," there would be no problem. But should I attempt to say "a SBC history," I would end up tongue-tied. Saying "an SBC history" sounds much more natural. Why is this the case?

    Because we do not pronounce the letter "S" with an a "s" sound! We actually pronounce the letter "S" with an "E" sound (short "e" + long "s", like "mess" or "best").

    Weird...
    Is that common knowledge or have I been blessed by the Grammar Muse?
     
    EDIT: My collegiate comrade, David Wickiser, advises me that written grammar really is based on sound.  Thus, "an SBC history" really is the correct way to write it out, similar to "an hour" as opposed to "a hour."  Thanks, David!

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

  • Never Took a Sick Day

    There was a neat little article out toady about a Maryland high school student who never missed a day of school in 13 years, stretching from kindergarten all the way to high school:

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/25/AR2009052502293.html

    I'm sure this recognition has now branded her as "uber-nerd" among her peers.

    I know how difficult that sort of streak can be, since I never missed a day of grade school either.  Now, I don't mean to sound bitter, but how come I didn't get national exposure for my perseverance. 

    Oh well, at least I did get a surprise moment of recognition at my 2001 high school graduation when I got to stand and be recognized for 13 years of perfect attendance.  The funny thing was, up until that moment I literally had no idea I had never missed a day.  So, yes, I am, indeed, an uber-nerd.  Just call me the Cal Ripken of grade school.

Thursday, 16 April 2009

  • Visit Slimer_and_The_Real_Erasmus's Xanga Site
    • Name: Adam Winters
    • Location: Louisville, Kentucky
    • Birthday: 7/5/1983
    • Gender: Male
    • Member Since: 9/30/2004

Recent Weblogs

Let me hear from you! (1)

  • Slimer_and_The_Real_Erasmus
    Chatterbox... What is it good for?
  • tsimer
    Where: Senate When: 2004 I remember when you and I had to convince Senate for the SECOND time to give us money for our banquet. Wasn't that fun? (imported from memories)
    • Posted 4/6/2006 10:54 PM
    • by tsimer

About Me

  • Christian by God's grace; Baptist by biblical conviction