DarkOtakuBoy

Mostly Italian and from New Jersey. (I only mention the location, cause you can imagine how I talk.) think...Godfather Italian mixed with Sopranos Mafia/New Jersey. (but I cant do anything about it, i try not to sound like that! lol, but I always come across to others around the country like a "smartass", but its only my accent) =( Other mixes are a slight bit of Greek and Canadian. (we....dont talk about our Canadian side.) ^_^

Cole-Fu, your straying off topic. Theres a manga section of the Boards. This is about animation. But in any case... I found American comics to be rather predictable. Except with Peter David. And while he wasnt stealing ideas, he was certianly "out there" in his creativity. (Wasnt he the one who turned the Hulk gray and made him a Las Vegas bouncer?? lol) Back to animation, however, I do agree that anime has much more plot structure than American cartoons. (Pokemon and its clones, notwithstanding.) But then again....a lot of wonderful, side-splitting cartoons dont [I]need [/I] a plot structure and if one was introduced, it would ruin the show. Family Guy is the [I]perfect [/I] example and is prob. the funniest cartoon in existence, in my opinion. Since this thred is about the contrast between the two "genre's" of animation, perhaps you guys can compare and contrast more between American and Japanese forms of animation and why you prefer one over the other. Lenny

Well, I'm seeing this as a thred thats gunna be closed. But i just wanna point out that not all American animation is for kids. Simpsons, Family Guy, and South Park. just to name a few. But what specific things do you find better about anime as opposed to American animation, especially in this day and age where animation from the world over isnt viewed as "kiddy?" For me, the plot lines and the animation itself more than redeems itself in contrast to it's American counterpart. Japanese anime tends to have more subtlety and symbolism. But, also, I know many Otaku who like anime just because they have an appreciation for the Japanese culture, history, and way of life. Whats your reason, in detail? Lenny

I would have to say, at this moment, it would be .hack//SIGN Without turning this into an exposé and talking about EVERY symbolic hidden meaning behind the story, I'll wanna point out that I was really moved by the Philosophy of the show. Mostly, the philosophical meaning of existence, and the whole notion that if we are hurting in the world, if we have pain for various reasons and decide to hide our lives in RPG games and shut ourselves off, whos to say that that "world" isnt reality? Aside from the whole Tsukasa story line, what was incredibly sad was towards the end of the series, seeing that the real life Subaru [spoiler]is confined to a wheelchair[/spoiler] or the real life BT [spoiler]depressed and tearing up her High School reunion notification.[/spoiler] Are we to assume she was relentlessly picked on back then and escaped into a game? I can identify with the notion of escaping into an RPG world, because for reasons that arent important here, I spent 16 hours a day some days, lost in Final Fantasy and other games. The story touched me, and hit close to home. (quick side note, sorry: I also believe the whole symbolism behind Tsukasa not being able to log out, was for people who play those games and just dont WANT to log out.) Also, the soundtrack was the most phenomenal thing I ever heard in my life. That band, See-Saw, is beyond talented. ^_^ Lenny

No prob. Yes, the 28th episode is on the limited edition box set. I ordered mine from Amazon. This isnt the hexagonal shaped box set thats sold in stores such as Best Buy and Suncoast, as a matter of fact I dont think they sell it in ANY stores anymore. Its really a great ending, though. Wonderful and [spoiler]strangely happy[/spoiler] way to end the show. Some parts really made me smile and tear up. ^_^ If you dont wanna buy the whole box set for one episode, maybe someone else can back me up on this.....I beleive its also sold on the limited edition version of volume 6. If you buy it online, just make sure you contact the seller and ask if it has the 28th episode.

I noticed here that many people think that .hack//SIGN ended with a cliffhanger, but it actually didnt. The last true episode that was released was episode 28, [U]Unison. [/U] This episode pretty much wraps up everything prior to .hack//Legend Of The Twlight, with the cast of .hack//SIGN meeting up with the cast from the videogames (Kite, Blackrose, Elk, etc.) (note: Mimiru bickering with Blackrose had me cracking up! ^_^) Anyway, for those that never seen it, this episode takes place after all is said and done with the games, and is kind of a closing to both storylines. (or one continuing storyline, depending on your perspective) Now this is considered as the last episode of .hack//SIGN, right? Not episode 25, [U]Return.[/U] (which was obviously before the videogames along with the rest of the SIGN saga. Just wondering, because I know it was a limited edition episode and many people I talked to didnt even know of its existence. How many of you have seen this episode and what did you think of how it wrapped everything up? I found it to be a great ending for the series and left me very satisfied. Also, it was a perfect way to set the stage for the (then) upcoming .hack//Legend Of The Twlight.

[quote name='Nate']How can you be serious at school. Am I right?[/quote] hehe. I know, yeah. my friends ask me the same thing. But dude, seriously. I'm a different person at school. I mean, I'm in college, so my goofing days have passed when it comes to that kinda thing. I wish to the gods sometimes that I didnt have to be so serious and "older" in class, but since I'm on a biochemistry Ph.D program, its pretty much the one place I have to not only act my age, but be even more responsible than I normally ever am. To be honest, I dont feel comfortable acting my age or acting older...but I love science, and i'm trying to put 110% into it. ^_^ Dark otaku boy

Yeah, my cousin Dave was the drummer for the Misfits. (stage name, 'Dr. Chud') He isnt well known, cause he's not an original member. But he of course is friends with them all, including Danzig. Childhood friends, actually.( or so he told me.) He wrote a few famous songs in the past few years, the one that sticks in my mind the best is the one Metallica covered for the Garage Inc. Album, [I]Die Die, My Darling.[/I] yep....that song came from my genes and my twisted Italian family history. More about that another day. ^_^ thats my only claim to fame. Lenny. (DarkOtakuBoy)

[QUOTE=elfpirate] I'm older than you and I not only would list those as my top three "likes", but I had no idea that punk music was for kids in their mid-teens... in fact, I know all too many punk rock artists of drinking age and higher... and their fans range from young teens to older adults in their late 40s.[/QUOTE] Oh, I know. Most punk rock artists I listen to are over 30. (Bad Religion, etc.) I just mean according to what adults consider acceptable American social standards. I'm not saying thats how things are, especially here in the northeast.

When I'm at work or at school, I pretty much act my age, for fear of failing or getting fired most likely. However, when I'm chilling with my friends, I would say I act younger (around 16 or 15 years old.) We have all been friends since we were 10 years old, and 10 years later we are still a very tight-knit group of neighborhood "kids". So, when we all get together (as we do very often), we still act and feel younger, playing Magic: The Gathering or playing videogames. Not to mention the same inside jokes that are still as funny as day one. (the only difference now is the beer, which can and does make us act even more immature. hehe) Plus, my hobbies like anime, videogames, and punk rock music are for guys in their mid teens. (according to "accepted social standards" I mean) Dark Otaku Boy - who utterly abused parentheses in this post. =(

Panda...I just wanna say I really admire your attitude. Too many people in life focus on the negative sides of things, so its nice to hear people with a positive outlook. ^_^ Well, right now I'm taking two years in community college because I wanted a nice transition from High School to the University. As soon as I get my Biology degree, I'm headed to Rutgers to major in Biochemistry. My goal is to go as far as a Ph.D in Genetic research, and work for one of the many pharma. companies that litter New Jersey. lol. I do have to say, however, I'm starting to get more interested in subjects like Ancient History and Philosophy, so there may be some change in the future. But I am going to finish out my degree in community college, and make a final choice once I get to Rutgers U. Whatever I find myself more happy and content with, is what I'm going to choose. Money be damned. ^_^ DarkOtakuBoy

I come from the land of 50,000 Italian resturants, a plethora of nightclubs, and the mafia. No, not Italy but New Jeresy USA. I was born in the city of Clifton (some of you may have heard of it), but when I was 12 we moved to Central Jersey (Keyport) which basically consists of a smelly beach by the dirty Raritan Bay and too many seafood joints. (i dislike seafood) I do have to say though, we have some nice beaches on the Jersey Shore if you go farther south. I like cold weather and snow, though. Sadly, we dont see much of that here. But as much as I complain about this area, I dont think I could ever move. Its home and just feels comfortable.

Oh man, where do I even begin? I think the main reason I'm single is because I tend to be really picky. I like gothic dudes, mostly. As with most everyone else...I have a fantasy person in my head, I'll probably never meet. Mine is around my age (17 to 22) skinny, long straight black hair (bangs over the eyes), green eyes, dressed all in black with silver jewlery. The funny thing is, the few boyfriends I DID have didnt meet that criteria. lol Anyway, enough about physical apperences. For personality, I am attracted to intellegence above all else. The smarter the better. I dont mean to sound egotistical, but I study many intellectual topics, and a lot of times I selfishly want my date to have similar tastes. (again, which is why I'm single. hehe) Other good things I look for in dudes are interests in paganism, rock music, videogames, poetry, anime, etc. I know, it sounds like I want an eclectic, esoteric boyfriend with specific qualities, but not all of this is written in stone. Its basiclly my IDEAL guy. Also, I dont care if my ideal guy smokes cigs or drinks, since I do both. In other words...it sounds like I wanna date myself. =(

Aside from English, I know quite a bit of Italian which was really helpful when I stayed in Italy. I'm sorry to say though that I lost a lot of it, because I just dont get to use it as much as I used to. I'm also studying Japanese, and have been at it since March of last year. I got the grammer down, the "kana", and a LOT of vocab. Now, I'm struggling with the "kanji" and at first has a really tough time with it. I was ALL over the place. lol. But then I recently decided the best way is to study them is to learn about 10 symbols a night until I know them cold. And its working, I know maybe 60 off the top of my head. I have a ways to go, though. A LONG LONG way. But its so much fun and I enjoy it to no end. There's no greater satisfaction then driving down a road, seeing a Japanese (or Chinese, since the kanji are Chinese characters) sign somewhere and just knowing what it says for the first time. DarkOtakuBoy

I came here not too long ago. (and I really wish I could post and interact with you guys more, cause you all seem awesome, but my schedule is so rediculous. ) I came here because I dont really have any friends who are into anime or manga, especially not as much as I am. I mean, I did meet a few people in school, but we dont keep in touch as often as I would like. I figured, however, that this would be a perfect forum to share my views and opinions on things that I just dont have the chance to do in my outside life. New Jersey isnt exactly the anime-hub of the country. So far, I found OB to be a really wonderful place for fans to get together and share the love. ^_^ DarkOtakuBoy

As of now, i'm single. I have to say, though, I'm pretty happy and content with my life. After several heart-wrenching failed romances ended in disaster, (my ex Sean literally said to me, "just die so I can spit on your grave" lol) I decided to just go with the flow and "date" my Playstation 2. ^_^ Besides, due to my orentation, I really dont know how to meet people well. I used to hang out at Starbucks and other coffee houses, but the guys there tend to be VERY egotistical and self-centered. Smart is good.....very good...but a big ego is just ugly. I also tried a local nightclub for such things, but I dont trust those people. Very shady and spooky if you ask me. Well, I know all that sounds depressing, but as I said, I'm happy and I have enough hobbies and friends to not really "need" a romantic relationship. I DO have this one crush on my friend who works in the Dunken Donuts in the supermarket I work in, and I'm going really really slow and subtile about it. I dont know how he feels, but he did hug me after work once, which was.....well, I was in shock. I'll post again on this topic if things take a turn for the better. DarkOtakuBoy [i]"White man came, saw the blessed land. We cared, you took. You fought, we lost. Not the war, but an unfair fight. Sceneries painted beautiful in blood!! ~Wandering on Horizon Road. ...Following the Trail of Tears~"[/i] - by, Nightwish

[QUOTE=kuragechan] Have you read the 2nd one too?[/QUOTE] Yep, actually I got it for Christmas and it was right up there with the first volume. I was plesantly surprised. Do you, or anyone else, know if the 3rd one is released yet? I have off tomorrow and wanna go manga shopping. ^_^ Dark Otaku boy

[quote name='Kane][SIZE=1]Thin Lizzy also have some great songs and their guitar music is simply divine, even though stuff like "[I]The Boys are back in Town[/i]" is better known, some of their less known stuff like "[I]Dedication[/I']" is brilliant.[/SIZE][/quote] Hell yeah. These guys rock so much. [i]Whiskey In The Jar[/i].....Thats my number one most favorite drinking song. Thin Lizzy and Metallica's cover version. Oh, while I'm at it, I wanna add Blue Oyster Cult to my list. Most because of [i]Dont Fear The Reaper[/i] and [i]Astronomy.[/i] ^_^

Lets see... - [B]Dio[/B] - [B]Rainbow[/B] - [B]Black Sabbath[/B] (mostly, beleive it or not, the Tony Martin years....1987 to 1995. In my opinion, he's more talented than Ozzy. Ozzy still rocks though. hard) ^_^ - [B]Type O Negative[/B] - [B]Iron Maiden[/B] There's many more, but these are my top 5. I didnt include punk rock in my list.

Wow....let me just first say, what an amazing band! For anyone who doesn't know, Nightwish is a gothic opera metal group from Finland. The songs are absolutly amazing, and a lot of times, involve some fantasy subject...swords, dragons, and wizards...that kinda thing. (kinda like Dio, Rainbow, Malmsteen, or Iron Maiden) Anyway, for those who know of them, what do you think of the new album 'Once'? I kinda have mixed feelings about it. They def. decided to go more 'metal' on this album, and the whole thing has a darker, heaver feel to it. Thats not bad AT ALL, but does anyone else think that they KINDA went light on the opera/fantasy stuff this time around? When compaired to older songs, like, "Elvenpath" or even "Dead Boy's Poem", it difference is QUITE obvious, but at the core, they are def. still Nightwish, with their amazing lyrics and spine-chilling vocals. ^_^ "Wish I had an Angel" is one of their hit songs from the new album, I guess. I was also surprised as hell to hear it on the raidio!! Really great song, though. I would have to say my favorite song from 'Once', though, is "Dead Gardens". Just magic. OtakuBoy PS: Does anyone know what "Dead Boy's Poem" is about? I'm guessing the kid wrote a suicide note to his loved ones and killed himself.

I realize I'm kinda late on this thread, I'm sorry. I absolutly love Bad Religion, and I've been into them strongly for a good 8 years now. I def. believe that 'Empire' is a big step up from 'New America' and 'Process', although its obviously not the best album they ever released. I would have to say that my favorite song on this album is "Athiest Peace". *sigh*....if only it was longer. I think it could have used another verse. By the way, has any Bad Religion fans picked up Greg's solo album, 'American Lesion'? Not punk-rock at all, but more folk music-like. It's his most emotionally heart-wrenching work, and I beleive was inspired from the divorce of his wife, Gretta. Esp. the song, "Maybe She Will'. Also, the remake of "Cease" is really something else. It brings the song to a whole new level. ^_^ Otaku Boy

I dont call myself 100% gothic anymore, really. In my early high school days, I used to go all out with white face makeup and an upside down cross on my head, but now.... I dress in a kinda....pseudo-anime/dark look. Black jeans that are absolutly huge, silver jewlery with pentagrams or celtic swords, black t-shirts (either Ozzy/Black Sabbath shirt or other hard rock shirts, videogame shirts, or anime shirts, purple hair with bangs down to my eyes and a samurai-type pony tail. I cant really explain all the nuances. lol. It must be seen to be believed. DarkOtakuBoy [I]"We're tied and bound to this self-induldgent enterprise....we call.....America"[/I] Bad Religion

[quote name='Drix D'Zanth]Hang on? bold text. Read that again? ?born gay?. Really? Please, please explain just how anyone is ?born? gay. Are you telling me it?s hereditary? Care to back that up with a little science? Let?s talk genetics then? please answer me this fundamental question: Why in the world would our genetic material? the very information that is ONLY maintained by being ?passed? from generation to generation somehow mutate to create a gene that worked counterproductively to its own survival??? Homosexuality is [b]not[/b'] genetic, it is psychological.[/quote] Alright....i have a biology degree and im eventually going for a Ph.D in biochem/genetics. First of all...people are under the impression that genetic info must be mutated for the good of the species, for things that will insure its survival. It doesnt work like that. Evolution isnt about making better and better, its natural selection via RANDOM mutation. In the animal kingdom, if an analog of the 'gay gene' were to be passed in the animal kingdom, it wouldnt survive long, because that species would natually become extinct Works different for us humans with a cerebral cortex and the ability to reason. Aside from THAT..... umm, dude....mutated genes that threaten a species are created in nature all the time. NATURE IS INDIFFERENT. The latest papers by some up and coming bio genetic researchers are almost positive that there is a 'gay gene', an 'intellegence gene', etc. and its a moot point...because once the Genome Project is finally done and decoded, we will have all the answers (and prob. put the world in some kinda Eugenic War, but thats for another topic)

Without getting into the long debated issue into what is and what is not goth, I will just say that my favorite gothic music is def. Type O Negative. Esp. the October Rust album, which is just pure magic. The whole album has this atmosphere that cant be described into words. Wolf Moon, Red Water, and Love You To Death will send chills down the spines of most people who are into that music. ^_^ Otaku Boy

Adahn......Go to Barns and Noble and check the Philosophy section if you want books on human nature. I hear Plato is pretty popular. As I said....Not all of us agrees with the Bible. lol Its a SOURCE. There are many sources. And by the way.....its opinion, not the end-all-be-all facet of human understanding. Everyone has their vantage point.