Another Look at "Girls' Last Tour" From Episode 1

Anime 

    I did a post about "Girls' Last Tour" focusing on episode 6   and since I think it would be fun to do another post on this series and the timing is right since the Blu-Ray comes at the end of January (January 29th) dubbed and subbed (We aren't being paid to say this) we take a look at episode 1 called "Starry Sky/War"

     The first 2 minutes of this episode and the series as a whole is amazing sonic and visually.  There is  diegetic sound of water dripping, screws moving because of the kattenrad moving and causing the loose screws around to shake.  You can some pipes and otherwise it's dark.  Then this choral music starts and we the main characters Chito and Yuuri who are driving and riding in the kattenrad respectively .     When the choral music starts it warms up the scene that otherwise feels cold and dark because of the cold and dripping. Showing us that our main characters are friendly and warm in light.

     This is series that is post-Apocalypse setting story where something has wiped out most of humanity.  Our main focus are these two girls and their journey. They have been in this darkness for sometime  and trying to figure out to get out.  They also introduce our characters traits very well with Chito seeming to be the more serious one, while Yuuri is the more laid back one.  When Chito goes to sleep there's some dream she has that maybe a flashback on the past and how this journey started.  They follow a breeze to see if that's a way out and there's light and finally, they've made it out and can see the night's sky of starry beauty.  The visuals in this episode

         The scence where they take in the sky is a nice touch to end that part as they haven't seen it in sometime they have some appreciation of it.  The next part is called "War"  Yuu is doing some test shooting  Chito doesn't carry a weapon saying that she doesn't need one.  They in area that has some tanks and artillery.  This part also gives us some insight into their knowledge of the world and what's going on.  Yurri sees all the weapons and wonders why they people made all these weapons instead of food more food would make their lives in the present easier.  Or when Yui asks about war or to be exact  war means killing people , right? Why would they do that?  Chi's answer is maybe they their interests didn't fit with the other side's interests. They also find food, which makes Yurri very happy.

              They find some chocolate flavored rations as well and they don't know what is chocolate. Yuuri then points her weapon at Chito for the last ration now, don't take this moment in a dark way,  she seems to be taking what Chi said earlier about war being over resources and applying it.  Yurri eats the final ration then Chi jumps her.  The moments here are fun and shows their more playful side. 
   

        I think the start of this series was good one to set up and meet our characters and the world they are in.  It's not going to through the normal things you see in post end of the world themed media.  We are going to be following these characters on their journey as they mostly just survive.  I've liked this series since it came out and think it's charming and brings a good time. So take a look yourself. I may dip back into the show in the future.


  I think you should give this series a chance if you haven't seen it, it's currently (2019 January) on Amazon Prime streaming (with subs) and will be on Blu-Ray(dubbed/subbed) from January 29th.


       Tune in next time, after I fight this guy for some food.   

       

         
     

Arthur: DW the Copy Cat / Arthur's Knee

Arthur  PBS 

      I decided to dip back into another of this blog's interesting mainstays the PBS animated series "Arthur" unless you are  in different country than a show from America by PBS station WGBH in Boston that airs on a channel in your country. We getting pedantic. Anyway, we started doing Arthur talk during the 20th anniversary and have dipped into a few specials as well, so now we take another dip into some episodes.
 

    I'm going to follow the model we did during the 20th. Meaning a random 11 minute episode from 2 different seasons and talk about them.  So here we start with Season 1 with episode 5b called "D.W the Copycat" which first came out partnered with "Arthur's Pet Business" on October 11th, 1996.

     Arthur and DW Read as older brother and younger sister have this dynamic of sometimes  being at odds with each other. There are times where Arthur is annoyed by his sister and rants about her to his friends to their 'delight'. There are times where she is even shown to be annoying either that or this show works through Arthur's perceptions.(Make your own fan theories here)  Though there have times they have been shown caring for each other.  This is an early episode and takes us through a dynamic between the two.
   
   First off the monologue (the part where Arthur talks to us) : Arthur sees DW coloring in his book and then tells us he wonders what life would be like if D.W was different.  So he imagines if she was like his friend, The Brain, or like Bionic Bunny,  or a donkey. (What?)  This is the part where we don't question how this world of animal people works in the first place.

Out of context this is strange, in context this is strange/ Copyright WGBH 

    Now the episode :   Arthur groans that he is bored.  His mother suggests that he should play with D.W. So he decides that he is desperate. He tries but he finds her babyish. She yells at him that he doesn't want to do anything with her anymore and he says that she  does boring things and she should be more interesting , like him.  This gives DW an idea, she starts copying Arthur.  She even starts doing things he likes.  Arthur at first ,kind of likes this but then she goes a little excessive.  She then dresses like Arthur. (It's getting creepy)  He starts to notice that she is copying him (takes him a while). She also wears fake glasses now.  He tells his parents that it's annoying. He overheard his friends saying don't invite him to Muffy's house after school  because of Arthur Jr. (his sister) might tag along. (Mean)  His parents say he should deal with it. He tells her that she should stop copying her and she goes long with it? Was this some elaborate plan?  What happened?!

Rule 63? /Copyright WGBH 

    They are about 4 years apart in age and they have their interests, their may have been a time where they spent time together a lot more but as age has caused a drift as Arthur gets older. D.W just wanted to spend time with her older brother but, he doesn't like her interests. What I am also getting  from this episode was that she was also kind of tricking him. Where the part he says that he finds her boring probably bothered her. (Doesn't look a head at other episodes) Maybe they'll try to get along more later.

   More after the Jump

The Loud House: Season 1: Snow Bored/ Sleuth or Consequences

The Loud House Nickelodeon 

  

      I think it would be nice continue a look at "The Loud House" . I did this back in May where I used my "Arthur" model where I'd use a randomizer to look at two different 11 minute episodes of the "Loud House" from one season and look talk about them. So, here we are again with a look a couple episodes from season 1.   

  We start with the last episode of Season 1 "Snow Bored" which came out in the US on November 8th 2016,  it's not the last episode of the season, in production that was "Homespun".

   
      The Louds are hoping for a snow day because it's snowing outside and the weather man  gives them their wish.  Lisa has announced that she is going to eliminate the snow but the others decide to help her see that snow days can be F.O.N fun. (don't ask). The next day, Lisa (who has awesome winter wear) tries to see how much fun a snow day.  Lisa doesn't seem as interested in this weather.  After her looking at the others' activities she finds no interest in them and decides to do her plan.  Lana decides to  throw  a snowball at Lisa ,which sets off the rest of the episode.

Moment before tragedy starts /Copyright Viacom 

       Lisa decides that she has found something that she likes about snow days after all, and that's throwing snowballs.  That evening she tells Lincoln she enjoyed the snow day and then plays God and causes a second snow day.  So, the next day she goes a little crazy with snowball weapons, and starts crazily shooting them at her family members. (Why does Lisa have all these weapons, what is she planning, hello FBI, I'd like report someone please!)

Weapons of mass destruction/ Copyright Viacom 

     Evenutally, the others run to the safety of inside the house but, she ends up even shooting snowballs in the house.  This causes the Louds to wish it didn't snow but she plays God some more and causes it snow day again.  They ask  Lisa to use her invention from the earlier to stop the snow.  Apparently this was Lisa's plan was to make them not want snow days for awhile.  Lincoln is confused as I was here.

Don't ask me/ Copyright Viacom 

   

     My thoughts brought to you by Lisa's Snowzooka , you too can learn to wipe out people with snow! : There's not a sister I don't dislike the series, I do like Lisa,  it's nice thing to see her acting a little more like a 4 year old would and going silly over snow and her being a genius makes her going over the top  even more fun. I do enjoy the snow activities and them trying to get Lisa interested in the things. Also, I love her laugh in this episode.   I do fault the part where Lisa wants to deny her siblings a snow day because it's something they would enjoy  and the ending where I think she did this as an elaborate trick  to make them hate snow days.  I can see (overthink?) that cares about her family's well being and their mental/educational well being being part of that.   It's not an awful episode , to give it a  number value between 1% to 100%  I'd give it a 77%.

more after the jump

The Lookback: Christmas: Yes Virginia , There is a Santa Claus

Christmas  The Flashback 

          "Yes Virginia , There is a Santa Claus" is probably one of the most famous Christmas stories and the fact that it's a true story even makes it more appealing to adapt into media. This time, we look at the 1974 special for ABC of the same name based off the story of Virginia O' Hanlon who at the age asked the The New York Sun newspaper  if Santa Claus was real and the newspaper  gave a philosophy instead.   The media we are looking at is an animated short based off this story.   This special must have been good it won a prime time Emmy in 1975 for outstanding , Children's program  beating "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown", "The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown", and "Dr.Seuss Hoober Bloob Highway". (All great programming)  There is a connection to the two Charlie Brown specials to this special as well, you will notice how it looks, and Bill Melendez was a director and producer in this special so, he had at 75% of winning the award that year. (That's how you do it)

            So here we go.

           It starts with the narrator telling us that he wishes all things on Earth were as easy to fix as that crooked "h" spelling Earth was.    Meanwhile. at school in the 1890's  the teacher, Ms. Taylor, wants her class to write an essay about Christmas.  Virginia says she is going to write about why she believes in Santa Claus and the other kids laugh at her. (Because 1890's kids were  also mean like children are). The teacher tells them to pipe down(that's our words not hers) and let's Virginia continue. Virginia says she is unsure that Santa exists or not.

       Later on, kids make fun of Virginia some more.  A kid named Billy tells her that his older brother says there's no Santa because he's 14 and knows everything. (So a normal 14 year old) Virigina tries ask some kids if any of them believe in Santa. So far, none of them believe in except a couple.  So, she asks a policeman and he doesn't know Santa Claus is real then he calls his Sargent but that doesn't work. Then she asks the candyman if he knows if there's a Santa. I don't think this works. Then the Chinese restaurant man , he's no help either. ( Also what? )  She then asks her father and he says that people are out there have always been out there don't believe in anything they don't see. Just because you don't see something doesn't mean it's not there.

            The paperboy believes in Santa.  He also says the  same thing her father says too, and he suggests that you ask the editor of the New York Sun about Santa he'll give the definitive answer. (That's some paper)  We also find out the paper boy doesn't go to school because 1890s.  Her father thinks that is also a great idea to write the paper. 

    So, she decides to write the letter.  Meanwhile. editor Scrooge (he gives the words Bah humbug)  even his sectary calls him that, doesn't want to read an eight year old girl's letter.  Virginia waits for her letter to be in the paper, her father says just wait. The  paperboy from earlier named Tommy Keegan comes into Mr.Church's office , that's the editor, and convinces him to take the letter and write back.

      Mr.Church stews over what to write for awhile. While Virginia waits for answer. Then eventually,  at the school the Teacher reads the editorial that answers the question that Virginia asked.  The special does the full editorial , of course.  The other kids apologize to her. 

   There's an addendum where they talk mention some of the figures are real people and their names weren't changed to protect the innocent. Also, Santa was the narrator.
   

       That's it. I think it's an alright special it does do a nice take on the famous story that works well to keep you interested.   This special did fall off the television way side at some point. The story was also later used for 1990 movie which I am not sure how they took something kind of short and made it longer than this one tried, and there  was a CGI special in 2010.  

   That's our lookback tune in next time, when we wonder if there is a New Year's goblin. 

   If this is our last post before Christmas , then we Wish You A Merry Christmas from us here at Joshuaonline.  

NBC Midseason 2019: Four Returning Series and 2 New Series

NBC  Midseason 2019

           NBC has announced their mid season premiere dates for 4 returning shows and 2 new dramas. 

       The Voice returns  on Monday, February 25th at 8-10pmet. Tuesdays will run a little different with it  airing Tuesday episodes from  8-9pmet ,  on February 26th and March 5th, then no new Tuesday episodes until April 23rd.    

    Following, The Voice is  a new drama called ,The Enemy Within it premieres on February 25th at 10pmet.  World of Dance returns on Tuesday, February 26th from 9-11pmet,  and the it's regular  Sunday, March 3rd 8-10pmet,.  Airing Sundays 8-10pmet.    Good Girls returns on Sunday, March 3 at 10pmet.  A.P Bio returns Thursday March 7 at 8:30pmet.   New series The Village premieres March 12th at 10pmet, it moves to 9pmet on April 2nd. 

   Details 

   

Mondays starting Monday, February 25  

8PM  The Voice  (season premiere) 

10pm The Enemy Within (series premiere)

Tuesday, February 26

8PM  The Voice  

9PM  World of Dance (premiere)  

Sunday, March 3

8PM  World of Dance (regular time slot) 

10pm  Good Girls (season premiere) 

Tuesday, March 5

8PM The Voice 

Thursday, March 7

8:30pm A.P Bio  (season premiere)

Tuesday, March 12

10pm  The Village (Series premiere)

Tuesday, April 2

9pm The Village (time period change) 

Tuesday, April 23 

8pm The Voice (back on Tuesdays) 

 

press release after the jump

Christmas and Arthur : Arthur's Perfect Christmas

Christmas   The Flashback

 
     We return to an old friend, "Arthur" so they give us a Christmas special  interestingly enough, not one based off the book "Arthur's Christmas".  This one is called "Arthur's Perfect Christmas".   This special came out in 2000, why did they wait nearly 4 years into the series to have a Christmas special?  Why did they not use the book?  Nobody knows. To place the special in the "Arthur" cannon it was aired during or around the 5th season. I think it's the first Arthur hour long special as well.  This was the final time the original voice of Arthur Read, Michael Yarmush, voiced the character.

   Anyway let's take a look, is Arthur's Christmas perfect? Ehhh.

       It's starts with Christmas happening around Elwood City  so you know that it's Christmas time.  Then it's Arthur playing piano and he starts singing. (I'm out, get back over  you will finish this!)   It's his fan tasty and also he hates tinsel. (I'm out) Arthur wants his Christmas to be perfect (hense the title)  Oh it's 3 Days before Christmas.  D.W asks Arthur to help her write her wish list to Santa. I guess she does because the next cut she's mailing something.

Don't confuse him with Santa Claus in the east pole/ Copyright WGBH 

       Tina the talking tabby.  Now we are at the elementary school with Muffy and Francine. Muffy is going to have  a Christmas party and Francine keeps trying to say she can't go but, Muffy doesn't listen. So, why can't Francine go?  Let's have Arthur ask her.    Her family celebrates the last night of Hanukkah.  Arthur states the obvious but, again Muffy doesn't listen.  George talks about Christmas in Sweden.  Binky  talks about his Christmas tradition of helping at a soup kitchen and mmm pecan pie. (He needs to shell them)  Mr. Ratburn, the teacher, has decided to still give homework because he's addicted to teaching.   Buster has a problem his mother keeps waking him up early thinking it's Christmas because she's nervous that she might miss it. (She should watch the news first to find out the date)

Merry Not Christmas/ Copyright WGBH 

more after the jump

Christmas : Charlie Brown Christmas Tales

Peanuts  Christmas  


            "Charlie Brown Christmas Tales" is not really a Peanuts special as much as it's filler that is used to fill in ABC's broadcast of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" If you want Charlie Brown Christmas  to be aired without any cuts because, commercials can't be cut?, is to fill in a gap that needs to be filled in that's "Charlie Brown Christmas Tales"
 
              The special is 18 minutes long (minus commercials) meaning that it fits in with the broadcast of the original special which usually runs from :00 to :32-34 past the hour.  The special first aired in 2002 , the second year ABC had rights to Peanuts specials.

    It's like Peanuts strips that were brought to animation. They were lifted from the comic strip and just animated.  It is split into different segments based on different characters: Snoopy, Linus,Sally, Lucy, and Charlie Brown.  Even though, the special doesn't have a plot and is usually just the hour filler I think it has a charm to it. There are some entertaining things in this special. 

 Look how they spelled Santa Claus / Copyright Peanuts 

      I had this sentiment in my "It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown"  nothing will match up to the original Christmas special and that's fine.  It really is fun to see the Peanuts characters celebrating Christmas in different ways in these specials.    One of the segments I love in this special, is the one where Sally just stares at a Christmas tree hoping it falls down and it does. 

Yeah she's  a witch! 

     I think it's an alright special because it exhibits a kind of fun you get from the strips The animation is fine and there are moments.  I mostly say watch this when it airs on TV, not really go out and seek it out unless you buy a DVD and it's somehow included or want to own all the specials. I think it's alright and really it's filler but it's tasty filler around the good  cookies of the original special.  

    

Tune in next time when we wonder what do we do with all the trees that we looked at and fell over. 

Christmas : The Small One

   
 There are some things that I think get kind of lost in the track of memory or  time. This time I want to talk about a Disney animated special called "The Small One"  , I've kind of wanted to talk about this special for sometime, I never got to it though.  I found out that this year is it's 40th anniversary , so I thought this would be a good time talk about it.  The special comes from a book of the same name and was dircted by Don Bluth. It came out as a short with Pinocchio  when that movie was re-released in theaters (something done before home sales were a thing).  Here's our look at this special.

         It's a 26 minute in length special meaning that people most likely watched this while waiting to see "Pinocchio" (imagine that).  It takes place in countryside near Nazareth during biblical times of course.  There's a donkey named Small One, who is beloved by a boy named , uhh, Boy.  Small One is getting older and weaker and  past what his purpose is at a farm that needs donkeys for plowing and etc.   There's a montage of the father noticing this about Small One, especially when Boy chooses do some of the donkey's work.  His father tells him that Small One can't do work enough to pay of his food so, it's time to sell him.

A Boy and his donkey , to be separated by circumstance /Copyright Disney

      That brings us the main plot of the special. Boy is unhappy that Small One has to go.  Boy decides that he should be the one to take him, his father says yes but he has to be sold. Boy promises that he will find Small  One a good , gentle, and kind owner.  The next day, they set out to the city to see who wants a donkey.  The city guard recommends someone who turns out to be a tanner meaning that he wouldn't want S.O as a friend.   They have to go find someone else who doesn't want to make the donkey into a car seat, or whatever people did with leather then.  Another montage of people not really wanting the donkey.

Does it look like I want a Donkey?/ Copyright Disney 

 
     Oh there's some music in the special as well.  One song is Boy telling Small One that he'll  find a kind gentle owner.  Also, a song with some merchants or whatever who cut a long a song with Boy singing "Small One for Sale".  I think they help him by saying he should go the auctioneer instead.   This doesn't help because nobody wants the scrawny donkey and also not a horse.  The auctioneer decides to spend his time making fun of the donkey and keeps pulling his tail but when he pushes Boy the donkey gets angry and pushes the auctioneer of the platform.

You mess with the small one, you get kicked by the donkey/Copyright Disney 

      While the two of them spend their time dejected a man  talks to him. The man offers him a coin and promises that he will have a good home. Boy and Small One part their ways and the man takes him.      The purpose the man has for the donkey is to take his wife to Bethlehem.  It ends with a shot of the famous Christmas star.

     You could probably presume that the man was Joseph and his wife would be Mary.

   I don't why this special really hasn't been 'loved' by Disney. Now, first there are ways to get this you can buy it on prime video (when this post was written) and some other streaming formats. Maybe Disney will put it on their own service when that comes out. (This is really going to date this post) They have it on "Mickey's Christmas Carol" DVD as well.  It hasn't aired on TV though, in the United States  not on Disney Channel, Freeform, Disney XD, Disney Junior, ABC , Toon Disney (when that existed), Soap net (when that existed) , anywhere. I don't now why really. Before someone says well it's relgious, I would like to add that Freeform has aired Rankin Bass'  "Nestor, the Long-Eared ,Christmas Donkey" which has a similar story about a donkey that end up being Mary's riding donkey.    They have also aired "The Little Drummer  Boy" which also has a religious tone to it. 

   I think this special , I think it paces pretty well. I can feel the boy's pain and struggle when he's trying to figure out the right person for Small One, you can see that he's trying hard to see if he can help.  He wasn't being immature trying to keep the donkey  he understood that since the farm uses donkeys as work animals for their lively-hood he knew he had to give him up.  He also could have just given his donkey to the first person but, he really felt that Small One deserves something better I think that his decision to do the hard thing both times really shows something in his character.   I do tear up at the end watching when the two of them separate.
 
     That's our lookback , tune in next time  when we find a  Christmas special  that has  a boy having to give up his cow for the greater good.