Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2216

The Science of Thor’s Lightning-Summoning Powers

What we call “thunder” is the sound of air rapidly expanding when exposed to plasma six times hotter than the Sun’s surface, known as lightning. And the Asgardian we call Thor is the god of it. He’s not the god of hammers or super strength or long blonde hair that I’m totally not trying to copy; Thor’s lightning summoning abilities are what defines him. My nerdy quest to explain Thor’s powers with science has covered his flight, his immovable hammer, and a battle with the Juggernaut, but never this crucial attack. So, how does Thor become a lightning rod?

In my latest Because Science, I’m finally taking a look at how Thor makes lightning his weapon. Specifically, I want to know if there is a plausible means of attracting lightning that fits with the sciencey explanations for Thor flies and for what makes his hammer impossible to pick up. My theory: Thor’s hammer Mjölnir can emit (virtual) graviton particles–theoretical particles that may transmit gravity. By doing so, the hammer could effective change its mass and make itself either too heavy to lift or just heavy enough to drag Thor through the air and “fly.”

But does this theory allow Thor to generate and redirect lightning? Watch my latest episode above to find out!

Check out my last video on what Groot is really made of, subscribe to this playlist to stay current with the show, buy a Because Science shirt, mug, or collectible pin (you know why), and follow me on Twitter to give me a suggestion for the next episode or on Instagram where I’m now posting extra mini-episodes!

Half Hour Happy Hour #111: Drunksmas Day 11

Nothing like a little homemade eggnog to get the blood flowing. Speaking of blood, horror icon Ted Raimi stops by for some holiday cheer.

Follow @HalfHourHappyHr and hosts @alisonhaislip, @alexalbrecht and Tom “Super Volcano” Krajewski on Twitter

VIKINGS Recap: All His Angels

Hug your bromance tight tonight–this episode was a tough one for us all. Beware of all the ruthless Vikings  spoilers below.

What is done is done: Ragnar Lothbrok has met his fate and died. Hundreds of poisonous snakes brought the legendary warrior down physically, but mentally he died a man standing tall.

As a refresher, here’s Aelle’s original motivation from season one, episode seven: “I swear before God almighty, I declare war eternal on the Northman Ragnar Lothbrok. I swear to our lord Jesus Christ and to the blessed virgin one day I will avenge myself on him, and bring him to justice and to death, so help me God.” It’s safe to say, Aelle has been hung-up on Ragnar for a really long time, while Ragnar continued along his life’s journey without a mere thought of the English King.

King Aelle is the kind of guy who’s just looking for a reason to “legally” cause trouble and claim vengeance. At least Ecbert is somewhat upfront about his morals. Behind all Aelle’s nobility and religious rules, he’s just as ruthless as any Viking or Franc, having gladly flung Ragnar into the trails of torture upon arrival. Well, he finally gets his war, but it’s not going to be the holy war he believes it to be. (Release the Floki!)

The IRL legend of Ragnar tells of his demise by Aelle’s hand inside of a snake pit–so let’s be honest, the truth was there all along. We also had that previous Seer prophecy, and the Seer himself, come back to bite Ragnar in the butt: “You will die on the day the blind man sees you.” (Why hello, said blind man seeing Ragnar in a cage!)

Ragnar was never meant to make it past a certain point in his sons’ lives, but we’ve all been hoping Vikings would perhaps take some creative liberties to extend our time with him. At least he went down as cunning as ever delivering great comebacks, bold monologues, and toying with the lame guards.

Let’s take a moment to hail Travis Fimmel’s grand performance as the battle-born Norse leader. Ragnar went from farmer to legendary explorer in just one season. He had many flaws as a father, husband, leader, etc. throughout his years, which Fimmel magnificently helped bring out during key moments in each season. From dealing with civil war to morality, Ragnar battled all the demons with everything he had and more.

Here are the final words from the great and ruthless Ragnar: “It gladdens me to know that Odin prepares a feast. Soon I shall be drinking ale from curved horns…There I shall wait for my sons to join me…there I shall bask in their triumph…My death comes without apology. And I welcome the Valkyries to summon me home!” Hail our one true Ragnar! Now he can continue his bromance with Athelstan in whatever afterlife they ended up in–Valkyries and angels alike.

Epic symbolic vibes between Ivar and Prince Alfred playing chess. Because, you know, it’s chess and chess is always symbolic. Athelstan’s legacy certainly lives on in Alfred, and with Ragnar’s blessing and Athelstan’s trusty cross. Hopefully it’ll be a benevolent era ahead. Some more Ivar and Alfred budding bromance wouldn’t hurt either, ’cause if anyone needs a friend to show him the ways of peace, it’s jerky Ivar.

It was also bittersweet to have a final moment of closure between Papa Ragnar and Ivar the Boneless. Dead Ragnar and Aslaug–queue Ivar’s ruthless and bloody reign of terror. (Also, who’s that one-eyed fellow on the boat? All-father to the rescue?) But I can’t help but feel gipped on extra moments between Ragnar and his firstborn, Björn. Never forget, this journey began with the pair of them really. Also, I’m interested to see Rollo’s reaction. Everything in Kattegat is already tied-up in a neat little bow for now too, with Lagertha in charge for a while as the three remaining sons seek some sweet, sweet revenge in their father’s name. (Great Heathen Army hype train, full steam ahead!)

Everything was mirrored nicely with Ecbert’s incognito pilgrimage to Ragnar’s death. The two leaders were certainly like fire and water, mentally challenging one another in the best ways possible. I think they achieved that “you complete me” level a few seasons ago, but only just now came to the full realization here. He was the last person Ragnar saw, staying to watch the very ugly end like a good Viking sending his foe and kin to Valhalla. Ecbert seemed genuinely displeased with the outcome of Ragnar’s death, full of guilt and regret yet hopeful for the fated battle ahead.

And that is the end of one legend and start of another. Next time we catch up with the other Vikings and their quest in our episode 16 recap, “Crossings.” Share all those burning Vikings comments below.

xImages: The History Channel

GIF: VikingsHistory/Tumblr

Debbie Reynolds, Classic Film Legend, Has Died at Age 84

Still reeling from the loss of our General, the wonderful Carrie Fisher, we here at Nerdist are saddened to report on another loss merely a day later. The Los Angeles Times reports that Fisher’s mother, the great classic film star Debbie Reynolds, has died at age 84.

For those who may be unfamiliar with Reynolds’ remarkable story, she leaves behind an extensive body of work to appreciate. At the tender age of 18, she was plucked out of obscurity by Louie B. Mayer, the head of MGM, to star opposite dancer/actor/singer Gene Kelly in 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain. Kelly originally objected to Reynolds’ casting at first, wanting a professional dancer cast opposite him in the role. A testament to Reynolds’ tireless work ethic, she spent three months rehearsing in the role. A now famous classic Hollywood story, Reynolds danced so hard with Kelly that her feet would bleed. In her 1988 autobiography Reynolds famously said, “Singin’ in the Rain’ and childbirth were the hardest things I ever had to do in my life.” Of course, Reynolds more than held her own on screen in scenes with Kelly and actor Donald O’Connor, who were huge stars at the time. The movie was a box-office hit, and catapulted Reynolds to stardom. These 64 years later, Singin’ in the Rain is widely considered one of the greatest and most beloved films of all-time.

After Singin’ in the Rain, Reynolds went on to nab roles in many films that would likewise become regarded as classics. Included are 1962’s How the West Was Won, followed by the film version of the musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown, in which she played the aptly described title character; the part earned Reynolds an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress that year. Shortly afterward, Reynolds landed own NBC show, The Debbie Reynolds Show, which ran for one season in 1969.

Many children of the ’70s will forever recognize her as the voice of Charlotte in 1973’s Charlotte’s Web. After a bit of a hiatus from the big screen, Reynolds reaffirmed her comedic prowess streak in the ’90s by playing the titular matriarch in Albert Brooks’ Mother, Kevin Kline’s mom in the hilarious In & Out, and guesting on TV shows such as Golden Girls and Will & Grace.

For those of us who grew up on Disney Channel original movies, we’ll remember Debbie Reynolds as the magical Aggie Cromwell in the Halloweentown films. She was warm, witty, tender, and dazzling. These films formed the foundations of many millenials’ childhoods, and served as an astounding intoduction to Reynolds to a whole new generation. In addition to her film work, she was also a huge figure in the fight for film preservation. When MGM Studios auctioned off their costumes and props, Reynolds purchased Marilyn Monroe’s infamous white dress from The Seven Year Itch, one of Charlie Chaplin’s bowler hats, and a pair of the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.

She spent numerous decades fighting to preserve artifacts of Hollywood history in museums. Reynolds, like her daughter, also devoted her time to several mental health causes. Reynolds’ relationship with her daughter, next door neighbor, and best friend Carrie was chronicled in the documentary Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, which will release in 2017. The pair’s relationship was famously depicted in Fisher’s novel Postcards from the Edge, and the film adaptation thereof, in which Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep portrayed mother and daughter.

We here at Nerdist are incredible saddened by this enormous loss, and will miss Reynolds greatly. The incredible legacy she leaves behind will live on, delighting new audiences around the world. Our hearts and best wishes go out to the Reynolds’ and Fisher’s family.

Featured Image: MGM Studios; Paramount Pictures

Love, Alexi #50: Jackie Johnson

Comedian, actress, singer & Snapchat personality Jackie Johnson (UCB, Inherent Vice, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, @JackiemicheleJ) & Alexi have a high energy, fast paced romp of a conversation where they talk comedy, meeting at a holiday party, IBS, D’Angelo, diva cups, creating less waste for our children’s future, Anthony Bourdain, Jackie’s wonderfully healthy relationship, how her husband proposed & so much MORE! Plus, she sings a ton and even made a theme song for the Love Alexi podcast (we play it end of ep)! For moreJackie Johnson, find her on Snapchat @JackiemicheleJ, Insta @jackiemichelejohnson, and Twitter @Jackie_Michele.

Follow @alexiwasser on instagram/facebook/snapchat, check out imboycrazy.com and send emails for Alexi to read on air: DearLoveAlexi@gmail.com!

GAME OF THRONES Re-Throned: “The Climb” (S3, E6)

Winter is coming, but not soon enough. So to help pass the time until season seven of Game of Thrones, we’re doing a weekly re-watch of the series, episode-by-episode, with the knowledge of what’s to come and—therefore—more information about the unrevealed rich history of events that took place long before the story began. Be warned, though: that means this series is full of spoilers for every season, even beyond the episode itself. So if you haven’t watched all of the show yet immediately get on that and then come back and join us for Game of Thrones Re-Throned.

Because the next best thing to watching new episodes is re-watching old ones.

——

Season 3, Episode 6: “The Climb”

Original Air Date: May 5th, 2013

Director: Alik Sakharov

Written by: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss

This sixth episode from season three derives its title from both the featured scaling of The Wall accomplished by Jon and the Wildlings, and also from the great, ominous speech Baelish gives Varys about how chaos is an opportunity for those that seize it.

“Chaos isn’t a pit. Chaos is a ladder. Many who try to climb it fail and never get to try again. The fall breaks them. And some are given a chance to climb, but they refuse. They cling to the realm, or the gods, or love–illusions. Only the ladder is real. The climb is all there is.”

The episode’s powerful ending is framed by hope and fear: the hope of Jon and Ygritte’s love, and the fear of the evil men can wrought in the name of power.

However, it’s a much quieter moment that stands out all these years later rewatching the episode because of something we’ve since learned about one of the characters. Melisandre has been led by the Lord of Light to find the Brotherhood without Banners, where she plans to take Gendry and his king’s blood back with her to Dragonstone so he can be sacrificed. While there she meets the six-time reincarnated Ser Beric Dondarrion.

Thoros of Myr explains to her how his prayers to the Lord of Light brought back his friend. “You should not have this power,” she says to Thoros in High Valyrian. Thoros was a terrible priest, one who abdicated his duty and faith to his Lord for whores and rum. Yet he has the power to overcome death, something Melisandre, in all her many, many years has never seen before. Why wouldn’t she, a true believer and servant of R’hllor, have this power instead of a drunken fool?

Now that we know just how long Melisandre has actually been alive, think of how many people she has seen die. Think about how many friends she’s lost, and how much pain she has suffered because of it. What would it have meant to bring any of them back? What kind of gift for her love and dedication would that have been from her lord?

But there’s yet another sadder, possibly much darker moment here. Looking at Beric, who has conquered death repeatedly, she says, “You’ve been to the other side.” Whatever exists beyond this world Beric has been to it, has seen it. Hundreds of years of pushing off her own death, of refusing to face that unknown herself, and now Melisandre can find out what the Lord of Light has to offer.

“The other side? There is no other side. I have been to the darkness, my lady,” he says. It’s a crushing response, arguably the single darkest moment on the show to this point, and she brushes it aside as if it doesn’t register.

But it’s so important to her that years later, when the Lord of Light gives her the power to bring back Jon Snow, she asks him the same thing: “Afterwards, after they stabbed you, after you died, where did you go? What did you see?”

And Jon gives the same bleak, chilling answer Beric Dondarrion did: “Nothing. There was nothing at all.” Two people that have never met, but who both died and miraculously came back, gave her the same hopeless answer.

Melisandre has quite literally put off her own death and dedicated her entire existence to serving the Lord of Light. But if there is nothing waiting for her after this life, what was her service for? What did she do with her time here? What has been the point of her life?

There are obviously major implications beyond just her own personal story, too. Is the darkness and nothingness that might await us when we die any worse than what the White Walkers bring? The White Walkers exist, they are, and they have goals and ambitions. Whereas the actual dead seem to have nothing. If the Lord of Light doesn’t bring us salvation, just nothingness, is he any different from The Great Other, the Lord of Darkness who rules the dead? Are they really the same terrible god?

Now it’s possible Ser Beric and Jon Snow only found nothing on the other side because the Lord of Light wasn’t done with them yet; you could even say, then, that they weren’t truly dead yet. But that’s probably easier for us to see and rationalize than it is for an old and tired Melisandre, who is just coming to realize she may have suffered hundreds of years of pain and death all for nothing.

The night is dark and full of terrors, but what does it matter if life and death is too?

What do you think of Melisandre’s story now that we know the truth about her? Tell us in the comments below.

Images: HBO

Inked Wednesday #117 – SUPER MARIO BROS. Sleeve and More Geeky Tattoos

It’s weird. I know tattoos of any size are a commitment. Tattoos last forever, after all. But somehow, my brain sees arm and leg sleeves differently. Maybe because getting them is more of a time commitment? Planning a full sleeve also requires talented tattooists that can help you design and re-adjust as you add elements. You have to do decide if you want to do a jigsaw puzzle type look fitting various things together or if you want to add a background of any kind–so many decisions.

The end result of all the sleeve planning is usually worth it though. For instance, gaze upon David Dixon’s Super Mario Bros. themed leg sleeve. You’ll find both Mario and Luigi, Bowser, and Yoshi, and it all works.

See the rest of the Super Mario sleeve in the gallery below. You’ll find additional tattoos down there as well–tattoos featuring The Joker, a character from Daria, some Invader Zim art, and more.

If you have nerdy ink on your skin or you’re a tattoo artist that applies pop culture, STEM, music, or other nerd-inspired ink on a regular basis, then please hit me up because I’d like to highlight you in a future Inked Wednesday gallery. You can get in touch with me via email at alratcliffe@yahoo.com. Send me photos of the tattoos you’d like me to feature (the higher resolution, the better) and don’t forget to let me know the name of your tattoo artist if you have it, as well the name of the shop he or she works out of. If you are the tattoo artist, give me links to your portfolios and/or Instagram accounts so I can share them with our readers.

Featured Image: David Dixon

The Full List of FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2017 Titles Has Arrived

We may be in the dead of winter, but it’s not too early to look forward to next summer. And if you’re a comic book fan, it’s definitely not too early to get excited for next summer’s annual Free Comic Book Day! In 2016, FCBD will feature a whole new selection of 38 Silver Sponsor comic book titles for the comic book industry’s most anticipated annual event, next year taking place on Saturday, May 6th, 2017 at participating comic book shops everywhere.

Retailers on the FCBD Selection Committee chose 50 titles overall–12 Gold Sponsor comics and 38 Silver Sponsor comics–to provide fans a wide range of stories from which to choose and discover new genres and publishers. This year’s Silver Sponsor comics include Fresh off the Boat, Buffy: The High School Years, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob, Barbie, and more.

“We’re thrilled to see the range of titles with this year’s Free Comic Book Day,” said Free Comic Book Day spokesperson Michael Moccio. “Free Comic Book Day is one of the most celebrated days in the industry. When so many people introduce family and friends to comics and their local comic shop for the first time, it’s important the titles reflect that varied interests of people coming to stores. We believe this is going to be one of the best Free Comic Book Days yet and we’re excited for everyone to experience it!”

Below are the listing for all 50 FCBD 2017 titles, both the Silver and Gold variety, classified by publisher and title. To see cover images for all 50 comics, check out our gallery down below.

Free Comic Book Day 2017 – Silver Comics

Action Lab | Miraculous: Tales Of Lady Bug And Cat Noir FCBD 2017 Edition

American Mythology | Underdog FCBD 2017 Edition

Antarctic Press | Steam Wars: Strike Leader FCBD 2017 Edition

Archie Comics | Sonic: Genesis of a Hero FCBD 2017 Edition

Automatic Publishing | Looking Glass Wars: Crossfire FCBD 2017 Edition

Benitez Productions | Lady Mechanika FCBD 2017 Edition

BOOM! Studios | Fresh Off The Boat FCBD 2017 Edition

Chapterhouse | Captain Canuck: Year One FCBD 2017 Edition

Dark Horse Comics | Buffy: The High School Years /Plants Vs. Zombies FCBD 2017 Edition

DC Comics | DC Comics Silver Book FCBD 2017 Edition

Drawn & Quarterly | Guy Deslisle & Findakly/Trondheim Previews FCBD 2017 Edition

Drawn & Quarterly | Colorful Monsters FCBD 2017 Edition

Dynamite Entertainment | Animal Jam FCBD 2017 Edition

Epicenter Comics | Tex: Patagonia FCBD 2017 Edition

Fantagraphics Publishing | World’s Greatest FCBD 2017 Edition

Humanoids | The Incal FCBD 2017 Edition

IDW Publishing| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2017 Edition

Image Comics | Kid Savage, Chapter One FCBD 2017 Edition

Kodansha | Attack on Titan FCBD 2017 Edition

Lion Forge Comics | Catalyst Prime: The Event FCBD 2017 Edition

Marvel Comics | FCBD Classified  2017 Edition

New England Comics Press | The Tick  FCBD 2017 Edition

Nobrow | Hilda’s Back! FCBD 2017 Edition

Oni Press | Bad Machinery FCBD 2017 Edition

Papercutz| Barbie FCBD 2017 Edition

Papercutz| The Loud House FCBD 2017 Edition

Rebellion | 2000 AD 40th Anniversary Special FCBD 2017 Edition

Red 5 Comics |Keyzer Soze/The Rift FCBD 2017 Edition

Scholastic | Graphix Spotlight: Time Shifters FCBD 2017 Edition

Titan Comics | Monster High FCBD 2017 Edition Tokyopop | Disney Descendants  FCBD 2017 Edition

Udon Entertainment | Street Fighters Vs. Wrestlers Special #1 FCBD 2017 Edition

United  | Spongebob Freestyle Funnies FCBD 2017 Edition

Viz Media | Dragon Ball Super/Boruto FCBD 2017 Edition

Youneek Studios | Malika: Warrior Queen Chapter One FCBD 2017 Edition

Z2 Comics | The Ballad Of Franklin Bonniesteel FCBD 2017 Edition

Zenoscope Entertainment | Grimm Fairy Tales FCBD 2017 Edition

Free Comic Book Day 2017 – Gold Comics

Archie Comics | Betty & Veronica #1 FCBD 2017 Edition

Bongo Comics | Bongo Comics Free-For-All FCBD 2017 Edition

Boom! Studios | Boom! Studios Summer Blast FCBD 2017 Edition

Dark Horse Comics | James Cameron’s Avatar/Briggsland FCBD 2017 Edition

DC Comics | DC Comics Gold Book FCBD 2017 Edition

IDW Publishing | Star Trek: The Next Generation: Mirror Broken FCBD 2017 Edition

Image Comics | I Hate Image Comics FCBD 2017 Edition

Marvel Comics | FCBD Secret 2017 Edition

Oni Press | Rick and Morty #1 FCBD 2017 Edition

Titan Comics | Doctor Who: Four Doctors Special FCBD 2017 Edition

Valiant Entertainment | X-O Manowar FCBD 2017 Edition

Viz Media | The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess & Ocaraina of Time FCBD 2017 Edition

For more FCBD news and updates, visit www.freecomicbookday.com and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/freecomicbook, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/freecomicbook, or Instagram at www.instagram.com/freecomicbookday.

Are you excited for next year’s Free Comic Book Day offerings? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments section down below!

Image: Free Comic Book Day / Butch Hartman

The Best Anime for Beginners to Watch

Back when I was in middle school, my cousin Jen came over and showed me a video tape that blew my tiny mind apart. It was Sailor Moon, and it was unlike anything I had seen before. With its rich characterization, over-the-top action, and unique art style, what I saw on that grainy VHS tape utterly enthralled me and made me crave more. It was my first introduction to the weird, wild, wonderful world of anime, and it led me to discover countless other amazing series. But not everyone has an amazing cousin Jen to help guide their fledgling pop cultural preferences, and nowadays with so many shows to choose from, it can be a daunting task to dive into anime headfirst. Well, today on The Dan Cave, we’re here to help with a guide to some of the very best anime for beginners.

Death Note

Image: Viz Media

Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and it gets even worse if you’re a sociopathic high schooler with a god complex and a supernatural notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written inside of it. Such is the basic premise of Death Note, and it delivers a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse that will have you fiendishly binge-watching episode after episode. Throw in burning questions of justice and morality, creepy death gods, and genius detectives, and you have one of the most addictive anime ever made.

Cowboy Bebop

Image: Funimation

Do you know someone who loves Firefly or Guardians of the Galaxy, or other really good stories about not-so-good people in space? If so, Cowboy Bebop is for them. At its core, Cowboy Bebop is the story of a group of bounty hunters gallivanting around the galaxy on their eponymous ship, the Bebop. With its charismatic cast of killer characters–including a hyperintelligent corgi named Ein–and a soundtrack full of jazzy earworms, Cowboy Bebop is more than just another space adventure. It’s a space adventure where everyone accidentally does Psilocybin mushrooms.

Little Witch Academia

Image: Netflix

If Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them didn’t fill the Harry Potter-shaped hole in your heart, or if you’re like Rachel Heine and are addicted to all things witchy, then Little Witch Academia should be at the top of your to-do list. It’s a sweet, simple, spirited story of a young girl who, while attending an academy for witches, winds up in a deadly showdown with a dragon lurking in a dungeon most foul. The original video animation (OVA) runs only about 26 minutes, or approximately 13 Hot Pockets long… don’t lie to me. You were definitely going to eat 13 Hot Pockets in the near future, so you definitely have time to watch Little Witch Academia too. It’s called multitasking. Plus, there’s a Little Witch Academia TV series on the way in 2017, so what better way to prepare yourself than by brushing up on the original!

Hajime no Ippo

Everyone loves Rocky, right? The story of an unlikely hero busting his hump to become a badass boxer? Well, Hajime no Ippo will scratch that same itch, but with one hundred percent less Sylvester Stallone! It tells the story of a shy high schooler who goes from getting beaten up by bullies after school to becoming a world-class boxer. With ferocious fight scenes, a plucky and charismatic hero, and more heart than a Pixar movie, Hajime no Ippo will put a smile on your face faster than Connor McGregor can ruin a press conference. Yes, I know he’s an MMA fighter, but boxing is part of it, so let me have this.

Fullmetal Alchemist

Nothing in life is free. Any economics professor will tell you that (along with an extended monologue about opportunity cost). But perhaps the best illustration of this concept is Fullmetal Alchemist, the story of two brothers–Edward and Alphonse–who dabbled in the ancient art of alchemy in an attempt to resurrect their deceased mother. The experiment didn’t go as planned and it wound up costing Ed an arm and a leg… quite literally. Alphonse, on the other hand, lost his entire body and became some sort of weird spirit inhabiting a suit of enchanted armor. And that’s just the beginning. What follows is a journey across a land full of violence, political intrigue, and powerful magic. This is perfect for anyone who loved the epic scope of a show like Avatar: The Last Airbender, but wanted a lot more violence, personifications of the seven deadly sins, and secret Hitlers. And if there’s one thing we’ve always said Avatar was missing, it was secret Hitlers.

Note: While the original FMA anime is good, those who prefer the story to hew closer to the original manga should check out Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

What would you do if you could issue a command to anyone you saw and they would have to obey it? Would you use your powers for good or for evil? That’s the struggle at the center of Code Geass, in which an exiled Britannian prince named Lelouch lives in a futuristic version of occupied Japan. One day, Lelouch gains a powerful ability called the Geass. This enhancement allows him to issue a one-time command to anyone with whom he is making eye contact, and they are compelled to follow it, no matter what. He uses this power to lead a rebellion against the occupying imperial forces, and the series only gets more bombastic and explosive from there. It has giant mechs, political skullduggery, and more Pizza Hut product placement than you can shake a stick at. In other words, it’s better than a meaty Pizzone with an extra side of marinara sauce or whatever the hell that Italian cuisine-inspired, pizza-based Dr. Moreau reject was.

One Punch Man

In a world dominated by superhero movies, One Punch Man is the hero we deserve and the one we need right now. Saitama is a plain-looking guy who just so happens to be so incredibly strong that he can defeat any enemy in a single punch. Being that strong sounds like it would be great, but as we learn it can actually be pretty boring. It’s a deeply silly conceit, but it is expertly employed to skewer both the superhero genre and anime at large. But moreover, it is gorgeously animated and laugh out loud funny, which makes it well worth your time.

Princess Mononoke

Everyone loves Disney movies, right? Well, Studio Ghibli is basically the Disney of Japan, so their films are the perfect entryway to anime for new fans. While many folks would suggest Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro as their go-to Ghibli film, I think the environmental parable of Princess Mononoke is a better choice. Violent without being gratuitous, wondrous without being childish, and packed to the brim with incredible mystical creatures, Hayao Miyazaki’s story of a cursed prince and a girl literally raised by wolves trying to protect the forest spirits from destruction by mankind is practically perfect. Plus, it has the Kodamas, which are without a doubt my favorite Ghibli characters of all time. Sorry, weird tanuki sctorums from Pom Poko; you’re a distant second.

Trigun

Image: Funimation

Westworld may be done until 2018, but you can experience the visceral thrills of the Wild West with a heaping helping of sci-fi in Trigun. The series takes place on the planet Gunsmoke, a dangerous world full of deadly outlaws, superhuman assassins, and a donut-munching pacifist named Vash the Stampede with retrograde amnesia. Accompanied by a pair of overworked insurance agents and a cross-bearing outlaw priest, Vash struggles to uncover the mystery of his past while being hunted by a horde of merciless mercenaries with hilarious names. Case in point: one dude is named Midvalley the Hornfreak and uses a special saxophone to control sound waves to inflict incredible pain in his victims. Usually you have to go to see a high school jazz band concert for that level of sax-induced torture, but Trigun gives it up for free.

Berserk

This ultraviolent medieval fantasy epic moves slower than molasses in a walk-in freezer at times, but it is so well done that you won’t notice or care. The series follows a soldier named Guts who hacks and slashes his way to become the leader of a mercenary group. It’s bloody, intense, and highly addictive, which makes it perfect for Game of Thrones fans who are getting itchy while they wait to see if Gendry will ever row his way back to shore.

Dragon Ball Z

This is, perhaps, the ultimate starter anime full of epic fight scenes, endless screaming, and badass characters. I’d tell you more about why exactly you need to watch it, but I need to finish charging up for three more episodes first.

And that, dear readers, is a handful of the awesome anime I would recommend to beginners looking to learn more. Which is your favorite? What would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!

Featured Image: Viz Media

Don’t miss a single episode of The Dan Cave! Subscribe to this playlist.

Tired of getting kicked out of restaurants for being topless? Buy a The Dan Cave t-shirt!

Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter and ask him about all things anime (@Osteoferocious).

OCEAN WAVES Has Just Enough of the Studio Ghibli Magic (Review)

As anyone who’s followed the output of Japan’s famed animation house, Studio Ghibli, will know, their films tend to exist in that perfect cross-section of magic and reality. The physics and geography of their films are very grounded, while even the true-to-life films have a sense of the fairy tale about them. By the early ’90s, there had already been six films, all by the studio’s two creative founders, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, but they were about to cross a new threshold: in 1993, Ghibli produced a TV movie called Ocean Waves, their first directed by someone else. Now finally getting a release in North America, the movie is…fine.

While every Ghibli film is worth watching–even the much-derided Tales from Earthsea directed by Goro Miyazaki–there’s certainly a hierarchy. I had hoped, perhaps naively, that Ocean Waves would be a lost gem that I’d get to trumpet loudly “it’s the best Studio Ghibli film you’ve never seen!” the way I did in 2015 when Isao Takahata’s 1991 film Only Yesterday was finally released over here. This wasn’t to be, but it doesn’t mean there’s nothing of value in Ocean Waves, the 72-minute teenage romantic drama directed by Tomomi Mochizuki from a novel by Saeko Himuro.

Ocean Waves is told in flashback by Taku Morisaki as he heads back to his hometown for a high school reunion of sorts, two years after leaving for college. Taku’s best friend Yutaka has a crush on a peculiar new girl in school, Rikako, who is not like other girls he knows (because she speaks her mind and doesn’t care what people think…a novel idea). Taku begins spending time with Rikako and helping her with various crises she has, trying to be a good friend to both her and Yutaka. They grow closer and further away like the tides of the ocean, not fully realizing how much they mean to each other.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with the way the movie is told. In fact, it’s a well-paced and compelling enough yarn, full of teen angst and confusion. There’s something undeniably watchable and endearing about the way Taku and Rikako spark off each other and the sheer befuddlement on the part of the young man after pretty much everything she does is delightful. It’s not a story that feels like it needs more than its brief 72 minutes, and even allows some ponderous longeurs of the youths looking pensively at the water.

What’s perhaps most impressive about the movie is, like all Ghibli productions, the visuals. Since this movie not only takes place in contemporary Japan, but in major cities, a huge attention to modern details needed to be paid, and is. This was Ghibli’s attempt to do a “regular” anime, and while the characters still have the distinctive look, the backgrounds and scenery are attempting to be almost geometrically perfect, to which the pinkish light of the sun bouncing off the ocean water can be applied for the closest thing the movie has to anything dreamlike.

And it’s this where Ocean Waves really stands out–it has nothing like the kind of magical quality of the Ghibli films before or after. The closest analog is Only Yesterday, but that has a distinct elegiac sense of a person remembering her youth. The glow of childhood is all over the flashback scenes there, with a bit of the lead character’s memories bleeding into her current life. Ocean Waves is a very straightforward story told very straightforwardly. Nothing wrong with it, but it certainly stands out for it.

Ocean Waves opens in New York on December 28 with it coming to LA sometime thereafter before getting a Blu-ray and digital release from GKIDS in 2017. It’s worth a watch, definitely, as it finally completes the Ghibli full picture, but anyone expecting a new Miyazaki movie will be left wanting.

3.5 out of 5 burritos

Images: Studio Ghibli

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist. He’s the writer of Studio Ghibli retrospectives Miyazaki Masterclass and Takahata Textbook. Follow him on Twitter!