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You know how video game journalism is basically a vapid wasteland of paid shills, clickbait, and meandering, self-indulgent editorials? I imagine that RPG journalism would, if anything, make video game journalism look like hard-hitting reporting by comparison. "Storygames: Threat or Menace?"
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Jan 14, 2015 20:11
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Spincut posted:I miss 4e. quote:On a completely different note, is it just me or is board game/RPG journalism just nonexistent? Like, I was going to do a writeup of top games of 2014, then realized I've only played one (One Night Ultimate Werewolf, which, to be fair, is pretty awesome) and I think a large part of that is just I don't hear about anything new coming out, except for companies like FFG that are too huge to ignore. I just want to know about cool games coming out in 2015 without having to scroll through a list on BGG or check several different permutations of sites, podcasts, and Kickstarter pages.
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Jan 14, 2015 20:15
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Is there any game that does 4e but better? I sometimes long for that kind of tactical combat.
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Evil Mastermind posted:I don't think anyone is even making an attempt at a 4e retroclone. I dunno, does Strike! count?
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Jan 14, 2015 20:20
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Kai Tave posted:You know how video game journalism is basically a vapid wasteland of paid shills, clickbait, and meandering, self-indulgent editorials? I imagine that RPG journalism would, if anything, make video game journalism look like hard-hitting reporting by comparison. "Storygames: Threat or Menace?" Yeah, it's all blogs, everyone has a blog. There are approx. 3 rpg blogs for every 1 person who actually plays rpgs. Which is admittedly better than youtube vloggers because at least a blog doesn't subject me to a pasty neckbeard mumbling and wheezing into his headset mic about dissociated storygames on a miss and please check out my five other blogs about elfgames.
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Jan 14, 2015 20:27
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Error 404 posted:Yeah, it's all blogs, everyone has a blog. Basically this. The state of "RPG journalism" is blogs and websites. There are roughly two broad categories of RPG players, people who know about D&D through cultural osmosis and for whom the hobby is D&D, full stop, and then anybody nerdy enough to go "but what else besides D&D is out there?" The first category don't give the slightest poo poo about reading up on the hot new elfgame releases while the second category is generally comprised of precisely the sort of person willing to go online and start charting a trail through forums and blogs and G+ hangouts to find stuff.
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Jan 14, 2015 20:31
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Error 404 posted:at least a blog doesn't subject me to a pasty neckbeard mumbling and wheezing into his headset mic about dissociated storygames on a miss I can't even count how many burns this is. It's like operator overloading. As to RPG journalists... I have found a few, if you want to call them that. I follow somebody on G+ named Chris Helton (of the Dorkland! blog) who started writing RPG articles/journalism type stuff for Bleeding Cool last year I think it was. His writing seems pretty fair and I haven't noticed a major political slant that bothers me one way or another in his articles. On Dorkland! he has done stuff like interviews with Kickstarter creators and things like that. There's a number of podcasts out there which may cover journalism to some degree. A lot of them will have their themed episodes but they'll do audio interviews with designers or KS project creators or figures of note in some other way. I don't listen to them often so I can't recommend any in particular but I know they're out there. A lot of it seems to be hobbyist stuff from what I've seen, basically people just talking about games, so it may not quite fit the rubric, however. Another way to get to know more about new or other games you might not know about is actual play videos on YouTube. I've seen posts of 13th Age and Fate games in particular, but there's plenty. ItmeJP and his RollPlay group post a lot of stuff (they make some money getting people to pay subscriptions for instant access while other folks have to wait for YoutTube access). They've done Dark Heresy, Dungeon World, Apocalypse World, various forms of D&D, Numenera, and so forth between their various Actual Play programs. Swan Song, the Stars Without Number game being run by Adam Koebel (of Dungeon World) is probably the most popular program right now.
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Jan 14, 2015 20:51
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Gasperkun posted:I follow somebody on G+ named Chris Helton (of the Dorkland! blog) who started writing RPG articles/journalism type stuff for Bleeding Cool last year I think it was. His writing seems pretty fair and I haven't noticed a major political slant that bothers me one way or another in his articles. On Dorkland! he has done stuff like interviews with Kickstarter creators and things like that. Dude's not too bad so long as you can refrain from posting anything that can be described using the letters S and J and W, in that particular order, anywhere he can see it. But it's not like that's an uncommon thing among elfgamers so...
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Jan 14, 2015 21:07
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Error 404 posted:Dude's not too bad so long as you can refrain from posting anything that can be described using the letters S and J and W, in that particular order, anywhere he can see it. I suppose that's accurate. I've seen some of his own posts in that vein but I haven't noticed it in his articles, however.
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Jan 14, 2015 21:15
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Gasperkun posted:I suppose that's accurate. I've seen some of his own posts in that vein but I haven't noticed it in his articles, however. "Dude's okay so long as you don't disturb his elitist white boy's club" may be the faintest praise ever issued.
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Jan 14, 2015 21:26
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Reene posted:There's not really much in the way of sex stuff unless you go out of your way to put it there in which case you need to play with less creepy people.
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Jan 14, 2015 21:43
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Funnily enough both myself and the GM don't particularly like anime, but if you're into nerd poo poo you probably know enough of the tropes to make it funny when playing.
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Jan 14, 2015 22:00
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Spincut posted:I miss 4e. 4th Trifold is a very close approximation of 4E while getting rid of some of the worst aspects. D&D Greatest Hits distills it down even further. It's like the OSR and 4E had a lovechild. Finally, Strike! is more of a spiritual successor/creative reinterpretation that still scratches that tactical battle itch.
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Jan 14, 2015 23:07
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TurninTrix posted:Hello, what's the cool new DnD-like out there? I'm getting a little weary of Dungeon World. Not sure if this meets all the criteria, but it's A Thing (from earlier in this thread) P.d0t posted:Short version: I wrote up a fairly lite, d20-ish game.
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Jan 15, 2015 00:03
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Error 404 posted:I don't actually like anime, like...at all. But you still like martials getting nice things, right? If so, we're still cool. Libertad! fucked around with this message at 00:43 on Jan 15, 2015 |
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Jan 15, 2015 00:38
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Libertad! posted:But you still like martials getting nice things, right? If so, we're still cool. Totally. Bruce Lee is king of muscle wizatds, I'm just not down with big eyes and spiky hair
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Jan 15, 2015 00:57
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Evil Mastermind posted:I don't think anyone is even making an attempt at a 4e retroclone. Yeah, the trouble you run into is that there's so little coverage available that the only real way to do real, regular coverage of new releases would be to build a list of primary source contacts with (largely disinterested) RPG companies from scratch. This kind of thing takes a team larger than mine, which is generally going to cost money, and, well, there really isn't any to be had.
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Jan 15, 2015 01:13
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Spincut posted:I miss 4e. Evil Mastermind posted:I don't think anyone is even making an attempt at a 4e retroclone. And I'll be starting the Kickstarter for it this month, barring a catastrophe. I've got most of a website done and there are just a couple of things left on my to-do list. Just need to keep finding days like today when I can work on it and it'll be up in no time. Edit for some art (I'm pretty sure I haven't posted this here yet): This is the cover page Ferrinus drew for me. Draculas fighting Cthulus! Ferrinus draws cool stuff. 
Jimbozig fucked around with this message at 05:48 on Jan 15, 2015 |
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Jan 15, 2015 05:33
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Spincut posted:On a completely different note, is it just me or is board game/RPG journalism just nonexistent? Like, I was going to do a writeup of top games of 2014, then realized I've only played one (One Night Ultimate Werewolf, which, to be fair, is pretty awesome) and I think a large part of that is just I don't hear about anything new coming out, except for companies like FFG that are too huge to ignore. I just want to know about cool games coming out in 2015 without having to scroll through a list on BGG or check several different permutations of sites, podcasts, and Kickstarter pages. If you're looking for basically just a place to hear about board games as they come out and how good they are, a friend of mine does a podcast/video reviews that's largely about this. I'm even in a few of the more recent video reviews -- http://www.pushurluckpodcast.com/ RPGs seem a little tougher. I follow a few blogs, but honestly most of my exposure to new games are hearing people mention them here.
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Jan 15, 2015 06:40
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gradenko_2000 posted:D&D Greatest Hits distills it down even further. It's like the OSR and 4E had a lovechild. I like this a lot. Who made it?
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Jan 15, 2015 12:22
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AlphaDog posted:I like this a lot. Who made it? Somethingawful user eth0.n Between him and P.d0t, what is it with usernames with dots and zeroes that makes you good at reductive RPG design? I saw it from the February 2013 TG design thread. Hell of a find, actually - I was just skimming the first hundred pages or so of Imp Zone's D&D Next thread and a mention was buried in there.
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Jan 15, 2015 12:34
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So I was talking with my buddy the other day and the subject of what an Appendix N for people just starting fantasy gaming today would look like. We got annoyed with all the crusty old dudes who's answer to that question is just "lol anime because 4e is anime" I'm out of touch and my elfbook literary tastes run more towards the likes of Jack Vance and Patricia McKillip, so beyond the obvious answers of Song of Ice and Fire, China Mieville's work, Dresden Files and Name of the Wind we drew a bit of a blank. I also suggested things like comics such as the Sandman and Elfquest, but I'm not sure if that's just my old man 70s fantasy nerd tastes speaking. What would be on this list? It should be things that, like the original Appendix N are older or extremely influential so while I personally am inspired by Rat Queens and Skullkickers, they're way too new. Also there's nothing wrong with anime, I just mentioned it because it's often evoked so dismissively by morons yelling at kids to get off their lawns. Any list of influential fantasy worth it's salt should absolutely have some on it but again I'm out of touch there too. I don't think Galaxy Express 999 is particularly resonant with young gamers today. Spincut posted:On a completely different note, is it just me or is board game/RPG journalism just nonexistent? Like, I was going to do a writeup of top games of 2014, then realized I've only played one (One Night Ultimate Werewolf, which, to be fair, is pretty awesome) and I think a large part of that is just I don't hear about anything new coming out, except for companies like FFG that are too huge to ignore. I just want to know about cool games coming out in 2015 without having to scroll through a list on BGG or check several different permutations of sites, podcasts, and Kickstarter pages. I would kill for Comics Alliance, but for RPGs. Lightning Lord fucked around with this message at 13:42 on Jan 15, 2015 |
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Jan 15, 2015 13:40
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Lightning Lord posted:I don't think Galaxy Express 999 is particularly resonant with young gamers today. This is evidence we do not live in the best of all possible worlds.
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Jan 15, 2015 14:52
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Lightning Lord posted:So I was talking with my buddy the other day and the subject of what an Appendix N for people just starting fantasy gaming today would look like. We got annoyed with all the crusty old dudes who's answer to that question is just "lol anime because 4e is anime" I'm out of touch and my elfbook literary tastes run more towards the likes of Jack Vance and Patricia McKillip, so beyond the obvious answers of Song of Ice and Fire, China Mieville's work, Dresden Files and Name of the Wind we drew a bit of a blank. I also suggested things like comics such as the Sandman and Elfquest, but I'm not sure if that's just my old man 70s fantasy nerd tastes speaking. What would be on this list? It should be things that, like the original Appendix N are older or extremely influential so while I personally am inspired by Rat Queens and Skullkickers, they're way too new. D&D has always had a huge part of its inspiration coming from early-mid 20th century pulp fantasy, so I think the old classics like Conan the Barbarian, Elric of Melnibone, Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser and so forth still hold a lot of relevance. That should probably also include L Sprague de Camp and maybe Edgar Rice Burroughs. More recent works... Wheel of Time should probably be on there (although it's a pretty onerous recommendation given the sheer size of it), as it's still in large part a heroic epic despite the faffiness it gets up to after a while. The Gentlemen Bastards series (The Lies of Locke Lamora, etc.) by Scott Lynch is pretty good, too. I'm not sure where your cutoff for "too new" is, but if Name of the Wind belongs on the list then Lies of Locke Lamora should too. R. Scott Bakker is another big name, but I haven't read any of his stuff so I can't tell you if it's any good. Since you mentioned fantasy anime, Berserk, Bastard!! and Fullmetal Alchemist should be good bets, although the first two are a bit dated by now. Attack on Titan is more technological, but possibly fantasy enough and certainly modern and popular, so if you want something more accessible, there's that. I guess Fate/Zero might fit that mold, too?
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Jan 15, 2015 14:54
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Read Rat Queens. You don't need anything else.
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Jan 15, 2015 15:20
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Lord Frisk posted:Read Rat Queens. You don't need anything else. Rat Queens is my personal Appendix N. Okay, that and Adventure Time.
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Jan 15, 2015 15:26
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If you're looking for what is inspiring the D&D designers these days, I think you need to look at videogames in addition to novels. Properties like Diablo, Warcraft, and Fallout have had such a huge influence on the culture of fantasy that they would have to go in a new Appendix N.
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Jan 15, 2015 15:30
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Lightning Lord posted:So I was talking with my buddy the other day and the subject of what an Appendix N for people just starting fantasy gaming today would look like.
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Jan 15, 2015 16:05
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Appendix N was never that useful other than as a reference for the fantasy Gygax & Co. liked, it's not like D&D properly represents the grand majority of the fantasy it references.
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Jan 15, 2015 16:08
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Jimbozig posted:If you're looking for what is inspiring the D&D designers these days, I think you need to look at videogames in addition to novels. Properties like Diablo, Warcraft, and Fallout have had such a huge influence on the culture of fantasy that they would have to go in a new Appendix N.
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Jan 15, 2015 16:12
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Alien Rope Burn posted:Appendix N was never that useful other than as a reference for the fantasy Gygax & Co. liked, it's not like D&D properly represents the grand majority of the fantasy it references.
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Jan 15, 2015 16:16
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By now I would consider "D&D Fantasy" as a subgenre unto itself. Appendix N would be an explanation of the tropes and conventions that the game has created because of its touchstone role.
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Jan 15, 2015 16:19
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Alien Rope Burn posted:Appendix N was never that useful other than as a reference for the fantasy Gygax & Co. liked, it's not like D&D properly represents the grand majority of the fantasy it references. I agree, but it's useful as a touchstone for what was on their minds. A modern Appendix N would be an answer to the question "So what are those kids thinking about when they sling dice?" that goes beyond the dumb stereotypes that jerks have.
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Jan 15, 2015 16:31
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Hyper Crab Tank posted:D&D has always had a huge part of its inspiration coming from early-mid 20th century pulp fantasy, so I think the old classics like Conan the Barbarian, Elric of Melnibone, Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser and so forth still hold a lot of relevance. Edward Elric of Melniboné, the half-elf Transmuter/Barbarian?
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Jan 15, 2015 18:10
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So I was gifted a copy of the FFG Star Wars Edge of the Empire beginners game by a friend as a late holiday present and wow. Its really cool. I ignored it for some time because I heard it used the same dice mechanic as WHFRP3 and I remember way back when people complaining about the "gimmicky dice". Turns out the dice mechanic is really awesome. Teach me to listen to random naysayers.  Its a bit crunchier than I prefer but still rather appealing. Probably gonna buy the core book now.
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Jan 15, 2015 19:01
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Galaga Galaxian posted:So I was gifted a copy of the FFG Star Wars Edge of the Empire beginners game by a friend as a late holiday present and wow. Its really cool. I ignored it for some time because I heard it used the same dice mechanic as WHFRP3 and I remember way back when people complaining about the "gimmicky dice". When D&D players complain about something being gimmicky, that's usually code for "fun for everyone else."
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Jan 15, 2015 23:30
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gradenko_2000 posted:Somethingawful user eth0.n Between him and P.d0t, what is it with usernames with dots and zeroes that makes you good at reductive RPG design? You're far too kind  Anywho, my last initial is P. and I tended to append that to my first name when signing off on poo poo at my old job, so my co-workers started calling me "P.d0t" (their spelling) It's basically my rap-name 
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Jan 16, 2015 00:28
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Lynx Winters posted:When D&D players complain about something being gimmicky, that's usually code for "fun for everyone else." Actually it was players of FFG's WH40k RPG who I was hearing the comments from. Then again, the 40K RPG is basically Space D&D in some regards, so its not surprising I guess!
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Jan 16, 2015 01:19
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Lightning Lord posted:I don't think Galaxy Express 999 is particularly resonant with young gamers today. Lightning Lord posted:So I was talking with my buddy the other day and the subject of what an Appendix N for people just starting fantasy gaming today would look like. We got annoyed with all the crusty old dudes who's answer to that question is just "lol anime because 4e is anime" I'm out of touch and my elfbook literary tastes run more towards the likes of Jack Vance and Patricia McKillip, so beyond the obvious answers of Song of Ice and Fire, China Mieville's work, Dresden Files and Name of the Wind we drew a bit of a blank. I also suggested things like comics such as the Sandman and Elfquest, but I'm not sure if that's just my old man 70s fantasy nerd tastes speaking. What would be on this list? It should be things that, like the original Appendix N are older or extremely influential so while I personally am inspired by Rat Queens and Skullkickers, they're way too new. Oh, and so because of that, I think this is an incredibly interesting goal. Though they HAVE a new equivalent of Appendix N, right? I only know about this because my favorite Jon Peterson's "Playing at the World" is recommended reading in whichever of the 5th Edition books has the list. I actually think the Chronicles of Narnia makes about as much sense as anything by Tolkien in terms of establishing Dungeons & Dragons-y things. I remember watching the newest film version of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in the theater and thinking "man, how long have I been waiting to actually see the full panoply of Dungeons & Dragons monsters make an appearance in a fantasy film instead of a tiny subsection deemed 'realistic?'"
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Jan 16, 2015 03:33
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When are we going to see pedigree monsters like the Flumph in big-budget Hollywood movies, or those bees with monkey faces?
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Jan 16, 2015 03:39
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Quarex posted:I just found out about this a couple of weeks ago, and it is the first anime I have wanted to watch since like 1997. Glad to hear it is apparently as awesome as it sounds. Oh look, another chance to say that Leiji Matsumoto is The Best and you should watch at least 90% of his work. Thank you and god bless.
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Jan 16, 2015 04:08
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