It's Not All Gumdrops & Unicorns' 7th Anniversary Q&A

Today is that day! It's Not All Gumdrops & Unicorns has been around for the last 7 years. Wow! It's amazing how time flies.

Normally, I color code questions and answers in orange and green because I usually change the background scenery for Halloween. 

It goes without saying that 2020 has been an extremely shitty year for most of us.

The incessant Doomsday reports about the Coronavirus by the media and social media fucked up everything for all of us.

In celebration of It's Not All Gumdrops & Unicorns'  7th anniversary, questions about rare Horror Anime, Carl Jung's Typologist Test, and more will be answered in today's Q&A blog. All questions are in bold red italics and my answers are simply bolded. So, let's begin!

1) DanniDarkness: Are there any rare Horror Anime that you would recommend?

Answer: Murder Princess OVA's, Another, Tokko, Shiki, and the Hell Girl franchise.

I don't know your exact definition of Horror Anime but... if you happen to like Horror Comedy, I highly recommend watching Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge.   

Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge was renamed "The Wallflower" in English.

Sunako Nakahara is the protagonist spoofed off the character from the J-Horror movie, Ringu, which soon became the Americanized remake called The Ring in 2002.

2) A. P. Fuchs: Do you write regardless of how you feel, whether you're tired or slightly sick or just plain unmotivated?

Answer: It really all depends on the situation. If I am extremely nauseated from something and have been barfing up my lungs for rounds, then no. 

If lethargic, I will take a nap. Then, finish writing.

Meanwhile, writing angry poetry was my personal catharsis during my adolescence.

Growing up, I always took a lot of shit from people ranging from my classmates to certain teachers intentionally making negative examples out of me.

Generally speaking, the preceding ALWAYS contributed to bullying and has especially led to more school shootings if not teen suicides within the last nearly 3 decades. I don't condone school shootings and teenagers committing suicide, but I understand why both happen.

Sometimes teachers ARE to blame for the bullying, school shootings, and suicides with their need to make negative examples out of their students.

It has been 15 years, since I last wrote any poetry. Whenever I did, it was usually angry poetry. Yeah, in some ways, I've been that weird, stereotypical, angry Goth Chick for 2-3 decades.

An estranged guy friend from college loved making snide remarks, mocking me and the Goth Sub-culture. 

Within the last few years or so, a longtime mutual friend of ours introduced him to some BDSM and fetish communities. Gotta love those bandwagoners always trying to "fit in." 

Most average people do NOT  know, that BDSM originated from the Goth Sub-culture.

BDSM is NOTHING like 50 Shades of B.S. Those novels are piss poor representations of BDSM.

3) Donald: Based on Carl Jung standards, what is your personality type?

Answer: For those who didn't already know, Carl Jung is usually discussed in both Psychology and Sociology classes. 

It has been many years, since the time of taking those classes.

If you are interested, you can learn more about Carl Jung's theory of personality types, RIGHT HERE.

According to the Humanmetrics Jung Typology Test I took last Friday, my type is ISTJ. 12% Introvert 25% Sensing 3% Thinking 56% Judging

4) DJ Scott Wilcox: It's so hard to get published nowadays. What is the status of your short story collection?

Answer: Please re-read the beginning of this Q&A blog. Also, ~2 weeks ago, I published a blog explaining more about my writing status.

"Maliciousness," "The Bill Collector," and "Psycho Vs. Psycho" have all been converted into 1 novella.

"Across The Street," "The Horrors Of Womanhood," and "All Of Chastity's Men" still have yet to be published. The last 3 stories are much darker and grislier than my novella.

"Across The Street" is a Horror Flash Fiction piece and the shortest story I have ever written.

Because that story is different from the others, I don't know HOW it will be published. Maybe it will have to be published separately from the others.

Also, I still have yet to finish writing "All Of Chastity's Men." This particular story has been put on hiatus more times than any other story I have ever written. You may be wondering, "WHY?"

I think the hiatus is somewhat because I am writing "All Of Chastity's Men" more for my own personal catharsis.

Normally, I wrote poems for my catharsis. Writing THIS story for my own catharsis is a much bigger challenge.

Well, it appears that I answered everyone's questions for today's Q&A blog. It would've really been fantastic, if more readers and subscribers had questions to ask. Then again, less is more.

Thank you for asking your questions and reading today's Q&A blog in celebration of It's Not All Gumdrops & Unicorns'  7th anniversary! I look forward to your feedback!

Early Cartoon Sunday: Axeman Cartoons' 10 Two Sentence Horror Stories

How's it going my gumdrops? Like yesterday's Song Saturday, this is an early Cartoon Sunday blog. 

Considering that next Sunday is Mother's Day, I will probably do next weekend's blogs early, too.

Don't forget to watch Tokyo Ghoul at midnight on Adult Swim's Toonami block. That's if you are a Tokyo Ghoul fan, as well as a Horror Anime fan. 

Today I am taking a break from Supernatural and Horror Anime for today's Cartoon Sunday blog. Things have to be shaken up a little bit.

In fact, it has been a while since I last shared any Horror Shorts for Cartoon Sunday. Today's short is brought to you by Axeman Cartoons. 

Yes, I know. I could not pass up the opportunity of sounding like an announcer, since I used to read PSA's on the air at WIPZ, years ago.

As I was saying, today's short is quite freaky. Axeman Cartoons has a series of Horror Animated Shorts. 

Let's Read, Axeman Cartoons, and Eden collaborated together for the short, 10 Two Sentence Horror Stories.

10 Two Sentence Horror Stories is a compilation of 10 Short Horror Stories, which are supposedly 2 sentences long with creepy narration. The animation for these 10 short stories is scarier than the narration to them.

Eden featuring Let's Read narrated the final short, "I Heard It, Too." 

Maternal Wraith and Sarah and Elizabeth Mahoney voiced Sarah, her mother, and that creepy-looking, shapeshifting monster.

"I Heard It, Too" is without a doubt, the best short out of this compilation of Horror Animated Short Stories by Axeman Cartoons. 

I may go as far as saying this short is probably 1 of the best shorts I have seen, since Stalker From The Cornfield.

"I Heard It, Too" actually feels like you are watching a Horror movie except it is an animated short. In this Horror Animated Short, Sarah hears her mother calling her from downstairs.

As Sarah leaves her bedroom to go see what her mother wants, Sarah's mother pulls Sarah into her room, saying, "I heard it, too." 

They are soon attacked by this creepy-looking, shapeshifting monster. I have no exact idea what the monster is, however it looks like some type of an insect, that resembles Sarah's mother.

Be prepared to be disturbed, if not creeped the fuck out for this Cartoon Sunday, 1 day in advance.

Axeman Cartoons' 10 Two Sentence Horror Stories (2016)

Cartoon Sunday: Tokko

How's it going my gumdrops? So, yesterday I mentioned that I spent last week updating previously published blogs from the last 2-3 years. This includes my Horror Anime Reviews from 2014.

In that blog review, I reviewed a variety of Horror Anime ranging from Psychological Supernatural Horror Mystery Drama, Horror-Action, to SciFi Horror. Those 3 types of Horror Anime sub-genres are mostly meant for Shonen (boys), Seinen (men), and Shojo (girls) demographics.

After publishing my Horror Anime Reviews, I gradually published more blogs about those Horror Anime individually. 

However, I NEVER published an individual blog about the Seinen SciFi Horror Action Anime, Tokko. Today you are in luck.

If you never had the opportunity to watch Tokko, before The SciFi Channel rebranded and was renamed "Syfy" and never saw Tokko on its sister network Chiller TV, today's Cartoon Sunday blog will be beneficial. I have spent a lot of time hunting for decent quality videos for this particular Horror Anime but had very little luck.

YouTube is our last resort. Hulu, Crackle, and OTHER online streaming sites, which have Anime in general did NOT  have Tokko on their lists. This surprised me, especially since Tokko had aired on TV a few times.

In case you don't want to scroll down the review I published 2 years ago, I will share the plot of this Seinen SciFi Horror Action Anime once again. In this particular series, it has more Police Procedural and Supernatural themes to it. 

In Tokko, Ranmaru Shindou graduates from the police academy and is assigned to Tokki. 

Tokki is a Special Mobile Investigation Force.

On the same day of Ranmaru's graduation, he meets a half-naked girl, who he constantly sees in his dreams, named Sakura Rokujo. Sakura happens to work for Tokko.

Tokko is the Special Public Safety Task Force, which is secretly within Tokki.

Eventually, Ranmaru joins Tokko mostly to avenge the death of his parents, and to solve the mass murder mysteries for Machida, Japan's residents. 

Because Tokko is a short series, it has a faster paced storyline. It only has 13 episodes, which makes it 1/2 season. The finale felt more like a cliffhanger.

Originally, I streamed Tokko in Japanese 10 years ago. Then, ~ 1 year later, it was announced that The SciFi Channel was airing Tokko on its Ani-Monday block. 

Several years later, Tokko premiered on Chiller TV's Ani-Monday block. I really miss watching Ani-Monday and Anime Wednesday on Syfy and Chiller TV. 

Both networks kept me watching their selections of Anime, which cannot always be said about Adult Swim's Toonami block.

Now that JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood will be premiering on Adult Swim next month, this will give me another Anime to regularly watch. 

You gain some, you lose some. Anyway, here is Tokko for today's Cartoon Sunday.

Tokko Episode 1: "The Awakening" [English Dub] (2006)

Cartoon Sunday: Shiki

How's it going my gumdrops? I am cringing at the thought of this, right now.

After reading that Adult Swim is giving Dragon Ball Kai its OWN hour on Saturday nights, I am somewhat annoyed. I believe Jason DeMarco spends too much time pandering to certain fans.

The Dragon Ball franchise had its time more than 1-2 decades ago. Its fans can also be the most obnoxious. It is to the extent that certain DBZ fans are ashamed to admit, that they ARE fans.

The Adult Swim Team needs to think outside the box and STOP playing things safe. 

If you are a true Anime fan, then you already know there is more to Anime than Shonen Jump Action Anime like Dragon Ball.

Then again, Adult Swim made their disdain for Anime fans in general crystal clear by mocking fans (mostly Anime Otakus and Weeaboos). 

If the network seriously wants its viewers to watch more, the people in charge will air more animaton, that's worth watching. Most people I know became more interested in Adult Swim BECAUSE of the Anime.

Now, hardly anyone watches the network, UNLESS it is on the weekends. Late Saturday nights and early Sunday mornings are the only times more viewers watch Adult Swim. I'm currently watching the network for Naruto Shippuden and the American cartoon, Sit Down, Shut Up. Otherwise, I don't watch the network anymore.

Meanwhile, I have another Horror Anime for today's Cartoon Sunday. Last March, I published a Horror Anime Review, which featured Shiki. 

In case you forgot or never had the chance to read it, I will give you a summary recap.

Shiki is a Shonen Supernatural/Horror Mystery Anime. The series is set during the summer of the 1990's, in Sotobamura, Japan.

Shiki is literally translated in English as "corpse demon" or "death spirit."

Sotobamura is an isolated Japanese village with old customs such as the burial of the dead, for example.

Suddenly, 3 corpses are mysteriously found. Throughout the summer, villagers start dropping like flies. Dr. Ozaki Toshio and everybody else assume that Sotobamura is suffering from a growing epidemic. 

All the while, The Kirishikis conveniently move into the long abandoned Kanemasa Mansion on the outskirts.

As more villagers die throughout the summer, Dr. Toshio begins his investigation. The doctor eventually discovers the supernatural presence of vampires. The vampires are referred to as "shiki" and they return from the dead, infecting the entire town. 

Need I say more? Anyway, here is Shiki for today's Cartoon Sunday.

Shiki "The Shed Blood/First Blood" [English Subtitles] (2010)

Cartoon Sunday: Another (Horror Mystery Anime)

How's it going my gumdrops? Last week, I checked Adult Swim's schedule. The network is re-airing Deadman Wonderland of all the Horror Anime in existence. At the moment, I'm not watching anything on Adult Swim's Saturday night programming.

As usual, most of their shows are tired, if not shitty acquisitions, that I don't want to watch.

Speaking of Horror, I have more Horror today. Last year, I gave my Horror Anime Review and Another was on the list.

Another Anime In A Nutshell:

In case you missed my review, here is a summary of Another. Once again, Another is a Seinen Horror-Mystery Anime based on the Japanese novel, Another.

It begins with an explanation about Koichi Sasakibara. He is a 15-year-old junior high student. His mother died shortly after he was born and his father is a business man.

Koichi's father traveled abroad to India for a year. This leads to Koichi being sent to live with his aunt and grandparents in Yomiyama, Japan.

Yomiyama is a small Japanese town where his dead mother grew up. In the process of him moving to Yomiyama, he acquires pneumothorax (basically a collapsed lung).

Koichi's pneumothorax delays him from transferring to his new school and causes him to be hospitalized. Suddenly, he meets this strange girl with an eye patch named, Mei Misaki.

After meeting Mei, Koichi's curious yet strange "classroom representatives" from his new school visit him in the hospital. This is shortly before his 1st day of school.

Koichi's classmates want to learn more about his background. Once Koichi is finally released from the hospital, he starts getting suspicious vibes from his classmates.

Mei is sometimes visible in his classroom. Everyone except Koichi pretends, that she does NOT exist. Their classroom at Yomiyama North Middle School has been cursed, since 1972.

They must follow certain rules around the campus, in order to avoid dying brutal deaths. Those same rules backfire on everybody both inside and outside Koichi's classroom.

Another has some brutal death tolls. Some Anime critics claim, that Another is similar to the movie, Final Destination. I've never watched Final Destination. Therefore, I can't support their claims.

If you like creepy dolls, curses, ghosts, death tolls, and Horror-Mystery, you should give Another a watch. It not only has a novel and an Anime, but also a live-action J-Horror Movie and Manga. Anyway, here is Another for Cartoon Sunday.

Another Season 1: Episode 1 "Rough Sketch" [English Sub] (2012)

Cartoon Sunday: Hell Girl (Anime) Pilot

How's it going my gumdrops? Since Halloween will soon be approaching, today, I have the pilot episode of the Hell Girl Anime. 

 

Do you remember, when I reviewed this Shojo Horror Mystery Anime earlier this March?

 

If not, you still have plenty of time to watch and learn about this creepy series. It mostly focuses on REVENGE, but comes with a DOUBLE edged sword, so to say.

 

In case you missed my Horror Anime Review, you can learn more about Hell Girl by reading about the Shojo in the link below. 

 

Cartoon Sunday: Anna H's Horror Anime Reviews (2014)

Anyway, here's the link to Hell Girl for Cartoon Sunday.

Hell Girl (Anime) Pilot [English Dub] (2005)

Let me know what you think!

Chiller TV Or Not So "Chiller TV"?

 This blog was originally published on Xanga February 3, 2013.

Chiller TV or not so "Chiller TV"? 

That is the question I have been asking myself for a while. Originally, I started watching Chiller TV for Horror Anime such as Descendants of Darkness (Yami no Matsuei) and Tokko.

Considering that Chiller TV is Syfy's sister channel, I should've known the network was going to be a disappointment. Once it turns March 1st next month, it will be 6 YEARS, since Chiller was launched. After 6 years, some of us Horror fans already lost interest.

Chiller TV looks like a network that was only launched 5 minutes ago. Most of its programming consists of censored Horror Movies and TV shows in syndication.  

NOTHING about the network "chills" me to the bone. I have watched movie trailers both old and new, as well as movies on other networks with more frightening scenes than what is being aired on Chiller. Is that pathetic or what?

NBC Universal owns Chiller TV AND Syfy. Both have phenomenal special effects used in their commercials to help promote each network. yet their content is like eating a Shit Sandwich.

Sometimes, I watched Chiller TV to help me fall asleep in the morning because I have Chronic Insomnia.

Does anybody other than myself find that last statement to be somewhat abnormal?

Horror was NOT  meant to be used as a sleeping aid. It is meant to frighten its audience to the extent, that we are too scared to sleep for days, not bore us to sleep. I understand that Chiller TV is supposed to be low budget.

If NBC Universal is advertising Chiller TV and Syfy, the quality of programming should be much better than they are on both networks. 

Maybe LESS time and money should be spent on their promos and MORE time and money should be spent on their content.

Chiller TV should NOT  repeatedly marathon the same shows everyday, while occasionally airing new Horror countdowns and documentaries like some fine china. 

It would not be so bad, if Chiller left every syndicated movie and TV show UNCENSORED.

Horror is not meant to be censored. If Chiller TV is supposed to be attracting Horror fans, the network is doing a poor job of it.

When it comes to airing content, Chiller TV should be a premium channel like HBO, Starz, Encore, etc; Chiller TV should be an UNCENSORED Horror network, that can be watched on basic or premium cable and satellite packages.

By Chiller not being included on Time Warner's basic cable package, its viewership is extremely niche. Only those with Direct TV and Dish Network can watch Chiller. 

Coming from a Horror fan and author, Chiller TV is disappointing. When I see a channel for Horror fans, I expect to watch independent, mainstream, and banned movies that were too controversial to be released in movie theaters.

At the rate Chiller TV is going, the network would be better off airing R.L. Stine's Goosebumps TV series from the mid-90's, which used to air on Nickelodeon.

Don't get me wrong, I do NOT  hate R.L. Stine's novels. He's like the Stephen King for pre-teens and younger. Also, I find Stine's novels more entertaining than King's.

However, I like movies based on Stephen King's novels better than movie's based on R.L. Stine's.

Anyway, with decades worth of Horror movies, Chiller TV could air so many of them throughout the hours. 

Instead, the network's programmers choose to air censored, syndicated shows from over 10 to 30 years ago. Follow those same shows up with films, which have terrible script writing and talentless, unknown actors we don't care about watching.

If NBC Universal and Chiller TV want to maintain their viewers and attract more fans, they should modify the network's programming. Chiller's programming is barely worth watching, most of the time. I occasionally watch the channel for their documentaries.

Chiller TV's programming is starting to mimic music channels. Just like MTV and VH-1 spend most of their time discussing music videos from the last 10 to 30 years, Chiller mostly wastes time discussing Horror films throughout the decades.

That is when the network OCCASIONALLY decides to air a new Horror documentary.

For the love of God, Chiller TV, please air uncensored Horror and NOT  "child-friendly" content. STOP discussing Horror and START showing it. Be like Nike and "Just DO it," already! 

Trust me, your ratings would probably soar, if you actually aired something, that Horror fans WANT  to watch.

Do you agree or disagree? Let me know what you think!