Rocko's Modern Life

It's very lucky to see a classic Nicktoon like Rocko's Modern Life. Premiered in 1993, Rocko's Modern Life is the fourth Nicktoon that air on Nickelodeon and created by Joe Murray. The show tells about the anthropomorphic wallaby named Rocko and his life around O-Town. Rocko's life does go into different situations and mishaps in living in the modern life in a cartoon way.

The plot centers or follows the life of Rocko from Australia and moved to America after graduated in high school. Together with his pet dog named Spunky, Rocko encounters different situations and various problems along the way. What else the solution without his big best friend Heffer Wolfe the cow and other characters who are Rocko's neighbors like Mr. and Mrs. Bighead, Filburt the turtle and others.

I started watch this series since few months ago in TV5 and I notice something about this show. The drawing style seems to be bent but with a feel too. There are also many parallel lines in building designs and also it's environment. According to the staff especially Joe Murray, they did those designs including the characters because it shows it's "twisted version in real life" in portraying the modern life in many people. As living in the fictional city in O-Town, Rocko is related to a person who lives in the city and also who encountered different problems around him. What really surprises me that each of their episodes there are some few adult-themes were present such as sexual innuendos, social commentaries and others that I could not explain. I guess the writers during those years of producing that cartoon were allowed to do them unlike today's Nicktoons. Maybe it was really intended for entertaining children and even adults who later enjoyed the show. Rocko's Modern Life maybe still reair on Nickelodeon Network but unlike before, some episodes we're re-edited just for the sake of the viewers. I've seen some character designs that portray gross humor but it shows to be funny. Some episodes like "Love Spanked" showed to be proven that Rocko is single that ended up with Heffer as his love partner in a game show. I thought it messages something wrong about that episode though but ended up to be a funny one. Another one is this video in Youtube which explains well... a message you will find out if you watch that one. In the old days,Nickelodeon allowed to show scenes that are potty or gross but later continued it's tradition to Ren and Stimpy which was another old Nicktoon.

I've been searching in the internet for Rocko's Modern Life fan sites or any fandom stuff like this one here and until there is a fansite dedicated to Joe Murray here. I guess many people probably quite or still recognize that classic Nicktoon show until Youtube suddenly showed up it's old clips. You can hear the old opening theme song here. As of this year, Rocko's Modern Life was chosen to set and release in DVD's in Amazon. com entitled "The Best of Rocko's Modern Life" which it has two DVD volumes available. Rocko's Modern Life is an awesome cartoon from Nickelodeon show, that is.

Networks In The Philippines - Part 5

I still wrap up and continue the "Networks in the Philippines" segment. The three previous posts I've posted was intentionally to think about the other local channels. It's not easy to discuss them simultaneously but it seems I'll have to rant about them this time.

Q (Quality Television Network)
Launched in late 2005, like in the previous post I've discussed Q replaced by ZOE-TV under the agreement of two key personnels from GMA Network and ZOE-TV. Q became the current sister channel of GMA Network much like ABS-CBN's sister channel Studio 23. At the first early years of the network, Q was first called QTV or Quality Television Network and originally intended to show programs mostly for women. In their later years, that network is now available for general viewers. Then last year, QTV later changed into Q for some sort of reasons.

Q is best known for showing lifestyle and foreign-produced programs. Of course, shows for children are intended to. There is a current block called "Funbox" where Q shows cartoons every weekday and weekend mornings. They show some good children's programs from their own like Care Bears, Tom and Jerry Kids, Prince Mackaroo, and Poochini. Some shows like Make Way for Noddy, Cardcaptor Sakura, Battle B-Daman, Dragon Tales and Anne and Green Gables are all borrowed from GMA Network. They also got good programming schedules in the weekend afternoons and evenings. I've relly enjoyed the anime shows they aired like Hakugei: The Legend of Moby Dick (I've posted a review about that). Whatever does Q have, at least they got good shows as Q means "quality".

Studio 23
There's something really enjoying about this network. Studio 23 launched around 1996 as ABS-CBN's sister channel. Studio 23 notch the great shows for everyone including young adults because of their imported and new episodes from North American shows and English programming like Oprah and Charmed. Not only they air English-language programs, they also air Filipino-demographic shows. In the later years, Studio 23 also targeted shows for teenagers like the Pinoy Dream Academy and Pinoy Big Brother. Sports events like UAAP and NCAA really targeted among high school and college students. Studio 23 is also the home of other ABS-CBN cable channels like Myx.

Judging from their cartoon and anime shows they air, like in Q they also borrowed shows from ABS-CBN mostly anime like Samurai X and Yu-Gi-Oh. They also aired good classic shows like Superman: The Animated Series and the 1987 version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Studio 23 was also known to air the Pinoy-anime series Barkada Trip. Well, at least that's the station I catch up anime shows unlike when they're in ABS-CBN before.

A Kim Possible Stuff

It's just a wallpaper I got from toon-wallpapers.com. Man, I really like this Kim Possible wallpaper. (from left to right) Rufus, Wade, Kim, and Ron made a peace sign. Maybe it symbolizes no more criminal habits all over the world. It's really funny and adorable to see those four main characters much. Oh yeah, yesterday I felt like I went to Kim Possible fandom again after watching few episodes from season 2 to season 4 (I already watch season 1 before). Should any local networks air Kim Possible episodes again here? I watch few of those in ABS-CBN every weekday mornings around 2 years ago but they got only one season. There's a bunch of Kim Possible episodes on Youtube available this time but since our headphone's here is broken, it makes me fuzz watching those on silent mode. At least there's something surprise in season four.

Me Bought A Funny Komiks Issue!

Funny Komiks Blg. 1407

I just bought the latest issue of Funny Komiks since last Friday. I saw this issue in a newspaper stand somewhere in Cainta and I decided to buy this one. It's in issue #1407 and the last time I read old Funny Komiks issue was when I was in first year high school. Funny Komiks still use their traditional ink-coloring like in their past issues but it's very cool to see something entertaining stuff for kids and kids-at-heart like me. I caught the picture with my digital camera because I don't have computer scanner. Guess what, one of the classic Funny Komiks characters return in this issue-Superdog!

I don't know if I'll have to start collecting new Funny Komiks but a one issue wouldn't mind. It's not really embarrassing for an adult or a teenager to buy comics that seems fit only for kids like FK but as long as the reader appreciate the drawings. Maybe I'll have to buy more as long as their comics are interesting to read.

Monster Allergy

Are you a person who thinks getting hallucinations by seeing monsters around you? If you are, you and a young boy in that picture have in common. Monster Allergy proves to be another adventures by dealing other monsters. Monster Allergy is based on a comic book series created by Disney Italy (same does as W.I.T.C.H.) around year 2003. Then around 2006, it's series turned out to be animated series produced and directed by Iginio Straffiti under Rainbow S.p.A Productions, and ironically the creator of Winx Club.

The story of this series started when a young girl named Elena Potato moved to Old Mill Village together with her family. There, he met a young boy named Ezekiel Zick or"Zick" as his nickname who later showed that he possessed powers by controlling monsters. Unfortunately, Zick suffers from all sorts of allergies which it also helps seeing the monsters around. Together as best friends, they embark different sorts of adventures which deals the secret of the world of monsters, which they usually overcome them. They are aided by a cat named Timothy-Moth, Zick's cat,"tutor" and the guardian of imprisoned monsters who has unusual powers and ability to speak human language.

I swear I really miss this series despite that I never complete it's collection. The comic book series was released in September 2004 here in the Philippines by the Summit Media. It's issues contain great storyline and art created by some artists and writers from W.I.T.C.H. . What cool about it's comic series is that they have a guide about the world of monsters known as "Monster Tamer's Manual" and "Monster Keeper's Manual" which included every issue. Unfortunately, they stop publishing at #14. I didn't complete or buy it's past issues but instead, I donate my incomplete collection for my English project when I was in high school around early 2006. Few months later after that, while checking some random stuff in the internet I decided to search Monster Allergy until I found out that there was animated series about it. It really surprises me that they produced it for TV's. It bummed me later on that I won't be able to watch that animated because it only air in cable's only. Around 2007, Disney Channel Asia announced that Monster Allergy will premiere in the Philippines. Although I got nostalgic about the comic series, it's fine for me never to watch that because I've seen few episodes on Monster Allergy in Youtube but they got rid of it later on.

I was saying about the animated series not only the storyline much follows it comic series, it also emphasizes the look and design of the characters much like in their comic counterparts. You picture different monsters in the way through the Detention Oasis, Bibur-si through the world of evil monsters. Speaking of monsters, there are good and bad monsters that are invisible. Good monsters in the series like the bumbling Bombos, energetic Snyakutz and other monsters I couldn't remember. Bad or evil monsters like the Black Phantoms and Magnacats are the examples. There's a lot of mystery inside the world of Monster Allergy, including Zick's heritage and his own destiny to become a "Tamer". In the comics and animated series, "Tamers" are actually humans gifted with special powers to control and trap monsters with the use of canisters known as "Taming Box" and their Dom powers (gestures). Tamers aren't much consider as monsters however. Zick together with Elena expected more of their adventures to investigate the relation between monsters and humans. I don't know how many episodes that Monster Allergy produce but they got an opening theme in a different language. Even this series got their official site but it seems to be still under construction for one and a half years. Merchandises of it's series would be hit too like getting their official Monster Allergy TCG. Aside from their official site and stuff, fans made a dedication to it's comic and animated series called "The Unofficial Monster Allergy Forum". With it's good series, Monster Allergy really shows it's really, let's say "fantastically addicting" to watch. Getting ready to deal with monsters now....

Luckily, some staff from Monster Allergy show their original artworks and few strips on DeviantArt as a part of Italian artists project. You can view samples here, here, and here.