Barkada Trip (2005)

Barkada Trip is a 2-minute short cartoon from ABS-CBN's sister channel Studio 23 aired in the year 2005. Created by Chibibo Toons producers Brando De Leon (or known as "Dok"), Regina Bengzon and Michael Bernaldez then later Fat Fingers Production,it was formally launched during the 9th Anniversary of Studio 23 at Baywalk, Roxas Blvd, otherwise known as BAYBREAK 2005. This cartoon uses digital animation and Flash.

Barkada Trip tells about a group of seven teenagers with their different personality that resembles as Pinoy teenagers. Together, they embark funniest and wackiest adventures every teenager could have. The characters in Barkada Trip resembles as "chibi" (a Japanese word meaning "short person" or "small child"). This show has an anime influence only adding with some Pinoy story lines. Each of the main characters has different personalities. Bok, the leader and the prankster of the group, his mysterious, black pet feline named Malas as his sidekick,Abantao a silent, skater boy who is a punk, Trixie an ultra kikay of the group, Nikki the sports and exercise buff, Marla a tough man-hater of the group, Derek a technology expert and Nori the consummate metrosexual who can't get enough of his pet tarsier named Aries.

The first episode debuted around 2005 as a part of 9th anniversary of Studio 23 entitled "Fishball" and it contained 2 part episodes. In the first two episodes, when Bok and Derek were laughing at the vandalized poster of one of the Studio 23 shows,Maria saw a fishball stand roaming on their way. There, Maria saw and ate some cooked fishball. When two boys found out that there was a fishball stand they only saw a piece of fishball because Maria ate the rest of it, they were sad. The boys were fighting around for just a piece of fish ball but they didn't know, Maria ate the last one she had left.This went the two boys bumped each other in the end. This episode start this cartoon's short premiere during that year. Barkada Trip also made a music video and the full-version of the song entitled "Trip na Trip" performed by Aizo. More characters appeared like Abantao, Nikki, Derek and the rest in the music video.

This cartoon used as short commercial for Studio 23 that aired every mornings 'till the evenings randomly. More of these episodes were produced by Chibibo Toons and it got many attention to the viewers. The story line of Barkade Trip contains humorous scenes that makes you laugh because of the character's different personality. It also contains about life as a teenage group. At first, the characters of Barkada Trip didn't talk so much but instead they used grunts and laughs when they react or as part of their communication. They even act as implicit characters of the show. With the use of digital animation with a lot influence of anime, Barkada Trip showed as a good animation for the young viewers especially teenagers. Every episode, the show contains background music from various indie artists such as Aizo and Chicosci. The music played in the show is great to listen depending on the themes on each episodes.

Around 2006, Fat Fingers Production got the rights of making more Barkada Trip episodes but with the same staff from Chibibo Toons. The main characters got changed and more developed.In some episodes, they even talked and got more wacky reactions unlike from Chibibo Toons for some comic relief . In the new version of Barkada, new characters were added but they only used as background characters of the show. Like in Chibibo Toons, Fat Fingers used digital animation too. During that year, Chibibo Toons still produced more Barkada Trip episodes even though Fat Fingers lead in showing more of their produced episodes. In my opinion, the Chibibo Toons' Barkada Trip got better character designs than from Fat Fingers.

A lot of in depth bio about the main characters in Barkada Trip (and some spoilers). The setting in the show mostly in their fictional "barangay" or some random places depending on the episode like in the boxing arena, Big Brother's house in Pinoy Big Brother,etc.The seven teenagers' ages of Barkada Trip were unknown but they were probably have the same age as high school students. Even their real names were never mentioned in the whole show but revealed in the Studio 23's official website and in a music video entitled "Barkada Trip" performed by Kiko Machine.

Bonifacio Andres (Bok), is a prankster and the leader of the Barkada Trip and has a pet black cat named Malas. Bok is bald and wears a red t-shirt that it's logo changes in every episode like "How can Henry Sy?" with big fonts and a brown shirt. His father who work in Saudi Arabia as OFW ( and ironically owns a cat like Bok, but only white) was his only family member appeared other than Bok's friends in one episode. As a prankster, his friends doesn't accept him at first because he made lots of pranks that made them annoyed especially Marla but some episodes they generally accept him as a member of Barkada Trip. Every episodes, Bok ended up being in trouble because of his pranks or his friends.

Abantao, is the silent person of the Barkada Trip who owns a skateboard. His physical features include his skull cap, green t-shirt with a skull logo, a strip bandage on his cheek, and pants. He is Bok's only best friend ever since they were young as seen in a flashback in one episode. Together with Bok, they make lots of pranks but Abantao make only less pranks than Bok.

Patricia Victoria Regina Lo (Trixie), a red-haired kikay girl of the group who likes to eat a lot. She wears a pink "bestida" and pants. There are some episodes hinted that she has a crush on Abantao. Trixie and Abantao once had a date but only Trixie enjoyed the date because she ordered and ate a lot of food that even Abantao's budget was gone. Even Abantao offered Trixie to ride his skateboard in the end. Trixie and Abantao were paired in a "Rapunzel" parody in one episode.

Innocencia Santiago (Nikki), is a sports and exercise hobbyist. In one episode, before she got hooked in sports she was an overweight teenager and always ate a lot of food in the past. Because she was an overweight girl, no boys liked her until Derek came along to her life. After those painful past , Nikki started to become physically fit and therefore she gets a normal weight to make boys like her. When Derek saw Nikki in a fit, he just stared at her in a distance without a word until Nikki was suddenly chased by a tarsier. It is unknown whether if Derek and Nikki liked each other even they're in a Barkada Trip group.

Maria Lavinia Flores (Marla), is a tough, man-hater in the Barkada Trip gang. She wears a yellow dress and a headband. As a tough and stubborn girl, Marla hates to be taunted by boys especially from Bok that sometimes ended up getting hurt with her physical attacks or sometimes likes to tease boys when she saw them they're ended up from trouble. Marla gets along with Nikki and Trixie as her friends and protects them from Bok's pranks. Like Nikki and Trixie, it is hinted that she may secretly likes Bok but she never reveals her general feelings to him.

Federico Zaragosa VI (Derek), a technology expert of the group. He owns the latest gadgets around and made his own machines for purposes. He even helps his friends about gadgets in some episodes like changing the cellphone's language from Bok's new cellphone. He was in Nikki's past and therefore it is unknown whether if he likes Nikki or not. Both Derek and Nikki were paired in a "Cinderella" parody episode.

Norberto Felix Trinidad (Nori), the consummate metrosexual member of the group. At the early episodes, Nori seems he's a real guy that even he made into the clinic for "Operation: Tuli".As the series goes, he turns out to be only a member in Barkada Trip to be like homosexual (I believe it's because there should be a "gay" member of a teenage group). Even he admit that who he was and likes Bok in one episode.. Nori is the owner of the pet tarsier named Aries. In one episode, Nori once saved Aries from Bok's pranks outside the park and since that day, they become mutual friends.

The character elements in the world of Barkada Trip is a great deal to see one of the digitally made animation made in the Philippines. Some elements in Barkada Trip like in real-life shows Studio 23 and faces of some popular artists on TV were mentioned.The show got even available merchandises too such as mini electric fan, t-shirts,slippers, mobile games and many more.Even Bok made an appearance as a mascot in some Studio 23 shows like Y! Speak and Breakfast.They also made parodies from commercial and anime shows in some episodes. As of this year, it seemed the show has still no plans to produce new episodes. Barkada Trip is a good show to watch and it even gives you fun too see their adventures being teenage Filipinos.

End of TV5 Animega? Oh My!

Last year, TV5's Animega seem like a hit for Filipino anime fans for airing anime shows every weekday nights and weekends as replays. But now this year, it's schedule will fade away sooner. According to Zen Otaku Honbu's latest news here, TV5 officially announced that Animega will temporarily go off-air starting May 31, 2010. I'm sure this will be much
dissappointment for anime fans and worried if the anime schedule will be gone in evenings.

Before I found out that news, last week I really enjoyed Shrek, Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third on 5Max Movies which they were aired around 7:30 PM. Then, I found out that there are some major changes in Animega. First of all, Clannad which was aired every 6:30 PM and now it is completely finished then Yatterman was moved in 3:30 PM from 6:00 before Street Fighter. Another one, Casshern Sins was moved in 6:00 PM because at this week will completely finish while D-Gray Man is still on air but on 7:00 PM. Last one is that Fullmetal Alchemist still air every Friday nights from 7:30 PM up to 8:30 PM before Midnight DJ. Sounds like a major difference, right? Even at their Facebook fan page, many fans are complaining about the movement of schedule and some of them suspected if the line-up will replace Koreanovelas.

In my observation and opinion, TV5 should not remove their Animega line-up because it is one of the main reasons why the station reach it's success. Animega is also different because every 6:00 PM up to 8:00 PM is the time where news from other stations air while viewers will enjoy anime (especially while they're eating dinner). Best of all, TV5 Animega is the home of requested popular anime shows like Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Code Geass and Lucky Star. From 2008 starting with Yamato Nadeshiko: The Wallflower and Shakugan no Shana, viwers are following the anime timeslot and supported that TV5 should air more anime shows.

While the school time is near, I can't imagine what will happen if the kids will not enjoy watching adult primetime shows like news and dramas and have no time for anime slot. It will be very dull and boring! We also wonder what will happen if many stations especially ABS-CBN, GMA 7, Studio 23 or even TV5 itself place full of Koreanovelas and other dramas over shows for young ones like anime.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 1987 version

Here's another classic yet a still cool cartoon that began it's popularity. I assume the title is called "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" but before the 2003 version of it, there's the 80's version. I'll try to take notes on this one.

Before the height of popularity, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or TMNT for short began as comic series in 1984. Originally created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The content of the comics were black and white strips. The four turtle characters wearing masks with different weapons each and act as cold-blooded reptiles with incredible martial art skills. Some characters and storyline were parodied and referenced from Marvel Comic's titles like Cerebus, Ronin, and Daredevil. Because there are no publishing companies to offer Eastman and Laird's work, both creators build their own studio known as Mirage Studios and published their first issue entitled Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

In the mainstream in the first issue, merchandising jumped into mainstream. In 1986, TMNT's merchandise began as action figures and expand to the market. Then in 1987, the first TMNT cartoon was born.

Clockwise: Raphael, Michelangelo, Leonardo and Donatello.

The first TMNT cartoon series began in 5-part miniseries and thus becoming a regular Saturday morning cartoon. The four mutated ninja turtles played as pizza-obsessed heroes with their different personality. They're also first appeared with their color-coded masks each plus their belts. The four turtles are guided with their mutated rat and martial arts sensei named Splinter. The turtles task is to save the city from enemies and alien invaders. Their toughest nemesis is named "The Shredder" or simply called Shredder.

The show doesn't contain darker tone from the original comics because the show aims to be suitable for children. The plot began when Splinter, before being a rat was a human named Hamato Yoshi. He was banished by Foot Clan in Japan lead of Oroku Saki and forced to live in sewers in New York City. Then one day, Yoshi found four turtles which they were accidentally drop by a young boy. Yoshi returned one day that the turtles were covered with green ooze known as mutagen and thus the turtles began to form into humanoids. While Hamato Yoshi, become a humanoid rat because of exposure to sewer rats and named himself Splinter. In some versions, Splinter raised the four turtles and treat them as his children. Splinter named the four turtles after his favorite Renaissance artists - Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello and taught them the art of ninjitsu. The four ninja turtles were born to protect the city against the invaders and meanwhile Oroku Saki left Japan to find Yoshi and become Shredder.

There are many characters from the comics appeared in the cartoons like the Foot Soldiers, April O' Neil and Casey Jones. There are also characters who were featured in cartoons only. While the story was heavily diverged from the original concept of comics. At first, the animated series wasn't considered canon in the Mirage Studios universe. Later on, because the cartoon showed it's wide-spread incarnation and helped increase the merchandise and phenomenal status it turned out into a pop-culture even today. Many people considered the cartoon as a canon and become the part of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe. Merchandises like soundtracks, cereals, skateboards, video games, Archie comics, magazines and pizza coupons are spawned successfully. Even a concert tour were held. There are catchphrases such as "Turtle power!" and "Cowabunga!" are used by many people especially fans.

What can I say about TMNT 1987 version? Well, aside from kid-friendly environment I pretty considered them as one of the greatest classic cartoons I watched aside from Transformers. When it comes to all TMNT cartoons and anime (yes, there were two anime versions of it) the 80's rocked the spot which means the first TMNT. With lots of casts and twisted storyline, I guess that TMNT helped explain their original counterparts and branched to the other TMNT successors. What might discourage me is that in later seasons around 1994, the environment became darker which kinda scary and removed numerous characters. Deep down, I don't mind about what doesn't seem right and besides 1987's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is really great and pretty nostalgic.

Currently, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles airs on Studio 23 every 8:00-8:30 AM Saturdays. Before that schedule, ABS-CBN aired that also together with the new season around mid-90's along with X-Men. In 2006 or 2007, the show moved to Studio 23 which aired every weekday nights before it moved to Saturday mornings. The opening theme here is catchy which seems that you'll almost sing the lyrics all day. Like any cartoons I've seen, I have no idea who composed or sang the TMNT opening song.

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.