Saturday, 10 January 2026
We're Team Drawn Together!
Since Drawn Together was brought on Amazon Prime this morning, I have assembled my own team of real cartoon characters to strike back against what they were mocked as through the eyes of Comedy Central. Sure, there's no need for Pikachu, we have Ling Ling from the original show as our leader, but now, get ready to meet the team:
- Scooby Doo - A cowardly dog. Best known for a really huge appetite and a knack for solving spooky mysteries, the only mystery he'll solve here is: what happened to Cartoon Network now?
- Snow White - A fair and dainty princess who speaks in lyrical rhymes. She has had with what Disney has done to all their princesses as a result of moving to CGI and AI-generated content, and now, she must save all her 'brethren'! With the help of some apple pies and her animal woodland friends of course.
- Crazy Frog - Also known as 'The Annoying Thing', he speaks in that annoying language of his that made him an earworm-causing sensation. The others understand what he is trying to say, whereas other characters outside the group don't.
- Vintage Mickey Mouse - The Mickey Mouse many old timers know from an age when Disney wasn't lazy and predictable, he doesn't like new Disney either and vows to get revenge on Kiara for what he did to his life, and how he transformed into a fast paced CGI monster now that Disney has run out of ideas. He always finds time for a song, a dance and a little whistle or two.
- Bob - The former 'Hero Of Mainframe' who saw some changes with every show or movie his studio produced, until ReBoot: The Guardian Code came along. He doesn't like fast paced CGI and vows to get revenge on those who made CGI overstimulating these days, as well as those who turned Mainframe - his home - into a Power Rangers style battleground. He's still the awkward teen he was from when his show premiered, often falling face first in Snow White's pies or falling victim to CatDog's pranks.
- Batman (2004) - The twentysomething Batman that all kids want to see, to him being kicked out of his job is just absolute poppycock. He doesn't like how the Teen Titans have dominated Cartoon Network and wants to destroy the channel for what Adult Swim and its version of Toonami did with his life. Still the mysterious caped crusader he is, just one shout of "Bring on the Batman!" from either his peers or his teammates sends him into an uncontrollable Tigger/Looney Tunes-like frenzy, giving him a power that would help him destroy his enemies.
- CatDog - Two conjoined pet like twins who had it big during the '90s era of Nick, its golden era, where they basically had a good time with their friends...until iCarly and various teen sitcoms took over, especially the superhero sitcoms during Nick's obsession with the then new Marvel Cinematic Universe. Cat and Dog are the master of many pranks - er, Dog especially - and now it's up to both of them to set aside their differences and save Nick from a very superbly dangerous ending.
What I can tell you is that each member of the team has a purpose, and when they work together to solve each problem they face, they know that anything is possible because of the power of friendship. With Ling Ling commanding them, they are ready to save animation and kids' TV forever!
And nostalgia. I almost forgot.
Their motto?
"We're Team Drawn Together!"
Meet The Picnic Gang
The Picnic Gang is the ultimate agere picnic planning group. They can invite you and your parents to any picnic, just make sure you don't get on Kion's nerves, or else he'll swipe you!
Meet The Gang
- Kion - The grumpiest and most unconvinced of the group. He wouldn't join in any games or songs during their picnics, and keeps a grumbling look on his face even when he is having fun with everyone.
- Rarity - The stylish leader of the group. Despite her unique choice for fashion, she always organises the best food for the picnics, and always organises each picnic with a different theme.
- Bluey - An energy filled Aussie Blue Heeler pup. Following the eating and sunshine-filled naps, she organises pretend and energetic games for everyone so that their food can digest inside their tummies.
- Sofia The First - A beautiful young princess from the Land Of Enchancia. During the picnics, she always leads her friends in a singsong or two, and she sometimes calls on her animal friends, especially Clover, her best friend and pet rabbit, to sing with her.
- Bubbles - The energetic and most enthusiastic of her team of little girls who save the world just before bedtime. The problem is, while everyone else is napping, Bubbles still has the energy and frivolity to play and have fun in the warm sunshine!
And, it doesn't matter if it begins to rain, there's always indoor picnics to be planned. Rarity always plans the theme - pyjama parties, blanket forts, sleepovers - anything for a wild night in, eating and drinking and being as merry as a red faced Mojo Jojo.
Cromch!
Puddleton Duck's Song
Puddleton Duck, Puddleton Duck,
Wandering Waterloo in search of luck
Puddles to splash in, sandwiches to eat
Mind out of the way of shiny shoe feet!
Curious Thoughts - Anderson Blood
Now here's a thought: just by looking at the characters of the 2000 Max Steel series, which to me is very different from the Nerd Corps produced animated series we have today, I always think of two of Gerry Anderson's series, which I think may be in my head the moment I see them: his all time classic Thunderbirds, and his very final project made entirely with motion capture or CGI, New Captain Scarlet. It's like the people at the two animation studios decided to combine the two things together and make it into one big mix. Particularly, because of four of the characters in the show: Jason (the regular equivalent of M.Steel), Berto, Laura and Rachel.
Okay everybody, now let's see some similarities between these characters and a few of my favourite characters from Thunderbirds. The next time you watch both, DO try and find some similarities, will you?
First up is Jason McGrath, who can turn into M.Steel whenever it's time to spring into action. Jason shares some very questionable similarities with Alan, one of the Tracy Brothers and my favourite out of all the brothers, except there's a difference: Alan can pilot Thunderbird 3, and is caring and romantic over the cool skin of Tin Tin. Jason is just the same, except he doesn't pilot spacecraft and instead delves in extreme sports like rock climbing, swimming and surfing.
Now we have Laura Chen, the girlfriend of Jason. She does share some key similarities with the character Tin Tin, although I have to admit, both have slanted eyes and come from Malaysia, and both have silky black hair. While Tin Tin is sensuous and gentle around Alan and his masculine body, sometimes Jason and Laura like to cheekily fool around, like some mad couple in love, or Simba and Nala playing together like cubs again the moment Simba leaps into the water and drags Nala in during the second chorus of Can You Feel The Love Tonight.
Then there's Berto. Even though he's a 20 something and has a very young adult voice, unlike my favourite little scientist Brains, he rarely speaks with a trembling stutter. Berto spends his time around computers and technology, wheras Brains, known for his gracious experiments and the construction of all the Thunderbird craft, is responsible for not being quite the chilled out person ever. He also got laughed at for suggesting an airship one time, but if he says that to the Board Of Aircraft again, he'll get out a rifle shotgun and THEY WILL PAY!
And finally, there's Rachel. She shares some similarities with everyone's favourite FAB luxury woman Lady Penelope, except she's a mix of both the 1965 and 2015 Thunderbirds Are Go versions - mainly her early design for the CGI version. Where's Parker when you need him? "Oh no, milady!"
Anyway, Rachel shares some similarities with an I don't care at all version of Lady Penelope, because:
1.Rachel's name begins with R, Lady Penelope has two initials in her name.
2.Lady Penelope lives a posh, grand life of splendour, Rachel is just a spy working for N.Tek.
While these two are different in personality and looks, I'm sure Rachel will have the same soft, gentle, tender heart Lady Penelope has.
I mean, Max Steel is fine on both Kids' WB and Cartoon Network, and here in the UK, we're good with it airing on CITV for a while....
....
SO JUST STOP BANGING ON AS IF IT'S THE MOST HATED CARTOON EVER, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE SAME, AND THAT'S WHAT'S INSIDE OUR HEARTS!!!
Friday, 9 January 2026
Curious Thoughts - Vegeta
At the beginning of the very first Toonami TIE, The Intruder, Tom 1 was mentioning Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z before Sara screamed that an intruder had entered the hall. But, I'm curious about something: was Vegeta really friends with Tom 1? Because it all links to something potentially much more powerful. So powerful in fact that it would even bring the most feint-hearted Toonami fan into tears. Here goes:
When Tom 1 first arrived on US screens, Vegeta had been training him behind the scenes. The two had a mentor-student relationship that felt like that of a father and son, and as time passed and shows on Cartoon Network came and went, their bond strengthened and grew. The days grew into years, weeks and months, and with every second he spent with Vegeta, Tom 1, a weak little robot host, grew stronger and more powerful to face even the scariest content some of his shows had to represent.
However, the massive downhill point came when The Intruder aired. Vegeta prayed that Tom would survive this, but we knew what happened, don't we? It was an event that would change Vegeta's life forever and place a firm impact on his mental health. After watching Tom get consumed by The Intruder, he screamed as loud as his did in Dragon Ball Z and began crying mournfully.
For the rest of his years, he fell into a deep depression over the loss of his student. He couldn't eat or drink anything, he refused to partake in filming of future Dragon Ball episodes or films and worst of all, his Saiyan powers faded until it was just a spark. The Vegeta he used to be was gone forever, all thanks to the loss of his faithful student.
But when DBZ aired uncut in 2005, Vegeta couldn't take seeing Tom in his then-current form anymore. He flew into a rage and began throwing things around, overturning tables and attacking other characters that were attending every uncut screening, until, one day, he bit Goku's arm right off.
All this sent him to a mental asylum, where he was treated and experimented on multiple times before he emerged battered, bruised, bloody and with one arm missing. It was here that Toonami returned to TV screens in 2012, and years later, Intruder II premiered, and Vegeta knew it was his chance to help the Tom he despised show the Intruder who's boss.
He told the Intruder to listen to him very carefully, and said to him all the wise words he'd forgotten when he was consumed. Upon hearing those words, Tom 1 began crying, something he refused to do when he signed a contract for starring as the host of Toonami. And with that, after Intruder II had finished filming, he turned back into his normal self. Various news reports and tabloids said he'd disappeared for so long, leading to Vegeta's mental health spiral, but now, the two are reunited.
Remember: never be afraid to cry. Sometimes, it's through a robot host's tears that one depressed cartoon star manages to find one way when he is urgent to find another.
Thursday, 8 January 2026
A Little Rhyme About Business...
I won't let the P words get me down,
I'll continue life without a frown!
And Now, A Joke About Peter Rabbit....
What is Peter Rabbit's favourite ice cream?
Hop fudge sundaes!
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