RetroDaze
Wolfman's
Got
Nards!
Got
Nards!
OFFICIAL
RETRORATING: 13
OFFICIAL
- HOME
- YOUTUBE
- ARTICLES
- VIDEOS
- THEATER
- CLASSIFIEDS
- VHS COVERS
- CEREAL BOXES
- GAME BOX ART
- READ ALONGS
- PODCASTS
- FORUM
- FAQ
- POINTS STORE
Don't mess
with the bull.
JOIN!!!
13 COMMENTS
RETRORATING: 9
FAVORITED 3 TIMES
The 2000s decade wasn't that bad
By: Benjanime
About 20 years ago speculation began on what would come of the millennium, of course there was the rumor of the Y2K bug and the supposed end of technology, but aside from that we were aware that big changes were coming. Over the course of this new decade some people began to look back on the years before with rose tinted glasses, while others had already accepted these changes and moved on. In my defense from those who have said the 2000s was a lackluster decade compared to the 80s and 90s, I'd like to make a subtle reminder listing a few good examples of why that's a bunch of bull-hooey, in this little article I'd like to call...
1. A definitive TMNT cartoon
Remember during the late seasons of the 1987 TMNT cartoon when the show tried going for a darker look with the turtles having improved designs? In a way that was a precursor to this new 2003 series, now focusing more closely on the original Mirage comics, and doing a far better job with both action and story. Going back to the 1987 cartoon roots though, Donatello is still the tech whiz and Mikey is still a goofball, however changes were made to Raph as he would be more hotheaded than the sarcastic, witty turtle he was known to be in the previous cartoon, and Leo had a more serious, self-aware quality to his personality. The series didn't last as many seasons as its previous show, but it still had a great run on the FoxBox.
2. Classic game compilations
Although many old 8-bit and 16-bit consoles could still be used at the time, companies such as Taito, Capcom and even SEGA decided to release collections of some of their most famous iconic titles during the era of the Playstation 2, Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube. Midway had also outdone themselves by making a 3 part collection of their most treasured arcade titles, from Xenophobe all the way up to Hydro Thunder. The fact that you could play these games in a more crisp resolution with surround sound made it an even better experience than before.
3. Portable music redefined with the iPod
Carrying a big, bulky cd player around with you may have started to look a bit dopey by the time the 2000s came around, and the iPod from Apple was here to fix that. No longer were you confined to carrying around a bunch of cassette tapes or CDs with you to listen to more songs, the iTunes software that was to be used in tandem with setting up your iPod let you burn music straight from your CDs right onto your iPod and they came in a variety of different storage space. I actually still have my own iPod classic and it works just fine!
4. Astounding box office hits
Even though it also did have its fair share of flops at times, there were still plenty of films to look back on during the era that hit the high mark. Kill Bill, Pirates of the Caribbean, 007: Casino Royale and Shaun of the Dead were some great examples, but my personal favorite movie had to be The Incredibles, releasing in 2004. Brad Bird, who previously had been director/animator for the Simpsons had taken the helm to work on the film and it became one of the most memorable Pixar movies of the decade.
5. YouTube: Broadcast Yourself
At the midpoint of the 2000s, YouTube began as a website dedicated to letting people express themselves with their own content, whether it be for making blog videos, webcam recordings of video games, entertainment reviews or just making a meme out of themselves, the early years of YouTube were, in my opinion the best years of the site in terms of content. The site nowadays has quite a lot of popular users compared to when it started, but no matter how far it's come, the tagline "broadcast yourself" will always define the site.
6. The original nostalgia site, RetroJunk
A collection of commercials, bumpers, TV show intros, movie trailers and its own forum and a precursor to RD, we wouldn't be here right now if not for the site's existence. The forum was the most memorable part of the site though, garnering quite the boatload of memorable users during its heyday, HarryReems, TMNT, Mezase Master, and even the infamous timbox129 had their start on this once memorable site. Like a few users though, I began as a lurker on the site before making my own account, and it was great seeing the community grow with their own stories, even if some of them were a bit awkward (I recall one story from a user who actually confessed his love for a female Autobot). As we all know, the site hasn't had the same shine to it as it used to with the majority of those popular users long gone from the site, and the admin himself, Vertex has been keeping himself out of the limelight since RetroJunk's decline.
7: The golden age of Toonami
Toonami got its start in the late 90s with just a few anime shows on its block, but it exploded with even more throughout the 2000s. Gundam Wing, The Big O, Tenchi Muyo and even a 2003 remake of Astro Boy showed up on the time slot. Its decline was met however, when the block went from weekday airings to weekends, and eventually ended in 2008 due to low ratings. Thanks to fan support it snuck its way back into the Adult Swim block, with Steve Blum returning as the host, Tom.
So, have I won you over with my retrospective on featured events from last decade? Leave a comment, and stay tuned for more articles coming soon!
Sitcom Characters Who Got Stupid
In classic TV sitcoms there is always the dum-dum. You know, the goofy friend or neighbor that doesn't have a clue and tickles our funny bones with th...
Spider-Man & Venom Action Figure Retrospective Part 2
Here we are again with part 2 of the retrospective covering Black Costume Spider-Man and Venom action figures of the 80's and 90's. In the previous in...
Spider-Man & Venom Action Figure Retrospective
Spider-Man has worn many costumes over the years, every once in a while feeling the need to change up his iconic red and blue outfit. As you might hav...
Retro School Supplies
Going back to school was a drag for most kids. Once we got word that "School is starting next week", we began squeezing as much lazy freedom into the ...
The Karate Class Kid
"Hi-Ya!" I have a firmly held belief that any Karate dojos opening up between 1987 and 1992 owed the creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 50% ...
The Real Goonies
There are some people in your life that appear almost as if out of thin air, providing magical and memorable experiences before disappearing altogethe...
Batman Trading Cards of the 80's and 90's
Batman tradings cards are hard to come by these days in retail stores, which is a big change from 20 years ago when these cardboard rectangles were ev...
MTV: The 90's
Growing up in the 80's it was impossible not to be aware of the MTV network, but I did not experience the full effect of Music Television until the 90...
Five Forgotten Comic Heroes of the 90's
While not every character to ever headline their own comic book is going to get the live action treatment at our local theaters, movies like Ant-Man g...
