RetroDaze
Wolfman's
Got
Nards!
Got
Nards!
RETRORATING: 11
RETRORATING: 12
RETRORATING: 11
- 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!
The Fear of Toys
Toys are always meant to be fun. They bring joy to kids and some adults the world over. I have made no secret about my joy for collecting action fig...
Dream Toys
Do you ever wonder about certain toys that should have been made, but never were? Or even entire toy lines that would have been completely brilliant...
Deal of the Century
Sounds good right? What could that possibly mean anyway? A deal of the century sounds like the ultimate deal, right? Well, if you are Chev...
Toy Talk with Miss M: Fashion Preview!
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, toys and dolls, today’s Toy Talk will be featuring a special look at fashions for 2014! Now get ready, here comes...
Hear ye, Hear ye!
Watching a movie is a grand experience. There’s the actual movie, the real life story of how the movie came to be, and of course the music. Soundt...
Top 10 Retro Toys of 2013!
Originally the plan was for this article to be written before 2014, but with a move and the holidays, it will just have to appear a few days into 20...
Have a Plush Christmas!
What happens when a fast food restaurant has a special set of Christmas themed stuffed animals? A frenzy, that’s what happens. At least that is ho...
Christmas Retro Reads
Reading books has long been an important part of my dorkdom. I have reached a point of book saturation that I could maybe have my own dorky library ...
Dorkette Christmas Traditions
I actually have a few Christmas traditions, but since I have already discussed a tradition of viewing the He-Man and She-Ra Christmas Special alread...
