#most of her team is 1981-1983

[jazz-kity]

literally 1984

[thequiver]

Who is...Sam Guthrie | Cannonball? - A Reading Guide

Sam Guthrie is an X-Men and Avengers affiliated mutant from Marvel Comics. Sam is the oldest of the nine Guthrie children and is the definition of parentification having dropped out of high school to work in the coal mines that killed his father (in either a mine accident or through black lung depending on your preferred retcon). Sam's powers would manifest during a mining accident and allowed him to blast through the rock to safety. Sam would then join the team he's most associated with, the New Mutants. Sam's story is one of overcoming adversities, determination, and of healing. Some of Sam's earlier stories show him being groomed by Lila Cheney and the adults in charge of his safety enabling her.

Sam is also excellent Appalachian representation and is one of the first Appalachian main characters to not be ashamed of being Appalachian while simultaneously not being based on hillbilly humor.

You'll find a reading list under the cut! The list will need to be posted in multiple parts due to length, subsequent parts will be added as reblogs.

Part 1 below!

Introduction and New Mutants Era

Sam's first team immediately after introduction was the original New Mutants (1983). Throughout this period Sam develops the close bonds he's known for, particularly with teammates Roberto Da Costa (Sunspot), Dani Moonstar (Mirage), and Rahne Sinclair (Wolfsbane). New Mutants was written by Chris Claremont and while wonderful, drops the ball in many places, one of which being the way that Sam's dialect is written and the sort of general understanding of Appalachia, as well as a refusal to acknowledge that Sam's relationship with Lila Cheney was based upon grooming. The issue that introduces Lila to Sam's story will have a red asterisk and a trigger warning next to it.

Marvel Graphic Novel (1981) #4 New Mutants (1983) #1-12 Marvel Team-Up (1972) # Annual 6 New Mutants (1983) #13-21 Rom (1982) #Annual 3 New Mutants (1983) # Annual 1 * (TW: Grooming) New Mutants (1983) #23-25 Marvel Team-Up (1972) #149 New Mutants (1983) #29 (Lila is in this issue) New Mutants (1983) #30-34 New Mutants Special Edition (1985) #1 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #201 (definitely not a necessary issue, but it's one that highlights that Sam IS smart, he's just really bad at technology) New Mutants (1983) #37 Firestar (1986) #2 New Mutants (1983) #38-40, 42-44, Annual 2, 45-51, Annual 3, 52 Fallen Angels (1987) #1 (this issue is a good look into Sam and Berto's relationship) New Mutants (1983) #53-66 Spellbound (1988) #4 (Lila's in this issue and you can see the way she almost treats Sam like an accessory) New Mutants (1983) #Annual 4A-B, 67-76, Annual 5A, 77-92, Annual 6A Wolverine: Rahne of Terra (not incredibly Sam focused and it's a bit..different, but what there is of Sam I like) New Mutants (1983) #93-100, Annual 7A

X-Force, X-Men, and X-Force Again

After the end of New Mutants, under the direction of Cable, Sam helped found the team, X-Force, and would be appointed Cable's second-in-command. While in New Mutants we got to see a Sam Guthrie who was coming into his powers, X-Force really gives us a glimpse of a Sam Guthrie who is starting to really apply those powers and who is starting to highlight why the character has come to be known as a powerhouse. During this period we see Sam go from a member of X-Force, to becoming a fully fledged X-Men, and then see him re-join X-Force until the team is disbanded. The change from X-Force to X-Men to X-Force are not represented in different sections as there is still overlap in Sam's character interactions and throughout his period on the X-Men, his former X-Force affiliation is an important factor that helps inform his choices and his outlook on situations, although I have tried to signify the changes with breaks in the text block.

New Warriors (1990) # Annual 1A Uncanny X-Men (1981) #Annual 15A X-Factor (1986) #Annual 6A X-Force (1991) #1-3 Spider-Man (1990) #16 X-Force (1991) #4-5 X-Factor (1986) #77 X-Force (1991) #Annual 1C, 6-15 X-Cutioner's Song Event (this links you to a reading list I made for the event) X-Men (1991) #17 New Warriors (1990) #31 X-Force (1991) #19-26, Annual 2, 27-29, 32-33 New Warriors (1990) #46 X-Force (1991) #34-37 Cable (1993) #15 X-Factor (1986) #106 X-Force (1991) #38 Excalibur (1988) #82 X-Force (1991) #39-45 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #323-325 Wolverine (1988) #93

Uncanny X-Men '95 (1995) #1 X-Men: Clan Destine (1996) #1 Wolverine (1998) #96 X-Force (1991) #48 X-Force and Cable '95 (1995) #1 X-Men vs. The Brood (1996) #1-2 X-Force (1991) #51 X-Men (1991) #48 Wolverine (1988) #99-100 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #332 Wolverine (1988) #101 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #334 X-Men (1991) #54 Onslaught: X-Men (1996) #1 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #335 Cable (1993) #36 Beast (1997) #1-3 X-Men (1991) #59 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #340 X-Men (1991) #60 Wolverine (1988) #111 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #341-342, Annual '97 The Incredible Hulk (1962) #455 X-Men (1991) #62-66 Wolverine (1988) #115-118 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #350 X-Men (1991) #70 New Mutants: Truth or Death (1997) #1-3 X-Men (1991) #71-72, 75-76 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #355 Alpha Flight (1997) #9 X-Men (1991) #77-78 Uncanny X-Men/Fantastic Four Annual '98 (1998) #1 X-Men (1991) #79

X-Force (1991) #83-84 X-Force/Champions Annual '98 (1998) #1 X-Force (1991) #85-93 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #375 (Sam's only in the beginning of this one) X-Force (1991) # Annual '99, 94-98 Cable (1993) #73-75 X-Force (1991) #99-117

Part 2 to follow soon as I've hit the link limit!

[karmirage]

some fun facts for the @tournament-of-x voters

The oldest contestants currently in the match (and by oldest, I mean “the date of their first appearance”, not their actual ages) are Magneto, Jean Grey, Bobby Drake/Iceman, and Scott Summers/Cyclops. All four of them first appear in X-Men #1 in 1963.

The youngest contestant currently in the match (again, in terms of the dates of their first appearance, not actual age) is Gwendolyn Poole/Gwenpool, who first debuted in Howard the Duck #1 in 2015.

Of the contestants, only Laura Kinney/Wolverine appeared first on screen -- her first ever appearance was in Season 3, Episode 10 of X-Men: Evolution in August of 2003. This would be later followed by her first comic appearance in NYX #3, in December of 2003.

As far as classic teams go: the 33 characters remaining include three of the original five X-Men (Jean, Bobby, Scott), four of the classic nine New Mutants (Xuân Cao Mạnh/Karma, Dani Moonstar/Mirage, Roberto da Costa/Sunspot, and Illyana Rasputin/Magik -- Dani, Xuân, and Roberto are also founding members), and two people who have two first appearances (both Illyana and Nathan Summers/Cable appear in canon continuity as babies/toddlers prior to appearing later under their aliases -- Illyana appears in Giant-Sized X-Men #1 in 1975 and Nathan appears in Uncanny X-Men #201 in 1985). Two contestants are also part of the iconic Giant-Sized X-Men team created in 1975 -- Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler and Ororo Munroe/Storm. Two members of the original Generation X remain (Monet St. Croix/M/Penance and Jubilation Lee/Jubilee), as well as two from the Academy X era (David Alleyne and Megan Gwynn, from the New Mutants second generation team and the Paragons, respectively), three if you choose to count Laura Kinney/Wolverine, who joined the remaining students of New X-Men vol. 2 just after M-Day.

All the contestants save nine made their first appearances in X-books (X-Men, Giant-Sized X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, New Mutants, X-Factor, X-Force, Generation X, X-Men: Evolution and New X-Men). The ones who do not first appear in X-books are Mystique (Ms. Marvel #18 in 1978, though she technically had a cameo appearance two issues prior), Xuân Cao Mạnh/Karma (Marvel Team-Up #100 in 1980), Anna Marie Lebeau/Rogue (Avengers Annual #10, 1981), Dani Moonstar/Mirage and Roberto da Costa/Sunspot (both in Marvel Graphic Novel #4 in 1983), Billy Kaplan-Altman/Wiccan (Young Avengers #1, 2005), Tommy Shepherd/Speed (Young Avengers #10, 2006), Eden Fesi/Manifold (Secret Warriors #4, 2009), and Gwendolyn Poole/Gwenpool (Howard the Duck #1, 2015).

Demographically speaking, four characters in the tournament are canonically Jewish -- Magneto, Kate Pryde, Billy Kaplan-Altman/Wiccan, and Bobby Drake/Iceman (thanks for the reminder, @/ant-ifascottlang!) Though it hasn’t been confirmed, one might assume that Tommy Shepherd/Speed and Lorna Dane/Polaris are also Jewish, being related to them.

The 70s and the 80s are proving themselves to be the most popular -- 8 candidates that were created in the 70s are still in the tournament (Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler, Ororo Munroe/Storm, Illyana Rasputin/Magik, Mystique, Jean-Paul Beaubier/Northstar, Jeanne-Marie Beaubier/Aurora, Kitty/Kate Pryde, and Emma Frost/White Queen), and 8 characters created in the 80s are still in the tournament as well (Irene Adler/Destiny, Xuân Cao Mạnh/Karma, Anna Marie Lebeau/Rogue, Dani Moonstar/Mirage, Roberto da Costa/Sunspot, Nathan Summers/Cable, Julio Richter/Rictor, and Jubilation Lee/Jubilee).

Of the other decades: seven characters were introduced in the 2000s (Eloise Phimister/Negasonic Teenage Warhead, David Alleyne/Prodigy, Laura Kinney/Wolverine, Megan Gwynn/Pixie, Billy Kaplan-Altman/Wiccan, Tommy Shepherd/Speed, and Eden Fesi/Manifold), five were introduced in the 60s (Magneto, Jean Grey, Bobby Drake/Iceman, Scott Summers/Cyclops, and Lorna Dane/Polaris), and four were introduced in the 90s (Remy Lebeau/Gambit, Lucas Bishop, Neena Thurman/Domino, and Monet St. Croix/M/Penance). Gwendolyn Poole/Gwenpool is the only character remaining in the tournament to be introduced after 2010.

One character is canonically Muslim -- Monet St. Croix/M/Penance.

Eleven characters are canonically LGBTQ+: Bobby Drake/Iceman, Mystique, Jean-Paul Beaubier/Northstar, Kitty/Kate Pryde, Irene Adler/Destiny, Xuân Cao Mạnh/Karma, Julio Richter/Rictor, David Alleyne/Prodigy, Billy Kaplan-Altman/Wiccan, Tommy Shepherd/Speed, and Gwendolyn Poole/Gwenpool.

Laura Kinney/Wolverine, Remy Lebeau/Gambit (thanks for the reminder, @/souldagger!) and Megan Gwynn/Pixie have been confirmed by writers to be queer, but there has been no on-panel confirmation for any of them beyond Pixie’s appearance/alternate dimension self in Secret Wars.

Without counting the upcoming Uncanny Avengers, at least three characters have been recurring Avengers -- Anna Marie Lebeau/Rogue, Roberto da Costa/Sunspot, and Eden Fesi/Manifold. Rogue and Sunspot also notably led teams of Avengers. Several other candidates have been Young Avengers -- David Alleyne/Prodigy, Billy Kaplan-Altman/Wiccan (who was a founding member), and Tommy Shepherd/Speed.

Ten characters are mutants of color -- Ororo Munroe/Storm is Kenyan-American and grew up in Cairo, Xuân Cao Mạnh/Karma is Vietnamese, Dani Moonstar/Mirage is Indigenous American, specifically Cheyenne, Roberto da Costa is Afrolatino and from Brazil, Julio Richter/Rictor is Mexican, Jubilation Lee/Jubilee is Chinese-American, Lucas Bishop is Aboriginal Australian/Black American (according to Chris Claremont, who confirmed that Bishop is indeed descended from Aboriginal Australian mutant Gateway), Monet St. Croix/M/Penance is Monacan-Algerian, David Alleyne/Prodigy is a Black American, and Eden Fesi/Manifold is Aboriginal Australian.

While Laura Kinney/Wolverine first appeared as a visibly brown girl in X-Men: Evolution, her design has since been lightened and she does not have a confirmed ethnicity.

Only eight of the remaining contestants have never appeared in live-action adaptations -- Irene Adler/Destiny, Xuân Cao Mạnh/Karma (though her name is shown on a computer screen in X2: X-Men United), Jean-Paul Beaubier/Northstar, Jeanne-Marie Beaubier/Aurora, David Alleyne/Prodigy, Megan Gwynn/Pixie, Eden Fesi/Manifold, and Gwendolyn Poole/Gwenpool. Of these, only Karma, Penance, Prodigy, Manifold, and Gwenpool have no on-screen appearances at all -- the others appear in the various animated series (Destiny has a recurring appearance in X-Men: Evolution, Pixie pops up in Wolverine and the X-Men, and the Beaubier twins appear in the X-Men cartoon of the 90s). While Penance is listed on Wikipedia as being in Wolverine and the X-Men, it does not cite an episode, though her twin younger sisters appear in Season 1 Episode 10 “Greetings from Genosha.” **this post has been corrected -- Monet St. Croix/M/Penance appears in the direct to TV Generation X movie (thanks for the reminder, @/cranechel!)

[scotianostra]

Happy Birthday Liz Fraser, born on 29th August 1963 has the most unique voice of our singers.…..

Elizabeth Davidson Fraser was born in Grangemouth not far from where I live in Falkirk, Liz is best known as the vocalist for the pioneering alternative rock group Cocteau Twins. Her distinctive singing earned much critical praise. She was once described as ‘the voice of God.’ and that it “veers between semi-comprehensible lyrics and abstract mouth music” I agree with the voice of God description, it makes my spine tingle listening to her.

Liz was spotted in 1981, dancing in a club by founding members of the Cocteau Twins, Robin Guthrie and Will Heggie, they asked her join the group, the late great John Peel helped them get their break and they were very successful on the Indie scene, with six top ten albums in the Indie charts, four of which were number one.

Mainstream success was limited, the fantastic “Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops” being their top single in 1984, and a more than respectable, six top 40 albums over the years. Liz was in a relationship with her band member Robin Guthrie, he was abusing drugs and alcohol throughout the years they were together which led to her having a nervous breakdown and ultimately their breakup in 1983.

Cocteau Twins, did however continue producing music together for a number of years after until the band split up in the late 90’s. Fraser was then in an “intense” relationship with the very talented Jeff Buckley, she wrote the song Teardrop, recorded by Massive Attack after the singers accidental death, Liz recently teamed up with the band at their first gigs in five years, I will post the song from their Bristol gig, please listen to it, she has definately not lost that great voice!!!

Liz has recorded songs with many others over the years, including featuring in The Lord of the Rings soundtrack. her solo stuff has been sporadic, my fave tune is the Tim Buckley Song to the Siren performed by This Mortal Coil. A wee bit trivia, last year Elizabeth Fraser had an asteroid named after her, courtesy of the International Astronomical Union.

First discovered in 2013, the “Fraser” asteroid does not pose a threat to humanity, and isn’t set to collide with Earth for millions of years. It can be viewed only via advance telescope, imaging from which is available on NASA’s website.

When posted on Twitter/X fans quickly took to the comment section to share their excitement over the asteroid. One user wrote, “Brilliant. She is truly a celestial entity,” while another commented, “I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of anything more appropriate in my life.”

[classicmarvelera]

John Byrne and Walt Simonson: The Unmatched Legacy in Fantastic Four and Thor

When it comes to the world of comic books, there are certain iconic names that instantly come to mind. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the creative geniuses behind characters like the Fantastic Four and Thor, are undoubtedly among the most revered figures in the industry. Their groundbreaking work laid the foundation for the Marvel Universe and set a high standard for storytelling. However, it's essential to recognize that the legacy of these characters didn't stop with Lee and Kirby. Two other legendary creators, John Byrne and Walt Simonson, took the reins and left an indelible mark on the Fantastic Four and Thor, ensuring that their contributions would remain unmatched for generations to come.

John Byrne's Fantastic Four (1981-1986): Redefining Marvel's First Family

In 1981, John Byrne had a mission: to redefine the Fantastic Four. Byrne's run on the series is often regarded as one of the most significant in the history of the team. He brought a fresh perspective to the characters and their dynamics, breathing new life into Marvel's First Family.

Byrne's artistic talents were on full display as he not only wrote but also illustrated the series. His attention to detail and ability to convey emotions through his artwork added depth to the characters. Byrne's run gave us memorable storylines such as "The Trial of Reed Richards" and the return of the iconic villain, Galactus. He also introduced new characters like She-Hulk, who would become a fan-favorite in her own right.

What made Byrne's run truly exceptional was his ability to balance character development with epic storytelling. The Fantastic Four faced personal challenges while also tackling cosmic threats, creating a perfect blend of drama and action. Byrne's work on the series is a testament to his storytelling prowess and his dedication to preserving the essence of these beloved characters.

One of the key aspects of Byrne's run was his exploration of the dynamics within the Fantastic Four. He delved deep into the relationships between Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (The Thing). The interpersonal conflicts and growth of these characters made the series not just about super-heroics but also about family, a theme that resonated with readers and set the stage for future interpretations of the team.

Walt Simonson's Thor (1983-1987): The God of Thunder's Epic Journey

Simultaneously, over in the realm of Asgard, Walt Simonson took up the mantle of Thor in 1983. Much like Byrne, Simonson's run on Thor is celebrated as a defining era for the character and the series. He brought a mythic grandeur and a sense of epic adventure that elevated Thor's stories to new heights.

Simonson's Thor was a masterclass in world-building. He introduced iconic elements like Beta Ray Bill and the mystical weapon, Stormbreaker. Simonson's writing delved into the rich tapestry of Norse mythology, creating a sense of wonder and authenticity in Asgard's portrayal. His artistic style and intricate panel layouts added to the epic feel of the series, making every issue a visual masterpiece.

One of the most memorable arcs of Simonson's run was "The Surtur Saga," a sprawling epic that saw Thor facing off against the fire demon Surtur. The impact of this storyline resonates even today, and it remains a benchmark for epic storytelling in comic books.

Simonson's take on Thor was not just about battles and grand spectacles; it also delved into the character's humanity. He explored the burdens of godhood and the responsibility that came with wielding the power of Mjolnir. Thor's inner struggles and his unwavering sense of duty added depth to the character, making him relatable on a personal level.

In Conclusion, the creative endeavors of John Byrne on the Fantastic Four and Walt Simonson on Thor are nothing short of legendary. While Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's contributions are undeniably classic and groundbreaking, Byrne and Simonson's work brought these characters to new heights. Their storytelling prowess, artistic talents, and deep appreciation for the source material ensured that their runs on these series would remain unmatched for generations to come. The legacy of these four creators, Lee, Kirby, Byrne, and Simonson, continues to shape the Marvel Universe and inspire fans and creators alike, proving that the world of comic books is a rich tapestry woven by many hands.

In the end, what sets Byrne and Simonson apart is their ability to not only build upon the foundations laid by Lee and Kirby but also to leave an indelible mark that would define these characters for years to come. Their contributions to the Fantastic Four and Thor are a testament to the enduring power of storytelling in the comic book medium, and they shall continue to captivate readers and creators alike for generations to come.

Get John Byrne's Classic Marvel Collection here

Get Walt Simonson's Classic Marvel Collection here

[einsteinsugly]

My version of That 90s Show, if my verse didn't exist.

First, I'm setting the show in 1998. It pays homage to the OG show's start date, and it makes logistical sense. Betsy exists, and Jay is Kelso and Brooke's son. Plus, they missed a great opportunity to include younger siblings for both realism and comic relief (so no more Kitty as weird comic relief, eww).

Characters I'm keeping:

Gwen Marie Runck (born May 31, 1983: ESTP, 7w8): No significant changes, other than the hc that she's bi.

Nicole "Nikki" Maria Garcia (born November 10, 1982; ISTJ, 6w5): No significant changes, other than Nate and Nikki never dating, and the lore I've personally established (aka, being Buddy's niece).

Altering:

Lucy Katherine Forman (born July 19, 1983. INFJ, 4w5. Played by Raegan Revord): Named after Eric's favorite Star Wars protagonist, Lucy was an unexpected light in Eric and Donna's lives. She's smart, snarky, and craves adventure, even though she can be a bit of a starry-eyed idealist and a goody two shoes. She loves music, the oboe, books, the debate team, and is fairly politically minded. She may be a bit awkward, but she has a big heart.

She hasn't seen Jay since last summer, and he's certainly grown up, that's for sure. Her intense crush begins, minus the weird kissing frenzy at the mall, but she also has feelings for the girl next door...

John "Jay" Michael Kelso (born April 2, 1982. ISFP, 6w7. Played by Dylan Kingwell): Kelso and Brooke's son. Based on Jay's original description. He always has a video camera in his hand, with an artsy but vaguely pretentious aura, but he always has his heart on his sleeve. He gets straight As in school, and is smart like his mother, but can be a goofy flirt like his dad. Well, he tries to be.

Nathan "Nate" Casey Kelso (born December 8, 1981. ESFJ, 6w7): Casey and Sherri's son. He's a loveable goofball and a passionate football player. He's super close to his cousin Jay, but in a far less cringey way. Oh, and the random Nate and Leia plot twist doesn't happen here.

Removing:

Oscar "Ozzie" Chen: He's a walking stereotype, so bye.

Adding (main):

William "Will" James Hyde (born September 8, 1983. ESFP, 2w3. Played by Noah Jupe): A chill version of his mom Jackie, he's firmly in the closet. He's a popular football player, and him possibly coming out as gay terrifies him. He wouldn't be accepted by his peers, and it fucking sucks.

Also adding (recurring):

Elizabeth "Betsy" Victoria Kelso (born January 15, 1979. INTP, 6w5. Played by a young Minka Kelly): Kelso and Brooke's smart, scheming daughter. She often puts her nose where it doesn't belong.

Sarah Michelle Kelso (born March 16, 1985. ESFP, 7w6. Played by Julia Butters): Kelso and Brooke's ditzy but sweet daughter. She's close to Lauren, and has a crush on Nic Hyde.

Dominic "Nic" Steven Hyde (born April 21, 1985. ESTP, 7w8. Played by Mason Thames): Jackie and Hyde's loud, wild child son. Named after both Donna and Eric. He's always getting into trouble, often with Sarah and Lauren by his side.

Lauren Anne Forman (born February 12, 1986. ISTP, 6w5. Played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong): Eric and Donna's snarky, athletic daughter. Named after her Aunt Laurie. A firm tomboy, she'd much rather be playing basketball or fixing cars with grandpa Red than any of the girly crap most other girls like. She's already on the JV basketball team, and has her mother's jump shot (and her dad's last name). Also has a crush on Nic.

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

All these UC members were killed while fundraising for Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han

DETAILS OF THESE UNKNOWN
:

Sharon ____ , killed fundraising in Las Vegas in 1976. She was 21.

Denis Stride was killed while fundraising

Young Lim ______ . She was killed in a fundraising accident in 1981/82.

Japanese sister (Midori?) hit by car while fundraising in Newark, NJ
. 1980s


Young woman fundraising for the UC at a stop light in the US. She was hit by a truck and dragged some distance and died. Her body was very badly mangled. No other details known.

Chieko was murdered in 1983 while fundraising in east US (on Kiyoshi Nishi’s IOWC team.) Her parents flew from Japan for the funeral.

▲ Chiyoko lwamoto-Drevici was killed in New Jersey in 1985.

_____________________________________________

Details discovered:

Mayumi Komatsu, 22, was raped and murdered while fundraising for the UC in California on April 5, 1985

Reader Advisory: This is a horrific story  ––>   LINK

_____________________________________________

“While traveling on IOWC I had a Japanese friend whose personality was like liquid light. She was the happiest, most loving person you could meet. I loved her so dearly. Being sleep deprived, as is the norm, she was fundraising at a light when she stepped off the curb to make her way to a customer. She was hit so hard she flew 50 feet and died instantly upon impact with the ground. No one on the team spoke of her after it happened.

I remember on MFT, one leader came and gave personal alarms to the sisters and told the MFT team leaders that sisters should be in pairs, especially after dark. Then he left and the team leaders confiscated the alarms. Isamu Saito said the alarms could be sold for money. The sisters were still sent out singly because “they could get more money that way”. We reminded Saito that his leader had given those directions, but he said “That’s God’s love but we need to make money.”

There were a good number of good-hearted, fervent, bright Japanese women raped and murdered and forgotten.”

_____________________________________________

HWDYKYM wants to honor the victims of the Unification Church

_____________________________________________

England, probably in 1982. Robert Wiggins and a French member, Bruno Marze, were killed in a van accident. They had been fundraising for the day as part of a CARP team which had a Japanese leader.

There was another CARP member who was the main driver, but he didn’t like fundraising, which is why the Japanese team leader told Robert to drive into London instead, so the other guy could be kept fundraising.

Robert was an inexperienced driver. They crashed near Luton on their way back to the Lancaster Gate HQ in London. They may have been in a hurry to get back by a certain time. There were roadworks on the stretch where the accident happened.

The CARP members seemed to have a habit of driving too fast and Robert Wiggins was not an experienced driver, so it is more likely he lost control while driving through the roadworks, rather than falling asleep. It was a head on collision with a big truck. Robert’s chest was crushed by the steering wheel and Bruno was decapitated. Joanna De Souza was thrown out of the van and left badly handicapped.

From a resident of Lancaster Gate at the time: “Bruno used to laugh a lot, and he was good at doing mimes. His Austrian wife had just had a baby, a few weeks before. Straight after the accident, Bruno’s wife went back to Austria; we made a small collection for her in Lancaster Gate. The donations came from the members themselves. I don’t think the Church gave anything.”

_____________________________________________

In Australia,  in the early 1980s, there were members of a fundraising team that came from New Zealand that died when the driver fell asleep. Also around the same time, another two Australian members were seriously injured in a car accident on MFT in Australia. – John Reed

_____________________________________________

In France there was a fundraising van accident in about 1976 where one French member, Albert Reignez, lost a leg.

_____________________________________________

There are so many parts of the global Unification Church experience that we do not know. So many young members have gone missing in Mongolia, Thailand, and the Philippines throughout the years, as well as members from other parts of the world.

_____________________________________________

Hiromi Kazuni disappeared, and was likely killed, while fundraising.

A mother dropped her children off at Jacob House, N.Y., and went to fundraise – as directed by Sun Myung Moon. Michiko Koide was killed…

Atsushi Funaki murdered while selling roses in E. Philadelphia

Hitoshi Hara was murdered on July 20, 1987 while selling roses for Sun Myung Moon’s church

Montreal girl (probably Ruthie) died fundraising for the Unification Church in 1977. She was hit by a car.


Jin-joo Byrne was raped and murdered in August 2002. 
She was just 18. She was fundraising on her own with costume jewellery in Charlotte NC. Some time later it was arranged for Hak Ja Han, on a visit to Seattle, to meet the family. She was not very sympathetic. A Korean person understood what Hak Ja Han said.

The Purity Knife – Jen Kiaba

Reinhard Jager was killed while selling roses; hit by a drunk truck driver

Eric Mahnken was killed while on a fundraising trip in 1984

[freifraufischer]

A Gymnastics Mystery: Was the 1981 World Championship Stolen?  Part 4 - You decide.

In the previous episodes (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) I laid out one of the oldest unsolved mysteries of the sport of gymnastics.  Did the East German government force one of it’s greatest athletes to throw the 1981 World Championships to please their Soviet master.

My answer is ... I don’t know and I swing between yes and no depending on how I think about it.  The sport was incredibly corrupt and ripe with manipulation (both successful and attempted) by many different countries at the time.  The Soviets had ample motive to want to show success in 1981 at a home world championship--enough to enter an age falsified gymnast--and the East German state was perfectly capable of tossing away the ambitions and goals of a 17 year girl to do that.

Here are the things that make me doubt the conspiracy theory.  

Evidence the injury was real:

This is the ABC broadcast of the 1982 World Cup.  In the 1980s the World Championships only took place in the years right after and right before the Olympics, leaving the mid quad year having only one major international gymnastics meet:  the World Cup.  It was an invitation only event where the field was determined by results from the 1981 World Championship (though there is controversy to be had here too).  As they are introducing the competitors the American commentators begin to talk about Gnauck’s injury at the World Championships at 2.37 in the video.  

He references that she had a serious injury at worlds and “appears” to have had ankle surgery.  He then speculates that it was Achilles surgery.  I’m assuming there was a visible scar--and let’s for a minute contemplate the terrifying nightmare that would be East German Achilles repair.  The thing that makes me hesitate here is that he is not quoting Gnauck or an East German source.  He’s seen the incident from the previous year and he’s seen a scar.  This is also a full year later so she could have been legitimately injured after Worlds and it still could have been a bit of pantomime in the team optionals.  

Gnauck continued to win event medals (including the bars title at the 1982 World Cup and the 1983 World Championships but there were cracks in her AA in those years.  She ws generally finishing in the 5-7th place range.  She recovered some of her all around form tying for bronze in the 1984 Friendship Games AA with Elena Shushunova.  The next year in her last international competition the 1985 Euros she won the silver medal behind Shushunova who would be World Champion that year.  She also won the bars title.  In a 2016 interview (English translation, German video) , Gnauck now club coach for young gymnasts in Switzerland said that she retired in 1985 (at age 21) primarily because of the change in the uneven bars apparatus.  She did not believe she could adapt to such a radical new style of bars work that late in her career.

[One last look at gymnastics from this period.  The 1985 European Championships uneven bars final is a unique moment in time when the bars were moving further apart to allow more swing but gymnasts hadn’t quite adapted to the new settings.  Almost like an evolutionary missing link.  I highly suggest watching the above video starting at 50.36 to see 1985 UB world champion Gabrielle Fähnrich back to back with Gnauck showing the transitional space between the two styles.]

And that leads me to my second problem with the conspiracy theory.  Gnauck hasn’t confirmed it at any point in the three decades since the collapse of the East German state.  She has been active in the gymnastics community, giving occasional commentary for German TV and a rare interview (though she tends to be restrained person).  In a world of a unified Germany she could have gained a certain amount of advantage by claiming to be a victim of the state.  

Like most star athletes from the GDR of course she made statements in support of the state like this one after it was announced that East Germany would boycott the 1984 Olympics:  “In preparing for the Olympic Games, it is clear that my participation would have been possible only if all participants were guaranteed equal opportunities. I utterly condemn the activities that are being prepared against the athletes of the socialist countries, as well as the policies of the Reagan administration, which has exploited the Olympic ideal into the opposite. Therefore, I stand behind the logical decision of the National Olympic Committee of the GDR to not attend the Summer Games, and starting now I will dedicate my performances in international competitions in honor of our Republic.”  I’m not inclined to hold that against her (anymore than I hold political statements from the 1980s against Katarina Witt).  These were people born in and living in a highly sophisticated police state and Gnauck had no choice but to fully support the actions of the Olympic committee.  But of course that swings back around to why the entire conspiracy theory is plausible:  if it was something that she was ordered to do she would have played her part even at the cost of her own individual ambitions.

If you’ve followed me down this rabbit hole of 4 posts what do you think?  Was there a conspiracy, was there an injury, and was this the most insane time in the history of the sport?

[dan6085]

The number one female golfer for each year from 1980 to 2021:

- 1980: JoAnne Carner

- 1981: Beth Daniel

- 1982: JoAnne Carner

- 1983: JoAnne Carner

- 1984: Betsy King

- 1985: Nancy Lopez

- 1986: Pat Bradley

- 1987: Laura Davies

- 1988: Ayako Okamoto

- 1989: Ayako Okamoto

- 1990: Juli Inkster

- 1991: Pat Bradley

- 1992: Dottie Pepper

- 1993: Betsy King

- 1994: Laura Davies

- 1995: Annika Sorenstam

- 1996: Annika Sorenstam

- 1997: Karrie Webb

- 1998: Annika Sorenstam

- 1999: Karrie Webb

- 2000: Karrie Webb

- 2001: Annika Sorenstam

- 2002: Annika Sorenstam

- 2003: Annika Sorenstam

- 2004: Annika Sorenstam

- 2005: Annika Sorenstam

- 2006: Annika Sorenstam

- 2007: Lorena Ochoa

- 2008: Lorena Ochoa

- 2009: Lorena Ochoa

- 2010: Ai Miyazato

- 2011: Yani Tseng

- 2012: Yani Tseng

- 2013: Inbee Park

- 2014: Stacy Lewis

- 2015: Lydia Ko

- 2016: Lydia Ko

- 2017: So Yeon Ryu

- 2018: Ariya Jutanugarn

- 2019: Jin Young Ko

- 2020: Jin Young Ko

- 2021: Jin Young Ko

Some informarion on the players who held the number one ranking during each year:

- JoAnne Carner: Carner, also known as "Big Mama," was one of the top female golfers of the 1970s and 1980s. She won 43 LPGA Tour events and two major championships during her career.

- Beth Daniel: Daniel won 33 LPGA Tour events and one major championship during her career. She was known for her consistency and accuracy on the golf course.

- Betsy King: King won 34 LPGA Tour events and six major championships during her career. She was one of the top players of the 1980s and 1990s.

- Nancy Lopez: Lopez won 48 LPGA Tour events and three major championships during her career. She was one of the most popular players of her era and helped to popularize women's golf.

- Pat Bradley: Bradley won 31 LPGA Tour events and six major championships during her career. She was known for her mental toughness and competitive spirit.

- Laura Davies: Davies has won 20 LPGA Tour events and four major championships during her career. She is one of the most successful female golfers from Europe and has been a trailblazer for the sport in her home country of England.

- Ayako Okamoto: Okamoto won 17 LPGA Tour events and two major championships during her career. She was one of the top players of the 1980s and helped to popularize women's golf in Japan.

- Juli Inkster: Inkster has won 31 LPGA Tour events and seven major championships during her career. She has been one of the top American players for several decades and has also been a successful captain of the US Solheim Cup team.

- Dottie Pepper: Pepper won 17 LPGA Tour events and two major championships during her career. She was known for her fiery personality and competitive spirit.

- Karrie Webb: Webb has won 41 LPGA Tour events and seven major championships during her career. She was one of the most dominant players of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

- Annika Sorenstam: Sorenstam is one of the greatest female golfers of all time, with 72 LPGA Tour wins and 10 major championships. She held the number one ranking for a total of 199 weeks and was known for her consistency and mental toughness.

- Lorena Ochoa: Ochoa won 27 LPGA Tour events and two major championships during her career. She held the number one ranking for a total of 158 weeks and was known for her aggressive playing style and positive attitude.

- Ai Miyazato: Miyazato won nine LPGA Tour events during her career and held the number one ranking for a total of 11 weeks. She was one of the top players from Japan and helped to popularize women's golf in her home country.

- Yani Tseng: Tseng won 15 LPGA Tour events and five major championships during her career. She held the number one ranking for a total of 109 weeks and was one of the most dominant players of the early 2010s.

- Inbee Park: Park has won 23 LPGA Tour events and seven major championships as of 2021. She held the number one ranking for a total of 106 weeks and is known for her consistent play and strong putting.

- Stacy Lewis: Lewis has won 13 LPGA Tour events and two major championships during her career. She held the number one ranking for a total of four weeks and has been a consistent presence on the LPGA Tour for over a decade.

- Lydia Ko: Ko has won 16 LPGA Tour events and two major championships as of 2021. She held the number one ranking for a total of 104 weeks and was one of the most dominant players of the mid-2010s.

- So Yeon Ryu: Ryu has won six LPGA Tour events and two major championships during her career. She held the number one ranking for a total of 19 weeks and has been one of the top players from South Korea in recent years.

- Ariya Jutanugarn: Jutanugarn has won 10 LPGA Tour events and one major championship as of 2021. She held the number one ranking for a total of two weeks and has been one of the most consistent players on the LPGA Tour in recent years.

- Jin Young Ko: Ko has won 10 LPGA Tour events and four major championships as of 2021. She has held the number one ranking for a total of 118 weeks and is known for her all-around game and consistent play.

It's worth noting that the official world golf rankings for women were not introduced until 2006, so the ranking system was different prior to that time. The rankings listed above are based on the various ranking systems used during each year.

[1solone]

This date in 1983 saw the UK release of 'Another Page', the second album from CHRISTOPHER CROSS (Mar 21, 1983)

The cassette version of the album featured a bonus track: ARTHUR'S THEME (BEST THAT YOU CAN DO).

This song originated with a lyric Liza Minnelli's ex-husband, Australian songwriter Peter Allen wrote for a song he was working on with Burt Bacharach's frequent writing partner and then-wife Carole Bayer Sager: "When you get caught between the moon and New York City."

Allen and Bayer Sager were recording artists, and also very prolific songwriters - together they composed the 1979 Melissa Manchester hit "Don't Cry Out Loud" and the 1980 Rita Coolidge song "I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love."

In 1981 Bayer Sager started working with another top songwriter, Burt Bacharach, who produced and composed songs for her solo album Sometimes Late at Night. When Bacharach got the gig scoring music for the movie Arthur, starring Dudley Moore, he worked on the music for the theme song with Christopher Cross, and asked Bayer Sager (now his romantic partner) to compose the lyrics. She recalled the line Allen came up with years earlier, and secured his permission to use it. For Allen, this was a very lucrative line, as it earned him a songwriting credit along with Bacharach, Bayer Sager and Cross.

Bacharach and Bayer Sager got married in 1982, five days after this song won an Oscar. They teamed up to write two more #1 hits: "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick & Friends, and "On My Own" by Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald. In 1985, they adopted a son named Cristopher. The couple divorced in 1991.

How do you get "caught between the moon and New York City"? According to Peter Allen, he came up with the line when his plane got stuck in a holding pattern waiting to land at JFK airport in New York.

This won the 1982 Oscar for Best Song From A Film. It was a very successful theme song, capturing the charming side of Dudley Moore's character as he faces a drastic change to his lifestyle.

In the film, Moore must consider giving up his fortune for his new love, played by Liza Minnelli. The original script had him losing his money to be with the girl, but audiences in test screenings wanted an even happier ending, so the script was rewritten with Arthur keeping his fortune and the girl. Of course, this blew away the premise that Arthur must choose between money and love, but that's where this song came in handy. Speaking about the film in the New York Times, Larry Brezner, who was one of the producers, said the idea was to "give Arthur the money, bring up the music loud and get the audience the hell out of the theater happy, before they have time to think about it."

Christopher Cross, whose real name is Christopher Geppert, won five Grammy awards in 1981: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for "Sailing," Album Of The Year for Christopher Cross, and Best New Artist.

Christopher Cross was a major star in 1981, earning considerable cachet for his five Grammy wins at that year's ceremony. Getting him to record the theme to Arthur was a big coup for the movie's producers. At first, he was slated to compose the score for the film and also to write the theme song, but that idea was nixed.

This is one of the few songs Christopher Cross wrote with other writers - he prefers to write solo and that's how he composed his hit songs. Working on this song was a wonderful experience, however, as he composed it with Bacharach and Bayer Sager at their place in Beverly Hills.

"It's was one of those nights - about five in the morning we finished the song," explained Cross. "And of course, Burt's genius. And certainly stylistically 'Arthur' is much more in a Burt Bacharach vein than a Christopher Cross vein. I think Burt, out of all four of us that wrote it, was certainly the most responsible for the track. Peter and Carole came up with the words, Burt and I put the music together."

How's this for serendipity: Liza Minnelli, who starred in Arthur, was married to this song's co-writer Peter Allen from 1967-1974.

Dudley Moore, who starred in Arthur, was also an accomplished pianist. He and Cross became good friends and performed the song together a few times with Moore on piano and Cross singing.

[endgreys]

Angel stone rpg hack cheats for ios torrent

Philips 18 Nervous Ron 19 Trevor Philips Industries 20 Crystal Maze 21 Friends Reunited 22 Fame or Shame 23 Hotel Assassination 24 The Multi Target Assassination 25 Dead Man Walking 26 Did Somebody Say Yoga? 27 Three's Company 28 By the Book 29 Hood Safari 30 Scouting the Port 31 Minisub 32 The Merryweather Heist, Freighter 33 Cargobob Additional activity: Flight School 34 The Merryweather Heist, Offshore 35 Blitz Play 36 Getaway Vehicle 37 Tow Truck 38 Trash Truck 39 Masks 40 Boiler Suits 41 Blitz Play #2 42 I Fought the Law. Nate Dogg - Regulate (1994)ġ Prologue 2 Franklin and Lamar 3 Repossession 4 Chop 5 Complications 6 Father/Son 7 The Long Stretch 8 Marriage Counseling 9 Daddy's Little Girl 10 Friend Request Additional mission: The Good Husband 11 Casing the Jewel Store 12 Carbine Rifles 13 The Jewel Store Job (Loud variant) 14 Bugstars Equipment 15 BZ Gas Grenades 16 The Jewel Store Job (Smart variant) 17 Mr. Too $hort - So You Want to Be a Gangster (1992).The Dogg Pound - What Would U Do? (1994).Mack 10 - Nothin' But the Cavi Hit (1996) N.W.A - Appetite for Destruction (1991).Ice Cube - You Know How We Do It (1993).Snoop Dogg, Kurupt & Nate Dogg - The Next Episode (2000) Compton's Most Wanted - Late Nite Hype (1990).Mark Jordan - a renowned American rapper and producer. The West Coast Classics (WCC) radio station plays rap music of the eighties and nineties. The Blackout All-Stars - I Like It Like That (1994).Stardust - Music Sounds Better with You (1998).Spiller ft Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Groovejet (2000).Rihanna - Only Girl (in the World) (2010).Michael Jackson - Remember The Time (1992).Kelly Rowland - Work (Freemasons remix) (2008).Jane Child - Don't Wanna Fall in Love (1990).Hall and Oates - Adult Education (1983).Corona - The Rhythm of the Night (1993).It is hosted by a 21-year-old British model Cara Delevingne. The Non Stop Pop FM radio station plays contemporary pop music. The Doobie Brothers - What a Fool Believes (1978).The Alan Parsons Project - I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You (1977).Small Faces - Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake (1968).REO Speedwagon - Can't Fight This Feeling (1985).Phil Collins - I Don't Care Anymore (1982).Julian Lennon - Too Late for Goodbyes (1984).Greg Kihn Band - The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em) (1981).Elton John - Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting (1973).Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band - Hollywood Nights (1978).Billy Squier - Lonely Is the Night (1981).It is hosted by Kenneth Clark "Kenny" Loggins, an American singer, musician and composer. The path of fate is yours to tread and your story is not yet written…Ĭarnal Instinct is an Adult RPG with an emphasis on AAA quality visuals and compelling erotic interaction. Our team has over 20 years development experience and brings that formidable expertise to bear in this ambitious open-world adventure.The Los Santos Rock Radio station plays classic rock. You enter this world as a slave, a prisoner of fate and the cruelty of others, but you will find that your future is as changeable as the sands of Sabu. Unchecked, these immortals now vie for power as warlords, their conquest bathing Sabu with the blood of the innocent. Deprived of its divine empress, Sabu has fallen under the rule of eight demigods, powerful beings that once served Kethra as bodyguards. The God-Queen Kethra has not been seen for a thousand years, but rumors of her return are uttered in hushed tones throughout the sprawling villages along the shoreline of the once mighty waterway. Our journey begins in a realm of ancient myth, where the life-giving waters of the Euphoris river meet the sandswept ruins of Sabu.

[thequiver]

Who is.... Xuân Cao Mạnh | Karma? - A Reading Guide

Xuân Cao Mạnh is an X-Men affiliated character from Marvel Comics first introduced in 1980. Xuân is a Vietnamese refugee who parents both died on the passage to America, leaving her in the care of her uncle and in charge of herself and her younger siblings. Xuân's family is very important to her and drives much of her story. Xuân is most commonly associated with her first team and close friends, the New Mutants, and spends a considerable portion of her appearances with them. Xuân is also a lesbian and an amputee!

Despite the heavy importance of her heritage to her story, it was not until 2023, some forty-three years after her introduction that her name was officially changed to something recognizable in Vietnamese. This interview, with Vietnamese comic creator, Trung Le Nguyen, who had the opportunity of writing Xuân in 2023, does a great job of breaking down the issues with the spellings we see in earlier comics. While the change has been made to correct her name now, for most of the issues in this reading list you will still see the unfortunate old name of Xi'an Coy Manh and the nickname "Shan."

Reading list under the cut!

Introduction and New Mutants

Xuân was introduced prior to the formation of her first team. She spent a fair amount of time with the New Mutants before moving on to a more personal mission. Please note that this period contains some absolutely disgusting and highly targeted fatphobia towards Xuân specifically.

Marvel Team-Up (1972) #100A Marvel Graphic Novel (1981) #4 New Mutants (1983) #1-6, 29-34 New Mutants Special Edition (1985) #1 X-Men Annual (1970) #9 New Mutants (1983) #35-37 Secret Wars II (1985) #9 New Mutants (1983) #38-40, 43-44, Annual 2 X-Men Annual (1970) #10 New Mutants (1983) #46-48, 50-52 Fallen Angels (1987) #1-2 New Mutants (1983) #53-54

Search for Siblings and Adulthood

Xuân makes the choice to leave the New Mutants to search for her younger siblings, and embarks on what also becomes a journey of self discovery! She doesn't always have a HUGE role in these issues, which is heartbreaking, but when it comes to Xuân it's helpful to have as much information as possible even if she's only in one or two panels...TRIGGER WARNING: during New X-Men there is a deeply uncomfortable plot in which Rahne (Wolfsbane) forms a romantic relationship with a student....and all of the students are mad at the child and the staff (Xuân included) talk about how they need to forgive Rahne....

Wolverine (1988) #4-8 New Mutants (1983) #81 Wolverine (1988) #27-30 New Warriors (1990) #45 X-Force (1991) #33-34 Beast (1997) #1-3 New Mutants: Truth or Death (1997) #1-3 X-Force (1991) #75 Mekanix (2002) #1-6 X-Men Unlimited (1993) #43A New Mutants (2003) #4-13 New X-Men (2004) #7, 9, 13-15 New X-Men Yearbook Special (2005) #1 New X-Men (2004) #16-19 Decimation: House of M- The Day After (2006) #1 X-Men: The 198 (2006) #1 X-Men (1991) #183A X-Men: Manifest Destiny (2008) #1C Uncanny X-Men (1981) #501-503 X-Men: Worlds Apart (2008) #4 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #504 X-Infernus (2009) #2, 4 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #508

New Mutants- Again

In 2009, Xuân joins the newly reformed New Mutants and things are....definitely interesting.

New Mutants (2009) #1-4, 6-10, 12 X-Men: Legacy (2008) #235 X-Force (2008) #26 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #524 X-Men: Second Coming (2010) #2 New Mutants (2009) #15, 17-22 X-Men: Legacy (2008) #246 New Mutants (2009) #25, 27-28 Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha & Omega (2012) #4-5 New Mutants (2009) #33

Regenesis & Utopians

Following the schism between Cyclops and Wolverine, Xuân followed Wolverine to Westchester where she once again found work at the school. After Utopia was abandoned she joined a group known as the Utopians.

Astonishing X-Men (2004) #48-56, Annual 1 New Mutants (2009) #44, 49 Avengers vs. X-Men (2012) #11 New Mutants (2009) #50 Astonishing X-Men (2004) #57-59 X-Termination (2013) #1 Astonishing X-Men (2004) #60 Age of Apocalypse (2012) #14 X-Treme X-Men (2012) #13 X-Termination (2013) #2 Astonishing X-Men (2004) #62-66, 68 All New X-Men (2013) #40-41 New Mutants: Dead Souls (2018) #1, 4, 6 Uncanny X-Men (2018) #12-19 War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men (2019) #1-3

Krakoa

Like most mutants, Xuân moved to the island nation of Krakoa, where she rejoined the New Mutants...again and underwent the crucible in order to give her twin brother another chance at life.

New Mutants (2019) #1-2, 5, 7, 9-11, 14-19 Marvel's Voices: Pride (2021) #1L New Mutants (2019) #20-24, 26, 30-31 Love Unlimited Infinity Comic (2022) #31-36 New Mutants: Lethal Legion (2023) #1-5

Extra:

The 2023 Magneto series goes back over some New Mutants (1983) things to bring back Magneto the teacher, Xuân's in it and it's written by JMD so you know I had to recommend it!

[michelemoutons]

and at last, the post that maybe three people maximum have been waiting for...

em's comfort retro rally videos: a masterlist!

in a much-needed return to this blog's roots, and as an antidote to all motorsport- and life-related chaos, i now present to you: the first edition of em's favorite retro rally videos!

general disclaimer/info: these videos mainly come from the group B era of the world rally championship (wrc), which generally speaking was in the '80s. i am only human, so expect a lot of bias toward my personal favorites...which will become very apparent as you read this list hehe. also i'm not even gonna pretend to be an expert on this or anything. a lot of these are literally just based on Vibes

table of contents

i. my top 5 rally coverage videos

mainly coverage for television, recorded on VHS and uploaded to YouTube by some truly incredible people

ii. honorable mentions

not rally coverage, but retro rally videos nevertheless

often documentaries, mini-doc features, interviews

for all videos, i have indicated the language (most are in english fyi); if any links fail or videos disappear, send me an ask or DM and i'll remove the culprit/find an alternative link.

and now, onward!

(TW for occasional flash photography in many of the night sequences of the videos, as well as a gif included in this post)

i. my top 5 rally coverage videos

in which my bias toward audi sport, mouton/pons, mikkola, toivonen, and vatanen are put on blast for all to see 🥴 i am not an expert in anything i am just very good at research and a whore for aud—[SNIPED]. for the sake of brevity, i narrowed my favorites down to 5. maybe another time i will share all the rest!

also, a general note about the commentary: sometimes, the commentary around michèle and fabrizia can get... weird. keep in mind, they were the most prominent female team partnership around that time, and the first to nearly clinch a wrc wdc, and to modern ears, the commentators really didn't know how to act around them. personally, it wasn't horrible for me, i just ignored the weirder bits, but i understand if others might find it off-putting. also for the sake of your sanity don't read the comments.

5. Rally of the 1000 Lakes, 1984 | finland

link: overall coverage (eng)

podium: vatanen/alén/toivonen (full final results)

comments: this was definitely a rally for most of audi sport's drivers to forget: bar stig blomqvist, who came quite close to the podium finishers with a 4:14:01 to henri toivonen's 4:12:57! both hannu mikkola and michèle mouton had to retire from the race, which may lead you to wonder: why does this rank among my favorites? well, it's always fun to watch group b rally cars sailing through the air against picturesque scenery, and this video also contains an intriguing (at least for me!) look at the scrutineering process, with drivers at their most casual.

owie :( they were fine though!

4. Lombard RAC Rally, 1981 | britain

link: overall coverage (eng)

podium: mikkola/vatanen/blomqvist (full final results)

comments: hannu winning by 11 whole minutes even after rolling his car in the middle of the forest is actual legend behavior! anyway this was michèle's first wrc outing in britain, and even though she and fabrizia had to retire, they still did quite well, consistently running high in the leaderboards after the first few stages. and that's considering the fact that michèle had a bad cold for much of the rally and had to ask fabrizia to drive the car to service park for her at one point bc she was so tired. which fabrizia did... with a pencil in her mouth. lot of big names in one video—also, jean todt makes an appearance as a co-driver!

shamelessly poached off of one of my text post edits

3. Marlboro Safari Rally, 1983 | kenya

link: overall coverage (eng)

podium: vatanen/mikkola/mouton (full final results)

comments: ok can i just say how stunning the video presentation is?? the opening sequence is just!!! the shots of the wildlife! the sprinting giraffes! wow! anyway the visual of drivers in deck chairs just tickles me for no reason, and michèle please tell me what you ask for at the hairdresser's and also where you got that orange blouse (this is obviously not just specific to this rally, she always eats and leaves no crumbs). this was michèle's first entry and only finish in kenya (and of course it was a podium mwah). it was also her last wrc entry in the A1 quattro, as she switched to the A2 for the rest of her program in the '83 season. also this is one of my favorite podium pictures ever.

lksdjffnnkd there's almost too much to unpack... fabrizia somehow surviving in high waist jeans in a hot car... michèle's do-it-yourself shorts... this podium picture was the subject of a very frantic video chat conversation between myself and a friend at 2am a few months ago

2. Rallye de Portugal, 1982 | portugal

links: short recap (eng) | overall coverage 1, stuck in the middle of two other rallies. timestamps in descrip. (eng) | overall coverage 2, very vibey with cool music (ita... also peep walter röhrl speaking italian)

podium: mouton/eklund/wittmann (full final results)

comments: GOD I LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH AAAA! michèle's first podium of '82 being a win? this rally being the one where there's footage of her going shopping with fabrizia afterward? (more on that later) them winning by 13 whole minutes? and that's not even considering THEE most poetic victory ceremony of all time! in fact let me talk about that bc the racing and the win aside, that's why it's so high up on my list! literally poetic cinema! it's night, they're standing on top of the car and floodlit and surrounded by cheering crowds but they may as well be the only ones there in their own little world, laughing at each other and barely even having to look to each other when they're raising their hands—like god! shut up! we get it you're besties 😭

i_just_think_theyre_neat.png

and now... last but certainly never least...

1. Lombard RAC Rally, 1982 | britain

link: overall coverage (eng)

podium: mikkola/mouton/toivonen (full final results)

comments: firstly, if you were to ask me about my dream podium, this would be it. hands down, across all series of motorsport, my comfort podium would be hannu, michèle, and henri in any order. (there's such a cute picture of them from this rally on pinterest, standing in order on a staircase. henri is not looking at the camera because he is laughing at something michèle is saying and it's such a Vibe but i cannot find it wah). the battle for second between michèle and henri ran down to literally the last stage, and their times are separated by seconds, which is just wild to me. the context of this rally deserves another post, which i honestly don’t have the energy to make rn, but just take my word for it that it threatens to destroy me if i think about it too hard! anyway this is just such an awesome rally and i’ve watched this video so many times haha

i love this rally so much that i actually had a character in a story i was writing attend the ceremony captured in this picture as a small child and made it a formative moment in her life. no, there is nothing wrong with me.

ii. honorable mentions

(is it obvious who my faves are? yikes)

'Group B - Avec Michele Mouton' (eng) - taken from a longer feature presentation about group b, a segment specifically about michèle. a friend once described its vibes as ‘a synth wave edit of an 80s anime set in a cyberpunk world about racing’

'1983 Audi Sport National Rally with Michele Mouton' (eng) - in which michèle takes journalist sue baker as a co-driver for a spin in an A1 and a rally win. fun behind-the-scenes video

'Intervista a Fabrizia Pons, la Regina delle Note' 1, 2, 3 (ita) - very thorough interview which is mostly fabrizia telling all sorts of stories, including the very entertaining story of how she found out she was going to be michèle’s co-driver. also what a badass title

'2008 Otago International Classic Rally' (eng) - THE BESTIES REUNITE THE BESTIES REUNITE!!! michèle and fabrizia reunite for a rally that fabrizia convinced michèle to join, they suffer some problems but there are plenty of wholesome bestie moments to be had

'Michele Mouton hurls Group B Audi Quattro up Goodwood hill' (eng) - i mean, self explanatory. the sound of the chirping tires? asmr could never. very short watch if you want a quick pick-me-up

'1990 Louise Aitken-Walker feature' (eng) - a video featuring a female rally driver from scotland and her point-scoring run at the rallye monte -carlo. i am convinced that louise was john finnemore’s inspiration or at least an influence for the character of linda fairbairn. no my hat is not made of tin foil what are you talking about

hannu rocketing around michigan back in 2017 (eng)

hannu flying around goodwood in 2015 (eng)

sometimes i listen to fabrizia's recent onboards (yes, she's still at it!) and this one is one of my favorites, from 2016 (ita)

[transparenttriumphzombie]

Danielle Bunten Berry (February 19, 1949 – July 3, 1998), formerly known as Dan Bunten, was an American game designer and programmer, known for the 1983 game M.U.L.E., one of the first influential multiplayer video games, and 1984's The Seven Cities of Gold.

In 1998, she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Computer Game Developers Association. In 2007, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences chose Bunten as the 10th inductee into its Hall of Fame.

Bunten was born in St. Louis, Missouri and moved to Little Rock, Arkansas as a junior in high school. She was the oldest of six siblings. While growing up in Little Rock, Bunten's family didn't always have enough money to make ends meet, so Bunten took a job at a pharmacy. She also held a leadership role with the Boy Scouts.

According to Bunten, one of her fondest childhood memories involved playing games with her family. She was quoted saying, “When I was a kid, the only times my family spent together that weren’t totally dysfunctional were when we were playing games. Consequently, I believe games are a wonderful way to socialize.”

While attending the University of Arkansas, she opened up her own bike shop called Highroller Cyclerie. Bunten acquired a degree in industrial engineering in 1974 and started programming text-based video games as a hobby. After she graduated from college, she was employed by the National Science Foundation, where she created urban models before starting a job at a video game company.

In 1978, Bunten sold a real-time auction game for the Apple II titled Wheeler Dealers to a Canadian software company, Speakeasy Software. This early multiplayer game required a custom controller, raising its price to USD$35 in an era of $15 games sold in plastic bags. It sold only 50 copies.

After producing three titles for SSI, Bunten, who by then had founded a software company called Ozark Softscape, caught the attention of Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins. M.U.L.E. was Bunten's first game for EA, originally published for the Atari 8-bit family because the Atari 800 had four controller ports. Bunten later ported it to the Commodore 64. While its sales - 30,000 units - were not high, the game developed a cult following and was widely pirated. The game setting was inspired by the novel Time Enough for Love by Robert A. Heinlein.

Along with the success of M.U.L.E., Berry also had close ties with the games Robot Rascals, Heart of Africa, and Cartels & Cutthroat$. Throughout her career, she was involved in the creation of 12 games, 10 of which revolved around multiplayer compatibility. The only two which didn't have a multiplayer focus were Seven Cities of Gold and Heart of Africa.

Bunten wanted to follow up M.U.L.E. with a game that would have been similar to the later game Civilization, but after fellow Ozark Softscape partners balked at the idea, Bunten followed with The Seven Cities of Gold, which proved popular because of its simplicity. By the time the continent data were stored in the computer's memory, there was little left for fancy graphics or complex gameplay - the game had only five resources. It was a hit, selling more than 150,000 copies.

The follow-up game, Heart of Africa, appeared in 1985 and was followed by Robot Rascals, a combination computer/card game that had no single-player mode and sold only 9,000 copies, and 1988's Modem Wars, one of the early games played by two players over a dial-up modem.  Modem Wars was ahead of its time, as few people in the late 1980s had modems in their homes.

Bunten departed EA for MicroProse. Allegedly, Trip Hawkins, CEO of EA, did not feel that pushing production of games onto a cartridge based system was a good idea. The shift was important to Bunten, as computer games had previously been distributed on floppy discs, and a changeover to a cartridge system would allow games to be played on Nintendo systems. This was a significant factor in her decision to leave. She then developed a computer version of the board game Axis and Allies, which became 1990's Command HQ, a modem/network grand strategy wargame. Bunten's second and last game for MicroProse was 1992's Global Conquest, a 4-player network/modem war game. It was the first 4-player network game from a major publisher. Bunten was a strong advocate of multi-player online games, observing that, "No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had spent more time alone with my computer.'"

A port of M.U.L.E. to the Mega Drive/Genesis was cancelled after Bunten refused to put guns and bombs in the game, feeling it would alter the game too much from its original concept. In 1997, Bunten shifted focus to multiplayer games over the Internet with Warsport, a remake of Modem Wars that debuted on the MPlayer.com game network.

Less than a year after the release of Warsport, Bunten was diagnosed with lung cancer presumably related to years of heavy smoking. She died on July 3, 1998. At the time, she was working on the design of an Internet version of M.U.L.E..

The game's primary premise consisted of players playing with and against one another to establish total control over a planet. The name of the game stands for Multiple Use Labor Element. The game was originally made for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 but was later developed to be compatible with the Commodore 64, NES, and IBM pcjr. The game has a maximum of four players. Players are given different options and choices, and are allowed to create their colony the way they see fit. This can be done by changing races and giving respective colonies different advantages that will impact the way the game is played and determined later on down the line.

Ultimately there are two ways in which players can win the game. The first way is by having the most amount of money out of all four players, and the second way is by being able to survive the colony itself. The game focuses heavily on going out and retrieving resources that can be used to benefit their character. Items such as food, energy, and crystite are some of a number of in-game items that players are able to retrieve and use to better themselves. In order for a player to be able to access these items, they will first have to have access to a M.U.L.E. The acquisition of these items has a direct reflection on what the player will be allowed to do. For example, if a player doesn't have enough food, they will have less time during their turn.

The Seven Cities of Gold was originally intended to be another multiplayer game. It was originally a single player format, focused heavily on having the players travel around the map and collect items to help them strengthen their colony. Once they felt as though they had a solid colony, the players could battle each other to see who could overtake who After much consideration, Ozark Software came to the conclusion that this would not be doable. Instead, they went with a formula that had the game focus solely on developing a colony.

Ozark Softscape was a computer game development team consisting initially of Danielle Bunten, her brother Bill Bunten, Jim Rushing, and Alan Watson. Ozark was run out of Bunten's basement. The company was based out of Little Rock, Arkansas and had profound success with a few of their early titles. Ozark Softscape had a publishing deal with Electronic Arts for several of its groundbreaking games. In the early 1990s, Ozark Softscape left its partnership with Electronic Arts over a dispute to port some games to cartridge format for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It began a partnership with MicroProse to produce two more titles: Command HQ and Global Conquest. A dispute occurred over creating a follow-up to M.U.L.E. with Sega in 1993, and the company dissolved. The employees of Ozark Softscape moved to different areas of the software industry. 

Bunten was married three times. Bunten had three children, one daughter and two sons. After a third divorce, Bunten, who had until then been living as male, transitioned to living as a woman. Bunten underwent sex reassignment surgery in November 1992 and afterward kept a lower profile in the games industry. Bunten later regretted having surgery, finding that for her, the drawbacks of surgical transition outweighed the benefits, and wishing she had considered alternative approaches. She joked that the surgery was to improve the video game industry's male/female ratio and aesthetics, but advised others considering a sex change not to proceed unless there was no alternative and warned them of the cost, saying "Being my 'real self' could have included having a penis and including more femininity in whatever forms made sense. I didn't know that until too late and now I have to make the best of the life I've stumbled into. I just wish I would have tried more options before I jumped off the precipice."

After her transition in fall 1992, Bunten stayed out of the video game spotlight, mostly keeping to herself. She felt as though that after transitioning she was not as good at video game development as she had previously been, stating "So, I'm a little more than three years into my new life role as Ms. Danielle Berry, and her career looks to be somewhat different from old Mr. Dan Bunten's. For one thing, I'm not as good a programmer as he was." On July 3, 1998, Berry died of lung cancer.

Wheeler Dealers (1978)

Cartels & Cutthroats (1981)

Computer Quarterback (1981)

Cytron Masters (1982)

M.U.L.E. (1983)

The Seven Cities of Gold (1984)

Heart of Africa (1985)

Robot Rascals (1986)

Modem Wars (1988)

Command HQ (1990)

Global Conquest (1992)

Warsport (1997)

Although many of Bunten's titles were not commercially successful, they were widely recognized by the industry as being ahead of their time. On May 7, 1998, less than two months before her death, Berry was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Computer Game Developers Association.

In 2000, Will Wright dedicated his blockbuster hit The Sims to Bunten's memory. In 2007, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences chose Bunten to be inducted into its Hall of Fame. Sid Meier, the mastermind behind the video game series Civilization, inducted her at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.

Bunten was a true pioneer for the video game industry, especially its multiplayer aspect of it. She is regarded by many as one of the best designers to ever grace the video game industry. Her success has even led people to make the claim that the work she did with games like M.U.L.E and Seven Cities of Gold was the inspiration behind highly successful modern multiplayer games like World of Warcraft.

Bunten was known as someone who was very easy to talk to. If someone recognized her in public, she would be more than delighted to have a conversation with them.

[yyh4ever]

YYH and Togashi's musical references

I always find new references every time I read the manga, so I’ll probably edit this post in the future with new ones. If anyone knows more refs, please leave a comment or a message and I’ll add in the post giving the credits.

1. International artists: most of the bands and artists are from the rock/metal scene.

Keiko reading UDO in her English Class (v.2, p.98)

UDO is a German heavy metal band founded by the lead vocalist Udo Dirkschneider (ex-Accept) in 1987.

Keiko is reading an adapted version of the lyrics of “Unspoken Words”:

My thoughts are going back - back to the time When I was young to live a life A life of lies - full of lies

Then you came into my life And you've changed so many things That I've done before - that I've done before...

Togashi commented on the Table of Contents in 1991 that he was listening to UDO and Led Zeppelin as BGM. (WSJ issue 6, 1991)

Kuwabara’s “Moter-head” T-shirt (v.3-4, Genkai’s Tournament)

A reference to “Motörhead”, English rock band formed in 1975 by bassist, singer, and songwriter Lemmy (RIP, 2015). We can also see the names of two famous Motörhead‘s albums on his shirt: “Bomber”, 3th studio album (1979), and “Iron Fist”, 5th studio album (1982).

“Sodom” is probably from the German metal band formed in 1981 and “Sabbat” is probably a reference to “Black Sabbath”, English rock band formed in 1968 whose vocalist Ozzy Osbourne is very famous.

Michael Jackson in The Dark Tournament (v.6, p.132)

A man who needs no introduction. Michael Jackson wearing his famous white gloves and 'Smooth Criminal' hat, bringing a thriller night into the Tournament ;-)

The Scalper of the Dark Tournament and AC ϟ DC (v.6, pp. 172-173)

The suit, necktie and newsboy cap have everything to do with Angus Young’s famous costume. He is the co-founder, lead guitarist and songwriter of AC/DC.

So, most of us believe that the ticket seller was modeled after him. “I’m on a Highway to Hell”!

Imajin from Team Rokuyukai and John Lennon (v.6, p.170)

The name “Imajin” is a reference to the song “Imagine”. His character’s design also had some inspiration from John Lennon, such as John's famous round glasses.

Chapter 62 Opening and The Clash (v.7, p.132)

The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976. Yu Yu Hakusho 62nd Opening Act. "The Second Round Begins!!" was inspired by the cover of The Clash’s self-titled debut studio album (1977).

Paul Simonon (bass): Kuwabara;

Mick Jones (guitars): Yusuke; 

In Joe Strummer’s place (RIP) there’s a suspicious couple in the background ⬇ XD

Kuwabara and Megallica (v.14, chapter 124. "Fierce Rain...!!)

This is a classic and everyone knows it, but it definitely deserves a mention. The day Kuwabara threw everything away to attend a Megallica’s concert.

A tribute to Metallica or both bands - Megadeth and Metallica - as Dave Mustaine's exit from Metallica and the founding of Megadeth in 1983 was a pivotal moment in the metal scene.

We can also spot a Metallica’s poster on the wall of Kuwabara’s bedroom in volume 6, chapter 46. "Springtime for Kuwabara!!" (p.14)

And another poster above the TV with the letters “ETH” written on it. Probably, a poster of “Megadeth”. It’s hard to tell, because the image is small, but it looks like the skeleton hand of Megadeth’s mascot Vic Rattlehead. (v.6, p.9)

2. Japanese artists: I included some actors as well, as most of them are also singers.

Daisuke Motomoto and Youki Kudoh (v.1, p.197)

Daisuke's type of woman is the famous actress and singer Youki Kudoh.

Shizuru: Bunta Sugawara & Ken Takakura (v.2, p.131)

Shizuru’s favorite type of man was two elder and renowned actors. Both were born in the '30s and appeared in almost 200 Japanese feature films.

Born in 1931, Ken Takakura, known as Ken-san, was an actor and singer. He died of lymphoma on November 10, 2014. Born in 1933, Sugawara was also the model for the design of the One Piece character Sakazuki “Akainu.” He died from liver cancer on November 28, 2014 . Isn’t it a huge coincidence they both passed away of cancer on November 2014?

REBECCA [レベッカ] (v.1, p.192; v.3, p.163)

REBECCA are a Japanese rock band that had a great success in the 80′s, fronted by singer Nokko. Natsuko, Keiko’s friend, says a curiosity about REBECCA’s song “MOON”:

“It's true, there is a voice saying "SENPAI" at the beginning of the bridge” (note: bridge from the song structure).

It is said in the middle of this song, there is a mysterious woman voice calling "senpai" (veteran, senior). Honestly, I’m not sure if I can hear it lol.

There’s also a rumor that the three guys and girl who appear in volume 3 (upper left of page 163) during the lottery of Genkai’s Tournament are REBECCA. What do you think?

Eisaku Yoshida, actor and singer (v.4, p.46)

Kuwabara and Yusuke arrived in front of the Maze Castle in Makai in only 2 hours. Togashi made a joke about it and wrote a small text below the scene:

“Fast as the development of Eisaku Yoshida’s doramas.”

Akiko Matsumoto (v.6, p.152)

The actress and singer Akiko Matsumoto is a Japanese 80's idol. When Yusuke is sleeping in the ship, Kuwabara says Yusuke is so tired that he won’t get up even if Akiko Matsumoto was next to him.

Eriko Tamura in the Dark Tournament (v.6, p.158)

The super famous singer and actress Eriko Tamura appears in a panel during The Dark Tournament in the Hanging Neck Island’s Hotel. It was probably a reference to her manga/anime version of “Idol Densetsu Eriko” (1989).

Kuwabara’s Energy Drink and Pierre Taki (v.6, p.160)

The name of the front man for Japanese synth-pop group “Denki Groove” appears on Kuwabara’s energy drink. I’ve already made a detailed post about it and the polemic involving his name.

Space Battleship Yamato Opening Theme (v.13, p.62)

When the guys are about to leave the Hanging Neck Island, Yusuke starts to sing: “Saaaraaabaa” (Farewell) which is the beginning of the opening theme of the super famous anime “Space Battleship Yamato” (Uchuu Senkan Yamato, 1974), sung by Isao Sasaki.

Sensui, Itsuki and Jun Togawa’s performance on Hit Studio (v.16, p.17)

Sensui spares Itsuki’s life after he confessed he wanted to live one more day to watch the singer Jun Togawa on Hit Studio. Sensui also watches the show. In the anime, the line was changed to “the last episode of the dorama”.

Fun fact: Jun Togawa actually performed a few times on Hit Studio and Togashi said in an interview this was a moment he really experienced.

This performance is from 1984 and Togawa was promoting her debut album as a solo artist “Tamahime-sama”:

Trivia: to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Jun Togawa’s musical career in 2016, an album alongside the metal band Vampillia entitled "Watashi ga Nakou Hototogizu" ("I Will Sing Like a Cuckoo") was released. Togashi created black & white illustrations for their collaboration:

I know Togashi said in “Yoshirin de Pon!” (1994) that Mukuro was modeled after Kushana (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind) but Jun Togawa’s famous robotic arm from the 80′s reminds me Mukuro’s. She also performed the song “Radar Man” on Hit Studio wearing the cybernetic arm.

Akiko Wada and the earthquake (v.16, p.119)

When Sensui releases his sacred energy and the ground starts to tremble, a female citizen makes a comment: "Isn’t this Akiko Wada tapping her foot?". Akiko Wada is the famous singer, known as The Queen of the Japanese R&B. If you watch her performances, specially the from the 80s-90s, you’ll notice the peculiar way she shakes her legs and taps her foot while singing. When she debuted, she was also known for her tall stature, large physique and high tone voice.

“Otoko Nara” (v.17. p.171)

After saying goodbye and being dumped by Keiko, Yusuke starts to sing the famous military and wartime song “Otoko Nara” (男なら - “If you are a man”) from 1937. Translation to English

Yusuke: “Otoko nara, larilarila....”

3. Other mentions and references

WSJ issue 25, 1992; v. 6 opening illustration and v.8 cover

According to Togashi’s comments from the Artbook, these guys next to Yusuke were inspired by two black guys Togashi saw on a music video or magazine. But as he doesn’t remember where the inspiration comes from, it’s hard to tell the origin.

Anime: I’m only taking the manga and Togashi’s refs into consideration here. But you can always have fun searching in the animation for other references, like the Oingo Boingo poster in Kuwabara’s bedroom and Roger Dean’s artwork in the Makai landscape.

Other celebrities: 

↪ Downtown (v.19, p.114-115): is a Japanese comedy duo consisting of Hitoshi Matsumoto and Masatoshi Hamada. Formed in 1982, they are one of the most influential comedy duos in Japan and famous for hosting variety shows, such as Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!! Togashi has stated he’s a fan and even the name “Hunter × Hunter” came about while he was watching their TV show, in which the hosts often repeat what they say to make the audience laugh. People believe the TV program Juri, Koto and Ruka were attending in the last volume is a reference to the variety show. Juri calls one of the hosts Yamazaki-san which is probably a reference to Hosei Yamasaki one of the five members of Downtown Gaki no Tsukai's regular cast. The man watching the TV while smoking is Togashi.

↪ Kurama comparing himself to Kazaguruma no Yashichi from the dorama “Mito Komon” (v.5, p.201). I made a post about it.

↪ The family name “Minamino” was taken from the singer Youko Minamino, but other Japanese celebrities were also considered. I made a post about it.

↪ A mention to the late sumo wrestler Kurama Tatsuya (v.13, p.89). When one of Kurama’s senior overhear Kuwabara calling Minamino as Kurama, instead of using his human name, he says: Kurama? (using the kanji of the fighter’s name), the former sekitori?

↪ Byakko bringing up Carl Lewis (v.5, p.57) was hilarious. Kuwabara needed to jump a distance of 10 meters, 2 meters more than Carl Lewis. Probably a reference to the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo and Lewis' greatest achievements during the competition. These chapters from the Saint Beasts saga were being written during this time.

↪ Kuwabara’s name was inspired by two baseball players as Togashi explained in the comics and the databook. But he also mentions some achievements from other baseball players during the series and incorporates them in his sword techniques:

→ Hiromitsu Ochiai (v.4, p.74): The “Ochiai-ryuu Shui-dasha-ken” (The Leading Hitter Ochiai Style Sword) used by Kuwabara to bat Rando’s fireballs technique (Kashou Happa-ken) is a reference to the baseball player Hiromitsu Ochiai. He is considered one of the most important players in the history of Japanese baseball and was given the title of “shui-dasha” (leading hitter), a player who ends the season with the best batting average score. That’s why Kuwabara mentions “shui-dasha” in the name of the technique.

→ Satoshi Inamoto (v.5, p.55): During the fight with Byakko, Kuwabara wants to use his “Teikyo High School Sayonara Two-Run Homer Sword” to bat the Tiger Scream but he is stopped by Kurama.

There’s a small text written below the panel: “August 17, 1991, 12h45PM, hitter Inamoto”. It’s a reference to a match between Teikyo High School and Ikeda High School in 1991. Teikyo High School turned the game around and won thanks to Inamoto’s home run.

↪ Fubuki Sato and Masato Hagiwara (v.17, p.120): while her brother Kaisei likes to watch TV, Fubuki likes the actor, voice actor and professional mahjong player Hagiwara Masato-kun.

↪ Hiei and Medaka Ikeno (v.19, p.88): a woman on TV describes the ET (Hiei) who abducted her. “His height is about Medaka Ikeno”. He is a  Japanese comedian known for his short stature, about 149cm, and for being the man whose 'size is same as a tie'.

↪ Arnold Schwarzenegger (v.19, p.113): when Kido goes to the movies, there’s a billboard announcing: “The Crying Game” (on the right) and “Schwarzenegger - Last Action Hero” (on the left). Toguro is said to be modeled after Schwarzenegger’s Terminator, but Togashi mentions in the Yu Yu Hakusho Artbook (2015) that "Younger Toguro is Sato", referring to Koji Sato, the main antagonist of 1989 film "Black Rain”, played by the Japanese actor Yuusaku Matsuda.