Godzilla’s Gigantic Pop Culture Footprint

By Peter W. Smorynski The ground shakes, buildings tremble, and screams of terror mix with shouts of hope. For over sixty years, all around the globe, there’s only been one monster who can elicit such a contradictory phenomenon. GODZILLA. Recently, I was approached by an acquaintance in academics to comment on how Godzilla affected pop …

The Revolution was Televised (PART 2 of 2): Toonami’s Broader TV Legacy

By Peter W. Smorynski [Editorial: Anime!] As noted in PART 1, from March 1997 to September 2008, Toonami inspired a generation through its positive philosophy and a fresh dose of creativity. However, with the end of this revolutionary action-cartoon block, I've noticed that most major animation news outlets have downplayed or even ignored Toonami's contributions …

The Revolution was Televised (PART 1 of 2): The Toonami Generation

By Peter W. Smorynski [Editorial: Anime!] March 17, 1997. Deep space. On the Ghost Planet, the decision was made to fire an experimental cannon. That afternoon, an unidentified object burst through Earth's atmosphere and blazed a luminous trail across the sky. Trying to control the frenzy sweeping the globe, authorities tracked down the UFO to …