Tag: Coffee Talk

Coffee Talk #649: Shreds Revisited (Pop Edition!)

As many of you know, I’m a big fan of “shreds” videos. A well done shreds video totally cracks me up. The best clips are musically accurate enough to be recognizable, with the right amount of horrible playing/singing to make you laugh. The last time I wrote about shreds, I focused on heavy metal acts like Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne. The genre lends itself  marvelously to shreds; it’s fun to butcher virtuoso guitar playing and bang heavy drums off-rhythm. Today, I give you a trio of my favorite pop music shreds. Today’s lineup is Hall & Oates, Backstreet Boys, and Miley Cyrus.

This live performance of Hall & Oates “Maneater” is a fantastic example of a superior shreds video. The composer did an exemplary job of mixing different musical instruments and vocals, syncing them perfectly with the performance. Small touches, like the hollow sound that occurs when Hall hits the microphone stand, really help bring this video to life. Plus, John Oates is just a funny looking dude. It’s a scientific fact that videos that feature a white man with an afro and a pr0n-stache are exponentially funnier than ones without a white man with an afro and a pr0n-stache.

This clip of the Backstreet Boys singing “I Want it That Way” shows that a capella shreds can work too. It helps that it was performed on Oprah, as cutaways to the live crowd and Ms. Winfrey herself lead to some funny moments. The ridiculous faces made by the Backstreet Boys are even funnier. Lastly, middle-aged men singing a boy band song is always a good laugh. On a technical level, the composer did a great job crafting horrid harmonies.

Last, but not least, is Miley Cyrus performing “Wrecking Ball” on Ellen. Similar to the Backstreet Boys performance, the talk-show setting helps. Miley’s edge is that she’s singing a ridiculously dramatic song; a rich white girl whining about problems just begs to be made fun of. The composer did a fine job with the instruments, particularly the wretched guitar playing. On its own, “Wrecking Ball” is easy enough to laugh at. Give it the shreds treatment and the song hits a whole new level of comedy.

Naturally, I want to watch any shreds videos that you recommend. If you come across some great ones, please post them in the comments section.

Coffee Talk #648: Your Black Friday/Cyber Monday Wish/Get List

The ludicrous sensations known as Black Friday and Cyber Monday are nearly here! For the next week or so, I’d love to hear all about your wishes and wants for this year’s shopping spectacular. As the deals pile up, please use the comments section to post any sweet deals you’ve snagged or that you recommend to your fellow RPadholics. If you’d be so kind as to keep an eye on Amazon’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals page, picking something up would really help out RPadTV (if you hit the link in this sentence before buying).

Sadly, I’m way too poor to buy much of anything this year. So I’m going to live vicariously through you guys and gals. Hopefully a bunch of you will enjoy some stellar deals so that I can feel a bit of joy and possibly bust out the following saying:

Ha! So let’s have it (please)! Share your Black Friday and Cyber Monday wishes and gets below (again, please).

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about the rocky career of RGKnee, Derrick Rose’s endless aches, or the extremely unfortunate breakup of Demi Lovato and Miley Cyrus, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Coffee Talk #647: Aunt May, Dr. Doom, and Pissing Off Comics Fans

While Marvel Studios has been serving up comic book movies that entertain both fanboys and mainstream moviegoers, other studios continue to find ways to piss off comics fans. You’d think that Fox and Sony would learn from Marvel Studios productions like Iron Man, Captain America, and The Avengers, no? Instead, the studios that (unfortunately) hold movie licenses for the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man seem to be going out of their way to irk comic book readers, if the rumors are to be believed. As a lifelong comics nerd, the recent rumors are bugging the hell out of me. Today’s Coffee Talk is all about therapeutic venting.

Let’s start with the upcoming Fantastic Four movie. In a recent interview with Collider, actor Tony Kebbell revealed how his version of Dr. Doom will differ from the comic book version. Kebbell said, “He’s Victor Domashev, not Victor Von Doom in our story. The Doom in ours — I’m a programmer. Very anti-social programmer.” That’s…terrible. Dr. Doom is one of the most interesting and complex villains in comics. He’s a cool mix of science and sorcery. His harshness is offset by a genuine love for the people he rules in Latveria. One of the worst parts of the last pair of Fantastic Four movies was that they made Dr. Doom an evil businessman instead of an awesome scientist/sorcerer. The next Dr. Doom is an evil programmer. I’m not sure if that’s better or worse than an evil businessman, but I know that it still sucks.

Already expanding the Spider-Man franchise with upcoming Sinister Six and Venom movies, Sony is rumored to be pursuing a movie based on — get this — Aunt May. When I read the rumor on Latino Review, my (NSFW) reaction was something like this:

The Aunt May movie (I can’t believe I just typed that) is supposedly a spy film. The good news is that the rumor is so completely ridiculous that part of me believes that a Sony PR flak leaked it just to mess with the press. The bad news is that there’s a good chance I’ll be forced to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge if I wake up in a world where an Aunt May movie is a real thing.

Anyway, that’s enough venting for now. What do you guys and dolls think about the latest Fantastic Four and Spider-Man Aunt May rumors? How do you feel about a Fantastic Four movie where Dr. Doom isn’t an awesome scientist/sorcerer named Victor Von Doom, but is instead an angry programmer named Victor Domashev? Do you think an Aunt May spy movie is too nuts to be true? Kindly share your thoughts in the comments section.

Coffee Talk #646: Net Neutrality is Screwed

President Barack Obama recently made a bold statement on the issue of net neutrality. He urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to keep the Internet “free and open.” The President believes that “free and open” should apply to both wired and wireless Internet connectivity, and millions of American consumers agree with him.

Unfortunately, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler doesn’t appear to be playing ball, despite being an Obama appointee. Prior to chairing the FCC, Wheeler served as a lobbyist for the cable and wireless industries. The Washington Post reported Wheeler as saying, “What I’ve got to figure out is how to split the baby.” It doesn’t work that way. You can’t have a version of net neutrality that serves both consumer and telecom interests. Similar to how a woman can’t be “almost” pregnant, you can’t almost have net neutrality. The FCC is either going to keep the Internet free and open or allow Internet providers to prioritize content.

For those of you unfamiliar with the issue, telecom companies like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Verizon, etc. want the right to throttle Internet connections and grant priority access to certain content providers. This would destroy the Internet as we know it, heavily favoring companies that can afford to pay off Internet providers for priority access and making things prohibitive for startups with limited budgets. For the most entertaining explanation of the issue ever, check out the Last Week Tonight with John Oliver clip below.

On related a note, senator Ted Cruz idiotically tweeted that net neutrality is Obamacare for the Internet. That’s just moronic. Meanwhile, AT&T has announced that it will halt the deployment of fiber-based high-speed Internet until the net neutrality issues is resolved, which is the telecom equivalent of a bratty kid taking his ball and going home because he’s losing the game.

Personally, I have zero faith in net neutrality being upheld — zero. Even though net neutrality is being backed by heavy hitters like Google and Yahoo!, the telecom companies have better lobbyists. AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, etc. have been crooking the government better and longer than their relatively young opponents in technology. I’m pretty disillusioned with the government; I don’t expect it to get important issues right and fully expect most politicians to serve businesses over consumers. Perhaps I’m being cynical, but I can’t imagine a positive outcome for this issue.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the recent net neutrality developments. Do you think the Internet will remain free and open? Or will it become a walled garden controlled by your ISP? Share your thoughts in the comments section (please!)

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the return of “full dinosaur” Chris Bosh, $2,000 coffee machines, or naked Kim Kardashian, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Coffee Talk #645: The Young Adult-ing of Batgirl and Nightwing

There’s an unusual trend going on with the DC Comics’ Bat Family. Longtime supporting characters Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) and Nightwing (the original Robin, Dick Grayson) are getting the “young adult” treatment. While DC’s New 52 started everyone off with grim and gritty tones, Batgirl and Nightwing have…evolved into young adult comics. As a huge fan of both characters, I’m not sure what to make of their new directions, so today’s column is me thinking out loud about the young adult-ing of Batgirl and Nightwing.

Let’s kick things off with Babs. In addition to getting a major costume overhaul, Batgirl is moving out of Gotham and into the trendy neighborhood of Burnside. If Gotham is the big city then Burnside is the Bat equivalent of Williamsburg or Park Slope. AV Club has a preview of the new Batgirl book and it reads like a superhero version of HBO’s Girls. Barbara has a new boy toy that she can’t remember hooking up with, she’s fetching obnoxious coffee drinks at a hip cafe, she has other young female characters to exchange banter with, and — oh yeah! — she still fights crime.

I’m going to give the book a fair chance, but it seems like a big step back for Batgirl. After getting shot and crippled by the Joker, Barbara became Oracle and served as central intelligence for many DC heroes. She was more powerful in a wheelchair than she ever was in spandex. The New 52 reboot mysteriously cured her paralysis, but made Batgirl a more kick-ass character than she was in the past. The tone of the upcoming Batgirl book seems more appropriate for Stephanie Brown than it does Barabara Gordon. My fear is that she’ll be portrayed as too much of a girly girl than the strong and capable hero she has been in the past.

Grayson 003 Batgirl

Then there’s Dick Grayson. The former Robin and Nightwing has been starring in a new book titled Grayson. Most of the world thinks he’s dead, so he — under Batman’s instructions — is infiltrating a covert organization in a James Bond-like role. And like James Bond, Dick Grayson gets a lot of action. The last two issues of Grayson were fun romps that contained a heavy amount of romance. Grayson: Future’s End #1 — one of my favorite books all year — was a love story sprinkled with action. Grayson #3 borrowed heavily from Bond and had Dick sleep with a woman early in the book, only to see her die later.

Nightwing has always been one of the biggest man-whores in comics, but the heavy emphasis on romance in Grayson is a bit strange. As many of you know, Nightwing is one of my favorite comic-book characters and I’m not sure what to make of his new book. It’s still early, but it feels like a step back. Yeah, I understand that DC Comics wants to experiment and try new things in order to get new readers. And yeah, I understand that Nightwing is the perfect character to experiment with — he’s known, but not iconic like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, etc. Having said that, I wish Dick Grayson would drop the spy schtick and go back to being a proper superhero.

In both cases, DC Comics has the potential to broaden its audience with the young adult direction of Batgirl and Grayson. In one case, I’m not really digging it, but will keep reading because I’m such a Nightwing fanboy. In the other case, I worry that the new Batgirl book will make the character a joke. Again, I understand the need to experiment with characters and reinvent them. The young adult book and movie markets are tremendous, so it makes sense to try to use that approach with comics. I just wish DC used it on two characters that I didn’t like as much as Batgirl and Nightwing.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the NBA’s ridiculously lucrative new television deal, your favorite new SNL cast member, or Bill Murray singing Bob Dylan, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Coffee Talk #644: Hajime Tabata Has Me Excited For Final Fantasy XV

Millions of Square Enix fans were dazzled by the Final Fantasy XV trailer shown at Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2014 (embedded below). Many longtime fans of the series were disappointed in the last few FF games and believe that Final Fantasy XV will return the franchise to glory. Gamers loved the brilliant graphics and modern gameplay shown in the TGS 2014 trailer, so it’s easy to understand why so many people are excited. I’m quite excited for Final Fantasy XV too, but for a different reason — Hajime Tabata.

Mr. Tabata was the director of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. As I mentioned in Coffee Talk #286, Crisis Core was the last game I loved. The storytelling, gameplay, graphics, and music delighted me completely. For the type of videogame experience I adore, Crisis Core was just about perfect. When Mr. Tabata was installed as the new director of Final Fantasy XV roughly two years ago, my interest in the game went from “excited” to “OMG can’t wait!!!” With all due respect to former FFXV director Tetsuya Nomura, who has had a legendary videogame career himself, I’m way more excited about a Final Fantasy game with Mr. Tabata in charge.

There are other incredibly talented people working on Final Fantasy XV too. Kazushige Nojima is the game’s main writer. His scenario credits include Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. Composer Yoko Shimomura is writing the game’s music. Her awesome tracks can be heard in Street Fighter II, numerous Kingdom Hearts games, several Mario & Luigi titles, and more. I’m hoping that all these talented people come together to form an unforgettable videogame.

While I enjoyed the Final Fantasy XIII games more than most, they certainly didn’t entertain me as much as FFX, FFVI, FFV, FIV, and FFVII (probably in that order). Loads of gamers have blasted the FFXIII games, going as far as saying that the titles tarnished the series’ reputation. Many of these gamers loved what they saw in the TGS 2014 trailer and are dreaming about Final Fantasy XV reestablishing the franchise as the king of RPGs. As for me, I’m just dreaming about a Tabata-directed Final Fantasy game. Hopefully it won’t turn out like Final Fantasy XII; originally directed by one of my all-time favorite developers — Yasumi Matsuno — the game’s creation was a disaster and the end product…wasn’t the best.

Anyway, check out the Final Fantasy XV trailer below and let me know what you think. Do you like what you see? Do you think the game will be a triumphant return for the series? Leave a comment and let me know (please!).

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, cherishing Derek Jeter’s last days as a professional baseball player, your favorite Fappening photos, or being threatened with “swatting,” Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Coffee Talk #643: Your Favorite Recurring SNL Sketches

After doing website “research” on the “Barry Gibb Talk Show” sketch from Saturday Night Live, I started thinking about my favorite SNL sketches of all time. After performing more “research,” I was bummed to discover that classic bits like “Church Lady” and “Wayne’s World” haven’t held up. I figured that Will Ferrell would have some of my favorite recurring characters, but most of the bits I love from him are one-offs like the outstanding “Behind the Music: More Cowbell” sketch. The exception, of course, is his stellar work in “Celebrity Jeopardy.” In addition to those excellent bits and the “Barry Gibb Talk Show,” there are two other recurring SNL sketches that still slay me. Naturally, I want to hear all about your favorites, but before we get to that, let’s take a look at three recurring SNL sketches.

[Note: I didn’t count “Weekend Update” since that sketch has had a number of hosts…and Norm MacDonald was inarguably the best one.]

“Celebrity Jeopardy” — As much as I loved Will Ferrell playing a straight Alex Trebek, the best part of these SNL sketches were his nemeses. Darrell Hammond rocked it as Sean Connery, constantly insulting Trebek and his mother. His misreadings of categories ruled too — “An Album Cover” became “Anal Bum Cover” and “Therapists” became “The Rapists.” Norm MacDonald did some great work in these bits too, as a rude and idiotic Burt Reynolds. That’s not to undermine Ferrell’s role in these bits; he was the glue that held everything together.

“Brian Fellow’s Safari Planet” — For 10 years, Tracy Morgan was phenomenal in these recurring SNL sketches. He did a wonderful job of infusing Brian Fellow with innocence and belligerence, with just a bit of intelligence. His vacant facials expressions while he blurted out, “I’m Brian Fellow!” and, “That’s crazy!” always crack me up. He’s had great guests to play off of and with. Reverend Al Sharpton did a great job as Brian’s brother, Ryan Fellow.

“The Ambiguously Gay Duo” — These SNL sketches were loaded with talent, featuring the voices of Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell. They’re so silly that it’s hard not to laugh. How can you keep a straight face while watching the Duo fly in a…suggestive position?

Your Turn — I’ve probably left off several SNL sketches that I love. It’s hard going through 40 years of TV shows and not all of them are available online. Naturally, we all have different senses of humor. With both of those factors in mind, I’m looking forward to hearing about your favorite recurring SNL sketches. Fire away in the comments section (please)!

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the NY Yankees giving fans false playoff hopes, Jimmy Kimmel staging a Friends reunion, or rooting for Roger Federer at the US Open, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Ambiguously Gay Duo SNL Sketch

Coffee Talk #642: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan

One of the most frequent arguments I’ve heard between wrestling fans is about “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan. Both are cited as the biggest WWE Superstar of all time and there are compelling arguments for both wrestlers. Naturally, I want to hear your opinion on the matter. Several of you are longtime smarks and I’m sure that you’ll make excellent cases for both WWE Superstars. Before you make your pick, let’s take a closer look at the Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan issue.

Fans that pick Austin as the greatest WWE Superstar of all time point to the fact that he was the top guy during the most popular era in the business. He has sold more merchandise than any other pro-wrestler. Working a program with boxing great “Iron” Mike Tyson, Austin was part of the biggest crossover angle in wrestling history and garnered a ton of mainstream coverage. He has had all-time great matches with Bret “The Hitman” Hart, “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels, The Rock, and more. His mic work and sketches are some of the best in WWE history. I’ll never forget the awesome sight and sound of Steve Austin smashing a bedpan on Vince McMahon’s head.

On the downside, Austin’s career was cut short due to a number of injuries. In addition to having knees that were beat up to hell, he suffered a serious neck injury from a botched piledriver delivered by Owen Hart. While the injury helped Austin develop his character on the mic and through sketches, it probably shaved of a decade or so from his in-ring work.

Hulk Hogan supporters point to the fact that the man took wrestling to the mainstream. He was the top guy for a ridiculously long time and paved the way for future WWE Superstars. He’s had dozens of iconic moments, perhaps none bigger than when he bodyslammed Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III. His interviews were legendary and he was a master at getting fans charged up. Unlike Austin, Hogan was a main-event guy in both WWE and WCW, selling out arenas around the world for both companies.

Hogan detractors point to the fact that he was never all that good in the ring. His work in TNA Wrestling (arguably) tarnished his legacy. While Austin’s in-ring work had to stop because of injury, Hogan kept on going…and that resulted in some really ugly matches. Austin fans say that Hogan never achieved the merch and ratings numbers that Stone Cold did.

Now it’s your turn! Kindly vote in the poll below and make your case in the comments section. It’s Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan time — fight!!!

[poll id=”194″]

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the alarming rumors of a Nutella shortage, Curt Schilling battling mouth cancer, or Mick Foley’s daughter getting hot, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Coffee Talk #641: Turtles Forever Negates the Crap TMNT Movie

As I mentioned in my last column, I was pretty much disgusted by the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. If movies could hear, I would invoke the immortal words of Butt-Head and tell the 2014 TMNT movie, “You’re a miserable piece of crap.” I haven’t been that traumatized by a movie since Green Lantern (that one still haunts my dreams). Thankfully, the dreadfulness of the new TMNT movie was washed away by the delightful Turtles Forever. This made-for-TV movie is great for all kinds of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans, whether they love the original 1984 black-and-white comics, the goofy 1987 cartoon, or the surprisingly slick 2003 animated update. If you’re a fan of any or all of those incarnations of the Turtles then I highly recommend watching Turtles Forever.

Turtles Forever starts off in the 2003 setting, where the modern Turtles are surprised by the 1987 team. Due to some time traveling mayhem, the characters from the 1987 show are transported to the 2003 show. It’s fun watching them interact with each other. The 1987 is campy to the core; they excel at making silly jokes, breaking the fourth wall by talking to the audience, and defeating villains with trash cans. The 2003 Turtles are more serious and, aside from 2003 Michaelangelo, think the 1987 Turtles are a bunch of goofballs. The contrast between 1987 Shredder and 2003 Shredder is even greater. Those two should have an abusive comedy spin-off of Turtles Forever.

Turtles Forever 1984

After some plot development and a brief visit to the 1987 world, the two Turtle teams head to 1984 to meet the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As a big, big fan of the comics, I marked out for this chapter in the story. The black-and-white art style was fantastically on point. I loved the overuse of dramatic lightning (a parody of Frank Miller’s style) and my inner fanboy swooned when dialogue from the original comics was used in Turtles Forever. Again, it was fun watching the 2003 and 1987 teams interact with the originals. There’s even a brief cameo by the original Shredder, which lasts about as long as his first appearance in the comics.

The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is what happens when Michael Bay and his minions take something you loved in your childhood and try to update it in a misguided manner. It lacked the charm and sharpness of the comics and the first movie. It sucked the clever joy out of the source material (originally a parody of grim and gritty comics) and replaced it with lots of explosions. Turtles Forever does a much better job at blending old and new, because it literally takes the new, old, and older Turtles teams. While they’re blended into a single animated movie, each team is allowed to stand on their own and shine in their own unique way. Turtles Forever is vastly superior to the new TMNT movie and I’d love for you to check it out. Give it a watch and let me know what you think (please!).

Coffee Talk #640: Who’s Your Favorite Ninja?

I recently saw the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot and was incredibly disappointed. The movie is a wretched piece of crap that tarnishes the TMNT franchise and is an embarrassment to ninjas around the world. Thankfully, I watched a superior TMNT movie (more on that later this week) to cleanse my palette. The whole ordeal got me thinking about ninjas and wanting to discuss ninjas with you. There are so many awesome ninjas from comic books, movies, television, and videogames. Who are some of your favorites? Let’s use today’s Coffee Talk column to discuss the wonderful world of ninjas.

Michael Dudikoff (American Ninja): I have a feeling that many of you will choose Dudikoff as your top pick. That’s a completely understandable selection. As a gaggle of British videogame developers once told me, American Ninja is the pinnacle of American cinema. Dudikoff — possibly the most underrated action star in movie history — totally makes this series and shows that a white man can succeed in the Japanese art of ninjutsu.

Lee Van Cleef (Master Ninja): This Western ninja is awesome, simply because he’s so ridiculous. An old Lee Van Cleef is completely unbelievable as a master of ninjutsu. The unbelievability is a fantastic source of unintentional comedy in Master Ninja. In addition to a washed up cowboy playing a ninja, the series also blessed the world with Timothy Van Patton’s gratuitous voiceovers. These two negatives combine for positively awesome entertainment.

Elektra Natchios (Daredevil): On a more serious note, Marvel Comics’ Elektra is one of the most kick-ass women in the history of comics. She’s deadly and ruthless. She made sais cool way before TMNT’s Raphael ever did. She has come back from the dead. She’s been a hero, villain, and anti-hero. Most importantly, she executes all of her ninjutsu bad-assery while wearing clothing that’s completely inappropriate for combat (and way to revealing). On the downside, she was killed by Bullseye and replaced by a Skrull.

Ryu Hayabusa (Ninja Gaiden): The star of the Ninja Gaiden series and a competitor in the Dead or Alive fighting games, Hayabusa is arguably the most accomplished ninja in the history of videogames. A rare crossover star, he has appeared in some excellent action games and fighting games. He has also made cameos in other games, like Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce and Super Swing Golf: Season 2. Ninjas are generally awesome. A ninja that can play golf is…breathtaking.

Ryu Hayabusa Ninja Gaiden

Your Picks: Now it’s your turn! Kindly share some of your favorite ninjas from comics, TV, movies, and videogames. Please leave your picks in the comments section.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the sad death of Robin Williams, the casting choices for the Saved by the Bell behind-the-scenes movie, or the best meat for fried rice, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.