Moonlight Mile Season One Anime Review

Moonlight Mile Season One
Funimation
Complete Collection - 3 discs
300 mins. - 12 episodes
$49.98 (2009)
$19.98 (2012) S.A.V.E.
ISBN 704400069505
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Iku Suzuki
Studio - Studio Hibari

Synopsis: Gorou and Lostman are the best mountain climbing team in the world.  They have attained the peak of every noteworthy mountain on the face of the planet.  Prior to each ascension they bed beautiful women for luck and are so good at mountain climbing they make it look easy.  On the top of Mount Everest the pair ponder what they will do with their lives now that every summit is completed.  As they gaze into the heavens in the rarefied air the International Space Agency (ISA) orbital space station comes into view.  Both men decide space is the next frontier for them to conquer.

Gorou and Lostman find a dead climber on their way to the top of
Everest. "Gorou, check this guy out." "Yeah, he's totally dead."

They embark on separate journeys to reach the same goal of joining the ISA and walking on the moon.  Gorou becomes a specialized construction machine operator and soon is top in his field.  He operates cranes  atop massive skyrises and even drunk is the best operator around.  The ISA needs top notch talented machine operators for their space operations and testing newly designed space equipment before it's put into production.  Gorou is a perfect candidate, but the competition is fierce and treacherous.  Can he achieve his goal of walking on the moon?

Gorou and Lostman at the peak of Everest decide the moon
is their next conquest after conquering all the mountains on Earth

Meanwhile Lostman has joined the navy and become their ace pilot.  His skills are so good that other pilots become jealous of his success.  The ISA needs incredible pilots to fly their space missions and Lostman is an immediate sensation, if he can avoid getting shot down in the Navy.  Will he survive to achieve his goal of walking on the moon?

Gorou becomes a skyscraper crane operator

Both Gorou and Lostman are tough, no-nonsense guys with indomitable wills and the skills to back it up.  Despite their prowess at just about anything they set their minds to, the pair will face impossible challenges on their journeys to space.  The ISA is a benevolent organization aiming to explore space, but another organization with imperial designs is vying for initial dominance of new territorial assets - the U.S. government!  What secret does the moon hold and will it spell doom for our courageous mountaineers?

Lostman flies Navy fighter jets

Pros: Animation is pretty decent (they obviously put some time/money into this one, although the CG can be a bit crude), Gorou and Lostman are two badass dudes = male wish fulfillment, a bunch of nudity and sex, fairly humorous, the space/moon subplot is actually pretty interesting

Gorou helps the ISA technicians solve a problem

Cons: CG elements are a bit rough/obvious (there were a lot), testosterone-driven plot on overdrive - women are just sex objects and guys are one-dimensional high-five monkeys, characters are pretty boring - Gorou is a macho genius equipment operator jock and Lostman is a macho emotionless pilot jock, immaturity abounds

Lostman enjoys a smoke after bedding another nameless woman

Mike Tells It Straight: Moonlight Mile is about two tough and determined men on a journey to achieve their goals despite all obstacles in their path.  Their macho exploits are tempered with precursor space exploration science and human interest stories.  Fueled by heaping doses of testoterone and sexual conquests, the two must contend with governmental and agency conspiracies.  Only their incredible skills and indomitable wills help them to persevere.

Gorou windmills his junk at a bar filled with guys...because
that's what manly-men do of course.  Sure, buddy.

This show is pure male wish fulfillment (badass dudes who get laid by beautiful women with no strings attached) overlaid on a modern space science story with a conspiracy theory subplot.  I don't think many female viewers will enjoy this show based on the rather chauvinist depiction of women who come in contact with Gorou and Lostman.  They are either sex-crazed, manipulative businesswomen or starry-eyed girl-next-door types.  Then there are the single mothers unconcerned with commitments and anonymous one-night-stands...the list goes on.

Gorou even scores in space

Obviously targeted at the male, adolescent (or mentally adolescent) viewer Moonlight Mile is meant to be a dramactic adventure concerning space and moon exploration.  The show starts very slowly as the background of Gorou's and Lostman's epic journey to become astronauts and walk on the moon takes up about 8 episodes.  The opening credits include scenes on the moon and I kept thinking "How long is it going to take for these guys to finally get there? Sheesh!".

The space shuttle docked with the ISA orbital station

The pace finally picks up in the last few episodes, but then the first season ends and we're left wondering what will happen next (and if/when the two guys will reach the moon).  Well, looks like we may never find out in an official US/R1 dvd release.  Seems that ADV Films licensed/released the first season, but went out of business in 2008 and the license was transferred to Funimation (hence the S.A.V.E. complete collection).  No current news on a season two release (although Amazon has a listing for a fourth dvd release with no dub track).

"An emergency on the space station!" "Gorou, we better put our shirts on!"

I can't give this collection a high recommendation because it represents only the partial story and mostly the beginning setup for a much more interesting moon adventure.  We may never see an official release of season two which is a shame because the story really picks up (based on the opening credits sequence).  If space exploration and male wish fulfillment fantasies are your thing then Moonlight Mile is right up your alley.  Some hope exists for a season two official R1 release or you can track down unofficial fansubs on the internet.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

SALE NEWS! - RightStuf.com VIZ + InuYasha Sale Extended!

UPDATE 10/7/12: RightStuf.com has moved most of these sale items to their Weekly Specials section! 

What does this mean?  You can score the complete InuYasha series for around $80!  That's right, 7 seasons and 167 episodes.  Some Bleach and Naruto sets too.  

LINK: Right Stuf Home Page 

Click the above link and select 'Weekly Specials' from the 'Money Savers' section to get to the list of sale items.  

See below for the complete list of items (from the original sale):

• Appleseed: Ex Machina DVD (Hyb) $24.98 $10.00*
• Bakugan Battle Brawlers DVD 1 (D) $14.97 $5.00*
• Bakugan Battle Brawlers DVD 2 (D) $14.97 $5.00*
• Bakugan Battle Brawlers DVD 3 (D) $14.97 $5.00*
• Bakugan Battle Brawlers DVD 4 (D) $14.97 $5.00*
• Bakugan Battle Brawlers DVD 5 (D) $14.97 $5.00*
• Bakugan Battle Brawlers DVD 6 (D) $14.97 $5.00*
• Bakugan Battle Brawlers DVD Box 1 (D) $19.97 $10.00*
• Bakugan Battle Brawlers DVD Box 2 (D) $19.97 $10.00*
• Bleach DVD Box Set 1: The Substitute $49.95 $13.00*
• Bleach DVD Box Set 2: The Entry $69.97 $13.00*
• Bleach DVD Box Set 3: The Rescue $69.97 $13.00*
• Bleach DVD Box Set 4 Part 1: The Bount $49.95 $13.00*
• Bleach DVD Box Set 4 Part 2: The Bount $49.95 $13.00*
• Bleach DVD Box Set 5: The Assault $49.95 $13.00*
• Bleach Movie 1 DVD Memories of Nobody $29.92 $5.00*
• Death Note Relight 1: Visions of a God DVD $24.92 $5.00*
• Death Note Relight 2: L's Successors DVD $24.92 $5.00*
• Inu Yasha Season 1 DVD Box Set (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Inu Yasha Season 2 DVD Box Set (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Inu Yasha Season 3 DVD Box Set (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Inu Yasha Season 4 DVD Box Set (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Inu Yasha Season 5 DVD Box Set (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Inu Yasha Season 6 DVD Box Set (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Inu Yasha Season 7 DVD Box Set (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Inu Yasha Movie 3 DVD $24.92 $5.00*
• Inu Yasha Movie 4 DVD $24.92 $5.00*
• Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 6 (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 7 (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 8 (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 9 (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 10 (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 11 (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 12 (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 13 (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 14 (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 15 (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Naruto Uncut DVD Box Set 16 (Hyb) $49.95 $10.00*
• Naruto the Movie 2 DVD $29.92 $5.00*
• Naruto the Movie 3 DVD $29.92 $5.00*
• Naruto: Shippuden DVD Box Set 1 Uncut $49.95 $13.00*
• Redakai: Conquer the Kairu DVD 1 (D) $19.97 $10.00*
• Supernatural: The Anime Series DVD (Hyb) $49.98 $10.00*

Eden of the East Anime Review

Eden of the East
Funimation
Complete Collection - 2 discs
275 mins. - 11 episodes
$54.98 (2010)
$59.98 (2010) Blu-Ray
$49.98 (2011) Blu-Ray/DVD combo
ISBN 704400088407
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Kenji Kamiyama
Studio - Production I.G

Synopsis: Saki Morimi is on a post-college graduation trip to America where she takes a detour to briefly visit Washington DC before heading back to Japan.  She arrives at the White House and tries to throw a coin into the fountain on the other side of the fence for good luck.  The fountain is much too far away to reach and her throw catches the attention of two police officers stationed by the fence.  She is freaking out at the prospect of getting arrested when a naked Japanese boy runs up waving a gun in one hand and a cell phone in the other. 

Akira walks up to Saki in front of the White House gate

Needless to say the police forget all about Saki and turn their attention to the naked guy.  He appears to escape and they take off in pursuit.  He reappears from behind some parked cars to talk with Saki and apparently has no memory of why/how he got to the White House.  She ends up giving him her jacket to cover up and as a 'thank you' for helping her out.  They go their separate ways, but she realizes her return airline ticket was in the coat.  She rushes to chase him down.

"I'm sorry officer, my penis is much larger than the other
Japanese man's you're looking for"

Meanwhile the naked guy has tried to use the cell phone he's carrying and talks with an operator named Juiz who calls herself a 'concierge'.  She gives him an address where he's been staying and he runs off to find clues about his lost memories.  In his apartment he finds guns and several passports with different names.  He chooses one with the name Akira Takizawa and learns he has 8.7 billion yen in a digital bank account.  Saki catches up with him and the police are looking for the pair.

I need to get one of these phones and a concierge

Akira and Saki catch a plane back to Japan where they find some more clues to his past.  As their plane is landing they see a smoking crater where a missile detonated.  Several missiles struck Tokyo recently in an apparent terrorist attack, but amazingly there were no casualties.  The attack was dubbed 'Careless Monday' and people have written it off to inept terrorists.  The two arrive at the address from Akira's passport and find it to be an abandoned shopping mall in one of the missile-damaged areas.  Saki heads home and goes to a job interview the next day while Akira tries to piece together his origin.

One of the missile explosion sites from 'Careless Monday'

It seems Akira is part of a game (the members are called Seleção) where participants are given 10 billion yen and charged with 'saving' Japan.  They are also given an advanced cell phone with the words 'noblesse oblige' on it and access to a concierge (named Juiz) who can facilitate any request to help them accomplish their goal.  Akira tests the extent of Juiz's abilities by asking her to have the president say the word "Uncle" while watching him on television.  Next thing you know a cabinet aide whispers something in the president's ear and he says "Uncle"!

Akira and Saki on his scooter heading to search for more clues

A broader conspiracy begins to unfold with Akira and the other Seleção at the center.  Who is behind the game and why did Akira lose all of his memories?  20,000 NEETS (people currently "not in education, employment, or training") have recently gone missing around the same time as Careless Monday.  What is Akira's link to these events?  Could he be the terrorist mastermind or the charming young man Saki has fallen for?

This suspicious photograph casts doubt on Akira's true nature.
Are those NEETS in the background?  Ewww, where are their clothes?

Pros: Excellent animation and production values (almost seamless melding of hand-drawn character animation with CG elements), Akira and Saki are likable characters, lots of funny moments interspersed with intense drama, neat portrayal of modern cell phone and social media technology, great conspiracy theory plot with cool reveals as it progresses, good opening/ending themes

"Bang."

Cons: Completely implausible, short series at 11 episodes [for the price], not much action, some of the characters were pretty lame (the "Johnny Catcher" and most of the Eden group), plot jumps around without making much sense after a great first episode, oddball scene with Akira hallucinating a bunch of creatures coming out of television sets was completely random (no explanation later), ending is kind of a head scratcher

"You're not the J-Johnny Hunter are y-you?"  "Oh, don't worry. I'm
just going to use this cigar cutter on this little cigar down here" Snip!

Mike Tells It Straight: The first episode of Eden of the East is awesome - easily a cut above the rest of the anime out there and a great plot setup for a major conspiracy theory finale.  The two main characters were great together with Saki being an idealistic college grad trying to make it in the real world and Akira an irresistibly charming young man with the world literally at his fingertips.  Animation was absolutely top notch with lush backgrounds and seamless CG mixed in.  A visual triumph.  

Akira's dog has cute little fairy wings

Akira's missing memories and the slow reveal of the Seleção game were truly intriguing concepts that made me blow through this show in two evenings.  The game's rules were interesting and I really dug the idea for the Eden of the East cell phone app (image recognition engine with social network add-on).  Adding the NEETs and political drama intensified the thrill-ride.  The short length (11 episodes) of the series made the plot race by quickly considering all the moving parts to the story.

WTF is the deal with this scene!

Despite my enjoyment this show definitely has its flaws.  The characters didn't really evolve (except maybe Saki) and were just shallow, one-note caricatures (even Akira).  Some story elements were pretty lame - like the whole "Johnny Hunter" thing, the totally weird computer-spawned creatures that Akira hallucinates, and the amount of time spent on the shut-in character "Panties". Akira was a bit too cheerful and the last episode felt like a non-ending (two sequel movies were released afterwards to finish the story).

"It's party time!"

Criticism aside, it's a good show and really entertaining.  A lot different than most anime out there and covered an actual social problem (NEETS).  If you can forgive its flaws and go along for the ride then this show is really fun.  Don't expect it all to wrap up in a nice neat little ending - we're just getting started with the Eden of the East storyline in these 11 episodes.  I'm planning to check out the two sequel movies: King of Eden and Paradise Lost to get the finale of the story and recommend you do the same.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

Mushi-Shi Anime Review

Mushi-Shi
Funimation
Complete Collection - 4 discs
625 mins. - 26 episodes
$69.98 (2008)
$49.98 (2009) Viridian
$39.98 (2010)
$29.98 (2011) S.A.V.E.
ISBN 704400051104
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Hiroshi Nagahama
Studio - Artland

Synopsis: All around us exist simple creatures called Mushi, they are in touch with the basic essence of life and are all but invisible to the naked eye.  Only people with special sensitivity to the lifestream can see them.  The Mushi come in an almost infinite variety and often have spectacular attributes which normal people would consider supernatural.  Sometimes Mushi can cause problems for humans depending on the nature of the Mushi, especially if the Mushi have a certain attribute which is adverse to humans and are in a location where they can breed [uncontrollably].  The Mushi are not consciously trying to harm people, but just following their natures (similar to insects, animals, or plants).

Ginko with Mushi scrolls and the tools of his trade

Mushi masters (called Mushi-shi) are professional tradespeople who help deal with problems arising from Mushi and also sell artifacts/remedies derived from them.  Ginko is a traveling Mushi master who spends his time investigating and treating occurrences of Mushi.  He is one of the best masters and has seen many different types of Mushi over the course of his life.  Being a Mushi master is very dangerous due to the many different types of Mushi and their strange abilities.

A young boy can see Mushi around his house

The bizarre phenomena Mushi create range from the mundane to the astonishing.  Cases Ginko investigates include a boy whose drawings come to life, a girl who cannot bear sunlight due to the Mushi living in her eyes, a man who dreams the future (but is helpless to stop it), a living swamp which moves from place to place, a village with unusually good harvests coming at the price of a villager's life, a man trapped in a bamboo forest with his family, a girl who disappeared into the sky, a family with strange children who are turning green, and the list goes on.

"Hey! Don't touch those Mushi! They're dangerous!"

Ginko himself is an odd person.  He has preternaturally white hair and a green eye due to contact with an especially dangerous Mushi.  The Mushi are drawn to him and if he stays in one place for too long they gather to potentially cause trouble.  He must constantly travel.  Throughout his adventures, Ginko treats the Mushi with respect and understanding toward their fantastic nature.

Ginko sits next to the lifestream

Pros: Great animation quality - opening sequence is particularly artful, elegantly-paced compared to other hyper-active action-based shows, soothing quality to the stories, Ginko's character and visual design is really cool, fun opening theme song (it's in English which is somewhat uncommon), slightly creepy stories and background music, Mushi are a cool idea

Mushi-Shi is filled with beautiful landscapes and scenes of nature

Cons: Episodic - no actual story conclusion, very slow-paced and languid at times, not a lot of explanations for different happenings - the annual Mushi meeting or Ginko's style of dress

"Hey! Don't swallow that Mushi! It's dangerous!"

Mike Tells It Straight: Mushi-Shi is a very soothing and mellow piece of work.  It's highly atmospheric and just the slightest bit creepy.  I found it to be entertaining and very relaxing - a good contrast to many in-your-face, action-oriented, or highly plot-driven series (I would say the direct opposite of Mushi-Shi would be Blassreiter with its confusing plot, complicated characters designs, and even-more-complicated CG enhanced fights scenes). 

Ginko encounters a town where everything is rusting,
including the people

Everything in this show was well put together and planned - from Ginko's slightly modern/outlandish (for the era) clothing, the pacing of the stories, and giving the bare minimum of explanations to keep it mysterious.  It worked to create an interesting landscape of unknown happenings related to weird creatures called Mushi.  We get snippets of Ginko's origin and plenty of room for a sequel.

The infamous "Mushi eyes" episode. Brrrrr!

While I enjoyed the series as a standalone break from the ever-churning sea of information we currently live in, many people may not share the same outlook.  Mushi-Shi is nothing if not slow-paced and episodic.  It's a bit boring if you're trying to finish the series quickly and kind of forces you to watch at its pre-designated pace.  Quite charming if you're into this sort of pacing, but agonizing if you want a faster-paced show with a definitive ending to the series.

Ginko loves telling stories about Mushi

Mushi-Shi was very well-received, winning awards in 2006 from the Tokyo Anime Awards and Tokyo International Anime Fair.  A live-action film was produced and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo (famed creator/director of Akira).  I give this series high marks for creativity and hope it gets a sequel in the near future.  Check it out if you want a nice change of pace.

TO BUY and Recommendations:
 

Stratos 4 Anime Review

Stratos 4
Bandai Entertainment
Complete Collection - 4 discs
325 mins. - 13 episodes
$39.98 (2006)
ISBN 669198254116
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Takeshi Mori
Studio - Studio Fantasia/Bandai Visual

Synopsis: 50 years ago scientists determined a huge meteor cloud would intercept with Earth and the world government organization CEMA (Comet Emergency Management Agency) was formed.  Two stages of interception/deterrence are developed - the first line of defense are orbital space planes launched from space stations, the Comet Blasters, and the second are high-altitude planes, the Meteor Sweepers.  These planes would carry payloads to destroy/break up the largest comets with any large remaining pieces intercepted within the atmosphere. 

Meteor successfully destroyed and lives saved

The Comet Blasters garner much higher status than their ground-based counterparts in the Meteor Sweepers.  One MS base is located on Shimoji Island near Japan and the story focuses on an all-female squad - Mikaze, Shizuha, Ayamo, and Karin are the pilots and co-pilots of two BAC TSR-2MS high-altitude interceptors.

Mikaze and crew (she's got the pigtails) in a typically compromising pose

Mikaze is having a hard time committing herself to being a part of the Meteor Sweepers and is incredibly jealous of the Comet Blasters.  She feels like a second-stringer cleaning up their sloppy seconds.  Her teammates are the opposite and are enjoy being part of the ground team.  For Mikaze the journey cannot end until she reaches space.  Can she focus herself enough to become the best pilot and take that next step into outer space?  Will she let her teammates get close enough to help her?

The Meteor Sweepers have to pilot lying down for some reason

There was a rift in the CEMA organization many years ago which caused the creation of the separate CB and MS teams.  They have a heated rivalry and the CB teams openly snub the MS.  What could have caused the rift and is there a secret behind the meteors?

Something is not quite right on Orbital Station 7

Pros: Lots of fan-service (if you like that sort of thing) and the ubiquitous hot springs trip, orbital and high-altitude planes were pretty cool, overall message of trying your best to follow your dreams and sticking together with your friends was positive, a bunch of cool extras including voice actresses/director/staff visit to the real Shimoji Island plus official aerospace consultant commentary (this guy's comments were hilarious, but his teeth were awful!), Admiral the cat is pretty funny (loved the episode where we follow it around)

Mikaze and the girls show off their work on the prototype Stratos 0

Cons: Not much action, heavy on the soap-opera drama, CG elements were just okay, overall simple animation style (especially the character designs), highly superficial plot for most of the show (goofy), the plot shift to space at the end was a bit silly

The Comet Blasters scramble for an intercept mission

Mike Tells It Straight: Stratos 4 is a lighthearted anime title with a very positive message - try your best to live your dreams and stick together with your friends.  The writers needed to use a lot of fan-service to get their message across and it appears they were very successful because there is a lot of fan-service.  The show is entertaining with a lot of comedy and some drama centered around the girls doing their best to stop meteors from hitting Earth.  

One of the male instructors 'accidentally' wanders into the hot
springs while all of the girls are bathing

The message would be great for kids, but the abundance of fan-service disqualifies its suitability.  As an adult show the plot progresses too slowly and its too silly at times.  Things get a bit more serious at the end as the secret behind the meteors is revealed, but the conspiracy theory felt like a digression.  I guess this show could be considered charming if you buy into the characters and like some fan-service with your comedy.

The Meteor Sweeper cast from Shimoji Island

It just didn't resonate with me and my recommendation is pretty low.  Some parts of the plot didn't make sense - like why did the girls work at a restaurant when they were full-time pilots?  I think Divergence EVE and Misaki Chronicles were better in comparison (plotwise only, their CG was heinous).  Amusing, but definitely not a keeper. Oddly enough, this show spawned three sequel OVAs (only one has been released in North America - Stratos 4: Return to Base).  Guess it resonated with some fans and they kept it going to see where the final plot thread would lead. I guess you can never underestimate the power of fan-service on otaku.

TO BUY and Recommendations:

DubSub Contest Winners - Round 3

Congratulations to the third winner from the DubSub Contest celebrating our 100,000 pageview milestone in August 2012 - Yiota! 

She was chosen from among those anime fans who follow us on Google and is a true anime rock star!  She is also an avid blogger and web developer, please check out her work here:

Splash of Our Worlds
CowboyTV
Web.N.Design

Yiota wins an anime title of her choice from these recent reviews:

Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki Complete - Cassandra (1st winner)

Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade

Kekko Kamen

Zaion: I Wish You Were Here

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

Mazinkaiser

Ellcia

Dante's Inferno

Le Portrait de Petite Cossette

Rune Soldier Complete

She is the final winner of the first DubSub official contest - make sure to like us on Facebook and/or follow us on Google for a chance to win in the next contest!  I'm thinking November 2012 for our 100th anime review!    

Thanks to everyone who participated and helped make DubSub a continuing success!  Official contest post can be viewed here

DubSub Contest Winners - Round 2

Congratulations to the second winner from the DubSub Contest celebrating our 100,000 pageview milestone in August 2012 - Gerry! 

He was chosen from among those anime fans who like us on Facebook and is a true anime rock star!

Gerry wins an anime title of his choice from these recent reviews:

Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki Complete - Cassandra (1st winner)

Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade

Kekko Kamen

Zaion: I Wish You Were Here

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

Mazinkaiser

Ellcia

Dante's Inferno

Le Portrait de Petite Cossette

Rune Soldier Complete

Watch for the final upcoming posts announcing our winner from Google!  

Thanks to everyone who participated and helped make DubSub a continuing success!  Official contest post can be viewed here