Black Lives Matter – Actually, All Lives Matter – Our Challenges With Policing And Race Relations

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One of the Black Lives Matter leaders commented that to solve this problem of racism and racial profiling leading to unfair treatment of blacks by police officers we need more community based policing. Sure, that makes sense, but could that really solve the problem? In the past it has cleaned up crime, but it has also led to the capture of more criminals and thus, a larger jail and prison population. Still, there has been a bit of research on this topic and I’d like to point out a very smart book to read on this subject, the book is:

“From The War On Poverty to the War On Crime” by Elizabeth Hinton, Harvard University Press, Boston MA, 464 pages, May 2016, 978-0674737235. By the way there is a great YouTube Video with the author done by the CSPAN TV Book Review Program, I definitely recommend it and then read the book after viewing it.

In the book, Elizabeth Hinton reminds us of the romantic notion of having the police live in the district, community that they are policing. We all believe this is smart policy, but rarely used in our modern American society – why? If it works, why aren’t we doing this? Fact is; in many cities across the United States we already are. Indeed, the City of Baltimore does, and yet, they still had a huge issue there with the shooting of a black man, while running away from police. This book and the recommended philosophy of community policing is also directly apropos to the Dallas Shootings and the pot boiling over on race-relations – policing robotics – gun control – Black Lives Matter protests.

Question remains; if community policing is the key, then why have a top down Federal Government set of guidelines and Federal Government intervention every time someone claims that a shooting was racially-based and for no reason. If we have community based policing, shouldn’t it be the community that gets to decide, not the media or the Federal Government?

Yes, it is true, I offer more questions than solutions, but these are the tough questions that we need to ask before we allow the Administration, or the media to blow events out of proportion causing more protests, that lead to more riots, more vandalism, more shootings and more racial tensions in this great nation. I ask that you please consider all this and think on it.

The History of Swing Dance

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Some feel dancing is reciprocation of being alive, while some dance for enjoyment. But it is something that shows great energy on the part of the dancer. Dancing is nothing but moving the human body or any part of the body along with the music.

Among many dance forms which varies greatly in music selection to tempo of the music, the Swing Dancing is unique in its own way. It gets its name from dance developed during the swing era i.e. 1920-1940, with the popularity of the Big Band and its jazz music. Though, there are many forms and classes of swing dance which are known by different names, the name swing dance commonly refers to any of them. One of the most popular forms is known as Lindy Hop, originating in Harlem in 1930s.

The Lindy Hop dancers were initially known as Jitterbugs, getting their name from the twitchy movement that the dancers make. There are other forms such as Balboa, Collegiate Shag, etc., and more styles are getting developed every year. The dance became immensely popular with fast and intricate movements and dance moves. Charles Lindbergh was a revelation in this case and thus the name Lindy Hop came into being to honor his style of dancing.

Over the years, many other dance for began to develop like Boogie woogie, Rock n Roll and disco dancing which were only the derivatives of the original swing dancing. They grew in popularity and more people were attracted to the newer dance style.

The original swing dancing almost was reduced to a handful of dancers and by the 1960s, the culture almost vanished. Moreover the musical tracks were made more in favor of the other alternative styles of dancing. It remained out of any major stage until 1980s when it was introduced again by the French with a new name of French Jibe or Modern Jibe.

Eventually they started to get good appreciation and recognition all over the world. Slowly it emerged as one of the leading dance forms and became quite popular all over the world. It slowly made its way back to the UK in the early 1990s, and is danced to contemporary jazz music and modern music. There is a considerable variation and development taking place even in the recent times and can be found distinct to each other in different parts of the world.

The dance format skewed its way through many dance styles and classes since the early 20th century. In 1940s it grew popular as East Coast Swing and most commonly referred to as Six Step Swing. It also had a variation name West Coast swing which was more stylistic and lively. Imperial Swing, Washington Hand Dancing and push are its other form and variation which saw growing popularities in the 1950s.

Swing dance has rightfully found its place in modern art and culture with increasing popularity among dancers as well as common people. Many dance competitions are being developed where the subtleties of swing dance is judged based on timing, teamwork and technique among the dancing couples to select the winners, though the original Lindy Hop competitions only looks to select the most impressive dancer to be the winner without any of these criteria. There are many modern day dance groups who are keeping the tradition alive and taking it forward.

What Is an ‘Accompanied Shop Visit’ In Qualitative Research?

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If you receive paid market research participant invitations, you may have heard the term ‘accompanied shopping’ to describe a specific kind of research activity you can take part in. In case you were wondering what it meant, there is no great mystery.

Some people say the British high street is in decline, but shops are still where most retail businesses make their biggest sales and profits, even today. In any typical high street or shopping mall you will see similar clusters of shops, such as boutiques, supermarkets or pharmacy-cosmetics outlets… often there are lots of shops in one area selling pretty similar categories of goods to one another.

So, what makes the difference to you as a consumer, when you decide between them whereabouts to go and spend your money? Of course there are a range of factors including price, convenience, and knowing you can get what you want – but with crunched credit and squeezed margins, advertisers and marketers have never been more keen to understand exactly what it is that can motivate you to go in and spend in one shop, whilst passing by the one next door.

Accompanied shopping trips are when a researcher tags along beside you, whilst you try to behave and respond as ‘normally’ as possible on a typical retail experience. Of course the experience is inevitably constructed to some degree, because you will be asked to think about and explain certain actions and activities as you do them – things you probably don’t even think about normally, especially in typical everyday shopping for inexpensive consumer goods.

Because these things are sold in such high volumes however, understanding exactly what makes you decide between one brand and another is of priceless value to marketers. What first caught your eye in that display fixture? What stood out? What did that packaging suggest to you – about the value, quality, attractiveness of the item? The researcher will be discussing and probing as you move around the store, and may also want to interview you in more depth over a coffee before or after, to really get to the heart of what makes you choose in the way that you.

Taking part in an accompanied shop is great fun, because the people normally recruited tend to be those who love to shop anyway! And if you enjoy shopping, then going shopping with someone who is genuinely interested in what you are doing and why and encouraging you to reflect on it and discuss it, never mind actually paying for your time in so doing, is a fantastic experience! Yes, you heard that right, market researchers will pay not just your shopping costs in many cases, but also always pay a reward for your time – typically between £30 and £60 for an accompanied shopping session with interview, lasting for a couple of hours in total.

Antique Gun And Powder Flask Repairs

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In good condition, these guns are valuable antique collectors’ pieces. Others that require a bit of work can often be cleaned and restored by amateurs. Cast-metal parts or wooden blanks, which can be shaped to replace damaged or missing stocks, can be obtained from specialist suppliers. Even old gunpowder explodes, so be sure that any gun being repaired is not loaded. Insert the ramrod, or a length of wood, into the barrel to check if there is any obstruction. If there is, remove it with a modern shotgun-cleaning rod that has a screw tip, or use an ordinary steel screw soldered to a stiff piece of wire. Screw the rod gently into the obstruction and pull it out like a cork. Wash the barrel with hot water and dry it.

To dismantle the gun, first half-cock it, then remove the screw which holds the cock (in the flintlock) or the hammer (in the percussion type) and slide it off. Unscrew the pan-cover pivot and screw securing the spring beneath the pan: remove the parts. Unscrew the holding bolts or screws and remove the lock-plate. Several screwdrivers may be needed: the blade must fit each screw or bolt slot exactly so as not to burr the screw or bolt. If they are hard to remove, applying a bit of penetrating oil will do the trick. To dismantle a flintlock mechanism, loosen the four screws that hold the mainspring, sear, searspring and the bridle. Compress the mainspring (in a small hand vice), take out the spring screw and remove the spring. The pin at the rear of the mainspring engages in the lock-plate and the other end of the spring engages in the toe of the tumbler.

Remove rust with fine emery paper or powder. Make sure to remove all abrasive powder after cleaning. Smear all parts with petroleum jelly and reassemble. Press the tumbler down to the fired position so that the end of the mainspring goes over it. Put the cock on and pull it back to the half-cocked position so that the tumbler toe compresses the mainspring. Refit the rest of the pieces in reverse order to removal.

To clean the barrel, first remove it from the stock. A metal extension of the barrel – the tang – runs into the stock. Remove the tang screws and any retaining bands or pins. The trigger guard, butt cap and ramrod pipes are screwed or pinned and must be removed with extreme care. If the screws do not yield to penetrating oil, leave them alone – it will be a job for an antique restorer to drill them out. Barrels and other metal parts can be cleaned with a mixture of oil and paraffin. Re-polish all parts with progressively finer abrasives; finish with jewellers’ emery or crocus paper. Some barrels may have been blued to prevent rust and, special bluing fluid can be bought from a gunsmith. Try not leaving fingerprints on the barrel as this causes rusting.

Clean the stock with steel wool and linseed oil. If the stock is broken, mend with epoxy resin mixed to a paste with matching stained sawdust. If the stock is beyond minor repairs, a new stock may be fashioned with an entirely new piece of wood. Small dents in the stock can be extracted by using hot steam from an iron. Place a cloth over the dent and apply the hot iron.

Powder flasks were made in hundreds of designs and several materials. However, the majority of antique flasks were made pear-shaped and made from tin, brass or Britannia metal. Metal flasks were usually made in two halves soldered together. If the seam has parted, find out what alloy the flask is made of before trying to re-solder it. A simple test is to put a few drops of water in a cup and add an equal number of drops of nitric acid, obtainable from a chemist. Put a drop of the solution on the metal to reveal the colour. Red-brown indicates bronze; yellow and yellow-red, brass; dark grey, pewter; and bright silver-grey, Britannia metal. To polish the antique flask, use the technique appropriate to the material it is made of. Many powder flasks have very fine detailed etchings, embossings or engravings that give them their unique look. An antique gun without its matching or specific powder flask loses its appeal when antique collectors are looking to add to their collection.

What Is Kodi?

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At this point consumers are starting to wake up to the fact that the cable & dish network industry is changing. The birth of Netflix, Apple TV & Amazon Prime allowed viewers to watch their shows on demand and at a lower cost than traditional cable or dish services. Many people still subscribe to cable or dish and will add a service like Netflix to compliment their cable package. This is all about to change. Enter Kodi™.

This article will discuss the explosive growth of Kodi™ (formerly known as XBMC). We will review the main features of the service which include music, movies, photos & more. If you are curious about utilizing Kodi™ we will explore some of the top devices that run the software. And finally we will cover the future of Kodi™ and how it is at the forefront of the ever changing in-home entertainment industry.

Kodi™ is an award winning free and open source (GPL) software media center. It conveniently runs on Linux, OS X, Windows, iOS, and Adroid. More importantly it has a 10 foot user interface for use with your living room televisions and remote controls. So basically you can run Kodi from the comfort of your own couch! Kodi™ does not provide any media itself. The user must own content or manually point Kodi™ to 3rd party online services. The initial release was in 2002. It was originally produced as a independently developed media player application named Xbox Media Center for the very popular Xbox game console. Currently, Kodi™ is being used in many digital streaming players and has a simple to use interface for the non-techie consumer.

The main features the open source software provides are music, movies, TV shows, pictures & games. Kodi™ can play all of your music inluding AAC, MP3 and more. It has a cue sheet, tagging support, and smart playlists for ultimate control of your music collection. It can stream movies too! It supports all of the major video formats and sources. It can import these movies with full posters, trailers and more. Kodi™ offers the same features for your favorite TV shows as it does with movies. You can import your pictures into a data library and sort and filter them for a slideshow. You can even play and record live TV from the GUI interface. The Kodi™ software is packed with incredible features!

In order to access Kodi™ you will need a fast internet connection and a good quality streaming device. Here are 3 of the top devices that don’t have restrictions like Roku 3 or Apple TV:

The Dragon Box – The Dragon Box Quad Core Media Streaming Device has a sports emphasis focus and offers 8 GB of NAND flash memory.

The SkyStreamX – The SkyStreamX 4 Quad Core Android Smart TV Box comes with preloaded add ons an is an excellent Streaming Internet Media Player.

The DigiXStream – The DigiXStream DX4 Quad Core XBMC Android Media Box is also a great device that is very easy to use.


Its highly recommended to invest in a keyboard for these devices. They all come with remotes but if you are searching for a movie or show your thumb will get tired moving the cursor around!

The cable companies and dish networks do not want the average consumer to understand Kodi™. The software offers the consumer an incredible opportunity to save money. Once hooked up to your living room television it has the ability to eliminate the need for cable or your dish network. Kodi™ is the future and the growth of the company will explode as more and more people learn of it’s amazing features!

Instagram As A Shopping Platform

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From being a media-sharing app for selfies and anything visually appealing, Instagram is branching out into the eCommerce field.

It will soon roll out a shopping feature which online retailers and shoppers will find very convenient.

The social giant is pretty much aware that mobile commerce is going to overtake PCs in two years’ time or even earlier, hence it wants to be one of its cornerstones.

What’s nice about Instagram’s new feature is that it could serve as a promotion channel for your products, and even more so for your online store.

As for your potential customers, they will be able to see and explore your products without having to leave Instagram for another site.

How to sell on Instagram

The regular Instagrammers among you will find Instagram’s shopping feature super easy to use.

Now, if you’re not a fan of this visual media sharing app, but looking into it as a potential revenue source, you just need to prepare high-quality photos which highlight your products.

To get started, upload a photo which features up to five products that you’re selling.

When a user clicks on the tap to view products link at the bottom left of the photo, a tag will appear on each of the items, showing the product’s name and price.

Once they click on a tag, they will be taken across to a page that shows the complete description, special features and accessories-if there are any-of a product.

While the customer is there, they may opt to click on the Shop Now link within the product details, which will redirect them to the product on your website where they can purchase it.

Know who buys from you

Instagram recently reported that it has hit 400 million daily active users, many of whom are prospective customers of yours.

Using Instagram’s shopping feature gives you the opportunity to promote your products and double your sales projection.

Aside from increasing your sales, the shopping feature also gives you access to Instagram Insights which provides crucial information that will help improve your marketing strategy.

Instagram Insights records your followers based on their demographic factors; it also shows you which of your posts draw their interest the most.

Most important of all, it lets you see who buys from your store through Instagram’s shopping feature and which of your products have high demand.

Isn’t that something worth exploring for your business?

Are you already an Instagrammer or planning to be one for the sake of selling more?

The History of Airsoft and Where it Originated From

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The concept of airsoft was originally created in the country of Japan. Airsoft guns were created in Japan in order to give the people something they could own in place of a real gun. This is because the laws in Japan are so strict as far as firearms go, that it is nearly impossible for anyone there to ever own a real gun (especially a pistol).

When airsoft rifles/guns were first created in Japan, it was originally meant as a means to give the people something they could own and hold, that looked and felt just like real guns. For this reason, most of the airsoft guns were made as replicas of real guns, and looked and felt extremely realistic.

Since these airsoft rifles (and pistols) could only fire non-lethal, plastic airsoft BBs, they were perfectly legal to own and operate by anyone. This is due to the fact that they are not at all capable of ever firing any real, live round, or even metal BBs or lead pellets, for that matter.

Shortly after airsoft rifles came about in Japan, the actual sport of airsoft began, which quickly became very popular in other countries, such as Europe, Great Britain, and then the United States, among other places.

Airsoft has since become extremely popular among people of all ages, male or female, child or adult. There are many different types of airsoft games played, such as free for all, group battles, tactical military scenarios, and much more. Pretty much the sky is the limit as far as what types of games are played.

In many cases airsoft rifles are even used for many different types of military and police training exercises. Most commonly the automatic assault rifles are used for military training purposes. In most cases a small handful of airsoft rifles are used for this, which are the airsoft AK-47, the airsoft-m16, and the M14 airsoft sniper rifles.

The type of gear used for airsoft is very diverse, and commonly includes things such as tactical vests, pants, boots, face masks, and much more. In this day and age, many different types of gear have become widely available, and come in many different flavors.

Airsoft is an easy sport to learn, and can be played by virtually anyone, of practically any age group. Also, the cost of playing airsoft is generally much lower than other comparable sports, such as paintball. This is mainly due to how much cheaper the plastic airsoft BBs are than paintballs, among other things.

Karaoke Music and Equipment

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Karaoke is a very common form of interactive entertainment where people are able to follow the lyrics and music of a song and they can sing along with a microphone. It is considered to be a very good way of fusing music and fun and it is normally done utilizing local popular songs. The popularity of Karaoke entertainment is well known all over the world and people enjoy singing along with their favorite songs while attending parties, celebrations and at their local clubs as well.

Players

Most players come as a package which combines a multi format player, an instrument mixer, recording function, SD card reader with amplifier. You will not need too many cables to install this player to your TV and you will be ready and set to go whenever you want to start your party. It is better to look for something which compliments your existing stereo, sound system or microphones. You can find CDG Karaoke Players, VCD Karaoke players and DVD multiformat karaoke players as well. Looking for a branded player may be the best choice or if you already have a branded stereo system then perhaps choosing the same brand may be the best option.

Systems

While choosing the system you may want to have, please make sure to understand which kind of system is good for which kind of environment. If you are looking to making this special entertainment feature a very private one only for home use of for very small gatherings, then you can easily go for something which is light and handy, not too complex and expensive. On the other hand, if you are looking at something big like opening your own Karaoke club or something similar, then you will have to study the market a bit more.

The price ranges from $500 to $5,000 and more and it is therefore important to understand the features required. A Karaoke System will usually have Digital key control mixing amplifier, a pair of speakers, and a remote control facility. You can also find a karaoke system with video monitors and which combines Professional karaoke, DJ and VJ control in one professional system.

Stands and Hardware

You can find a vast range of stands for your microphones available in many karaoke stores on line and otherwise as well. It is important to know the proper purpose of the stand and what its features are to be able to find the best which is most appropriate for your kind of system. You can also find some very handy and sturdy bags with handles and wheels for bravo players to transport their karaoke instruments.

There are many more accessories that you can look for when you are trying to get your whole set up together like wall mounting devices for your player or speakers, special covers for your player and TV monitor, and adaptable cables and remote control units. Karaoke music can be a lot of fun, and the range of products is vast and complex. It is therefore very important to be able to study and research the market properly before giving this kind of electronic devices a try.

As a small player who is looking for private entertainment with your friends and family, it is good to go for something simple which will fit in with your existing set up, however if you are a club owner looking for a more permanent feature, then it is perhaps a very good idea for you to consult a knowledgeable person who will be able to give you proper advice on what is the best for your needs.

Supernatural Marketing

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“Make the HEART of this people fat, and make their EARS heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their EYES, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed” Isa 6:10

“For this people’s HEART is waxed gross, and their EARS are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” Mat 13:15

There are three dimensions of marketing: FrontDoor Marketing, BackDoor Marketing, and Supernatural Marketing. Much of what is known and practiced in the marketplace is FrontDoor Marketing! Very little is known of BackDoor Marketing and much less is known of Supernatural Marketing! In marketing generally, the “Eyes,” “Ears,” and “Heart,” of potential customers are the major targets of all marketing efforts!

These three targets hold the key to prosperity and lack for businesses and their products and/or services in the marketplace! If these three important targets of your potential customers are closed against your products and/or services, you and your business will suffer neglect, lack, insignificance, and poverty in the marketplace! Conversely, if these three targets are opened in favour of your products and/or services, you and your business will enjoy unprecedented patronage, abundance, significance, and prosperity!

Satan has a mandate to close the “Eyes,” “Ears,” and “Heart,” of potential customers/clients in the marketplace against your business, products and/or services because you are a Christian doing business in the marketplace! This explains why many Christians struggle with business in the marketplace! Supernatural Marketing seeks to help Christians doing business in the marketplace to overcome this siege of the devil.

Why The Ears, Eyes & Heart Of Your Potential Customer Is So Important!

There are six fundamental reasons why the Ears, Eyes & Heart Of Your Potential Customer Is So Important!

Let’s check them out!

1. VISIBILITY

The first purpose of marketing is “Visibility.” Marketing makes your product or service perceptible or noticeable to the eyes, ears, and mind of your targeted client or customer, depending on the medium you employ. The eyes and ears are gates to the “Mind” of man. The more people see or hear about your product or service, the more it is ingrained into their mind until it is deep-rooted. Because your product or service is a seed at this initial stage of marketing, it soon begins to germinate when your marketing efforts is sustained.

If an organization sustains its marketing effort, before long, it would bear fruit. Take note, human response rate differ according to their personality. The reserved (introverts) ones are laggards, they are naturally inclined to foot-dragging. In contrast, the outgoing ones (extroverts) are naturally inclined to respond first to your marketing effort.

The above reasoning presupposes that if you do not embark on a sustained, focused, and targeted marketing, the public will be oblivious of your product and services and that could translates into eventual stagnation or collapse of your business.

2. AWARENESS

Visibility of your product or service in the mind of your targeted customer over time creates a consciousness or awareness in the “Heart” of your targeted customers when sustained and spirited marketing is the watchword. Remember, conviction takes place in the heart. Until the customer is convinced in his or her heart to accept your product and service, there will not be patronage and repeated buying, which is the goal of every entrepreneur.

When you emphasis the unique value proposition or unique selling point of your product or service long enough through sustained marketing, your target group will understand its usefulness and this is how a market buzz and frenzy is created.

When the public are persuaded in their heart that your product or service is the first and best choice, they’ll respond voluntarily and positively to your organization’s offerings and that is what eventually attract your clients to you, when he or she have “Genuine” need of your product or service.

3. CONVICTION

When your product or service is projected strong enough in the minds of your target customers through sustained marketing; it gets ingrained in their minds! After sometime, because the product or service remains constantly in focus, he begins to believe the benefits of the product or service is real. It won’t take long before he receives a suggestion from his mind to give the product or service a try.

Unconsciously, the customer has accepted the product or service because of the conviction in his mind that the product or service is worth giving it a try. Now, at this point, if the product or service is worth its salt, when the customer gives a try, he is convinced that the product or service is worth it. When the customer makes another effort to patronize the product or service again, he will be hooked because in the mouth of two or three witness, every product is established in the heart of the customer!

4. ACCEPTANCE

The resultant effect of visibility, awareness, and conviction of your product or service by your targeted customers is a positive “Mental attitude” – created by the Holy Spirit – that your product or service is believable, credible, and trustworthy and therefore, the customers accepts it as true and eventually prefers it above other products and services.

The question you want to ask yourself is, when people generally think of using the kind of product or service you are offering on a scale of 1 to 3, where does your offering stand. Instructively, the product or service that occupies the first two rungs of the scale will be more favoured in the order of their standing. It is your responsibility to get your product or service to this position!

Assuming the product you’re offering in the marketplace is a detergent and we have 50 potential customers in your “Coverage area” – and that varies in scope – that wants to buy one each. When they think in their mind of the best and preferred detergent to buy, where does your company’s brand stand in their mind? Where your brand stands in their minds, will be determined by three factors: the quality of your marketing, the quality of your product, and your customer service.

5. BRANDING

Sustained marketing gives your product or service a positive flight that galvanize it above others in your industry. Persistent marketing ingrain your brand permanently in the heart of your target customers. When the image or brand identification is ingrained in the hearts of your targeted customers; after they’ve used your product or service and found it satisfactory, they’d over time become habituated to it, which makes it a first choice in their decision making process.

6. SPREAD

When steps, 1-5 assumes a rhythmic flow in your business efficiency and effectiveness, your products and services will begin to find its way to more home, hands, and families. Over time, your product or service distribution begins to expand and extend over a wide sphere due to visibility, awareness, conviction, acceptance, and branding.

Your customers will begin to do word of mouth publicity of your products and services to friends, neighbours, and family. This is because they are satisfied with your product or service, because they believe that your organization have delivered on its promises!

Devilman OVA Vol.1 – The Birth Review

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Synopsis

Devilman tells the story of Akira Fudou an ordinary high school student. He gets the shock of his life when his former classmate, Ryou Asuka appears out of nowhere saving him and his girlfriend, Miki Makimura from bullies by pulling a gun on them. Ryou tells Akira a dark secret.

Ryou’s dad committed suicide after becoming possessed by a demon. His father left him a letter saying in order to defeat the oncoming invasion of demons from hell, you must become a demon yourself. Ryou shows Akira an ancient mask of a demon and Akira puts it on. Akira has a vision of a time when demons ruled the earth and humankind did not exist.

After fighting off an attack by some demons, Ryou tells Akira he must become possessed by a demon in order to defeat the demons. Ryou tells Akira since he is pure of heart he can resist the demons control over his mind, but if the demon takes over then he will have to commit suicide.

They descend down an elevator into a nightclub which is also a demon ritual and almost everyone gets possessed. Akira Fudou soon becomes possessed by the demon known as Amon. Amon is the god of war in hell and blessed with incredible strength and powers. Akira becomes Devilman and has complete control over his powers so he can save the human race.

Devilman OVA Vol.1 Review Section

Devilman is an anime I first watched in the mid 90’s when I was ordering my anime through a mail order catalog from Central Park Media.

Central Park Media distributed many adult oriented anime on VHS and Laserdisc formats to the North American market in those days. The Devilman OVA’s were one of the many violent adult titles licensed in America at the time.

It was also shown on the Sci-Fi Cable Network when they used to have anime marathons. Devilman Vol.1 The Birth is kind of strange on how the simple, but effective plot plays out.

Apart from the bizarre opening and the brief scene where Ryou and Akira gets attacked by a couple of demons early on. The majority of this OVA episode is dialogue driven drama. The violence and blood don’t really come till the club scene.

There is some nudity involving just breast flashing, but no sex in it. The animation quality is good for it’s time. Devilman The Birth OVA feature’s vivid colors throughout. The OVA has mythology and biblical references.

The music played in the club at the end is very cool. It might sound cheesy to some, because it’s 80’s guitar driven rock. I have watched both the original Japanese with English subtitles and the dubbed version.

The dubbed English version has bad voice actors. The violence at the end of the OVA is very messy as Akira slices, punches, and tears apart all the demons in the club. Expect a lot of blood and gore in the chaotic climax.

The two characters Akira and Ryou are very cool. I especially like Ryou’s entrance. He just comes out of the woods with some dark haunting music playing in the background. You don’t know if he is or good or evil.

The demons in Devilman all have frightening unique designs to them. Some of them look more alien than demon. The demons featured in this OVA Episode merge with animals or humans to become even more powerful.

Akira Fuduo looks badass as Devilman, the anti-hero. The slow pace build up to the action might turn some people away.

It gets a lot better with the next OVA episode, Devilman Vol.2 Demon Bird. The violence, gore, and intensity is turned up several notches as Devilman is in the fight for his life. The Devilman anime is not for children since it contains graphic violence, strong language, and gratuitous nudity.