Hello everyone, I'm sorry I haven't blogged anything for the best part of a month. It's been quite an eventful month, all in all, so I've got an excuse, but rest assured, I'm back in business now.
I'm writing from Basel, Switzerland, where I'm doing strange memory things in an art exhibition. Isn't that the same thing I did in Bilbao a few months ago, you ask? No, not at all. That was a promotional video for a modern art gallery. This time I AM modern art! It's a performance project organised by an artist who specialises in art about the description of art, or something like that (I'm not an artist), and it involves me reciting the names of all the galleries and artists represented at this exhibition and describing the mental pictures I create to help me remember them. If you happen to be in the neighbourhood, come and check it out at the "Liste" young artists' exhibition!
Since there is also a gigantic art fair here at the same time, all the hotels are fully booked, and I'm staying in a flat sublet by some enterprising locals, along with a couple of other art-wallahs. It's a flat that can only be described as 'interesting' - it's part of a huge ancient house, and it has three bedrooms, a kitchen and nothing else. Bathroom, you say? No, there's a toilet outside the front door in its own little room, and the shower is in the kitchen. No, really, a shower cubicle in the corner of the kitchen, next to the sink and the oven. I've never heard of such a thing, but you can't deny it's very modern-arty.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Oh oh oh, look at this look at this!
I've just found a caricature of myself on the internet that I didn't know existed!
Click here!
It's a bit out of date, since it's talking about my 26.38-second world record, which is sadly ancient history now, but isn't it awesome!
Click here!
It's a bit out of date, since it's talking about my 26.38-second world record, which is sadly ancient history now, but isn't it awesome!
35 Up
The last two Mondays in a row, I've found myself idly channel-hopping just as "56 Up" was coming on, and I've enjoyed it a lot. I remember watching the 42 one, back in what must have been 1998, and finding it interesting, but it's even more fun to catch up with what these people are doing now. The whole project of charting people's lives at seven-year intervals was a downright genius idea, and it's great that the majority of those original seven-year-olds from half a century ago are still willing to talk about themselves for the entertainment of viewers around the world.
It got me thinking about myself (most things get me thinking about myself, I'm disgustingly self-absorbed), and while I originally thought it would make me look pretty unimpressive, actually I'm thinking I might come across as more groovy than I actually am - they record it late the year before, it seems, so my 21 Up in late 1997 would have found me enthusing about the newly-founded MSO and my having won a silver medal at a competition that sounds more impressive than it was; 28 Up in 2004 would have come just at the time I was winning the World Memory Championship for the first time, and 35 Up last year would have seen me making a music video for DJ Shadow and being downright awesome! That actually looks like a genuine progression in my life, rather than the general bumbling around cluelessly that I've actually devoted my 35 years on this planet to, and it makes me feel a great deal better about myself!
It got me thinking about myself (most things get me thinking about myself, I'm disgustingly self-absorbed), and while I originally thought it would make me look pretty unimpressive, actually I'm thinking I might come across as more groovy than I actually am - they record it late the year before, it seems, so my 21 Up in late 1997 would have found me enthusing about the newly-founded MSO and my having won a silver medal at a competition that sounds more impressive than it was; 28 Up in 2004 would have come just at the time I was winning the World Memory Championship for the first time, and 35 Up last year would have seen me making a music video for DJ Shadow and being downright awesome! That actually looks like a genuine progression in my life, rather than the general bumbling around cluelessly that I've actually devoted my 35 years on this planet to, and it makes me feel a great deal better about myself!
Friday, May 18, 2012
I'm old!
Since nobody seems to want to give me a job at the moment, I went up to Nottingham this lunchtime and got collared by the market research people who hang around the city centre quite regularly. So if they change the flavour of Walkers salt & vinegar crisps and you don't like it, that's my fault, sorry.
Thing is, the form they filled in had just two different age categories - 18-34 and 35-80! It is really, really terrible to be 35 and classed among the 'old people'. I'm just going to bed now, it's nearly two o'clock.
Thing is, the form they filled in had just two different age categories - 18-34 and 35-80! It is really, really terrible to be 35 and classed among the 'old people'. I'm just going to bed now, it's nearly two o'clock.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Memory competitions get scientific!
I'm reliably informed that the UK Memory Championship will happen on August 23-24, at the Science Museum in London.
That's an absolutely excellent place for a memory championship, and I'm very impressed that they've arranged it! In the distant past, apparently the pack of cards that Andi Bell memorised in a world-record time was once on display at the Science Museum - Andi once told me an anecdote about what happened when he went to see if it was still there, but to be honest I can't remember what it was. I'm sure it was funny, though.
I'm doing Science and I'm still alive...
That's an absolutely excellent place for a memory championship, and I'm very impressed that they've arranged it! In the distant past, apparently the pack of cards that Andi Bell memorised in a world-record time was once on display at the Science Museum - Andi once told me an anecdote about what happened when he went to see if it was still there, but to be honest I can't remember what it was. I'm sure it was funny, though.
I'm doing Science and I'm still alive...
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
capital letters intrigue mungu
Hey, I've just noticed something today! The "teach yourself" books and things are now "Teach Yourself" books and things! Teach Yourself Capital Letters must have been a great success!
You might recall that I was my usual irritating and pedantic self about those capital letters when they asked me to adapt "How To Be Clever" into a "teach yourself", but perhaps now I should write to them and say I'll do it after all?
You might recall that I was my usual irritating and pedantic self about those capital letters when they asked me to adapt "How To Be Clever" into a "teach yourself", but perhaps now I should write to them and say I'll do it after all?
Monday, May 14, 2012
Brother Louie Louie Louie
I woke up this morning with the song "Brother Louie" by Modern Talking playing in my head. The funny thing is that this song has never penetrated my conscious mind in the slightest - I listen to Absolute Eighties radio every now and then, so I'm sure I've heard it in the background a few times, but I had to search on the internet to find out what it was and who sang it. I've got some kind of subconscious dream DJ in my brain with unusual tastes, obviously.
Anyway, I can't let this distract me from all the important things I need to do! I've got a post-it note on my coffee table with the following cryptic instructions on it:
LISTE
Russian voice thing
French translation
Othello
And these are all things I've volunteered to do but haven't done yet. And there are other things I forgot to write on the list, too.
"LISTE", which may or may not actually be written with capital letters, is an art fair in Switzerland in which I'm going to be a work of art - memorising everything else that's in the exhibition as some kind of clever statement on how reducing art to its bare information is in fact an artistic process itself. Which is a brilliant idea, but I need to get to work doing the memory if it's not going to be like a painting that the artist forgot to colour in.
"Russian voice thing" is a little thing that I said I'd do for some Russian student acquaintance of Mike's, involving listening to various British accents and explaining what they sound like.
"French translation" involves the upcoming French edition of How To Be Clever that a French fan is generously working on as we speak - memory competitions still haven't really taken off at all in France, despite the efforts of a couple of individuals, so maybe this will be some kind of breakthrough!
"Othello" is that board game I talk about sometimes, the national championship for which I still need to settle on and book a venue for.
I'm also planning to arrange a Cambridge Memory Championship in the same place (Nottingham, not Cambridge) as the othello, at the same kind of time (September, but not the same weekend, because I want to be involved in both), but I wanted to wait until a date has been announced for the UK Championship, because there really needs to be more than a week or two between them, and there's also going to be the Swedish Championship at the end of September. Last year they only announced the UK event three weeks before it happened, but it was after Cambridge, so it wasn't really my problem - this year the German Championship is in July, so I didn't really want to do that this time. October might also be a possibility, depending on if and when the WMC happens.
I also need to find a proper job with some kind of urgency, because I've got no money, and the various memory things that give me money occasionally, while wonderful in themselves, aren't really a stable career. Let's face it, I haven't done any memory training for about six months, so I'm not going to win any competitions in the near future, there's only so long I can trade on "used to be quite good at memorising a few years ago".
As you can see, rather than sitting down and doing any of these things, I've chosen to write a long blog about it. I hope this inspires my readers to tell me to get on with things, and to check up on me regularly to see if I've done them.
Anyway, I can't let this distract me from all the important things I need to do! I've got a post-it note on my coffee table with the following cryptic instructions on it:
LISTE
Russian voice thing
French translation
Othello
And these are all things I've volunteered to do but haven't done yet. And there are other things I forgot to write on the list, too.
"LISTE", which may or may not actually be written with capital letters, is an art fair in Switzerland in which I'm going to be a work of art - memorising everything else that's in the exhibition as some kind of clever statement on how reducing art to its bare information is in fact an artistic process itself. Which is a brilliant idea, but I need to get to work doing the memory if it's not going to be like a painting that the artist forgot to colour in.
"Russian voice thing" is a little thing that I said I'd do for some Russian student acquaintance of Mike's, involving listening to various British accents and explaining what they sound like.
"French translation" involves the upcoming French edition of How To Be Clever that a French fan is generously working on as we speak - memory competitions still haven't really taken off at all in France, despite the efforts of a couple of individuals, so maybe this will be some kind of breakthrough!
"Othello" is that board game I talk about sometimes, the national championship for which I still need to settle on and book a venue for.
I'm also planning to arrange a Cambridge Memory Championship in the same place (Nottingham, not Cambridge) as the othello, at the same kind of time (September, but not the same weekend, because I want to be involved in both), but I wanted to wait until a date has been announced for the UK Championship, because there really needs to be more than a week or two between them, and there's also going to be the Swedish Championship at the end of September. Last year they only announced the UK event three weeks before it happened, but it was after Cambridge, so it wasn't really my problem - this year the German Championship is in July, so I didn't really want to do that this time. October might also be a possibility, depending on if and when the WMC happens.
I also need to find a proper job with some kind of urgency, because I've got no money, and the various memory things that give me money occasionally, while wonderful in themselves, aren't really a stable career. Let's face it, I haven't done any memory training for about six months, so I'm not going to win any competitions in the near future, there's only so long I can trade on "used to be quite good at memorising a few years ago".
As you can see, rather than sitting down and doing any of these things, I've chosen to write a long blog about it. I hope this inspires my readers to tell me to get on with things, and to check up on me regularly to see if I've done them.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Modesty? Self-deprecation?
Why when you go to eBay's homepage does it proudly claim to be "one of the UK's largest shopping destinations"? I mean, eBay is a pretty big deal, isn't it? Surely it could describe itself as "the largest" something or other without stretching the truth too much? No end of smaller shopping destinations do that!
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
A really really REALLY important blog post!
I cleared out a few duplicate posts that were sitting on the account as 'drafts' using Blogger's new and improved dashboard thing, and now it tells me that this post, the one you're reading right now, is the 2000th post on Zoomy's Thing!
Blow the noisemakers and launch the party poppers! I was thinking that I should write something really special and significant to celebrate the occasion, but I can't really be bothered.
Blow the noisemakers and launch the party poppers! I was thinking that I should write something really special and significant to celebrate the occasion, but I can't really be bothered.
Monday, May 07, 2012
The Senior Parlour
The Junior Parlour at Trinity College, Cambridge, opens its doors to aging othello players at least twice a year, and Saturday was the Cambridge Regional. I went down on the first train at the crack of dawn, which conveniently gets me to Cambridge at just the right time for a 9:30 start, more or less, although my arrival didn't please Imre, who'd been expecting to run the seven-round tournament with eight players (ideal) and ended up having to work out pairings for nine (difficult) instead.
Also, Garry had to leave at lunchtime, which you'd think would make the numbers nice again, but if you've ever had to work out swiss-system pairings for a tournament that has nine players for the first three rounds and eight for the last four, you probably know differently. Anyway, not having played othello at all since the last competition I went to, whenever that was, I did extremely badly and came last again. I think we should talk instead about last year's competition, which I won - wasn't that awesome? Oh well, never mind.
In any case, I've volunteered to organise the nationals this year, meaning that I get to pick a date in September that doesn't clash with a memory competition like it has for the last two years. Although someone will probably later reschedule a competition to clash with it, just to spite me. Assuming that doesn't happen, I'm intending to have the Cambridge Memory Championship here in Nottingham in September also, but I'll have to compare everyone's calendars to work out which dates will be best. Stay tuned.
Also, Garry had to leave at lunchtime, which you'd think would make the numbers nice again, but if you've ever had to work out swiss-system pairings for a tournament that has nine players for the first three rounds and eight for the last four, you probably know differently. Anyway, not having played othello at all since the last competition I went to, whenever that was, I did extremely badly and came last again. I think we should talk instead about last year's competition, which I won - wasn't that awesome? Oh well, never mind.
In any case, I've volunteered to organise the nationals this year, meaning that I get to pick a date in September that doesn't clash with a memory competition like it has for the last two years. Although someone will probably later reschedule a competition to clash with it, just to spite me. Assuming that doesn't happen, I'm intending to have the Cambridge Memory Championship here in Nottingham in September also, but I'll have to compare everyone's calendars to work out which dates will be best. Stay tuned.
Friday, May 04, 2012
The Dr Watson in my family tree
(or, A rambling blog entry even by my standards)
I've been having a lot of fun reading the Sherlock Peoria website lately, and I'm particularly impressed by the attempt to put together a definitive timeline for the 60 Sherlock Holmes adventures. Many people have tried their hands at this task in the past, and since all sane people would give up on the idea once they've read "The Red-Headed League" and noticed that April 27 is followed exactly eight weeks later by October 9 (Arthur Conan Doyle wasn't quite as precise with details as his famous creation), there's always scope for a lot of creativity. This website has my favourite view of all the ones I've seen, asserting that Watson was married a total of six times (the last being to Mrs Hudson) and that he hallucinated the presence of Sherlock Holmes in two stories that actually took place during the period when Holmes was thought to be dead. Recommended reading for everyone!
The whole of the wider website is full of fun articles and snippets, in fact, marred only by one occurrence of that universal American belief that the British measure distances in kilometres. Honestly, I've never met an American who didn't believe that, whether it's Americans who've visited Britain repeatedly in the past or ones who resolutely know nothing about the world outside the USA, they can all confidently tell you that they use kilometres in Britain. It's probably taught at schools. There's probably an exam on foreign countries that you have to pass to graduate from university, in which the only question is "What do they use to measure distance in Britain? a) Miles; b) Kilometers; c) Cubits; d) All of the above." All American exams are multiple-choice, and the pass-mark is 25%.
Anyway, I've drifted a tiny bit away from my original point and lurched into a stereotypical characterisation of Americans that's even more offensive than the murderous Mormons and sinister Scowrers you'll find in Sherlock Holmes, so let me go back to what I was meaning to write about, and something that isn't really gone into on Sherlock Peoria - the question of Dr Watson's first name.
For the uninitiated, it goes like this: The first Sherlock Holmes book, "A Study in Scarlet" (1887) is introduced as "Being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D.", and after the lengthy digression into Utah written by an unidentified omniscient narrator, the penultimate chapter is titled "A continuation of the reminiscences of John Watson, M.D." But then in "The Man With The Twisted Lip" (1891), Watson's wife refers to him as James. This is the only time in all the Sherlock Holmes stories that anyone uses poor Watson's first name in dialogue. It goes unmentioned for a quarter of a century after that, when the preface to the book "His Last Bow" (1917), written in character by Watson, is signed "John H. Watson, M.D.", and finally the name is used again in "The Problem of Thor Bridge" (1922), when narrator Watson mentions that he keeps his papers in a dispatch-box labelled "John H. Watson, M.D."
Most people dismiss the "James" as a mistake, or else write it off as a pet name used by Watson's wife. And after all, Professor Moriarty and his brother are both called James in different stories, while a character with what should be the memorable name of Athelney Jones becomes Peter Jones when he reappears later, so you have to suspend your disbelief a tiny bit. But if you want to take the Sherlock Holmes stories seriously, I think you have to assume that although Watson's first name was in fact John, he was universally known as James to everyone who knew him.
All of which sounds entirely plausible when you consider my great-uncle James/John Palmer, who puzzled me a lot when I was researching my family tree. I really need to try to look into his life some more and establish why he apparently couldn't settle on a name for himself. I'm at least 99% convinced that there aren't two very similarly-named people who lived very similar lives, but judge for yourself - here are all the certificates and censuses I've got with his name on them:
April 5th, 1891, census:
John Palmer, 3, lives at 50 Powell Street with his father, John W. Palmer, 40, brewery labourer, mother Jane Palmer, 27, and brothers George, 2, and Joseph, 2 months.
March 31st, 1901, census:
John Palmer, 13, errand boy, lives at 50 Powell Street with his widowed mother Jane, 38, brother Joseph, 10, and sister Hannah, 6.
August 2nd, 1908, marriage certificate:
Groom John William Palmer, 23, bachelor, carter, 50 Powell St, father William Palmer (deceased), labourer. Bride Florence Pridmore, 23, spinster, 143 Daisy Walk, father William Thomas Pridmore, bricklayer.
May 17th, 1909, birth certificate:
Baby James William, born to mother Florence Palmer, formerly Pridmore, and father James William Palmer, mineral water carter, 34 Hunt Street.
April 2nd, 1911, census:
James William Palmer, 26, mineral water carter, wife Florence Palmer, 25, and son James William Palmer, 1, live at 143 Daisy Walk.
October 17th, 1911, birth certificate:
Baby Norman, born to mother Florence Palmer, formerly Pridmore, and father John William Palmer, mineral water carter, 143 Daisy Walk.
October 5th, 1913, marriage certificate:
Florence's brother Wilfred gets married, and the witnesses are John William Palmer and Florence Palmer.
June 17th, 1914, birth certificate:
Baby Jennie, born to mother Florence Palmer, formerly Pridmore, and father John William Palmer, moulder's labourer, 1 in court 2 Bond Street.
May 13th, 1920, death certificate:
Death of Florence Palmer, wife of James William Palmer, brewery stableman (ex army), 10 Brough Street.
March 20th, 1926, marriage certificate:
Groom James William Palmer, 40, widower, stableman, 10 Brough Street, son of William Palmer (deceased), brewery worker. Bride Fanny Thornton, 40, spinster, 10 Brough Street.
This is a man who advances his age by three years when he gets married, so there's something shifty about him. The family seem to have gone down in the world over the years, too - first they live at Daisy Walk (4 rooms, according to the census form), which was the Pridmores' old house before they moved to Hunt Street, but then after the war they're reduced to moving in with Florence's sister Lilian and her family, and all living together at the Brough Street house (5 rooms for the Palmers and their three children, the Mays and their four). But I'd like to know why he starts calling himself James in 1908/9, switches back to John in 1911, then becomes James again by 1920. I mean, really, what did great-aunt Florence marry into?
I've been having a lot of fun reading the Sherlock Peoria website lately, and I'm particularly impressed by the attempt to put together a definitive timeline for the 60 Sherlock Holmes adventures. Many people have tried their hands at this task in the past, and since all sane people would give up on the idea once they've read "The Red-Headed League" and noticed that April 27 is followed exactly eight weeks later by October 9 (Arthur Conan Doyle wasn't quite as precise with details as his famous creation), there's always scope for a lot of creativity. This website has my favourite view of all the ones I've seen, asserting that Watson was married a total of six times (the last being to Mrs Hudson) and that he hallucinated the presence of Sherlock Holmes in two stories that actually took place during the period when Holmes was thought to be dead. Recommended reading for everyone!
The whole of the wider website is full of fun articles and snippets, in fact, marred only by one occurrence of that universal American belief that the British measure distances in kilometres. Honestly, I've never met an American who didn't believe that, whether it's Americans who've visited Britain repeatedly in the past or ones who resolutely know nothing about the world outside the USA, they can all confidently tell you that they use kilometres in Britain. It's probably taught at schools. There's probably an exam on foreign countries that you have to pass to graduate from university, in which the only question is "What do they use to measure distance in Britain? a) Miles; b) Kilometers; c) Cubits; d) All of the above." All American exams are multiple-choice, and the pass-mark is 25%.
Anyway, I've drifted a tiny bit away from my original point and lurched into a stereotypical characterisation of Americans that's even more offensive than the murderous Mormons and sinister Scowrers you'll find in Sherlock Holmes, so let me go back to what I was meaning to write about, and something that isn't really gone into on Sherlock Peoria - the question of Dr Watson's first name.
For the uninitiated, it goes like this: The first Sherlock Holmes book, "A Study in Scarlet" (1887) is introduced as "Being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D.", and after the lengthy digression into Utah written by an unidentified omniscient narrator, the penultimate chapter is titled "A continuation of the reminiscences of John Watson, M.D." But then in "The Man With The Twisted Lip" (1891), Watson's wife refers to him as James. This is the only time in all the Sherlock Holmes stories that anyone uses poor Watson's first name in dialogue. It goes unmentioned for a quarter of a century after that, when the preface to the book "His Last Bow" (1917), written in character by Watson, is signed "John H. Watson, M.D.", and finally the name is used again in "The Problem of Thor Bridge" (1922), when narrator Watson mentions that he keeps his papers in a dispatch-box labelled "John H. Watson, M.D."
Most people dismiss the "James" as a mistake, or else write it off as a pet name used by Watson's wife. And after all, Professor Moriarty and his brother are both called James in different stories, while a character with what should be the memorable name of Athelney Jones becomes Peter Jones when he reappears later, so you have to suspend your disbelief a tiny bit. But if you want to take the Sherlock Holmes stories seriously, I think you have to assume that although Watson's first name was in fact John, he was universally known as James to everyone who knew him.
All of which sounds entirely plausible when you consider my great-uncle James/John Palmer, who puzzled me a lot when I was researching my family tree. I really need to try to look into his life some more and establish why he apparently couldn't settle on a name for himself. I'm at least 99% convinced that there aren't two very similarly-named people who lived very similar lives, but judge for yourself - here are all the certificates and censuses I've got with his name on them:
April 5th, 1891, census:
John Palmer, 3, lives at 50 Powell Street with his father, John W. Palmer, 40, brewery labourer, mother Jane Palmer, 27, and brothers George, 2, and Joseph, 2 months.
March 31st, 1901, census:
John Palmer, 13, errand boy, lives at 50 Powell Street with his widowed mother Jane, 38, brother Joseph, 10, and sister Hannah, 6.
August 2nd, 1908, marriage certificate:
Groom John William Palmer, 23, bachelor, carter, 50 Powell St, father William Palmer (deceased), labourer. Bride Florence Pridmore, 23, spinster, 143 Daisy Walk, father William Thomas Pridmore, bricklayer.
May 17th, 1909, birth certificate:
Baby James William, born to mother Florence Palmer, formerly Pridmore, and father James William Palmer, mineral water carter, 34 Hunt Street.
April 2nd, 1911, census:
James William Palmer, 26, mineral water carter, wife Florence Palmer, 25, and son James William Palmer, 1, live at 143 Daisy Walk.
October 17th, 1911, birth certificate:
Baby Norman, born to mother Florence Palmer, formerly Pridmore, and father John William Palmer, mineral water carter, 143 Daisy Walk.
October 5th, 1913, marriage certificate:
Florence's brother Wilfred gets married, and the witnesses are John William Palmer and Florence Palmer.
June 17th, 1914, birth certificate:
Baby Jennie, born to mother Florence Palmer, formerly Pridmore, and father John William Palmer, moulder's labourer, 1 in court 2 Bond Street.
May 13th, 1920, death certificate:
Death of Florence Palmer, wife of James William Palmer, brewery stableman (ex army), 10 Brough Street.
March 20th, 1926, marriage certificate:
Groom James William Palmer, 40, widower, stableman, 10 Brough Street, son of William Palmer (deceased), brewery worker. Bride Fanny Thornton, 40, spinster, 10 Brough Street.
This is a man who advances his age by three years when he gets married, so there's something shifty about him. The family seem to have gone down in the world over the years, too - first they live at Daisy Walk (4 rooms, according to the census form), which was the Pridmores' old house before they moved to Hunt Street, but then after the war they're reduced to moving in with Florence's sister Lilian and her family, and all living together at the Brough Street house (5 rooms for the Palmers and their three children, the Mays and their four). But I'd like to know why he starts calling himself James in 1908/9, switches back to John in 1911, then becomes James again by 1920. I mean, really, what did great-aunt Florence marry into?
Thursday, May 03, 2012
Krypton Force Five
Blogger's got a new fancy interface thing, and I think it's now such that I can share a spreadsheet with the world and not lose all the formatting! So this one is for fans of my Krypton Force blog that summarises all those releases of Force Five cartoons by my favourite cheap video label. That post brings in more google-search-directed pageviews than anything else I've written, you know. Except the one about how to give yourself food poisoning.
Here's a summary of the original Japanese episode titles (translated, sometimes badly, into English), the titles of the Force Five translations of 26 episodes from each series, the rarer-than-hen's-teeth pre-cert Video Brokers releases, and everyone's favourites, the Krypton Force videos. Just for anyone who's out to collect them all. All this information is, I think, gathered together on the internet for the very first time, and although it involves a teensy bit of guesswork here and there, it's at least 90% accurate. And what more could you want?
(If this doesn't look readable on your computer, please tell me. It looks okayish on mine.)
Here's a summary of the original Japanese episode titles (translated, sometimes badly, into English), the titles of the Force Five translations of 26 episodes from each series, the rarer-than-hen's-teeth pre-cert Video Brokers releases, and everyone's favourites, the Krypton Force videos. Just for anyone who's out to collect them all. All this information is, I think, gathered together on the internet for the very first time, and although it involves a teensy bit of guesswork here and there, it's at least 90% accurate. And what more could you want?
(If this doesn't look readable on your computer, please tell me. It looks okayish on mine.)
| Getter Robo G | Starvengers | Formators | ||||
| Japanese number | Japanese title | Force Five | Episode Title | Video brokers tape | Krypton Force number | Krypton Force tape |
| 1 | Revive, Getter Robo! | 1 | Who'll Fly Poseidon | 1a | 2a | The New Starvenger |
| 2 | Mystery of the Fearsome 100 Demon Empire | 2 | Dragon Formation... Switch On! | 1b | 2b | The New Starvenger |
| 3 | An Insidious Trap! The Flying Fleet | 3 | Sky Tankers Away | 2a | 3a | The Havoc Symbol |
| 4 | Benkei! Victory Of Tears | 4 | Tip Gets The Needle | 2b | 3b | The Havoc Symbol |
| 5 | The Frightening Hydrogen Bomb Plan | 5 | Atomic Blackmail | 11b | ||
| 6 | The Dream Shredding Hyakki Empire | 6 | The Star Energizer's Gone | 3a | 4a | Star Energizers |
| 7 | After That Black Jet! | |||||
| 8 | Two Stars Shining in the Night Sky | |||||
| 9 | SOS! Getter Robo, Please Respond! | 7 | A Deserted Laboratory | 3b | 4b | Star Energizers |
| 10 | Attacking the Demon Island! | 8 | The Island Fortress | 4a | 5a | Earths Defence |
| 11 | The Hyakki Empire! The Road to the General | 9 | Honour Redeemed | 4b | 5b | Earths Defence |
| 12 | Showdown in the Desert! | |||||
| 13 | Bat Bombs Crisis! | 10 | Tip's Falcon | 12a | 7a | Birds Of Prey |
| 14 | A Friend became Wind | |||||
| 15 | The Ballad of the Red Butterfly | |||||
| 16 | Battle!! Stormy Man's Road | |||||
| 17 | Koro, Bark For Tomorrow | 11 | Joey Finds A Friend | 5a | 6a | Joey & The Pup |
| 18 | Danger in Izu Penisula Shallows | |||||
| 19 | Rescue Dr. Saotome! | 12 | Mount Pandemonium Explodes | 11a | ||
| 20 | Major Battle! Mecha Fortress | 13 | Star Fire part 1 | 6a | 9a | Star Fire |
| 21 | Final Battle! Shinespark | 14 | Star Fire part 2 | 6b | 9b | Star Fire |
| 22 | Jumbo Jet Disappears On The Ocean Floor | 15 | Free Trip To Danger | 5b | 6b | Joey & The Pup |
| 23 | Moonlight Dancing Clown | 16 | Send Out The Clowns | 7a | 8a | Omicron Ray |
| 24 | A Boy Screaming Into The Sea | 17 | A Boy Crying To The Sea | 7b | 8b | Omicron Ray |
| 25 | Michiru Disappears into the Beach | |||||
| 26 | He who became a Demon! | |||||
| 27 | Swallow, Fly away | 18 | Flight Of The Swallow | 8a | ||
| 28 | Green Earth Dies | |||||
| 29 | Whistle after the tears | 19 | A Family Reunion | 8b | ||
| 30 | Dry Snow Sneak Attack! | |||||
| 31 | Burn! Ryo's Sword | |||||
| 32 | What's Up With That Healthy Girl? | 20 | A Girl Named Maria | 9a | 10a | Fear Of Imagination |
| 33 | Dusk knows | |||||
| 34 | Showdown! Hyakki Three Brothers | 21 | Triple Play | 9b | 10b | Fear Of Imagination |
| 35 | Never Die Hyakki Old Soldiers | 22 | The Old Warrior | 10a | ||
| 36 | Benkei Assassination Plot | 23 | The Cry Of Silence | 10b | ||
| 37 | Approaching Crisis In Japanese Waters? | 24 | The Mother Quail's Strategy | 12b | 7a | Birds Of Prey |
| 38 | Emperor Brai 's Counter Attack | 25 | The Battle For Earth part 1 | 13a | ||
| 39 | Battle! Sky over Japan | 26 | The Battle For Earth part 2 | 13b | ||
| SF Saiyuki Starzinger | Spaceketeers | Sci-Bots | ||||
| Japanese number | Japanese title | Force Five | Episode Title | Video brokers tape | Krypton Force number | Krypton Force tape |
| 1 | The Journey To The Great Planet | 1 | Aurora Accepts The Challenge | 1a | ||
| 2 | The Princess Of Space | 2 | The Invincible Warrior | 1b | ||
| 3 | The Planet Of Mud | 3 | Enter The Space Hog | 2a | ||
| 4 | The Adventure And The Dream | 4 | One For All And All For One | 2b | ||
| 5 | Friendship Is The Strongest | 5 | Crystal Palace | 3a | 12a | Crystal & The Space Bees |
| 6 | The Astrobat | 6 | Swarm Of The Space Bees | 3b | 12b | Crystal & The Space Bees |
| 7 | The Bravery Of Haka | 7 | The Panther Bat | 4a | 11a | Star Point Tantar |
| 8 | The Nightmare Of Energy | 8 | All For One And None For All | 4b | 11b | Star Point Tantar |
| 9 | The Lost Star | |||||
| 10 | The Symbol Of The Lost | |||||
| 11 | Doctor Mud | 9 | Dr Snark's Chance | 5a | 10a | Snark & The Diamonds |
| 12 | Don't Die, Princess! | 10 | The Galactic Diamond | 5b | 10b | Snark & The Diamonds |
| 13 | The Split Planet | 11 | Enter Tryax Khan | 13a | 4a | Betrayal |
| 14 | The Fort Planet | 12 | Reluctant Enemies | 6a | 9a | Surrender By Force |
| 15 | The Dark Point | 13 | Too Much Monkey Business | 6b | 9b | Surrender By Force |
| 16 | A Dead Flower | |||||
| 17 | A Shadow In The Water | 14 | Eye Of The Beholder | 7a | 8a | Evil Catyla |
| 18 | Hot Wave | 15 | Sacrifice To Rorka | 7b | 8b | Evil Catyla |
| 19 | Bye-Bye Captain | 16 | Heart Of Ice | 8a | 7a | Zalo |
| 20 | Unbeaten Mart | |||||
| 21 | Underground Hero | |||||
| 22 | Lost Monster | |||||
| 23 | Telepathic Vision | |||||
| 24 | One Of Two Is A Liar | 17 | Truth And Consequences | 8b | 7b | Zalo |
| 25 | The Bright Planet | 18 | A Rose Is A Rose | 9a | 6a | Love And Treasure |
| 26 | A Terrible Battle | 19 | Treasure Of Tryax Khan | 9b | 6b | Love And Treasure |
| 27 | Kin Kin Attacks Again | 20 | Menace Of The Fire Dragons | 10a | 3a | Battle Of The Flame Dragon |
| 28 | The Death Of Queen Cosmos | 21 | A Stitch In Time And Space | 10b | 3b | Battle Of The Flame Dragon |
| 29 | Fort Goldstar | 22 | An Enemy Betrayed | 11a | 13a | Dector The Betrayer |
| 30 | The Three Brothers | 23 | The Three Brothers | 11b | 13b | Dector The Betrayer |
| 31 | Revolution Of Lephan | 24 | The Truth About Solda | 12a | 5a | Death Valley |
| 32 | The Monster's Love | |||||
| 33 | Devil Of Space | 25 | The Sayleen Solution | 12b | 5b | Death Valley |
| 34 | Cursed Forest Of Glass | 26 | The Mirror Cracks | 13b | 4b | Betrayal |
| 35 | The Monster's Heart | |||||
| 36 | Without A Planet | |||||
| 37 | Lonely Wolf Of The Space | |||||
| 38 | The Dog-Robot | |||||
| 39 | The Eternal Snow | |||||
| 40 | The Princess Is Missing In The Planet Magma | |||||
| 41 | The Big Search For The Princess | |||||
| 42 | A Woman From The Dark Past | |||||
| 43 | Kill The Princess, With Love ! | |||||
| 44 | The Red Desert Oath | |||||
| 45 | Lullaby In The Battle | |||||
| 46 | Soldiers Of The Foreign Legion | |||||
| 47 | Tomorrow Will Be The Day | |||||
| 48 | The Attack Of King Ghyuma | |||||
| 49 | Queen Lacet's Plot | |||||
| 50 | The Last Day Of The Evil Stronghold | |||||
| 51 | Hurry Up , Soldiers Of Love ! | |||||
| 52 | The Last Day Of The Evil Forces | |||||
| 53 | Unexpected Attack (Black Sun) | |||||
| 54 | Princess Aurora In The Hands Of The Devil | |||||
| 55 | The Battle Of The Planet Girara | |||||
| 56 | End Of A Wicked One | |||||
| 57 | The Primitive Appearance Of The Monsters | |||||
| 58 | The Ghost Queen Edora | |||||
| 59 | The Enigma Of The Ancient Planet | |||||
| 60 | Destruction Of Earth | |||||
| 61 | Back To Bright Sun ! | |||||
| 62 | Planet Atlates | |||||
| 63 | Beyond The Storm | |||||
| 64 | The Monster Of Light | |||||
| 65 | Cogo's New Circuits | |||||
| 66 | The Abduction Of The Princess | |||||
| 67 | The Planet Of The Slaves | |||||
| 68 | The Little Demon | |||||
| 69 | The Fifth Planet | |||||
| 70 | The Fake Cogo | |||||
| 71 | Tears Of Pain | |||||
| 72 | The Final Battle | |||||
| 73 | Farewell, Princess | |||||
| UFO Robo Grendizer | Grandizer | Orion Quest | ||||
| Japanese number | Japanese title | Force Five | Episode Title | Video brokers tape | Krypton Force number | Krypton Force tape |
| 1 | Brothers Of The Universe | 1 | Robot Back To Action | 1a | 3a | Red Moon |
| 2 | Prince Of The Other World | 2 | Beware The Red Moon | 1b | 3b | Red Moon |
| 3 | The Tragic Fiesta | |||||
| 4 | The Island Of Fear | 3 | The Southern Cross | 2a | 1a | Triple Triangle |
| 5 | The Pitfall Of Death | 4 | General Ding | 2b | 1b | Triple Triangle |
| 6 | Attack On Perlepolis | |||||
| 7 | The Feast Of The Wolves | 5 | No Honour Among Thieves | 3a | 2a | Vega |
| 8 | The Radars Are Off | 6 | Blinded By The Fog | 3b | 2b | Vega |
| 9 | The Black Moon Camp | |||||
| 10 | Vega's Spy | 7 | The Youngest Spy | 4a | 4a | The Youngest Eclipse |
| 11 | The Day When The Sun Will Stop | 8 | A Vegan Eclipse | 4b | 4b | The Youngest Eclipse |
| 12 | Blood On Snow | |||||
| 13 | By Iron And By Fire | 9 | Solar Powered Invaders | 5a | ||
| 14 | The Day Of The Rising Sun | |||||
| 15 | Red Akerae | |||||
| 16 | The Fiance Of Death | 10 | Love Conquers All | 5b | ||
| 17 | The Infernal Ride | 11 | A Run In The Snow | 6a | ||
| 18 | The New Time Of The Caves | |||||
| 19 | The Crushed Town | 12 | The Orphan | 6b | ||
| 20 | Earth In Danger | 13 | The Lunar Menace | 7a | ||
| 21 | The Submerged Continents | 14 | The Northern Lights | 7b | ||
| 22 | The Slayers Of The Sky | 15 | Coward Or Hero? | 13a | ||
| 23 | The Flood Of The New Worlds | 16 | Brenda's Guardian Angel | 8a | ||
| 24 | The Enforcer | 17 | Brenda To The Rescue | 8b | ||
| 25 | Fleed's Lovers | |||||
| 26 | The Edges Of The Abyss | 18 | The Gift Of Life part 1 | 9a | ||
| 27 | Win Or Perish | 19 | The Gift Of Life part 2 | 9b | ||
| 28 | The New Masters Of Darkness | |||||
| 29 | The Fire Bird | |||||
| 30 | The Lightning Rock | 20 | The Radiation Rock | 10a | ||
| 31 | A Dreamer From Outer Space | 21 | The Return Of The Boss | 10b | ||
| 32 | The Ghost Queen | 22 | Upon A Sweeter Memory | 11a | ||
| 33 | The Wings Of Death | 23 | All Things Great And Small | 11b | ||
| 34 | The Mercenary Of Opression | 24 | Taos The Wolfman | 12a | ||
| 35 | The First Raid | |||||
| 36 | The Invincible Cosmos | 25 | Achilles Heel | 12b | ||
| 37 | A Star Is Dead | 26 | Of Noble Friends | 13b | ||
| 38 | Darkness Makers | |||||
| 39 | The Patrol Of Eagles | |||||
| 40 | The Awakening Of Volcanoes | |||||
| 41 | Baptism Of Fire | |||||
| 42 | Peril In Abode | |||||
| 43 | The Victory Of Eagles | |||||
| 44 | When Dogs Are Loosened | |||||
| 45 | Ants And Men | |||||
| 46 | The Ballet Of Sharks | |||||
| 47 | The Ignited Lake | |||||
| 48 | World In Fusion | |||||
| 49 | The Last Survivor | |||||
| 50 | The Four Headed Eagle | |||||
| 51 | The Black Star | |||||
| 52 | The Monsters Generation | |||||
| 53 | The Beast | |||||
| 54 | The Snake | |||||
| 55 | The Loch Ness Monster | |||||
| 56 | The Lynx Of Outer Space | |||||
| 57 | The Monster Child | |||||
| 58 | The Double | |||||
| 59 | The Commando | |||||
| 60 | The Rats | |||||
| 61 | Pegasus | |||||
| 62 | The Swans | |||||
| 63 | The Polar Bear | |||||
| 64 | Five Minutes To Die | |||||
| 65 | A Big One | |||||
| 66 | Death Comes From The Sea | |||||
| 67 | The Dived Operation | |||||
| 68 | The Great Pain | |||||
| 69 | Like Father, Like Son | |||||
| 70 | The Impostor | |||||
| 71 | The Best Friend | |||||
| 72 | A Princess In Love | |||||
| 73 | For The Love Of The Earth | |||||
| 74 | It's Only A Goodbye | |||||
| Daiku Maryu Gaiking | Gaiking | Protectors | ||||
| Japanese number | Japanese title | Force Five | Episode Title | Video brokers tape | Krypton Force number | Krypton Force tape |
| 1 | Mysterious Black Holes | 1 | Aries Joins The Team | 1a | 1a | Vital Element |
| 2 | A Necessary Fight | 2 | Right Down The Middle | 1b | 1b | Vital Element |
| 3 | The Enigma Of Emperor Darius | 3 | The Dark Horror Corps Strikes | 2a | ||
| 4 | The Haniwa With Shining Eyes | |||||
| 5 | Brave Yamagatake | |||||
| 6 | The Mu Empire | 4 | The Last Continent | 3a | ||
| 7 | The Awful Inverted Death Cross | 5 | Jaws Of Darius | 2b | ||
| 8 | The Space Dragon Goes Out Of Control | |||||
| 9 | The Nazca Lines Mystery | 6 | Mystery Of The Nasuka | 3b | ||
| 10 | Skyler Jumps Into Death | |||||
| 11 | Crying Hachiro | 7 | Great Balls Of Fire | 4a | ||
| 12 | Answer, Midori! | 8 | Pendant For Nebula | 4b | ||
| 13 | The Red Scorpion Barks In The Desert | 9 | Devil Of The Desert part 1 | 5a | ||
| 14 | Space Dragon's Counterattack | 10 | Devil Of The Desert part 2 | 5b | ||
| 15 | Miracle Drill! | 11 | The Coach Comes Back | 6a | 2a | Yongard The Terrible |
| 16 | Midori's Eternal Separation | |||||
| 17 | Nesser's Big Underwater Challenge | 12 | The Threat From Beneath The Sea | 6b | 2b | Yongard The Terrible |
| 18 | Spaceship Noah's Ark | |||||
| 19 | Brother, Play In The Future | 13 | Golden Threads And Super Concrete | 7a | ||
| 20 | The Revenge Of The Hell Warriors | |||||
| 21 | The Tears Of The Devil Jaguar | |||||
| 22 | The Enigma Of The Underground Reign | 14 | The Underground Kingdom | 7b | ||
| 23 | Infernal Moon | 15 | Encounter On The Moon | 8a | 4a | Moon Plane |
| 24 | The Gods Of Easter Island | 16 | Guardians Of Easter Island | 8b | 4b | Moon Plane |
| 25 | Moral Fighting At The End Of The World | 17 | From The Frozen Past | 9a | ||
| 26 | Pegasus In Outer Space | 18 | An Android With A Heart | 9b | 1a* | Attack Of The Xelans |
| 27 | I Swear On The Southern Cross | |||||
| 28 | To Outer Space, Zeus Missile | |||||
| 29 | Triumph: Yamagatake In First Place | |||||
| 30 | A Dinosaur In The Jungle | 19 | The Last Dinosaur | 10a | 3a | The Great Swamp |
| 31 | The Avenging Double Eagle | |||||
| 32 | The Ghost Ship Which Came Back | 20 | The Flying Dutchman | 10b | 3b | The Great Swamp |
| 33 | God Himira's Appearance | 21 | The Magic Necklace | 11a | ||
| 34 | Fierce Cutting Fire Machine | 22 | Locked Horns In Deep Space | 11b | ||
| 35 | Farewell, Mound Of Glory | |||||
| 36 | Burn, Golden Leo! | |||||
| 37 | Invaded Space Dragon | 23 | Aries In Lilliput | 12a | ||
| 38 | Take Off! Destination Everest | |||||
| 39 | The Divine Punch Which Calls The Storm | |||||
| 40 | The Rose Spaceship | |||||
| 41 | Giant Cutter, Inverted Flight Cut | |||||
| 42 | The Monster Of Loch Ness | 24 | The Loch Ness Mystery | 12b | ||
| 43 | A Phantom Castle On Mars | 25 | The End Of Zela | 13a | 1b* | Attack Of The Xelans |
| 44 | Go! The Last Great Battle For Earth | 26 | The Battle For Earth | 13b | 1b* | Attack Of The Xelans |
| Wakusei Robo Danguard Ace | Danguard Ace | Mission Promete | ||||
| Japanese number | Japanese title | Force Five | Episode Title | Video brokers tape | Krypton Force number | Krypton Force tape |
| 1 | Take Flight! Pioneers of Star Travel | |||||
| 2 | The Masked Man: Captain Dan | 1 | Enter Captain Mask | 1a | 1a | The Mask |
| 3 | The Crimson Sunset Vow | 2 | Down From Mach 2 | 1b | 1b | The Mask |
| 4 | Burning to life... No tomorrow | 3 | Calling Captain Mask | 2a | ||
| 5 | Emergency Takeoff! Satelizer! | |||||
| 6 | Fly Onward To Face Tomorrow | |||||
| 7 | Stick to the Starshine | |||||
| 8 | Flowers From Takuma's Tears | 4 | The T-Formation | 2b | ||
| 9 | As the Sun Sets a Friend is Lost | |||||
| 10 | Captain Dan's True Identity!? | |||||
| 11 | A Father's Mask of Shadows Disappears Into Space | 5 | Captain Mask Remembers | 3a | 3a | Blackstar |
| 12 | Shine! Danguard Ace! | 6 | Mission One Remembered | 3b | 3b | Blackstar |
| 13 | Beyond the Father! Fight! | |||||
| 14 | Don't Weep Until That Day Takuma | |||||
| 15 | SOS! Fly to Mars | |||||
| 16 | A Father's Cloudy Weather Judgement | 7 | Practice Makes Perfect | 4a | ||
| 17 | Two White Contrails | 8 | Splashdown From The Past | 4b | ||
| 18 | A Cry Out at the Sky's Rainbow | |||||
| 19 | Captain Dan In Danger | 9 | Captain Mask At Risk | 5a | ||
| 20 | Lisa In The Sunset | |||||
| 21 | Tamaga's First Credit | 10 | Circuits Saves The Day | 5b | ||
| 22 | If It Is For Her | 11 | The Fourth Dimension | 8b | ||
| 23 | Friendship Blooms On The Ice | 12 | Friendship On The Ice | 6a | ||
| 24 | The Bridging of the Sun and Stars | |||||
| 25 | Submarine Escape! Close Call | 13 | A Narrow Escape | 6b | ||
| 26 | Three Young Lions | 14 | Three Pilots For Danguard part 1 | 7a | ||
| 27 | Young People Aimed At The Universe! | 15 | Three Pilots For Danguard part 2 | 7b | ||
| 28 | Formidable Rival | 16 | The Adversary | 8a | ||
| 29 | Wonderful Rival | |||||
| 30 | Fighting Spirit Sparks | 17 | Winstar Takes A Back Seat | 11a | ||
| 31 | Mekatasan Fellow Daredevil | |||||
| 32 | Desperate Situation RX-2! | 18 | A Cadet Takes Command | 9a | ||
| 33 | The Doppler Corps Takes off! | |||||
| 34 | Tears! Takuma Zessho | |||||
| 35 | Shine To Eternity! Eternal Star Of The Father | |||||
| 36 | Change Course To Mars | 19 | A Martian Detour | 9b | ||
| 37 | Farewell, Star Of Icarus | 20 | Return Of The Octor | 10a | ||
| 38 | Swear To Mystery Satellite 13! | 21 | A Boy From Atlantis | 10b | ||
| 39 | Dark Nebula! Escape | 22 | A Planetary Nebula | 12a | ||
| 40 | The Endless Sea Of Galaxies | |||||
| 41 | Star Esplanade Raid | 23 | Sixth Sense | 11b | ||
| 42 | Smile of the Alien | |||||
| 43 | Takuma's Showdown in Thailand | |||||
| 44 | I Saw The Star Of Hope Prometheus | |||||
| 45 | Full Throttle | |||||
| 46 | Comet Blasting Operations | 24 | Tale Of The Comet | 12b | ||
| 47 | Flowers Of Fear Attack! | 25 | Grand Illusion | 13a | ||
| 48 | Mother Ship Rebellion | |||||
| 49 | Black Shadow Doppler Corps | |||||
| 50 | Here Is A Bold Man Ban | 26 | Butch To The Rescue | 13b | ||
| 51 | The End of the Vice President! | |||||
| 52 | Defended By Hand | |||||
| 53 | Love Is Beautifully Sad | |||||
| 54 | Fight For The Star Of Love | |||||
| 55 | Shout To The Prometheus! | |||||
| 56 | Beautiful Shining Star Of Hope | |||||
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