#AtoZBlogChallenge 2017

AtoZ Blog Challenge 2017

Today starts the April 2017 AtoZ Blog Challenge. 

What is the AtoZ Blog Challenge?

The challenge is where bloggers from around the world post a topic each day during the month of April, except on Sundays, related to a particular letter of the Alphabet. Basically, a blogger would post an article on April 1st with a topic related to the letter A and continue through the alphabet until April 30 with a topic related to the letter Z. To help visualize this, below is a schedule for the 2017 AtoZ blog Challenge:

AtoZ Blog Challenge schedule of Letters for April 2017

You can participate by reading the articles that are posted each day. What good is an article posted that is never read? 

Those bloggers participating in this Challenge will be posting links to their articles via the official A to Z Challenge blog, the AtoZ Challenge Simulcast Blog (for WordPress bloggers), or the AtoZ Blog Challenge Facebook. Bloggers can also use Twitter and Instagram to post links with the hashtag #AtoZBlogChallenge. There are also some blogs that do a good job of consolidating the links that are shared via Twitter for example, The #AtoZChallange Daily.  

I participated in this Challange for several years and it helped me when I first started blogging. This Challenge is an excellent and exciting way to gather new readers, focus writing and showcase or expand the talent of writers and bloggers. If you have not read these previous AtoZ Challenge Blog posts you can find them here. 

Although I am not participating in this year’s Challenge, I still want to support those that are. Therefore, good luck to those that are participating and I look forward to reading and sharing those that peek my interest.
So are you participating in the Challenge? 

#AtoZChallenge2016: Reflections

#AtoZChallenge2016 Reflections

Hurray! I survived the 2016 AtoZChallenge!

This challenge started out strong with posts being completed and scheduled ahead time.  Unfortunately, as the month progressed, due to family medical issues, my posts were harder to create, let alone schedule ahead of time.
However, thanks to the encouragement of my readers, over 100 of you, I completed this year’s challenge!

AtoZ reader stats for 2016 Challenge

Now that this goal has been achieved, I can proudly display the 2016 A to Z Challenge banner image on the About page of this blog!

Thanks so much for going on this journey with me.  Everyone who visited the blog and read some or all of the posts during this challenge are precious to me. I really hope you were entertained by the theme, the topics and content generated by this challenge. In addition, I hope that many of you will come back and visit my blog again soon.

#AtoZChallenge 2016-Zingers

Welcome to the last day of the A to Z Blog Challenge and a topic related to the letter…

Today’s #AtoZBlogChallenge Topic: Zingers

A Zinger, according to dictionary.com, is when someone says a quick, witty, or pointed remark or retort during the story.

Characters can become associated with these zingers. Below are some examples:

As said by Vash the Stampede in the anime series Trigun:
 

Vash the Stampede

 

“This land is made of LOVE AND PEACE!”

As said by Marin Brody in the film Jaws:
 

Martin Brody

 

“We’re going to need a bigger boat.”

 As said by Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy from Star Trek TOS in the episode “The Devil in the Dark“:

Captain Kirk and Bones McCoy

 

“I’m a doctor, not a bricklayer.”

As said by Phil Coulson in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D in the episode ‘Skye’:
  

“Don’t Ever Tell Me There’s No Way”

#AtoZChallenge 2016-Yellow

Welcome to the second to last day of the A to Z Blog Challenge for this year and a topic related to the letter…

Today’s #AtoZBlogChallenge Topic: Yellow

Below are some of the characters who are associated with the color yellow for one reason or another:

Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop and her skimpy yellow outfit

Jubilee from the X-Men animated series and her yelllow coat

The Beatles and the Yellow Submarine

Belle from Beauty and the Beast with her yellow ball gown

Monkey D Luffy from One Piece with his yellow Straw Hat

Mrs. Fizzle and the yellow Magic School Bus

Marge Simpson with her yellow skin color

#AtoZChallenge 2016-X The Movie

Welcome to another day of the A to Z Blog Challenge and a topic related to the letter…

Today’s #AtoZBlogChallenge Topic: X The Movie

X The Movie is one of the first anime films I was introduced to. In addition, as a fangirl I was excited that this was created and written by an all-woman writing team, known as CLAMP. 

Conflict in Tokyo

 
This story of X The Movie centers around the conflict between The Dragon of Earth, who wants to wipe out humankind because of the damage people have inflicted on the Earth, and the Dragon of Heaven, who is fighting to protect civilization. It is the character, Kamui Shirō, who is the chosen one and must pick a dragon to fight for in order to end the conflict.
 

Kamui

 

#AtoZChallenge 2016-Winter characters

Welcome to another day of the A to Z Blog Challenge and a topic related to the letter…

Today’s #AtoZBlogChallenge Topic: Winter characters

There are characters that can be associated with the season of Winter due to characteristics or abilities that reflect the season. Below are characters that can be associated with the Winter season:

Elza from Disney’s Frozen

The Snow Queen from TV series Once Upon A Time

The White Witch from the film The Chronicles of Narnia: Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe

Grey Fullbuster from the anime series Fairy Tail

Freya from the film The Huntsman: Winter’s War

Princess Snow Kaguya from the anime Sailor Moon S: Hearts in Ice

Haku from the anime series Naruto

Hitsugaya from the anime Bleach

#AtoZChallenge 2016-Villains

Welcome to another day of the A to Z Blog Challenge and a topic related to the letter…

Today’s #AtoZBlogChallenge Topic: Villains

Love them or hate them, the villain character is needed within a story when a Hero or Heroine character is present, for them to fight against. Below are some examples of villains from stories where a hero or heroine is present:

Ra from the film Stargate

 

Naraku from the anime series Inuyasha

 
 

The Shadows from the TV series Babylon 5

 
 

Fire Lord Ozai from the animated series Avatar The Last Airbender

 
 

Skeletor from the animated series He-Man

 
 

The Master from the TV series Doctor Who

 
 

Gauron from the anime Full Metal Panic

 
 

Moriarty from the TV series Sherlock

 
 

Kylo Ren from the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens

 
 

Darth Vader from the animated series Star Wars Rebels

 
 

Galaxia from the anime series Sailor Moon Sailor Stars

 
 

#AtoZChallenge 2016-Ugly Ducklings

Welcome to another day of the A to Z Blog Challenge and a topic related to the letter…

Today’s #AtoZBlogChallenge Topic: Ugly Ducklings

Ugly Ducklings are characters who are not considered to be pretty or beautiful when first introduced, but are transformed during the course of the story.

Below are some examples of these Ugly Duckling characters:

Eliza Doolittle from the film My Fair Lady
 

Eliza before

Eliza after

 

Haruhi Fujioka from the anime Ouran High School Host Club
 

Haruhi before

Haruhi after

 

Sunako Nakahara from the anime Wallflower
 

Sunako before

Sunako after

 
Mia Thermopolis from the film Princess Diaries
 

Mia before

Mia after

 
 

#AtoZChallenge 2016-Teachers

Welcome to another day of the A to Z Blog Challenge and a topic related to the letter…
 
Today’s #AtoZBlogChallenge Topic: Teachers

Below are a few different examples of characters who are teachers:
 

Eikichi Onizuka from the series Great Teacher Onizuka

 
 

Eliza Jane Wilder from Little House On The Prairie TV series

 
 

Nanako Kuroi from the anime series Lucky Star

 
 

Shuji_Hanamoto from the anime series Honey and Clover

 
 

Yuri Koigakubo from the anime series Toradora!

 
 

Iruka Umino from the anime series Naruto

 
 

Yamashita Sumiko from the anime series Aiura

 
 

Miss Carrie Bliss from the TV series Saved By The Bell

 
 

Sue Sylvester from the TV series Glee

 
 

Miss Connie Brooks from the series Our Miss Brooks

 
 

Toph Beifong from the animated TV series Avatar The Last Airbender

 
 

Dewey Finn from the film School of Rock

 

#AtoZChallenge 2016-Sailor Scouts

Welcome to another day of the A to Z Blog Challenge and a topic related to the letter…
  
Today’s #AtoZBlogChallenge Topic: Sailor Scouts

The Sailor Scouts, English dub name for Sailor Senshi, are characters who fight against evil in the Sailor Moon series.

  
Each of the Sailor Scout received their powers from the planet or celestial body that they are named for. Below are the Sailor Scouts, known as the Inner Senshi, from the first season Sailor Moon English dub, produced by DiC.

Sailor Moon
  

Sailor Mercury
  

Sailor Mars
  

Sailor Jupiter
 

Sailor Venus