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‘Dan Da Dan’ Set Phasers To Stun With Its Most Momokarun Episode Yet

‘Dan Da Dan’ Set Phasers To Stun With Its Most Momokarun Episode Yet

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After a riot of referential anime references, live-action food, and power metal exorcisms, the latest episode of Science Saru‘s anime adaptation of Dan Da Dan delivered the most romantic episode of the show’s sci-fi meets yokai madness yet between its protagonists. You bet your ass we’re going to gush about it.

In the seventh episode of Dan Da Dan season 2, “Feeling Kinda Gloomy,” the show picks up from the cliffhanger of its previous episode, where Okarun witnesses Momo Ayase working at a maid cafe. After being forced to go by Momo’s besties Miku and Muko (and the in-universe presidents of “Momokarun,” the ship name of Momo and Okarun) the girls make a riot out of poking fun at Momo like any teenagers would when they ambush their friends at work. While Momo working part-time at a maid cafe came as a shock to Okarun, she later explains that she’s only doing so to pay for a new phone, a gripe she’s routinely remarked about since it got broken way back in the show’s premiere. All the same, Miku and Muko had a ball teasing Momo on her first day, and further propel her and Okarun’s romance by taking a group photo performing a “moe moe tri-beam” before slipping it into his pocket.

Dan Da Dan Science Saru
© Science Saru

 

Mortified, Momo tells Okarun he should head home, but ever the mild-mannered gentleman, he says he’ll wait around until her shift is over to walk her home. Momo handwaves him away, worrying he’ll catch a cold, and shoos him away. All the while, Momo sneaks glances at the clock as she slowly wears down in her day, wondering if Okarun has stayed true to his word. And sure enough, when Momo thought Okarun had high-tailed it back to her place (he, Jiji, and Aira are crashing at the Ayase residence now after the events of the season’s opening), Okarun shows up in a huff, apologizing for being late with their group photo clutched in hand. After catching himself extending a hand to Momo to walk her home and trying to play it off like he was motioning to secure his backpack,, Momo clutches his hand, saying, “ain’t so cold now.” Now, shippers can add screenshots of the two handholding scenes to their dedicated computer files, featuring the pair timidly holding hands from a couple of episodes ago and their accidental kiss from season one.

Dan Da Dan Okarun Momo Science Saru
© Science Saru

But because Dan Da Dan is a shonen anime with shojo romance in its DNA, we got even more drama in our midst this episode with the love rectangle, including Aira’s crush on Okarun and Jiji’s crush on Momo. While Aira’s jealousy of Momo was shelved to be handled in what’s sure to be an Okarun/Aira-centric episode next week, this episode saw some trouble in paradise for the love triangle between Momo, Okarun, and Jiji.

While Okarun and Momo were making their way back to the Ayase residence, Jiji was back at home training to get his Evil Eye possession under control. While he seemed to have his Ranma 1/2 water transformation under control, Aira spilling her boba tea on him after they both ran up to Momo triggered his transformation. Luckily, with some quick thinking and a bit of luck, Momo was able to spit water on her childhood crush, transforming him back to his usual self.

Dan Da Dan Science Saru Momo Ayase Jiji Enjoji Okarun
© Science Saru

When Jiji goes to check up on Momo, after Evil Eye choked her and ripped at her shirt, Okarun shoves him forcefully away from her, still concerned about the potential threat. It’s a perfect recreation of the moment from the manga, one that has become a meme among readers, often accompanied by the caption “She good, bruh.” We’re sure to get our fair share of anime-flavored memes soon, now that the scene has finally been adapted so faithfully.

What made this episode so special, beyond it cranking up the slow-burning romance between its leads, is how it’s yet another example of Science Saru doing a spectacular job adapting manga creator Yukinobu Tatsu’s ongoing manga. In contrast to contemporary shows that settle for a one-to-one copy-paste of manga panels and call it a day, co-directors Abel Gongora and Fuga Yamashiro embellish and add additional scenes that build on the manga, truly adapting it into the medium in every sense of the word. Not only did we have an opening montage adapting what was a few panels into a full-blown montage of Momo’s workday underscored by Frédéric Chopin’s “Nocturne in E Flat Major,” we also got a POV camera angles from Okarun’s perspective as his peepers tried their hardest not to get caught gawking at Momo in her maid getup.

Dan Da Dan Okarun Science Saru
© Science Saru

Take past episodes showcasing the pair taking interest in each other’s hobbies, with Momo throwing Ultraman poses and Okarun reading what looks like a manga of Ashita No Joe while practicing throwing punches and trying to get stronger through training with Turbo Granny and the boxing single-father alien, Peeny-Weeny, and that’s how love starts, you know? We’re here for the slow burn.

New episodes of Dan Da Dan air every Thursday on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Hulu.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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recording you discreetly, you probably don’t like smart glasses. Video and photo capture are easily some of the most divisive aspects of the form factor, if not the most divisive. However divisive the recording part is, though, there are unifying aspects of smart glasses with cameras—things that fans and critics can hate together. Take subscriptions, for example.

As noted by Wired, L’Atitude 52°N, a smart glasses company that successfully crowdfunded last year, just launched its Berlin model of AI specs, which is set to go on sale May 26, and they have one tiny little quirk that I haven’t seen yet, or at least not to this extent: the AI features on the smart glasses (a good deal of the stuff that might actually convince you to buy them) will all be paywalled after a year’s trial.

Smart Glasses Are Eyeing the One Thing People Hate More Than Being Spied On If you don’t like the idea of someone recording you discreetly, you probably don’t like smart glasses. Video and photo capture are easily some of the most divisive aspects of the form factor, if not the most divisive. However divisive the recording part is, though, there are unifying aspects of smart glasses with cameras—things that fans and critics can hate together. Take subscriptions, for example. As noted by Wired, L’Atitude 52°N, a smart glasses company that successfully crowdfunded last year, just launched its Berlin model of AI specs, which is set to go on sale May 26, and they have one tiny little quirk that I haven’t seen yet, or at least not to this extent: the AI features on the smart glasses (a good deal of the stuff that might actually convince you to buy them) will all be paywalled after a year’s trial. © L’Atitude 52°N Per Wired, which spoke to L’Atitude 52°N CEO Gary Chen, there’s no word on how much the 9 smart glasses’ subscription will cost, but if you don’t pay up, Berlin will be limited to “base features,” which include playing music and capturing media. I guess anyone interested in buying Berlin will have to be okay with a looming, unknown cost down the road. It’s an interesting choice for a company that positions its smart glasses as being ideal for travel, pitching stuff like an “AI tour guide” that uses computer vision to provide information on your surroundings as a centerpiece of that travel functionality. Outside of a tour guide, the Berlin smart glasses also appear to lean into translation and a voice assistant in the AI department. On the bright side—call it transparency if you want—at least Chen is being honest about future ambitions to squeeze recurring profits out of anyone who buys the company’s smart glasses. A lot of the time, that’s just an unacknowledged minefield customers unknowingly step onto when buying any gadget with a cloud service. If you’re okay with potentially having to cough up a monthly sum to get the most out of your smart glasses, the Berlin look like a decent pair, but not quite the best. There’s no screen, but there’s a 12-megapixel camera, which is the same as the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, though there’s a significant difference in capture resolution. The Berlin have a max recording resolution of 1080p, while the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses can record in 3K. They do look stylish, or at the very least unique, and if they can compete on open-ear audio, they might be a worthy consideration even with that very annoying subscription caveat. I’m skeptical that smart glasses are practical enough to justify paying for monthly, but I guess the only way to find out is by adding to everyone’s already Sisyphean monthly subscription budget. #Smart #Glasses #Eyeing #People #Hate #Spiedsmart glasses,wearables
© L’Atitude 52°N

Per Wired, which spoke to L’Atitude 52°N CEO Gary Chen, there’s no word on how much the $399 smart glasses’ subscription will cost, but if you don’t pay up, Berlin will be limited to “base features,” which include playing music and capturing media. I guess anyone interested in buying Berlin will have to be okay with a looming, unknown cost down the road.

It’s an interesting choice for a company that positions its smart glasses as being ideal for travel, pitching stuff like an “AI tour guide” that uses computer vision to provide information on your surroundings as a centerpiece of that travel functionality. Outside of a tour guide, the Berlin smart glasses also appear to lean into translation and a voice assistant in the AI department.

On the bright side—call it transparency if you want—at least Chen is being honest about future ambitions to squeeze recurring profits out of anyone who buys the company’s smart glasses. A lot of the time, that’s just an unacknowledged minefield customers unknowingly step onto when buying any gadget with a cloud service.

If you’re okay with potentially having to cough up a monthly sum to get the most out of your smart glasses, the Berlin look like a decent pair, but not quite the best. There’s no screen, but there’s a 12-megapixel camera, which is the same as the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, though there’s a significant difference in capture resolution. The Berlin have a max recording resolution of 1080p, while the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses can record in 3K. They do look stylish, or at the very least unique, and if they can compete on open-ear audio, they might be a worthy consideration even with that very annoying subscription caveat.

I’m skeptical that smart glasses are practical enough to justify paying for monthly, but I guess the only way to find out is by adding to everyone’s already Sisyphean monthly subscription budget.

#Smart #Glasses #Eyeing #People #Hate #Spiedsmart glasses,wearables">Smart Glasses Are Eyeing the One Thing People Hate More Than Being Spied On If you don’t like the idea of someone recording you discreetly, you probably don’t like smart glasses. Video and photo capture are easily some of the most divisive aspects of the form factor, if not the most divisive. However divisive the recording part is, though, there are unifying aspects of smart glasses with cameras—things that fans and critics can hate together. Take subscriptions, for example. As noted by Wired, L’Atitude 52°N, a smart glasses company that successfully crowdfunded last year, just launched its Berlin model of AI specs, which is set to go on sale May 26, and they have one tiny little quirk that I haven’t seen yet, or at least not to this extent: the AI features on the smart glasses (a good deal of the stuff that might actually convince you to buy them) will all be paywalled after a year’s trial. © L’Atitude 52°N Per Wired, which spoke to L’Atitude 52°N CEO Gary Chen, there’s no word on how much the 9 smart glasses’ subscription will cost, but if you don’t pay up, Berlin will be limited to “base features,” which include playing music and capturing media. I guess anyone interested in buying Berlin will have to be okay with a looming, unknown cost down the road. It’s an interesting choice for a company that positions its smart glasses as being ideal for travel, pitching stuff like an “AI tour guide” that uses computer vision to provide information on your surroundings as a centerpiece of that travel functionality. Outside of a tour guide, the Berlin smart glasses also appear to lean into translation and a voice assistant in the AI department. On the bright side—call it transparency if you want—at least Chen is being honest about future ambitions to squeeze recurring profits out of anyone who buys the company’s smart glasses. A lot of the time, that’s just an unacknowledged minefield customers unknowingly step onto when buying any gadget with a cloud service. If you’re okay with potentially having to cough up a monthly sum to get the most out of your smart glasses, the Berlin look like a decent pair, but not quite the best. There’s no screen, but there’s a 12-megapixel camera, which is the same as the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, though there’s a significant difference in capture resolution. The Berlin have a max recording resolution of 1080p, while the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses can record in 3K. They do look stylish, or at the very least unique, and if they can compete on open-ear audio, they might be a worthy consideration even with that very annoying subscription caveat. I’m skeptical that smart glasses are practical enough to justify paying for monthly, but I guess the only way to find out is by adding to everyone’s already Sisyphean monthly subscription budget. #Smart #Glasses #Eyeing #People #Hate #Spiedsmart glasses,wearables

, you probably don’t like smart glasses. Video and photo capture are easily some of the most divisive aspects of the form factor, if not the most divisive. However divisive the recording part is, though, there are unifying aspects of smart glasses with cameras—things that fans and critics can hate together. Take subscriptions, for example.

As noted by Wired, L’Atitude 52°N, a smart glasses company that successfully crowdfunded last year, just launched its Berlin model of AI specs, which is set to go on sale May 26, and they have one tiny little quirk that I haven’t seen yet, or at least not to this extent: the AI features on the smart glasses (a good deal of the stuff that might actually convince you to buy them) will all be paywalled after a year’s trial.

Smart Glasses Are Eyeing the One Thing People Hate More Than Being Spied On If you don’t like the idea of someone recording you discreetly, you probably don’t like smart glasses. Video and photo capture are easily some of the most divisive aspects of the form factor, if not the most divisive. However divisive the recording part is, though, there are unifying aspects of smart glasses with cameras—things that fans and critics can hate together. Take subscriptions, for example. As noted by Wired, L’Atitude 52°N, a smart glasses company that successfully crowdfunded last year, just launched its Berlin model of AI specs, which is set to go on sale May 26, and they have one tiny little quirk that I haven’t seen yet, or at least not to this extent: the AI features on the smart glasses (a good deal of the stuff that might actually convince you to buy them) will all be paywalled after a year’s trial. © L’Atitude 52°N Per Wired, which spoke to L’Atitude 52°N CEO Gary Chen, there’s no word on how much the 9 smart glasses’ subscription will cost, but if you don’t pay up, Berlin will be limited to “base features,” which include playing music and capturing media. I guess anyone interested in buying Berlin will have to be okay with a looming, unknown cost down the road. It’s an interesting choice for a company that positions its smart glasses as being ideal for travel, pitching stuff like an “AI tour guide” that uses computer vision to provide information on your surroundings as a centerpiece of that travel functionality. Outside of a tour guide, the Berlin smart glasses also appear to lean into translation and a voice assistant in the AI department. On the bright side—call it transparency if you want—at least Chen is being honest about future ambitions to squeeze recurring profits out of anyone who buys the company’s smart glasses. A lot of the time, that’s just an unacknowledged minefield customers unknowingly step onto when buying any gadget with a cloud service. If you’re okay with potentially having to cough up a monthly sum to get the most out of your smart glasses, the Berlin look like a decent pair, but not quite the best. There’s no screen, but there’s a 12-megapixel camera, which is the same as the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, though there’s a significant difference in capture resolution. The Berlin have a max recording resolution of 1080p, while the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses can record in 3K. They do look stylish, or at the very least unique, and if they can compete on open-ear audio, they might be a worthy consideration even with that very annoying subscription caveat. I’m skeptical that smart glasses are practical enough to justify paying for monthly, but I guess the only way to find out is by adding to everyone’s already Sisyphean monthly subscription budget. #Smart #Glasses #Eyeing #People #Hate #Spiedsmart glasses,wearables
© L’Atitude 52°N

Per Wired, which spoke to L’Atitude 52°N CEO Gary Chen, there’s no word on how much the $399 smart glasses’ subscription will cost, but if you don’t pay up, Berlin will be limited to “base features,” which include playing music and capturing media. I guess anyone interested in buying Berlin will have to be okay with a looming, unknown cost down the road.

It’s an interesting choice for a company that positions its smart glasses as being ideal for travel, pitching stuff like an “AI tour guide” that uses computer vision to provide information on your surroundings as a centerpiece of that travel functionality. Outside of a tour guide, the Berlin smart glasses also appear to lean into translation and a voice assistant in the AI department.

On the bright side—call it transparency if you want—at least Chen is being honest about future ambitions to squeeze recurring profits out of anyone who buys the company’s smart glasses. A lot of the time, that’s just an unacknowledged minefield customers unknowingly step onto when buying any gadget with a cloud service.

If you’re okay with potentially having to cough up a monthly sum to get the most out of your smart glasses, the Berlin look like a decent pair, but not quite the best. There’s no screen, but there’s a 12-megapixel camera, which is the same as the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, though there’s a significant difference in capture resolution. The Berlin have a max recording resolution of 1080p, while the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses can record in 3K. They do look stylish, or at the very least unique, and if they can compete on open-ear audio, they might be a worthy consideration even with that very annoying subscription caveat.

I’m skeptical that smart glasses are practical enough to justify paying for monthly, but I guess the only way to find out is by adding to everyone’s already Sisyphean monthly subscription budget.

#Smart #Glasses #Eyeing #People #Hate #Spiedsmart glasses,wearables">Smart Glasses Are Eyeing the One Thing People Hate More Than Being Spied On

If you don’t like the idea of someone recording you discreetly, you probably don’t like smart glasses. Video and photo capture are easily some of the most divisive aspects of the form factor, if not the most divisive. However divisive the recording part is, though, there are unifying aspects of smart glasses with cameras—things that fans and critics can hate together. Take subscriptions, for example.

As noted by Wired, L’Atitude 52°N, a smart glasses company that successfully crowdfunded last year, just launched its Berlin model of AI specs, which is set to go on sale May 26, and they have one tiny little quirk that I haven’t seen yet, or at least not to this extent: the AI features on the smart glasses (a good deal of the stuff that might actually convince you to buy them) will all be paywalled after a year’s trial.

Smart Glasses Are Eyeing the One Thing People Hate More Than Being Spied On If you don’t like the idea of someone recording you discreetly, you probably don’t like smart glasses. Video and photo capture are easily some of the most divisive aspects of the form factor, if not the most divisive. However divisive the recording part is, though, there are unifying aspects of smart glasses with cameras—things that fans and critics can hate together. Take subscriptions, for example. As noted by Wired, L’Atitude 52°N, a smart glasses company that successfully crowdfunded last year, just launched its Berlin model of AI specs, which is set to go on sale May 26, and they have one tiny little quirk that I haven’t seen yet, or at least not to this extent: the AI features on the smart glasses (a good deal of the stuff that might actually convince you to buy them) will all be paywalled after a year’s trial. © L’Atitude 52°N Per Wired, which spoke to L’Atitude 52°N CEO Gary Chen, there’s no word on how much the 9 smart glasses’ subscription will cost, but if you don’t pay up, Berlin will be limited to “base features,” which include playing music and capturing media. I guess anyone interested in buying Berlin will have to be okay with a looming, unknown cost down the road. It’s an interesting choice for a company that positions its smart glasses as being ideal for travel, pitching stuff like an “AI tour guide” that uses computer vision to provide information on your surroundings as a centerpiece of that travel functionality. Outside of a tour guide, the Berlin smart glasses also appear to lean into translation and a voice assistant in the AI department. On the bright side—call it transparency if you want—at least Chen is being honest about future ambitions to squeeze recurring profits out of anyone who buys the company’s smart glasses. A lot of the time, that’s just an unacknowledged minefield customers unknowingly step onto when buying any gadget with a cloud service. If you’re okay with potentially having to cough up a monthly sum to get the most out of your smart glasses, the Berlin look like a decent pair, but not quite the best. There’s no screen, but there’s a 12-megapixel camera, which is the same as the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, though there’s a significant difference in capture resolution. The Berlin have a max recording resolution of 1080p, while the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses can record in 3K. They do look stylish, or at the very least unique, and if they can compete on open-ear audio, they might be a worthy consideration even with that very annoying subscription caveat. I’m skeptical that smart glasses are practical enough to justify paying for monthly, but I guess the only way to find out is by adding to everyone’s already Sisyphean monthly subscription budget. #Smart #Glasses #Eyeing #People #Hate #Spiedsmart glasses,wearables
© L’Atitude 52°N

Per Wired, which spoke to L’Atitude 52°N CEO Gary Chen, there’s no word on how much the $399 smart glasses’ subscription will cost, but if you don’t pay up, Berlin will be limited to “base features,” which include playing music and capturing media. I guess anyone interested in buying Berlin will have to be okay with a looming, unknown cost down the road.

It’s an interesting choice for a company that positions its smart glasses as being ideal for travel, pitching stuff like an “AI tour guide” that uses computer vision to provide information on your surroundings as a centerpiece of that travel functionality. Outside of a tour guide, the Berlin smart glasses also appear to lean into translation and a voice assistant in the AI department.

On the bright side—call it transparency if you want—at least Chen is being honest about future ambitions to squeeze recurring profits out of anyone who buys the company’s smart glasses. A lot of the time, that’s just an unacknowledged minefield customers unknowingly step onto when buying any gadget with a cloud service.

If you’re okay with potentially having to cough up a monthly sum to get the most out of your smart glasses, the Berlin look like a decent pair, but not quite the best. There’s no screen, but there’s a 12-megapixel camera, which is the same as the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, though there’s a significant difference in capture resolution. The Berlin have a max recording resolution of 1080p, while the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses can record in 3K. They do look stylish, or at the very least unique, and if they can compete on open-ear audio, they might be a worthy consideration even with that very annoying subscription caveat.

I’m skeptical that smart glasses are practical enough to justify paying for monthly, but I guess the only way to find out is by adding to everyone’s already Sisyphean monthly subscription budget.

#Smart #Glasses #Eyeing #People #Hate #Spiedsmart glasses,wearables
L’Atitude 52°N’s glasses is called Goya, named after Francisco Goya, the famous Spanish artist who painted renowned masterpieces of romanticism.

CEO and founder Gary Chen, who has worked on wearable devices for companies like Oppo, OnePlus, and HTC, says his company’s glasses are focused on travelers, with AI features that act like a tour guide and talk about all the paintings in famous museums.

“Basically, you can say, ‘Hey, Goya, what is the story about Mona Lisa?’” Chen says. “You can ask anything and, with your permission, they will take a photo to analyze what’s in front of you.”

I ask if you could quiz it about perhaps the most famous Goya painting, the terrifying, Gothic horror-esque image of Saturn devouring his own son.

“Yes, yes,” Chen says, “It can also give you some recommendations about restaurants.”

Image may contain Accessories Sunglasses and Glasses

Berlin-based L’Atitude 52°N is a new player in the smart glasses space, selling its first pairs on Kickstarter in September 2025, where the campaign surpassed its funding goal and raised more than $400,000. There have been some bumps since then, as shipments were delayed from an originally announced release date in February 2026, and one model in development was scrapped outright. Now, L’Atitude 52°N has announced an official release date for its smart glasses.

Preorders for one model, called Berlin, start on May 19. The glasses actually go on sale on May 26. This might be a disappointment for Kickstarter backers, as the most recent official update from the campaign came in March and said shipping would begin on April 15 for Berlin units and June 7 for the second model, called Milan. L’Atitude 52°N still hasn’t set an official launch date for the Milan, except to say that it will be “arriving in the second quarter of 2026.”

The Berlin glasses cost $399. Add another $50 for the photochromatic lenses. There is one very big catch: The AI features enabled on the device will only work for 12 months, which L’Atitude 52°N calls an “AI feature trial.” After that, customers have to pay for a subscription service, or will be limited to the base features, like playing music and capturing media.

How much will that subscription service cost? Chen says he doesn’t know.

#Smart #Glasses #ExOnePlus #Engineers #Hidden #Costsmart glasses,wearables,design,gadgets">These New Smart Glasses From Ex-OnePlus Engineers Have a Hidden CostLots of smart glasses have AI bots inside them now. The one in L’Atitude 52°N’s glasses is called Goya, named after Francisco Goya, the famous Spanish artist who painted renowned masterpieces of romanticism.CEO and founder Gary Chen, who has worked on wearable devices for companies like Oppo, OnePlus, and HTC, says his company’s glasses are focused on travelers, with AI features that act like a tour guide and talk about all the paintings in famous museums.“Basically, you can say, ‘Hey, Goya, what is the story about Mona Lisa?’” Chen says. “You can ask anything and, with your permission, they will take a photo to analyze what’s in front of you.”I ask if you could quiz it about perhaps the most famous Goya painting, the terrifying, Gothic horror-esque image of Saturn devouring his own son.“Yes, yes,” Chen says, “It can also give you some recommendations about restaurants.”Berlin-based L’Atitude 52°N is a new player in the smart glasses space, selling its first pairs on Kickstarter in September 2025, where the campaign surpassed its funding goal and raised more than 0,000. There have been some bumps since then, as shipments were delayed from an originally announced release date in February 2026, and one model in development was scrapped outright. Now, L’Atitude 52°N has announced an official release date for its smart glasses.Preorders for one model, called Berlin, start on May 19. The glasses actually go on sale on May 26. This might be a disappointment for Kickstarter backers, as the most recent official update from the campaign came in March and said shipping would begin on April 15 for Berlin units and June 7 for the second model, called Milan. L’Atitude 52°N still hasn’t set an official launch date for the Milan, except to say that it will be “arriving in the second quarter of 2026.”The Berlin glasses cost 9. Add another for the photochromatic lenses. There is one very big catch: The AI features enabled on the device will only work for 12 months, which L’Atitude 52°N calls an “AI feature trial.” After that, customers have to pay for a subscription service, or will be limited to the base features, like playing music and capturing media.How much will that subscription service cost? Chen says he doesn’t know.#Smart #Glasses #ExOnePlus #Engineers #Hidden #Costsmart glasses,wearables,design,gadgets

’s glasses is called Goya, named after Francisco Goya, the famous Spanish artist who painted renowned masterpieces of romanticism.

CEO and founder Gary Chen, who has worked on wearable devices for companies like Oppo, OnePlus, and HTC, says his company’s glasses are focused on travelers, with AI features that act like a tour guide and talk about all the paintings in famous museums.

“Basically, you can say, ‘Hey, Goya, what is the story about Mona Lisa?’” Chen says. “You can ask anything and, with your permission, they will take a photo to analyze what’s in front of you.”

I ask if you could quiz it about perhaps the most famous Goya painting, the terrifying, Gothic horror-esque image of Saturn devouring his own son.

“Yes, yes,” Chen says, “It can also give you some recommendations about restaurants.”

Image may contain Accessories Sunglasses and Glasses

Berlin-based L’Atitude 52°N is a new player in the smart glasses space, selling its first pairs on Kickstarter in September 2025, where the campaign surpassed its funding goal and raised more than $400,000. There have been some bumps since then, as shipments were delayed from an originally announced release date in February 2026, and one model in development was scrapped outright. Now, L’Atitude 52°N has announced an official release date for its smart glasses.

Preorders for one model, called Berlin, start on May 19. The glasses actually go on sale on May 26. This might be a disappointment for Kickstarter backers, as the most recent official update from the campaign came in March and said shipping would begin on April 15 for Berlin units and June 7 for the second model, called Milan. L’Atitude 52°N still hasn’t set an official launch date for the Milan, except to say that it will be “arriving in the second quarter of 2026.”

The Berlin glasses cost $399. Add another $50 for the photochromatic lenses. There is one very big catch: The AI features enabled on the device will only work for 12 months, which L’Atitude 52°N calls an “AI feature trial.” After that, customers have to pay for a subscription service, or will be limited to the base features, like playing music and capturing media.

How much will that subscription service cost? Chen says he doesn’t know.

#Smart #Glasses #ExOnePlus #Engineers #Hidden #Costsmart glasses,wearables,design,gadgets">These New Smart Glasses From Ex-OnePlus Engineers Have a Hidden Cost

Lots of smart glasses have AI bots inside them now. The one in L’Atitude 52°N’s glasses is called Goya, named after Francisco Goya, the famous Spanish artist who painted renowned masterpieces of romanticism.

CEO and founder Gary Chen, who has worked on wearable devices for companies like Oppo, OnePlus, and HTC, says his company’s glasses are focused on travelers, with AI features that act like a tour guide and talk about all the paintings in famous museums.

“Basically, you can say, ‘Hey, Goya, what is the story about Mona Lisa?’” Chen says. “You can ask anything and, with your permission, they will take a photo to analyze what’s in front of you.”

I ask if you could quiz it about perhaps the most famous Goya painting, the terrifying, Gothic horror-esque image of Saturn devouring his own son.

“Yes, yes,” Chen says, “It can also give you some recommendations about restaurants.”

Image may contain Accessories Sunglasses and Glasses

Berlin-based L’Atitude 52°N is a new player in the smart glasses space, selling its first pairs on Kickstarter in September 2025, where the campaign surpassed its funding goal and raised more than $400,000. There have been some bumps since then, as shipments were delayed from an originally announced release date in February 2026, and one model in development was scrapped outright. Now, L’Atitude 52°N has announced an official release date for its smart glasses.

Preorders for one model, called Berlin, start on May 19. The glasses actually go on sale on May 26. This might be a disappointment for Kickstarter backers, as the most recent official update from the campaign came in March and said shipping would begin on April 15 for Berlin units and June 7 for the second model, called Milan. L’Atitude 52°N still hasn’t set an official launch date for the Milan, except to say that it will be “arriving in the second quarter of 2026.”

The Berlin glasses cost $399. Add another $50 for the photochromatic lenses. There is one very big catch: The AI features enabled on the device will only work for 12 months, which L’Atitude 52°N calls an “AI feature trial.” After that, customers have to pay for a subscription service, or will be limited to the base features, like playing music and capturing media.

How much will that subscription service cost? Chen says he doesn’t know.

#Smart #Glasses #ExOnePlus #Engineers #Hidden #Costsmart glasses,wearables,design,gadgets

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.

Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.)

SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why.

There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped.

That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past.

‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.) SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why. There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped. That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past. Credit: Netflix Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2. Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series. Mashable Top Stories SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5 However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem. Credit: Netflix That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing. That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix. Topics Netflix Stranger Things #Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

Credit: Netflix

Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.

But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2.

Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series.

SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5

However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.

Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.

Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem.

Nikki greets the Hawkins party in "Stranger Things: Tales From '85."

Credit: Netflix

That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.

Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.

In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing.

That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.

Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?

I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?

Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix.

Topics Netflix Stranger Things

#Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred">‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.) SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why. There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped. That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past. Credit: Netflix Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2. Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series. Mashable Top Stories SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5 However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem. Credit: Netflix That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing. That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix. Topics Netflix Stranger Things #Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.

Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.)

SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why.

There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped.

That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past.

‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.) SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why. There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped. That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past. Credit: Netflix Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2. Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series. Mashable Top Stories SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5 However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem. Credit: Netflix That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing. That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix. Topics Netflix Stranger Things #Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

Credit: Netflix

Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.

But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2.

Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series.

SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5

However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.

Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.

Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem.

Nikki greets the Hawkins party in "Stranger Things: Tales From '85."

Credit: Netflix

That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.

Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.

In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing.

That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.

Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?

I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?

Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix.

Topics Netflix Stranger Things

#Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred">‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.

Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.)

SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why.

There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped.

That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past.

‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.) SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why. There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped. That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past. Credit: Netflix Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2. Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series. Mashable Top Stories SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5 However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem. Credit: Netflix That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing. That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix. Topics Netflix Stranger Things #Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

Credit: Netflix

Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.

But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2.

Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series.

SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5

However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.

Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.

Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem.

Nikki greets the Hawkins party in "Stranger Things: Tales From '85."

Credit: Netflix

That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.

Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.

In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing.

That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.

Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?

I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?

Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix.

Topics Netflix Stranger Things

#Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

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