Greatest Anime Scenes: Vegeta Sacrifices Himself To Kill Buu on DBZ

The Top 25 Anime Characters of All Time list is up and running, so if you haven't checked that out, click the link at the top of the page, or head to the blog post to leave your thoughts.

In celebration of the list, I have created a sub-group of my "Greatest Scenes" blog posts, called "Greatest Anime Scenes". These posts will be dedicated to my favorite epic moments from the anime genre.

The first up comes from #8 on the list, Vegeta. I mentioned this scene briefly when I was explaining his position, but after further thought, it really does deserve further notice.

At this point in Dragon Ball Z, Buu has managed to screw the whole world over, proving to be an unbeatable, killing machine inside a big fat pink bubble. It appears there aren't many options left for the Z Fighters. The desperation of the situation leads Vegeta, fresh off the voluntary control of that little bastard wizard Babidi, to make a sacrifice unlike any he's made since... well, ever. The Prince of All Saiyans got all sentimental on us, telling his son Trunks he was proud and hugging him (awww) before knocking him and Goten out (hey!). It was all for good reason, though, as he tells Piccolo and Krillin to clear out of there.

After taunting Majin Buu in his typical Vegeta way ('I'm going to crush you and throw you into the wind"), he powers up to astronomical levels and literally blows himself up to finally rid the world of the pink menace (that's a phrase I didn't think I 'd ever type out). Piccolo and Krillin watch in shock as the surrounding area is clouded by a massive yellow-red bubble, and they know what he has done. As Piccolo said earlier, he was fighting for someone other than himself, controlling his own fate.

Now, if the death of one of the most badass characters in television history wasn't enough to break you, the completely badass voiceover he was given probably did the trick, as it closed out the episode.

Unfortunately, Majin Buu wasn't defeated, and it would take Goku's mega Spirit Bomb to finally destroy the bastard. I'm definitely not the only one who believes that Vegeta's sacrifice should not have been in vain, and that he deserved to finally kill the bad guy. Regardless of who really killed Buu, there is probably no other scene in DBZ's very long history that combined action, emotion, and pure epicness in one scene like that.

In that respect, Vegeta finally did win.

John Edwards Admits To Cheating On Cancer-Ridden Wife!

Former presidential hopeful John Edwards will admit on an upcoming episode of ABC's Nightline that he had an affair.

Tabloid The National Enquirer revealed the affair weeks ago, with Edwards staunchly denying that reports which also claimed he was the father of the woman's child. Now, speaking to Bob Woodruff, reveals that the tabloid wasn't lying.

In the interview, he says that while he did sleep with Reille Hunter, he did not love her. He also denied that he was the father of her child, Hunter Quinn. Although he has not taken a paternity test, he claims the affair ended before the conception of the child.

About the affair, he says that it began after she was hired to put together website documentaries for his presidential campaign in 2006. The fact that she had little experience suggests that the hiring was for suspicious reasons. The two traveled together, around the US and even to Africa.

His wife, Elizabeth Edwards, has known about the affair since 2006, but did not known of the encounter that The National Enquirer reported about. She was diagnosed with cancer, but she was in remission around the time of the affair. The cancer has relapsed and is now incurable.

Just when I thought politicians couldn't stoop any lower. What worse: cheating on your wife with a hooker, or cheating on your wife while she is fighting cancer?

And to think, he could've become our president. Well, not gonna happen. His career is D-E-A-D.

Greatest Scenes from the VMAs: Britney in 2000

No matter what age or gender, the day after the 2000 VMAs, you were talking about one person.

Britney Spears.

Her best performance on the VMAs had to be 2000, at the height of her popularity. She opened her set with a cover of the Rolling Stones classic "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". She was sitting in a chair, dressed in a glittery suit, singing live (shockingly). She then walked down the steps slowly, singing, and stopped at the bottom. That's when things got interesting. As she danced onto the stage, still singing live, she began to strip off the suit, leaving only flesh-colored top and pants with some glitter, leaving the illusion that she was naked, at least from far away. That's when she went into lipsyncing her hit "Oops! I Did It Again". I guess we could forgive her for that since she was a) half-naked and b) dancing her hot ass off.

That performance truly set the bar for VMA performances. The watercooler the next day was crowded with people either turned on by the sexy performance or outraged because their teen daughters looked up to Britney and could possibly emulate their star's dress code. Either way, it was a performance to go down in the record books.

Now, if only Brit could get together now....

Greatest Scenes from the VMAs: Mariah vs. Whitney in 1998

Remember when the VMAs were actually cool?

In honor of this year's VMAs, I am doing a special "Greatest Scenes" series from VMA's glorious past!

Back in 1998, Mariah and Whitney played with their rumored feud when they presented the Best Male Video award. They came out in matching brown dresses, and then proceeded to outdo each other in the "pulling parts off" contest. What you unfortunately don't see in the video is when that happens. The best part was when Mariah pulled off the fabric to reveal her world-famous legs with the instantly quotable line "Try it on me"! Sorry, Whit, but Mariah got you beat on this one!

Greatest Scenes: Jerry Maguire's "You Had Me At Hello"

Remember when Tom Cruise was likable?

It's a foreign concept these days, but back in 1996, pretty much everyone loved Tom Cruise. Women wanted him, men wanted to be him, that whole deal. His likability was most evident in one of his best works to date, Jerry Maguire. The film was about a sports agent who struggles with love and his high-strung (and only) client Rod Tidwell (played fantastically by Cuba Gooding Jr.).

There are many memorable moments in this movie (I'll discuss another in a later post), but the one of the last scenes remains a huge standout. Not only did it give Tom Cruise one of his greatest monologues, it also gave the world two of the schmaltziest romantic lines in history. Even if you've never seen Jerry Maguire, you've probably heard or said the following two lines:

"You complete me"

"You had me at hello"

Facing a divorce after a quickie marriage, Jerry flies home to face his wife Dorothy, who is the middle of a married women's party. There, in front of everyone, Jerry delivers a fantastic appeal to save his marriage. Tom Cruise has never been more vulnerable in a movie I've seen him in. It was one of those moments where you forgot you were watching the biggest movie star on the planet (at the time) and believed you were watching a teary-eyed man fight for the woman that he loves. It was intense, it was fantastic, and it helped solidify the belief that Tom Cruise was awesome.

Just after he dropped the "You complete me" bomb, Dorothy interrupted his rambling with one of her own, which would go on to be one of the most quotable romantic lines in the history of cinema. After saying "You had me at hello" twice, Jerry runs over to her and pulls her into a hug.

That line was most likely responsible for putting Renee Zellweger on the map. It was the inspiration for Kenny Chesney's hit "You Had Me From Hello". It helped raise the bar for romance.

Those two lines, performed amazingly by Cruise and Zellweger, helped make Jerry Maguire a special (and Oscar-nominated) movie that remains a standard in the dramedy genre.

If you ever want to remember why you ever like Tom Cruise in the first place, watch this clip, and maybe you will forget the couch-jumping, the bitching at Brooke Shields, the craziness with Matt Lauer, the Scientology video, and Katie Holmes/Suri mess for a few minutes.

My Favorite Scenes: Jon Stewart on CNN's Crossfire

Genius.

There really is no other term to describe Daily Show host Jon Stewart's appearance on Crossfire in 2004. It was genius because, in 11 minutes flat, he made Tucker Carlson look stupid, questioned the ethics of the media, humiliated CNN, and got the program canceled.

When Stewart appeared on the former CNN program, they assumed he would make jokes about politics, much like he does on his own show. Instead, he took the opportunity to criticize Crossfire and its hosts of what he called "partisan hackery". He criticized the hosts, most notably Tucker Carlson, of failing in its responsibility to inform viewers about politics using debate.

Carlson, obviously embarrassed, tried turning the tables on Stewart by criticizing the questions he asked 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry, but Stewart argued that his show didn't have the responsibility of asking the hard-hitting questions. As Stewart continued bitching out Carlson and the show, he responded "I thought you were gonna be funny". His comeback? "Sorry, I'm not going to be your monkey".

A few months after that episode, CNN pulled the plug on Crossfire and Tucker Carlson. Surprisingly, they did reference that episode in their decision-making.

While Tucker Carlson has bounced back from that disaster, I don't think anyone will forget how Jon Stewart kicked his ass, on his own show.

Greatest Scenes: Charles Spencer's Eulogy at Princess Diana's Funeral

At 5 years old, even I knew the significance of the funeral my mother woke me up to watch on September 6th.

The funeral of Princess Diana was one of the most watched events in world history, with a global audience of 2.5 billion. There were many moments during the funeral that were iconic and memorable. There was the image of Prince Charles, her sons William and Harry, her brother Charles Spencer, and Prince Philip walking behind the carriage carrying her body. There was Elton John, stoic in order to remain composed, singing for the first and only time Candle in the Wind 1997, which became the second best-selling song in the world.

But of all those moments, none was more emotional, stirring, chilling, and heartbreaking than the eulogy delivered by Charles Spencer, Diana's brother. His speech was both a tribute to the beloved princess and a thinly-veiled attack against the British Royal Family, who just days ago, refused to leave Balmoral to address the grievers, and the media who were blamed for her death. Nearly every line he spoke was quotable and truthful, whether he declared Diana the "most hunted person of the modern age" or explained that "she needed no royal title to continue to generate her particular brand of magic".

He asked those who tried to sanctify Diana not to, saying that doing so would limit her legacy. He described Diana as someone who was able to transcend race and class, while remaining British. He referenced rather bluntly Diana's battle with bulimia as an example of the vulnerability that allowed the world to connect with her. He criticized those who attempted to belittle the work she did. In an stinging attack against the royals, he promised William and Harry that he and their blood family would guide them in their lives.

When he ended the eulogy, the millions who lined the funeral route and watched the speech in Hyde Park applauded with such strength that mourners inside Westminster Abbey followed suit. With all of the comments, television specials, and tell-all books written about "The People's Princess", none will capture the essence of her like her brother's speech. No reports during that unprecedented week of mourning symbolized the feelings like her brother's speech.

Earl Spencer's eulogy, along with being one of the most memorable orations in history, was one of the most polarizing moments ever broadcast on television.

My Favorite Scenes: Michael Jackson Performs at Motown 25

It is one of the greatest live performances of all time, by one of the greatest performers of all time.

Before child molestation trials, shocking amounts of plastic surgery, and other tabloid goings-on, Michael Jackson was just another pop star, prepping for the release of his sophomore solo effort on Epic Records. Unbeknownst to him and them rest of the world, this album would become the biggest in world history.

Before all of that, MJ appeared on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever with his brothers for a Jackson 5 reunion. Although he planned on attending, his stipulation for performing his old Motown hits was being able to perform new material. Berry Gordy, head of Motown, allowed it. After the Jackson 5 performance, Michael introduced the crazed audience and the world to Billie Jean, arguably his best single.

The Motown 25 was THE performance that put Michael Jackson on the map. He was electrifying, even though he didn't sing live. No one really cared, because Mike had the world hypnotized by his dancing. Speaking of dancing, it was this performance that had him debut the infamous Moonwalk move.

Pop music would never be the same after that night.

Michael's performance that night set the course for one of music's most legendary careers. Thriller sold more copies that any album in the world (106 million). His subsequent records all sold well. 13 of his singles topped the US charts, and countless more hit the top 10. Despite all his success, its been overshadowed by mas hysteria, brought on by his supernatural fame.

Stripping away everything else, there is no argument in the world that can suggest Michael Jackson is not one of the most important artists in history. He is a legend, and this performance helped solidify that fact.

Greatest Scenes: The Red or the Blue Pill from The Matrix

"You take the red pill, you stay in wonderland, and I'll show you how deep the rabbit hole goes"



It after that line was spoken that biggest acid trip of the 20th Century began.

"The Matrix" was the movie that left your head spinning after you watched it, forcing you to watch a few more times before you completely got it. There was one scene, however, that made plenty of sense. Morpheus, a mystery man, gives Thomas Anderson, whose alias is Neo, a choice. He could either continue existing in a world that was false, or become exposed to the real existence of humanity. The choices lied in two pills. The blue for the fantasy, and the red for the reality.

What did Neo do?

Of course he chose the red pill! What he probably wasn't expecting was waking up in a weird pod-like thing with wires connected to his body.

Why is this scene great? Its great because it is the catalyst to the ENTIRE future of the 1st movie and its two sequels. Without this scene, there would be no movie. The entire structure of the Matrix relied on a choice of a pill.

Luckily for Neo and the viewers, he chose red.

The Greatest Scenes: The Campfire Scene from "My Own Private Idaho"

Had he been given the chance, River Phoenix would probably be the biggest actor in the world.

As tragic as it is, his death in 1993 cemented his place in cinematic memory, as the young actor with more promise than can be conceived of. His potential, both realized and unrealized, was so great that it eventually crushed him, driving him to drugs and that fateful Halloween morning. While he was alive, he delivered some of the greatest performances ever by a young actor.

His most famous may be the masterclass campfire scene from the movie My Own Private Idaho, directed by Gus Van Sant. The movie surrounds two young boys (the other played by Keanu Reeves) on a journey. During one scene, Mike (Phoenix) and Scott (Reeves) are sitting by a campfire, and seemingly out of the blue, Mike asks Scott about their relationship. Scott describes it as a friendship, which Mike hesitantly agrees with. Mike then admits that he has romantic feelings for Scott. The two lines that reveal the affection? When talking about hustling men for cash, Mike says: "I could love someone even if I wasn't paid for it. I love you and you don't pay me."

What really strikes a chord is Phoenix's delivery of not just those lines, but throughout the entire scene. In every single frame, you could see his fear and apprehension, even before you know he's talking about. You could also hear it; the tension in his voice as he explained himself to Scott was palpable. Even in a whisper, River spoke volumes. His performance was extraordinary, especially considering his age. He engrossed himself in the role, developing a three-dimensional character you couldn't help but feel for as his feelings aren't returned.

River Phoenix's dedication to the role of Mike Waters is what many believe began his downward spiral. Around the time of filming, rumors circulated that he was using drugs, just like his character. Whatever the cause, River Phoenix's death is one of the great tragedies in Hollywood history. With a talent undeniable and an ability to pull vulnerability out of the toughest roles, he could've reached the highest heights.

My Favorite Scenes: Nathan and Haley from One Tree Hill

When One Tree Hill first premiered on The WB, it was a vehicle for Chad Michael Murray, who used to play a character on Dawson's Creek.

I'm sure the execs were surprised when Bethany Joy Galeotti (nee Lenz) and James Lafferty outright stole the show out from under him.

The two play Haley James and Nathan Scott. Haley was a bookworm tutor who was best friends with lead character Lucas. Nathan was Tree Hill's resident bad boy with the great basketball skills. He also happened to be Lucas' younger half-brother, and he hated him. Nathan's revenge? Use Haley to get to Lucas by becoming her tutoree. The plan seemed to be working fine, until he found himself liking her for more than her potential to screw with Lucas. Nathan and Haley quickly fell for each other, and so did viewers. Soon, people could care less about the Brooke/Lucas/Peyton triangle; it was all about "Naley". They became the stars of OTH, with an stronger-than-steel fanbase.

Since season one, they have married, gotten a tattoo of Nathan's jersey number on her lower back (Haley), file for emancipation (Nathan), move into their own apartment, fallen asleep in the park, made out in the rain more than once, broken up over a tour and Chris Keller, crashed a car (Nathan), signed annulment papers, fought over birth control, reunited, got pregnant, dove into a river to save his uncle and nearly drowned (Nathan), got involved in a point-shaving scandal (Nathan), bitch-slap Rachel (Haley), had a boy named Jamie, went to college, fall through glass and become paralyzed (Nathan), break up over a psycho nanny, have their son nearly drown, have their son kidnapped by the psycho nanny, gone to marriage counseling, and go back to their dreams of music and basketball. Yet, through it all, and they have been through A LOT, they remain in love and committed to each other. Nathan and Haley are the best couple on television, period.

From their long, illustrious history, I have chosen two scenes I think encapsulate why everyone loves Nathan and Haley. Both are from season one.

The first is from the eighth episode, where Nathan and Haley go on their first official date, where he dismisses her in front of his friends. That leads to the couple's first kiss the next morning (from NathanLuvsHaley):



The next is from the very next episode, where Nathan leaves the hospital and finds Haley after he collapses on the basketball court (from cheerchickmarna):



Two things to notice: James and Bethany's ridiculous chemistry and the perfect music during the scenes.

My Favorite Scenes: "Circle of Life" from the Lion King

For many kids, The Lion King is one of the best movies ever. For teenagers, it is one of the corniest movies ever. For a teenager who tends to indulge in some childhood memories, The Lion King is cinematic genius.

It's quite enlightening to look back at a childhood pleasure through older, wiser eyes. You might find that something that appears rather hollow, is actually rooted in deeper significance. That's how I feel about The Lion King now.

Specifically, the opening scene. As a kid, I never paid much attention to it. It was pretty much about animals watching the birth of a lion. As a teenager, I now realize that scene's complexity, both in beauty and in meaning.

Kudos must be delivered to the entire production staff for that scene. Visually, its a masterpiece; the rich colors, the seamless animation, everything about it is fantastic. The song, "Circle of Life" is ridiculously perfect for the moments. It all comes together to make a splendid moment in cinema.

However, it is the subtext of that scene that truly gives it its wonder. The idea that so many different types of animals, from birds to giraffes, can come together for the celebration of one important moment is surprisingly relevant in today's world. Some of the animals are even predator and prey, yet they can put aside their differences for the greater good. It makes you think, "if animals can do it, why can't we?"

All of these elements make the Circle of Life opener to the Lion King easily the GREATEST moment in animated movie history.

My Favorite Scenes: Kelly Clarkson Wins American Idol

Go back 7 years.

Remember when American Idol was this little summer program on FOX about finding the next music idol? Before it became the pop culture fixture it is now, American Idol was a mid-season replacement meant to be canceled. It debuted to a typical 9 million viewing audience.

A few months later, 22 million people tuned in to watch Kelly Clarkson, a bubbly Texan with a sensational voice, win the first-ever American Idol. Before we became critical over song choices, voting errors, and Sanjaya, we cheered when Clarkson, visibly shaken by her victory, sang her coronation single "A Moment Like This". We flocked to the stores to buy that single, sending it straight to #1 in one of the biggest chart jumps in history. For the first time in a decade, America was swept up in a phenomenon, and it was solidified by this moment.

The wonder has dulled after 7 years, but back in 2002, when a tearful Kelly Clarkson sang her winning single, the country gazed at the crowning of the next big superstar.

Greatest Scenes in Movie and Television History: Part 1

In no apparent order, I have decided to put together, what I consider, the greatest, most iconic moments from recent television and movie history.

The first scene is from Grey's Anatomy, which will be featured many more times. The season finale of Season 2 was known for many things, including the infamous Meredith/Derek reunion sex. However, the best moment of the episode, the season, and arguably the series was when the interns walked into Denny's room, finding Izzie lying next to his dead body. Everything about the scene was perfection. Katherine Heigl, who tended to take a backseat to Ellen Pompeo and Sandra Oh since the series began, really shone through, and became a real reason to watch. It may have been this scene that helped launch her burgeoning movie career. This scene also helped in launching Grey's as a serious contender on television.

Check it out below: