Today in Nerd History | November 20

Nerd culture is a vibrant tapestry of events, releases, and milestones that have shaped the entertainment landscape. From iconic movies to groundbreaking games and significant literary contributions, this article takes a trip down memory lane to explore the notable nerd culture events that occurred on November 20th in history. Let’s celebrate these cherished moments that have left an indelible mark on the hearts of fans around the world.

DRAGON BALL

In 1984, volume 1 of Dragon Ball released in book stores. Dragon Ball is a manga series by Akira Toriyama that follows the adventures of Son Goku, a monkey-tailed boy who trains in martial arts and searches for the seven magical Dragon Balls that can grant any wish.

Nerdy Fact: The manga was inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West and Hong Kong martial arts films. It initially had a comedy focus but later became an action-packed fighting series.

BILLIONS AND BILLIONS SERVED

Also in 1984, McDonald’s celebrated a historic milestone as its president, Edward Rensi, cooked their 50 billionth hamburger on stage at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.

Nerdy Fact: The hamburger was cooked on a special grill that made amplified sizzles and was displayed on a 12-foot by 14-foot screen. It was served to Dick McDonald, one of the original founders of the company.

LOST IN NEW YORK

In 1992, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York released in theaters. This is a movie about a boy who gets separated from his family and has to stop two burglars from robbing a toy store in New York City during Christmas.

Nerdy Fact: The Talkboy, a voice recorder and playback device that Kevin used, was originally a prop created for the movie, but it became so popular that it was later manufactured and sold as a real toy.

MASS EFFECT

In 2007, Mass Effect released on the Xbox 360. This sci-fi action role-playing game follows Commander Shepard’s quest to stop a rogue agent from unleashing an ancient machine race called the Reapers on the galaxy.

Nerdy Fact: The voice actor of male Commander Shepard, Mark Meer, also voiced almost all of the male Elcor, Vorcha, and Hanar in the trilogy. He also voiced the Asari scientist Rana Thanoptis, who was his wife in real life.

ROCK BAND

Also in 2007, Rock Band released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. This music video game lets up to four players perform popular rock songs using controllers shaped like musical instruments.

Nerdy Fact: The game features songs from over 50 different artists, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and Metallica.

THE GAME BOY KILLER

In 2010, the Nintendo DS released. This handheld game console has two screens, one of them being a touchscreen, and can play games from both the DS and the Game Boy Advance libraries.

Nerdy Fact: The Nintendo DS is the best-selling handheld console of all time, and the second-best-selling video game system of all time, only behind the PlayStation 2. It has sold over 154 million units worldwide, and has a library of over 2,000 games.

SKYWARD SWORD

In 2011, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword released on the Wii. This action-adventure game tells the origin story of the Master Sword, the Triforce, and the conflict between Link and an ancient evil.

Nerdy Fact: The game features a cameo from Robin Williams, who was a huge fan of the Zelda series and named his daughter after the princess. He voiced a character named Oolo, who is a bird researcher and gives Link a side quest.

JESSICA JONES

In 2015, Jessica Jones premiered on Netflix. This show follows the adventures of a former superhero and private investigator who battles against a mind-controlling villain and other threats in Hell’s Kitchen, New York.

Nerdy Fact: Krysten Ritter, who plays Jessica Jones, is a woman of many talents. She is also a model, a musician, an author, and a knitter. She even knitted some of the scarves worn by her co-stars in the show.