document_title: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

question_text: resident evil 7 what year does it take place

text: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

text: Gameplay[edit]

text: The player controls Ethan Winters from a first-person perspective as he searches the Baker house for his missing wife.[1] Although Ethan is a civilian with few combat skills,[2] he is able to arm himself with a variety of different weapons including handguns, shotguns, flamethrowers, explosives and chainsaws[3] against the Baker family and a humanoid form of fungus known as the "Molded". He can also block attacks to reduce damage. Various sections of the game are spent being pursued by members of the Baker family, who if engaged in combat, can only be temporarily incapacitated. However, these encounters are avoidable by means of stealth, or running away.[4][5]

text: Unlike Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6, the gameplay emphasizes horror and exploration over action.[2][6] The inventory uses a grid-based system with an initial capacity of 12 slots, but may be expanded several times over the course of the game. An item can occupy up to two spaces, and four items may be assigned to the D-pad. Item boxes found in save rooms may also be used to manage and store items, and can be retrieved from different item boxes for later use.[4][7] Items in the inventory can be used, examined, or combined with other items to increase their usefulness.[8] Many of the game's puzzles require that items be examined under certain conditions in order to reveal secrets.[9] Tape recorders can be used to manually save the game's progress, which, depending on the given difficulty level, may require the use of a cassette tape.[4][10] Videotapes are scattered for Ethan to find, which place the player in the perspective of a different character, often revealing plot information or clues needed to solve a puzzle.[4][11] The PlayStation 4 version is playable in virtual reality using the PlayStation VR headset.[12]

text: Plot[edit]

text: In 2017, Ethan Winters is drawn to a derelict plantation in Dulvey, Louisiana, by a message from his wife, Mia, who has been presumed dead for three years. He finds Mia imprisoned in the basement of a seemingly abandoned house, but she becomes violent and attacks him, forcing him to kill her. After receiving a call from a woman named Zoe offering assistance, Ethan is attacked by a revived Mia, who cuts his hand off. Jack, the patriarch of the Baker family, captures Ethan. After Zoe reattaches his hand, Ethan is held captive by Jack, his wife Marguerite, their son Lucas, and an elderly woman who  is using a wheelchair and is in a catatonic state. Ethan escapes but is pursued around the house by Jack, who has powerful regenerative abilities. In the basement, Ethan discovers reanimated monsters known as Molded. Zoe reveals that she is Jack's daughter, and that the family and Mia are infected, but can be cured with a special serum. Ethan makes his way to an old house to retrieve the serum ingredients, kills Marguerite, and has visions of a young girl. Lucas captures Zoe and Mia and forces Ethan to navigate a booby-trapped barn to find them. Ethan chases away Lucas and frees Zoe and Mia. Zoe develops two serum doses, but they are attacked by Jack, now heavily mutated; Ethan kills him using one of the serums.[4]

text: Ethan must choose to cure either Mia or Zoe. Choosing Zoe leaves Mia heartbroken, despite Ethan's promise to send help. As he and Zoe flee on a boat, Zoe reveals that the Bakers were infected after Mia arrived with a young girl named Eveline when the wreck of a tanker ship washed ashore. Eveline stops their escape by psychically killing Zoe, and Ethan is knocked from the boat by a creature. If Ethan chooses Mia, Zoe gives a bitter farewell to him and Mia. As he and Mia flee on a boat, they come across the crashed tanker, where they are attacked by the creature and knocked from the boat. Mia searches the wrecked ship for Ethan while experiencing visions of Eveline, who refers to Mia as her mother. Eventually, Mia's memory is restored, revealing that she was a covert operative for a corporation that developed Eveline as a bioweapon.[4]

text: Mia and another agent were to escort Eveline as she was transported aboard the tanker; Eveline escaped containment, killed Mia's colleague, and sank the ship. She infected Mia in an effort to force her to be her mother. Mia finds Ethan and gives him a vial of Eveline's genetic material. If Ethan cured Mia, she resists Eveline's control long enough to seal Ethan out of the ship; if he cured Zoe, Mia succumbs to Eveline's control and attacks Ethan, forcing him to kill her. Ethan discovers a hidden laboratory inside an abandoned salt mine. He learns that Eveline is a bio-organic weapon capable of infecting people with a psychotropic mold that gives her control over her victims' minds, resulting in insanity, mutation, and superhuman regenerative abilities. Eveline grew up obsessed with having a family, driving her to infect Mia and the Bakers and lure Ethan. Lucas was immunized against Eveline's control by her creators, The Connections, in exchange for providing observations on her. Using the lab equipment and Eveline's genetic material, Ethan synthesizes a toxin to kill her, and proceeds through tunnels that lead back to the Baker house. He overcomes Eveline's hallucinations, and injects Eveline with the toxin. She reverts to her other form, the elderly woman in a wheelchair; Eveline has been rapidly aging since escaping. Eveline mutates into a large monster and, aided by the arrival of a military squad led by Chris Redfield, Ethan kills her. The squad extracts Ethan (and Mia if she was cured) by helicopter branded with the Umbrella Corporation logo.[4]

text: Not a Hero[edit]

text: BSAA agent Chris Redfield teams up with the now reformed Umbrella Corporation in order to apprehend Lucas Baker and uncover evidence on the mysterious group that created Eveline, called "The Connections". After rescuing Ethan Winters and sending him away on a helicopter, Chris proceeds into Lucas' lab in the salt mine, where he accidentally runs into one of Lucas' traps and has a bomb attached to his left wrist. Undeterred, Chris continues his pursuit. He tries to rescue several captured Umbrella soldiers, but they are killed by Lucas' traps. Eventually, Lucas decides to activate a timer on Chris' bomb. Chris is forced to freeze the bomb in liquid nitrogen, disabling it long enough for him to remove it.

text: With the bomb removed, Chris battles his way through more of Lucas' Molded and traps. He then finds his way into a secret Connections research lab, where Lucas had killed all of the Connections researchers and plans to betray the organization. Chris manages to corner and shoot Lucas, which triggers a mutation in his body. Chris battles and eventually kills the mutated Lucas, and also stops him from transferring all of his data on Eveline to the Connections. With his mission done and Eveline's infection contained, Chris returns to the Umbrella base camp for an urgent call.

text: End of Zoe[edit]

text: Following the path in the main game in which Ethan cures Mia instead of Zoe, Zoe wanders into the swamp and is apparently killed by Eveline; however, a pair of Umbrella soldiers find her body and discover she is still alive. They are soon ambushed by Joe Baker, Zoe's uncle. Joe initially believes Umbrella is responsible for Zoe's condition, but a surviving Umbrella soldier claims they have a cure for Zoe stored in a nearby shack. Joe goes to the shack, finding a partial cure, and returns to find the Umbrella soldier killed by a Molded.

text: Joe initially flees with Zoe on a boat to find the Umbrella base but is soon forced to search for the base on foot. A powerful and seemingly unkillable Molded called the "Swamp Man" pursues them along the way. Joe and Zoe find the Umbrella base abandoned. They learn that the cure has been moved to a nearby paddle boat. Joe boards the boat and, after encountering the Swamp Man once again, uncovers a full dose of the cure. The Swamp Man captures Zoe before Joe can administer the cure. Joe gives chase into a heavily infected portion of the swamp and finds Zoe in an abandoned church. Inside, Joe is ambushed by the Swamp Man, who reveals himself to be Jack Baker, Joe's brother. Jack knocks Joe unconscious and throws him into the swamp water to die.

text: Joe eventually washes up near the Baker mansion and finds himself in the midst of a battle between the Molded and Umbrella forces. He recovers an Umbrella power gauntlet and enters the mansion, where he successfully kills Jack and administers the cure to Zoe just as Umbrella reinforcements arrive, including Chris Redfield. Chris assures Joe and Zoe that they are there to help, and Zoe is fully cured of her infection. She then receives a phone call from Ethan, and thanks him for keeping his promise to send help for her.

text: Development[edit]

text: Following the release of Resident Evil 6, Capcom conducted internal discussions regarding the direction of the next installment. A preliminary version of the game, developed in 2013, featured a more action-oriented gameplay, similar to that of Resident Evil 6. Taking inspiration from the 1981 film The Evil Dead, the developers decided to scale back the game to one location and use a first-person perspective to immerse players and return the series to its roots of survival horror.[13][14] Development began around February 2014.[15] The game is built on a new engine, named RE Engine, which includes virtual reality (VR) development tools.[16] The decision to make the game first-person was made well before VR was considered;[12] VR development started in October 2015, for which a separate team was created.[17] The introduction of VR demanded that textures be more detailed, discarding flat textures and inaccurate object sizes that had previously been used.[18]

text: A year before the game's announcement, Capcom presented to attendants of E3 2015 a first-person horror-themed VR demo, KITCHEN, which ran on the same engine.[16][19] While Resident Evil 7 had been in development long before, KITCHEN was seen as an opportunity to evaluate how the RE Engine and its VR capabilities would be received.[12] As a hint to the demo's relation to Resident Evil 7, the logo of KITCHEN had the letter "T" designed so that it resembled a "7", but it went largely unnoticed.[15] In the company's Integrated Report of 2015, the Resident Evil development division of Capcom was stated to focus on creating experiences for the VR market, which included the new VR engine and games for the eighth generation of consoles.[20]

text: The game was directed by Koshi Nakanishi, who previously helmed Resident Evil: Revelations, leading a development team numbering at about 120 staff.[13] For the first time in the series, the narrative designer was a westerner—Richard Pearsey, writer of the two expansion packs of F.E.A.R. and one of the narrative designers of Spec Ops: The Line.[21] At the time of the game's reveal, development was around 65% complete.[15] Some of the creature models in Resident Evil 7 were first created in physical form – a number of them from actual meat – by make-up artists, to then be scanned through the employment of photogrammetry. This technology developed over half of the general assets of the game, but posed a problem in researching the setting of Louisiana because its considerable demand for equipment made it unviable for transport, which required Capcom to model by hand.[22] The game's score was composed by Capcom's lead composer Akiyuki Morimoto, Miwako Chinone, and Satoshi Hori, with additional contributions from Cris Velasco and Brian D'Oliveira.[23] Its theme song, an arranged version of the traditional American folk song "Go Tell Aunt Rhody", was written by Michael A. Levine and performed by Jordan Reyne. Levine's step-daughter Mariana Barreto was the original choice, but ended up doing the background vocals. The song went through about 20 versions until completion.[24] A soundtrack was released digitally by Sumthing Else Music Works alongside the game on January 24.[23]

text: Release and marketing[edit]

text: In October 2016, Capcom launched a 10 part video series called The World of Resident Evil 7, teasing pieces of the game's contents.[25][26] A cross-save feature between Microsoft Windows and the Xbox One was confirmed in November 2016.[27] If bought on either PC through the Windows Store or on the Xbox One digitally, it is playable on both platforms through the Xbox Play Anywhere program,[28] making it the first game published by a third-party to be a part of the program.[29] A cloud version for the Nintendo Switch, titled Biohazard 7: Resident Evil Cloud Version, was released in Japan on May 24, 2018. Players may access the first 15 minutes of the game for free, and continue playing it afterwards by purchasing a pass allowing unlimited play for 180 days.[30]

text: The internal marketing team at Capcom collaborated with creative agency iam8bit to produce an escape room called Resident Evil Escape Room Experience, in which groups of six are guided through a series of rooms by Umbrella Corporation employees. It was held at a gallery space in Echo Park, Los Angeles.[31] In London, a similar event was hosted in concurrence with the release.[32]

text: Purchase of a GameStop-exclusive Collector's Edition included an eight-inch model of the Baker mansion, which when opened functions as a music box playing the main theme rendition of "Go Tell Aunt Rhody", a mannequin finger-shaped 4 GB USB flash drive contained within a VHS tape box, a SteelBook Case containing the game, a lithograph of the Baker family, and a note.[33][34] The UK version added the Survival Pack: Action Set DLC, a 20th anniversary artbook and a seven-inch replica of the mansion, but did not feature the music box.[35] U.S. pre-orders on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One came with a code for a free digital download of Resident Evil: Retribution.[36] A 4D candle with the scent of the Baker House Mansion was made to enhance the virtual reality experience.[37] The Gold Edition, released on December 12, 2017, includes previously released downloadable content (DLC) as well as the upcoming End of Zoe DLC.[38]

text: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand on January 24, 2017, and in Japan on January 26.[25][39] For the first 12 months of its release, the virtual reality format is exclusive to PlayStation VR.[40] Over 3,500,000 players have accumulated worldwide, with over 400,000 of them being VR users.[41] The PC version was tamper-protected by anti-piracy software Denuvo, which was hacked within five days of release.[42]

text: Playable demonstrations[edit]

text: Shortly after the game's reveal, a playable teaser named Resident Evil 7 Teaser: Beginning Hour was released on the PlayStation Store.[16] The demo takes place in a dilapidated house, which the unnamed male player character needs to escape.[43] Depending on the actions taken by the player, the teaser may have three different outcomes.[44] Capcom later revealed that the teaser was a standalone experience and not a segment of the game, which has more variety in its environments, and additional mechanics, such as combat.[45][46] By July 2016, the demo had been downloaded over 2 million times.[47] An update called the "Twilight Version" was released on September 15, 2016, and gave access to new rooms and items to find.[48] Along with the new version, Capcom also released a trailer for the game. Another update called the "Midnight Version" was released on December 3, which unlocked additional areas of the house, along with several new items to find and a puzzle concerning a riddle in the Twilight Version.[49] The demo was released for Xbox One on December 9 and for PC on December 19.[50]

text: A playable demo called Lantern was made available for attendees at Gamescom 2016, as part of revealing the first Resident Evil 7 story trailer. It makes use of found footage and first-person narrative as it tells the story of a young woman by the name of Mia hiding from an agitated old lady holding a lantern. The old lady is Marguerite Baker, who was first mentioned in Beginning Hour.[51][52]

text: Downloadable content[edit]

text: The first downloadable content package for the game, Banned Footage Vol. 1, was released for the PlayStation 4 on January 31, 2017. Banned Footage Vol. 1 includes two scenarios, called "Nightmare" and "Bedroom", and a new game mode, "Ethan Must Die".[53][54] On February 14, Banned Footage Vol. 2 was released for the PlayStation 4, which includes two additional scenarios, called "21" and "Daughters", and a new game mode, "Jack's 55th Birthday". Banned Footage Vol. 1 and Banned Footage Vol. 2 were released for the Xbox One and PC on February 21.[55] Not a Hero – a story chapter where players control Chris Redfield,[56] which was delayed from its Q2 2017 release date,[57][58] was released for free, on December 12, 2017, along with a new DLC called End of Zoe, that came out the same day.[38] While End of Zoe was developed by Capcom, development duties for Not a Hero were outsourced to HexaDrive.[59]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Pre-release[edit]

text: Due to its first-person presentation, the game has drawn comparisons to Konami's cancelled Silent Hills game and its P.T. demo. Capcom responded to this by pointing out that Resident Evil 7 was in development long before the reveal of P.T.,[60] and dispelled any rumors about staff of P.T. having been hired to work on the game.[61] Shacknews noted that Beginning Hour had several similarities with Sweet Home (1989), the Capcom horror game that inspired the original Resident Evil (1996). These similarities to Sweet Home include the plot of a film crew going to an abandoned house, a paranormal female presence in the house, and a tragic tale involving a family that once lived there.[62] Eurogamer found the element of survival horror in Lantern reminiscent of Alien: Isolation.[51] Resident Evil 7 was well received for the dissimilarity to its polarizing predecessor, in particular the change from action-oriented combat and effects to an approach more grounded in horror.[63][64]

text: Post-release[edit]

text: ReceptionAggregate scoreAggregatorScoreMetacritic(PC) 83/100[65](PS4) 86/100[66](XONE) 86/100[67]Review scoresPublicationScoreDestructoid10/10[68]EGM9.5/10[69]Game Informer8.5/10[70]GameSpot8/10[71]GamesRadar+[72]Giant Bomb[73]IGN7.7/10[74]PC Gamer (US)90/100[11]Polygon9/10[75]

text: The game received generally favorable reviews according to Metacritic.[65][66][67] Resident Evil 7 was included in numbered lists of the best video games in 2017: 5th place for "Best Horror Game" and 6th place in the 25 Best Games list at GamesRadar+[76][77] and 5th place at Business Insider.[78] Vulture.com also listed the game among the best video games of the year.[79] PlayStation Official Magazine – UK listed it as the fourth best PlayStation VR game.[80] Entertainment Weekly ranked the game third on their list of the "Best Games of 2017",[81] Polygon ranked it fifth on their list of the 50 best games of 2017,[82] and EGMNow ranked it seventh on their list of the 25 Best Games of 2017,[83] while Eurogamer ranked it 14th on their list of the "Top 50 Games of 2017".[84] Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of The Escapist listed it as his favorite game of 2017,[85] and The Verge named it as one of their 15 Best Games of 2017.[86] In Game Informer's Reader's Choice Best of 2017 Awards, the game came in the lead for "Best VR Game",[87] also giving it the award for "Best VR Action" in their 2017 Action Game of the Year Awards.[88]

text: Destructoid's Zack Furniss felt that the primary accomplishment of Resident Evil 7 concerned its pacing, which was praised as "masterful". Furniss' apprehensive expectations of how the story would unfold were subverted to his liking, deeming the result a blend similar to the horror and comedy found in The Evil Dead films. He found a sense of finality in the combat and lauded it for having produced lasting tension. What held more sway, however, was the priority of survival horror, with the management of limited resources meeting a positive response. Furniss considered the boss fights to be "harrowing" and welcomed the consistent surreality of the game. His playthrough with the PlayStation VR inspired unease, unpredictable jump scares and ultimately an "intuitive" experience.[68] Ray Carsillo of EGMNow favored the atmosphere's constant mood of anxiety, which was partly impacted by the interiors of the main setting. The sound design was also thought to complement this sense of dread, increasing the level of player involvement. He noted the slow narrative build as the game's most substantial achievement, and likened its efficacy to that of earlier games in the series. Like Furniss, Carsillo expressed appreciation for the pacing, and opined that it brought considerable intrigue, accommodating lengthy play sessions. Playing with the virtual reality headset was "even more frightening than doing it normally", according to Carsillo, echoing Furniss' view that it made the game more immersive.[69] Writing for Game Informer, Andrew Reiner commended the "tense, unsettling, overly gory" atmosphere for providing a competent introduction to Resident Evil 7. The Baker house and the nature of exploring it posed significant interest to him, for together, they would present new aspects regarding the occupants and be enhanced by the first-person perspective.[70] Scott Butterworth at GameSpot enjoyed the narrative overall, valuing its memorable moments and the thematic consistency of the writing. He was impressed with the reliance of atmosphere as opposed to jump scares to heighten the feeling of danger. Using the Baker family to multifarious ends of gameplay was complimented as a logical extension of the established world; the interactive VHS tapes were approved of for the same reason, said to serve "beautifully as both a narrative device and a way to break up Ethan's exhausting mission". On PlayStation VR, Butterworth mentioned that, in its employment, the element of horror appeared more realistic.[71]

text: Leon Hurley, writing for GamesRadar+, was of the opinion that, while the "gore and guts" were sparingly effective, a number of his most favorite moments had to do with investigating the "beautifully designed" Baker house. As for the VR, it was dubbed as a terrifying experience "where the mildewy atmosphere gets into your soul".[72] Giant Bomb's Dan Ryckert referred to Resident Evil 7 as the reinvigoration of earlier components in the series while at the same time yielding a fresh outlook with a yet-unrivaled story. The main antagonists bore substantial weight to Ryckert's cause for worry, and gave way to thrills when prompted to flee them. He viewed the first-person perspective as "bold", and attributed to the PlayStation VR, an earnest addition to the "scare factor".[73] Chloi Rad of IGN endorsed the pervading tone of eeriness in the game, owed entirely to the plantation, which she thought was "one of the creepiest single settings since the Spencer Mansion". Also, she observed that the game world gave off a robust sense of place with unwavering exploration. To her, the Baker family were the most compelling of the characters because of the consequent emotional strain felt in their presence.[74] Andy Kelly at PC Gamer began his review, writing, "It's a return to the atmospheric, slow-burning horror of the original". He disagreed with Ryckert's assessment that the first-person was a bold reinvention, instead praising it for being "classic Resident Evil through and through". Kelly saw the regular state of vulnerability he was faced within the game as one of its greatest strengths, giving credit to the visuals and audio for adding to the "rumbling sense of dread". He considered flashbacks via VHS tapes to be one of his favorite features.[11] Polygon's Philip Kollar applauded Resident Evil 7's return to form, declaring that "no Resident Evil game since the first has done as good a job as RE7 at making me feel scared and helpless".[75]

text: Conversely, Furniss observed the boss fight and ending as disappointing. He also cited issues with the PlayStation VR, including the prospect of sacrificing graphics for improved aim and immersion, as the resolution would decrease while in virtual reality.[68] Carsillo disliked the inventory system because its restricted capacity left weaponry and ammunition with the same amount of space as other items critical to story progression.[69] The lack of character development for the protagonist Ethan Winters was disparaged as well, with Reiner stating that the plot suffered flaws of inconsistency from this approach. Also subject to criticism was the required body movements while in seated VR mode, which were described as stomach-churning.[70] Butterworth felt a loss of excitement by the end, blaming the repetition of certain assignments to be carried out. He faulted enemies for exerting less of a threat than was preferred in the given difficulty level. Unlike with other platforms, Butterworth detected inferior visual performance on the Xbox One with degraded colors and textures.[71] Hurley expressed disapproval of the decision one comes across near the end of the game, calling into question its relevance by arguing that it could be quickly resolved in the event of regret.[72] Rad criticized Resident Evil 7 for its dependence on "overplayed tropes about rural America" which would eventually resemble a cartoon, and the puzzles were appraised as the sole shortcoming of the setting.[74] Kollar accused boss battles of interrupting the inherent suspense.[75]

text: The game won the Gold Prize, User's Choice Prizes, and the PlayStation VR Special Award at the PlayStation Awards.[89]  It was also nominated for "Best Setting" in PC Gamer's 2017 Game of the Year Awards,[90] and won the award for "Best VR Game" in Destructoid's Game of the Year Awards 2017.[91] It also won the People's Choice Award for "Best VR Experience" for which it was a runner-up in IGN's Best of 2017 Awards;[92] its other nominations were for "Best Xbox One Game", "Best PlayStation 4 Game", "Best Action/Adventure Game", and "Best Graphics".[93][94][95][96]

text: Sales[edit]

text: Capcom's pre-release sales projection for the game's launch window, through the end of March 2017, was 4 million copies.[97] The game had shipped over 2.5 million units worldwide days after the release, while the demo exceeded 7.15 million downloads.[98] The modest shipment figure had an effect on Capcom's stock price, which fell more than three percent following the Tokyo Stock Exchange.[99] It was the best-selling video game in the UK during its week of release according to Chart-Track, amounting to the third-best debut in Resident Evil history behind 5 (7.1 mill) and 6 (6.6 mill). 200,000 copies had also been sold through Steam during that time.[99][100][101] It ranked first in the Japanese charts for the week ending January 29; the PS4 sales totalled 187,306 copies,[102] 58.9 percent of its initial shipment.[103] In the month of January in the United States, Resident Evil 7 sold the most out of any video game.[104] On February 1, Capcom communicated to its investors that the game had recouped its budget.[105] It remained at the top of the UK sales chart in its second week.[106]   February saw Resident Evil 7 ranked the second best-selling video game in the United States, behind For Honor.[107] By April 2017, Resident Evil 7 had sold 3.5 million copies worldwide, short of Capcom's expectation of 4 million.[108] In May 2017, Capcom gave the game a lifetime sales forecast of ten million units, citing favorable reviews, marketing and downloadable content as contributing factors.[109] By March 2018, it had sold over 5.1 million copies worldwide.[110]

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Result
Ref

2016

Game Critics Awards

Best VR Game

Nominated

[111]

Golden Joystick Awards 2016

Most Wanted Game

Nominated

[112]

2017

Golden Joystick Awards 2017

Best VR Game

Won

[113][114]

Ultimate Game of the Year

Nominated

Best Gaming Performance (Jack Brand)

Nominated

The Game Awards 2017

Best Game Direction

Nominated

[115]

Best Audio Design

Nominated

Best VR/AR Game

Won

2018

New York Game Awards 2018

Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year

Nominated

[116]

Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best Virtual Reality Game

Won

National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards

Animation, Technical

Nominated

[117][118]

Camera Direction in a Game Engine

Nominated

Control Design, VR

Won

Direction in a Game Cinema

Nominated

Game, Franchise Action

Nominated

Graphics, Technical

Nominated

Performance in a Drama, Supporting (Katie O'Hagan)

Nominated

Sound Effects

Won

Sound Mixing in Virtual Reality

Won

Use of Sound, Franchise

Won

SXSW Gaming Awards

Excellence in SFX

Nominated

[119][120]

Excellence in Technical Achievement

Nominated

VR Game of the Year

Won

Game Developers Choice Awards

Best VR/AR Game

Nominated

[121][122]

Game Audio Network Guild Awards

Best VR Audio

Won

[123]

text: Sequel[edit]

text: On September 14, 2017, Capcom announced that a new Resident Evil was "already in motion".[124]

text: Notes[edit]

text: Jump up ^ Stylized as RESIDENT EVII. biohazard, known in Japan as Biohazard 7: Resident Evil (Japanese: バイオハザード7 レジデント イービル, Hepburn: Baiohazādo 7 Rejidento Ībiru, stylized as BIOHA7.ARD resident evil)


document_title: List of box office records set by Avengers: Infinity War

question_text: what was the box office for infinity war

root

text: Worldwide[edit]

text: Worldwide, the film set records for the highest-grossing opening weekend and the fastest to gross $1 billion through $1.5 billion, as well as the highest gross in the 4DX format.

tag: p

text:
Record

Figure

Previous record holder

Surpassed by

Notes

Highest opening weekend and single weekend gross

$640.5 million[2]

The Fate of the Furious – $541.9 million[2]

N/A

Fastest to gross $1 billion

11 days[3]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – 12 days[13]

N/A

Fastest to gross $1.5 billion

18 days[4]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – 19 days[4]

N/A

Highest-grossing superhero movie

$2.046 billion[14][15]

The Avengers – $1.519 billion[15]

N/A

Highest 4DX gross

$13.5 million[16]

N/A

N/A

It was the first movie to reach two million admissions.[17]

Highest-grossing movie of 2018

$2.046 billion[5]

N/A

N/A

tag: table

text: United States and Canada[edit]

text: In the domestic market, the film set records for the highest-grossing opening weekend and the fastest to gross $150 million through $250 million. It also set several single-day records and had the widest PG-13 opening and release to date.

text:
Record

Figure

Previous record holder

Surpassed by

Notes

Highest opening weekend and single weekend gross

$257.7 million[6]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – $247 million[6]

N/A

Highest spring opening weekend gross

$257.7 million[18]

Beauty and the Beast – $174 million[18]

N/A

Highest April opening weekend gross

$257.7 million[19]

Furious 7 – $147 million[19]

N/A

Highest PG-13 rated opening weekend gross

$257.7 million[20]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – $247 million[20]

N/A

Fastest to gross $150 million

2 days[9][10]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – 2 days[9][10]

N/A

It grossed $188 million in that time. The Force Awakens grossed $187 million.[9][10]

Fastest to gross $200 million

3 days[9][10]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – 3 days[9][10]

N/A

It grossed $257 million in that time. The Force Awakens grossed $247 million.[9][10]

Fastest to gross $250 million

3 days[9][10]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – 4 days[9][10]

N/A

It grossed $257 million in that time.[9][10]

Highest April single-day gross

$106 million[21]

Furious 7 – $67.4 million[21]

N/A

On Friday, April 27, 2018. For Furious 7, it was Friday, April 3, 2015. Infinity War also produced the second and third highest April single-day grosses the following two days.[21]

Highest "pure Friday" gross (i.e. excluding Thursday previews)

$66.9 million[22]

Jurassic World – $63.4 million[22]

N/A

On April 27, 2018. For Jurassic World, it was June 12, 2015.[22][23]

Highest Saturday gross

$82.1 million[7]

Jurassic World – $69.6 million[7]

N/A

On April 28, 2018. For Jurassic World, it was June 13, 2015.[7]

Highest Saturday gross adjusted for inflation

est. 8.7 million tickets[24]

The Avengers – est. 8.5 million tickets[24]

N/A

The Avengers' record was set on May 5, 2012.[24]

Highest Sunday gross

$69.2 million[8]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – $60.5 million[8]

N/A

On April 29, 2018. For The Force Awakens, it was December 20, 2015.[8]

Highest Sunday gross adjusted for inflation

est. 7.3 million tickets[25]

The Avengers – est. 7.0 million tickets[25]

N/A

The Avengers' record was set on May 5, 2012.[25]

Highest Monday gross in April

$25.2 million[26]

Furious 7 – $14 million[26]

N/A

On April 30, 2018. For Furious 7, it was April 6, 2015.[26]

Highest 3-day opening gross

$257 million[27]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – $247 million[27]

N/A

Widest PG-13 opening

4,474 theaters[28]

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – 4,468 theaters[28]

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – 4,475 theaters[28]

Also the second widest opening after Despicable Me 3's 4,529 theaters.[29]

Widest PG-13 release

4,474 theaters[30]

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – 4,468 theaters[30]

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – 4,485 theaters[30]

Also the second widest release after Despicable Me 3's 4,535 theaters.[31]

Number one film of the highest-grossing single aggregated weekend

$314 million[32]

December 18–20, 2015 – $313 million[33]

N/A

The figure represents the combined gross of all movies in theaters on the weekend of April 27–29, 2018 of which Infinity War grossed $257 million (7001820000000000000♠82.0%).[32] Star Wars: The Force Awakens contributed $247 million (7001792000000000000♠79.2%) to the previous record.[33]

Number one film of the highest-grossing single April

$1.02 billion[34]

April 2017 – $812 million[34]

N/A

Infinity War comprised 27.7% of the grosses. The Fate of the Furious' gross comprised 23.8% of the previous record.[34]

Largest gap between first and second highest-grossing films in a weekend

$246 million[35]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens – $233 million[35]

N/A

The second-highest grossing film on April 27–29, 2018 was A Quiet Place. For The Force Awakens (December 18–20, 2015), it was Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.[35]

text: Other territories[edit]

text: Outside of the United States and Canada market, the film became the highest grossing film of all time in more than ten markets across Latin America and Asia. It also set various opening records in over 20 markets across all continents except Oceania and Antarctica. Data on precise figures, previous record holders, and surpassed records is limited due to the absence of box office record trackers for these markets.

text:
Record

Territory

Figure

Previous record holder

Surpassed by

Notes

Highest-grossing film

Bolivia[12]

$3.5 million[12]

N/A

N/A

Brazil[11]

$64.9 million[11]

N/A

N/A

Central America[12]

$13.7 million[12]

N/A

N/A

Chile[12]

$12.9 million[12]

N/A

N/A

Ecuador[12]

$7.3 million[12]

N/A

N/A

India (among Western releases)[12][excessive detail?]

$43.5 million[36]

N/A

N/A

Local release Baahubali 2: The Conclusion grossed ₹14.1 billion (US$218 million).[37]

Indonesia[12]

$25.1 million[12]

N/A

N/A

Latin America[38][39][excessive detail?]

Over $200 million[38][39]

N/A

N/A

Malaysia[12]

$16.9 million[12]

N/A

N/A

Mexico[11]

$59.4 million[11]

N/A

N/A

Mongolia[39]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Peru[12]

$11.1 million[12]

N/A

N/A

Philippines[12]

$22.8 million[12]

N/A

N/A

Singapore[12]

$11.5 million[12]

N/A

N/A

Thailand (among Western releases)[12][excessive detail?]

$17.7 million[12]

N/A

N/A

Local release Pee Mak Prakanong grossed $18.1 million.[40]

Venezuela[12]

$2.6 million[12]

N/A

N/A

Vietnam[12]

$8.2 million[12]

N/A

N/A

Highest opening weekend gross

Outside of the US, Canada, and China[excessive detail?]

$382 million[22]

N/A

N/A

Avengers: Infinity War did not open in China, which The Fate of the Furious did, grossing $180 million there as part of the $443 million grossed outside of the US and Canada.[22]

Highest opening weekend gross

Bolivia[41]

$913 thousand[42]

N/A

N/A

Brazil[43]

$19.1 million[43]

N/A

N/A

Central America[41]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Chile[41]

$4.5 million[42]

N/A

N/A

China[44]

$199 million[44]

N/A

N/A

In local currency, Fate of the Furious had a larger opening gross in 2017 (RMB1.35 billion versus Infinity War's RMB1.26 billion), but due to RMB-USD parity fluctuations, Infinity War grossed $199 million versus Furious 8's $184 million.[44]

Ecuador[41]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Hong Kong[45]

$8.0 million[42]

N/A

N/A

India (among Western releases)[41][excessive detail?]

$18.5 million[41]

N/A

N/A

Indonesia[43]

$11.4 million[43]

N/A

N/A

Malaysia[43]

$8.4 million[43]

N/A

N/A

Mexico[43]

$25.1 million[43]

N/A

N/A

Peru[41]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Philippines[43]

$12.5 million[43]

N/A

N/A

Russia[46]

$17.6 million[46]

N/A

N/A

South Africa[41]

$2.0 million[42]

N/A

N/A

South Korea[43]

$39.2 million[43]

N/A

N/A

Thailand[43]

$9.9 million[43]

N/A

N/A

Turkey (among Western releases)[41][excessive detail?]

$2.5 million[47]

N/A

N/A

United Arab Emirates[41]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Venezuela[41]

$1.7 million[42]

N/A

N/A

Vietnam[45]

N/A

N/A

N/A

West Africa[41]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Highest opening day gross

Bolivia[45]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Brazil[45]

$4.8 million[45]

N/A

N/A

Central America[45]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Chile[45]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Hong Kong[45]

$1.4 million[45]

N/A

N/A

Indonesia[45]

$1.8 million[45]

N/A

N/A

Malaysia[45]

$1.5 million[45]

N/A

N/A

Peru[45]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Philippines[45][48]

$2.7 million[45][48]

N/A

N/A

Russia[49]

$4.9 million[49]

N/A

N/A

South Korea[48]

$6.5 million[48]

N/A

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – $9.7 million[50]

Gross from 980 thousand admissions. For Fallen Kingdom, it was from over 1 million admissions.[50]

Thailand[45]

$1.8 million[45]

N/A

N/A

United Arab Emirates[45]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Vietnam[45]

$1.3 million[45]

N/A

N/A

Highest-grossing Saturday

United Kingdom[41]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Highest-grossing April opening day

France

$3.9 million[45]

N/A

N/A

Highest IMAX opening weekend gross

Outside of the US, Canada, and China[excessive detail?]

$18.5 million[41]

The Force Awakens – $17.5 million[41]

N/A

Highest IMAX opening weekend gross

Brazil[51]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Infinity War set this record in 19 markets.[52]

China[44]

$20.3 million[44]

N/A

N/A

Italy[51]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Korea[51]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Mexico[51]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Russia[46]

$2.2 million[46]

N/A

N/A

United Arab Emirates[51]

N/A

N/A

N/A

Highest IMAX gross

China

N/A

It was the first movie to gross $40 million.[17]

N/A

Highest-grossing superhero film

Outside the US and Canada market

$1.33 billion[53]

Avengers: Age of Ultron – $949 million[53]

N/A


document_title: List of best Major League Baseball season win-loss records

question_text: who holds the mlb record for most wins

question_tokens: who holds the mlb record for most wins

text: Season records[edit]

text: The following teams finished the season with a .700 winning percentage or higher.

text: Since the season was expanded to 162 games in 1961, only two teams have managed a winning percentage greater than .700 (which requires 114 wins). These two are the 1998 New York Yankees and the 2001 Seattle Mariners.

text:
NL = National League
AL = American League
AA = American Association

tag: ul

text:
Season
Franchise
League
Wins
Losses
Pct.
Finish

1906
Chicago Cubs
NL
116
36
.763
Lost 1906 World Series

1902
Pittsburg Pirates
NL
103
36
.741
National League Champions

1886
Chicago White Stockings
NL
90
34
.726
Lost 1886 World Series

1909
Pittsburg Pirates
NL
110
42
.724
Won 1909 World Series

1954
Cleveland Indians
AL
111
43
.721
Lost 1954 World Series

2001
Seattle Mariners
AL
116
46
.716
Lost 2001 ALCS

1927
New York Yankees
AL
110
44
.714
Won 1927 World Series

1886
Detroit Wolverines
NL
87
36
.707
2nd place in National League

1897
Boston Beaneaters
NL
93
39
.705
Lost 1897 Temple Cup

1907
Chicago Cubs
NL
107
45
.704
Won 1907 World Series

1931
Philadelphia Athletics
AL
107
45
.704
Lost 1931 World Series

1998
New York Yankees
AL
114
48
.704
Won 1998 World Series

1887
St. Louis Browns
AA
95
40
.704
Lost 1887 World Series

1939
New York Yankees
AL
106
45
.702
Won 1939 World Series

text: Other teams[edit]

text: Prior to 1886, teams played .700 ball or better over shorter schedules, where there is much less of the "evening out" effect of a lengthier season.

text: For example, the Chicago White Stockings won the National League's first pennant in 1876 with a 52-14 record (.788), and won the 1880 NL pennant with a 67-17 record (.798), which stands as the overall percentage record between the National or the American League. The White Stockings' 1880 record would project to a record of 129-33 under the modern schedule of 162 games, while Pythagorean expectation based on the White Stockings' results (538 runs scored, 317 runs allowed) and a 162-game schedule would translate to a record of 120-42.

text: The all-time best single season record belongs to the Cincinnati Red Stockings, who posted baseball's only perfect record at 67-0 (57-0 against National Association of Base Ball Players clubs) in 1869. Their record would stretch to 81-0 across the 1870 season before losing 8-7 in eleven innings to the Brooklyn Atlantics in Brooklyn on June 14.[1][2]

text: While this record is considered by many to be pre-MLB, the MLB (professional baseball's current official organization) has officially recognized this year as the beginning of professional baseball.[3]

text: The second-best record belongs to the 1875 Boston Red Stockings of the National Association, who finished with a record of 71-8 (.899), but the status of the National Association as a major league has long been disputed. The Red Stockings record would project to 146-16 under the modern schedule of 162 games, while Pythagorean expectation based on the Red Stockings results (831 runs scored, 343 runs allowed) and the modern 162-game schedule would translate to a record of 138-24.

text: The National Association folded at the end of 1875, and the Red Stockings, who had won the last four pennants, joined the National League for 1876, being renamed the Red Caps. The team went 39-31 for a fourth-place finish in 1876 before winning the 1877 and 1878 pennants with records of 42-18 and 41-19.

text: The third-best record belongs to the St. Louis Maroons of the 1884 Union Association, who finished with a record of 94-19 (.832), but the Union Association was quite lopsided in talent distribution (team owner Henry Lucas was also league president, an obvious conflict-of-interest situation which is now banned, and bought all the best available players for his franchise), generally disorganized (six teams played close to full schedules, another four teams folded and one relocated during the course of the season), and poorly scheduled. The Maroons' record would project to 135-27 under the modern schedule of 162 games, while Pythagorean expectation based on the Maroons' results (887 runs scored, 429 runs allowed) and a 162-game schedule would translate to a record of 131-31, but these results are of questionable merit.

text: The Union Association folded at the end of 1884, and the Maroons joined the National League for 1885. Playing against stiffer competition, they went 36-72 in 1885, and 43-79 in 1886, finishing in last and sixth in both seasons. In 1887, the Maroons relocated to Indianapolis and became the Indianapolis Hoosiers, playing three more seasons below .500 before folding.


document_title: List of SpongeBob SquarePants characters

question_text: what is the name of the pirate in spongebob

text: Creation and conception[edit]

text: Stephen Hillenburg originally conceived early versions of the SpongeBob SquarePants characters in 1984, while he was teaching and studying marine biology at what is now the Orange County Marine Institute in Dana Point, California.[1] During this period, Hillenburg became fascinated with animation, and wrote a comic book titled The Intertidal Zone starring various anthropomorphic forms of sea creatures, many of which would evolve into SpongeBob SquarePants characters,[2] including "Bob the Sponge", who was the co-host of the comic and resembled an actual sea sponge as opposed to SpongeBob.[3] In 1987, Hillenburg left the institute to pursue his dream of becoming an animator.[2][3]

text: Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Pearl, and Squidward were the first other characters Hillenburg created for the show.[4] Many of their characteristics were based on Hillenburg's experiences during his time at the Ocean Institute or inspired by the traits of their species. Patrick's personality embodies the nature of the starfish; according to Hillenburg, they look "dumb and slow" but are "very active and aggressive" in reality, like Patrick.[5] Hillenburg drew inspiration from his former manager at a seafood restaurant while creating Mr. Krabs.[6] According to him, this manager was redheaded, muscular, and a former army cook; these traits were all adapted into Krabs' character.[7] His decision to design Pearl was influenced by his regular supervision of whale watches at the Ocean Institute, as well as by a cetacean skeleton at the institute.[8] He drew Pearl with an oversized, almost geometric head as a reference to sperm whales having the largest brain size of any extant animal on Earth.[4] He designed Squidward as an octopus because of the species' bulbous mantle; the octopus, he said, has "such a large bulbous head and Squidward thinks he's an intellectual, so of course he's gonna have [one]."[5] Hillenburg drew Squidward with six tentacles because "it was really just simpler for animation to draw him with six legs instead of eight".[5]

text: Several additions were made to the series' main cast before and after Hillenburg pitched the series to Nickelodeon; in his series bible, he added Sandy Cheeks the squirrel as a new friend of SpongeBob.[9] Plankton and Karen were included in his bible but were not meant to make regular appearances; Plankton's voice actor Mr. Lawrence said that he "was only supposed to be in one or two episodes, but I was a writer on the show and I really liked this character".[10] Following his first voice recording, Lawrence drafted some of his own ideas, hoping to "prove Plankton could survive as more than a one-note character."[11] From then on, Plankton and Karen's roles in the series grew as Lawrence wrote ideas to give them more personality; notably, he decided to write Karen as Plankton's wife, rather than just his computer as was originally intended.[12] They were both officially promoted to main cast members in the credits of the 2004 theatrical film, in which they play central roles.

text: Hillenburg added Mrs. Puff in response to a request by Nickelodeon that SpongeBob attend school. Nickelodeon executives initially wanted to make SpongeBob a child since their most successful cartoons at the time focused on young, school-age characters.[13] Hillenburg stated that the network wanted SpongeBob to be like "Arnold [from Hey Arnold!] under the sea," but he told them, "No, that's not the show."[13] As a compromise, he decided to put SpongeBob in a boat-driving school, allowing him to keep writing SpongeBob as an adult while also using the school as a main plot element.[13] Showrunner Vincent Waller suggested that if Nickelodeon had creative control over SpongeBob, almost every episode would take place at Mrs. Puff's school, rather than at a variety of locations.[14] The choice to make Mrs. Puff a pufferfish, who inflates into a ball when SpongeBob crashes, was made to evoke the appearance of car airbags.[15]

text: Main characters[edit]

text: SpongeBob SquarePants[edit]

text: SpongeBob SquarePants (voiced by Tom Kenny) is a yellow anthropomorphic sea sponge who physically resembles a rectangular cleaning sponge clad in brown short pants, a white collared shirt, and a red tie. He lives in a pineapple house and is employed as a fry cook at a fast food restaurant called the Krusty Krab.[16] He diligently attends Mrs. Puff's Boating School but has never passed; his lack of a driver's license is a running gag throughout the series. He is relentlessly optimistic and enthusiastic toward his job and his friends. SpongeBob's hobbies include catching jellyfish, blowing bubbles, playing with his best friend Patrick, and unintentionally irritating his neighbor Squidward. He first appears in "Help Wanted".[17]

text: Patrick Star[edit]

text: Patrick Star (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke) is a pink starfish who lives under a rock and wears flowered swim trunks. His most prominent character trait is his extremely low intelligence. He is best friends with SpongeBob and often unknowingly encourages activities that get the two into trouble.[16] While typically unemployed throughout the course of the series, Patrick holds various short-term jobs as the storyline of each episode requires. He is generally slow and easy-going but can sometimes get aggressive, much like real starfish.[18]

text: Squidward Tentacles[edit]

text: Squidward Tentacles (voiced by Rodger Bumpass) is an octopus with a large nose who works as a cashier at the Krusty Krab. He is SpongeBob's next-door neighbor with a dry, sarcastic sense of humor.[19] He believes himself to be a talented artist and musician, but nobody else recognizes his abilities. He plays the clarinet and often paints self-portraits in different styles, which he hangs up around his moai house. Although he does not like SpongeBob and Patrick, they are oblivious to his animosity and consider him a close friend.

text: Mr. Krabs[edit]

text: Mr. Krabs (voiced by Clancy Brown) is a red crab who owns and operates the Krusty Krab restaurant where SpongeBob works. He is self-content, cunning, and obsessed with the value and essence of money.[16] He lives in an anchor with his teenage daughter Pearl, who is a whale. He dislikes spending money but will go to great lengths to make Pearl happy.[20] He tends to worry more about his riches than about the needs of his employees. Having served in the navy, he loves sailing, whales, sea shanties, and talking like a pirate.

text: Plankton and Karen[edit]

text: Sheldon Plankton (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) and Karen Plankton (voiced by Jill Talley) are the owners of the Chum Bucket, an unsuccessful restaurant located across the street from the Krusty Krab. Their business is a commercial failure because they sell mostly inedible foods made from chum. Plankton is a small planktonic copepod[21] and the self-proclaimed archenemy of Mr. Krabs. He is a skilled inventor and possesses a Napoleon complex due to his short stature.[22] Karen is Plankton's own invention, a talking supercomputer who supplies him with evil plans to steal Krabs' secret recipe for Krabby Patties.[23] She is married to Plankton and usually takes residence in the Chum Bucket laboratory.

text: Sandy Cheeks[edit]

text: Sandy Cheeks (voiced by Carolyn Lawrence) is a squirrel from Texas who lives in an air-filled glass dome and wears a diving suit to breathe underwater.[24] Whenever any aquatic creatures enter her home, they must wear helmets of water. Sandy works as a scientist, explorer, and inventor. She is a rodeo champion with a number of athletic interests, such as "sand-boarding" and karate.[25] She speaks with a Southern drawl and uses typical Southern slang words and phrases.

text: Mrs. Puff[edit]

text: Mrs. Puff (voiced by Mary Jo Catlett) is a paranoid pufferfish who is SpongeBob's teacher at boating school, an underwater driver's education facility where students drive boats like cars. She wears a sailor suit and her school is made from a submerged lighthouse. SpongeBob is Mrs. Puff's most dedicated student and knows the answer to every question on her written and oral exams, but always panics and crashes when he actually boards a vessel.[26] She puffs up into a ball when she is scared or injured.[27]

text: Pearl Krabs[edit]

text: Pearl Krabs (voiced by Lori Alan) is a teenage sperm whale[28] and Mr. Krabs' daughter.[23] She wants to fit in with her fish peers, but finds this impossible to do because of the large size inherent to her species. She will inherit the Krusty Krab from her father when she grows older, but is still in high school and does not yet have a job at the family business. Pearl's favorite activities are working at the Bikini Bottom Mall, using her father's credit card to buy anything that is in style, and listening to pop music.[29]

text: Gary the Snail[edit]

text: Gary the Snail (voiced by Tom Kenny) is SpongeBob's pet sea snail who lives with him in their pineapple home and vocalizes like a cat.[30] Despite only communicating through meows, other characters can understand and talk to him. Depicted as a level-headed character, Gary often serves as a voice of reason for SpongeBob and solves problems that his owner cannot. He has a pink shell that is impractically spacious on the inside.

text: Supporting characters[edit]

text: Patchy the Pirate[edit]

text: Patchy the Pirate (portrayed and voiced by Tom Kenny) is the host of the series' special episodes. He is a live-action pirate and the president of the fictional SpongeBob fan club. He lives in an unnamed suburb of Encino, California, and segments hosted by him are often presented in a dual narrative with the animated stories. He made a special guest star appearance on Big Time Rush in the episode "Big Time Beach Party" with Carlos Pena Jr. and Logan Henderson.

text: Potty the Parrot[edit]

text: Potty the Parrot (voiced by Stephen Hillenburg/Paul Tibbitt/Mr. Lawrence) is Patchy's green pet parrot, depicted as a crudely-made puppet with googly eyes controlled by very obvious strings. The character's name is a reference to "Polly wants a cracker," a phrase often used for parrots to vocally mimic. Potty is obnoxious and often annoys or talks back to Patchy while the latter is trying to host an episode.

text: French Narrator[edit]

text: The French Narrator (voiced by Tom Kenny) is a scuba diver with a camera who often introduces episodes or narrates the intertitles as if the series was a nature documentary about the ocean. He has a thick French accent as a reference to the distinctive speaking style of oceanographer and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau. He is normally only heard, but physically appears twice: in "No Free Rides", in which SpongeBob and Mrs. Puff inadvertently hit him while driving, and in "Feral Friends", in which he is revealed to own a submarine.

text: Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy[edit]

text: Mermaid Man (voiced by Ernest Borgnine/Joe Whyte/Joe Alaskey/Tom Kenny/Adam West) and his sidekick Barnacle Boy (voiced by Tim Conway/Burt Ward)[31] are two elderly and partially senile superheroes who live in a retirement home and are stars of SpongeBob and Patrick's favorite television show. Mermaid Man is known for completely forgetting things and yelling a prolonged "EVIL!" whenever he hears the word, while Barnacle Boy seems to be the smarter, more sensible, and more irritable of the two. "Mermaid Man Begins" confirms that their given first names are Ernie and Tim. Aquaman artist Ramona Fradon drew the characters' comic book adventures.[32] Since Borgnine's death, both characters have been retired and limited to cameo appearances.

text: Flying Dutchman[edit]

text: The Flying Dutchman (voiced by Brian Doyle-Murray) is an irritable pirate ghost who glows green.[33] He is named after the ghost ship of the same name. He haunts the seven seas because his unburied corpse was used as a window display. He collects souls as a Satan-like character and resides in a cavern containing Davy Jones' Locker, a literal locker stuffed with smelly socks, which within the series is analogous to Hell and occasionally mentioned as a curse word. In "SpongeBob SquarePants vs. The Big One," the musician Davy Jones makes a cameo appearance throwing socks from the locker at the Dutchman. He is first mentioned in "Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost" but does not have a speaking role until "Scaredy Pants".

text: King Neptune[edit]

text: King Neptune (voiced by John O'Hurley/Jeffrey Tambor) is a mighty, trident-wielding merman god who rules the sea, based on the mythological deity of the same name. In the series, Neptune lives in a palace in Atlantis with his wife Amphitrite and son Triton. He is usually portrayed as arrogant and selfish, showing little sympathy for the sea's fish populace. Neptune has a mostly blue-green color scheme with a long brown beard and hair. A different King Neptune is featured in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. In the film, he resides near Bikini Bottom with his daughter Mindy and resembles a green-skinned king with a robe, neatly-trimmed hair, a domed crown to cover his bald spot, and powers limited to what can be exercised through his trident.

text: Realistic Fish Head[edit]

text: The Realistic Fish Head (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) is an announcer and news anchor fish, resembling a cut-out of a live-action trout. He appears in the series' opening theme. His name has changed repeatedly throughout the series; it is Elaine in "The Great Patty Caper", Johnny in Battle for Bikini Bottom, and "T. McTrout" in commercials for Nicktoons UK.

text: Perch Perkins[edit]

text: Perch Perkins (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is a perch who works as a famous field news reporter. While the Realistic Fish Head only reports on television news programs, Perch makes physical appearances reporting about events that occur. He is normally purple with a dark purple coat with a black wig and headphones, although some episodes and Nicktoons MLB show him with an orange color scheme and a red coat.

text: Larry the Lobster[edit]

text: Larry the Lobster (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) is a lobster lifeguard at Goo Lagoon. Larry is a bodybuilder and workout fanatic who lifts weights.[33] He first appears in "Ripped Pants".

text: Harold and Margaret SquarePants[edit]

text: Mr. Harold SquarePants (voiced by Tom Kenny) and Mrs. Margaret SquarePants (voiced by Sirena Irwin) are SpongeBob's parents, who more closely resemble round sea sponges than SpongeBob. Harold is brown with glasses and a moustache, while Margaret is dark orange. They seem to live outside of Bikini Bottom, but still take the time to visit their son on occasion. They are proud of SpongeBob but embarrassed that he still does not have a driver's license.

text: Grandma SquarePants[edit]

text: Grandma SquarePants (voiced by Marion Ross) is SpongeBob's paternal grandmother. She has six children with her late husband, whose wisdom SpongeBob sometimes cites when he plans something. She spoils SpongeBob whenever he visits her house with cookies, milk, sweaters, and bedtime stories, even though SpongeBob can get embarrassed by it.[33]

text: Squilliam Fancyson[edit]

text: Squilliam Fancyson III (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is Squidward Tentacles' arrogant and wealthy arch-rival who has been able to succeed in everything Squidward has only dreamed of doing. He owns a ridiculously large, almost castle-like four-story mansion with an expansive garden on the rooftop. He first appears in "Band Geeks".

text: Betsy Krabs[edit]

text: Mrs. Betsy "Mama" Krabs (voiced by Paul Tibbitt/Sirena Irwin) is Mr. Krabs' overbearing mother who still treats him slightly like a child. She is a friend of Old Man Jenkins. She first appears in "Sailor Mouth" and has been mostly retired from the show, aside from a cameo in "Lame and Fortune".

text: Man Ray and Dirty Bubble[edit]

text: Man Ray (voiced by John Rhys-Davies/Bob Joles) and the Dirty Bubble (voiced by Charles Nelson Reilly/Tom Kenny) are villains against Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. Man Ray has a man's body and a helmet shaped to look like a stingray's head, which hides the fact that he does not have a head. The Dirty Bubble is a giant brown bubble with a face. Man Ray retires as supervillain in his first appearance, but he sometimes plays antagonistic roles afterwards.

text: Bubble Bass[edit]

text: Bubble Bass (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is an overweight green bass who was the antagonist of "Pickles" in season 1 and returned as a recurring townsperson in season 8. He is a nemesis of SpongeBob and is very picky about his food.

text: Scooter[edit]

text: Scooter (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui) is a fish who enjoys surfing and is often seen at Goo Lagoon. He speaks like a stereotypical southern Californian and often calls SpongeBob "dude." He dies after being drowned at Goo Lagoon and becomes an angel in the second-season episode "Bubble Buddy", but returns unharmed for future episodes.

text: Purple Doctorfish[edit]

text: The Purple Doctorfish (voiced by Rodger Bumpass) is a doctor who works as a physician at the Bikini Bottom Hospital and as a traveling veterinarian for pet snails. He has a calm demeanor and a deep, suave voice. SpongeBob was initially scared of visiting his office in "Suds" but later faces his fears and discovers he likes visiting the doctor's.

text: Old Man Jenkins[edit]

text: Old Man Jenkins (voiced by Tom Kenny/Mr. Lawrence/Dee Bradley Baker) is an elderly townsperson who lives at the Shady Shoals retirement home and is a common patron of the Krusty Krab. His appearance and job changes often. One of his critical appearances is in "The Sponge Who Could Fly" wherein he plays a farmer, a sailor, and finally, a human cannonball. At one time, he mistakes SpongeBob for a box of Bran Flakes.

text: Jellyfish[edit]

text: The Jellyfish (vocal effects by Tom Kenny) are wild animals who reside in Jellyfish Fields, a meadow in Bikini Bottom, and have a strong affinity for music. Within the series, jellyfish behave like sentient insects, squirt jelly, buzz and swarm like bees, and can sting their enemies with electric shocks that leave painful welts.

text: Hans[edit]

text: Hans (portrayed by Peter Bennett and voiced by Tom Kenny) is a live-action human hand clad in a naval officer's sleeve. He appears in the opening theme and various episodes, often to move characters off screen or make an object appear. He speaks with a heavy German accent. The episode "Model Sponge" implies that he is not attached to a human and is rather a sentient, disembodied limb. He appears in many spin-off video games, notably Battle for Bikini Bottom and the 2004 movie game, in which he catches and respawns the player character whenever they drift off course.

text: Painty[edit]

text: Painty (voiced by Patrick Pinney) is a talking oil painting of a pirate's head. He sings the series' theme song and makes sporadic appearances in its episodes, often as part of a short gag. He plays a role in the ending of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, wherein he takes part in a rap battle. Painty has live-action lips provided by Stephen Hillenburg.

text: Minor characters[edit]

text:
The Alaskan Bull Worm (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is a giant worm that terrorizes Bikini Bottom in "Sandy, SpongeBob, and the Worm".
Angry Jack (voiced by Dee Snider) is the owner of a snail shell emporium in "Shell Shocked". He initially pretends to have an angry demeanor as a marketing stint for his store's commercials, but becomes truly infuriated when SpongeBob accidentally destroys every shell in his emporium.
Blackjack SquarePants (voiced by John DiMaggio) is SpongeBob's cousin who bullied him during their childhoods. In his lone appearance, Blackjack was imprisoned for littering but has since been released.
Bubble Buddy (voiced by Brad Abrell) is a humanoid bubble created by SpongeBob in "Bubble Buddy". His apparent inanimateness annoys other people of Bikini Bottom, but he is later revealed to be a sentient being before moving out of the town in a taxi-shaped bubble.
Bubbles (voiced by Matt Berry/Jeff Bennett) is a god-like dolphin who is the overseer of the universe, watching them from a triangular building in outer space. SpongeBob and Plankton accidentally end up in his audience while using Karen's time machine in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.
Burger-Beard the Pirate (portrayed by Antonio Banderas) is a pirate who, upon discovering a book capable of rewriting reality, steals the Krabby Patty formula to open up a fast food drive-in while also changing Bikini Bottom into a wasteland. He appears as the main antagonist of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.
Craig Mammalton (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is a sea lion who is popular among Goo Lagoon beachgoers for his tanned skin and golden caramel brown bones. In "Sun Bleached", he holds parties during the night that only permits those with tanned skin to enter, the highest level of which is bleached skin. He is a parody of George Hamilton.
The Cyclops (voiced by Neil Ross and portrayed by Aaron Hendry) is a marine diver who is always seen wearing a diving suit and helmet, appearing only in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. He is actually a normal adult man; however, because humans tower virtually all sea life, Mindy describes him as "the worst of all hazards". He is the owner of "Shell City", which is really the name of a seaside gift and souvenir shop.
Dennis (voiced by Alec Baldwin) is a hitman hired by Plankton to assassinate SpongeBob and Patrick before they are able to retrieve King Neptune's Crown from Shell City. Before he manages to do that, however, he is first stomped by the Cyclops, then hit by a pier. He only appeared in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.
Don the Whale[34] (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is a muscular, weightlifting orca and friend of Larry the Lobster.
DoodleBob (voiced by Paul Tibbitt) is a hand drawing created by SpongeBob in his image using a human pencil, which is seemingly able to animate anything it draws. He speaks through unintelligible phrases. He appears in "Frankendoodle", serving as the antagonist until SpongeBob manages to trap him inside a book. He returned later in "Doodle Dimension" as the antagonist torturing SpongeBob and Patrick in a doodling dimension. He also featured as the main villain to defeat in the Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition video game.
Flats the Flounder (voiced by Thomas F. Wilson) is a green flounder who had several silent cameos in various SpongeBob SquarePants (season 1) episodes before appearing as the new student at Mrs. Puff's Boating School in "The Bully". He wants to kick SpongeBob's "butt" for no apparent reason and SpongeBob takes it as if Flats wants to murder him.
Fred[35] (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) is a brown fish townsperson who shouts "My leg!" as a running gag whenever there is havoc or destruction. He makes his first appearance in "Reef Blower", but his recurring line is not heard until "Boating School".
Gene Scallop (voiced by Gene Shalit) is a food critic who critiques the Krusty Krab in "The Krusty Sponge". He negatively reviews every aspect of the restaurant except for SpongeBob. In response to Scallop's review, Mr. Krabs exploits SpongeBob's newfound popularity by theming the Krusty Krab around SpongeBob. He is modeled after his voice actor, a real-life book and film critic.
Gordon (voiced by Ian McShane) is the leader of a band of Vikings who kidnap SpongeBob and Squidward in "Dear Vikings". Except for himself, all of his crewmen are named "Olaf".
Grandpa Redbeard (voiced by Dennis Quaid) is Mr. Krabs' paternal grandfather who is a pirate. In "Grandpappy the Pirate", he visits his grandson, thinking that the latter is also a pirate instead of the owner of a restaurant. Mr. Krabs tries not to disappoint Redbeard by disguising the Krusty Krab as a pirate ship, pretending Pearl is a sea monster, and dressing his employees as sailors.
Granny (voiced by Amy Poehler) is an elderly fish who appears in "Have You Seen This Snail?" as the main antagonist. She finds snails and force-feeds them so that she can eat them and take their shells. She pretends to adopt Gary as her latest victim, but he manages to escape.
Harold (voiced by Mr. Lawrence/Dee Bradley Baker/Clancy Brown) is a blue fish with a shark-like fin and spiked teeth. His character model is often used as an angry or troublemaking townsperson. His name is revealed in both "Have You Seen This Snail?" and in "Roller Cowards". His first appearance is in "Ripped Pants".
The Hash Slinging Slasher is a fictional fry cook created by Squidward to scare SpongeBob in "Graveyard Shift". According to him, the Slasher was SpongeBob's predecessor in Krusty Krab who, after replacing his hand with a spatula after it was severed, was hit by a bus, and was fired on his funeral. Three signs are said to herald his coming: lights flickering on and off; unanswered phone ringing; and the bus that hit him arriving to deliver him.
Herb and Margie Star are Patrick's parents. Their identities are temporarily taken by another starfish couple, Marty and Janet, in "I'm with Stupid". In "Rule of Dumb", it is revealed that Herb is a brother of Gary's father, Sluggo, making Patrick and Gary first cousins.
Jack Kahuna Laguna (voiced by Johnny Depp) is a legendary human-like surfer who appears in "SpongeBob SquarePants vs. The Big One". He teaches SpongeBob and his friends how to surf so they can go back home and fend off from a legendary tidal wave known as the Big One.
Jim (voiced by Patton Oswalt) is the Krusty Krab's original fry cook, as revealed in "The Original Fry Cook". His cooking is legendary throughout Bikini Bottom, and he is shown to be an even better chef than SpongeBob. Jim left the Krusty Krab after Mr. Krabs declined to provide him with a higher salary.
Lord Royal Highness (voiced by David Bowie) is the king of Atlantis in "SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis". He invites SpongeBob and his friends for a visit to Atlantis after they find the lost piece of the coin, but eventually regrets it since they (especially Patrick) end up popping the longest living bubble accidentally with a camera flash.
Mrs. Tentacles (voiced by Rodger Bumpass) is Squidward's elderly mother. In earlier episodes, she only appears as hallucinations tormenting Squidward, but later appears in person in "Krusty Towers". She lives in a moai like Squidward, but with a curly hair-like structure on its roof and earring-like balls hanging from the sides.
Master Udon (voiced by Pat Morita) is an old karate master who appears in "Karate Island". He is actually a scammer who wants people to invest in his condominium project, disguising it as the "King of Karate" crowning that he presents to SpongeBob.
Monty P. Moneybags (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is a world-famous art collector who wants to buy a sculpture remake of David from Squidward, who plagiarizes it from SpongeBob.
The Moth (voiced by Mark Hamill) is a supervillain moth and an enemy of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy who appears in "Night Light". Even though he is minuscule, he has the strength to carry both SpongeBob's house and a lighthouse.
Nat Peterson (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker/Tom Kenny) is a male yellow fish that is a common background character on the show, often seen as a bus driver. His last name is revealed in "Missing Identity" and his first name is revealed in "Plankton's Regular", in which Karen pays him to become the Chum Bucket's first regular customer.
Nicholas Withers (voiced by Alton Brown) is the presenter of the popular lifestyle television show, House Fancy. He is pending on an award for Best Architecture during the episode that features Squilliam's house; he eventually gives it to Squidward due to the "creative" design of his ruined house.
Officer Nancy (voiced by Sirena Irwin/Jill Talley) and Officer John (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker/Thomas F. Wilson/Mr. Lawrence) are a pair of police officer fish in Bikini Bottom. They are committed to their jobs but often arrest or punish characters for insignificant reasons like littering or having no front license plate.
Painty the Pirate (voiced by Patrick Pinney/Peter Shukoff) is the painting of a pirate that appears during the opening theme at the beginning of each episode.[33] His voice is normally provided by Pinney, although Shukoff voices him for a scene involving a rap battle at the end of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.
Princess Mindy (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) is King Neptune's daughter. She is Patrick's love interest. She is a motherly and friendly person and a very good friend of SpongeBob and Patrick. She appears in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.
Queen Amphitrite (voiced by Victoria Beckham/Lori Alan) is King Neptune's wife and Triton's mother. She is worried by her son's attitude of not wanting to inherit the throne.
Prince Triton (voiced by Sebastian Bach) is the teenage son of King Neptune who appears in "The Clash of Triton". He initially wants to be a normal fish like everyone else, but his father convinces him otherwise.
The Sea Bear (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is a creature that appears in "The Camping Episode". SpongeBob and Patrick try to convince Squidward that the sea bear exists, but Squidward refuses to believe in the creature until it attacks him repeatedly.
Sea Monster (voiced by Gene Simmons) is a lizard-like sea monster who appears in "20,000 Patties Under the Sea". After having slept for 79 years, he demands for SpongeBob and Patrick to sell him food in exchange for giant dollar bills.
Sergeant Roderick (voiced by Robin Sachs) is a strict drill sergeant shark who temporarily replaces Mrs. Puff as the teacher at boating school in "Mrs. Puff, You're Fired". He is said to be the strictest driving instructor in the sea, but even he cannot teach SpongeBob to drive successfully.
The Sharks — Sharkface (Henry Winkler), Lonnie (Michael McKean), Ronne (Clancy Brown) and Donne (David Lander)— are a street gang of sharks appearing in the episode "Sharks vs. Pods", in which SpongeBob joins them. They are actually dancers rather than fighters and are rivals to Squidward's gang, the Pods.
SpongeBuck SquarePants, Pecos Patrick, Hopalong Tentacles, William Krabs, Polene Puff, and Dead Eye Plankton (voiced by Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass, Clancy Brown, Mary Jo Catlett, and Mr. Lawrence) are the main characters' wild west ancestors who appear in "Pest of the West". They lived in the town of Bikini Gulch and frequented an old-fashioned bar version of the Krusty Krab called the Krusty Kantina.
SpongeGar, Patar, and Squog (voiced by Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, and Rodger Bumpass) are SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward's neolithic ancestors who appear in "Ugh". While still not being able to speak intelligibly, they are more advanced than the primitive ancestors in "SB-129" as they are shown to use stone tools and fire. Also appearing in the episode are Primitive Gary (voiced by Tom Kenny), Gary's gigantic ancestor and SpongeGar's pet, and Primitive Krabs (voiced by Clancy Brown), Mr. Krabs' tiny ancestor who repeatedly chants "money".
SpongeTron and Patron (voiced by Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke) are SpongeBob and Patrick's robotic descendants who appear in "SB-129". SpongeTron has 486 clones, each one named after a letter of the English alphabet from 2,000 years in the future, while Patron has two heads.
Squidly Tentacles, King Krabs, Princess Pearl, Dark Knight, Planktonamor, and Karen the Crystal Ball (voiced by Rodger Bumpass, Clancy Brown, Lori Alan, Carolyn Lawrence, Mr. Lawrence, and Jill Talley) are the medieval counterparts of the main characters who appear in "Dunces and Dragons". The present-day SpongeBob and Patrick are magically transported to their times and help save Princess Pearl from Planktonamor. Planktonamor additionally keeps a pet, the Dragon Jellyfish, who is a giant jellyfish with a mane and a tail.
Stanley SquarePants (voiced by Christopher Guest) is SpongeBob's cousin who appears solely in the episode "Stanley S. SquarePants". SpongeBob receives Stanley in a package sent by one of his uncles, who is relieved to have sent Stanley, since he would destroy anything he touches. True to this, despite SpongeBob trying to teach him, Stanley constantly destroys everything and almost makes SpongeBob lose his job.
The Tattletale Strangler (voiced by Thomas F. Wilson) is a criminal fish who appears in "SpongeBob Meets the Strangler". He is detained for repeatedly strangling someone and promises to strangle SpongeBob when the latter has him arrested. He escapes from jail and pretends to be a bodyguard to get close to SpongeBob, but SpongeBob's behavior annoys him to the point where he would rather be back in prison.
Tom (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) is a green fish who wears a purple shirt and serves as another generic character model for the show. He plays a heightened role in the episode "Chocolate with Nuts", in which he chases SpongeBob and Patrick for the chocolate they are selling.
The Warden (voiced by R. Lee Ermey) is the head prison warden of the Inferno Island prison, appearing in "The Inmates of Summer". His demeanor is a stereotype of a drill sergeant: strict, demanding, and always speaking in a loud tone. This portrayal is reminiscent of Ermey's performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket.
What Zit Tooya (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is a middle-aged fish who appeared in "Good Ol' Whatshisname". He is the last customer whose name SpongeBob and Squidward need to learn as part of a contest held by Mr. Krabs. His name is a pun on "What's it to ya?", which causes confusion on Squidward's part.
The Yeti Crab is a crab who Mr. Krabs imagines for a story in "Yeti Krabs". The creature ends up being real and visits the Krusty Krab.

text: Reception[edit]

text:
The characters of SpongeBob SquarePants have been well-received overall. The titular character SpongeBob has become very popular with children and adults.
The character's popularity has spread from Nickelodeon's original demographic of two- to eleven-year-olds, to teenagers and adults.[36][37] The popularity of SpongeBob translated well into sales figures. In 2002, SpongeBob SquarePants dolls sold at a rate of 75,000 per week, which was faster than Tickle Me Elmo dolls were selling at the time.[37] SpongeBob has gained popularity in Japan, specifically with Japanese women. Nickelodeon's parent company Viacom purposefully targeted marketing at women in the country as a method of building the SpongeBob SquarePants brand. Skeptics initially doubted that SpongeBob could be popular in Japan as the character's design is very different from already popular designs for Hello Kitty and Pikachu.[38] However, the characters have also attracted some negative reception, including SpongeBob himself, who was listed as number four on AskMen's Top 10: Irritating '90s Cartoon Characters. Nevertheless, SpongeBob SquarePants was ranked ninth on TV Guide's top 50 cartoon characters.[39]

text: The show's characters have received recognition from celebrities and well-known figures in media. Barack Obama named SpongeBob his favorite television character in 2007 and admitted that SpongeBob SquarePants was "the show I watch with my daughters."[40][41][42] British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has also said he watches the show with his children.[43] Sigourney Weaver and Bruce Willis were reported to be fans of the SpongeBob character in 2008.[37] Film critic A. O. Scott named Squidward, Mrs. Puff, and Sandy his favorite characters on the show in 2004.[44] American singer Pharrell Williams, who says he is a fan of the show, said that "Squidward is my favorite, though. If he was a human, I would hang out with him."[45] Fashion designer Peter Jensen designed a line of sweatshirts inspired by SpongeBob and called Mrs. Puff his "absolute favorite" character in an interview with Women's Wear Daily.[46] Peter Keepnews of The New York Times commended Patrick, calling him "a popular character, and the new episodes illustrate why: He is unfailingly enthusiastic, touchingly loyal and absolutely undeterred by his intellectual limitations. Hilariously voiced by Bill Fagerbakke, he is not just an endearing comic creation but a role model for idiots everywhere."[47]

text: The show's voice actors have received attention from honorary organizations for the portrayals of their characters. Mary Jo Catlett and Tom Kenny were both nominated at the 29th Annie Awards ceremony in 2001 for their vocal performances as Mrs. Puff and SpongeBob.[48] Kenny received an additional two nominations at the 2008 and 2010 ceremonies, the latter of which he won for voicing SpongeBob in "Truth or Square".[49] In 2012, Rodger Bumpass' performance as Squidward was nominated for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program at the 39th Daytime Emmy Awards.[50][51] Additionally, Patrick as a character won in the category "Favorite Animated Animal Sidekick" at the 2014 Kids' Choice Awards.[52]

text: Appearances in other media[edit]

text: The characters of SpongeBob SquarePants appeared in the 2004 theatrical film The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and its 2015 sequel. Both films feature the regular television cast and blend animated elements with live-action sequences. They have also been featured in a variety of associated merchandise, particularly video games; from 2001 to 2013, the SpongeBob franchise had multiple video games released each year, with the show's voice cast reprising their character roles for many titles.[53] Every main cast member with the exception of Clancy Brown has voiced their respective characters in each game that they appear; Brown's character Mr. Krabs is instead voiced by Joe Whyte in SuperSponge, Operation Krabby Patty, and Battle for Bikini Bottom and by Bob Joles in the Truth or Square game.

text: The SpongeBob characters have been featured at a variety of theme park attractions. In 2003, Kings Island announced plans to build the first SpongeBob-themed amusement park ride, a dark ride roller coaster titled "Mrs. Puff's Crash Course Boating School".[54] Plans were halted when Kings Island changed ownership, and the first ride featuring SpongeBob theming was instead "SpongeBob's Boatmobiles"—also based on Mrs. Puff's Boating School and opened in 2003—at California's Great America.[55] Amusement rides based on the characters have since been opened at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Dreamworld, Movie Park Germany, and Nickelodeon Universe. Two 4D films featuring 3-D models of the characters and a motion simulator experience, SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D and The Great Jelly Rescue, were sold to theme parks and aquariums worldwide in 2005 and 2013 respectively.[56]

text: Mascot costumes of the SpongeBob characters debuted at Nickelodeon Suites Resort in 2005 and have made regular appearances at Nickelodeon events since.[57] Plankton, Karen, and Gary are the only main characters who have never been realized as mascots;[58] at events, they are normally depicted as puppets or statues instead. In December 2011, a parade of SpongeBob mascots and floats titled "SpongeBob ParadePants" opened at Sea World Australia.[59] In November 2017, a Broadway musical based on the show began previews at the Palace Theatre, and opened in December 2017. Unlike previous shows, the characters were not represented with mascot costumes but by actors wearing clothing inspired by the characters' designs.

text: Popular culture[edit]

text: The characters of SpongeBob SquarePants have appeared throughout popular culture. In 2007, the Amsterdam-based company Boom Chicago created a SpongeBob parody called "SpongeBob SquarePants in China", in which a stereotypically Chinese Patrick refuses to go to work and advocates freedom of speech, rights of leisure, and income.[60] During the same year, production company Camp Chaos created a SpongeBob parody titled SpongeBong HempPants, which features five of the series' characters parodied in the form of various drugs. The show was seen on VH1 and Comedy Central, both owned by Nickelodeon's parent company Viacom.[61] Comedy Central's Drawn Together also features a parody of SpongeBob named "Wooldoor Sockbat" whose theme tune is inspired by SpongeBob's Hawaiian-style background music. Two animated series that former SpongeBob writer Dan Povenmire worked on have incorporated references to the characters; the Phineas and Ferb special "Summer Belongs to You" features a joke in which Phineas Flynn holds up inanimate representations of SpongeBob and Patrick, and the Family Guy episode "Road to Rupert" includes SpongeBob's "Campfire Song Song" from "The Camping Episode". SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Pearl, and Squidward all appear in "Major League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", an episode of the sketch comedy Robot Chicken. A segment of the episode, animated in stop motion with SpongeBob toy figures, features Mr. Krabs using crab legs as the secret ingredient for Krabby Patties.[62] SpongeBob has also made cameo appearances in The Simpsons, Mad, The Loud House, South Park, and Futurama.


document_title: Black and Tan

question_text: what do you call a black and tan in ireland

text: Black and Tan

text: History[edit]

text: The term likely originated in England, where consumers have blended different beers since at least the seventeenth century.[1] The name "black and tan" had earlier been used to describe the coats of dogs, such as the black and tan coon-hound. The earliest recorded usage of the term in the drink context is from 1881, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, in the American magazine Puck.[2] The first recorded British use of the term to describe a drink is from 1889.[2]

text: Preparation[edit]

text: The "layering" of Guinness on top of the pale ale or lager is possible because of the lower relative density of the Guinness.[1] The opposite scenario (where the layer on top is heavier than bottom) would produce the fluid mechanics phenomenon known as the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability.

text: To prepare a Black and Tan, fill a glass halfway with pale ale then add the stout. The top layer is best poured slowly over an upside-down tablespoon placed over the glass to avoid splashing and mixing the layers. A specially designed black-and-tan spoon is bent in the middle so that it can balance on the edge of the pint-glass for easier pouring.[1] Alternatively, the stout can be poured first so that the drinks are thoroughly mixed together.

text: Several American breweries currently make premixed Black and Tan, for example Yuengling's Original Black and Tan.[1]

text: Controversy[edit]

text: The name "Black and Tan" is not used in Ireland as a term for a mixture of two beers. The drink is instead referred to as a half and half.[1] Indeed, the drink has image problems in Ireland and elsewhere due to the association with the Royal Irish Constabulary Reserve Force, nicknamed the "Black and Tans", which was sent into Ireland in the early 1920s.[1] As a result, in Ireland the name is seen as contentious and disrespectful.[3]

text: In March 2006, Ben and Jerry's released an ice cream flavour in the United States for Saint Patrick's Day inspired by the drink; the name offended Irish nationalists because of the paramilitary association. Ben and Jerry's has since apologised. A spokesman told Reuters, "Any reference on our part to the British Army  [sic] unit was absolutely unintentional and no ill will was ever intended."[4] In March 2012, the drink's name once more came into the news when Nike, as part of an Irish themed set of designs, released a pair of shoes advertised as the "Black and Tan" and generating offence similar to the earlier Ben and Jerry's ice cream.[5]