Anime Abandon is jam-packed with references to other media, many of which are lampshaded in the show.
Anime and Manga
- While Sage isn't keen on Neon Genesis Evangelion, he does occasionally pose as Gendo, Finger-Tenting and all, when he wants to say something mysterious, lampshade something that's supposed to be mysterious in the anime being reviewed, or wants to highlight an abusive parent's mentality within the work in question.
- For several months, the show's intro changed to a CGI animation that starts with Sage walking into a tunnel filled with scenes from shows he's reviewed and then going into the Naruto run toward the exit.
- In the Read or Die OVA review, a very flirty scene between Nancy and Yomiko is followed by Sage imitating Rorschach making notes about the scene with the "Possibly homosexual. Must investigate further..." line.
- In his Mask of Zeguy review, he comments that the title's last word sounds like Borat trying to pronounce "the guy."
- The View Askewniverse:
- Sage's In-Series Nickname of "Lunchbox" is a reference to Kevin Smith's character Silent Bob, who was often called that by his friend Jay.
- He also compared the casting of the normally boisterous John DiMaggio (including reminding people that, yes, this is the same man who voiced a blue-skinned Mad Scientist; an alcoholic robot; Jack's Violent Glaswegian ally; one of the most hammiest versions of Aquaman; a talking, shapeshifting dog; and Batman's Monster Clown archenemy) as the stoic title character of Golgo 13 in the Queen Bee OVA to casting Gary Oldman as Silent Bob.
- He says the many unanswered questions in Pilot Candidate are left dangling like Harmonica's brother.
- The inserting of a frame or two of Shiro of Amakusa's demonically-transformed face into Sage's Heroic RRoD during the Ninja Resurrection review was a direct nod to The Exorcist's insertions of the demon's face in blink-and-you'll-miss-them moments.
- In the Crying Freeman review, a dying character asking "What is love?" cuts to Sage, Suave, and Savage sitting together on a couch doing the "What is Love?" head bob from A Night at the Roxbury.
- He mocks a character's attempt at a Bond One-Liner in Cyber City Oedo 808 by playing a clip of Matrix in Commando killing The Dragon, who's also named "Bennett" with a steam pipe, complete with showing Matrix's quip on "Let off some steam, Bennett." Sage then says he is and chides himself for waiting 180 episodes to make the reference.
- Defied in Devil Hunter Yohko. There will be no Doctor Who references.
- The Amon Saga review features one to MST3K's review of Space Mutiny, as Sage refers to one muscle-bound character with a bunch of the nicknames given to Reb Brown's character in that film.
- In the Puppet Princess review, he calls the main male character "Goat Eyes White Hair", as he has long white hair and he and several other characters have oval eyes with strangely elongated pupils that look disturbingly like a goat's eyes.
- Metal Gear:
- When Sage hears David Hayter providing the voice his reaction is "Snake? Snaaaaaake!!!!!!"
- Gabe's ponytail, facial hair, and eyepatch combination make him look a bit like Venom Snake.
- In his Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer review, he mocks the Calling Your Attacks trope by mumbling "Wave Motion Fist"note in a bored voice and making the Hadouken shooting gesture.
- In his review of Gunsmith Cats he awards Rally the Leon S. Kennedy award for fucking physics up the ass when she jumps off a warehouse railing to the ground on her feet wearing high heels, with the runner up being Sawa in Kite (1998). He also seriously considers giving the award to Lupin.
- During the YuYu Hakusho: Poltergeist Report review, the visual style briefly mimics that of Zero Punctuation.
- He frequently uses clips from Archer.Remember, kids, an Archer clip for every occasion. That's the Anime Abandon difference!
Multiple
- Censor Kaiser's Heroic RRoD and subsequent rebirth in the Apocalypse Zero review is a trifecta of references. His death is an homage to the Air Conditioner from The Brave Little Toaster. His resurrection is a nod to the birth of Dr. Manhattan. His new design is based on the Laughing Man's logo.
- Fax Headspace is an Expy of Max Headroom with a lot of design cues taken from Lupin III. In the commentary they state his jacket colors were a reference to Virtuosity.
- Dune:
- In the Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust review, Sage hearkens to the "[...] the likes of which God has never seen" line in the film...and punishes himself by drinking from a bottle of Dawn detergent.
- In the MD Geist review, Sage starts to say the "Fear is the mind-killer" line, but is interrupted by The Nostalgia Critic threatening him at gunpoint. Rob Walker breaks in to finish the line, and is chased out of the room by the Critic. In the review's "Nuts and Bolts" video, Bennett and Marc talk about how Doug Walker had gotten sick of Rob and Spoony overdoing Dune references, which led to his appearance in this review.
- A few more nods are given in his review of Hyper Doll. First, the thumbnail of the video has Sage riding on the back of a giant worm in a Fremen stillsuit. Then when said worm appears in the show itself, Sage can't help play the Dune (1984) theme full blast.Sage: *covering his face with his arms* Don't look at me right now!
- The Sins of the Sisters review uses the "Clue joke" to comedic effect, subbing in Dio Brando for a gag then redoing the gag with the "That's how it could've happened" transition and then using John Cena.
- The Sandman (1989):
- During his review of Apocalypse Zero, his reaction to its insanity results in Bennett briefly getting a "mouths for eyes" appearance similar to one the Corthinian had.
- When trying to figure out the meaning of the "sister-brother" reference in Maze, Sage notes the comic's use of the term to describe Desire, who was referred to in this way by the other Endless.
- In the Lady Death review, Sage mentions that his favorite interpretation of the Devil is Lucifer in the Season of Mists arc, and contrasts him with the abysmal portrayal in Lady Death.
- Combined with the above-mentioned Dune, while recapping the second episode of Bubblegum Crisis sequel series Bubblegum Crash, Sage mocks how Obviously Evil the episode's villain, Dr. Yuri, is by saying he looks like "Feyd-Rautha Harkonnennote if he were playing Loki from Sandman!" and proceeds to spend the rest of the recap calling Yuri "Loki".
