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The war strategies of The Glory

Posted on by Marc in Blog

Finally! After a few weeks of impatient waiting the second part of The Glory was released on Netflix. These eight episodes were, in short, very satisfying. As you could probably tell by my piece of part 1, my hopes were very high.

Yet because of a cautionary nature partially instilled by highly critical media Youtubers like the Critical Drinker I let the show play out its story and held my opinion back. I was not disappointed. Yet again the Korean series machine manages to produce a show that is intelligent, well acted and above all: fun to watch. 

Spoilers ahead!

Excellent build up

In the end The Glory is a very rewarding show to watch. The plot unfolds over the episode like layers of an onion. Each layer provides new information and a deeper understanding of each character through their behaviour.

Especially during the latter episodes of the show, when the gaps of information are filled it becomes clear just how much transpired to get to this point. We eventually know every action Dong-eun took to get to the endgame. 

Like a game of Go she takes all that once belonged to Yeon-jin’s territory. Even if Yeon-jin knew that she was playing a game with these high stakes it is very likely she would end up in the same place. A place of social death. Without friends, a job and eventually her family. Yeon-jin was under the impression that she was in a few skirmishes with Dong-eun while she actually was in a war. And Dong-eun executed her plan like a great general.

War strategies and Go

I already commented on the game of Go in my previous blog on The Glory. The link between Go and the plot is very apparent in the show, but there is another link that I didn’t expect. I’m currently reading The Art of War (TAoW), which is a treatise on military strategy. It consists of 13 chapters which talk about different parts which contribute to a successful strategy.

The strategies utilized by Dong-eun are viable war strategies. I’ve divided her plan in three parts. To make things a bit more clear there is a description and I’ve added some examples. Let’s go to war!

1. Preparation (and information gathering):

When preparing for revenge you must know the precise end goal. For Dong-eun this was to humiliate Yeon-jin. Humiliation to the same level as happened to her. She would take the others of the group as collateral damage but the focus isn’t on them. The focus is Yeon-jin. Hence the letters she wrote over the years. 

To successfully execute her plan Dong-eun needed to stay out of reach of the law. She needed to be clean and have the right information to hold leverage over key players. So it was imperative she’d gathered information. On all of Yeon-jin’s family, friends and business partners. In the modern age with social media and the internet it wasn’t hard to learn about Yeon-jin’s group. And some smart bribes also helped. Speaking of bribes; Dong-eun also made sure she had enough funds to execute her plan. A rich boyfriend helped as well, but most funds were her own.

2. Strike precisely and without mercy:

After the initial preparation Dong-eun makes herself known by being present as Ye-sol’s teacher and appearing in social situations where Yeon-jin’s group is also present. An act very similar to the initial stand-off between armies or putting the first stone on the Go board.

Through preparation Dong-eun intimately knows her enemies. She knows how they work and react so she can strike where it hurts. The plans used to bring down the enemy have been created to strike at the specific target’s weakness. Long in the making but when the trigger is pulled, they are without mercy. Sa-ra’s drug addiction became a tool for blackmail and when Myeong-oh disappeared it was relatively easy to seduce Sa-ra in episode 12 to take the drugs and cause her own downfall.

The Glory shows that people die a real or social death for their greed or foolishness. Dong-eun’s Judgement comes without mercy yet it is executed with discretion. This is to limit collateral damage. Think of Ye-sol and Do-yeong. but more importantly, it is the only way to make sure Dong-eun and her allies stay out of the picture. 

3. Be agile and creative:

Dong-eun has the end goal in her mind. It is implied that she wanted the total victory without gathering media attention yet it is not clear if she fully knew the way to reach this goal. In other words if she played the Xanatos Gambit or the Batman Gambit1. Based on what we’ve seen I think it is the Batman Gambit. Dong-eun knows her enemies pretty well through her extensive preparation. She is also smart enough to deal with unforeseen challenges such as Hyeon-nam’s greedy husband and a dirty colleague (Jeong-ho). Yet her strategies are flexible enough that these disruptions do not interfere with the end result. She uses them to her advantage.

As an example: Dong-eun probably expected that Jae-joon’s greed would be beneficial to her, yet she could not have planned that he would be the one to deal with Jeong-ho and have that event drive a wedge between him and Ye-sol. Dong-eun’s strategies are smart and well executed, which makes it a delight to watch.

Conclusion

The people in Yeon-jin’s group were living their best lives after what they did when they were young. But their past did not stay buried and came haunting them. In a way, all the group members got what they deserved. Like I said earlier, The Glory is a smart show. Not just in the plot and its execution. It also gives the viewer what they want to see. Revenge with a good ending. A big plus is in my opinion that it does not have over the top romantic moments that do not fit the overall tone of voice of the show. The romance serves the plot and is not intrusive. I greatly enjoyed how the show concluded both Dong-eun and Yeon-jin’s character arc. There is an opening for a new season, but who knows if that will happen. Perhaps if it stays on the netflix most hours watchlist for a longer period of time. If that happens, I’ll certainly watch it.

Notes:

Xanatos Gambit: a plan for which all foreseeable outcomes benefit the creator — including ones that superficially appear to be failure

Batman Gambit: A plan that revolves entirely around people doing exactly what you’d expect them to do.

Sources on The Art of War:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_War

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/art-war/

https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Art_of_War/

The importance of staying true to yourself

Posted on by Marc in Blog

I always like to be surprised by a show or film. At least in a positive way. There are a lot of films and series available, so I’ve learned to be very picky with my time. I want to see a character gain an insight or share a view of life that I can use. A lesson to learn or a healthy habit to copy. Media do not always provide this, but sometimes I get lucky. Today I’ll have two series and one film that provide an insight about staying true to yourself.1

Devilman Crybaby

I got interested in Devilman Crybaby because of the Year of Yuasa video essay. His style is recognisable and the animated hyper-violence was a nice palate cleanser in between parts 1 and 2 of The Glory. In the show we follow the schoolboy named Akira Fudo. When his body becomes possessed by a demon he manages to retain his heart and kind soul, thus becoming Devilman. Over its runtime, we see Akira fight demons who have completely taken over their host body. Yet somehow, Akira manages to keep his empathy in the rapidly changing world around him. Because the show only spans 10 episodes, there are some big leaps in the main plot. Despite that, Devilman Crybaby manages to convey the difficulty of the characters to keep their humanity in the polarizing and violent world they live in.

Call me Chihiro

Call me Chihiro is probably the most slice of life film I’ve ever seen. On a surface level it looks like a couple of days from the life of the main character: former sex worker Chihiro. Yet as the film progresses, it becomes more. It shows us that we can help others by being oneself. By connecting people, handing out advice and especially being focussed on the needs of the other. Chihiro is an adorable human being, who by her natural charm is a welcome deviation of the more distant social standard we often see in real life. A film best watched when you’re not in the mood for something heavy, since the bittersweet lightheartedness is heartwarming on a cold evening.

Romantic Killer

Romantic Killer far exceeded my expectations. This romantic comedy is about high schooler Anzu. A very non-typical girl who only loves chocolate, games and cats. But when she starts her new game, a wizard pops out of her tv and takes what she loves most in life. The goal of wizard Riri is to have Anzu fall in love. Stubborn as she is, Anzu is determined to fight off any romance that comes her way. She will win back her three greatest joys in life and defeat the wizard at its own game.

The plot of Romantic Killer is as ridiculous as you would expect. The animation is great and the characters well developed. This combination gives the (physical) comedy an extra layer which makes this show a wholesome and hilarious experience. What really sells it for me is the many faces of Anzu and the great performance of her voice actor.2 It makes Anzu’s arc from a self-centered person to a kind and loving one a treat to watch.

The giving heart

All these media: Devilman Crybaby, Call me Chihiro and Romantic Killer show us what we can do if we stay true to ourselves. Akira has to make hard choices for the ones that he loves. Even when these choices lead him down a dark path, he manages to keep his human side alive. His inner demon needs to be fed, but because Akira believes in his humanity he can stay true to himself for a very long time. A sight neatly contrasted by the character Moyuru, who after a time gives in to become a full fledged demon. He cares little for others around him and eventually gives in to the pressure, seeing no suitable future for himself as an individual. He chooses to become part of the ever growing demon horde. Something that Akira and fellow Devilman Miko refuse to do until their death. Both Akira and Miko show a strong moral compass which makes them memorable as characters.

Another person with a strong moral compass is Chihiro. As a former sex worker she knows how to handle people. In her new life as a bento box sales person, she becomes the fascinating center of a community. Brutally honest yet never disrespectful. She is a socially binding element between people who didn’t know they needed it. While her focus on the present is an admirable trait, it eventually reveals itself to be a double edged sword. Through her it becomes clear that with a single focus on the present, a character will probably not improve their personal situation in the future.

How to never be alone

Chihiro is an empathic person, yet she chooses to give priority to others over herself. Serving a community like she does is a healthy trait until it becomes unhealthy. Chihiro leaves no room for herself to be happy. We learn little about her past and her inner life. Despite her outward and considerate demeanor, she seems to be afraid of deeper bonds. A behavior made clear by her sudden departure at the end. Chihiro is a person that will most likely feel like she’s alone in the world until she learns she’s not alone. 

A feeling that Romantic Killer’s Anzu has no notion of when her distractions are forcibly removed. Companions magically enter her life like they always were there. Initially she rejects them, defiant of the “evil” wizards plan. Yet over time she learns to enjoy their company. She matures as a character. Like Chihiro, she becomes present in social situations. But with the difference that her goal is to win back her three big loves. With that in mind she has a focus on what she wants for the future. Anzu will not allow herself to be swayed into liking a man purely because he is a man. She enjoys the company of the men in her life because they are fun to be around. Over time this reveals Anzu to be an attentive and caring young woman which naturally inspires the company she attracts to grow as people. 

Of these three people (Akira, Chihiro and Anzu) one can argue that Romantic Killer shows best how to deal with internal struggles. You never have to be alone when you share your personality with the world. Devilman Crybaby, Call me Chihiro and Romantic Killer show that if you stay true to yourself and try to live your best life you will encounter people that can and will help you. You only need to give yourself permission to be helped.

Notes

  1. Being true to yourself means you don’t worry about pleasing other people; living by someone else’s standards or rules. You don’t care what people think of you. You live as your natural self. Without compromise. No one can tell you how to be true to yourself except you.
    Source: Ethics Sage
  2. Interview with voice actor Rie Takahashi

Other sources and further reading

On Devilman Crybaby:

Masaaki Yuasa

Devilman Crybaby on My Anime List

Devilman Crybaby on Rotten Tomatoes

On Call me Chihiro:

Call me Chihiro on Rotten Tomatoes

Call me Chihiro on My Drama List

Salon review of the film: “Comfort to all”

On Romantic Killer:

Romantic Killer on My Anime List

Romantic Killer on Rotten Tomatoes

Gamerant: “Romantic Killer Is Helping Spread An Important Message”

CBR: “Fall 2022’s Romantic Killer Addresses a Serious Issue That’s Not Discussed Enough”

The Glory: Obsession and pain

Posted on by Marc in Blog

I’m a little obsessed with The Glory. This K-Drama released on Netflix in December 2022 caught some attention with the fans.1 A tightly written script, good acting and one of my personal favorite themes: Revenge.

What is The Glory

The Glory is about a woman who seeks revenge on the people who abused her when she was in High School. When she was young, Moon Dong-eun wanted to become an architect. But after the physical and mental abuse she quit school and started working on an elaborate plan to exact her vengeance on the five people that ruined her life.

At the time of writing, only part 1 of the show has aired. In the first 2-3 episodes we learn about the characters and the situation that caused Moon Dong-eun to mastermind a plan that will either ruin or end the lives of the people who abused her. The painful experience that still haunts her. The experience that initiated her change into who she has become. An unstoppable force obsessed with vengeance. There will be no Glory in your life, for I have none as well.

Revenge plots and revealing information

I find that revenge plots are very interesting to watch. Revenge is a powerful motivator for the protagonist. It binds the audience to their cause as equal as it reveals character. The audience should sympathize with the understanding that the only way forward is revenge. We have to see John Wick’s dog killed, Edmond Dantès rot in jail and Moon Dong-eun abused. No matter how distasteful it is to watch.

Like I mentioned above: it is important that we as the audience identify with the reasoning of the protagonist. Yet I do have a disconnect with the physical abuse on screen. Maybe because I only think of mental abuse when I talk about the act of bullying. Physical abuse was before this show not something I related to the word.2 So I needed a suspension of disbelief. Because the abuse is the inciting incident of the show and everything about it is very deliberate.

We are reminded on multiple occasions that the scars are there. They show discomfort with our protagonist in multiple situations. It reveals her emotional state without the need of spoken words. It also reveals the character of the other when it is the topic of conversation. Which makes the on point dialogue even more interesting. It gives a complete picture of the characters in this show without the need of emphasizing certain moods. Expression is used, but in a way that reveals even more of the character; how they feel about the situation and it gives an indication of the choice they are going to make.

The importance of Go

Go is a board game where the players put their pieces (“stones”) on the board. The goal is to claim as much territory of the board when no more moves can be made.
The game is very important in the show. Not only is it the way that one of the characters  (possibly) switches sides. It reveals the character of the player. Ha Do-yeong was told by his Go teacher that he was born with a black stone in his hand. Black is the starting player in Go. The one who has the upper hand because they can make the first move. And we’re being told that Ha Do-yeong was in an excellent position for his entire life. Always being the initiator. From his profession to his wife, this man was a winner. Until he started to play with Dong-eun. The girl whose parents were of a lower social class. Who was abused and horribly scarred; both physically and mentally. She plays aggressively and doesn’t give up. Her obsession and passion motivate her. She wants to take the world from her opponent and she will not stop until it is done thrice over. Victory is not enough. She will bury her opponent so deep no one will ever be able to find it.

Here lies the crux of The Glory. How far will Dong-eun go? If her playstyle with Go is an indication she will over extend herself and go down with the antagonist Park Yeon-jin. The question will be if Dong-eun will be able to prevent those in her care to remain free of the situation? Both her friends Joo Yeo-jeong and Kang Hyeon-nam are deeply entrenched with her. Will she dig their graves as well? Questions I hope to have answered when part 2 airs. If the first 8 episodes are any indication we will be surprised at the end. Part 2 airs on March 10 on Netflix.

Notes

  1. Currently scored with an 8.9 on MyDramaList. But since it’s so new and part 2 of the show hasn’t released yet we have to wait how it evens out over time.
  2. But it happens in real life. There are a number of known incidents in South-East Asia which involve mental and physical abuse in schools. That I’m not relating the word to physical abuse is a lack of knowledge about the subject from my part.

New Year’s Dive 2023

Posted on by Marc in Blog

Welcome to 2023 and all the best for the new year. While it still feels we are all going through tough times I’m here to look back on 2022 and celebrate a few things. There are always reasons to celebrate, even when the world looks like a bigger mess than the year before. The January blog is my traditional New Year’s dive. I reflect on the previous year and look forward with the help of my Year Theme.

A Year Theme is one word or a short sentence which denotes your goals of the year. For me, it is a tradition that I’ve implemented to make the best of said new year. It provides structure and empowers to make decisions which improve your life. It is important that a theme is positively formulated, so it helps to create a better situation in a specific area of your life. In other words, it should imply personal growth. Here’s a video explaining a Year Theme.

2022 didn’t go as planned…

New Year’s resolutions are funny. We start with hope. Our goal is to make an improvement in our life. Yet after a couple of weeks our daily worries take over and when March arrives we’ve forgotten our resolutions completely. Because a Year Theme is intentionally vague and open they are malleable. My 2022 theme Future Smart was constructed to create a situation in my life which would be a solid base for the future. Hence being smart about about my future or Future Smart. To support my 2022 Theme I set four simple goals1. Goals to provide a structure for me to work on my Theme. But a year is long and surprise: Life happened!

In the end I was only able to make room in my agenda on a structural basis. This was only realized at the end of the year. Another year which felt as if I was (almost) always working. It was a combination of something that I wanted to do earlier and something that arose because I needed more time for myself. My intention was to make more time for my projects but I also noticed that I received a diminishing return on investment of time. I had to slow down.

That 2022 didn’t go as planned does not mean that my Theme or the execution from my part was bad. It was solely that the focus shifted. I (re-)learned a few things but the most important lesson was the one of letting go. I have a tendency to hold onto things that are important and last year I really had to let go to prevent exhaustion (and possible burn-out).

This was not just professional or work related but also in my private life2. In hindsight the learning experience of letting go is in line with the theme of Future Smart. And looking back I’m satisfied with the lessons learned.

Questions to ask and positive answers for a positive outlook

It is useful to use a tool to reflect. To give words to my growth I use the technique proposed by Jay Shetty in his podcast On Purpose. The tool is to answer a couple of questions that makes reflection easier. The answer can come immediately but when thought about the question for a couple of days, an even deeper understanding may come to mind.

Question 1: What did I discover or rediscover about myself 

This is a two parter. First I realized that for me, writing is a form of therapy. I use writing to give words to things that happened and to create a better understanding of it. Creative writing is important and I need to do it on a regular basis.

Second: Editing doesn’t satisfy my need to be creative. So it is important that I moderate other activities in my life to make time for editing as well. I consider myself capable at organizing my time but it needs proper planning so I will not fall behind.

Question 2: What’s the challenge that I overcame in 2022 

I already mentioned this earlier. It is letting go of tasks and thoughts. I know this is a lifelong challenge for me, but the experience of acting on the realization that I cannot do a certain thing was very rewarding.

Question 3: what made me the happiest 

What made me happiest was the reciprocity that I received from people. I always try to give love and be respectful to family, friends and colleagues. In 2022, I experienced a level of return of investment that I did not expect. So if you’re one of those people in my life: Thank you!

A look forward: 2023 – a year for me

Thinking about letting go of distractions that prevented writing from being at the center of my agenda led me to this: I want 2023 to be a me year. To be more specific, I want it to be a year where my personal interests and wishes are more present. Meaning that I want to spend more time on activities that give me energy. One of them being writing. I’m very grateful to occupy this little corner of the web, but I also want to do more with my writing. Nature and Nurture, if you will. 

This led me to my 2023 theme: “Gardening”

Gardening implies a more relaxed state of mind. Working on a little patch of land to make something beautiful.

The Theme itself is build from three aspects:

  1. Feeding the roots of the plants. 

This is done by spending time writing, reading or doing courses. There are no big deadlines yet the goal is to remain productive. Productive without too much pressure of said deadlines. 

  1. Show off the colors of the many plants. 

Being productive allows me to finish projects. That means I can give you things as well, dear reader.3

  1. Remove weeds when encountered.

When gardening there is a high chance of encountering behaviour that I want to change. The goal here is to either grow it into a pretty plant or remove it.

You’re OK as a human. But not OK in the greater goal. The incremental improvement is important. Be honest about your current situation. You can be more then you are now.

Jordan Peterson
The Joe Rogan Podcast #1139

To conclude

I think 2023 will be an exciting year. Not just because I see an opportunity to re-align myself with my Ikigai (to connect). The focus is on improving my (mental) health to do something nice.
I want to have the output. To facilitate this I created a schedule with quarterly and monthly tasks. Task aimed at making the flowers in my garden bloom. Not just by finishing current projects but also by relaxing. I have already booked a vacation to bucket list destination New Zealand. Which honestly feels like closing a chapter since I’ve waited so long to go there. Until then I’ll happily relax with the many books and shows in my back catalog. 

We don’t know what the future holds. The only way to move forward is with the knowledge that we make decisions based on our insight of that specific moment. So go with confidence, dear reader. Let’s make 2023 a good year!

  1. See my 2022 blog on the goals and explanation.
  2. As an example: I had to accept that I was too tired because of an increased workload in September. Work was very demanding and I needed time to recuperate. So I had no energy to continue editing my book. I concluded that I wasn’t going to finish the third draft by December and gave up on that.
  3. I have plans to release a short story every quarter of the year. I conjured them last year and they all are outlined or in the first draft. The Hidden Icons shorts will be published on my stories page.

Extra source Year Themes: Hear people talk about Year Themes in this 2 hour long podcast show

Violet Evergarden: Letters for the Lost

Posted on by Marc in Blog

Writing is the practice of putting letters into words and sentences. To put words on paper is a way of expressing yourself to the reader. It is more permanent than speaking, for the spoken word only lives in our memory after the sound is gone while words on paper remain. It is an ancient practice that most of us learn from a young age. We use it our entire life, whether we think about it or not. Our daily writing practice may involve sending emails to our customers or colleagues; typing short messages to our friends; or writing a book. All is possible. But where are the people who write letters? Not letters to government officials or to apply for a job. But true, heartfelt letters to their loved ones. Are there even people who write letters to their loved ones or are we not able to do so anymore? These are questions that Violet Evergarden put in my mind. 

What is Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden is a 2018 Netflix animated series based on the similarly named Light Novel. It follows Violet Evergarden, a girl in her teens who was a child soldier until the end of the war. As Leidenschaftlich’s Soldier Maiden she was known by friend and foes alike. The young girl who protected major Gilbert Bougainvillea with her life. As a child soldier, she knew only military life. So major Gilbert’s orders were her direction, her only meaning in life.  

A life she almost gave away in the last battle. The operation to take an enemy stronghold that went completely wrong. Violet lost both her arms and her commanding officer, whom she wanted to protect. The major, mortally wounded, knew his time had come. Ever since he took Violet under his wing, he taught her important skills like reading and writing. Which she did, as Violet thought it was part of her training. She could not infer at the time that the major was slowly teaching her skills to live her own life. A skillset which he could not complete. So his last orders were simple: “Run and live. Be free.” 

The last words he spoke were: “from the bottom of my heart. I love you.”

Words she didn’t understand. With the major crushed under a building and Violet waking in the hospital bed with two metal arms the show begins. In search for the meaning of I love you.

The impact of writing

After she’s healed, Violet takes a job at a postal company where female scribes (Dolls) work as ghostwriters. In this illiterate world, the scribe is a very needed job. People have requests for written words. Be it stage plays, love letters or something else that is special. 

With every letter, we learn with Violet. We learn how to deal with loss, guilt, regret, atonement and love. As Violet’s scribe teacher explains: “An optimal Doll will be able to decipher the person’s true feelings and express it on paper.” A role which Violet makes her own, as we see that with each written word the emotionless girl learns empathy and is eventually able to express it as well.

Letters are such a beautiful medium. Youtuber Sage Rain has an on point definition: “a letter is a message that can exist beyond the constraints of time, age or distance.” A letter can reach those who are lost. People unwilling or unable to listen to the spoken word might be reached on a deep emotional level with the right words. Words expressed by a client, written by the Doll and delivered by a mailman. That is the truth of the world in which Violet lives. All put their effort into these letters so the recipient can read the contents with honest eyes and hopefully an open mind. Violet experiences this as well in episode 9, when she herself is lost. Receiving the letter gives her the realization that receiving a letter equals receiving someone’s precious feeling. Their heart and soul. Which ultimately helps her to step into the light. To an unknown but bright future.

Letters for a loving future

Our digital age allows for convenient means to create and send written words. Watching Violet Evergarden might give the impression that our modern communication systems lack a personal touch. There is no physicality to the received letter simply because no one delivered it in person. While there is a truth in that, I would not dissuade you from writing a letter to another person. You can not know if your written words are the ones that change that person’s life.

“People have very complex and sensitive emotions. Not every one can express how they truly feel. They end up contradicting themselves or lying, which makes it difficult for me to understand what is true and what not.”

Violet Evergarden

With heart and soul

I did not get answers to the questions I asked at the start. Some are simply to farfetched to research myself. Yet I believe that there are people who still write beautiful letters and that we all are capable of writing letters with heart and soul. Even if the after war setting of Violet Evergarden may be distant, the emotional challenges on display are human and relatable to all. For we all have our own challenges in life. Should you feel lost like some of the people in Violet Evergarden, I encourage you to search for words that inspire you. It does not matter who the source is. A small quote from an unknown tv show can be as inspiring as a motivator with millions of followers. If the quote feels important to you, cherish those words. They carry the heart and soul of the writer.

Sources used

Just your easy acces Wikipedia link

Violet Evergarden on My Anime List: It’s top 100

Grab your tissues says Geoff Thew: Mother’s Basement review

Sage Rain video essay

Header image source

I collect inspiring quotes as well and you can find them here

Why I like Skyjacks

Posted on by Marc in Blog

The stars have fallen, the world is broken and danger lurks around every corner. This is the world of Spéir. The world of Campaign: Skyjacks. A long-form podcast created by the One Shot Network. It is an actual play Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TTRPG) set in a custom world with a custom rule-set. With a strong focus on narrative and characters, this podcast is a delight to listen to.

The setting

Spéir is a world based on Folk Tales i.e Folk Tale Punk. Meaning that the stories people tell have power. Magical power that can be used by humans and by god-like beings called Luminaries. The players travel the post-apocalyptic skies of Spéir on a ship called the Uhuru1. They navigate problems brought onto them by the Red Feather Corporation, other pirates or themselves. 

What I like about the setting is that it differs from others. The basics2 are simple and easy to follow. They are fleshed out constants that always lurk in the background. As a listener you know the importance of the Featherweave which allows any ship to fly. Combine this with the monopoly that the Red Feather Corporation has on the material makes it exciting when the players steal a big bundle of said Featherweave from a Red Feather ship. You know it has long-lasting consequences and implications for the continued story. A simple narrative thread that drives the main story forward while the focus of the players is constantly drawn to their personal problems.

The players

Characters are very important in a TTRPG. Not just because you want a connection with your character while you maneuver through hours of content. A fully fleshed out character adds to the story if the GM chooses to incorporate it in the main narrative. I have played some one-shots where incorporation isn’t possible, and I found that I wasn’t as invested as I expected to be in the game during the short playtime.

Skyjacks is long-form storytelling and has player stories woven through the main narrative in an intricate way. All player characters have very different backgrounds and they all contribute to the story of the campaign and the world. This is done in multiple ways but the easiest example to give is that they are the core group or captain’s council on the Uhuru. Which means that they (conveniently) make decisions for the rest of the ship. This results in a fun cause and effect in the main plot and a compelling series of events surrounding the characters. Because the voice cast are experienced in acting, improv and/or TTRPGs it is a delight to listen to. The quality editing and custom soundtrack only adds to it.

The heart of Skyjacks

I love the Skyjacks OST. I would argue that together with the voice cast it is the heart of this show. The tracks amplify the emotion of each scene. Whether it be fun, dark or emotional; Skyjacks has it. I’m trying hard to not spoil the story but to emphasize my point I need to talk about the bird competition Aur Piora3. First off there is the setting of Burza Nyth (pronounced “bou-ja neeth”). A wonderful city near the hostile sea. It is a place where privateers, corsairs and Red Feather ships can dock and trade. The city is run by a person called the Broker. Their most notable feature is their funny voice and behaviour4. 
In this arc the players are selling stolen goods. As part of the deal with the Broker they participate in Aur Piora. Which leads to a lot of comedic moments , an exciting competition with custom rules, a character death and a profound life lessen:

I spend a lot of my life running away from things, and being under the control of other people. And I fucking hated it. I hated every minute of it. Then I met someone last year who told me ‘the one thing you never wanna do is die with your arms bound. There are gonna be people who try and lock you down your whole life, and as long as you’re not fighting them you’re losing.’

– Hildred Gastaur –
– Campaign Skyjacks episode 34 –

Engaging stories

I’m a big fan of engaging personal stories. As you can see on my inspiration page I even collect some that I find inspiring to share with you. Skyjacks is a show where engaging personal stories are woven into the narrative to create a compelling podcast. It is not just comedy or a campaign to save the world from destruction. It is multi-layered and the mature themes are greatly appealing to me. The deeply personal interactions of Travis with other characters have caught me off-guard on multiple occasions. With the new arc starting this week I’m hoping you are willing to give it a listen as well.

You can listen to Skyjacks almost anywhere on the internet. Or listen to Courier’s Call; their all ages spin-off. Check the links on their website. Take flight heroes!

Notes

1. In Spéir the people have taken to the skies because after a cataclysmic event the sea became death itself.

2. Some of the basics are:

  • The Red Feather Mega Corporation;
  • constantly changing seasons;
  • birds are roughlt 8.3 times as large as normal;
  • a mostly unexplored world
  • the sea is evil and will kill you.

3. This arc starts from episode 16.

4. For example, at a certain point the Broker dresses up in a raven-like costume and uses exploding birds to communicate with others. Combine this with personnel dressed as spooky butlers and you have quite the eccentric character.

Edgerunners: Eyes that skirt the abbyss

Posted on by Marc in Blog

The abyss. The pitch black place of moral depravity where normal people do not come. For if you enter it, you are lost to humanity.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (C:E) is an exploration of the people susceptible to the call of the abyss. A show dedicated to the cyberised punks who are skirting the edge in search of money and glory. If you’re not familiar with the Cyberpunk universe, C:E does a great job of introducing you to the dystopian sci-fi of Night City in the year 2076. While the show is colorful, there is an unmistakable grittiness to the visuals on screen. The below walk through Night City shows everything you need to know.

The rest contains spoilers for Cyberpunk Edgerunners.

The people

Night City looks like a place where normal people have a hard time living. In a world run by mega corporations and streets dominated by gangs, a simple question is: where does the middle class fit?

We get a glimpse of this in the opening episode where we see Gloria. At first glance, she is an honest, hardworking woman. A single mother who works double shifts to keep herself and her son David alive. She also works for David’s education in one of the major corporations in Night City. But David’s education at Arasaka isn’t what makes him happy. Despite his good grades he doesn’t feel like they are his people. The rich boy bullies also  contribute heavily to this alienation. What David wants is a family. One that he finds on the bad side of the law. The one that his mother was trying to protect him from.

Eyes of the Lost

Stepping over the line and engaging with the outlaws and mercenaries of Night City makes you vulnerable to the call of the abyss. The abyss is not a physical place for the people of Night City. Yet it is a real place for those experiencing it. Anxiety pumped up to eleven caused by a constant input of data in the mind. It’s the reason a person cannot sleep. Not until the mind completely switches off. The individual’s sense of normalcy is reduced and they lose all empathy to resort to the one thing they know: to kill. These Lost or Cyberpsychos are identifiable by their eyes.

When we learn that Gloria was making extra money by selling hardware as a black market dealer we question her concerned eyes. Did they see the abyss? In a way Gloria was part of the ecosystem that produced Edgerunners and Cyberpsychos. So the only option she must’ve had was to be a part of the system or know that her wish for her son to have a proper life would not be realized.

Batman

In a sense Edgerunners are all like Batman. A man who has seen the abyss, walks along its edge, but refuses to give in. It requires a great mental fortitude to not jump into the dark. It is stated often in C:E that everyone who has chrome installed will fall eventually. Which makes the notion that Batman is able to remain steadfast until his elderly years even more impressive. Especially when you don’t seem to have that big of an impact on the world. When pondered, it is understandable why the allure of installing more chrome is present. David is the prime example. To make an impact, protect those you care for. Even if you become Lost while doing so.

Sources:

https://www.cyberpunk.net/en/edgerunners

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberpunk:_Edgerunners

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberpunk_(role-playing_game)

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/moral-depravity

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abyss

Spezzaferri, Mitchell & Collins, Gary & Aguilar, Jenny & Larsen, Anne. (2017). Moral Depravity: Going Beyond Just an Attribute of Psychopathy. Journal of Forensic Psychology. 02. 10.4172/2475-319X.1000122.

The family of Gundam

Posted on by Marc in Blog

A couple weeks back the official Gundam Youtube channel graciously published the prologue for the upcoming series The Witch from Mercury. The 25 minute episode gives the primer for the setting; important characters and it puts one of the main themes of the series front and center.

We’re a family

The emotional ending of the prologue indicates to the viewer that family is important in the show. We will have to wait to see if The Witch from Mercury will be a revenge story or one of finding a new family during war. But one thing is certain: family is at the heart of a Gundam show.

It is the bonding of soldiers. Of people in similar situations who find support in each other.

The audience can see that the characters are just people thrown into conflict due to reasons outside of their sphere of influence. They fight to protect their home and family; their country or their beliefs. There are many reasons to take up a weapon. While some are more honorable than others, Gundam shows us that in protecting what you care for, you’ll find a new family with your battle comrades. 

For a bright future

Some of the Gundam shows really play on the family theme. Iron Blooded Orphans (IBO) made us care for the battle-scarred children that only had each other to count on. The IBO crew really found their family during the series. Which was something that Orga and Mizuki fought really hard to realize and protect. That Tekkadan became a mafia style group while realizing their dream only showed the double-edged sword that a chosen family is in times of war. You try your hardest to keep every single family member alive so they may see your envisioned future. But the reality is that people die in the process. The question will be if you can move on with your life or not. One of the truths of life is that there is no place to go back to. The past is the past and things can never be the same because things change. People change. Something that the end of IBO showed very well (spoilers).

Bring it, little Witch

I personally like the family theme. Family is important in my life. It has been a constant which I’m very grateful for. Especially since I know that so many people in the world have lost their (sense of) family because of a myriad of reasons. 

The setup done in the prologue for The Witch from Mercury has me peeked for a story that deals with these real-life problems. If done well, it can teach us as viewers how to deal with grief and even provide healing if the writers chose to incorporate it. Let’s hope the magic of The Witch from Mercury is as captivating as the prologue.

As you probably can tell I’m very much looking forward to seeing the new Gundam show. Which is a stark contrast to my feelings before watching the prologue. I’m hoping that all the emotional beats of the prologue return and that our Witch finds what she is looking for. That would really make it a satisfying viewing experience.

The problem with adaptations

Posted on by Marc in Blog

I recently finished the Witcher season 2. Because my Witcher lore knowledge is limited I had questions. Questions regarding characters and events depicted in the show. So I did some research and quickly stumbled upon a video aptly titled: The Witcher Season 2: Is it really the Witcher? So outside of a few events in episode 1 the rest is all new. Or at the very least reimagined. Newly created stories and events that never happened in the books or video games. This discrepancy is a problem for long time franchise fans as well as for new fans exploring the dark fantasy world of The Witcher. Not only has the show continuity issues with the rest of the canon; its tone is also different from the original work. If I was a cynical drinking man, I would tell also tell you about THE MESSAGE1 but that’s not the subject of today’s piece. Today I’m talking about adaptations and the problems with canon.

Is it canon?

Canon or the material officially accepted as part of the story seems to be lost when translating or remaking a piece of media to “the modern standard.” Or whatever people say to justify decisions made to alter tone and story to please the viewers. In our current era, the owner of the i.p. holds the prerogative to make said decisions. So W.B. (now part of Discovery) and the Big Mouse (A.K.A Disney) are the ones who decide what is part of the main narrative and what is not.2

When it’s clear from the start what is canon or not makes it a lot easier for the fans to understand what media they’re consuming. But in our current era of adaptating properties that have been around for decades this poses a problem. If you take a piece of media, say an anime created 24 years ago, and do a live action remake there will be problems. Not only do I think that a near-media adaptation is silly; it could very well be that the original show commented on social issues which are not relevant anymore. So what kind of story do you want to tell that is not a straight copy of the original, but also one that does not alienate the fanbase.

Big Bad problems

My personal answer would be to think twice about adopting a show and asking what a retelling would add to the canon. But I’m not the one receiving a big bag of cash with an explicit wish to have my i.p brought to a large audience.

So that leaves us with the show creators and their eagerness to work on a property. And to these people there is only one thing that they’ll probably keep in mind: It’s never good enough for the fans. Even if they get free reign to bring their vision to the screen there is a fine line to walk. You have likely lost before you’ve even started the battle. I can appreciate bold decisions when adaptations are made; but I question the choice to insert a big bad as a narrative tool.

Examples of this are the adaptations of the Cowboy Bebop and The Witcher series. Where the name of the game is to put a big bad front and center. I can understand the decision to do so. It’s easier for the audience to understand what’s going on if the narrative is pushed by a big bad. But in both cases it’s absolutely not working, I’m not sure about The Witcher canon but I can definitely say that for Cowboy Bebop the big bad is not important. We see that characters overcome difficulties to (perhaps) learn something about themselves and grow as a character. But that growth can come from trying to help your indebted ex-girlfriend3 or from finally burying a resurrected monster baby.4 You do not need a mastermind that instigated these events.5

The power of transmedia

You’ve probably heard of cross-media storytelling. This is in short: telling the same story on different media platforms. It’s a big part of our current (visual) media landscape. It has the benefit of bringing a fanbase over to your platform by retelling a familiar story.

Transmedia on the other hand is using one story world and telling its stories across different platforms. Transmedia has the benefit of bringing the fanbase over to a new platform and expanding the universe with new stories. In the best cases it brings new vision, style and fans to the universe. Think of the Star Wars Visions project, Arcane or Pokemon. These are great examples of i.p’s allowing creators to do something that they want with an i.p (withing the storyworld rules) without compromising the canon.

It’s something that I personally would want if my work has taken an interest by third parties. While it is interesting to retell a familiar story in a different medium I am currently preferring to tell more stories to explore the created world. I hope that they (eventually) learn from constructive feedback from the fanbase that they have to put more care in adapting media properties. For there is a chance that they lose more than just the fans of said property.

Notes

  1. Don’t get me wrong, I find the Drinker’s videos very insightful, albeit a bit on the nose. They always clearly show what’s wrong with the media produced in our crazy society. I’ve linked his Witcher videos here: Season 1 review & Season 2 review
  2. A recent, famous example being the Star Wars Expanded Universe or Legends as it’s now known.
  3. See Cowboy Bebop episode 10: Ganymede Elegy
  4. Referring to the Witcher 3 quest: Family matters

Other sources:

Jakubisko, J. (2016). Defining Transmedia vs Crossmedia. Published in FNE Innovation

Like Stories of Old: Multiverses, Nihilism, and How it Feels to be Alive Right Now

Dena, Christy. (2004). Current State of Cross Media Storytelling: Preliminary observations for future design.

Green, D.A (2021). How Neil Gaiman kept control of the Sandman characters

Storyfloat: Introduction to Transmedia Storytelling

Bubble tells us to listen

Posted on by Marc in Blog

First drafted June 11.

I hear a tractor passing on this sunny afternoon. Its heavy diesel engine echoes from the buildings in this tiny Belgium village, somewhere in the Ardennes. Other than the wind and birds, it is quiet. I’m on the annual team weekend, having just returned from a few days off with my parents. Similarly to the last couple of days, I find myself in nature. With limited city sounds or the general business of the working life my mind is in relative peace.

This subdued external input creates space. Space to think and space to listen. 

Listening to my own thoughts is something I value. Especially when it concerns my writing or my current (life) situation. Unfortunately, my agenda was filled to the brim during the last couple of weeks with all kinds of stuff. Thus limiting my time to listen and reflect. I’m sure many of you are in similar situations, where your life is teeming with so many activities that you’re not even thinking about creating a moment to breathe. Luckily Bubble (2022) sparked my drive to conciously create a moment to listen.

What is Bubble (spoilers)

Bubble is an animated feature film produced by Wit studio. It features the visually stunning post-apocalyptic version of Tokyo which was largely flooded by a mysterious event known as the “Bubble Fall”.

During the film we follow a group of teens who do dangerous parkour battles to gather supplies so they can survive. One of these teens is 19-year-old Hbiki. He is an exceptional player, yet limited because of his hearing disorder (hyperacusis).

Part of his exceptional skills come from his ability to hear a song when he focuses. It is implied only Hbiki can hear it because of his hearing sensitivity. The rhythm of the song enables Hbiki to read the ever changing terrain of Tokyo like he practiced it for years. And practice is what he needs. Because when not competing in the parkour, Hbiki tries to reach the epicenter of the bubble at Tokyo Tower which calls to him. However, he constantly fails at his attempts to reach it due to the complex gravity forces. In one attempt he nearly drowns, only to be saved by a mysterious girl he names Uta. 

He takes her back to his team home and Uta joins the team. Over the runtime of the film, Uta influences the lives of everyone around her. Not only those on the team, but also her mysterious sisters. Convince them that they can coexist with humans by simply being among them; listening and learning from them.

If you watched the film you’ll realize the basic plot is a retelling of The Little Mermaid. It even uses the book to give context to the story of Uta and Hbiki. Which is not something that I was expecting before watching this film. Regardless, the plot execution is abstract and sometimes hard to follow. Luckily the visuals are amazing and Hyroyuki Sawano’s soundtrack elevates those visuals to an even higher level. It is a shame that the plot and underdeveloped characters don’t contribute to it1.

Are you listening

I would’ve loved it if Bubble’s on screen action wasn’t limited by some of the mandatory plot or exposition. For example: It is nice to know why Tokyo is in this state, but it would also work if this was shown in the opening of the film2.

If done so, there would be more time for the viewer to spend with the characters. The time we would need to watch them grow. This can be done when the main plot is minimized to let the characters shine. We could learn more about them. Why are they (re)acting like they do? And what are these characters learning from Uta since she is someone who learns from watching and listening to others. On top of that she is a person who values that experience appropriately, as can be seen in the scene where she creates bubble figures. This is why you could argue that Bubble is a study of the human experience; although I would sooner link it to our ability to grow as people through the act of listening.

While Bubble culminates in a rather tumultuous ending, the below scene explains exactly what I mean. Through listening and watching Hbiki, Uta is able to understand him. And she is able to return that experience by singing.

She may not be able to talk, but she is able to convey her feelings. Thus showing us that she grew from someone who clung to Hbiki to someone who has a better understanding of the world3. Sadly the moment is cut short because the plot needs to happen. Which is not a criticism. It is me feeling sad that the moment ends. Especially because these moments are limited compared with the energetic action. But when viewed as a complete product, Bubble is very clear in its visual and auditory storytelling. Storytelling that touches the heart.

 “Listening is an attitude of the heart, a genuine desire to be with another which both attracts and heals.” 

L. J. Isham

Notes

1. Which seems to be the consensus among reviewers

2. I want to use Laputa’s opening credits as an example because that kind of short and to the point exposition that Bubble would have benefited from. I couldn’t find it on Youtube so you have to do with an analysis on why it is so good.

3. One with rose-coloured glasses, but a better one nonetheless.

Additional sources/research

What Great Listeners Actually Do; by Zenger, J. and Folkman, J: https://hbr.org/2016/07/what-great-listeners-actually-do

There’s NO Such Thing as “Soft Skills”; Simon Sinek

Bubble (2022) Honest Review; Unleash the Ghouls

Bubble: The Beautiful Mess | Bubble Anime Movie Review; ProfessorViral

Bubble | Director Araki and Composer Sawano Reaction | Netflix Anime