THE LYRICS ARE BELOW!!!! Hey, all, it’s Kern here from The Demented Ferrets. As we all know, I’m a huge fan of the RWBY series. I’m working on a series of fan songs for the series. As always, since Kresh and I can’t sing for absolute shit, we use an AI voice to make the singing tolerable but all lyrics are written by me or Kresh… Since I’m the RWBY Fan around here, take a guess as to which one of us did this one, lol.
Anyway, I really do hope you enjoy this song, a lot of love and care went into it as I attempted to convey the concept of the team coming together at the end of Volume 1, and the surface level troubles that got them to end up that way… Over time, the characters will have their own fan songs made for them that gets more in-depth, but for now I really just wanted to work on that base-layer and surface level ideology that brings this team together… thank you for your time.
Lyrics:
(Verse 1: Ruby) Ruby woke up to the sound of a brand new day, A world unknown, but she’ll find her way. With her scythe in hand, and her heart so bright, She’ll fight for the light, and protect what’s right. She says “A huntress I’ll be, just like my mom, I’ve got the strength, the courage to carry on. At Beacon I’ve arrived, the battle’s just begun, I’ll rise above the chaos until it’s won.”
(Chorus) They’re Team RWBY, they’re here to stay, Fighting for the world, no matter what they say. Through shadows and strife, They’ll always stand tall, With our hearts united, They will answer the call!
(Verse 2: Weiss) In the halls of Beacon, Weiss took her place, A Schnee name, a legacy, to uphold with grace. But behind all the glamour, there’s something more, A frozen heart inside that’s burning to the core. She says “I might have my doubts, and my pride’s been tested, But I’m learning that together we’re best when we’re connected. I’ll put my trust in you, my team, my kin, With every fight, we’ll let the light begin!”
(Chorus) They’re Team RWBY, They’re here to stay, Fighting for the world, no matter what they say. Through shadows and strife, they’ll always stand tall, With thier hearts united, we will answer the call!
(Bridge) Blake ran from her past, from the pain she knew, But now she’s found a place where she can break through. No longer hiding in the darkness, she’s free, With her team by her side, together they’ll be. She says “The enemies come, but we’ll fight them all, In every battle, we’ll answer the call. I’m no longer running; I’m standing strong, This is my home, and with you, I belong.”
(Verse 3) The fire in Yang’s veins, it’s who she is, A fighter by nature, she’ll make her own stand. With a smile on her face and a fist to the sky, She’ll take on the world, no matter how high. She says: “From the moment we met, I knew what that meant, Together, we’ll rise and never relent. We’ve got each other, come what may, This is our fight, and we’ll seize the day!”
(Chorus) They’re Team RWBY, They’re here to stay, Fighting for the world, no matter what they say. Through shadows and strife, They’ll always stand tall, With their hearts united, they will answer the call!
(Outro:) They’re team RUBY, they’ve walked through the storm, now the dawn’s in sight. Together they’ll fight, and together they’ll always shine so bright. From the dust to the skies, they’ll always stand free, They say “This is our story, our legacy.” They’re Team RWBY, and they’ll carry on— Forever united, they will always stand strong!
Hey all, It’s Kern here. For those of you who don’t know, I absolutely love the video game Clanfolk, which you can check out and buy on steam if you don’t have it already. No paid promotion here, I just genuinely love the game. In fact, we Demented Ferrets like it so much, we made a fan song about it using Suno. The song was made using AI, since Kresh and I can’t sing very well at all.
Clanfolk takes place in 1300’s Scotland. The central mechanics revolve around family life and cultivating a homestead for your clan to live and thrive. We wanted the song to reflect that with a cheery, upbeat lyrical tone from the perspective of the player’s clan itself.
(Side Note: with all the content that continues to get added to Clanfolk, you can be sure we’re highly inspired to keep making fan songs about the game, so this won’t be the only one.)
If you’re interested in learning more about Clanfolk, the official discord is both very helpful and active. Furthermore, the game can be purchased on Steam for anyone interested in playing it.
At the time of making this post, the game is currently in early access and receives updates with new content often. Clanfolk is made lovingly by Blorf, a solo game dev, and it’s published by Hooded Horse. The intended focus is upon the clan itself, usually a small family under 40 members in size. Although players like myself often build larger homesteads of over a hundred, the game itself truly shines when the focus is kept to a small or middling clan size. The game is cozy, without a heavy emphasis on warfare. You shouldn’t let that deter you. Clanfolk may be cozy, but it’s not overly simple or “too easy”.
The testing branch is available to all players, meaning if you are okay to deal with a couple of bugs here and there you can see what’s in store for the main branch early. All you need to do is opt into the testing branch on Steam once you’ve purchased the game.
I can’t get into an in-depth breakdown of the game here or this post would be far, far too long. What I will say is that there’s a skill tree that allows you to unlock all kinds of things for your clan. You’ll focus on survival in your first year starting in Summer. From there, your job is to prepare your clan to make it through Winter by stocking up on food and water. Ensuring your clan is warm enough not to die to the bitter chill of the cold is another key aspect to focus on during the early game.
A filthy clan is an unhappy clan, so you might want to build a tub for them to wash in, and a water dipper for them to drink from. If that’s too difficult for you to accomplish in time, water jugs for satiating thirst will do to get you through the winter. Just make sure you have enough of them. The water Dipper is far more efficient, though.
The September 2024 update included the “wake and funeral” system, further cementing the “family bonds” aspect of gameplay by including a period of mourning when someone from the clan passes away. This isn’t a colony sim based in raw numbers, but rather in the unity of the clan members and the preservation of those emotional bonds. Taking the time to get to know your clan and optimizing their routine is truly one of the more rewarding aspects of the game.
If you want to see gameplay footage, just ask Kresh and Kern when we’re live on Twitch, and we’ll show off the game… we do that often enough since I’m such a huge fan of it.
More Demented Ferret News:
Okay, so on to some of the typical “ramble-ramble” TDF self-promotion nonsense….
If you want to download the song “Ode to Clanfolk” to listen to it any time, it’s up on our Patreon for free. We have more music in the works too. If you want to support what we do, consider becoming a member of ourPatreon. Music will release as we make it, but be assured there will be plenty more where this came from. We hope to see you there!
Some songs will be Patreon exclusive for paying members of the $1 and above tiers.The first Patreon exclusive release is Dream Team, a song about the game Mass Effect. It’s up for Patrons now.
This has been Kern of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. Don’t forget to follow us on social media.
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Welcome everyone, this is Ebby of The Demented Ferrets, back with my second blog post and video. Today I’ll be dragging you all along with me through my childhood while I reminisce about one of my favorite shows of all time. Let’s begin.
Many of us have our favorite tv shows that have stuck with us over the years, usually from our childhood. Today, I’d like to talk about a childhood favorite of mine from the Transformers series called Beast Wars (or Beasties, if you watched the show in Canada), released in 1996 and ran until 1999 with three seasons. It was a computerized cartoon using 3d models for everything. When it first released (and through my six-year old eyes), this was mind-blowing. Granted, I grew up somewhat poor, with the most advanced piece of tech we owned being a tv, so I didn’t have access to a computer or video game consoles until my early teen years in the early 2000’s.
The first episode I watched drew me in and I was instantly hooked. The character designs, 3d world, the music, voice acting: all amazing. I became obsessed with flipping through channels to find similar shows (when Beast Wars wasn’t playing, obviously). I found ReBoot (which I may talk about another time), another show made by the same company: Mainframe Entertainment (currently known as of 2020 as Mainframe Studios), as well as The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, which also incorporated a 3d world at certain points, alongside the traditional hand drawn cartoon animation. A sequel to Beast Wars titled Beast Machines was aired in 1999 until 2000.
Beast Wars: Transformers takes place about 300 years after the war between the Autobots and Decepticons, and directly follows the Transformers: Generation 1 continuity. It begins with a one-on-one space ship battle between the previous wars’ participants: The Maximals (descendants of the Autobots), and the Predacons (descendants of the Decepticons). Both ships emerge from a vortex and during the firefight, crash land on the nearby planet, landing relatively close to one another. The ships scan for lifeforms that the transformers can appropriate in order to both blend in, as well as protect them from the overflow of raw Energon that the mysterious planet is abundant with. The two groups soon meet and all Inferno breaks loose. I won’t spoil much more of the story here.
From this point, I’ll just just say that of all of the characters, Dinobot will always be my favorite, but if I had to go by visual appearance, I would have to go with his Transmetal II form, which made its debut later in the series. I love all of the Transmetal II forms, now that I think of it… Anyway, Dinobot’s voice actor (Scott McNeil) is among my top 5 voice actors, maybe even top 3. In Beast Wars alone, he voiced: Rattrap, Dinobot, Waspinator, Silverbolt, Dinobot’s Clone, Cicadacon (one of the large floating heads, if I remember right) and Transmetal II Dinobot (obviously). In other shows, he has voiced Wolverine in the X-Men animated series, Piccolo in the Ocean Dub of Dragon Ball Z, many, many voices including Koga in Inuyasha, just as many in ReBoot, and many, many others. All of his work is amazing.
I’m going to leave it here while I rewatch the show (as well as its sequel: Beast Machines) for the millionth time, and I implore you to watch it for yourselves.
This has been Ebby of “The Demented Ferrets”, where stupidity is at its finest and level grinds are par for the course. Until next time…
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Hey everyone, it’s Kern here, and it’s about time I sit down and write out a few thoughts that have been on my mind for a while. I love anime, and I love video games. I wouldn’t be spearheading this blog if I didn’t, but it isn’t all sunshine and roses, either. While I’ll be the first to say a lot of good can come out of blogging, I’ll also be the first to tell you that it is an uphill grind if you’re trying to make that blog profitable.
I’m a big fan of blogging in general, but blogging isn’t for everyone.
I’ve decided I’d highlight the pros and cons of blogging about anime and gaming to help you determine if it is the right fit for you. First though, we should talk about what a blog is, and why you might consider writing one.
What is Blogging?
If you want the “big media marketing” answer, it goes a little something like this: a blog is written media that is used to help people interact and learn, trading information based on real-life experiences and data. Blogs are used to help others make a better purchasing decision, or to simply learn something new. While none of that is entirely wrong, I wouldn’t say that’s the main crux of an anime or gaming blog.
Blogging is more than that when we’re talking about hobbies, games and other types of media. For anime and gaming fans, blogging isn’t always about selling something. Sure, it can be about that. More often though, in fandom related spaces, it is about sharing the love of those mediums.
We do this in several ways, from writing reviews and rants, to simply getting the word out about a series we really care about.
So, who should be a blogger?
Anyone who wants to do it, should do it. The baseline to beginner blogging is incredibly low. All you need is a way to write the blog, a site to write upon (even a free one), and a willingness to learn the craft. Sadly, that also means learning to roll with the punches when you’ve got to learn something new.
So, who shouldn’t be a blogger?
Anyone who isn’t motivated to face just a little bit of a struggle. Anyone who thinks it’ll be easy to just skyrocket to the top of google searches and pump out content will be disappointed. Blogging is more complicated than that. Some people will hit the jackpot sure enough. A small number will luck out and trend quickly… but most of us won’t.
The vast majority of us have to do the grind. While the baseline to entry is low, the learning curve to become a blog that earns an income will actually be fairly steep. It isn’t as easy as it looks. Blogging is pretty straightforward, but that doesn’t mean you can be lazy. There is a lot to learn.
If you’ve made it this far, you probably want to weigh out your options. Maybe you just want to see what you might be up against. Maybe you already have a blog, and you’ve come here looking for advice. Either way, you’ll find something useful.
I’m going to take a look at blogging from a few key points of view:
Early Opportunities and Possible Income
Life Balance and Time Management
Communication and Networking
Other Perspectives
Skills You Need
With that being said, let’s jump into the good things about blogging, there’s a decent number to consider.
Pros of Anime and Gaming Blogs.
Blogging, in general, is a gateway used to share content that we enjoy. Each blogger has their own methods. One great thing about blogging is that as a written craft, it can be very fluid. We all have our own writing style, and cadences that we develop across sentence structure. Readers do learn to identify our brand with our particular style.
At the end of the day, it is a way for us to get our voices out there. There are a few perks for those that write blogs, and someone willing to work for the rewards will end up reaping a few benefits.
1. Earning a Living.
For those that just want to use the blogging format as a hobby, you’re in luck. You don’t have to be perfect to simply enjoy the pure power of the written word. For someone who just loves the craft, there’s just not a lot of downsides. Actually there are more good qualities than bad ones. Provided your content can be considered “workplace friendly” then go ahead and put your hobbyist blog onto your CV or resume. It doesn’t matter if it has nothing to do with your particular line of work, if you’re young, use that to your advantage.
I’ll be blunt. Any business with half a brain knows that blogging, social media and proper networking help to make brands more reputable. It also makes you look more reputable if you have a blog about your hobbies that you’ve cultivated slowly over time. If you aren’t going to university, you need every advantage. Even if you only have a small following, this gives you a social media presence as well. Employers like to do background checks anyway.
Bottom line for hobbyist bloggers; give them a bone to chew and a paper trail to follow. Allow your blog to uplift you as a person and you’ll be ahead of the game.
On the flip side, for those who do want to see an income in this medium, it’ll take time and effort. Building a name that can be trusted and learning the nuances of the blogging sphere isn’t a quick thing to do. With blogging, your income is entirely driven by your ability to promote your content and grow your brand. This is what we call “brand awareness”.
If people know of your brand, you’ll be more likely to build an audience and maintain it.
To make money blogging within fan based mediums, you’ve got to find more than just your niche. You’ve got to find your passion and drive that forward in your written word. Even so, yes, there is money to be made as an anime and gaming blogger.
Monetizing your blog can come in all kinds of forms, from affiliate links to advertising traffic. At the time of this post, we don’t use advertising traffic here on The Demented Ferrets just yet. However, it is something we may look into going forward, when the time is right.
You can work on commission based requests once you get your name out there. Beyond that, you can set up further methods like we do here on The Demented Ferrets using other methods such as PayPal and Patreon.
Early on, you may only see pocket change. In this often difficult economy every little bit helps, and it does add up over time. Put those small earnings into savings and let it build up. If you’re wise about it, playing the monetary long-game isn’t a bad thing.
2. Low Monetary Cost.
The reality is, you can start a blog for free on many platforms. With the rise of Medium, it has never been easier to test out blogging for yourself. Plenty of anime and gaming related bloggers find themselves a nice corner of the internet by starting up on Medium and networking out from there. For those who see blogging as merely a hobby, or those looking to put a blog onto a CV or resume, using free platforms like Medium will suit you just fine.
However, if you’re truly invested in starting your own blog, I’d suggest going the paid route and making your own. This will allow you to start a reputable brand image and begin to build the trust you’ll need to eventually get earnings. If an income is what you’re after, you need a brand to stand by.
Building a reputation is fundamentally important. For some of us, that can be a long road, it behooves you to start early and be consistent.
There is some more good news too, hosting is pretty affordable. If you take your time to look into the right hosting providers and site builders, you’re halfway there. You’ll be able to get yourself a blog without breaking the bank.
Remember, if you’re a beginner, you don’t need to break the bank with all the bells and whistles. You can take your time to learn what you’re doing. In light of this, WordPress.com recently reverted back to their old pricing model after their little experiment went awry. They’ve got some affordable price points again, and other places do too… look around and choose the one best for you.
Remember, as a newbie, slow and steady wins the race.
Check out This Blog post on Readability and “The Reading Ease Ideal”.
I’m not writing this to get your attention, I’m writing this because I’m going to tell you the truth. You’ll follow me of your own volition, or you won’t. If…
3. Blogging is a Platform.
Blogging is your chance to have a voice. You can reach out to the wider world and meet all kinds of people by blogging. With time and the desire to interact with others, you’ll find plenty of other people with like-minded interests. When it comes to fandom related content such as anime and gaming, we’re a wide and diverse community, people of all walks of life find their place to belong.
People who blog about anime and gaming, typically love anime and gaming. We’re passionate about these hobbies, and we like to share that with others.
These days, people use big buzzwords like “influencers”, “Instagram models” and “Tiktok stars”. That’s fine, and people earn a living that way too, sure enough. These are all platforms, right along with YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook and countless others…
It’s easy to forget these days that blogging is a platform too, and that bloggers have our own communities and circles of friends, just like people on other platforms. I’m not always as outspoken in my personal online circle as I should be, but I do the best I can…
Shout-out to Iridium Eye Reviews who is also a variety blogger with anime and movie reviews. Go check them out. Did you know that I once wrote an open letter to him regarding blogging and some of the struggles that bloggers often share in common?
If you’re new to blogging, or just having a hard time as a blogger, go ahead and check out my open letter.
Hey everyone, it’s Kernook here and this is a more serious, introspective post that directly references this one here, written by Ospreyshire. The title? “Top 7 Concerns I Have As a Film…
The key point I want you to know is that blogging is a journey. The communities we join really matter to us. We often lift up fellow bloggers when we can, because back-linking those of like minds and content often share communities and readers. It’s important to network this way, and it usually feels pretty good too.
As bloggers, we often come across some pretty cool anime and games that way too… bloggers tend to be readers of other blogs, so discovering new content is always a blast.
4. Blogging is Fun.
Blogging is a creative medium. If you have something to say, then blogging gives you the ability to say it. Many gaming and anime bloggers are purely in it for the hobby of blogging, no matter how big they get. A lot of us just like to do it, and if it goes somewhere, that’s awesome. If it doesn’t, then for a lot of people, that’s no big deal either… we do it because we love it.
Working on our mastery of the craft, namely the power of the written word, is part of the fun. Talking about the hobbies and interests we have can be fulfilling enough on its own. For many of us, that’s reason enough to do it.
A great example of this can be seen by a great anime reviewer known as Irina Watches Anime, who has stated more than once that her blog is only a hobby. She cares for her blog deeply, but it will always just be a hobby for her… and I really respect that.
Guest bloggers share content too from time to time on her blog too, and that’s just another way bloggers help to support and uplift each other. Collaboration and networking really is a key part of being successful no matter what kind of blogger you happen to be.
The Cons of Anime and Gaming Blogs.
You knew this was coming, blogging isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. For as great as blogging is, no matter how much I do love it, there are some downsides. For every good reason to work hard on your blog, there are some reasons you may decide blogging just isn’t for you.
1. Time and Effort
To have a large blog with lots of readers, it takes time and a fair bit of effort. When it comes to anime and gaming, this is particularly true. No matter what kind of blogger you are, this is a somewhat saturated market to get into. That means you’ll have to devote your time to just being noticed.
While the barrier to entry can be incredibly low, the barrier to long standing success is actually fairly high. It continues to get higher by the day. I don’t say that to intimidate you, I say that as a blogger making the up-hill climb personally.
This particular blog is still working its way up the ladder to something completely sustainable. Here on The Demented Ferrets we’re “middling” bloggers. We’re not super popular, we’re not bottom of the barrel. We have a decent and dedicated reader base, and we’re still growing… but we’re not paying all the bills in our homes with this website… not yet.
To be entirely transparent, at the time of this post, we do pay for the website with our earnings and we have a bit of pocket change thanks to our Patreon supporters and other donations. However, we haven’t put all of our eggs into one basket, and you shouldn’t either… not at first.
We also have plans for forward growth and momentum, but we understand that takes time. We all still have day jobs and stream on Twitch as well. From a purely blogging perspective though, it hcan be a lot of hard work. Here’s just a few things that need to be done on a regular basis:
Keeping abreast of blogging trends within my niche.
Contacting others/networking
Topic and planning and scheduling
Writing posts like this one
Creating new forms of content and collecting the right materials to do that effectively
Managing social media
Routine keyword research
Updating old posts when required
Several other mundane but required tasks.
Keep in mind, The Demented Ferrets has a blog with topics revolving around anime and gaming. If I’m doing an anime or movie review, I have to watch the series. If I do a game review, I have to play the game. That’s time consuming, but it is required. I’m not even the best gamer out there, as our Twitch channel so often proves. It helps very little when my cat, Sabin, decides to complicate matters even further.
In any case, blogging is a time investment. It isn’t a “get rich quick” scheme. It’s not a hard and fast solution to all of your monetary woes. I’d say this goes double in the anime and gaming sphere. You’ve got to get into it because you want to get into it, not for any other reason.
2. Significant Amounts of Patience and Persistence
This ties into point number one, but it needs to be its own separate category. Look, I won’t mince words, blogging can be very emotionally draining. If you don’t love it, you won’t be able to commit to all of the things you need to know. Blogging has its own lingo and skill sets that you need to learn.
As an anime or gaming blogger, that gets just a little bit more difficult. We need to know all about the anime and games we write about, and these are two very diverse mediums. I’m going to be honest, the grind is real, and it can be a very good way to snap your resolve as a blogger.
If you expect too much of yourself too soon, you will burn out… and it’s not just writing the blogs, either.
The games you play have their own barrier of entry too. Thanks to exclusivity deals, another barrier is in front of you by default. Your general ability to play and beat a game will be a barrier too. You’ll have to manage your expectations effectively. You need the proper technology to play the game, and that’s an investment in itself sometimes. Then you need to at least play enough of the game to adequately come to a determination on how to properly review the title.
With some games being incredibly long, that alone is a time investment. That’s not even considering the blog post you’ll have to prepare after you’ve played it.
For example, for our play through of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time it took Ebby almost 24 hours of gameplay footage to do a 100% run…. and that’s just the footage we edited down. That wasn’t even the blog post or video editing that came along with it.
Check out our gameplay post of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Hey everyone, it’s time for another set of gameplay videos. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time probably doesn’t need an introduction, chances are good that you’ve heard of it. The game was first released on the Nintendo 64 back…
Anime, movies and television shows have a similar issue. With streaming services snapping up exclusive licenses left and right, watching certain titles legally can sometimes be a pain in the behind. When you take into consideration the “Netflix” binge model, you may as well kiss away an entire afternoon just to watch the series when it comes out… that can take away time from other meaningful things.
It’s easy to find yourself sucked into a void as a blogger. I’d say that gaming and anime have their own occasionally insidious practices. Frankly, blogging does too. These issues can, and sometimes do, build up… it can be a stressful situation, and some people just can’t take the heat.
3. Fandom
I love being an anime and gaming fan, I do. It’s great to meet new people and share experiences. It can be a lot of fun, I pointed that out directly in this post a little while ago. However, fandom like all things, has a dark side. There are times that a fandom might argue or turn on each other, and this is the internet.
It is very easy to lose sight of our own personal experiences and thus, lose sight of the power that these mediums hold… but just as those mediums compel us to write about them, they compel others to feel something just as valuable on a personal level. We can’t forget that.
Fans are simply fans because they feel connected to the things they care about. Their reasons are their own, just as our reasons are ourown. Gaming and anime fandom have a distinctive “gate keeping” mentality on occasion, and no matter what your stance on that is, it isn’t going to go away any time soon.
The fact is, when we care deeply about something, it can hurt to feel invalidated by the opinion of another. Readers sometimes lash out and leave nasty comments, that’s a fact. All bloggers that talk about beloved media get a few not-so-nice comments on occasion.
If you blog for long enough, and share your personal opinions about anime or gaming commonly enough, there’s going to be someone out there who will disagree with you. People have bad days, and sometimes they take that out in comment sections.
Occasionally, seeing an opinion that’s harsh upon a thing they’re a fan of, truly is the last straw… and they may not offer constructive criticism in return.
Sometimes, you’ll get a very angry commentator that says some very nasty things… and you will have to deal with that. I’m sorry if this has happened to you, it has happened to me too… and as a blogger, eventually it will happen to all of us. I would say that all bloggers that discuss fandom related topics need to have thick emotional skin, but it isn’t just about that….
It’s about understanding that fandom is a powerful tool, and respecting that tool is part of being an anime or gaming blogger. We are the ones putting ourselves out there, and that’s a hard thing to do sometimes.
My Conclusions About Anime and Gaming Blogs.
Blogging is a journey. You will learn more about yourself, and the content you enjoy. It’ll give you something to really sink your teeth into. It’ll forge your outlook on the things you write about. Creatively, you’ll learn to be a wordsmith, cultivating and creating your own content for the world to see.
Does that mean blogging is for everyone? No, absolutely not.
Gaming and anime blogging requires a rich and diverse set of skills that aren’t exactly inherent to blogging directly. Both of these kinds of media can be a bit exclusionary too, simply by default. Blogging may be cheap, but gaming and anime aren’t always cheap hobbies. Streaming services and exclusivity deals certainly make that just a tad more difficult on occasion.
Anime and gaming fandom have an ebb and flow that can certainly become complicated the moment that a scandal in the industry arises. Crunch times and poor working conditions can cause fandom to run amok. Sometimes they fight among themselves, or aim that frustration outward. Series that are products of a bygone era may be problematic these days, and those are just the surface level concerns to be aware of… does that mean I’m going to discourage you from being a blogger?
No, I’m not… I’m going to do the opposite.
If you’ve read all of that and you still want to be a blogger, then it may be the right choice for you. I think blogging is one of the most rewarding experiences a person can have, because it can teach you so much about yourself… if you want to start up a blog, you owe it to yourself to give it a try.
However, I also think blogging is a challenge. There are times when it can be difficult, and times when you’ll need to puzzle out a problem or educate yourself on something you don’t know.
There’s not really anyone to hold your hand. Unless you know a blogger personally, you’ll be doing a lot of research. Even once you get into contact with fellow bloggers, we don’t always have the answers you might need. We all have our own tactics and methods to this madness, with time, you will too…
I hope this has been at least some help to you, and I wish you luck on your blogging endeavors.
This has been Kernook of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at it’s finest and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll catch you next time. Don’t forget to follow the blog for more content.
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Hey everyone, it’s Kernook here… I’ve always loved the Naruto universe with its compelling cast and complex ninja world. However the cast is so large that narrowing down a top ten list isn’t easy. I love so many of the characters for an assortment of reasons, so this is my list. It might not be yours. There’s also a caveat that should be kept in mind.
None of the core cast of the rookie nine were included in this list. That would be unfair, because so many of them are beloved fan favorites for myself included. I had to prune this list massively, as I doubt a gigantic list of top 50 or top 70 Naruto characters would go over very well… plus it would be very long to write.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into the list.
#10. Jiraiya
The resident pervert sage ranks number ten in my list because he’s honestly one of the characters that really sticks out to me. All of the Naruto characters have some sort of fatal flaw, none of them are perfect. That’s the hallmark of good writing. The man is a pervert though, make no mistakes about it. His love for writing erotic books aside, he’s earnest and he’s kind.
Jiraiya is a complex man with simple pleasures in life, and he’s old enough to carry the perspective needed in a good mentor. As a sage, he’s probably not the best example of the discipline or demeanor. However, there’s no question that he is a wonderful mentor and friend to those that need his support.
He ranks number 10 because his death is literally one of the saddest in the series for me. It’s secondary only to Asuma Sarutobi. Quite frankly even after Jiraiya is gone, he plays such a paramount role in Naruto’s development that he just needs a spot on this list.
#9. Iruka Umino
I honestly believe that Iruka is one of the most earnest characters in the entire series. He’s devoted to his village, and to his place in the ninja world in a way few others are. He’s a middling villager in almost every way, and he’s just fine with his lot in life. Given his own sad past and how it reflects Naruto’s own, there’s something to be said for a guy like him.
We can only really appreciate the tragic stories of others by looking back on where they came from. A lot of prominent youths in the series come from broken homes, left as orphans to fend for themselves. Iruka is one such character who grew into a well-adjusted adult.
For all of the characters achieving greatness, showing off insane feats at every turn, it’s nice to see a regular guy. He’s just living out the average ninja lifestyle the best way he can, and really I’ve got to give him a lot of credit for that.
#8. Asuma Sarutobi
This guy has a story for the record books. A man does his job valiantly, only to leave behind a woman he loves, and his unborn child. His students surround him in his final moments, rain falling from the sky as he doles out his last words. Asuma has one of the most memorable deaths in the Naruto series…
Here’s the thing, when it comes to the wider universe, this series heavily focuses on legacy and the passing of the torch from one person onto another. Youth grow up, inheriting the responsibilities of their successors. Passing on those lessons becomes intrinsic to the “ninja way”, and there’s just a lot of heart and soul you can’t fit into a few simple paragraphs hoping to do it justice.
There is no greater example of this than Asuma’s bond with Shikamaru. To me, that is the absolute pinnacle of what the core themes of the series attempt to convey. Found family and honor clings heavily upon the young upstarts aging into their positions in the village…
Facing down the difficulties of childish dreams slowly taken away, and replaced by adult ambition. Asuma to me is one of the most tragic characters. Outcomes like his are what lead to so much suffering among the hidden villages. It’s also what breeds the war and continued suffering of countless others.
If Iruka is one of my favorites due to his earnest average-joe lifestyle, then Asuma is one of my favorites because he represents the average casualty among villages and just how deeply it impacts those closest to them. We see on screen exactly what that does to the people he inadvertently leaves behind.
#7. Karui (Later, Karui Akimichi)
This was a difficult choice, because when it comes to Karui and Temari, it’s a toss up of what style of bad-assery you like better. Both of these women refuse to take crap from anyone, and both are self-assured. Ultimately, I settled on Karui because she’s not as charismatic, and she doesn’t even care what we think of her.
Beating Naruto bloody might have been a bridge too far, but that just goes to show how tenacious and ruthless she is. When she feels she has to act, she does. Temari is just a bit softer, and a tiny bit more timid, which is what made her lose the spot in the running.
You have to take Karui as she is. She won’t tolerate anyone doing otherwise. She won’t conform, she doesn’t want to. Her loyalty can’t be bought, and her ability to see the value in others comes from a very personal place. What I absolutely love about her character is that she eventually finds romance with Choji, and the romance is a mature thing from the get-go… neither of them act like profound idiots… beyond that, it gives all the proof we need that Karui has a gentle side.
So many stereotypes flip on their head when Karui is on screen. In a series like Naruto, that can be pretty hard to come by. So many of the core members within the series are taken up by women who can’t seem to figure themselves out… or when they do, it isn’t on firm ground.
Karui knows who she is and what she wants out of her future. She’s also one of the few women who shows romantic interest because it empowers her own personal sense of pride and self-worth. In a series where young, emotionally independent women can be somewhat hard to find, Karui is a breath of fresh air…
But, like I said, Temari isn’t too far removed from that, either. In that way, she’s certainly an honorable mention not soon to be left out or forgotten.
#6. Might Guy and Kakashi Hatake
Call this a cop-out if you want, but in my opinion you just can’t have one without the other on any character list. You also can’t place one of them above the other in my opinion. That diminishes the bond these two share. They’re rivals, but they’re also sincerely good friends. The connection of their male bond is so incredibly important for so many characters in the series. It gives us viewers context for so many key themes in the show.
Male bonds are a driving factor for so many things the young men in the series do. Separating these two is just impossible to me. It would be like having a Naruto anime without Sasuke… you just can’t freakin’ do it… and that’s why these two need to be on the list.
It’s the entire point of the show… the forged bonds that last the test of time. That’s what the series is about. That’s the core ethos.
These two characters showcase this bond when it’s in synergy. There’s a brotherhood here. When both of them are on the same wavelength, the two of them harbor the same sort of profound loyalty and companionship that Naruto has for Sasuke.
I just can’t overlook that, not for anything…
However, that’s why they’re not in the top five, that wouldn’t be fair either. As important to the series as these characters are, and as deeply compelling the friendship they keep is, it’s only fair I place them in the number 6 spot.
#5. Killer Bee
It’s funny to me that when it comes to Naruto’s long list of mentors Killer Bee stands out on top for me, but it’s true. I really do like Jiraiya, but there’s just something so unassuming about Killer Bee. He’s fun to watch, charismatic and goofy at times, but he knows when to get serious too.
Honestly, I love this character because what you see is what you get with this guy. Much like Karui, you’ve got to take him as he is, and if you don’t that’s not his problem… he doesn’t care.
He’s been through the ringer, there’s some real grit and trauma attached to him. He doesn’t let that history get the better of him. As a Jinchūriki, he’s the most emotionally well-rounded when we first see him on screen. He has such a fundamental role in the series, and also the one so easy to overlook. Yeah, it’s true, he’s always spouting off nonsense and driving everyone crazy… still, if he weren’t so well respected, he wouldn’t be where he is when he enters into the show.
Common sense does not always equate to wisdom, but Killer Bee has both. He knows what it takes to earn the respect of those around him, and exactly how to keep it. For a Jinchūriki that’s not an easy road. We’ve seen what happens to Naruto and Gaara when communities turn their back on one.
Killer Bee walked that path too, but he did it with a smile on his face and he continues to do so even when the chips are down. Killer Bee is just an uplifting guy all around.
What isn’t to like about that?
#4. Nagato (Pain)
Once again, we turn to the deeper ties that bind these characters together. Pain’s character accomplishes 2 things. Firstly, he brings the full ramification of the Akatsuki’s story to a boiling point. Secondly he forces viewers to ask themselves deeper questions about the series as a whole. There is, in a way a “circle-of-life” vibe from this true and iconic villain… even if it is the darker, grittier sort.
In a world where war tarnishes what characters love most, and rips innocence away from them, Nagato provides a rather insidious bone to chew. He’s as tragic a character as he is completely dangerous. Seeing his true form, a withered husk of a person really hits home in ways so few of Naruto’s villains do.
He trained under Jiraiya in his younger days, but sadly, that peaceful philosophy became warped and sent askew. Although Jiraiya had spent the time to teach many things, all of those lessons became corrupted entirely by years of atrocities… death, war, emotional hardship and the continued loss of community and innocence.
In a way, you might say this man became Jiraiya’s greatest failing, and in another way turned into what I believe to be Naruto’s greatest foil…
#3. Itachi Uchiha
You know what they say. Assumptions make asses out of people, and it made an ass out of Sasuke. First assumed as a villain, Itachi Uchiha was a guy that completely massacred the Uchiha clan, aside from his younger brother. However, that’s a slanted view… a child’s view of something much larger and far more complicated.
If growing up is part of the core ethos in this series, so is learning to see the truth for yourself. To gain a clearer insight, and forge one’s own opinions based on the facts presented. Sasuke later finds out that his brother is no sick and twisted murderer.
He did kill the rest of the clan, but that was only to protect the Hidden Leaf village, and it was something he did in service to it. Even the Hokage knew what had to be done, and Itachi did exactly that.
What makes these bonds of bloodline and vengeance so entirely heartbreaking is that Itachi had no intention to truly harm his little brother with his actions. Morally bankrupt or not, someone had to do it, and Itachi took up the task… in a way it ruined his spirit and forged him anew in ways he least wished for.
I will never forget Itachi’s last apology as he’s bleeding from the mouth and facing his own death. For countless episodes there are flashbacks, and promises of later. Sadly, later never comes for these two brothers. Instead, it’s only a final apology and a goodbye… a death and loss that holds no comfort or even vindication. All that Sasuke has left is an understanding that he didn’t know a single thing, blinded by his own grief and anger as he was, there was nothing he could have done.
Itachi is without question one of my most favorite characters that as a fan, I never had the chance to understand. Having viewed the entire event through Sasuke’s eyes, I never had the chance to really get to know Itachi until it was too late and he was gone…
The series played this one close to the chest right up until the end, and they did a damn good job of it. Itachi sits at number 3 because there is so much more to this character than I ever gave him credit for. That sticks with me to this day…
As long as i continue to be an anime fan, it probably always will.
#2. Zabuza Momochi and Haku
Yes, we’ve got another two-for-one deal here. Sorry, it just needs to happen, because you just can’t have one without the other. It just cannot work for me. What makes these two so interesting is the bond they have for each other and the true and imminent threat these two pose to the rookie members of Team Seven.
These two characters are the first real time that we’re shown what kind of actual danger these kids are in, and just what happens when adults cannot keep them safe or protected. There’s a cruelty and hardship laced down deep among many of these characters, Zabuza is one of them, Haku is another…
However, for many of us, these were some of the first characters to value their lives not based upon their own self-worth, but rather the worth of another found within them instead… and there was nothing heroic about the way either of these two characters chose to think.
Yet, in his dying breaths, Zabuza makes his way bodily over to Haku and spends his final moments reflecting upon everything that he ever was, and everything he tossed away. For the rookies, it’s their first real taste of this dark and gritty world that they live in. For us viewers, it’s the first time we’ve got to contend with the truth.
This moment did one thing. It promised that we were going to have to swallow down some pretty uncomfortable realities. We had to accept that no, this really wasn’t a kid’s show, and it wasn’t all fun and games.
In these moments nothing could be sanctimonious anymore. We were going to lose characters we enjoyed, and not all of them would be hard and grizzled adults going out in a bad-ass blaze of glory… no, sometimes it would be a death that could have damn-well been prevented, and in all honesty damn-well should have been.
After this battle, there’s a burial. Although it isn’t the hardest hitting one that we run into across this series, it is one of the first that really made us think about what the show was going to send at us next.
Mark my words; if Zabuza and Haku were not so wonderfully written and conceptualized as characters, the early establishment of so many themes would have entirely suffered for it.
This line-up is a start-studed one to be sure, but how do you beat these guys in my book and take the number one spot on this list? Good question…
#1. You Don’t! The Hidden Villages Take the Top Spot!
Hidden villages are their own character within the show, translucent and on the back-burner but no less dynamic. There’s an intuitive understanding among those that live within them, and that understanding forces so much of the good and the bad within this wider ninja world that we fans enjoy.
Hear me out here, the series wouldn’t be so good if we didn’t get to have a taste of the complex and diverse ideology found within these villages. Some of the best and beloved moments come from a cast of characters that come from far away places. Be it the battle Gaara has with Rock Lee during the Chunin Exams early on, or some of the saddest battles in the series later on, we get a taste of it all.
What makes these characters so prolific are the communities and cultures they hail from. These identities can’t only come down to the characters we follow on the screen, but the masses that we don’t see. Naruto and Gaara want to be Kage simply because of their villages and the ambitions they have… to belong among them.
I am always taken aback by the scenes that truly highlight the wider world, the changes it’s made for the better, the faults it still has… the world building in this series is absolutely a master craft in and of itself.
The countless peoples inhabiting this world are what breathes real life into the fights. When villages are on the verge of ruin and war takes so much away, the villages still persist and persevere.
So much about this series comes down to protecting what is valuable, and mourning what is lost. To fight for the things that matter, and to let go of the things that don’t. To love despite pain, and to trust despite war. These themes are only made so incredibly powerful, because we get to experience the realities of a village attacked so brutally.
We are forced to see the cold and hard realities for those that call themselves ninja. Neji says it best, when he says that Hinata is prepared to die for Naruto. That he holds more than his own life in his hands.
This, I believe is true of all ninja to a point. To choose to kill and cultivate more war is the end result. Years of bloodshed continue to harbor old grudges. So much if that could be avoided, and is shown to be mitigated once this new enlightened generation matures to take center stage.
From characters like Nagato and Jiraiya, to those like Neji and Itchai, those who are raised to become a ninja are at the mercy of the world they’re thrown into… and there is really little mercy to be found.
This scene would not be so powerful if it was only Neji that died. Many nameless characters lay dead and each one meant something to someone out there. That is implied, but Naruto knows it to be true. He is horrified to see these things around him, and these atrocities continue to occur in ways he just cannot abide.
The villages, the peoples, and the journeys all of the characters take really rely on where they came from, who impacted them the most. What lessons were passed down during their formative years are the ones that will forge either peace, or more bloodshed.
That is something only the villages do, for better and for worse, and that is why they take the top spot on this list.
From the little ramen shop that Naruto frequents, to the barbecue Choji enjoys, and the shogi matches Shikmaru spent his childhood playing, all of the characters we come to care for learn one thing.
You always protect the “king”, and that metaphor will never die, nor will it ever become weak or overstated.
Then again, this is my list. you may disagree. You’re free to do so. No matter what your opinion might be, the hidden villages, with their diverse cultures and complex mindsets take the number one spot for me.
This has been Kernook of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you next time.
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Hey everyone, it’s Kernook here, coming at you with another fandom related blog post. As a Twitch streamer myself, it should be no surprise that I watch other streamers as well. That’s the nature of today’s post.
Picture it, you’re stumbling around on Twitch trying to find some content to watch. What streamer do you pick? I think we’ve all been there. In truth, finding good gameplay content has never been easier, but, it has also never been more flooded as a market.
With so many wonderful choices to pick from, it can be hard to pick and choose. Wonder no further, I’ve got a suggestion for you.
xCatilxis a twitch streamer that I’ve been following for a little while now. In an attempt to help support her content, I suggested that I should write a post on our platform to try and uplift her own.
To be absolutely clear: I approached her about this endeavor. That talk of ours inspired this post because… well… that’s what communities do, we support each other.
In any case, if you frequent the The Demented Ferrets Twitch Channel, you may have seen her own twitch channel hosted from time to time. That will continue to be true. Some of you might not have noticed though, and if so, this incredibly casual blog post is for you.
If you’re looking to find new and interesting content, stop by and say hello when xCatilx goes live. if you enjoy the content you see, click the follow button (and a few Twitch Bits for a song).
You’ll be sure to see me hanging around in the chat from time-to-time so don’t be shy. Typically, I hang around in the Sims 4 and WoW streams, but I’ve been known to jump into chat during other times too.
xCatilx takes a moment to read the chat and talk to the viewers.
A word from xCatilx: “Hello, I’m Catil. I’m a stay at home mom who loves to play video games, watch documentaries, and listen to music in my spare time. I try my best to be a good person; someone that hopefully one day my kids can be proud of having as a parent. My favorite games include Animal Crossing, Pokemon, Legend of Zelda and Sims 4. I love comedy movies, especially if they involve Adam Sandler. Feel free to stop in if you’d like and say hi! If talking in chat is stressful for you, don’t worry about it. I don’t want anyone to ever feel pressured to chat in my streams. Just hang out for awhile and enjoy the humor.”
xCatilx prides herself upon cultivating a friendly community of viewers from many walks of life. As a follower of hers, I can say with steadfast resolve that the calm and relaxed environment isn’t one you’ll want to pass up. The atmosphere is always welcoming. The community has a decent number of active regulars, and they’re all friendly folks.
With a robust weekly schedule that runs from Monday – Thursday from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST, if you like to see consistency out of the streamers you watch, then you’ll find it here. Content spans the gambit from casual sandbox games to MMORPG’s.
As you can see from her Twitch channel, and the chat, she’s motivated to support good causes such as helping to support veterans or service membersin crisis. That’s actually one of the reasons I was so motivated to do this blog post.
Every time I’ve watched one of her streams, without fail, there’s always been some sort of good cause or important event that she feels the need to support in some small way.
Streamers who use their platforms for good things like that, are streamers that speak to me as a viewer. She spreads awareness of these events in welcome and reasonable ways. She leaves it in your hands, basically. The information is there if you want to know more, but if you don’t that’s perfectly okay too.
Personally, I cannot compliment her style of streaming enough.
As a streamer, she interacts with her viewers. We’ve all spoken about a wide range of topics to pass the time during gameplay, and we’ve had quite a few good laughs too. You can redeem channel points to have xCatilx take her glasses off for a short time. You can also have her flip game controls around, adding to the fun. Honestly, there’s all kinds of things you can do.
I’d suggest that you follow xCatilx on social mediato see when she goes live for a stream. You’ll see a few other interesting pieces of content there too. By the way, that’s where I first found out about thatFallout 76 clip.
As a wife, mother, and pet owner, she’s about as down-to-earth as you can get. Fun times mix with the benefit of life’s perspective. She’s relatable, and more than that she’s kind.
As an Twitch Affiliate level streamer, she keeps her advertisement breaks minimal. She also tends to warn us ahead of time if she sees that one is about to play. That’s a nice courtesy, and I wish more streamers would do that.
Alright guys, gals, and others. That’s about it from me today. Seriously though, if you’re in need of a chill place to relax with entertaining gameplay content, go say hello and check out her social media and live streams.
In the meantime, this has been Kernook from The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you next time.
Hey guys, it’s Kernook here, and you know I just had to bring this up. As a huge Resident Evil fan, myself, I couldn’t keep quiet about this for long. Absolutely not…
Netflixhas always been full to bursting with original content, and it’s really no surprise that they would try to garner attention from Resident Evil fans. We are a rather hungry group of people when it comes to our games, movies, books and other media. Cashing in on the franchise at this point is just flat out common sense.
They’ve been promoting the series fairly hard for a while now, using posters that make nods to the less than scrupulous pharmaceutical company that fans know as Umbrella. Yellow posters are splattered with blood, pills, and the unsettling promise that we’re certainly going to enter the nightmare on this one…
It isn’t all blood and gore though. In a clear attempt to promote its forthcoming Resident Evil series, they’ve also released posters back in June featuring long-time villain and franchise mainstay Albert Wesker and other members of the family.
The actor to play Wesker in this iteration will be played by Lance Reddick, and honestly, I’m pretty excited for that. Yeah, he’s not the image of Wesker that we’re all used to. That being said, he’s going to be the first person of color to play Resident Evil‘s long time big baddie. He also has an impressive acting career. This guy is no amateur.
I stand firm on the concept that representation in media is important, and since this series isn’t a direct 1-to-1 replicate of the games, it isn’t a problem for me. As long as he can play the part, and do it well, that’s all I care about.
I have high hopes… but I also have a few worries.
The Netflix series will be the first live action one to be heavily based on Capcom’s games, so it has a lot to live up to… we’ll have to just wait until its released on July 14 to see how it goes.
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Well, the 8-episode series is supposed to be set in 2036. That’s about 14 years after their deadly virus caused a global apocalypse… and this is where my concern rests. As we can clearly see, they’re already playing fast and loose with the plot-line already.
Jade Wesker, Albert’s daughter, fights for survival in a world completely overrun by Umbrella’s twisted experiments. Jade is haunted by her past in New Raccoon City, by her father’s previous connections to the Umbrella Corporation, and something having to do with her sister.
Honestly, this is the thing I am least excited for.
I think it may be a little disingenuous for the series to claim it follows the Capcom plot-lines, without any respect paid to the original game franchise at all. I don’t care if the race of actors playing the characters change. I’m completely fine with that, but I don’t want to see a new character taking the spotlight either.
I’m withholding judgement, but I’d rather see a true and proper retelling of the game series, not yet another spin-off that literally goes off the rails. I have no idea why this disconnect is so predominant with filmmakers, but it is an issue with games turned into film.
Constantly, we get a story-retelling that somehow doesn’t follow the actual story. How that happens repetitiously, when you have the actual games, and remasters of the actual games as a blueprint, I have no idea. At this point though, it is a pet peeve… and it drives me up the wall.
I’m going to withhold my judgement until I see the series, it might be wonderful…. and I hope it is.
Well, I do feel at least a little cheated that we aren’t getting a series mainstay as a main character… failing that, at this point the series has a robust side cast to utilize. We do not need more random characters, what we need is a spotlight put on the ones we don’t have enough of.
I hope at the very least, Netflix has taken that into consideration. Beyond that, I hope we get plenty of compelling narratives for characters that we preexisting fans already know about and have a sentimental tie with.
This has been Kernook of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you next time.
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Hey everyone it’s Kern here. It’s time for another fandom related post. Obviously, these posts are all about the joy of fandom and cover topics that I’m a fan of. I decided upon another musical artist, it’s been a long time since I’ve written about one.
To be honest with you though, Emma Blackery’s musical talent is something I really should have brought up before. I absolutely love her music.
As a disclaimer, nobody solicited my opinion.Nobody offered me any sort of perk for writing about this artist. I have not met this artists personally. I have not seen her live, in concert.
I simply enjoy Emma’s music as found on YouTube and Spotify. That was my only qualifier that I found necessary in order to make the recommendation of Emma’s musical style.
If you would like to hear her content, I would advise that you follow the links to her YouTube channel or the songs I suggest below. She does plenty of other content over there too.
If you know this artist at all, you may be aware that she’s done collaborative work in the past with Dave, from Boyinaband. That’s how I discovered her channel, in the first place. That was a long time ago though.
Emma has a range of vocal skill. Now, I’m no music critic so I won’t attempt to be one. I love it, that’s enough for me. There’s something about her style that’s so simple, yet, lyrically addictive. Her music will get stuck in your head if you listen to it enough.
I’m writing this blog post today because I’m eagerly awaiting Emma’s new single that she made a tweet about. I have to admit, I’m pretty hyped. Since that song isn’t out yet though, let’s discuss music you can already listen to.
I’d say look no further than “Agenda”. Why do I like it? This is snappy, upbeat, and very self-empowering. It’s the sort of song that I enjoy with the volume levels high as I do chores around the house or just in general. I relate to this song a lot. Hugely entertaining, and an all around good time, you can’t go wrong here.
Frankly, when I listen to an artist like Emma, I don’t resonate well with many of her deeper, more thoughtful pieces. Mind you, that’s just me. That isn’t a slight to her as a singer/songwriter. In fact, you may find that you like some of those tracks better.
I don’t dislike them, I just don’t relate as well personally to them. I just don’t have the same sort of life experiences that help me relate to it in the same way. I think that’s the key takeaway there.
If you do like music that tells a deeper story, I’d have to suggest “Don’t Come Home”. It’s a solid song, the vocals are brilliant, and the musical composition is nothing to sneeze at. I wholeheartedly recommend it because it’s just really good… but it is a bit sadder and introspective.
In the end Emma’s happier pieces, or those with an up-beat tone are the ones that draw me in the most. That being said, you should check out her channel and listen to her music for yourself.
One last song that I feel the absolute urge to add to this list, is Icarus. This song still brings me to tears to this day. Now the reason why it hits home for me is a personal journey. In my blog post “The First Brick” I talk about my cousin passing away and my life’s ambitions… what we always said we’d do… this song reminds me so heavily of those ambitions and my continued steps forward to reach them.
So, if you listen to nothing else… listen to that one… Icarus. If you like her musical style, support her, follow her on her platforms and jam out to that new single song “Cry to Your Mother” when it comes out.
This has been Kernook of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you next time.
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Hey everyone, it’s Kernook here. When I think of influential television shows, TheSimpsons comes to my mind instantaneously. I wanted to discuss the first season, so that’s what I’m going to do.
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Honestly, I doubt that The Simpsons even needs an introduction at this point. It’s hard not to know of this series. With fifteen separate dubs and nearly thirty subs, The Simpsons stands right up there with some of the most prolific shows of our modern age. When it comes to worldwide appeal in the animation space, this series is something of an enigma.
Plenty of cartoons are, sure enough, but The Simpsons wasn’t exactly intended for children and it sits within an odd middle ground. It isn’t a Japanese anime, it’s not your average American cartoon, either.
Rather I should say that it didn’t used to be an average one. Back in the day, the series wasn’t directed at family friendly viewing. It just wasn’t so egregious that you need to slam the television off the moment a small child walked into the room. It’s no Family Guy or South Park in that way. It just wasn’t intended for children and appeared on a network and time slot that children wouldn’t gravitate towards.
The Simpsons got a start on the Tracy Ullman Show back in 1989, when the Fox Network wanted to appeal to young adults in the late teens and early twenties. My memories don’t actually include that, it’s just hard to be a Simpsons fan and not know that crucial little detail. I was also born in 1989. As you can probably guess my earliest memories of the show happened during my early childhood in the 90’s.
I remember The Simpsons as its own separate series. I grew up with it because my family watched it, thus I did too. I’d suspect many of you out there are the same as me.
In 1990, it began airing regularly as its own separate television show. The first season is about as messy as you can get. It was a new thing back then. Animation of the era, particularly american cartoons were sometimes questionable at best in terms of art style and quality. The Simpsons as a show wasn’t really any different.
Matt Groening, the cartoonist and creator of The Simpsons deserves his own separate blog post, but the key thing to note is that he wanted to put a lampshade on what a real american family was at the time. With his finger on the pulse he managed to do just that.
I don’t think any Simpsons fan would disagree that season one has a strange feel to it. It’s both a classic to television history, just as it is a complete and total mess by today’s standards. As a series in its infancy though, it was very well-liked and highly regarded. The distinctive feel of the early concepts we know and love today were just beginning.
These days if you were to look at the first season without context, it would be like walking into a bizarre world.
Waylon Smithers doesn’t look like this anymore. He’s yellow, like a large majority of The Simpson cast. I think it just goes to show how much the series was still in its infancy.
It’s funny, because when a lot of fans are “purists” about something, they’re usually referencing the earliest seasons. However, when it comes to fan of The Simpsons the idea of a “purist” usually refers to slightly later seasons, when characters began to feel fleshed out and the animation quality became stable.
Generally speaking, you either love or hate The Simpsons in the first season, or you just don’t remember the first season at all. Really though, I just can’t fault anyone for that. This animated series had a lot of bumps and bruises along the way to being the cultural icon as we know it today.
High Concept, Low Execution
The Simpsons was closer to a sitcom rather than it was a children’s cartoon, and that was by design. The colors were chosen to be bright and catch the attention of channel surfers, but despite the brightly colored characters, this was never meant to be for kids.
The characters themselves were generally down to earth when they needed to be, however the animation was experimental and occasionally that resulted in a total mess. While real character focused stories often took center stage, the scenes with a lot of characters on screen at once made for something of an eyesore.
If you look closely at almost every crowd shot within season one, you’re going to find a goofy little thing or two. It’s good for a small chuckle, I’ll give it that. This particular moment of unintentional hilarity comes from the episode Homer’s Odyssey. If you look carefully, you’ll see that it looks like two guys are either joined at the skull or they’ve freakishly snapped their necks.
I’m not sure if the creators intended it that way, or if it was just an accident. Either way, the first season of the Simpsons is absolutely bursting with moments like this. This is honestly one of my favorite ones to point to because it’s just so goofy that I easily remember it.
However, it wasn’t the animation that kept us viewers glued to our seats. The show almost always had something interesting to say. You see the thing is, The Simpsons portrayed a typical American family. At the time shows didn’t like to display families that were dysfunctional at best and absolutely downright awful at worst. The Simpsons refused to shy away from dysfunction. In fact, nine times out of ten, real and direct family dysfunction was the centerpiece.
The usual concentric focus of family related sitcoms get put under a looking glass where temptation and personal character failings demand attention too. While Homer and Marge do have a loving relationship, and arguably a more stable one, the failings of the romance still shows through plainly.
They can discuss marital issues, such as Homer going to a stag party and make notes of objectifying women with an earnest bent. The theme of the episode aside, in Homer’s Night Out the series still maintains the close family bonds that the family struggles to keep close at hand. The party itself is one thing. However the deeper theme is about how this impacts Bart’s view of women and Homer’s ability as a father to correct that.
Every episode is handled with similar attention paid to family drama and muddling their way through life. The same holds true for all the characters, although here in the first season we get more Homer or Bart related stories than anything else. They monopolize half of the episodes to stories centered around at least one of them.
Since the first season is only 13 episodes long, that’s a pretty large monopoly of screen time for these two characters. Although, I have to admit, that was probably a solid decision. These two characters certainly add a larger measure of flair to the family dysfunction.
We shouldn’t overlook the fact that the other family characters still get a large portion of screen time too within these focused stories. There’s a lot to be said about Lisa and Marge getting great early character development because of the stories that were told.
There’s a real sort of emotional focus upon the actions these characters take, and what impact it has on the family unit. We can have moments of Bart and Lisa arguing about who loves their father more, only to then have the joke subverting our expectations.
That’s not to say every episode hits it out of the park, or even manages to flawlessly get its point across. Many times, The Simpsons isn’t able to do that. What it can and does do flawlessly is leave the viewer with a loose ethos of what the series tried to represent. It asks you to either take it or leave it, and it doesn’t particularly care what you do with it.
The show is full of parody and satire culture, along with hot button issues of the era. You didn’t have to like the show back then, you just had to take notice of it. The series wasn’t trying to be a mindless popcorn viewing for the masses. Even though you could do that and enjoy the show just fine as it was, The Simpsons refused to be ignored either.
It gracelessly showcased the often questionable cultural identity of the white American family when “proper” sitcoms of the day hesitated to do strictly that. Homer was not the perfect father figure or husband, Marge while supportive was often short sighted, and the children were merely that; children. Bart was the wayward hell-raiser, and Lisa was the intelligent, if mischievous little artist. Maggie was the baby back then, clearly a very smart one, but she hadn’t come into her own as a character just yet.
There was a lot to unpack if you cared to, and many people did. The series was relatable, and that meant a lot.
Does The Simpsons Season 1 Hold Up?
Yes… surprisingly so, actually.
The Simpsons still continues on today, even though many fans often think the series has been milked for all it can be worth at this point. It lives on anyway. Perhaps it is a bit geriatric these days, lacking the more pin-point accurate depiction of what a microcosm of America should look like. However, you can look back on the first season of The Simpsons and find a relevancy there that hasn’t quite gone away.
Yeah, it looks dated, sure it does. The animation is a bit goofy looking sometimes. The series is over thirty years old, give it a little bit of slack there. It might not be perfect, in fact I’d say the show is very flawed. In a way though, that was the point.
The Simpsons should feel flawed. It should feel off kilter and askew while still feeling entirely relatable, and that’s exactly how season one feels even to this very day. Be it school yard woes and the topic of bullying, or martial problems and the struggles of faithfulness, there’s downright honesty to be found here.
It is satire, meaning it’s never too dark, or too gritty. There’s a humor and a light to be had at the end of the darkest moments. However that darkness pervades a little too. At the end of the day, the series has a lot of heart and soul embedded deep within every episode of this first season.
It can be funny and it can be dumb on occasion. No matter what though, it will always be astoundingly honest with you, the viewer. The Simpsons has a first season that doesn’t quite know what it is, and its beginnings are as humble as they are unsteady… but, well… we wouldn’t have so many seasons of the show, if it hadn’t started someplace.
If the series is a cash cow still to this day, then we only have these early seasons to thank for it, this first one most of all. That start really isn’t half bad even nowadays, either.
It truly is worth the watch. Even if you’ve already seen it, go back to the very start and get yourself a good dose of nostalgia. Enjoying the good old days every now and then really isn’t as much of a sin as we all make it out to be.
This has been Kernook of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you next time.
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Anime is a powerful medium. It can take you to fantastical places. It can teach you valuable lessons, but failing all of that, at least it can give you a momentary escape from the daily grind.
I think that as an anime fan it’s important to examine why we collectively love anime. More than that, though, we should take the time to really appreciate what the medium does for the fan-base.
One of the most important things that anime taught me, is that believing in oneself the largest obstacle anyone might have to overcome. When doubt prevails, it’s easy to lose sight of the goals we have in mind. Ambition is only as powerful as our own personal drive to find success. When we allow our doubts to rule our minds and our actions, we’re put at a disadvantage. At that point, we’ve already lost half the battle to be successful in the first place.
There are plenty of anime that examine this concept. Honestly, you could aimlessly throw a dart upon a board and likely land on a name that uses this ethos as a key plot element. From Dragon Ballto Ranma 1/2, and Sailor Moon toPokemon, you’d be hard pressed not to find a series that expertly crafts its narrative around this concept.
For this example though, I’m going to turn to My Hero Academia. You could point to classic, much longer lived series like Narutotoo, but I find that ultimately, My Hero Academia has a much more truncated story. It’s just an easier anime to consume, and to me it stands out as a pinnacle anime to look at when discussing this particular ideology; personal belief and the struggles therein.
When you sit down to watch this series, the first thing that the show does is impart the core ethos of the characters, and the way they see the world. It becomes clear quite early on that the main protagonist has plenty of personal doubt to combat within himself. However, it’s also true that plenty of the other characters doubt him too.
It’s the standard hero’s journey formula, nothing new there. However, the key thing about Deku that always stuck out to me, was just how far he was willing to go. In the earliest episodes of season one, Deku proves just how hard he has to work to prove himself.
It might not be realistic for him to become a hero at first, and it might not ever be possible as far as he knows; but being a hero is what he lives for. To him it is as much of a passion as it is a personal calling.
The faith Deku needs to find within himself and those around him isn’t something only held on a surface level. It’s so intrinsic to him as a person, that he’ll go to nearly any length to achieve success. To remove his dream from possibility at all, denies a core part of who is he, and who he aspires to be.
Now, you can say what you want about anime being simply that, anime…
To me there is something so noteworthy about the way he plucks his papers from the water fountain. Those ruined notes were cast aside by those that doubt him, and the feeling of loss portrayed here is little more than human, real in its design and desire to be worth something at all.
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We all go through that. There isn’t a person I can think of who hasn’t doubted some key facet of themselves to the point of nearly giving up. Deku nearly gives up his dream in the first episode.
The conflict he has within himself about whether or not he should give up speaks volumes about who he is as a character. There’s something to be said for the way a very disenfranchised Deku lifts his notebook from the water, angry and hurt. From having been bullied, told to jump and end himself, to having the one thing he cares about the most tossed aside, there’s little more than true humanity in these moments.
Aside from the cruelty that Deku faces, there’s a real firm ideology that Deku has to face down in becoming a hero too. Namely that he knows that in order to be successful at all, it’ll only get more difficult from here.
Watching these sorts of struggles in anime speak to me more heavily than almost any other medium… normally I’m not expecting it. When I first began watching My Hero Academia the same held true. I just wasn’t expecting this sort of content. At least, not in the first episode.
To say it was a punch to the gut would be the understatement of the century. Live action series tend to be darker, grittier, and typically try to speak to a level of realism I’m entirely prepared for. Therefore, it just doesn’t hit me that hard. When that grittiness presents itself, I’m prepared for it. Nine times out of ten, it occasionally feels “preachy” and that helps it to miss the mark too.
In point of fact, it does the direct opposite. Placing a boy in front of us on the verge of letting go of his dream. From the very start of the series, the world around Deku forces him to question what he can really do. He really has to sit and think about his plans. He has to wonder if there’s anything he can do to achieve what he wants the most.
The luck of the draw isn’t on his side, and maybe it would be wiser to find a new ambition, but Deku lives for his.
It’s important to dream big, have lofty goals, and to aspire to something beyond your current measure. Maybe we won’t always achieve them, but the faith that we can if we try hard enough that matters too. In the end, plenty of people in reality have moved mountains for less.
I’m reminded of a real world example, a baseball player by the name of Jackie Robinson… now I’m no baseball guru, but for those that don’t know this man, you probably should. You see, on April 15th of 1947, Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s racially inclined color barrier. He was the first black man to play in major league baseball with white people. That’s huge, because the civil rights movement didn’t begin to gain any firm ground to stand on until 1955… to say he played an integral role in cutting down racial divides just doesn’t do the matter justice.
It’s a great example of the impossible becoming possible in reality. Within our daily lives, Jackie Robinson is a hero to be remembered. Disputing adversity, despite the odds, he became a major league baseball star. He did this in a time when that was just considered entirely out of line and out of place.
However, as I said, my expertise isn’t baseball, and it’s certainly not impressively historic figures likeJackie Robinson. There are people much more qualified to speak of him and what he managed to accomplish than I ever could. I merely bring him up, because the hero’s journey isn’t exclusive to anime… and watching the major league pay tribute to him, as they’ve done for years now, had me thinking on the topic.
We have real world heroes too… heroes that were likely scoffed at and told their dreams meant nothing. Validation matters, aspiration matters, never giving up… that matters… I can’t point to all things Jackie Robinson did to change the course of fate, but I’m sure that all of his acclaim is well earned in the very least.
What I can do is point to Deku, how I relate to him and his struggles. My Hero Academia reminds me so heavily that it is truly worth having a dream to live for and aspire to. Honestly, that is worth far more to each of us than anyone can put a price on.
The end of the first episode of My Hero Academialends itself to a question, and it’s one that absolutely resonates with the core themes of the show. It all boils down to one thing, can Deku become a hero?
It’s the thing he wants most of all, and the thing that everyone tells him that he just can’t have is just to be a hero. However, his aspirations and convictions begin to touch the souls of many… and Deku eventually attains the thing he needs most in order to reach for his dreams.
At the end of episode one, though, it’s all still just a question. He has to believe he can. Personal belief is half the battle, and arguably, it’s the most important one…
This has been Kernook of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you next time.
You can help support us through PayPal or Patreon.
With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier. If you don’t care for Patreon, and don’t care about perks, you can always support us through PayPal too… links below.
Those who join via Patreon get special perks, such as extra content, quicker updates, and more.
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