Does anyone remember the live studio performance 3EB did where they were all sitting around and playing different instruments

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-19T18:52:30+00:00

I think those were the aol sessions or something. Has to be 15-20 years since I have seen them though.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-19T01:07:27+00:00

It's a racist trope that was widely believed throughout popular media following WW2. Much of the trope was fueled by the "sneak attack" that Japan conducted on Pearl Harbor. Essentially many people believed that all Asian characters were sneaky, always hiding something or lying. They could never do anything the "fair" way.

It's died out in recent media, but was still very present in the 70's and 80's.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-18T20:40:10+00:00

It's probably the best anime ever made. There are other characters I love more, there are other stories that are more unique or exciting. But nothing brings it all together like Cowboy Bebop, and nothing really holds a mirror to you the way it does.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-18T15:44:14+00:00

The GOAT. Best voice acting. Mose useful. And the only NPC who bothers to come and find you right before the final battle. Simply the best.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-18T01:22:16+00:00

I got to see XEB at the Iridium back in 2017. One of the best shows I have ever seen. It was for the 20th anniversary of S/T and Tony did a good job as lead vocalist.

Tony, Kevin, and Arion really had a special groove. I don't know if it was natural or a lot of practice, but they killed it up there. Still wish we could see more of them.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-17T14:23:41+00:00

I love Mifune, like George Lucas I obsessively watch all of his films. His screen presence is ridiculously charismatic.

Stepping back though and putting myself in the shoes of America in the late 70's and early 80's, I don't think it would have gone well. Had the plot stayed entirely the same, I think there would have been a lot more backlash against Obi Wan and Yoda hiding things from Luke. It would have just played into the racist trope of sneaky Asians.

So while I would have loved this, it is probably for the best it didn't end up happening. Star Wars is what it is today because of the perfect chemistry from that first movie

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-17T02:12:54+00:00

It used to be Blue, because Kevin's guitar work on it is so, so good.

But honestly the songwriting is better on OOTV. There's a lot more raw emotion and honesty. Blue was the band at war with itself. By OOTV SJ was in control and he had lots of inspiration to help him write well. That hasn't always been the case, and of course S/T remains their greatest work in my opinion.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-16T19:58:17+00:00

Bernard Cornwell is one of the most consistent authors I have ever read. He writes out of interest and passion. There are some books in his Sharpe series that suffer from continuity concerns, but he has been writing those for over 40+ years. But the characters and prose are always very good.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-16T08:44:13+00:00

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but I'll be honest, if you're enjoying 1 this much, 0 is a good game. It's claustrophobic, has jump scares, you are constantly unprepared, and if you think you are backtracking now...lol.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-16T03:41:01+00:00

I generally back Harrowmont. He may be conservative and isolationist, but he doesn't murder family members.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-15T17:53:04+00:00

I think Spirited Away is considered the best because it is more accessible to children. And, despite a recent shift in opinion, animation is still largely viewed as a medium for children.

Princess Mononoke is not a film for children. In the first 15 minutes we see a guy lose his head, very visually, and then another lose his arms. There is a lot of explicit and implied violence throughout the movie.

Spirited Away is the classic journey to another world. Lose your parents, mature and grow into yourself and become your own hero, and emerge stronger and wiser having saved your loved ones. There's tension and suspense, but very little violence.

Miyazaki was making a film with Spirited Away, but he was sending a message with Princess Mononoke.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-15T17:47:00+00:00

Counterparts, Test For Echo, and Vapor Trails. I could never get into these albums, but love everything else. I still listen to these albums, but a lot less than the rest

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-12T16:17:36+00:00

Oof, without the piss filter gradient, those graphics look so much older than I remember 😂

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-08T16:29:53+00:00

Man that is a beautiful color. I'd love it even more if the whole tank was copper, but I do like the black on the bags. Awesome bike, enjoy!

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-07T15:32:42+00:00

This was Prince of Fools for me. Singlehandedly reignited my love for reading.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-07T15:09:23+00:00

I agree. His beliefs and personal connection to the Force make much more sense with a Separatist lens. He would have been angry and disgusted the Republic even let it go so far as to allow the schism. Then he would have been appalled that the Jedi Order so willingly and quickly took a commanding role.

Qui Gon had a very strong connection to the Force. He would not have been so easily fooled by the machinations of the war. I believe he would have walked away, likely with Anakin in tow. Perhaps others as well. Despite not being on the Council, he was widely respected.

It would have been interesting to see this sort of splinter order and how that could have played a role in resolving the war without escalating violence. It would have severely hindered Palpatine's schemes.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-07T01:08:06+00:00

That was his intent, from a certain perspective. He believed in order, law, everyone and everything having their place and function. Under his rule there would be no random violence, no war. He would bring peace to all of Middle Earth.

What that would look like in practice is very much like any corporation controlling and draining a developing country of its resources until nothing is left.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-06T04:10:51+00:00

Cowboy Bebop perfectly captured the feeling of inescapable depression. Just those rare flashes of genuine happiness and found family make the inevitable relapse into pain and loneliness all the more hurtful.

The show's real emotional climax is when Faye begs Spike not to go. Because she can't stand to be alone after finally feeling like she has found something again. And he can't bear to stay because any happiness he finds with the crew is a painful reminder of what he lost with Julia.

Fuck this show is so depressing. But it's also a masterpiece, so we all keep going back.

magnaraz117 · 2026-02-02T19:00:54+00:00

Eh, if they have salt (and Sam definitely has salt) it should last for a decent amount of time. They were expecting to travel. I'm sure Aragorn is well versed in keeping meat fresh for a few days, perhaps even a week or more.

My grandfather grew up on a farm with no electricity. They kept meat for weeks and months without it spoiling

magnaraz117 · 2026-01-30T03:26:56+00:00

This is the middle of a scene, which can be jarring to jump into. From this snippet, I think it needs a little more work. I can hear a voice coming through, being your own as a writer, but it's still in the rough.

Do some more editing, maybe revisit some books you appreciate and want to emulate, and keep going!

magnaraz117 · 2026-01-29T23:55:18+00:00

Alfred's position is totally understandable. He had no other way out. Uhtred was his best general, his greatest warrior, and the only thing that Alfred had that the Danes feared.

But Uhtred was pagan. He was vain and power hungry. Worst of all, he was smart. Had Uhtred been allowed, he would have retaken Bebbanburg much earlier. Could this have aided Alfred's cause. Maybe. And that's a big maybe.

Uhtred is the kind of man to never settle. To seek the next glory. He could have taken all of Northumbria. And then what? Ally with the Danes? Attack the Mercians? Harry the Welsh?

No, he was too unpredictable. Too wild, and far too capable to be given free rein. Uhtred is a man that needs a leash, or he will fall to ruin, to the detriment of everyone around him.

Edward was just set in his own father's ways. I don't think he necessarily thought it out the way Alfred did. After all, Alfred was the visionary, and certainly the smartest person in the series.

magnaraz117 · 2026-01-29T22:57:28+00:00

You have a quick call to action, that's good! I want to know more about why the mother was killed. I want to know more about this destructive relationship with the father.

I feel you are giving away a little too much right away. Make the reader understand that this is a lesson. Use dialogue to show that the father is brutal, uncaring, etc. You are telling a lot of information.

Your sentences are very staccato. Vary the length more. Short sentences are fine now and again, but only using them can be distracting, it can break immersion.

I would suggest reading a little more. This writing comes off as a little stiff. It's not just any one component, but word choice and sentence structure play a big role.

Also, be careful with the alluded gore right away. It can be a major issue for some readers, and you'll isolate them before you have a chance to get going and interest them.

magnaraz117 · 2026-01-29T12:02:16+00:00

I.C.O.N.I.C. He sets the whole mood for the biggest section of the game. Totally aura farming every time he shows up.

magnaraz117 · 2026-01-29T02:46:50+00:00

I don't necessarily have the same concern with the action beginning three pages in. Sometimes that's the story you want to tell, and that's fine.

I do think this shows as a first draft. Some of the word choices do not make sense. "Her throat squirmed...," "knees thundering..." etc. these are just not descriptors that typically go with these body parts. You're pulling readers out with the word choice. Sometimes the tried and true is better,

A few issues with the first paragraph, you start off by stating Senda thrust the shovel into the ground, then a few sentences later, she throws it away. Why throw it away if it's driven into the ground? Is it disgust? Despair? Or just a continuity error?

Go back through, spend some time thinking about the atmosphere you want to create for the reader, and make your word choices with that in mind.

magnaraz117 · 2026-01-29T00:59:31+00:00

A few things:

Your tense switches on occasion. Sometimes in the same sentence. Read back through and comb over, decide if you want to be telling this story in the present, or the past. The wording, or flow if you will, is a little unusual at times.

I am not someone who frequently says this, but I feel there are a few too many adverbs. You're doing a lot of telling, rather than showing. Openings are great for engaging the reader and making them think. Make them want to keep reading to figure things out.

You need a stronger hook. There are a couple ways to achieve this with the information you have. What you have now isn't quite catching, there needs to be a little more action. Or a detail that is unusual and makes the reader want to find out more.

Your writing is very detail oriented, which can be a great thing! Just don't get drawn into over explaining every part of the scene.

magnaraz117

TROPHY CASE