I have an MFA, an M.Phil in ELT, am working on my PhD, was a Managing Editor for Zelda Dungeon, and enjoy theorizing about story structure in anime, games, and manga.
Contributor II
games
Write this topicWhy We Play Video GamesI think it would be interesting to see why we play video games on an intellectual level. What do the mechanics of the gameplay influence in the player’s surroundings and what influence does the setting of the game have on the story that may teach the player through the immersion process games tend to have? Sure, video games are fun, but what more do they have to teach us? I recommend looking up Game Theory on Youtube to see what is out there on this topic, though I’m coming at this topic from a more philosophical nature versus a scientific one.
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writing
Write this topicWriting and Health BenefitsI would like to see what writing does to people on a psychological, emotional, and mental level. I know of a study that suggests writing about an issue we are facing in life helps us heal, but I’m wondering about writing in the realm of fiction and creative nonfiction, rather than just journaling about the issues in life. I’m also wondering if other studies exist on this subject and encourage any takers to go deeper than the surface for this topic.
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Web-Videos
Write this topicAre web-based cartoons/shows successful?I would like to see an article on whether or not web-based cartoons or shows like "Bee and Puppycat" and "Video Game High School" are successful, and if they will mean anything in terms of competition for TV cartoons and shows in the future as a result of their success/fanbase, etc.
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LIfetime and Featured filmsLately, Lifetime has been trending films about women and kidnapping. What I want to know is why is this a trend, and why would the network choose to focus on this genre? What is the writer’s opinion of the choice to air these films? Do the films really empower women, or are they sending a degrading message to the viewers?
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film
Write this topicShort Film as StoriesThe idea kind of speaks for itself, but I think the thing I would like to know is: How does the short film allow for story to be told? What are the pros and cons of short films? Do they have limitations as a medium? A few examples of shorts to look into are Dark Tales of Japan, Escape (may be found under Princess in Another Castle), Luna, and, of course Pixar shorts. |
Destination Truth: Have we really explored everything on Earth?I wonder if we really have discovered everything there is to know about the past people, mysterious lifeforms and places on Earth, or if there is more out there. Destination Truth, a show on Syfy, goes out in search of the truth behind mythical creatures and other such things. Because of this show, I have been led to believe that we do not know all there is to know about the planet we inhabit. I recommend using the show Destination Truth while you compile an article that either explains what all there can be to explore on Earth. You may also argue that we have explored everything and use the show as a "debater" for the unknown in the world.
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Web-Videos
Write this topicImpact of Let's Players on YouTubeIt seems more and more people these days are turning to YouTube as a source of income, particularly in the let’s play department. People like GameGrumps, Markiplier, and Versus all entertain us with their videos on YouTube, and I wonder what kind of impact this is having on the world, since YouTube and gaming videos in general seem to be "in" right now. Feel free to also discuss the similarities and/or differences in how the aforementioned let’s players approach their medium and audience. I also suggest watching their videos (possibly draw my life, if there are any) to be familiar with their work before writing on this topic.
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Themes in Stargate TV seriesThe Stargate series is a military sci-fi TV series that debuted in 1997 as Stargate SG-1 and has two spin off series (Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe). While the series does a fairly good job of exploring the unknown and coming to understand what we on Earth are a part of among countless galaxies, I want to know what themes can be found underneath the general overall theme I mentioned.
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Love in Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto | |
Intriguing article. As a gamer/news writer for Zelda Informer, this makes me think more about why Naughty Dog did what they did with some of my other favorite games. It also makes me more grateful that franchises like Zelda are working to reinvent themselves without fading away. I feel like there is a bit of a line that can be followed and that some things about that line form more curves than straight paths. | Naughty Dog Doin' it Right: How to Bring a Series to an End |
This was an interesting read! Thank you for this article. | How has the Idea of "Family" Changed on Television since World War II? |
Interesting read, and well written! | Superhero Live Action Shows: Conventions and Evolution |
This is a great article, and it makes me want to learn more about Harry Potter fans and their social-cultural structure. This was a well researched article, and it makes me sad that I missed out on something that sounds like it was wonderful at one point and time. I think I may have caught it at the tail end of it’s life, because I was sorted into Slytherin (and my SO is a Ravenclaw), and decided to try the aspects of Pottermore at a later date…except that date never came, because the changes took place. | The Lost Civilization of Pottermore |
You have a good article here. Thank you for giving me a new perspective on the ending. I somewhat disagree with a few of your points, however, because my interpretation of the ending was one that goes somewhat like this: Neji wasn’t relying on fate when he put his life on the line for Narutp. He chose that path of his own free will. I believe also in that chapter, shortly after Neji dies, a bird flying free through the sky is depicted, which to me, despite the irony of his actions, symbolized that Neji had achieved his freedom. Hinata ending up with Naruto did change the Hyuga in a sense, because she was deemed a failure right along with Naruto, and, I may be mistaken here, but if memory serves, once she gave up her rite of passage to become the head of her clan to Hanabi, she should have received a curse mark to prevent the Byakugan from being “tainted”. Instead, she is allowed to remain unmarked and is even allowed to marry outside of her clan–something relatively unheard of for the Hyuga. As for the political problems brought up in Naruto, a lot of the separation between the five nations is settled when everyone decides to don the unified headband with the mark of “shinobi”. Is this a perfect system? Of course not, but everyone was able to look past their differences and unite, which is a huge accomplishment for the Naruto universe, because it does stop the fighting among the nations. Also, remember that Naruto came from a violent time that was still present when he grew up. He surely must have heard stories about the Uchiha clan from Sauske or Sakura or someone, and Jiraiya told him about the Third Great Ninja War, so the fact that Naruto decides to try to empathize and reason with the shinobi world’s threats shows another step in the right direction, because in theory, it should help prevent needless bloodshed and create a start toward peace. Finally, Naruto, as Hokage, was able to unify the five nations into one shinobi nation, which led to advances in technology and allowed some form of peace to start. It is a shaky peace, and we do see that evidence, if subtly, in Boruto: The Naruto Movie. I believe that Naruto recognizes that the peace he works so hard for is unstable when he realizes how angry Boruto gets because he’s away. I believe these issues might well be touched on in the Boruto manga that is coming, because the new generation will have to face challenges that their parents either couldn’t, or did not realize they needed to fix. I’m particularly interested to see how Sarada does in her quest to become Hokage, in part because she is an Uchiha, and I think some of the issues you brought up with that clan may be addressed with her story. Again, thank you for the new perspective on the ending, and I want to stress that the above is simply how I perceived the ending and what I hope/expect to be covered in the future. | Naruto: The Unresolved Revolution |
I feel that you gave a good objective overview of Ocarina of Time and analyzed the game aspects well. I personally think that Ocarina of Time is worth being played. | Does Ocarina of Time Still Hold Up By Today's Standards? |
An interesting read that makes me reconsider the way I view fairy tales and what they teach us. | Clarifying Current Understandings of Fairytales: The Princess or the Goblin? |
I appreciate your commentary. I would like to point out that I wrote this nearly six years ago, and, while you can definitely see the issues with those characters, you’re also disregarding the story arcs that *are* in the story. Regardless, a lot has changed in my own life from when I wrote this six years ago, so my opinion might be different from the person who wrote that initially. Still, thank you for your input.