VentralVex

  A few months ago, I finished watching Better Call Sau l. I praise this show endlessly. I’ve consumed countless stories, but Better Call Sau l is one of the few I label a gold standard for storytelling. Most stories make subjective storytelling choices that readers may consider flaws. For example, some One Piece fans dislike Oda’s decision to give Luffy power-ups during battles. Though Better Call Saul is not flawless, it follows objective writing principles, such as show don’t tell, better than any other story I’ve seen. One of the most fascinating ideas Better Call Saul explores is the power of communication. All communication contains inherent assumptions. Recall the times you’ve clarified the meaning of a text message. Chances are, you omitted details necessary for comprehension because of your hidden assumptions. One reason these assumptions appear more commonly in texts than in other communication channels is that body language conveys additional information. For instance,...

  The Boondocks  and Political Apathy In March, I endeavored to educate myself politically. I read Morning Brew’s newsletter almost daily, perused political science publications, and began watching several current affairs channels (I’ve listed many of these resources under “recommendations”). I never cared much about current affairs. I was depressed by the global political climate. I genuinely wish for the best in humanity and with almost every news article I read, I’m increasingly disillusioned with the incompetence of government leadership. Since childhood, observing the failings of authority figures and having my opinions dismissed for my lack of experience was infuriating. Sure, it’s interesting that Trump has been indicted for alleged hush money payments, but what does it matter? I thought to myself. As my dissatisfaction with the world grew, I closed my heart to these struggles, to the opportunities I had to help others. The anime Erased , Mushoku Tensei , and Oregairu ...

I’ve become jaded by the fantasy genre. When I first discovered it as an elementary schooler reading Harry Potter, I was mesmerized by the genre’s world of creative characters and magical abilities. However, after years of devouring fantasy novels, TV shows, games, manga, and anime, that same mystique of the genre had faded. The plot became predictable, the worldbuilding excessive, and the once colorful cast of characters coated in monotonous tropes. While several elements of the fantasy genre continue to fascinate me, many authors fail to consider why these elements exist in the first place. I thought I could never experience the same joy of unraveling a fantastical world again–that was until I watched Mushoku Tensei. I started the series with low expectations because it was an isekai, but I was quickly amazed as Mushoku Tensei set the standard for what isekai should be. It crafts its world carefully, and each of its tropes subverts expectations through deliberate character design. In...

The Boys is one of the best-written TV shows of all time. It depicts a world where superheroes are celebrities and the spotlight of the media industry. Unlike regular superheroes, warriors of justice who work to protect the people, superheroes in The Boys are depraved, greedy, dishonest actors of capitalism–much like real celebrities (the show is iconic for its satire). The show follows the titular group of non-superhero vigilantes as they battle the corruption of the superhero industry in 24 of the most thought-provoking, exhilarating episodes of television history. This article won’t contain major spoilers for The Boys , but I highly recommend you watch it. The most exciting part of The Boys is the way it plays with morality. Most shows have morally nuanced characters who objectively lean towards good or evil, such as Naruto or Doflamingo. However, The Boys ’ riveting cast is also fleshed out with morally ambiguous characters. This ambiguity, in conjunction with an intricately wov...