-
Posts
2668 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
10
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Reborn Development Blog
Rejuvenation Development Blog
Desolation Dev Blog
Everything posted by Chase
-
1. Audino who my Daddy... Covered in the last post - Looker awards the player in Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire with the Audinite. Audino is found natively in Unova, along with being found in ORAS through the Mirage Spots. - This means the only tangible place to find Audino without having access to the Eon Flute would be in Unova in the shaking grass. There's no confirmation that Mega Evolution is a thing in the Unova Region yet > but you may like a video of another theory that raises the possibility. Here, the "Many Worlds Interpretation" states that there are two distinct universes, and in one universe, Unova (setting of Black and White) may indeed not know about Mega Evolution simply because it isn't a thing in that particular universe while in a different Unova (setting of the potential but not-yet-made remake for Black and White) Mega Evolution does. MatPat flat out explains it in the youtube video above. ORAS takes place in a different universe than Black and White does. In the ORAS universe, we can safely extrapolate that Mega Evolution IS INDEED a thing in Unova without even having to wait for the remakes to be released. Hence, it's possible for the Audinite to be used AND located in Unova, and found while Looker spends time there. We know Looker comes across one such Audinite somehow - as HE is the one who presents it to the player in ORAS. 2. WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE!!?!?! In Black and White, the player FIRST meets Looker inside their own home, disguised as the players Mother. - which is perhaps the strangest disguise Looker takes when on a mission in any of his appearances. We know that Looker is indeed a staunch investigator, but is there a need to go to such extremes just to infiltrate the players' home in order to contact him or her otherwise? why not just wait outside like Shuana does in X and Y? Wouldn't Mom like....go beserk if there were just someone disguised as her and she was right next to them, able to see them? Apparently not. while somewhat hesitant - your mother calls Looker "unique" and doesn't seem unsettled by catching someone impersonating her. If this person was let in the house by nature and was known to do such things however - like say - a close family friend or a family member - then it would be natural for your mother to be cool with this person and his behavior. Finally, if you're STILL not convinced, the item Looker provides the player with after this house episode is the Super Rod, which he proudly tells you and your mother has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with finding the Seven Sages as his earlier spiel rolls on about - but it IS a practical tool for another thing. Father-Child fishing trips. If the player is Looker's child, then it's completely sensible for something like Looker, who is nowhere NEAR a fisherman, to present this item to the player. In short, Looker is able to walk in freely, doesn't concern your mother with his behavior, and gives you an item that would be used to bond with you their child. Sounds pretty "Dad" like to me. 3. Unova Where the Heart Is... This was hashed out in the last post. Every Looker appearance in other games highly suggests that Looker is merely a foreigner looking to fight crime, who specifically leaves after his job is done, whereas here, Looker leaves Unova to further pursue the mystery behind Team Plasma and N - without even apprehending Ghetsis, allowing him to wreak havoc in the sequel Gen V titles, Black 2 and White 2. This means Unova is the one place he doesn't seem out of place and the one place where it seems like he has to leave to "return home". Looking back to the last point, this is the one time Looker talks to a player in a building known as "home" as well. The second and third points work very well together. 4. Hey there, "Handsome" There's no possible way we can allow ourselves to believe we are always born of a virgin mother in these games - especially when these games are from Japan, a nation that would address such births as "mythical" and usually would go well out of their way to indicate as such. And especially-especially because Gen III doesn't make this always the case. Speaking of Japan, Looker's code name in the Japanese versions of any Pokemon title he appears in is "Handsome", an adjective usually used to describe a very well-put-together male by a woman in the West. "Looker" is also a sort of adjective, made famous from the cat-call "That man's a real Looker." - indicating that the man is again, likely "handsome." Let's say some ten to thirteen years ago, your Mother met a traveling man of this caliber and fooled around with him. This traveling man was some "cop" or something...You guys see what I'm getting at here. Looker's job as an International Police officer would be perfect for a figure that is seemingly not present in your life - as he is busy traveling the world and fighting crime! This also presents one possible explanation as to why there is not a close relationship prior to working with him on the Seven Sages manhunt with him and why he would have to introduce himself. I don't remember what number 5 is. Oh, wait, now I do! In ORAS, Looker suffers from amnesia upon being found on the beach of the Battle Resort. The results of this are actually quite severe. Looker has no idea where he is, what he's supposed to be doing, and even worse, who he is... Now, we have to consider how bad the amnesia is. Given how much information Looker seems to not have in ORAS - it's highly possible that Looker is suffering from "retrograde" amnesia - meaning memories before washing up on Hoenn's shores would be lost, while new memories could still be made. We don't get enough to tell if the police officer is also suffering from "anterograde" amnesia - or the loss of ability to make new memories, but it -is- possible for a patient to experience both concurrently. Now, we could take the easy route and assume it's temporary and caused by trauma. - but there isn't enough dialogue to say for certain. We -can- confirm that something washed Looker ashore, so it's definitely on the table. Korsakoff's syndrome - another cause of amnesia and other symptoms and a neurological disease - could also be the reasoning however. The main cause of it is MOSTLY found in alcoholics, as the intoxication causes Thiamine levels in the brain to severely drop. However, it's also potentially genetic -AND- can be caused by things such as malnutrition and eating disorders. Look back to his adventures in Kalos. He's found living in Lumiose City on a very tight budget and becomes even MORE strapped once he lets Emma and Mimi into his care. Having no money is easily a cause of malnutrition - and it's also possible that Looker doesn't eat regularly while on his various missions. If this is par for the course, then Looker may be an amnesiac prior to arriving in Hoenn. Perhaps, "Looker" isn't simply a code name after all. It's highly possible that's the name he goes by after blacking out some time previously. A time, where he forgot he had family back home. So there you have it. Looker is a Korsakoff's Syndrome sufferer who travels the world to fight crime under an alias with two possible reasons he doesn't know his child - a Unovan boy or girl whom he would eventually give a fishing rod and send out to find the Seven Sages of Team Plasma. There are holes in the theory to be sure. For instance, depending on the chronological order of events, Looker would still have to remember Mom in order to know to visit your residence - meaning 2 or 5 is somewhat flawed when put together. That's all it was though. A theory. I think putting it all together though, the argument is rather compelling. Who ya daddy? Looker over here.
-
One of the most prevalent questions in the Pokemon game-verse seems to be this. "Where/Who is Dad?" Gen 1: Dunno Gen 2: Dunno Gen 3: Norman, the Petalburg City Gym Leader and Normal type specialist. Gen 4: Dunno Gen 5: Dunno Gen 6: Dunno If the narrative were supposed to be "Dad b gone" or "all boys leave home someday", then why the hell is Norman even a thing? It would have been an expectation otherwise right? This got me thinking. There are several characters in the Pokemon universe that are indeed older males. Could one of the characters hiding under our noses possibly give someone other than our Hoenn protagonist more than cheap dialogue. What if we know who our Dad is - even if we're not playing a Gen 3 title or ORAS? We just might. Enter Looker - the globetrotting International Police officer who we have seen in four of the six known regions in the Pokemon universe. Looker is known to be one of the more recurring characters in the cast of NPCs we meet through our various journeys. He runs into the following cast of Protagonists on his cases Gen 3 (ORAS): May/Brenden (Not the father - Norman is canonically called "Dad") Gen 4: Dawn/Lucas Gen 5: Hilda/Hilbert Gen 6: Calem/Serena Norman notwithstanding, my theory is that Looker, of the International Police, is the father of the protagonists from one of the the generations above. Before we can prove the parantage of Looker with more story tangents, we have to first figure out which of these protagonists fit best. To do that, let's look at why Looker visits each of the generations. Gen 3: By complete accident - Looker is shipwrecked and floats into the Battle Resort shores, found by the player. Gen 4: Looker is assigned to stopping Team Galactic. Gen 5: Looker is assigned to arresting the Seven Sages after the player defeats Team Plasma. Gen 6: Looker is assigned to arresting Dr. Xerosic after Team Flare is dissolved. At first glance, it doesn't appear Looker has any extreme ties to any of the four regions he visits. Let's try a different method. Gen 3: The player is rewarded the Audinite for helping shelter Looker. Gen 4: The player is provided assistance in stopping Galactic, along with the Vs. Recorder. Gen 5: The player is provided the Super Rod, along with intel on the whereabouts of N. Gen 6: The player is provided the code-name "Looker" and is an honorary member of the International Police. After glancing at the tangible rewards granted by interacting with Looker, we notice only one item that is particularly region-specific - the Audinite. Audino is a Pokemon native to the Unova region, and from this we can extrapolate that Looker is Unovan and get a solid hint as to which of our protagonists may be related to him through it. However, we can provide another layer of argument than that. Hoenn has already been explained away. It was by complete accident Looker ended up there. After locking up Charon and returning the Magma Stone, Looker says "he'll take his leave" - and it's very known that Looker's speech pattern is not synomymous with the Sinnoh national language. In Kalos, the whole story hints that Looker is living in Lumiose temporarily and that he is very poor, doing local detective work to survive and meet rent. In Unova however - Looker has a very specific reason for leaving - and he doesn't even leave when the job is done (as Ghetsis is still at large). He leaves to verify a N sighting reported in a foreign land. Meaning, he's leaving, specifically to track down N. This doesn't give us any sense of Unova being a foreign place to him - and provides us with another possible point of reference to being the father of these two Protagonists: Long thread; didn't read? - Looker may be the father of Hilda/Hilbert, the protagonists from the first two games of Generation V, Black and White. In the next post I make, I'll tackle the five points (including the two used to determine our best fitting protags) specifically nailing Looker to the protagonists in the Unova Region in more depth. Enjoy and please do comment!
-
Alright. So. I shamelessly re-watched this 'Mirai Nikki' anime over the course of the week, and I have to say - I actually really like the aspect of the survival game in general. Each contesting having a personalized look into the future in order to play either offensively in taking out the other diary users -OR- defensively through various means (Escaping Dead Ends, fighting from the sidelines, waiting out the carnage from afar, or if you're a certain psychotic stalker, locking your boyfriend in an abandoned hotel so that you are doubly sure your Diary is effective.) OR even bat switch, choosing the time to kill and the time to flee as the game goes on. But, out of the all twelve possible diaries one could wield from the original anime - which ones are the ones to go for in terms of effectiveness? What about the ones you should really stay away from if you want to win? I'll give you my take on it - but remember, if you disagree - COOL! Tell me yours. I like seeing how you all think too. THE WORST, of the worst. 5. the "Rearing" Diary (held by Tenth) This diary is heavily centralized on the command of attack dogs and gives future readouts on the dogs' condition. There are definitely some pros to having squads of attack dogs - such as being able to play the game offensively but not nearly as recklessly as someone who is having to play the game hand-to-hand or within range of gun. However - the downfall this diary has is pretty significant. And this is how Fourth is able to kill Tenth. The diary only focuses on the attack dogs, not the diary holder. If the dogs have been called elsewhere the diary will not give any readouts of the user or anything within sight of the user in enough haste for the user to react. It's a fantastic offensive diary if you know how to command other agents and does provide a little measure of defense as such, but it also leaves the back door open. 4. the "Clairvoyant" Diary (held by Sixth) Sixth's diary is a very "big picture" diary. She essentially has a "bird's eye" view on virtually everything that is to come and it's an extremely informative diary to have. The main detractor from Sixth's diary though - is the other side of the coin. Sixth won't be able to handle situations in which the future is rapidly changing due to information overload - meaning if there's an extremely volatile play being made from multiple users she's going to have to step back from the scroll and not have the future guide her out. Any time you can't effectively use your diary ineffectively severely hinders you in this competition - as well as your chances at survival. 3. the "Case" Diary (held by Fourth) If anyone not named Fourth were using Fourth's diary it would be a bit less of an enthralling experience. Fourth is heavily reliant on future criminal activity -and- is limited to Forth's jurisdiction. This is seen most applicably in the situation where Fourth turns on First and Second, but has to bait Second into reacting in order for a "crime" to take place and thus activate the effectiveness of his diary. You have to do a LOT of dancing around to play the game offensively with this diary, and while it's a decent diary to have when it comes to picking out other offensive targets (due to Homicide being a crime) after criminal reveals - it doesn't do too much defensively other than tell him where he should stay away from (which due to his profession, he simply can't do). In other words. Fourth wields a very big "Hit-and-run" diary that is focused on offense - and it's inability to be straight forward at times causes it to be a very spotty diary down the stretch. 2. The "Murder" Diary (held by Third) Speaking of OFFENSIVE gameplay, this diary is ALL about it. Third is given the future destinations of his targets once identity is deduced. The major, MAJOR drawback of this diary is the flip-slide. The diary does NOTHING in the form of protecting Third at all. First scores the very first kill of the survival game by killing third via the flank. 1. The "Yuki" Diary, or the "Diary of Future Love" (held by Second) Excuse me for a moment, while I find my safety bunker - because I can hear the mobs of fangirls wielding torches and pitchforks now. Yuno Gasai is EASILY the most experienced player in the game, having played it before and having some insight on the strategies everyone else has, on top of being exceptionally good at being a serial killer in general. None of those qualities however are pertained to the diary she uses. Second's diary gives the drop on First's location in ten minute intervals - and includes notes from herself. Forget everything you know about Yuno's ability to play this game for a second to realize this. Yuno's diary is completely dependent on the actions and livelihood of another user. This means that if Yuno wants to win, the only way she CAN win is to keep First alive to the end of the contest. She's essentially having to play two games. Thankfully for her, she's the PERFECT person to do so, but if someone else were to try and step into Yuno's shoes it wouldn't quite be the same. On top of having to play for two people, her diary rendered completely useless should Yuki die. This means that she's playing without any foresight in that instance. Thirdly, it doesn't actually do anything to protect Yuno REGARDLESS of if Yuki is vertical or horizontal. That's three strikes. The Ideal Diaries 5. The "Super-Vision" Diary (Held by Fifth) This children's coloring book diary makes a solid case for being a good diary to have for any balanced game player. It gives you a small summary of what you, the diary holder, would do three times a day, given at the same time - giving you times to plan what to do next. In my opinion, this diary allows the player to be a much better defensive player than any of the five on the above list, while being flexible. It doesn't do much in providing the player information on other targets and requires a little bit of personal investigation, but with the proper knowledge this diary is a tough one to beat. 4. The "Watcher" (Held by Eleventh) This diary could be listed much higher - but in my opinion it does have a strange major weakness in that one person (Detective Nishijima) is able to be completely invisible to it for whatever reason (To get his beloved Minene out of what would seemingly be a dead end which even SHE couldn't escape.). Aside from the detective, this diary watches the other diaries in play. It's a pretty cheap one to have, but you can't deny it's immediate effectiveness. If you're intelligent and influential enough to wield a diary like the Watcher, you're going to go far in the game almost by default. 3. The "Server?" (Held by Eighth) There's a reason someone with as much power as Eleven was interested in combining the power of his diary with Eighth's - and that power could be extremely base-covering both offensively AND defensively. Eighth uses a server-based diary to rank up other people into "Apprentice Diary Users" - or people who essentially get the same future diary ability without the nasty "phone breaks, you break" trade-off. Losing connection -does- render those users powerless, and as the diary holder, if your diary needs you to communicate with minions and you can't, that's a hard obstacle - but there's no power like the power of having other allies that you KNOW you can trust. 2. The "Indiscriminate" Diary (Held by First) This is essentially the OPPOSITE of the Diary of Future Love. Everything around the observer is able to be picked up clearly. The only roadblock is that anything directly happening to the user is -not-. While you could argue that this shares the same weakness Yuno's diary does - and be right - it doesn't come with the "absolute need" to utilize Second as an ally - regardless of the two diaries functioning together VERY seamlessly. Yuki could at any time kill Yuno if he wanted to and still be able to play the game with a pulse on the future. He also isn't as in the dark about his surroundings as a bonus. It's wider scope and ability to be used in case of severance with Second allows those wielding the discriminate diary to pick and choose their own allies as the time comes. 1. The "Exchange" Diary (Held by Seventh) Ai and Marco are a mirror image to Yuno and Yuki in many respects. Both couples are playing a complimentary game. However - Ai and Marco get the added bonus of having each other's backs completely covered AND not having to depend on an opponent to progress throughout the game - even more than Yuki could. The Exchange Diary gives details of what's going on with the other diary it's conjoined with. It's major weakness is the same as Yuno's. If one player goes down, the other is left playing without the future on their side - which is a steeper mismatch in comparison to Yuki's diary. I just think that Seventh doesn't have as many unknowns to deal with - while still being able to dictate playing the game their own way. That's why the Exchange Diary is certainly one of the better ones to have.
-
I feel like my list will probably different from before. I fear quite a bit. If something I am afraid of may be conceived as offensive, please know that I would have already come up to you if I felt threatened by you. I love this community for what it is. A haven for multiple people with multiple issues - and if you do cause some of these phobias to kick in, please know that I am able to work through them for the sake of being supportive to you all as people. Monophobia - or the fear of being alone. The type of loneliness I fear isn't romantic in nature, but is just general. My life - despite being an introvert - reflects this in many ways. My complete job experience is comprised of jobs from fields such as ministry or the civic field - jobs that are heavily reliant on dealing with other people. I have a tendency to be more at home being in groups - regardless of medium - so even times when I'm at home on the computer to the eye, I usually always have Skype or Reborn up in order to communicate and avoid being left alone. I can absolutely manage being alone - and have done so - but it's not nearly as comfortable as being connected to others and is often the cause of anxiety and depression. Atheophobia - or the fear, DISTRUST, or hatred of those who affirm an atheistic worldview to be true OR ATHEISM ITSELF. Distrust being bolded because out of three manifestations it is the most prevalent in my own life, and the 'Ism because I actually don't hold any low regard to most of those with that worldview - but rather the worldview itself. Rather than choose to be defensive and try to say "I'm sorry" for having to admit it - atheism to me is a rather dreary worldview to have - and that's the major reason I can claim to have this phobia. Call me what you want - but a meaningless life and an expiration date, among other things, DOES seem like nightmare fuel to me. I won't lay it on thick if you're afraid of spiders or people that breastfeed in public or what have you, if you don't pester me for being afraid of a worldview. Also - this actually has it's own ties to Monophobia. If a deity is always in your pocket, it lessens the impression of feeling alone. If there is no God, then the chances I'm alone increase. Personally, that's unsettling. and finally for this set. Atychiphobia - or the fear of failure. Do you ever hate losing? Do you ever feel yourself grow anxious if you didn't study for a test or prepare for a presentation or performance? You all might have experienced this phobia at some point. For me though, failure led to other unfavorable consequences. I was one of those kids who fell victim to being mocked for things like losing a race (A feat I manage to do quite often at work when a kid invites me to one.) or getting a math question wrong after being called on. There's a saying that "Failure helps you learn." - and in my case it was particularly true, because being afraid isn't fun at all.
-
THANK YOU. THANK. YOU. GAH. "aw, hey look it's the DECEIVER POKEMON it's so CUTEEEE"- NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Well, now I can't use Mawile - so I'ma pick a few others. LeafGreen: When it bites with is massive and powerful jaws, it shakes it's head and savagely tears it's victim up. Yeah, that trusted Totodile you picked up turned into a savage killing machine that graphically dismembers it's prey. YOU PUT YOUR TRUST - IN THIS THING....(Yes, Yes I do.) Pokemon TCG: It has an aggressive nature. It stabs prey with it's long, narrow mouth to drain the prey's fluids. W-w-wha...-wha.....-what.......WHAT..... Is the description on a trading card even CANON? That's ....greatly unexpected. Y: It lures prey close with hypnotic motions, then wraps it's tentacles around it before finishing it off with digestive fluids. So, we have borderline hypnosis, tentacles, and digestion, complete in one pokedex entry. Okay, Malamar is bad news.
-
Is there anything else I can possibly screw up today?
-
Have you replaced any lightbulbs yet? Those usually screw up
Or on a more serious note, I'm sure that "it could be worse" but thinking that way doesn't usually help anything. Just try to get at least one thing done right before the day ends, that usually helps me feel less depressed about my screw ups
-
You could try to insult me, but I doubt it would affect me. So your ineffectualness would actually be a good thing, no? Try me.
-
No really, try to screw up with me and find out that there are people you can't hurt or break. Triple dog dare you + other 3rd grade motivations.
-
-
Black 2: The souls it absorbs fuel it's baleful fire. It hangs around hospitals, waiting for people to pass on. Hey Skipper! How's it going! "Oh, fine....still waiting for you to die already." #MansBestFriend Y: When it's life comes to an end, it absorbs the life energy of every living thing and turns into a cocoon once more. Mom: Jimmy, you fed Yveltal today right? Jimmy:...um...... Mom: JIMMY, THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE TH- *crickets*
-
Pokemon Performer Kat appears and blocks the way!
Chase replied to Pokemon Researcher Kat's topic in Welcome Center
Totodile is love. Totodile is life. Howdy. I'm Chase. Nice to meet you - and yeah, definitely do that Showdown server thing. Some people are strange, but we won't bite. -
The thing about hamburgers to me - and this comes at the risk of sounding perhaps a bit strange - is that I enjoy them like I would viewing art at a museum. This means that it's very hard to come up with a "preference" as I usually go for trying to taste what the grillmaster is trying to convey instead. This also means that it's very hard to "incorrectly" serve a hamburger so much as it is easy to serve one that may not "satisfy" as much as other burgers I've eaten. As for an attempt though, I'll go ahead and try. I don't want bread that is too thick. The most important of the burger isn't the buns. Those are essential for holding everything together - but when you bite into it, you should be tasting the other components of the hamburger more than you should be tasting bread. I -tend- to like mine toasted, as it adds a nice crunch, however. I grew up in a household that was very particular about eliminating any pink you find in the burger. Burgers are slightly different than Steaks - too much pink means that your hamburger is not completely done - so I do go ahead and order my hamburger "Well Done" if I am trying a new place. I'm not too picky about the way the meat is cooked so long as it isn't undercooked. Going over is usually fine with me. - As for burger joints I already approve of, I will go ahead and say "Medium Well" for a bit more juice. Sauces are usually left up to the chef if it's a special burger - but down here we have this thing called "Chilli" - which is absolutely amazing on just about everything. Mustard is my preferred spread on most burgers though. I -do- like Spicy Mayo, which is odd because I usually don't go for the mayo at all. Pickles and Jalapenos are about the extent of any "green" items I would put on my burger if crafting it exactly to my specifications. Lettuce is seemingly tasteless and is usually contrasting in temperature to the rest of the burger - and while they do provide a crisp - it's just not very good taste-wise for me. Cold onions have the same problem - but I can enjoy a good helping of fried onion strings. More "hot" components on the burger isn't really a bad thing. For whatever reason, I can't bring myself to like tomatoes. I think they are just too big and too cold to make the burger work. ANY CHEESE. YES PLEASE. American. Pepper Jack, SHARP Cheddar. NACHO. It's ALL good. Sometimes I like bacon, and sometimes I don't. It depends on the establishment. --- I guess that means my preferred burger would be a Chilli Cheeseburger with Mustard, Pickles, Fried Onion strings, and Jalapenos cooked well done and held together on a toasty bun. - although I do like things like spicy mayo, avocado, and A1/BBQ sauce depending on what I order. Is there anything -else- you would want to eat with a good burger other than fries? I guess I can specify. A -good- contrast to a very meaty and spicy hamburger like the one I would get if I had everything to work with - is sweet potato fries. It does have that sweet potato taste - but it's not as bad because you also taste the oil it's fried in. Try thinking of what the offspring of Thanksgiving yams and your favorite french fry would taste like - and "good" sweet potato fries would come pretty darn close.
-
Well met, Edge. I'm just gonna come right out and say it. You other people think you butt heads with Edge? Edge and I's idea of fun is a borderline fistfight. Especially when we were both working together. To me - Edge is a genuine reminder that even simple things can be stressful, but more importantly, Edge is someone who brought out both the best and the worst of me. You would think that would be something to keep my mouth shut over in the man's birthday thread, right? I wouldn't expound on it if I didn't know how great a person this guy is behind the beard and the oppositional exterior. We had some ugly moments, sure - but we've also had some pretty good laughs as well. There are some times where it just -looks- like we were having a verbal scrap and in reality we were enjoying every second of it. Edge - I enjoy your willingness to play the Devil's Advocate more than it may seem. It makes me want to work just as hard to improve the way I argue things - and it would do some others around here some good if we didn't fall into a cult. Have a good one - and enjoy New Orleans.
-
PART III: It's Bonding Time! "Yes! That is it! Bonds! The preposterous notion which cannot be seen nor measured! And yet I cannot deny that they do still exist!" - Dr. Xerosic, following the Looker Missions. WARNING - THIS PART OF THE THREAD CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM THE ANIME SPECIAL 'POKEMON ORIGINS' - WATCH THAT FIRST - THEN COME BACK. ALSO CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM THE LOOKER MISSIONS - GO FINISH THE GAME. The Kanto Champion had finally done it. The Pokedex was complete! He just needed to return to Pallet Town and show the professor. Then the world turned upside down. Upon arriving at the lab, Red would discover Blue to be severely injured from an encounter with an extremely powerful Pokemon. After scrolling through the completed Pokedex in order to identify what had attacked his rival - it was to be learned that Red had in fact, one more encounter before completing Oak's dream. Mewtwo. --- The battle was not going well. Red was down to his longtime partner - Charizard, and their Psychic type adversary was seemingly growing stronger as the battle raged on. An attack would send the Flame Pokemon barreling into Red and the pair would fall into the drink behind them. For a few seconds, it looked like Mewtwo had taken down a second regional champ with ease. Then it happened. The mysterious stone given to Red by a Mr. Fuji of Lavender Town seemingly forever ago began to react - as well as his starter Pokemon and partner. Charizard changed into a magnificent black scaled, blue fanged behemoth, and on it's second wind and newfound strength, Charizard prevailed, and soon after, the Pokedex truly was completed. Momentarily. --- We know for a fact from the games that Bonds are a very crucial part of a Pokemon-to-Trainer relationship. It's the secret to unlocking the power of the Mega Stone. Mr. Bonding stresses it on multiple occasions in order to give the player multiple perks. The characters however - also use this theme heavily. "Wow! I don't think I've ever heard you worry about being weak or strong before, Trevor! You seem a lot bolder than you used to be. Is it because you went on a journey? Or maybe it's thanks to what you learned from being with your Pokémon, and with us--your friends!" - Shuana I'm not going to bore you with more quotes about bonds - but they are extremely transcendent. You form strong bonds with your Pokemon, and with a select few of them, it gives them the opportunity to reach heights never before seen in a Pokemon game. You form strong bonds with your friends, and it results in a major part of their - and the story's - development. Lysandre is often a misunderstood character it seems. I pointed out that he had noble intentions with bad methodology in the last part of this research. However, there's a question Calem or Serena asks him that lends a little bit of a heartbreaking insight as to what really composes the heart of Team Flare's headman. What. About. Pokemon. The cut scene that follows is Lysandre shedding tears. Crying. He goes on to explain that Pokemon are wonderful creatures - but that the end his plan brings justifies the means. If Pokemon are utterly destroyed - they can't be used as tools for war and they can't be abused by greedy human beings. Fast forward a legendary encounter and a vicious final boss battle to Lysandre's defeat. The player renders him undone - shattering perhaps the most prideful man in the region and pushing him to the very brink. Shauna makes an interesting insight about how Lysandre had a strong enough bond with his Gyarados in order to perform Mega Evolution and your rival follows it up with an appeal to work together to pursue the man's dream of making a beautiful world. He's too far broken to surface - and he opts instead - in rage - to use (X) Xerneas' power to immortalize the player and company or (Y) Yveltal's destructive power to kill everyone in the building - and it is hinted out by various NPCs that the Team Flare Boss didn't make it out alive. This makes for perhaps the most tragic victory over a criminal organization in any of these games. Your victory came at a significant price - one that if bonds were taken into account, wouldn't have been so steep. Lysandre was a visionary man who was corrupted by his ambitions. He never lost sight of his goals but lost his ability to reach them using ethical means. Bonds go even further than distance itself. Throughout the Looker Missions - the player and Looker sleuth around Lumiose to discover a street dweller named Emma. Looker himself however is only temporarily living in Kalos and barely brings in enough bread to survive week-to-week. His reason for being there is to track down Xerosic - who has resumed his own criminal exploits in a secret lab under the Lysandre Cafe. Despite being strapped for cash and his situation - the dectective decides to shelter Emma and her companion Pokemon, Mimi the Espurr. Out of a kindred intent, Emma unwittingly approaches Xerosic for a job and ends up causing criminal mayhem throughout the city. Fortunately for Looker - this leads him to the very target he left the Sinnoh region to apprehend. Xerosic - before being taken into custody - ensures Emma with his testimony of the existence of strong bonds - and that Looker will always be connected to her despite going far away. Pokemon. Friendship. Distance. Bonds are an incredibly powerful thing. The player encounters Wulfric in a place known as the Pokemon Village. It's a place where abandoned Pokemon take refuge. Wulfric's being there means that he is also intricate to this theme in part. Clemont and his sister share a familial bond that is easily noticed during the push to obtain the fourth badge. Grant bonds with his community by participating in bicycle races. Finally, Korrina - the most important gym leader in the entire game - also doubles as the Mega Evolution Successor - wielding the ability to use Mega Evolution by having a strong bond with her Lucario. Malva has bonds with both Looker AND Team Flare - as well as Kalos' media outlet and the Pokemon League. The very picture of connected. With Looker - it is implied that their paths have crossed throughout her life of crime. She sells out Dr. Xerosic in an act she calls "honor among thieves" hoping that Xerosic doesn't "continue to sully Team Flare's reputation. She is the epitome of a woman with many bindings in that respect. The power of the bond lends perhaps the strongest theme in the game - once you get past all the aesthetics.
-
Hey guys! Be sure to check out my thread for part II of X and Y's "Theme that Game!" - I don't like advertising, but I did work hard on it...
-
Part II: Beauty and the [Pocket] Beasts "Now listen! It is vital that this world become a better place. And the people and Pokémon chosen to make the world better must work tirelessly to achieve this goal. Well, I'll be off. Please give Professor Sycamore my best. My desire…it is for a more beautiful world!" - Lysandre I hear about how much X and Y will go down in the franchise as the games that were massive graphical leaps forward all the time. Even in this thread, it's been pointed out that the game brings much better graphics to the table more than it may bring anything else. However, the graphics are not the only feature that alludes to something like beauty. Furfrou grooming Trainer Customization Lumiose "Style" The Poke Radar giving players increased odds of finding a Shiny Pokemon. Trainer PR Videos and probably other things - but take a gander at some of the side occupations of the Pokemon League members: The Photographer The Gardener The Fashion Designer The Chef The Star Actress and finally, look back to Lysandre's quote above. This is taken from the first time the player meets Lysandre - after battling Prof. Sycamore for the first time and picking up a Kanto starter. It would seem like image is virtually EVERYTHING in the Kalos region, right? In order to redeem our returned to statuesque League members a little bit more, and especially give Lysandre's motives clarity and value, we first have to delve into why "beauty" actually is important. We know for a fact that Kalos' real world inspiration is France - as Lumiose City is the central capital of the region and more importantly is a spitting image of the city of Paris. Paris is one of the most picturesque urban locations in the world. It doesn't stop with urban wonders though. Camphrier Town hosts the Shabbaneau building - akin to medieval castles that littered the European countryside throughout history. So, our real world tangent will mean that Kalos will be molded by one of the most "beautiful" countries out there. "Do you think Pokemon battling can ever be worthy of being called an art? ...Indeed. You see, cooking is the type of art that disappears as soon as it is completed. Pokemon battles are the same. Even memories of sweet victory soon fade after the battle ends." - Siebold What a profound question by a character that only serves as an Elite Four member. If you were to answer "No" - Siebold gets cross with you and gives you THIS gem of a response instead. "Fool! You silly, unseeing child! If all you seek in life is to fill your stomach with some tasteless matter, then why are there Chefs in this world!? We labor tirelessly to make something wonderful that will disappear from sight as soon as it is enjoyed! That is the life of a Chef! That - is the life of a Trainer!" I think you can gather two things here that take this "beauty" motif a step further. Firstly - the beautiful thing that Siebold is a character that is somewhat inspired by famous British chef Gordon Ramsay (who is infamous for his temper tantrums as much as he is for food.), and secondly (and much more importantly) - that Pokemon battling is considered beautiful, even if fleetingly so. This is a clear cut conjunction between the game we have in our 3DS's purpose - all things Pocket Monsters, and the theme of beauty. Ultimately, that everything about them - from their fur's styling to being pit against an opposing Pokemon in battle - is a work of art. This restores the impact of Viola's photography passion - with her muse being Pokemon. As a landscaper - Ramos literally is the same kind of artist as Siebold - albeit a little more lasting. The same goes for Valerie - who's clothing lasts perhaps even longer than Ramos' plants. This all reaches a boiling point with Lysandre. To him, the beautiful world requires there to be a lack of competition and everyone being cooperative as well as active participants in the goal of betterment. It means that destruction and hoarding everything for ones self is to be abhorred. The points he makes about such things being negative are absolutely right in many respects. No, his methodology absolutely is too extreme - and that's why the player is called upon to stop the ultimate weapon from being fired - but part of what makes an antagonist deeper is understanding the reasons why he commits his atrocities. To Lysandre, the world is in danger of losing it's luster. He's a proud Kalosian - and Kalosians are very proud of their image above many things. He cares so much about the world's image that he is willing to take severe risks for restoring it. Does this mean we truly were foolish and unseeing - as Siebold would suggest to those of us who answered his question with "no" - for downplaying the theme of beauty in these games? Perhaps some, but take a look at what this character says in response to Lysandre on the topic of beauty. "What a strange question... Why would I want to play the same old roles forever? Youth may be beautiful, but it's not all there is to life. Everything changes. I want to live and change like that, too. So I look forward to playing different roles as I get older." - Diantha So - I'll let you guys decide for yourself. Like Diantha says though - Beauty isn't everything. Next time, I'll cover another theme that starts with the letter "B", and hopefully unearth a little bit more on some of the other characters in the League - along with Team Flare. "The name is Bond.....James Bond."
-
There's a couple of things that actually -DO- compliment X and Y's storyline very well - although I can understand being disgruntled by having to complete the game OR play ORAS in order to get a bigger grasp of what's happening with all of the "past" events the story mentions (I.e the Pokemon War) or past characters (Malva) The Looker Missions - These stories are actually just a really cool Looker cameo and use their own plot - however they do give a little more substance to characters like Malva and Dr. Xerosic - characters that are a lot more paper thin without having touched the post game stories at all. The Delta Episode - (ORAS) - ORAS does a FANTASTIC job of providing a bit of insight on just how significant that Pokemon war was today here. Zinnia - who's trainer title is actually "Lorekeeper" - is a very crucial piece of redemption to the Kalos story. I'll cover both of these in time (Malva either later today or tomorrow - The Delta Episode after I replay Omega Ruby - which will follow this current Y playthough - in it's own thread.)
-
I think I have a few reasons Calem and Serena are indeed interesting characters - but I do understand that the game shows a bit of favoritism toward them early on and that they do have some patronizing, clumpy dialogue you would expect out of a snobby next-door-neighbor when you're the new kid in town- Oh wait. That kinda makes sense right? Is it just bad dialogue... or is it kind of part of the character? Digging into Calem and Serena a bit - they both seem like the "eager neighbor" trope. Kinda like the guy that lives next door to the Simpsons - and they both are distinctly confident in their own abilities in comparison to the other three companions. They even go so far as to give your rival a sort of "battling lineage" - indicating that their parents are expert Trainers. I may get a few heads shaken at me, but in their own backhanded polite way - Early game Serena reminds me of BLUE from Kanto. Obviously, there is the distinctly missing childhood rival dynamic as the player has only -just- met their rival for the first time at the beginning of the story - and the mood seems to indicate that your neighbor is more keen on being your friend as well as being a rival (which they politely ask you about first at the Cafe Soliel - a distinctly prominent part of their arc.). Remember when I pointed to the battle for the Mega Ring being a really humbling experience? Prior - despite the seemingly countless times you best them, Calem and Serena are not really ready to buy you as a superstar trainer - but they also are not ready to do so because of that rivalry pact. To admit your something out of their league would be akin to throwing in the towel. It also means that in order to even their own perception with theirs of you without producing results (Canonically, you MUST beat your rival to progress - so it's assumed that Calem and Serena aren't winning at all.) they have to associate you with something other than your talent as a Pokemon trainer - and the first thing that comes to mind could easily be that your the boy/girl next door. Here's something you guys may not know. The player character was never supposed to get a Pokemon in the first place. Calem/Serena were the originally "chosen" children in Vaniville - and Prof. Sycamore found out about the player's arrival in time to extend the offer to you. Sure, that's convenient from the player's shoes - but for Calem and Serena - imagine how that would feel to a kid who apparently has superstar parents. "Hey Serena! We also need to get the new boy next door to come too! Professor Sycamore said so!" - Shauna "What? They just moved in! How would the Professor know about them?" "I don't know, but they are supposed to get a new Pokemon too! Also, we get to meet a new friend!~" There's potentially a LOT going on behind Serena and Calem - from the callback to having a next-door rival who REALLY wants to best you in battle seemingly above all else, to suddenly having to share the spotlight as Vaniville's next top talent, to having already had a chip on their shoulder due to their parentage. Yeah, I'll agree with you guys. They do get shoved in your face and they can be the most tacky in the group early on - but I think they suffer the same syndrome as Tierno and Trevor - and maybe even every other character in the game. There's not enough time to know them best.
-
Here's an interesting question - based off of the point Mde just brought up. There are a TON of characters in this game - looking at the rivals ALONE. What seems to be more damning though? There are just too MANY characters to care about any of them. OR that the game doesn't do a good job of emphasizing the importance of each individual within the group? I really think -now- that the number of rivals the game WANTED us as players to attach to kinda -did- hurt how involved our next suspect group could be screen-time wise. However, I also think that we as the player error if trying to determine if any individual rival is worth more than another. X and Y's STRENGTH is showing the power of the group collective while also defining the individuals within.
-
Alright - so I've been replaying 'Y' for multiple reasons - and it has come to my attention during this playthrough that there are -some- really small things that -do- make X and Y an enchanting game. Please note that this doesn't mean it's a "great" game - but I do feel like I overlooked a few things. This is where my idea for perhaps a new series of threads came from. The most stark distaste -I- had when finishing my adventure in Kalos was simply never knowing..... "What actually happened". This game follows a generation that literally lived and died off of it's story telling in Black and White - and I was actually genuinely lost with how the succeeding generation unfurled. Literally, I just took this romp as a 10-12 year old kid who moves to Kalos and is thrust into an adventure at a Professor's request - only for the experiences to just kind of come and pass with the rest of the game. - However, that's actually part of this game's beauty - and I hope to point this out later. For now though. Fasten your seatbelts. Ask your stewardess for a snack or a drink - it's on the house - and hopefully have your eyes open for some of these motifs and try to see how they actually -do- give Generation 6 a lore boost. It's time - to theme. that. game. OH YEAH. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD. DON'T READ ON IF YOU HAVE YET TO PLAY X OR Y. "WAITING FOR POKEMON Z" IS NOT A GOOD EXCUSE. PART I: THE POWER OF SELF DISCOVERY Remember when you used to play a Pokemon title and just do what you felt was right? Did you want to demolish the Pokemon League with ONLY your starter Pokemon? Did you want to skip Gym Trainers and look for shortcuts on routes because "XP Waste" wasn't an issue? - What about the opposite? Remember when you literally spent 500 hours hitting your action button in search for invisible treasure? Did you like to talk to literally EVERY NPC you possible could? This seemingly throw-away theme of autonomy - present in EVERY Pokemon game in some way or fashion as well as almost every other Role-Playing title you've ever picked up - is actually one of the major plot points in itself here in Kalos. Meet Calem/Serena - the next-door-neighbor, unused Protagonist sprite, rival born from skilled battlers, Shauna - The seemingly green tag-along character who emulates the free-spirit, Tierno - the dancing character who emulates Contest trainers or those who don't like to battle, and Trevor - the geek who - like myself - likes filling the Pokedex as much as possible. Notice something from those descriptions? "Why are you traveling, <Player>? Everyone is working really hard at what they want to do, but I'm just all about the memories!" - Shauna You depart from Aquacorde Town with four people who have distinct goals in mind - and throughout the game, grow as characters BECAUSE of said goals. This is what we come to like about previous rivals - except these characters seem to pick smaller or more insignificant goals to -US- from a story perspective in comparison to Cheren looking to "become stronger" or Blue "looking to be the best ever." Playing through the story again forces you to CARE about this motley crew - and there are specific moments that actually spur growth. Shauna starts off being the most annoying companion of the bunch due to being absolutely clueless about Pokemon and being a complete ditz in general - however, the game goes out of it's way to highlight a very important trait about her - how observant she is. She stops the player from advancing in Santalune Forest momentarily to find a hidden Potion in a nearby patch of grass - sort of as a tutorial for item hunting without the Dowsing Machine. Later on, it's stated that Clemont - a friend of hers - gives her a "device that solves puzzles" - that she doesn't use because she is usually adept at solving them herself and having to resort to it "would be a shame." This very device - brought by a desperate Shauna after chasing you and the unused Protagonist down Team Flare's HQ - ends up being crucial to the player encountering Xerneas/Yveltal and saving the world from the ultimate weapon. Shauna overcomes her fear of danger in order to help - and without her help - the player may not even be able to open the door in time. Tierno has two major hooks. He REALLY likes watching how Pokemon move - and he ABSOLUTELY doesn't like battling. His moment of growth comes when battling the player spur-of-the-moment on the route to Snowbelle City. Tierno doesn't get a lot of screen time - but this is the turn of the corner for him quite obviously - by doing something he wouldn't have done before. It's also said by Shauna that Tierno spends some time at the Fighting Dojo - which is being advertised by a former Kantoian Black Belt as a "dance studio" (in order to actually attract costumers) that teaches "karate dance." - so it's feasible to say that Tierno picks up a bit of skill in Pokemon battling from this. Trevor has this unique form of competing with the player in that he will ask to compare Pokedexes with you throughout the journey. As Tierno's companion it's easy to associate a lack of interest in battling with Trevor too - but really the most prominent reason he isn't as bold as you and Calem/Serena is that he's timid - along with caring about the Pokedex. The player and Trevor are the only ones that journey into the Frost Cavern, encountering Team Flare Scientist Mabel and a pair of grunts harassing a native Abomasnow. Trevor stands up and fights one of the grunts - and admits to the player that there is a time for being bold - as it can help out others down the stretch. Cue character growth. and finally Calem or Serena already come across as bold and quick-to-act - but that doesn't mean that they as characters don't grow. The player character actually serves as a measuring stick for a majority of the journey, beating the pulp out of your rival's thin line of partners and causing what seems to be growing dismay paired with definite frustration for quite a while. It all culminates though when the group reaches the Tower of Mastery in Shalour City. Gurkinn - the Mega Evolution Guru - brings upon unfortunate news. There's only -ONE- mega ring at the moment, and the group has to decide who should get to use it. After the other three companions bow out - the player and Calem/Serena are the only two left standing. Prior to the showdown - the rival is confident, and while offering you praise, it's the most backhanded yet as they are determined to be the Mega Evolution user. After the defeat - they seem MORE than humbled - which leads to not only accepting that you're the real deal as a trainer and worthy of mastering Mega Evolution - but that he/she may yet have a lot to learn themselves. This prompts them to not meet up with the rest of the group on the way to Snowbelle City. They're training. As you can see - what may come across as an extremely forgettable group of companions actually proves to be a major focal point of the story. These characters are the ones that are in nearly every scene and to finally see their intrinsic value as characters at least begins to open the story up more than before. In the next part - I'll cover one of the deficiencies of X and Y in another group of people that may be considerably underwhelming. The Kalos Pokemon League. But do go ahead and comment what you think of my musings! They encourage me to keep doing my research if nothing else.
-
Vinny. Happy 20th! These threads always turn into reflections on the people celebrating an age-up - so here's yours. I remember you most from other people's welcome threads. You were very active on the forums back then and went out of your way to make everyone feel welcome. That's the first word that comes to mind when I try to place an attribute on you. Welcoming. Thank you for being an inspiration in that regard. I hope your day is fantastic and you take from it happy memories.
- 35 replies
-
- Needs more Weavile
- WEAVILE
- (and 6 more)
-
I guess I'd better contribute with a couple of news bulletins. In case you somehow missed it this week - Alabama did in fact beat Clemson in the second National Championship of the Playoff era. The game was an extremely worthwhile watch; salvaging the completely lopsided bowl season and particularly the two semi-final games held on New Year's Eve. Your final is Crimson Tide 45, Tigers 40. Also - who would have thought a 'process' coach used to winning handily would pull something like a mid-game onside kick out of his sleeve? Actually kinda shocked Saban had it in him. Kirby Hocutt will replace Jeff Long as College Football Playoff Committee Chairman. Hocutt is currently serving on the committee and is also Texas Tech's Athletic Director. Long will remain on the committee, but you'll see Hocutt discussing the CFBP rankings instead next season. Hocutt is the biggest name on the committee with ties to the Big 12 conference, who demographic-wise, is at a major disadvantage. I don't know where Hocutt having the chair position affects the Big 12's standing with the committee though. The conferences have elected to allow conferences to host championship games WITHOUT having at least 12 teams as long as the teams play a Round Robin schedule. This also mostly concerns the Big 12 - who now wouldn't have to expand it's conference with two more schools AND would pick up a 13th game if they were to so choose. There are drawbacks to deregulated conference championship games though. This season - Oklahoma would have had to play Oklahoma State AFTER beating the Pokes at the end of the season in this currently hypothetical championship game with virtually nothing to gain in perception with a win, and what would have been an assured playoff spot with a loss.
-
Pokedex nightmare fuel. Also, look at this thing using a physical move. That's just hilarious. Anyway, here's what makes Kadabra a STRANGE 'mon. FIRERED: "It happened on morning - a boy with extrasensory powers awoke in bed transformed into Kadabra." EMERALD: "It is rumored that a boy with psychic abilities transformed into Kadabra while he was assisting research into extrasensory powers." So HERE we have a Hoenn and a Kanto Pokedex DISAGREEING over how "matter-of-fact" this happening is. Not to mention that this happening is a human-to-Pokemon transformation that outright ignores the fact that Abra is even a thing.... HELLO?
-
Hey Arnold. "HEY FOOTBALL HEAD."
-
I guess I can ask for some help in this thread still. I'm not the biggest weeb but don't mind the artstyle. I like medieval era works. I'm really -not- keen on female avatars anymore (at least for a good while) - and my favorite art styles are digital art and painted works.
-
I'll have some crow. "Blame Game" is actually a very very good track - and the background information for "Through the Wire" makes what would normally be a pretty bleh track actually kinda neat. Having been a musician personally and having worked with those who aspire to make it big in the music field over the years - it's easier for me than it may be for some to see this a genuine occupation that requires a lot of crafting and revision. The first Kanye track I remember somewhat liking was 'Stronger' - and the first one that I remember personally listening to multiple times willingly is 'Love Lockdown'. Then MDTF brought us 'Power' and 'All of the Lights' - two of which are still really good tracks even today. I'll definitely give Late Registration a whirl. This thread has made me actually think about how much I often judge others before giving them a legitimate chance. With someone as talented as Kanye is - I knew that there had to be -something- worth checking out if nothing else, and I felt like this was generally rewarding. I -can- see 'Ye being a little embattled and over the fame now. Too often, someone like Kanye gives off the impression that he's just all about the spotlight and you don't really see how he views the world around him - and for that I'm going to blame the media world for choosing not to air things like 'Blame Game' as often, as much as I will shoulder some personal book judging before reading. Thank you for the enlightenment.
-
I really appreciate the suggestions, Erick. I'm not going to say that race doesn't play a part of his general perception - but personally if race were seemingly a factor I think I wouldn't like the likes of Lecrae, KB, Tadashii, Bizzle, or other Christian Rap authors in the same vein - with 'Crae even going so far as to not differentiate the Christian Rap genre from the rest of the rap game and Bizzle being one of the few known CR artists to fall in line with making diss tracks. I also would safely say I would appreciate the likes of George Watsky, Eminem, and ....Insane Clown Posse more than I would Kanye if this was at the very least consciously a race issue - when in reality I loathe ICP loads more than I do West and like Kanye just as much as I do Eminem and Watsky - as a musician. You mention that staking claims of being the best has always been a part of the rap industry, and I wouldn't disagree - I do have that general sense from being a mere casual listener - but I'm a more experienced Christian rap listener - and the stark usage of humility in those tracks is more impactful to me than chest thrusting is - on TOP of said egotism being the norm in the industry and thus coming across as "mainstream." I look forward to the data you'll provide and I'll give those tracks a listen. All and all - I would say that I don't have anything against West and that I just personally disagree with the notion that he absolutely needs to conduct himself in that manner outside of the studio or off the concert stage. Especially if he's already changed the industry as profoundly as you make it seem. Great musician, not my kind of person. Doesn't make him an inherently bad - it just means I'm entitled to an opinion.
-
I like this topic because I'm one of those people that thinks Kanye is an extremely talented musician with even a few tracks he's thrown down or worked on being songs I would repeat due to how great they were. ...but I don't think Kanye's race is the reason I dislike him as a person. The main reason I don't like Kanye is actually the main reason I don't like most of the rap industry. The subject matter. A West defender can definitely point to race when you look at several of his biggest critics using words like "Boy" to describe him - which was the replacement "N-word" after it was deemed politically incorrect to use by persons who are not black. However, I don't see how acquiring money, having unhealthy amounts of sexual intercourse with multiple women, or being a better rap artist than the next guy is a part of the "struggle" and without context (such as the gracious "underhanded apology" My Dark Twisted Fantasy was described to be.) it comes off as extremely vanilla. Pair that with Ye's ego - and you have someone who is boasting exceptionally much about doing seemingly the same thing most other rap artists are doing. This begs the question - is it Kanye's ego that makes him so much more of a hot commodity than other rappers? I would rather like someone because their music is generally solid and they are a talented individual than like someone because they can out-boast the competition. I personally think Kanye as a musician is indeed a cut above most - and I also don't think he only talks about sex, money, and rap. However, he's not an artist that shies away from the norm either - and it makes the way he portrays himself as a person seem not only extremely confident - but also a nuisance at times. However, I don't think my judgements are the final word on West. I'm a casual listener. So Neo, if you have some recommendations for me. I'm all ears.