The Wind Rises — Hayao Miyazaki’s final masterpiece

Posted on March 4, 2014 by averagejosh

After what seemed like an eternity, Hayao Miyazaki’s final film, The Wind Rises, finally made its way to US theaters en masse this past weekend.

Based on real-life events, The Wind Rises is Miyazaki’s version of a biopic. While not an exhaustive, beginning-to-end account, it follows the life of Jiro Horikoshi, a Japanese aeronautical engineer who was responsible for designing many of the planes used by Japan during World War II.

Unlike Miyazaki’s previous works, this particular film is void of any fantasy elements, barring the occasional dream sequence. But as is the case with many of his movies, his fascination with flight is obvious, and in this film, plays an integral role throughout.

In a world full of naysayers, cynics and bitterness, Hayao Miyazaki, in a style uniquely his own, perfectly encapsulates the best aspects of humanity. He focuses on pure, childlike innocence, fascination, hope, joy and love. When you watch his films, you understand that he wants to believe the best in people, which can be an incredibly hard thing to do. Continue reading →

Remembering Nujabes

Posted on February 27, 2014 by averagejosh

Yesterday marked the four-year anniversary of the death of one of my favorite musical artists.

Jun Seba, known professionally as “Nujabes,” was a Japanese DJ who combined melodies, blended notes, shaped sounds, and crafted music that I regard as profoundly special. He didn’t just make music I liked. It was more personal than that. Continue reading →

A thought on toys and marketing aimed at girls.

Posted on February 22, 2014 by averagejosh

I guess toy commercials have been targeting girls this way forever, but to be honest, I never really thought much about it until recently.

I record most of my favorite television shows on my DVR, so I usually get to speed through the commercials, which means I rarely see toy commercials. The only time I ever encounter them is when I’m watching recorded episodes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that air on Nickelodeon.

When the first commercial break came up, I checked my phone instead of fastforwarding to where the show starts back. What I saw when I looked up from my phone was a commercial aimed at girls for some sort of “High School Monsters” dolls. They had huge heads, with giant eyes, but had slender, “shapely” bodies, all posed in somewhat provocative stances. It seemed a little… weird. And wrong. Continue reading →

A Ramble On Writing

Posted on February 3, 2014 by averagejosh

Something interesting happened when Facebook went from being a closed community for college students, and opened its doors to literally everyone, exposing our undergrad-only environment to the world.

Suddenly, we weren’t just a bunch of college kids with a secret realm all to ourselves. Now, our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins (both young and old) were pouring into what had been an “underground haven” for university students around the country.

When it first happened, we were a little shocked. There was a general air of “What just happened?” as we all looked around with our mouths agape. We’d been found out, and now had to share this space with just about everyone we knew. And at first we didn’t know how to handle it. It was awkward. Everyone you knew suddenly had new insights into your life, and people began asking themselves, “Do I really want this person to see that? Is this post is going to confuse these people?” Continue reading →

So, Michael Bay’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles…

Posted on February 1, 2014 by averagejosh

If you’re not an obsessive fanboy like I am, then you’ve probably not kept up with all the news surrounding the newest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. It’s been the target of a colossal amount of scrutiny for more than four years, largely because of the Hollywood names associated with it.

Michael Bay, best known for directing the recent slew of Transformers movies, has a poor reputation among the geek elite. When his name is mentioned, a collective groan can be heard across the internet, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror. And while this new TMNT movie is not directed by Bay, he is credited as a producer, as his company, Platinum Dunes, is producing the film. Continue reading →

Gone, But Certainly Not Forgotten

Posted on January 25, 2014 by averagejosh

I’ve mentioned Retroware TV in the past, and how the site and its contributors played a large role in reinvigorating my love of retro games. It’s a tight-knit community dedicated to creating content by and for those of us who revere the games we grew up with. There is no pretentiousness among this group, just gamers who wish to celebrate, share and enjoy the history of our favorite hobby.

We got some bad news today. Justin Carmical, better known by his YouTube alias, “JewWario,” has passed away. According his wife, Jenny, it happened this past Thursday in their home. To make this tragedy even more heartbreaking, Jenny revealed that Justin took his own life. Continue reading →

Reflecting and the Result of Watching Too Much Television

Posted on January 24, 2014 by averagejosh

This is probably the result of watching way too much television (just kidding, there’s no such thing), but I’ve come to the realization that I strongly identify with a handful of fictional characters from my favorite shows. I can see significant parts of myself — personality, interests, habits — in these characters. There are aspects that are good, and some that are… less desirable.

Because television shows are typically drawn out over many episodes, seasons and years, there’s plenty of time to get familiar with the cast. This also means the writers and actors are given an opportunity to really flesh out the personalities of the characters they’re writing and portraying. Continue reading →

Dreaming Beyond Nintendo 3DS

Posted on January 17, 2014 by averagejosh

Earlier in the week, a rumor popped up on NeoGAF regarding Nintendo’s next piece of hardware. Now, you never know who the people commenting on NeoGAF actually are, so anybody can say anything, but this massive videogame forum has a history of being the source of leaks and rumors that were later seen true.

The commenter said:

“Almost certainly off-topic, but I don’t quite want to make a new thread, because it would go to shit quickly. Also, I’d need to post a source, and I don’t really want to get people in trouble. Anyway, Nintendo apparently started working on a new platform in early 2013 and has already selected a vendor for the SoC [system on a chip] after talking to several potential candidates. The SoC might be based on an existing design, but will be changed to fit Nintendo’s requirements. I assume it’s for their next handheld, though.”

I seriously doubt Nintendo is preparing to throw in the towel on Wii U just yet, although a humbling financial report just came out today that has President and CEO Satoru Iwata considering a new business model. In a news conference this morning, Iwata stated, “The way people use their time, their lifestyles, who they are — have changed. If we stay in one place, we will become outdated.” Continue reading →

When did you become a “grown-up gamer”?

Posted on January 14, 2014 by averagejosh

This is the question posed, and subsequently answered by members of the IGN staff.

I can relate to most, if not all of the answers given, specifically those that say they still don’t feel “grown up” or like an adult. I just feel like a big kid with responsibilities.

But that got me to thinking — what’s my defining “grown-up gamer” moment? When I did I first feel the shift from adolescence to adulthood with a controller in my hands? Nothing stands out off the top of my head, but after racking my brain for a bit, I think these might be the most compelling instances. Continue reading →

Reflecting on 2013

Posted on January 1, 2014 by averagejosh

I’m not usually this candid about my personal life, and honestly, I’m nervous about being so open. But 2013 was a strange year for me. It was the year I quit my day job and tried to make a living freelancing. Without context, that probably seems like a poor decision. I’d grown to hate what I was doing, but it was more than just the typical grumblings of a dissatisfied employee. I had gotten to the point where I dreaded, and even got sick to my stomach, at the mere thought of going into work each day. I hated what I was doing, and I wanted to put my degree to use.

I’d saved up a bit of money to live off of, and because I still live with my folks, I don’t have many bills. It’s a luxury most people aren’t afforded, and I’m grateful that I’m in the position to take this kind of risk. Now, I know some people scoff at the idea of a 25-year-old still living with his parents. To some, that’s seen as mooching, lazy or even pathetic. However, in many parts of the world, it’s not uncommon for children to live with their parents until they’re married and ready to start a family of their own.

But that sounds like I’m making excuses for my current situation. I’m not. But I’m also not embarrassed by it, either. Many of you understand firsthand just how bad this job market is, because many of you also went to college for four years or more and found yourselves in similar predicaments. Continue reading →