Elves and Beasts and Lightsabers

Flowers for Algernon is a book ahead of its time. It features the low-key sci-fi concept of altering a mentally disabled man’s intelligence, unintentionally setting him on a personal journey. This story is about empathy and the treatment of the disabled. In addition to a greater societal piece, it is also merely about the protagonist’s changes and development. Breaking Bad is a series about one person who gained life and another who lost it. It's a gripping tragedy, with the protagonist being an embodiment of a dissatisfaction towards society, a semi-common state of mind. It’s about the common feeling by some that society has wronged them. It's about a man who drags all he supposedly loves into hell. Star Wars is a culturally significant sci-fi escapist monster of a franchise. The original trilogy features its spin-off media, faced with varied reactions. Though some obscure novels/tv shows have received acclaim, both the prequels and sequels are seen as terrible. However, t

I love dogs. Especially Terriers. But I’ve always had a question. Is it superficial to love them for their traits and personality, when their traits and personality are bred into them? This statement presupposes two things; that they are loved for their traits and personality, and that those traits and personality are bred into them. Both these sub-statements are both correct. Evolution and breeding have made dogs into fit companions for humanity. Certain breeds of dogs have inclinations towards different behaviours. These behavioural inclinations exist alongside physical traits. These inclinations are not absolute, but powerful influencers. Personality is almost guaranteed, because the breeding has been so refined. West-Hyland Terriers, for example, have a reputation as being lively, energetic, intelligent, and feisty, among others. Every Westie I know of has subscribed to these traits, although to differing extents and varieties. The question is whether these beings are just fulfilli

The implication of Bandersnatch is the long-debunked and harmful notion that suffering creates great art. It is trivializing to suffering to present it as necessary. Its application in the story is poorly thought-out, much like everything else. Its supposedly novel concept is simply a generic choice-based video game; its failure to note this metafictionally lessens the story. Simply put, it’s far less smart than it thinks it is. Doctor Who is a famous and far-reaching series. It managed to capture a genuine wonder for the universe, with many frequently changing elements. It is both escapism and a reflection of our reality. However, Doctor Who cannot escape its greatest problem; it finds itself dependent on nostalgia life-support. Adventure Time details an evolution of surrealism. In kids' shows, this was first an unintentional byproduct of animation’s inherent disconnect from reality, and that it is primarily aimed at kids. This reinvents that, merging it with philosophy and ge

This semi-obscure series has the honor of being mentioned as an inspiration for Stranger Things, in its narrative use of interpersonal relationships versus sinister research facilities, tied into mysterious superpowers. Elfen Lied follows the amnesiac Lucy, a tragic superpowered mass-murderer, as she is found and taken in by the taciturn Kouta and his cousin Yuta. Lucy has reverted to an infantile personality, only calling herself "Nyu". The cast grows to have Kurama, a well-intentioned scientist at the mysterious facility Lucy escaped from, Mayu, an abused girl who also comes to live with Kouta and Yuta, and Nana, a happy child with the same powers as Lucy. The story expands. SPOILER: It's revealed that Lucy was Kouta's childhood friend. His trauma comes from the mysterious death of his family and his repressed memories surrounding the event. It turns out that she was the one who brutally murdered Kouta's sister and father in front of him, in an extrem

A Series of Unfortunate Events, at the end, reveals that the answers don’t really change anything. At the end, the world is as it is, and the people who’ve died and fought will stay dead; nothing will change that. The ideal of finding closure is subverted. It is a sad, but beautiful ending. They have a new chance at life, a chance to nurse a new life into this world, after seeing so many lives lost amongst horrible catastrophes. Despite everything, they still have each other. And they’re alive, as Phil said once. Count Olaf, for all his crimes, died a hero’s death, even without feeling remorse. Is it an injustice that they buried him? Who knows. It’s fitting that The End takes place on an island, wherein they are finally free from a ludicrous society. They’re no longer hunted as they were, and are free from disguises. It’s a final chapter in one particular saga, the location driving the conclusion. Their isolation from society, the idealized protector of freedom, enables them to b

Attack on Titan is a speculative philosophical series hidden under the guise of a standard shounen. In-depth discussion involves detailing the spoilers of the series, as the plot’s unraveling is highly contingent on certain mysteries. This pervading, constant allure of mystery in the series amplifies its compelling nature. As such, this raises difficulty when bringing it up to others or discussing it in public, because to avoid spoilers, it's limited to the base concept.   The story starts with three children: a driven boy called Eren, his adoptive sister Mikasa, and their best friend Armin. They live at the outer edge of humanity’s borders, humanity now being limited to three walls. This is because the outside world is populated by Titans, inexplicable humanoid monsters; they are also giant and near-immortal. A Colossal Titan somehow breaks the wall, and the Titans enter the third wall; chaos ensues. Then years pass and they become soldiers, and then things get more and more compl

Gravity Falls is a funny, enjoyably goofy, and playful series, with a childish wonder to it. It is about twins Dipper and Mabel are sent to their great-uncle’s Stan's place for the summer where they meet people and go on adventures in the strange and mysterious town of Gravity Falls. Like Yin and Yang, Dipper is a precocious amateur detective, while Mabel is a fun-loving free-spirited girly girl. There’s strong development with the characters of Stan Pines and Dipper. The cartoony animation and dedicated voice-acting aid it in its charm. Its offbeat humor is aided by its adult edge, this being occasional adult jokes and a physical horror permeating the series. The show has quite a few horrific moments and some scenes, when thinking about how they managed to get past the censors, are a marvel. But there’s also a strong sense of family and humor to balance it out. Also, the series is coated in addictive mysteries, incorporating significant easter eggs. There are ciphers hidden throug

Lilo and Stitch is a genuine story from an industry threatened with cliches, overdone tropes, and a lack of public interest in archaic values. It is an unconventional story from Disney, who usually produce romance and fantasy stories. It is a story that goes into dark places. It directly addresses the loss of loved ones, another unusual feature for a Disney Animation Studios production. It is two stories of trouble intertwining, a mutualistic relationship wherein both sides help each other to grow and develop; people helping each other out, despite their initial plans. It is beautiful. The humor and the animation are also unconventional, the humor being partially derived from both Lilo and Stitch’s charming eccentricities and use of watercolor backgrounds, another unusual decision that ends up benefiting the movie. It gives it a unique style. This is not to say that being unusual or different is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s important to note when people are both bold enough to