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Saturday, March 13, 2021

My Hero Academia: On Being Your Own Hero



The popular superhero anime My Hero Academia follows Izuku Midoriya, also known as Deku, and his classmates as they struggle with their own internal battles on their way to becoming true heroes. Though comedic and light-hearted, the show is mostly known for its motivational qualities and heart.  As each character realizes their shortcomings, they must first become their own hero in order to then help others.


In the world of My Hero Academia, genetic mutations allow humans to be born with powers called Quirks. People born with particularly useful quirks, such as super strength in the case of the top hero All Might, are hired by the government to protect citizens from crime or disaster. This is where we find young Midoriya; an All Might superfan with dreams of becoming a real hero. Despite trials and tribulations, Midoriya's story is a motivational how-to manual on building your own destiny. These are my favorite characters and the lessons they can teach about being your own hero.



Deku - Hard Work

Deku’s storyline is about not needing the talent to succeed at your passion.  My favorite part about him is that Midoriya is born quirk less! He starts his journey by being told by everyone around him that his dream is already done. He is even bullied by his childhood friends, who call him Deku (meaning useless).  The one chance he gets to prove himself to All Might, he is told to stop trying and go home. Does Izuku go home and resign himself to his fate? No! When his bully Bakugou is being attacked by villains only moments later, Midoriya runs to his rescue, earning a mentorship and quirks from All Might himself in the process. In the second season, he even forgoes his newfound quirk during part of a tournament and wins using only his skill and intelligence.


Bakugou - Perfectionism

Deku’s bully Katsuki Bakugou’s storyline is parallel to Deku’s and is about emotional self-improvement. Bakugou starts the series off as a pompous but talented young man who has always been the biggest fish in the pond. After learning of Midoriya’s newfound quirk he begins to feel his ego deflating, and it worsens when he attends UA and is no longer the most talented person at his school. He does not handle it very well at first, but throughout the story, he learns to channel his drive for success for good. He learns that his perfectionism, while useful, is tied to his ego and consequently he learns to meet himself where he is instead of where he believes he should be. He eventually gets a redemption arc and becomes a motivation for his fellow UA class members!


Uraraka - Self Doubt

Ochako Uraraka, Deku's classmate and close friend, struggles with self-doubt throughout her career. She learns in the second season that she will never be able to succeed without getting rid of her constant fear of failure when she is set to fight Bakugou in the tournament arc. Though her classmates doubted her, she asks herself what Deku would do and competes anyway! She proves to be a much harder opponent than Bakugou had expected and though she still lost, this experience leads her to become a better leader and hero because she no longer second-guesses herself.


Tenya Iida - Grief

Tenya Iida, the class representative, struggles when his brother is incapacitated by the villain Stain and Iida must take over the family superhero alias Ingenium. Tenya seeks out Stain, consumed by wanting to take vengeance. Through his journey through grief and anger, Deku and Uraraka help him to make peace with his inner turmoil and in doing so discover that he was fueled by his own feelings of inadequacies about taking on his new title. Through self-reflection, he learns that he is worthy of his title and goes on to make an amazing Ingenium.


Shoto Todoroki - Trauma

Shoto Todoroki, a UA classmate who was admitted on recommendation alone, struggles to cope with his abusive upbringing and his father being the bitter rival of All Might. His quirks are fire and ice; however, he refuses to use his fire at first out of hatred for his father. Through his journey, he learns to come to terms with the parts of him that represent his dad and to process the trauma that he went through in his childhood. Throughout the seasons Todoroki also learns to trust others and create bonds rather than pushing people away and is, therefore, better able to work with others.



The point is that although all these characters are trying to learn to become heroes so that they can help others, they learn to help themselves along the way. This is the true lesson we learn from My Hero Academia. It serves as an essay of sorts on being your own hero, making your own future, and growing as a person. You can choose who you are and the things that define you whether that is through hard work or making peace with your past! Overall, My Hero Academia is a motivational must-watch that has grabbed the hearts of anime fans everywhere.

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

A List Assembled: My Top 5 MCU Characters




The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an extremely ambitious network full of the most complex characters in cinematic history. With nearly two dozen films from the Avengers to the Guardians of the Galaxy, these heroes are expanded upon in a way that has never been seen outside of the comic books. The universe slowly unfolded, beginning with Iron Man in 2008, and throughout that time many fans have reserved a special place in their hearts for their favorite heroes. Below are my top five superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.


Gamora #5

Hear me out - Gamora is selfless beyond all reason. Despite her sister Nebula’s repeated attempts to kill her, Gamora repeatedly spares her life and even rescues her from a burning ship in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2. During Infinity War, she attacks Thanos with only a knife and seemingly kills him, causing her to reveal that she still loves him even after all he has done. When it is revealed that Thanos is not dead, she attempts to sacrifice her own life so that the location of the soul stone can remain a secret. In End Game, the 2014 Gamora partners with 2023 Nebula and they fight in the Battle of Earth together, ultimately assisting the avengers in reversing the Snap. Despite her hard life and stoic exterior, Gamora’s capacity for self-sacrifice has earned her a well-deserved place on this list.


Spider-Man #4

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is the adaptation we have all been waiting for. He perfectly catches the essence of youth, responsibility, and quirkiness that the comic books conveyed. His attachment to Mr. Stark as a father figure is relatable and his struggle to deal with that loss in Far From Home causes some pretty ‘sticky’ situations. Though naive at times Peter Parker does everything he can to right his wrongs and is always there when the avengers need him. His pop-culture references and one-liners are a bonus, too!


Iron Man #3

Tony Stark is arrogant, selfish, and extremely flawed. His self-centered personality is contrasted with his close relationships, such as with Pepper Potts and Peter Parker. Throughout his films, he struggles with balancing his own needs, the needs of the people he protects as Iron Man and the needs of the people he loves. He uses his superficiality to mask his true emotions and problems like substance abuse, his complicated relationship with his dad, and survivor’s guilt. During Infinity War Stark finally gets his long-awaited redemption. After the snap, he retires from hero work and settles down with Pepper and their child. He matures through his love for his family and his grief over losing Peter. This development in his character sets him up to make the ultimate sacrifice in the end. His emotional journey and development arc earns him a place among the best MCU characters.


Black Panther #2

T’Challa is strong-willed, noble, and quick to take responsibility after the death of his dad T’Chaka forced him to take on the role of Black Panther. He shows himself as a powerful warrior in Civil War when he fights alongside Iron Man. Even more impressively, he is a merciful leader. He spares Zemo’s life despite having promised to avenge - pun intended - his father. He also brought Kilmonger to the mountains to look out on Wakanda before he died. At the end of his self-titled movie, he opens Wakanda so that they can begin to share resources and help people who are outside of his kingdom. T’Challa’s ability to listen to Kilmonger’s criticism and to evolve his kingdom lands him a spot among the top heroes.


Captain America #1

Steve Rogers started from nothing; he was a scrawny kid who had a dream of fighting for his country during the war. Since then, he has played a key role in defending the universe in ten different MCU films. His moral compass is extremely strong, and he always tries to do the right thing. He is fiercely loyal to friend Bucky Barnes through Winter Soldier even when the odds seem stacked against them. That loyalty is again tested and confirmed in Civil War when T’Challa vows to kill Barnes. In End Game, his worthiness as a hero shines when he can carry Mjolnir. His kindness, morality, strength, and propensity for forgiveness make him worthy of handling Thor’s weapon. Though Captain America’s ending was sad in a way, I am glad that he was able to finally take Peggy up on that date.


Although these are only five of the many amazing characters in the MCU, they are the ones that stand out the most to me as heroes and as people. There are honorable mentions to hand out: Star-Lord, Loki, Wanda Maximoff, Black Widow, and Hawkeye were all considered for a spot on this list. At the end of the day, all the MCU characters have their own abilities that make them great.

Saturday, March 6, 2021

From New Vegas to ‘76: My Reasons to Never “Fallout” of Love With the Series



The Fallout series has been near and dear to me since I started with Fallout New Vegas back in 2010!  This game, published by Bethesda has made an impact on my gaming style by influencing the games that I now like to play (RPGs).  The following reasons are reasons to never fallout of love with the Fallout series.


The Freedom of Choice and Interaction

The main attribute of the Fallout games that got me hooked was the freedom that Bethesda gives you in making choices of how you want YOUR game to go.  The choices that you make throughout the game shape a storyline that is particular to you.  You can influence the game through your various interactions and choices from start to finish.  To me, this makes the game personal and a lot more fun than games like Call of Duty where the storyline is set and you have to complete the same steps A, B, and C in the order that the creator chooses. 


Interesting and Growing Story Lines

The Fallout games also include interesting and growing storylines.  While the game obviously has its “main” story that you will follow throughout your gameplay, there are also SO MANY side quests that are just as thrilling and continue throughout the game.  I love working with the characters to learn their history and helping them solve the problems that they are having.  It gives you a break from the grind, while also enjoying some side quests to gain relationships with the factions and some bonus XP. 


The Music is Good, Like Really Good

I play other games and I find myself wishing I could play my own tracks in the background.  Sometimes it is just that the games do not have any music and other times they have an extremely repetitive track playing throughout your entire game.  Either way, Fallout games do not have this problem.  There are multiple stations you can choose from.  Each station offers different music, including classical or some old-timey tunes.  The music is always catchy and theme-appropriate (Atom Bomb Baby by The Five Stars and Uranium Fever by Elton Britt), adding to your immersive experience in the post-nuclear world that we love. 


Great Range of Difficulty

Bethesda does a great job in the Fallout games of making sure there is a great range in difficulty in the quests and the enemies that you may come across.  This keeps things interesting, as you never know if you are going to stumble across some one-shot radroaches or a high-level deathclaw.  You must be prepared for the worst throughout your journey through the wasteland.  The quests also vary greatly and allow lower leveled players to be able to advance through some easier or smaller quests while holding on to the more advanced ones for later. 


Something to Work for and A Sense of Accomplishment

I am a huge fan of games with quests or challenges, which give you something specific to do and reward you for finishing.  The amount of main and side quests in each game gives you something to work for.  You always have something that you can do, even if you are just playing for a short time or not trying to grind on the main quest for hours.  The Fallout 76 daily and weekly challenges add even more to this aspect, giving you points to earn for doing short tasks.  I love the sense of accomplishment that these quests and challenges give you, just for having a good time and playing some dope games!


There is ALWAYS Something New to Discover

The Fallout games cover huge areas, and the games are only getting bigger!  Bethesda does a great job making sure that there is plenty of exploring to do as you travel the wasteland.  With no other method of travel, you must trek to your destinations on foot (at least any new destination).  This puts you in a position to discover new locations, people, enemies, and more.  This is one of the most monotonous but rewarding parts of the games.  It is intimidating to see a quest that requires quite a bit of travel to a location that is not available on your map for fast travel.  It is also exciting when you come across multiple new locations, a few side quests, and an empty building or two to loot on your way.  


I Still Have not Fallen Out of Love

Many Bethesda and Fallout Fans are harsh critics of the newest Fallout installment, Fallout 76.  I did not think I would love the game since it was introducing online gameplay and featuring many changes to be able to do that.  While it may not be my favorite in the Fallout series, I still have not fallen out of love.  The stories are all still true to the theme of the series, the graphics are stunning, and the quests are still interesting!

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

The Nerdy Truth: Stereotypical Lies



What is a nerd? Well, according to the dictionary, here are both the noun and verb definitions. The noun definition is a foolish or contemptible person who lacks social skills or is boringly studious. The verb definition is to engage in or discuss a technical field obsessively or with great attention to detail. I don’t know about you, but I’m not too keen on the first definition nor am I ok with the stereotypes that it creates. So, let's dive deeper into this and I’ll show you the difference between what society thinks and what it really means to be a nerd! 

 

Stereotypes 

 

Let's start by listing typical stereotypes placed upon the nerd community: 


  • -They are extremely smart and have a high IQ 


  • -They are considered to be unpopular or lack social skills 


  • -A person who always wears glasses or has to have braces 


  • -An easy target for bullies to pick on and harass 


  • -Unable to play sports due to lack of physical coordination 


  • -Always behind on trends and unfashionable 


  • -Males are either too skinny or extremely overweight and that is assumed to be due to a lack of physical exercise 


  • -Women are unattractive due to focusing more on studies versus their appearance and therefore will remain unattractive 

 


My Opinion 

 

Now that I’ve brought to light some typical stereotypes, it’s time to bust down those walls and set things straight! 


  • Smart has nothing to do with it 


 First off, I believe that “nerd” is merely just a state of mind and, therefore, cannot be an intellectual label. Yes, nerds can be smart, but that is not what makes a nerd who they are.  


  • Popularity is irrelevant 


Most nerds I know, including myself, are actually quite sociable due to having a rather carefree nature towards social inhibitions and what others may think of them. 


  • Medical devices are non-defining 

 

The fact people associate glasses and braces with nerds is just wrong! All types of people wear glasses and braces and most nerds do not even require either one. A device used for medical reasons should never be used to classify or define a person.  


  • Nerds can bully too 


As far as bullying goes, nerds are just as sociable as the next person so they’re not as easy a target for most bullies and are even capable of being the bully themselves. 


  • Clumsy isn’t a label  


A lack of physical coordination, to me, is just based on your surroundings or possible medical conditions, not your socially labeled level in life.  


  • Nerd = Stylish 


Most nerds are extremely fashionable and have designed various leading clothing lines and, in recent years, have even become a mainstay for trendsetting. 


  • Male nerds like sports too  


Being a nerd means you really love things and set your mind to making those things a priority, this can also include sports. There are a lot of male nerds who play sports and are very capable of keeping their bodies in top condition. 


  • Female nerds like being girly as well 


Most new skincare regimes, body care products, and new make-up products are created by the women most would consider being nerdy. Having all that experience under their belt with beauty regiments and access to making them unique to their bodies makes me think they’ll be just fine appearance wise! 

 


Conclusion 

 

The term nerd has been around for a long time and is difficult to change stereotype wise for many people. As a society, we tend to just “go with the flow” when it comes to these kinds of things. It's hard enough trying to change just one person’s opinion let alone attempt to rewire an entire society’s view on a subject. I’m proud of my fellow nerd community for the strives we’ve made throughout the years proving ourselves to be merely your average person, just with a hyperactive enthusiasm for certain aspects in our lives that have imprinted onto our hearts.