Top 20 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Episodes (20-11)

Aqua Teen Hunger Force is perhaps one of the weirdest things to come out on TV. Sure cartoons are known for their bizarre nature, but they are usually kept rooted by their narrative or demographic. Aqua Teen, on the other hand, loosely ties everything together to revel in a modernization of absurdity which I like to call neosurrealism. This particular brand of neosurrealism is a by-product of channel surfing, stoner comedy, and every single non-sequitor in Western animation to date mixed in with a urban and contemporary paint-job. It follows the story of a mostly noble box of fries (Frylock), a total jerk of a milkshake (Master Shake) and a child-like meatball (Meatwad) who get themselves and their seemingly only neighbor: a misogynistic, perverted, sports-obsessed boozehound (Carl), into all sorts of madness. The heroes are incompetent and the villains are more treated as annoyances or delinquents. The show is a continuity defiler, as inconsistencies run rampant, especially since it starts with a cold open involving Dr. Weird, a nucking futs scientists and his assistant, Steve. Recently they've gotten to the habit of changing the title of the show, as well as the opening, but whatever you see in the opening will not reflect at all what you are about to witness. And to top it all off, it's as cheap as a Hanna-Barbara production. But by god, it was the first stepping stone in creating the [as] that we know today and it's just a ton of fun. So I've decided to count down my favorite 20 episodes. Why 20? Because the show would stop at 100 but since they go for half the time, I have to count 20. SO LET'S GET THIS BALL ROLLING.

20. Chicken And Beans

Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 had already come by to show the shift in style that the show had gone with, which really only amount to a better use of animation allowing for some interesting set-pieces and gimmicks to emerge. Aqua Something You Know Whatever was no different, but it had quite a hilarious selection. This one is certainly no different. Meatwad becomes a musician and invites Carl to a gig in which he sings a song about chicken and beans being his favorite dish. Carl only comes for the beer that Frylock can pay for with the credit card, but Meatwad is at least happy he got someone invested. At the gig, Master Shake tries to make Meatwad choke when singing the song which prompts Meatwad to puke over Carl out of nervousness, making him feel like he blew his chance at being a big shot. Being the tactful friend that he is, Master Shake shows Meatwad a video he posted online of the botched gig, but then it's revealed that the views are astronomical. Meatwad becomes a complete sensation which prompts his ego to elevate itself and causes Master Shake to try and out-do him with a cover of Big City Nights called Bruschetta Nights.

One thing that makes the episode is the songs that are played throughout. Chicken And Beans is pretty much a mockery of white-guy-on-acoustic-guitar songs which only end up getting big for their sound rather than their content. Bruschetta Nights is equally as absurd but Master Shake tries so desperately to become a big hit with the constant exposure of it. The first gig is a great part as you have Carl shouting compliments simply because he's getting alcohol out of the deal, Meatwad talking about a dream and Master Shake jeering Meatwad and coming up with quips when Frylock tells him to stop. Meatwad's egotistical attitude is great as well because it still keeps his character's maturity in check but elevates the jerkiness that he rarely ever plays. It's even better when he gets confronted by Frylock as he eventually reverts back to his old self.

19. The Last One

As previously mentioned, the villains in the show are a complete joke or simply inconveniences in the lives of the Aqua Teens. The Last One makes full awareness of this fact as the Mooninites (probably the most famous characters in the show aside from the main four) try to round up a plethora of antagonists so that they can come up with a plan to destroy the Aqua Teens. Most of the characters were pests to the Aqua Teens or to Carl but a few of them were just people that the Aqua Teens ended up "helping". To say it centers on their plan to bore a single screw into the Aqua Teens' heads (literally, they only have one screw which they dub THE SCREW OF DAMNATION) is about as laughable as their organization. While the Moonitites call themselves the leader, they generally muck about doing pointless tasks and attacking people for arbitrary reasons. They name themselves after the days of the week spouted by a giant robot rabbit aptly named Rabbot, and end up adopting a highway before they proceed with their plan. The way that all the characters bounce off each other with their attitudes makes for a wonderful clusterfuck and the anti-climax becomes all the more reasonable and hilarious as a result. As for the Aqua Teens, you only see them at the end but when they come across the leau

18. Bible Fruit

The show is weird, that's indisputable, but what becomes weirder is when they venture into a darker kind of territory in a somewhat straight fashion. Granted the show is all about blood, explosions, and crassness but at times it tries to get to get you with some uncomfortable laughs. Luckily the scenarios become so over-the-top and nonsensical with the choices placed that you can set it aside. Still, with that said, this episode was probably one of the only times I felt weird in an uncomfortable way. The episode centers around Frylock meeting with a group of born-again Christian fruits who hang out at his place. The leader of the religious group, Bert Banana, is a repressed alcoholic, drug and sex addict and domestic abuser who has a fiancee named Tammy Tangerine and a friend named Mortimer Mango. Bert is the showstealer, switching from a chirpy, faith-heavy Good Samaritan to a vile, paranoid monster. The whole situation is played for laughs and it's made well by how quick the shifts in attitude are as well as how the cracks of the persona fall down to cause havoc in the house. But the things that Bert ends up shouting and the way he treats his fiancee could very well be in a well done second-rate domestic thriller. By far the best part is just how Frylock manages to slink his way out of the situation and tricks the fruits with Master Shake as a distraction.

17. Last Dance For Napkin Lad

One thing that I was hoping to see from the reincarnations of the Aqua Teen was episodes that would semi-reflect the title. I know, how absurd of me to expect that in a show that pretty much doesn't follow itself from the start. But Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 was nice enough to give me this as a sign that it was thinking about the idea. The title opening is one of the best with the Aqua Teens being these badass cops that stop the previous bad guys to a rocking theme and some wonderful renditions of the characters in a better art style. Hell, if I wanted to ask for more it would be episodes that had the animation of the opening with it. But that's beside the point. The episode in question deals with the Master Shake and Meatwad being criminals, Frylock being a double-agent and Carl being a spy who has been tracking the Aqua Teens down to try and arrest the other two. Master Shake goes under the name Flint, Meatwad's Ryan and Carl is the alias of Lars, who in reality, doesn't wear a moustache. The whole confrontation deals with the execution of a "Napkin Lad" who causes Frylock to become entangled in a mess with Ryan and Flint.

Okay so maybe it's not the same premise as the opening but the action-packed nature is still there. It plays off as if it were an intense thriller with better animation gimmicks and all these twists and turns but they still keep to their tone by making nothing add up in the end. You end up asking a lot of questions that you shouldn't ask and you just have to be taken in for the ride. A ride that involves noodle soup recipes and flying submarine cars.

16. Hands On A Hamburger/Dickiesode

It's hard for me to pick which one of these episodes was the better episode to include one of my favorite characters on the show, Dr. Wongburger. For those of you unaware, Dr. Wongburger is a reasonably-educated and incredibly eccentric freak who becomes obsessed with the very thing he takes form of and changes his body constantly much to the chagrin of his family. His debut episode, Dickiesode, involved him running a restaurant where if you pulled the bottom of the cup, you had a chance of either winning fabulous prizes or getting your dick ripped off for his dick ship. That episode does one of the funniest and most suspenseful introductions to a villain and is actually a substantial threat when it comes to Aqua Teen enemies. The rest of the episode deals with Carl becoming a woman and then the Aqua Teens trying to get the dick back, both of which lead to some wonderful moments, but it's Dr. Wongburger who steals the show. Voiced by Tommy Blancha, Dr. Wongburger spouts such great lines as "I have an advanced dickgree in dicknology" and "They crave dick, as we all do" with a deep and disturbing voice that makes them all the more amusing. His minions are also a riot as they abide the mad man's demands.

Hands On A Hamburger on the other hand, mostly revolves around a contest where the last person to have their hand on a giant hamburger gets to keep the thing. Master Shake does his best to get everyone around him out of the game, all with hilarious tactics. Probably my favorite ones are when he gets a little child out by having them count on their fingers, trying to give another guy a handjob, and lighting someone's hand on fire. When it comes down to him and Frylock, he goes full throttle with the tactics which seem to get him nowhere as the seasons turn. It almost becomes futile for the battle to go on as the burger decomposes, but Master Shake is still hesistant. You eventually get the reveal of Dr. Wongburger when Master Shake leaves but not without his hand stuck on the burger. This makes Dr. Wongburger less of a crazy villain and more of a crazy man in general. While he's not as prominent as his debut, the episode still makes his appearance a complete riot. (Also if you're wondering why I didn't put The Creature From Plaque Lagoon it's because I don't think it was as great as these two)

15. Rocket Horse And Jet-Chicken

This is probably one of the only episodes, if not the only episode where there is a different animation style completely throughout the episode. And in keeping with the wonderful craftsmanship of the show, it's done a la kids' drawings. The episode centers around Meatwad meeting Rocket Horse and Jet Chicken, a washed up crime-fighting duo that take signatures at a car dealership. Rocket Horse has no positive words to say about his co-star and Jet Chicken is disgruntled by an operation done by a doctor who already warned him that he was drunk during the ordeal and that he was still forced to do the deed. The whole episode has a bit of an injokey feel as it seems as these characters that Meatwad comes across already have something established in a sense, but it's so much on the surface that you eventually ignore. What you can't ignore is George Lowe playing as Jet Chicken since he really captures that degenerate, disgruntled attitude that comes with someone that really doesn't care much for their craft...whatever it is. The whole experience passes off as a sloppy slippery slope which Meatwad's innocence doesn't seem to register and Rocket Horse plays a great straight-man to the maltempered Jet Chicken.

14. The South Bronx Paradise Diet

Here we have a simple sitcom-like plotline: Carl and Meatwad are locked in a duel to see who can lose more weight, with Frylock betting to buy Carl a case of his favorite beer if Carl wins. A basic premise like this gets a very interesting turn when  it turns out that Carl is losing weight with a special candy bar that ends up being parasites that turn him into an anorexic insect-like being and Master Shake is doing everything in his power to sabotage Meatwad's chances by playing to his weak will power. Meatwad is wonderfully inept at following through with the workout and makes a really good remark about how all the good food ends up not being good enough for you which many can sympathize with. It also gives a glimpse to Carl's psychology regarding working out in the sense that there's really no point in doing so if you're going to die anyways (that eventually becomes this gem of a video.). Really though, it's a very simple premise with some different takes that one has to see in order to truly enjoy it.

13. Revenge Of The Trees

If there's one thing that this show does really well is being able to escalate the absurdity of a situation as the episode goes on. With Revenge Of The Trees, not only does that happen, but the second half truly becomes the icing on the cake. The Aqua Teens have a Labor Day BBQ, with Master Shake opting to flash-fry an entire cow filled with all sorts of fattening junk in a giant fryer. After Labor Day is over, the oil is left outside the Aqua Teens' house to rot and Frylock demands that Master Shake take it to the proper recycling facilities. With the help of Carl, they dump the oil in the woods which then prompts Carl to get in trouble and Master Shake to be summoned twice to Wood Court. Wood Court is another prime example of their brand of a comedy of errors as the system is completely broken and biased and tries so very hard to properly incriminate Master Shake but fails completely miserably. The trees constantly yell how Master Shake is guilty and should be sent to Tree Jail or killed, using Carl's skin as notes but not really having anything properly down when the time comes for it. And crazier yet, their laws are written in a book which is made of trees which is exactly what the whole court is against. It is incredibly accurate to say they are out of order, much in the same way that an elevator is. The only difference being is that there's a lot more laughing and you don't have to be afraid that you might have to end up shitting in a corner if the elevator doesn't descend/ascend with you in it.

12. Space Conflict From Beyond Pluto

I'll be the first to say that I'm not that much of a fan of the Plutonians as much as everyone else is. That's not to say that they aren't really funny when they can be because if such were the case then I wouldn't have put this episode on here. I guess I only say that in comparison with the other space-based characters that are recognized in the show. As it stands though, their introductory episode is great filled with such bits as grilling watermelons, "one man's waste is another man's soap" and Master Shake entering a horse's anus and liking it. The chemistry between Emory and Oglethorpe is a great one as you have Oglethorpe being head-strong and brash and Emory being relaxed and just going with the plan as if he had nothing better to do. Oglethorpe's lines are made much better by the random inclusion of a German accent and how he just wants things to go his way despite his way not being properly planned out.

11. Mayhem of The Mooninites/Revenge Of The Mooninites/Remooned

Much like Dr. Wongburger, it's really hard to pinpoint a single episode that the Mooninites do really well in. In fact, there's a lot more Mooninites for this list to come, but for the sake of the final spot on this half, I have to give it to the first three central episodes involving them. Each episode has the Mooninites inexplicably arrive and disrupt the routine of the Aqua Teens. Ignigknot and Err are a wonderful pair of Atari sprites that act like know-at-all overloads who in reality are nothing more than petty thugs with relatively weak weaponry they hardly use. Each of the three episodes has the two of them trying as best as they can to get the better out of the Aqua Teens and being thwarted by Frylock's powers. The first one, Mayhem, has them corrupting Meatwad into becoming more thuggish, which results in the Mooninites showing off the powerful yet ineffective Quad Laser. The second one, Revenge, involves them using a Foreigner Belt that they obtain by conning Meatwad, which results in some great banter between them and Carl and ultimately results in Carl defeating them as opposed to Frylock. The third one, Remooned, has the Mooninites trying to cash in a check which is in reality a radioactive bill from their uncle. Each episode has their great moments as they revolve around what the Mooninites seek to achieve and the way they react to the Aqua Teens. One of the most noteworthy parts of these episodes is that most of the banter that stems from Err is improvised. It makes a lot of sense when you consider his hyperactive attitude being bounced off by Ignigknot's solemn snark. And probably the best part is just when you see Ignigknot giving the finger to Earth as hard as he can.

Let's Talk About Crossovers

So, I watched the trailer for the long-awaited-yet-who-really-demanded-it Simpsons/Family Guy crossover. Naturally you can tell that because of that, it led me to talk about the whole crossovers thing, and you probably think that I'm going to say something about the thought of the two being together as a whole. Well, I could but it's only a trailer, it only displays a portion. Praising it makes no sense because I haven't seen it in its entirety and ranting about it serves less of a point not only because the episode is already done but they wouldn't care about what I had to say on the matter if it was about to be made. There is certainly a few things about it that I could certainly address in relation to the elements that are present in a crossover, but I'd rather not make it much of the focus of this piece. Because unlike animation/live-action films and gritty fairy tales movies, there is a lot more that can be taken in from the crossover. There's also a lot more notable examples, and it expands to much more than movies and television. It's really quite the beautiful subject to get into, and I'm glad that these two animated sitcoms have sparked my inspiration to jump in.

For those of you unaware of what a crossover is, it's when two or more entities, environments or universes, be it fictional, fabricated or real, collide with one another. Most of the time it's kept to an episode or a two part special or very few entries, nothing more beyond that. Now, what is the point of a crossover? Some might say it's to have fun. Others might say it's to keep things interesting. A few might even say it's to combine these two creations and use each of their aspects in an engaging and thought-provoking story dynamic that can say a lot with the comparisons and contrast that both face. While those are all fine reasons, the real one comes down to cold, hard cash. I'm not simply saying that to be the cynic that says that everything the entertainment industry is all about the money (even though it kind of is) but a crossover is something whose major intent comes from that reason and sometimes that reason only. A crossover is the equivalent of a concert as you able to witness all these popular artists together in a single place, figuratively blowing your mind apart. The simple idea of taking two properties and having them join forces is able to bring so much out of a person that there are a plethora of artworks out there that illustrate hypothetical fusions that may or may not come to fruition someday.

Whether a crossover is serious or not, there are certain points that each crossover hits. For one, there is always a conflict that brings one series into another series's world. It may be archenemies, a detour or simply that the plumbing's busted. Introductions are had between the two entities, one entity tries to get used to the other one, and they either have to find a way back to their own world or stop someone who entered into the new world or the problem needs to be fixed. Sometimes the series end up in each others worlds for some time and continue to deal with their conflicts. Much of the comedy expressed above occurs or the conflict starts to become a bigger concern with either the antagonists meddling or the mere fact that the two of them are together. Characters from one series will get chummy with characters from another series and then be enemies or vice versa. Eventually the conflict gets resolved and everyone parts their own ways, the end. And then you rake in the money.

One of the most notable examples of the crossover phenomenon is in our old friend, the comic book. In the world of the comic book there are crossovers as far as the eye can see. There are crossovers between series owned by the same creator, owned by the same company, owned by different companies, series that take place in the same city, in the same country, in the same planet, in the same universe and even in different universes. Some of them are relatively straightforward, others are a little more complex, some are serious, some are enjoyable, some are intentionally funny, some are unintentionally funny and some are just painful. Serious crossovers are usually the likes of Batman and Superman, as they take the stakes and raise them with the protagonists and antagonists of those two series combating with one another. More lighthearted or humorous crossovers either stem from properties that are known for their comedic or fun elements and try to have each of them bouncing off each other. And then there are ones that take two entities that don't really deserve to be alongside each other. There the ones that people joke about with their buddies, hoping that someone from the industry was listening. Some of these involve celebrities who encapsulate their own world which somehow ends up colliding with a superhero and others are Archie Meets The Punisher. Now I'm going to get to the former later on, but the latter is something important to consider because it deals with a thing I call Crossover Juxtaposition Humor.

Crossover Juxtaposition Humor is a very self-explanatory concept. It's humor that comes from the juxtaposition of the entities in the crossover. The dissonance between the two worlds, whether subtle or blatant is going to be addressed. And since it's going to be addressed, it's possible that the creators will want to get a few laughs at how characters react to each others' customs or quirks. That kind of humor is usually what works for the comedic crossover akin to how the intensifying of the conflicts is what makes the serious crossover so great. The thing about Crossover Juxtaposition Humor is that it also can come from what the entities represent and who they are marketed towards. When the shift becomes so jarring, the amount of humor that stems from it goes from just the way that the characters bounce off each other but rather the fact that the two are in the same place. Hence, Archie Meets The Punisher. Now that's not to say that a crossover can't be serious if an innocent, innocuous series meshes with a gritty, hardcore series, but when such a difference is made it becomes a lot harder to take it as seriously. And when a crossover like that takes advantage of such immense differences, it's when Crossover Juxtaposition Humor reaches its finest level.

That's where TV crossovers come along. The thing about TV is that there aren't that many serious crossovers to speak of. And if they are, they are either using comic book entities or  become greatly overshadowed by their more comedic counterparts. Another thing is that the ones that usually end up being more memorable come from animation shows. That's not to say that live-action crossovers can't happen nor do they not exist, but they tend to respect each others worlds and only make references or cameos when its convenient for them. When it comes to the sort of humor that a TV crossover displays, there really are only two categories. The aforementioned Crossover Juxtaposition Humor and meta humor. Crossover Juxtaposition Humor in TV crossovers is very strong, especially in animated shows as they can show better the contrast of visual styles that the two shows have with the addition of animation. Sometimes it's taken even further by converting the characters from one show into the art style of the other, like the Jimmy Timmy Power Hour. That can be funny, but it can also be weird, as it could prove the point that the series is more fitting in its original form than going out of its boundaries. There is also the more jarring kind of Crossover Juxtaposition Humor like in the Green Loontern where Duck Dodgers teamed up with the Green Lantern of all things. And as for the meta humor, you need to look no further than A Star Is Burns when the Simpsons get a visit from Jay Sherman.

Now when I said that a crossover is usually made simply for the purpose of making money, that doesn't necessarily make all the crossovers in the world terrible. A lot of what the mainstream entertainment industry makes is for some sort of financial gain. But whether that is the main purpose or not, its always best to hide that fact at all costs and instead do your damn best to entertain. A good crossover does that as well as take the opportunities that the crossover can offer and makes exceptional use of Crossover Juxtaposition Humor if it needs it. One of my favorite shows, Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law can be considered a crossover as it takes various Hanna Barbara properties and revolves episodes around one of them meeting Harvey Birdman and delving into ways to make them relevant for the show. In Green Loontern, Duck Dodgers was not only able to use the power of the Green Lantern rings to hilarious effect, but the way that the characters responded to his antics allowed for a lot of funny moments to flourish because they're not used to that kind of tomfoolery. In A Star Is Burns, not only are there some funny moments that come from the similarities between Homer and Jay Sherman and how Homer feels that Sherman may be seen as the better version of himself around his own house but there is a lot of jokes poked at how begrudgingly the crossover had to come to fruition as well as making fun of crossovers in general. In more action-packed, dramatic crossovers, the greatness comes from the various conflicts. The characters not getting along, their enemies causing tons of ruckus and chaos, the gravitas of the event itself as it tears into the fabric of the world. There are a handful of comic books that relish in how destructive and intense the situation can get. Furthermore, a good crossover can use the ideas that each entity represents and play with them to express an interesting message that maybe couldn't be dealt with by simply having the two of them separate.

Having that all said, there is no denying that since crossovers are usually just made for money that there are some that just whore themselves out for your cash. You know the old saying that "if you made a movie with X and Y and all they did was drink coffee, I'd go see it?". Well, as funny as that may be, there are some who take that sentence and change drinking coffee to fighting. Yes, in the world of film, crossover is just another synonym for easy cash cow. Why try to do more with two established characters when you could just show them off in the same room and have them fight? It certainly does give the public what they want. And it may be a fun idea but the novelty ends up wearing off because they just use it as a way to show off these two characters together at last and nothing else. Had they cared more about the entities, that energy would show more in the product and the product could become something more than a subpar smackdown of the century of the week. Worse than that is when one entity ends up overpowering the other rather than letting the two work better in harmony. What's worse than that is when a crossover gets too meta. A Star Is Burns did well to keep the 4th wall breaking in check, but in another work, that wall could be broken with poor execution or it could be broken so much that what ends up happening is that you have a Panzer IV of mediocre meta-humor that steamrolls you out of any enjoyment for the product. When it's overly emphasizes it proves to the viewer just how much of a gimmick the crossover is much more than if you just had a pointless fight between them break out.

As you're reading this, I'm going to assume that you have two questions. One may be "why are crossovers usually between two entities and not more?" and another may be "what about video game crossovers?". Let's take the first one. I'm going to remind you once again about the superficial nature that crossovers are made because it is that reason that crossovers are limited to two. One of the things that makes the crossover marketable is that it's for a brief moment. It is a once-in-a-lifetime parade that must be seen by all. The thing is that like parades, crossovers can be costly. For them to be done, either well or sloppily, you need to put a lot of money and time into making it. Along with that, there may be some legal disputes here and there that will have to be addressed. It could take a very long time for the two to finally come together and be released out to the world. In that case, adding one or two or three more is starts to become a larger problem because you have to dedicate not only more time, money and maybe legal disputes but you also have to make it more episodes or movies or comics to develop it properly. It may not be all that bad to make more entries to better the effect of the crossover, but the wonder of the crossover is lost when more of them occur either because of the fear of audiences rolling their eyes at how trite the display is or fear that they'll have to put more effort into it. The restrictions is the reason that there aren't too many longer crossover series whether they be of two entities or more. Which is a shame because there are a lot more that can be explored in the crossover.

Video game crossovers, on the other hand, are along the lines of movie crossovers but more fun. Most of them really just involve characters from various different places being together in one place and either fighting, racing or being faces in a puzzle game like Tetris or Puyo Puyo. It's no doubt awesome to play a game in which you can beat up Sonic as Mario or vice versa, but they're just in the same room together and nothing else. It may be a stretch to call them crossovers as they're more like a collection of cameos. Other times the crossover has entities that aren't related to video games like when Marvel goes to fight Capcom or how Nicktoons Unite takes four different shows and throws them together in a boring action platformer. Sometimes it's the two of them together in a place for no reason like when Mario and Sonic were in the Olympics. What would make an interesting crossover is something along the likes of Professor Layton vs Pheonix Wright: Ace Attorney as it combines the gameplay mechanics that the two of them have to offer as well as making the story and confrontations between the two characters fun. Those sort of crossovers are rare in video game, but it would be great to see more of those. Considering that Mario and Sonic have become more chummy around each other lately I wouldn't be surprised if there was one between them any time. At least I hope so because that would be awesome.

Despite what I've said about crossovers being mainly about the money, there is no denying that crossovers are a wonderful thing. They make the imagination soar to incredible heights and they can be some really fun experiences. Even bad crossovers have interesting ideas to them, even if it's only because of that what if being explored a bit. It's a shame that in order for crossovers to happen they have to occur for a sense of relevance or to rile people up to spend whatever money they have to witness it or waste their time for what could be a poor payoff. Certainly if there was more integrity that came to the practice of crossovers, they could explore some greater territory and expand themselves from being a one-shot fireworks display if they so wished to tackle the crossover further. And if the universes that come together increase, it would be even better to see what could come out of it. As they stand though, they're relatively good. Sure, there's some flops here and soulless cash grabs there but there are still some that can capture the beauty behind the process and capture a lot more of the brilliance behind the concept. If they go the extra step, good for them, but if not, I'm sure they could do just fine.

Mario Party Island Tour Mini-Review

So things have been a bit weird considering my graduation and my resignation from TehPwnShop as well as how I've kind of sort of been trying to manage myself on the things that I have to and want to do before I head off to the big school in the other side of the cold tundra that is Canada. I have shit planned and hopefully if all goes well I can get to posting it here. And hey, since this is a blog I shouldn't worry too much about length! Unless I'm posting this somewhere else...but that's besides the point, LET'S TALK VIDEO GAMES

Ah, Mario Party. It is a game that many have participated for their own amusement. Mario Party has the unifying power of marriage, being able to bring people of various walks of earth together for one reason and one reason only. And much like marriage, half of Mario Party games end in constant yelling, people throwing things at each other and bitter exes. It's a very intense game to say the least. Now usually the good Mario Party games are ones played on home consoles as they bridge the experience a lot better than the handhelds. It's just a fact. That's not to say that the handheld games can't still be fun. I think Mario Party DS was capable of not using the touch screen in interesting ways but making the game enjoyable both as a singular experience and as a multiplayer experience. It certainly had the formula down pat down too, with exciting and memorable minigames, helpful items and blurring the line between luck and skill that Mario Party games are so known to do. All Mario Party Island Tour has to do is meet those expectations. The question of course is does it meet those expe-no. 

With any franchise comes an evolution and certainly Mario Party has gone through its own. There are some positive aspects like how you could buy the minigames instead of have to wait on chance and some single player experiences that can make the game fun for a little bit before your friends come and that's about it. The negative aspects then come with how the game goes about it's business. You know how there was one entry where all the characters were in the same car as they played the game? That kind of decision is what I'm referring to because it's not a change for the better. It doesn't add anything to the experience, it takes away from it. Mario Party Island Tour does the same by taking away something from the experience but what it takes away is the skill of the game.

Yes, against my better judgement, I'm complaining that a Mario Party game requires very little if not any skill at all. But you see, it's not against my better judgement at all because as I stated before, these games have a blurring of how much skill and how much luck is involved. And if you have bonus stars you are more rewarded for your skill...or maybe your luck, it's a bit of a throw of a hat. This game on the other hand involves you racing from point A to point B. With a regular 6-sided die. In a turn-based game. YOU RACE!. Oh sure there's items, but that's only if you land on the right space. And maybe an event can happen that can help or hinder your progress but that's if you land on the right space. There is a little bit of skill. If you win a minigame you get an extra die (if you're in second you get one that goes up to 4 and if you're in third you get another that goes up to 2), but if you roll two ones having the golden 6-sided die that you won for doing good in a minigame it don't mean jack. Oh sure by having the dice still give you a chance to not get a big number you make it fair for the ones who lost to get ahead but then what's the fucking point of HAVING THE MINIGAME IN THE FIRST FUCKING PLACE?! And to be even more funny there's one course where the idea is to have the smaller role because it's the Bowser board and you gotta play to backwards logic. OH SURE there is one board where you have to get ahead not by the roll of the die but rather the draw of the cards from the goddamn OPPPONENT OH MY GOD THIS IS SO FUCKING STUPID.

Look, I'm all for changing the game up, but removing the star/coin method and changing it for this bullshit does not work for a game. This works wonderfully as some sort of casino video game, it really does. It fools the player into thinking they can win with skill but it's really just about luck. You know, like poker. But even poker, for as much as I like to make fun of people who think there is a decent amount of skill involved, at least that can be proved with the whole bluffing and raising that goes on. Mario Party Island Tour offers nothing with it's main game that makes you feel like what you're doing meant something. It's just a big ol' mess of chance. And what fun is playing a game that is more about chance than anything else. The answer to that is of course the minigames and I can tell you that they are the most uninspired and boring things imaginable. They were relatively fair and whatnot but they had nothing really substantial to offer. The only ones that did were the boss minigames, the puzzles and that pachinko one. And the pachinko one is really all about chance but at least that feels fun. You get like a thrill seeing the ball go and hoping it doesn't hit you. Unlike the game which just makes you feel like no matter how well you do in game you could get beat by the guy in fourth place because he rolled better than you. It's not like the guy in fourth place couldn't get in first place either but at least he needed a little bit of skill to trigger the events. At least there is more enjoyment from the sudden tumbling of the infrastructure and all the minigames you mucked about in than just seeing a die roll and end up not in your favor.

Here is a list of reasons of why you should play this game:

• Because you liked some of the minigames
• Because you liked the puzzle minigames
• Because you thought Rosalina would be playable (she's not)
• Because you wanted to spend your money in the worst way possible
• Because you don't want to tell your parents that the game they got you is terrible
• Because you have a gun pressed against your head by a sadist
• Because you have a gun pressed against your head by someone from Nintendo
• Because you are an idiot
• Because you are a paid-by-Nintendo idiot

I give this game 3 faces of Peach after I shoved this game up her ass out of 10. 

Pitching Schindler's List 2

A Hollywood executive is waiting for his meeting with two men on the sequel for Schindler's List 2

Hollywood Exec: What's taking them so long?

The intercom goes off

Hollywood Exec: (pushes button) Yes, Denise?

Denise: Your 3 o' clock is here

Hollywood Exec: They're an hour late. Send them in.

Two men appear. For the sake of convenience let's call one John and the other Sam. John runs in, dropping some papers which he promptly picks up. Sam, on the other hand, walks in nonchalantly wearing sunglasses indoors and drinking from a Starbucks cup

Hollywood Exec: You two are late!

John: (flustered) Sorry about that sir, I had a bit of trouble with traffic.

Sam: 'Sup dude. (sips from his cappuccino or whatever)

Hollywood Exec: Listen...I've heard that you two have done some great work in this business. John, you've gotten some wonderful recognition from all those fancy film festivals, as well as winning that Golden Hand thingy...

John: You mean the Palme d'Or?

Hollywood Exec: Whatever. And you Sam, those summer blockbusters are just printing money!

Sam: Well, as my mentor said, "You can't go wrong with explosions and titties."

Hollywood Exec: Yes, well I've been given the order by the higher-ups to make a sequel to one of the greatest movies in the world. And since I know that you two can make some great stuff, I want to hear each of your pitches for the film. Starting with you, Sam.

Awkward silence.

Hollywood Exec: You do have an idea for me, don't you?

Sam: Uh...yeah! I'm calling it...uh...Schindler's List 2: Schindler's Pissed!

John: Really? That's the name you're going with? You sure you didn't get that from a TV show while stoned off your ass?

Sam: Well, what are you calling it smart-guy?

John: The Trials Of Schindler

Sam: How the hell would anyone know it's the sequel to the movie?

John: Well it takes place at the aftermath of WWII, where Schindler is f-

Hollywood Exec: Hey, it's Sam's turn to talk, not yours.

John: Sorry sir.

Sam: Anyways, it takes place at the aftermath of WWII, where Schindler is still in Germany. He's still guilt-ridden by the Jews that he was unable to save and stuff. He then reads in the paper that some of the Nazis have avoided being in the Nuremberg trials. So he then makes it his mission to track down all the Nazi officials and bring them to justice (with a terrible LaFontaine impression) one way or another.

John and the executive have their jaws open.

Sam: So what do ya think?

Hollywood Exec: (aghast) Well, I gotta say this is...this is...

absolutely brilliant! Keep going.

Sam: Yes well...

John: Wait, hold on a sec...you really want to hear more of this nutjob's idea for the film?

Hollywood Exec: Of course, I think it has a lot of potential.

John: Even though he ignores the fact that Schindler left Germany and ended up in Bavaria?

Hollywood Exec: We're not really known for being historically accurate, kid. What matters is how good the story can be...you know that's true

John: (reluctantly) You got me there.

Hollywood Exec: Carry on.

Sam: Anyways, so he's finding Nazi after Nazi. At first he tries to reason with them, but they don't cooperate...so he pulls out the big guns and starts gunning them down. (imitates gunfire noises) As he keeps getting Nazi after Nazi, collecting the bounty on their head, he overhears that Amon Goeth has returned to plot his revenge on Schindler.

Hollywood Exec: That's genius!

John: (sarcastic chuckle) If it weren't for the fact that he's dead, sure.

Sam: And it turns out that Goeth is planning to recreate an underground concentration camp under a movie theatre, in which he captures Itzhak Stern as well as a whole bunch of other Jews. So then we see Schindler overseeing the travesty as a little boy with blue clothes meandering about aimlessly in the midst of all the chaos. 

John: Oh, so you're going to make it black and white like the original and have that be a key symbolic feature in the film?

Sam: What is this, the 40s? We'll make it color.

John puts his head down in shame

Hollywood Exec: Yes, that way we can appeal to the modern audiences!

Sam: So we see Schindler continue beating up Nazis, getting information from them and informing the president of the United States to send a task force of his greatest men to combat the Holocaust 2.0.

John: Why would Schindler contact the president of the United States?

Sam: Well who else is going to stop those Nazis, the Germans?

John: You do know Germany went a full 180 after the war? It's not like they actually believed Hitler and would let another Holocaust happen. Hell, the Germans should have been stopping this underground holocaust from happening.

Sam: Fine, they'll be bribed with Nazi gold.

John: The rest of the world would be on their asses then.

Sam: The Nazis become the greatest superpower and everyone's afraid to intervene.

John: That doesn't ev-

Hollywood Exec: Let the man finish for Christ's sake! Go on, Sam.

Sam: Afterwards, we find that Schindler breaks Stern out of the new Holocaust and starts making a new list of the Jews he's going to free, which the two find a way of doing so. Then when meeting up with the American team, they devise a plan to ambush Goeth and the Nazi buddies at the theatre. Then we'll have Stern with a...a subplot of trying to get revenge on Goeth's second hand man who then ended up killing his wife, while Goeth is  planning to destroy the Jews with a doomsday device. Oh and uhhh did I mention that Schindler gets a smoking hot French chick on his team that kicks a ton of ass and has the hots for him?

John: (rolls eyes) Good lord, why don't you just make it so that the little boy in the blue clothes is brainwashed by the Nazis to become an ultimate killing force?

Hollywood Exec: That's not such a bad idea.

John pulls out a flask and starts drinking from it

Sam: In the end, we have this giant climatic battle in the theatre. Everyone on the team is dead. All but Schindler. Amon Goeth informs Schindler that he's captured Stern and his girlfriend and placed them with the rest of the Jews there. He then sicks the little boy on him, who's become a...a...(snaps his fingers) a cyborg spider with fire-breath!

The Hollywood executive is on the edge of his seat. John keeps drinking from his flask

Sam: Before the boy finishes him off, Schindler reminds the fire-breathing cyborg spider boy of the importance of his family, which touches its heart. The fire-breathing cyborg spider boy then kills Amon Goeth, which prompts Schindler to say...

John: Oh god, don't you even think about saying it...

Sam: "I guess you did nazi that coming?"

The Hollywood executive is in stitches. John finishes his flask.

Sam: Schindler then runs off to to where Stern and his girlfriend are and saves them along with a whole bunch of Jews. The building then explodes and upon that he finds the remains of a ton of the Jews. He then says that he could have saved those Jews, he could have saved more of them. He starts to cry out in anguish over the souls that are lost. We seen the turmoil of a tortured soul who has done his best, but feels as though that is not enough.

The Hollywood executive starts blubbering, blowing his nose into a tissue.

Sam: His girlfriend then informs him that he did his best, and that it was the damn best that he could have done. The two then kiss and all the Jews applaud as they all walk out into the sunset. The end.

Hollywood Exec: Well I gotta say, this is one hell of a project! It's gonna be a tough act to follow, John.

John: (twitching furiously) You really can't think that what this guy is saying is a great idea? You seriously can't!

Hollywood Exec: Oh come on, this story is wonderful!

John: It's not! For one, why would Schindler go gung-ho against the Nazis if he's freeing them from the camps through some other way? Why do we need to include Americans out of nowhere? Whatever happened to Emilie Schindler? Did we just forget that he was already married? What happened to Stern's subplot? Or the French girl's ass-kicking abilities? There's so many other questions that are left to the viewer! But fine, go ahead and make it. I guarantee you that Steven Speilberg, Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley and everyone else would spit on your script. You'd then have to find some other director and actors who would end up making this sequel more unnecessary than it already is!

Sam: Well if you think this is pointless, why did you bother to come up with a pitch for the film?

John: Look I didn't think that making a pitch for this film was pointless...okay I kind of did, but I can see potential in the idea of continuing with the story of Schindler. The man was not a perfect being, his business and personal life were terrible after the war. He never got his factories working right, he was a complete adulterer; these things don't seem to connect with such a heroic figure. But with that all said, his deeds shouldn't be cast aside from his own faults. Just because great men have faults doesn't mean that their achievements are no less important. I want to build upon the torment that he felt from not being able to save more lives. I want to emphasize the idea that while we all have our faults, we are capable of doing good. Not plaster this man's name to another brainless Nazi-killing fantasy.

More awkward silence

Hollywood Exec: You know, John...you make some good points. And I like your angle on the story too. Tell you what, I'll let you both do your take on the film. I'll let the public decide.

A few years later, the two films come out. Schindler's List 2: Schindler's Pissed and The Trials Of Schindler. The former makes a ton of money, but the only people that like it do so ironically. The latter receives multiple awards from a variety of festivals and just barely manages to break even. 

A Ghost With A Name - An Introspection On Six Years Of School

I didn't know anything about Canada when I first got here. As far as I knew, the only thing that was in North America was the U.S. I suppose when you're 12, you don't know much about many things. With my lack of knowledge, there was probably a large opening to change myself and become adjusted to a new way of thinking. I certainly did manage to have a new line of thinking, but changing myself would take six years, and by this point it would be too late to rewrite my middle/high school life. I certainly do feel bad for some of things I've done, but I don't know how far I'd go to say that I actually regret how the events unfurled. I've certainly made mistakes, but the whole point of the human experience is to learn from the error of your ways. That's a way that your character is both built and tested. This school year has certainly done a deal to shape my character for the future that is university. While it hasn't washed away my bias against school, it has at least made me understand the other factors that make it unpleasant. Mainly the institution and how adolescence is a generally unpleasant point in your life. At least when it comes to emotions.

Furthermore, this year has given me a great deal of clarity. It's not to say that I haven't done a deal of introspection myself. When you're alone, you eventually steer down that path, and being alone a lot makes those internal conversations a lot longer. Sometimes, they're far longer than they need to be. Sometimes, they just seem to cloud your mind and pollute it with ideas that shouldn't be there. Sometimes, it's simply filled with ignorance and delusions fueled by your ego. Introspection is nothing without the outside perspective. You have to look at the world around you, the years that you reflect upon and the way people change in those years to understand where you were in that time. With that, then you comprehend better your own situation.

For the first little while (that is to say my middle school years), I still carried with me the baggage of my old experiences in school. It was mostly filled with short, blind temper and a peculiar personality, both of which were exploited by those around me. The results were either a barrage of cackles or a visit to the head of middle school's office. It wasn't the sort of weird antics that could later move me into an ostracized group nor were my savage outbursts suitable for the status of a troublemaker. I had neither the interest nor the mentality for either in any case. Those early years had their pleasant periods, but generally it was the beginning of a bitter battle between me and an old enemy who's face had transformed into something much more contemporary and artificial. One of the things I slowly figured out was that while Canadians may have smiles on their faces, not all of them are the cause of a happy-go-lucky spirit. It became clear to me when I saw people in the hallways along with the teachers and other faculty. While it was easy for me to figure out the ulterior motive of those upholding the school, the ones walking the halls was more of an enigma. Still, I knew that I would combat against them on various occasions.

Transitioning from middle school to high school, I had let my precocity blossom, whilst at the same time letting it become tangled with my immaturity. I certainly wasn't aware of it because the former gave me the feeling that I was above it all, include those that I was shut out from. I had made the observation that the average teenager was nothing more than an animal, driven by their brutish actions. I found myself coming across some individuals who became interested in me as a friend, and I did good enough to act upon it. At the same time though, the previous tensions of the past years did well enough to distance me from those who would take the time to acknowledge me in a form that was fitting for me. That was at fault of my loneliness becoming so vitriolic that it would cause my mind to become adamant in separating from any crowd whatsoever. It explains why most of my earlier interactions were laughably awkward or frighteningly alienating. Still, from those interactions came forth a personality that was always there but never properly nurtured. The social side of me seemed to be fed better by online experiences rather than real life ones.

In the years that high school encapsulated, I found myself at odds with two personalities; one with a disregard for the social constructs of school and one wishing to be more included in said world. The war was now being fought in my head and needless to say that it was a mess all around. What were my perceptions of the people around me? What were their perceptions of me? What did I want in the end? None of the questions seemed concrete, and even today I can't say that they are still. Granted they've become more solidified since then, but time is often a factor that leaves matters to be subject to change. I had not done much outward challenging of the world around me, or at least it was never done to a recognizable level. At the most I could have been categorized as a loner with music in his ears, and there's no glory in being one in high school. I begun to challenge myself and chip away at the unwarranted cynicism that festered in my being. It led me to see what others were offering me. But in doing so, I was still vulnerable to pessimistic thoughts. By doing so, the following phrase became known to me: a ghost with a name.

Such a phrase was fitting to describe how I was. It was made clear to me by how I was approached at in the halls, how I was met with at some of the parties that I finally yearned for and how I interacted with people in the plays I worked. I was someone who you could recognize and make note of, but easily walk past. For a while I felt that the blame was upon others, but this wound was just another one that had to be self-inflicted. It had been too late to stitch it up, but that's not to say that there wasn't a great deal of attempts at doing so. Upon realizing that I was simply that, I felt more inclined to continue my resenting ways and to further place myself in my sulking state. Doing so neither resulted in time ticking faster for this madness to end nor did it result in impacting artwork that could explain my plight in a manner that would give it enough dignity so that it wouldn't be the complete joke that it was. Instead, I made the effort to act more sociable and to take certain risks that could pull me away from that depressing funk. It didn't completely work since by now certain ideas had become so engrained in my mind, but I was able to become more tolerant and perhaps accepting of the peers around me.

As this year came rolling by, having it end was at the forefront of my mind. I had no one to feel anything for, save for the teachers who I didn't think would be too sad to see me move on from their classrooms. Not so much that I had not made connections with them, but because they could see how I could develop myself with the university life. This year also seemed to be the one that I liked the most, since it was the one that I felt the most included in. I had gotten what I deserved, and I felt strong enough to confess to others about a variety of things. I became closer to some people, but I can't say in all honesty that I consider a great deal of them true friends. The thought of being a ghost with a name still holds water to it, even if it is minute. With this year though I had discovered a few important pieces of information that will do a lot to help me.

First, it made me realize that teenagers are not primal creatures, children are. They are in the sense that they live in the now, without much as a care on their mind and often acting irrationally. Parents and other adult figures are there to make sure that they don't get hurt by doing so and by doing so they start to bring to them a safer line of thinking. As you pass through puberty, your inner nature becomes stronger while the more "mature" mindset starts to seep in by itself rather than by some outside force. Both encounter each other and the clash of those mentalities forms the mind that you take for adulthood. It's not wrong for a teenager to do the things they do, being young is fine to be aloof and brash at times. It's a time to let your spirit experience some sense of freedom. While precocity has its advantages, it shouldn't impede you to do the things that your age is meant to do. It should simply add another perspective and make you more suitable for gaining knowledge, finding interests and adding to your passion.

Second, it proved my idea right that the way others act is just a part of a larger charade. It delights the contrarian in me to see their facade broken down, but seeing the remains elicits nothing but empathy. For the joy that this confirmation brings is minimal compared to how it relates to how I've felt. For some, they might continue to remain as counter-cultural as possible upon finding this, and I wouldn't blame them. When everyone seems to have a good time and you don't, you don't bother to think who else might not have a good time too. And with the way that people don't like to wear their emotions on their sleeves but rather cover them with a jacket, it's no wonder that you don't believe them. It's often rare to find those little things that everyone can relate to, and its even rarer to have that click in your mind when you think in a different way. Even though I can believe that it's possible, it becomes a lot harder for me to fully accept it.

Third, I saw more how people looked at me. I could still call myself a ghost with a name, but I could also see that I had some moderate popularity. At least for someone who could be classified more as a loner. I was able to hang out with other people and talk them in a more casual form. I allowed myself to share some thoughts which I didn't bother to share with anyone before because I saw no need for it. Perhaps in a way I succumbed to the idea of depending on the kindness of strangers, only in this case it would be strangers whose faces I've seen for six years. Then again I had nothing to lose, it was my last year. What would it matter if I said these things to people, it wouldn't have any grand impact. I knew that this chapter was going to close, but I knew that I could write the ending differently. By doing so, I think I made sure that I didn't have any true regrets. Those previous regrets were at the cause of not knowing any better. How could I fix them if I couldn't figure out what to do in the time? This time, I knew how it worked and I couldn't let the opportunity pass me.

Saying all of this doesn't really change how I feel about the end of the year. After being dealt such a terrible hand, it was hard for me to convert it into an absolute jackpot. I really am just glad that this is all over. I'm tired of having to deal with all those conflicting emotions and I'm fine with now having them clarified and enacting on them before it would be too late. I'll know who will be alongside me, who will be true to me by the test of time. I don't worry so much if I have a large group behind me or some single soul cheering me on. I just know that when it comes I'll make sure to return the sentiment. It would be foolish to ask for others their thoughts. Foolish and egotistical. But if I have to still remain as a ghost with a name, at least I can be happy knowing I have a name.

An Interview With John Zobele aka Bye-Product aka chris†††

For a while, I've been following the work of John Zobele under the aliases Bye-Product and chris†††. His music is ripe with experimentation and is probably the reason I got so into the genre of vaporwave. Figuring it was high time I would prod the mind of yet another music-maker, I went in to have a chat with him.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I am a creative being, ever since I was very young I'd be drawing or doodling something. In 2007 I got my hands on my dad's old camera and thus sprout my love of film, which has kept up with me to now, being in film school. Music I started making in 2009 after my history teacher was telling me about music programs. Ever since I've changed set ups and styles to a point, but ever since the beginning I've been sampling. Since the only training i had was 4 years of piano lessons, the only thing that really stuck was the ability to read sheet music. I' ve used that mostly in my last 3 Bye-Product albums, to take other songs tones and beats to compose a new piece. As for chris†††, its a combination of nostalgia and finding that perfect sample to loop.

So you've been very involved in music for most of your life. What kinds of music seemed to pull you in the most?

Classical. The loud, the huge, the magnificent orchestra. Something in it is just unbelievable comforting yet cold about it.

How about musical artists? Who would you say has had more of an impact in the way you go about your music-making?

In the early days I'd say Kraftwerk, Genesis/Peter Gabriel, and disco/80s pop tracks my mom had in the car. When I got into sampling stuff, I drew alot from Prefuse 73, that one JDilla album, The Avalanches,  and Mylo's Destroy Rock N' Roll. Now I draw from inspiration from the field, VHS Head, opn, Mr. Oizo, and a slue of small time online artists like DR777, blank banshee, MrSimon, and vaervaf.

What is usually your process for creating a new song/album/EP?

It used to be something like clockwork, id get on the computer and mix and mach till I find something that works. now its a little more meticulous to find the perfect sample for a track or a "theme" for an album.

I notice that you call yourself differently when it comes to certain styles of music, such as Bye-Product and chris††† Why is that?

To differentiate the sound. Also not to have too many from one artist at a time. I used to do ALOT MORE stuff and release it closer together. I've learned that people just get annoyed with that and they also can get confused.

Ah, I always thought it was just some sort of fad among electronic musicians. No offense.

Naa, its really a way to release more stuff without having to stay to one genre and to not annoy people.

As Bye-Product, I find myself fascinated by a few of your works and I'd like to start with your Biohazard EP. What was that all about?

I can't remember after I finished my 3rd album I had some tracks left over, that was that.

I'll say this, any the albums/EPs past Dad's Camera, are all old news. I made a change to what I am now with Star. As Bye-Product is concerned, that's what I've been trying to focus on.

So I guess asking you about Religion or the Chapter albums would be out of the question?

Religion was an attempt at a conceptual album. and the chapter series is probably the best thing to come out of that era of my music. They were a little experiment with short form pieces/ mini albums.

Were you trying to make some sort of statement against religion in Religion or was that just making fun of it for the sake of it?

Both. that was a "different time in my life" sorta like the people with fedoras and shit are like now. That sorta time. I grew up a bit since then.

In what way?

I was raw. I was mad. I grew up. I forgave. Shit I'd rather not get into. It's all in the past.

I won't press on. Would you care to tell me more about what you liked about the Chapter albums?

It seemed to be the only thing I had made up to that time that felt cohesive to me.

Was the order of Life, Death and Love intentionally or simply random?

I was going to do 4. But I felt not to push it. It was kinda intentional I guess?

Alright, moving on to chris†††, what first got you to wanting to pursue that route?

I heard of it all over Tumblr I checked out that one mac+ album and felt it was kinda like what I used to do with my old music. So I decided to make another alias. It was really mostly for nostalgia

What made you want to call yourself chris††† to create vaporwave?

This was right around when the new pope was named. I just thought it be cool.

Do you enjoy yourself more as christtt than with the other aliases?

Meh

What's your thought process when it comes to making titles for your albums?

That usually comes right after the artwork is made which is the first thing I do. Album artwork for me is almost as big as the music itself. The album names are based on the covers and the music is based on the name, usually.

Which albums as chris††† do you find yourself more connected to?

7 years later and new wounds.

Why?

There was thought and love that went into those two. 7yl was more so a album that was hard for me to make. Alot of it is indirectly related to my life over the past 7 years, soon to be 8. new wounds is also indirectly about my recent life. Stress and all that stuff have had a toll on me. Most of it is representative on things that have happened in the past 2 years in college.

Would you care to give a few examples?

Track 9 in 7 years later is about still trying to cope with death.
Track 5 in new wounds is about a new wound has been made where something once was.

 How do you feel about your older work as chris††† like 266, WAV and frasierwave?

I love how frasierwave came out as a vaporwave album. 266/wav I felt were ok. Embrace was just a one time album. As for 7yl, new wounds and forgotten, I wanted to push forward with the vaporwave concept but break away from that sound.

I too found myself liking frasierwave. What inspired you to use that theme?

I love Frasier, he is on the complete other side of Seinfeld which alot of people use for their albums. I thought it be a good idea

How do you feel about vaporwave as a genre, in terms of what it can convey, the methods behind it and the community? Which artists do you find yourself more intruiged by in that genre?

I like vaporwave, hell I'm head of a  label that hosts a bunch of vaporwave artists, I'm not sure what others might want to convey with their music but there is definitely alot you can do with it. In my opinion, I feel as if it slowly loosing momentum with the similarity of sound and the less effort that seems to go into it, I cant say my vaporwave music is all that grand either. As for artists I'd say Delta Topco, Macross 82-99 and Childhood are some of my favorites and I'd like to see more from them.

I see. What are your thoughts on the music industry?

It's shit really. Lately the best music has been out of small outlets online.

Is there anyone in particular you're not very fond of or is it just a general feeling towards how it functions?

General. The loops you have to go through to get anywhere are insane.

Now I'm gonna get to some less music-related questions. What films do you like?

I can't really say. I like comedies, dramas, dramadies, yeah IDK. I don't like horror or that sorta stuff. You'd think as a film student I'd know this by now. I like feeling. I wanna feel something. Tonight before this I was watching a VHS of Edward Sciccorhands. I was tearing up by the end, and I've seen the film hundreds of times.

How about TV shows? Could be the regular stuff or cartoons/anime, whatever suits you.

Don't watch too much TV, just usually comedies and cartoons. I just watch TV  for a quick laugh.

What other projects do you have in store or that you'd like to get out more to people?

rrrecycle bin. It's an online art gallery.  http://rrrb.in  ///  gif films. It's my video editing 'company', I'd like to make more music videos and such for people.  http://giffilms.us

What other hobbies do you have?

Art, music, film...that's about it. Oh and web/graphic design.

In conclusion, is there anything you want to talk more about or end on?

I don't know. I'd like to say thanks for your time.

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Check out some of his work here:

chris†††

Bye-Product

Business Casual 87'

This was a bad idea

52 blogs in one year? When I have a whole shitload of crap to deal with? Hell no man. It's not a matter of being non-committal to these matters, but I have way too much shit to deal with. No, just fucking no. I'll do the ones that I can, but I'm not going to impose silly little goals like these unless I'm capable of them. I'm sorry. I fucked up here. Fuck. FUCK