#bronalysis

[brawny-and-friends]

The curse is over.  Thank God nothing like that is ever going to happen again.  Now Brawny needs to find one ice pack for his head and one to heal the @princessheatherblossom betrayal.

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[brawny-buck]

Moral of the Story - Triple Threat

On today's video, we discuss what it takes to be a good leader and introduce the basics of how to practice and balance the skills it takes to be a good leader.  With Thorax and Ember, I believe we're given a good lens of the two most common types of people to become leaders and the gaps in their respective leadership skills.  They also show how each others' styles can complement each other when put in practice together and ultimately benefit everyone. 

 The one major thing I disagree with about the episode is how Spike, Twilight and Starlight handled the situation and how the episode focused more on his conflict of keeping his friends separated.  I would've liked a little bit better if Spike had to work harder himself to repair the trust he violated.   

 But I can also understand that we might've been limited by the allotted run time.  Or perhaps I should keep in mind that this (as far as Thorax and Ember goes) is Spike's first offence, so a little leeway and forgiveness is warranted.  And also showing Thorax and Ember being forgiving leads by example being the bigger person in this situation. 

 On the first draft of this video, I struggled to find the unique angle.  I've already written dozens of scripts about the importance of honesty.  Then I realized that the episode wasn't really about honesty.  It all flowed out pretty easily from there. 

 Be sure to let me know what you think.

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[mdhwrites]

A Twin Sided Dilemma

TLDR: I think I am healthier doing analytical stuff but I do think that due to how my brain works, it is choking my writing/creative works and has been to varying degrees for an entire year now. I need to find some sort of way to bring the two sides together but right now they just... aren't working and it kind of sucks.

So let's expand and get into a lot of history for me and reviewing. Give you all an idea of why I am the way I am I guess. It's not like I first began to be analytical with TOH after all. I've been that way since I was 17 and found 'reviewer' Youtube. A decade ago that meant people like The Nostalgia Critic and the entire bronalysis community and... Yeah. I was not actually that great at analysis back then but I sure thought I was! I thought I was smarter and better than a lot of those around me when it came to anything about stories.

This included my own works. About a year later, I would be smashed into oblivion for that hubris but until then, I was a complete asshole. Later in life, I would relate my analytical side with my anger but it's easy to also say it was tied into my ego and confidence. When I hit rock bottom, I actually cut ties with most online groups and stopped voicing my opinions because, well... I couldn't be that person anymore.

But it also never died. I am analytical by nature. It's simply a part of who I am and is part of what makes me unique as a creative. It's why I can make ideas as fast as I can and work on them as quickly as I can because my analytical basis forms a foundation for putting things together very quickly. There was no turning it off so for the next five years I watched better reviewers, calmed myself and formed rules. My idea of not claiming I could have made something better? Me trying to avoid personal attacks on creators and just attack their work and how their work makes me perceive their skill at their job? The fact that I try to inform and teach rather than purely critique? All came from this period where I was trying to figure out a way to be analytical without being a complete asshole.

Then I rejoin online communities and two years after that, we get me turning my back on TOH and starting to do analytical blogs fairly regularly again. This would be roughly a year ago. This was the first time I would be doing a lot of blogs that weren't just using something as an example but about a work again. Letting myself open up well and truly to that old part of myself.

And when I felt I was becoming too toxic, I slowed down and let myself breathe. I genuinely have a better head on my shoulders and I've been proud of those blogs. I think I give good insight and still do well to talk about how writing is to hopefully make others better writers. There's a fundamental problem with all of this though.

When I originally reviewed stuff, I considered myself to be doing it from a position of strength. I saw no flaws in my concepts, even if the technical side was still being polished. Now the technical side of my writing is better but my confidence is NOTHING compared to the ego I had before. I know that might sound crazy with how confident I likely sound in my blogs but you don't see me rapidly checking tabs, fidgeting when there's no response to a post, etc. like that. I have always needed validation and that has gotten WORSE with time, not better.

And now we get to the new way it's interacting with my creative side. It used to be that I would say my emotional side needed to get out of the way some for me to work. The pain and depression had to let me breathe. Now the analytical side is in the way with an unreasonable demand: "If you're so good at critiquing, why aren't you even BETTER at creating?"

It's a bullshit claim though. One of my rules is specifically to refute it after all. I don't let myself claim I could do something better without specific criteria being met because it is ALWAYS easier to critique than it is to create. Not only that but critiquing has fundamentally different goals to creation as sometimes it's just nice to do something fun. Something people will find entertainment in and hopefully I manage a couple themes along the way.

That isn't doable to my brain anymore. It has started evaluating themes and the like when I make a concept. Can't find them enough? Scrap it, no matter how much the other side wants to do it. Even worse is that when an idea had potential, it then asks if I can do a GREAT job with it. I have considered myself a good writer for a long time but it wants it to be PERFECT.

It's why I have been stalling out so hard this entire past year. Nothing gets to stick because either it doesn't pass mustard or my brain says I can't do it and takes the reigns from me. That I'm simply not good enough.

Which would imply that I should discard this part of me again but I analyze things BY NATURE. My brain quite literally NEVER turns off. I can't just chill and watch things and I do like sharing my thoughts, if not just to have them be validated. It is a part of me just as I will never stop making ideas I want to write (I have been pulled hard by like 4+ novel/novella length ideas in this past WEEK alone). It is better that I find balance with them but...

Just like I haven't found peace with whatever storm causes my anxiety and depression, I don't have an idea right now for how to fix this problem either.

[the-e4b]

What Should Be Happening: Devoting time for the victims by Toon Kritic.

What Happened Instead: Borderline harassment and attacking of Bronalysis because some really wanna watch them suffer and emotionally cripple them.

Us: way to care for the victims.

[v1d4p0ny]

UPDATE ON BLISS

Holy everloving mother of fuck. She actually admitted her wrongdoing and is attempting to make things right. After all this time of hiding behind her whiteknights and accusing people of slandering her, she’s taking responsibility for her actions. Although this is amazing and she deserves a pat on the back for her actions here, DO NOT ASSUME EVERYTHING IS FINE. Being chill with her is fine, but keep a skeptical eye on her. How fast she gave in is a bit suspicious, but I might just be being paranoid. Either way, better safe than sorry. But, most importantly... SHE SAID IGNORANCE IS BLISS! SHE SAID IT!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[princealigorna]

I haven't actually watched the episode myself, but I almost feel like I don't have to, considering that the comics already did a "Luna flips roles with Celestia" issue (Microseries #10), they went the comedic route with it, and it was one of my favorite comics in the past decade. I don't get the need to retread territory in a more "serious" and po-faced manner that the comics already did PERFECTLY! Speaking of which, while I do find it believable that Luna would carry a lot of guilt with her for the things she's done, I'm kinda tired of the either really self-flagellating or really regal but distant version of Luna we've had so far. Give me comics Luna. Luna literally had one story arc in the comics dedicated to Nightmare Moon, her guilt, and her trying to improve herself. It was a good arc too. When was it? THE SECOND ARC OF THE MAIN SERIES! Since then, every time Luna shows up she's either throwing sarcastic shade, getting herself into teenage misadventures, or otherwise being a goof. And I really like that Luna.

[nenyimxx]

Reposting for those who waited for the US airing.

[dill-pickled]

Finally managed to bring my OC to life! Be prepared analyst community, @drwolf001, @sketchy-the-changeling, @dawillstanator, @ask-keyframe, @toonkriticy2k, @ilovekimpossiblealot, there’s a new changeling in town.

[mat2modblog]

I forgot to mention that I've seen this happen before with SuperPsyguy and between ToonKritic and Psyguy, things like this reflect poorly on the fandom as a whole too. This time I edited the audio this time and recorded in audacity. Future videos may have more editing but the whole situation doesn't really have me feeling motivated to use any relevant imagery for a number of reasons. I even edited out a certain person's name for similar reasons.

[drwolf001]

United they stand, divided they BATTLE!!! When the mysterious forces behind Mann Co. make their move, our mercenaries find themselves on opposite sides now more than ever! Tempers will flare, skills will be tested, references will be made, and Doc may finally find the truth behind everypony's super forms... but is he prepared to face his own truth? Find out in the 2020 Blockbuster event of the Bronalysis Community!

[brawny-and-friends]

Just when you think things are getting easier.

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[brawny-buck]

I decided I should make one of my recent comics into a video while we work on the next full episode.

[mdhwrites]

So with your wonderful analyses on shows, how do you think Sunset Shimmer's story (redemption from evil mean bully to an empathetic hero) on Equestria Girls' spin off was? Is it every bit as good as what fans hype it up to be?

I... can't wholly comment. Not because I'm entirely unfamiliar with what you're talking about, I watched the first three Equestria Girls movies... But I also watched them over half a decade ago when they came out. I haven't watched literally any My Little Pony since midway through season... 6? Whenever Starlight joined the cast.

I can remember some of my strong feelings about certain aspects of it, partially because the bronalysis community was part of why I ended up joining the fandom as a whole and began fanfic writing so MLP was when I was first cutting my teeth on analysis but weirdly enough... I never really questioned Sunset's redemption arc, even back then.

Part of it is because they're movies, not a show. Redemption arcs get a little weird with that because the structure and pacing of such things is a lot odder. What I will say is that I do agree that it's not bad. People don't just forget what Sunset did but kind of crucially to keep those movies enjoyable, they never just tell you to think the end of the first movie was pointless. People are genuinely giving Sunset a second chance, even if maybe with a bit of trepidation, she's actively worried about reverting some but you can also see that same fire, drive and passion that led to how she was before. I think Equestria Girls, from what my memory says, was actually REALLY important for this because Sunset is a bit too demure in Rainbow Rocks, a bit too purely nice, but the third movie makes it clear that it was a defense response. The old Sunset isn't 100% gone, she's just figuring out how to balance it all.

Which I mean... All of that is a billion times better than "I will murder every timeline of existence" Starlight Glimmer being redeemed simply because she lost a single friend when she was young. No I don't care that the show is called "FRIENDSHIP is Magic", Starlight is still arguably the most destructive, spiteful villains I ever saw in that show and brushing it under the rug was not okay with me, let alone with the fact that the MANIPULATOR uses MIND CONTROL within half a season of being redeemed!

*siiiiiiiiiiigh* But again, take anything I say about MLP with a grain of salt. It has been two and a half years since I last logged into Fimfiction, mostly to delete some of the few stories I wasn't willing to condone keeping up, and I still have no plans to return. Not with how I left.

Oh, but because I feel like it, just some stats from Fimfiction because it was still like five years of my life: I published over a million words worth of material over the course of 205 stories.

I made over 1300 blogs so if you thought me being a windbag was new, NOPE!

And I have over 1,500 followers on it, placing me... A HUNDRED FIFTIETH ON THE SITE!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?

I won't link it though because, well, I have been wanting to put that part of me away for a long time now. Not just the poor quality work of my old days but the type of person I was. I joined the Brony fandom at 17 after all and while hitting rock bottom during college while being a part of it helped make me into a better person, I had to go pretty low to get there first. As such, linking it feels like condoning that old person, even if I'm not about to hide it.

Isn't that what redemption and growth is about after all? Recognizing you did wrong in the past and trying to do better? And I know for me, I'm still trying to constantly learn how I can do better. Maybe it's even part of why redemption arcs mean so much to me and why I hadn't considered Sunset's in the past. I wasn't in the middle of my own by then.

======+++++======

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

And finally a Twitter you can follow too!

[princealigorna]

Would anyone be interested in me doing any videos giving tips and resources to junior bronalysists and discussing the differences between critics and true analysts and assessing where certain members in the community more fall?

@sketchy-the-changeling @brawny-buck @bucreviews @cannedcream @nickyvmlp @poetessmlp @aeon-of-dreams @supergeekie

I also planned at some point to do a video on members of the community I felt deserved more attention, but most of these guys either have gained that attention (Sweetie Bloom, Canned Cream, Nicky, The Brony Notion, Sketchy, Blue Star, Cellspex, Misanthropony, Whammy, Crossreviews), or have fallen away from the community (Red Cord, Camgoespony, Nightsphere the Gnostic) and/or become considered toxic to it (Poke Brony, Storm Analysis), and I’ve not paid enough attention to the truly new guys to update the list. Besides that, Lily is already doing the same thing with her Good Stuff series

[nenyimxx]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSV6WLeJNiw&spfreload=10 Reposting for those who waited for the US airing.