Topics

Tenchu was a franchise of ninja games first released on the Sony PlayStation in 1998. The franchise went on to publish 9 games but the cultural legacy of them seems to have been almost completely forgotten. The final release was in 2008.
Why is that?
The writer can write about how the franchise first grew and what decisions or shifts in culture led to it falling into irrelevance.

"Super Mario Bros. Z" (SMBZ), created by Mark Haynes (Alvin-Earthworm), is a fan-made web series that masterfully blends the Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog franchises into a dynamic, nostalgic crossover. Initially released on Newgrounds, SMBZ captivated audiences with its complex storytelling, deep character development, and innovative sprite animation, all while navigating intellectual property challenges. This series not only spurred a vibrant fan community but also inspired numerous other fan projects, highlighting the significant impact of fan creativity on the media landscape. Writers can explore the cultural significance and technical achievements of SMBZ, its role in shaping fan-made media, and its enduring legacy in the context of nostalgic reimaginings and crossovers.

Look at how films like John Wick, Kickboxer Vengence and potentially films like the Bourne series or Taken have taken the more modern approach to fight scenes, but still integrate the mystical or 'unknowable' martial artist that make the protagonist a superhero. How have these films shifted in the last 30 years? Are the protagonists existing in a superpower zone or more in reality than classic martial arts films?

How does Takeshi Kitano, a prominent Japanese television personality who debuted his film directorial career with 'Violent Cop' in 1989, subvert the typical stylistic elements of action thrillers and sex in drama film in 1980s and 1990s cinema?

How can we interpret the depictions of sex and violence in movies such as 'Violent Cop,' 'Boiling Point' (1990), Sonatine (1993) and Hana-bi (1997)? How do they differ from conventional American action and drama of this period?

Does Takeshi Kitano's subversions of the genre serve to critique its tropes and the genre itself, or to reinforce them and create a new status quo in the depiction of sex and violence in cinema?

For quite some time now, there has been a drastic decline in the appreciation of superhero films. Whether it is because of the poor CGI (no blame to the artists), the numerous films and shows pumped out every year, or that most of the films are made on unknown characters, more and more complaints have come out detailing the audience's distaste. New characters have been introduced with little applause and the universe of the MCU in particular has become a laundry list to keep up with. Every film is interconnected, making for a difficult watch to get through over 25 films and numerous shows to supplement.

Despite all that, there has been an immense amount of anticipation for the upcoming film "Deadpool and Wolverine". This film has started to be hailed as the savior for the MCU, with many saying Deadpool is going to be the one to bring Marvel back to its "glory days". How did this film come to be this anticipated? Is it the characters? Actors? There are numerous factors at play, making this film at the top of many to-see lists. Whether this will flip the narrative surrounding the MCU and superhero content as a whole is yet to be seen, but there is a lot riding on this film.

In multiple interviews Moshfegh notes how she explored third person narration as a technique in her novel Lapvona. Compared to her other works that focused primarily on the internal experiences of a single character how did this change in narrative style affect the overall tone of the work and how does the narrative voice develop into a character itself. One could explore how the work contrasts the individual against the collective, moving from the experince of a single character to the experience of Lapvona as a whole not only for the characters but for the reader as well. There is also a tension with the narrative voice's interpretations and the characters subjective experiences. This can particularly be seen in the moments of miscommunication, where the absence of understanding contrasts with the third person expanded view. This can perhaps be seen as contributing to the dark humor of the story. Moments of humor arise in part by the expanded view of the reader due to the narrative voice where the absurdity of some events becomes clear. Overall the third person narration comes across as a subtle but powerful and permeating influence and an exploration into the direction of this influence can be fruitful for a deeper understanding of the work as a whole.

This topic invites writers to delve into the portrayal of fatigue and its impact on superheroes in movies. From physical exhaustion to emotional burnout, explore how fatigue is depicted in superhero narratives. Analyze the storytelling choices, character developments, and the overall representation of fatigue, and discuss its significance in shaping the superhero genre. Consider the influence of real-world issues and societal expectations on these portrayals. Additionally, examine how filmmakers address the challenge of keeping superhero narratives fresh while acknowledging the toll that constant heroics may take on these iconic characters.

Analyze the progression of the antihero trope. How does it reflect changing social anxieties? Look at examples from classic cinema to modern streaming hits.

The article can be structured as a timeline first. Film Noir laid the groundwork, and TV's prestige era exploded the antihero trope. Film Noir is a classic antihero breeding ground (cynical detectives, femme fatales, etc.). Another excellent point to cover here would be to highlight TV's greater creative freedom and depth that allowed for more nuance than cinema often could. Now, I cannot think of all the classic movies, but some ideas do come to mind. Of course, there are many more examples to dissect properly.

40s/50s film noir has “The Private Detective” such as Philip Marlowe (The Big Sleep), Sam Spade (The Maltese Falcon) – world-weary, morally compromised, yet with an inner code. Then we had the “Femme Fatale” trope. Think Phyllis Dietrichson (Double Indemnity) – manipulative, uses sexuality for her own goals, challenges traditional female roles.

60s/70s Westerns saw a different breed altogether, I believe. First, you got the spaghetti Western Antihero, still relatable. A good example would be Clint Eastwood's "Man with No Name" (A Fistful of Dollars, etc.) – self-serving, violent, but audiences root for him against even worse figures. Soon afterward, they were quick to offer more revisionist examples in cinema. There are many examples of this one but the main one is William Munny (Unforgiven) – haunted by past sins, questions the "heroic" myth of the cowboy.

Then let’s come to the 70s/80s. This is the neo-noir and crime thrillers age, kind of like an evolution. Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver) is the prime example here. Deeply disturbed but the isolation-amid-urban-decay is a point that almost every city-dweller can relate with, pretty much. Thelma and Louise covers women taking agency, breaking free, and similar concepts, even when it means violence. This is an early example of the female antihero, and worth highlighting.

2000 onward we have the TV/streaming age. Three examples here: 1) Tony Soprano (The Sopranos) – quintessential modern antihero – mobster, yet we see his family struggles and therapy humanize him. 2) Walter White (Breaking Bad) – from mild-mannered to ruthless drug lord, his transformation is both horrifying and strangely compelling. 3) Joe Goldberg (You), Villanelle (Killing Eve) – pushing boundaries, playing with audience sympathy

A comparison of characterization, compatibility, and narrative function of the Robins within the Batman and greater DC universe.

The writer has five potential options to choose from, Dick Grayson a.k.a Nightwing, Jason Todd a.k.a Red Hood, Tim Drake a.k.a Red Robin, Stephanie Brown a.k.a Spoiler, and Damien Wayne.

Each served as Robin for an extended period and all contrast Batman in their own ways. The writer can present a case for and against each of them both from the text and metatexually such as referring to sales or fan receptions.

In stories where some characters are immortal – i.e. living for a very long time without aging – the subject of romance can be a touchy topic. It is hard to find people with shared life experience when everyone else measures life in decades rather than centuries. There is often a question of power imbalance when one side of a relationship is so much older than the other.
On the other hand, an immortal character finding romance with a regular mortal is an example of love bridging gaps. It means the immortal has chosen to care about people, even though he will outlive all of them.
Examine arguments for and against these age-gap romances. Examples include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, the Immortal and Dupli-Kate from Invincible, Thor and Jane Foster from Marvel, and more.

Love triangles are often associated with romantic fiction, but are also common in other genres like young adult, fantasy, or speculative fiction. A love triangle usually involves a female protagonist being pulled between two male love interests, but can be gender-inverted or use LGBTQ examples.

This trope is popular among many readers, but just as many claim to hate love triangles. Detractors say the trope is overused, with players often too attractive or otherwise perfect to be believed, and surrounding situations that are contrived if not outright cliche.

Using some of your favorite–and perhaps least favorite–examples of love triangles, discuss what sets some apart from others. What does it take to write a love triangle well? What are some common mistakes authors make when writing this trope? Why and how can a badly written love triangle still have legions of fans? Has the trope evolved in any significant way, and if so, what new versions and expectations should authors be aware of?

The successful manga Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba is about what if one person (the main character Light Yagami) could kill anyone they wish by simply writing down a name.

Since that's how the Death Note works, *spoilers* it isn't surprising that Light loses not only his life but also any compassion he had towards the people he personally knew, including his own family.

As a result, the story of Death Note shares possible connections to the philosophy of nihilism by Friedrich Nietzsche.

Analyze those connections in the Death Note manga to nihilism's definition and practice. Include also how Death Note has been mistaken like nihilism (link) as something to literally follow in real life (link)

Please note that this topic doesn't focus on the Death Note anime/show but the original Death Note manga only (i.e. where Light was told early on that there is nothing after death by his Death Note's shinigami owner.) Therefore, that aspect of the Death Note manga connects back to nihilism as an example since nihilistic belief is also about there being no afterlife.

Audrey Hepburn, Julie Andrews, Vivien Leigh, Marilyn Monroe, and several other actresses are legends in Hollywood history. Although most are now deceased, these women have made indelible marks on their genres and the film industry as a whole. Most of these "screen queens" are in fact so iconic, one mention of certain films they starred in brings that actress to mind. Some have played roles so well, their names are inextricably linked with their characters, to the point that some viewers believe no one else could ever fill that actress' shoes.

Compare and contrast 2-3 of these "screen queens," or others you might think of. What did they bring to iconic roles that arguably, no one else could? What did their presence do for Hollywood history, and what changes did they precipitate? Can any of today's actresses hope to live up to these women, and are there in fact "modern" versions of them today? If yes, do the modern actresses do their forerunners justice?

The 2000s had quite a few anime that dealt with what it means to "become" justice, in a sense. Fate Stay Night has a protagonist who tries to fight for his sense of justice. Claymore examines the topic in a more brutal way that also deals with what it means to be human, and, of course, Death Note and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion both examine what would happen if their protagonists were given a means to end the wrongs of the world in which they live, only to pay a price for it later.

The topic taker should examine each of the anime listed, if possible, and compare and contrast how each anime dealt with the theme of justice it wanted to convey. How did each anime handle the toll it took on its protagonist? What could be gleaned from the outcomes of the individual anime surrounding what it means to be a savior figure, even if that ideology is subjective?

Furthermore, the topic taker should delve into whether or not the sense of justice being displayed is entirely subjective to the protagonist of the anime, or if it tackles the idea of objective justice and the toll that takes on groups as opposed to the individual. The topic taker can include other anime that they feel may fit this idea, so long as it was released between 2000-2009, as there seemed to be a trend with anime around that time that shared a certain thematic work and aesthetic which is to be examined in this topic specifically. In this regard, the topic taker could also deepen the topic by looking into what was going on in Japan and/or the world in general at the time to see if current events or recent history evoked the theme of justice being culturally relevant to its viewers. The topic taker may also include, briefly, how anime from the 2000s with this theme of justice may have influenced other anime to re-examine the themes later on, such as with 2012's Psycho-Pass or more current day anime.

Most games, since the rise of the PS3 and Xbox 360, have introduced some kind of trophy system that marks completion progress. Some trophies or achievements provide some challenge, while, depending on the age of the game and if multiplayer is involved, some trophies are nearly impossible to obtain. In more current generation consoles, particularly if a game is known to be difficult, like Dark Souls, or long, like the Persona franchise, there is usually a tedious nature to obtaining that coveted platinum trophy or other mark of completion. However, especially in older games that received a remaster or port from a time when there were no trophies or achievements to mark progress, a lot of the added in trophies can become a little ridiculous and suck the fun out of the game until you have that one flawless run.

The topic taker should examine whether or not platinuming or otherwise achieving a maximum achievement score has become too tedious for players, given the example above. Clearly, completing any game to that level is a matter of choice, so that aspect should also be touched on. In addition, the topic taker should consider whether or not achieving such feats adds or detracts from the fun of gaming, if it may add too much bloat to the game, and, as the title suggests, if it forces a causal gamer to feel more like a let's player or streamer at the end of the day.

For resources to start with, the topic taker should consider the list of achievements for platinuming or reaching the most achievements with a variety of games, some remasters or ports that did not have trophies or achievements when they were released, such as the Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 releases, as well as more modern games, such as Assassin's Creed: Valhalla where the trophy/achievement system is innate to the product, for example, focusing particularly on any trophies or achievements that seem to not make much sense in the list, or clearly have a lot of players complaining about the difficulty to achieve the trophy or achievement–likely resulting in a low trophy or achievement percentage–that bars them from 100% completion.

Using these starting points, the topic taker could then jump into the phenomena of completing a game and what it means at a societal, within gaming communities, and/or psychological level and then from there determine if completing games for the reward is worth the time put into it or not.

With the growing popularity of platforms like TikTok, micro-communities like BookTok are influencing the reading/publishing industry. A recent example of this is Rebecca Yarros' 'Fourth Wing' which released in April 2023. The sequel to this, Iron Flame, was released in November 2023. This is an unusually short time line for traditionally published work and has lead to some quality issues. A vast amount of readers have reported issues with quality in terms of printing (i.e. whole chapters missing, headers missing, etc) but also in terms of writing (lack of editing or depth in plot).

Is the publishing industry changing? Is it attempting to mimic the quick release model of indie authors in order to exploit the market and make more money?

From Tomb Raider (2001, Angelina Jolie) to Sonic the Movie (2020, Jim Carrey), there have been quite a few games likewise adapted into movies, though to varying degrees of failure or success. Tomb Raider was somewhat considered a flop when it first came out, and it currently has a 5.8 on Imdb: (link) a 20% on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics, and a 47% by audiences: (link) and a 33% on Metacritic: (link) though some consider it underrated: (link) By contrast, the Sonic the Hedgehog movie had a 6.5 on Imdb: (link) a 63% critic rating and a 93% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes: (link) and a 47% on Metacritic: (link) The success of the Sonic movie garnered it not one, but two sequels.

The topic taker should analyze the trends of adapting a video game to a movie, including the history of it, and what makes so many of the adaptations fail. The topic taker should really dive into what made good video adaptations good and see what trends their analysis reveals. The topic taker may also consider the future of video game to film adaptations and whether they think there will be more successes or failures as well.

To help the topic taker, consider looking into the following films to start forming trends based off their reception via reviews/to start forming the history of video game to film adaptation as they see fit:

Tomb Raider (2018) in order to compare/contrast it with the 2001 film
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Detective Pikachu
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Assassin's Creed
Doom
Super Mario Bros. (1993)
The Super Mario Bros. the Movie (2023) to contrast with the 1993 adaption

While Ancient Greek tragedies loved to have divine characters speaking on the stage, modern movies seem to hesitate a lot. In the movie Troy (directed by Wolfgang Petersen and written by David Benioff,) no deity appears on the battlefield despite the exciting descriptions of their fight in Homer’s epic. Similar things happen in other movies based on mythology. For instance, Aphrodite never appears in the Argonaut movies, although she is quite important in the epic.
What might be the reason for this phenomenon?

The Metaphysicals refer to a loose collective of poets such as John Donne, George Herbert, Andrew Marvell, Abraham Cowley, Richard Crashaw and Henry Vaughan, who represent some of the highest achievements of the 17th-century English literature. A most conspicuous feature of their style can be described as using images concrete and tangible, richly appealing to human senses and emotions. The label, “Metaphysical,” was attached to them by later generations. “Metaphysical,” as a style label, refers to the so-called “figures of thought” marked by the use of conceits, witticism and paradoxes. But the term still fails to capture the ‘physical’ side of the Metaphysicals – that is, the corporeality, even fleshiness, in their using concrete images and metaphors on the one hand, and expressing sensational feelings and emotions on the other. How, then, do the ‘physical’ and the ‘metaphysical’ meet in 17th century Renaissance poetry? What makes the Metaphysicals 'metaphysical'? This topic can be explored either by studies of common characteristics of these poets' works or by close criticism of individual poets.

This topic is concerned with the representation of non-human primates, especially great apes, in television, cinema, music, and more. This topic isn't necessarily concerned with the quantity of primate representation as much as it is the quality; how they are represented in relation to humans, in relation to their endangerment, habitat loss, mistreatment, evolution, intelligence…etc. Some examples of primate media representation one might consider are: The chimp in Jordan Peele's "Nope," The Planet of the Apes franchise, meme culture…etc.
Writers in this topic would be exploring how the current attitudes towards our closest taxonomic relatives is embedded either blatantly or within the subtext of modern media, or how these attitudes have changed overtime. In the Planet of the Apes example, one might write about humanity's ability to share our planet, or even consider sharing our planet, and what qualities of life are required in a species for us to even begin to consider sharing resources. Just about any example will require writers to discuss the prevalence, or the rare absences, of speciesism in our culture.