#and only treating him like hes Just a silly guy or a kickass guy...hes so nuanced and multifaceted

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

After going the Ace Attorney games again, here are my rankings of the six main series prosecutors:

(Side note: Still haven’t played any of the Investigations games or the Great Ace Attorney series)

6) Nahyuta Sahdmadhi

Poor Nahyuta. I hate to place him in the last place slot but after going through Spirit of Justice again, he still hasn’t grown on me. Let me just say, I don’t really like Spirit of Justice. There are a lot of aspects of that game I was not fond of, such as the final case being a repeat of Farewell, My Turnabout and the underwhelming Khura’in Civil War storyline. However, in Nahyuta’s defense, I don’t hate the character.

Nahyuta has a decent storyline and he has a unique gimmick. It’s just when compared to the other 5 prosecutors, he doesn’t really do anything for me. His storyline with Apollo feels like a rehash of the previous games (oh, the prosecutor was close friends with the defense attorney? Hmm, where have I heard that before *coughPhoenixandMilescough* *coughAthenaandSimoncough*). Also, he’s not as fun or as interesting as his counterparts. 

Basically, I don’t think Nahyuta’s a bad character, he’s just my least favorite of the prosecutors.  

5) Franziska von Karma

This one hurt me, mainly because I love Franziska. She seems like a fun character outside of the main Ace Attorney games based on her appearances in the Investigations series. However, if we’re going purely with her role as prosecutor in the main series, then I have to place her in the 5th place slot. But it’s not because I think she’s a bad character. She’s great! She’s a fun character to interact with and she has an interesting backstory. The problem is Justice for All.

In my opinion, Justice for All is the worst Ace Attorney game in the main series. It’s to the point that it affected my placement of Franziska on this list. First off, it’s already bad that one of the main cases she’s the prosecutor in is Turnabout Big Top aka the worst case in the entire franchise. But then there’s Farewell, My Turnabout, which absolutely screws over her character by making Miles Edgeworth the focus of the finale. 

Now let me back up. Before you Miles Edgeworth fans jump down my throat, I am aware that Miles is not the prosecutor for the final case in the first game. I am NOT saying that Franziska needed to be the prosecutor in Farewell, My Turnabout. I am NOT saying Miles ruined the story. The point I’m making is that even though Miles wasn’t the prosecutor in Turnabout Goodbyes, he was still the main focus. Everything in that episode revolved around Miles’ past and his relationship with Manfred von Karma. He still got a complete character arc even though he wasn’t the rival. 

In Farewell, My Turnabout, Capcom just went and said, “Go fuck yourself Franziska” and made everything about Miles again. Franziska was barely a presence in that final episode and by the time the game ended, her arc felt incomplete. Yes, the writers attempted to make her relevant to the story by having her be the one to deliver the evidence but just think about that for a second. She’s the main prosecutor of the 2nd game and the most significant thing she did in the finale was deliver items. I honestly feel her appearance in Trials and Tribulations was damage control for how shit she was treated in Justice for All.

Thankfully, it looks like the Investigations games treated Franziska better. But as for the main series, she deserved a whole lot better. I’d love to place her higher but with the storyline she got, I have to mark her down.  

4) Klavier Gavin

I don’t have much to say about Klavier. I think he’s a cool character and he has a kickass gimmick. However, he’s just a mid-tier kind of character for me. Like with Franziska, it’s mainly to do with Apollo Justice / Ace Attorney 4.

People have already pointed this out but the storyline in Apollo Justice feels more like set-up for something bigger. When I first went through Apollo Justice, it felt like there was going to be more to Kristoph Gavin, more to Klavier Gavin. Phoenix Wright was at the start of a different kind of character arc and the Gramaryes/Trucy Wright would be the main focus of the Apollo Justice trilogy, just like how Maya and the Feys were the focus of Phoenix’s trilogy.

In fact, just going off on a little tangent, I already made a post about this but I was thinking that the abandoned Apollo Justice trilogy would lead to Phoenix becoming a Godot-type character. He had the seeds of that character arc planted, with his darker behavior, willingness to bend the legal system to get what he wants (using forged evidence and trapping Kristoph with the jurist system) and a similar reason to become an anti-villain (Godot was poisoned by Dahlia, Phoenix was disbarred thanks to Kristoph). He would then show up in the final game as the main rival, leading to a Phoenix and Apollo showdown.

Sorry, this was supposed to be about Klavier. The point I’m trying to make is, Klavier is a cool character but he feels wasted. Since the 5th and 6th games didn’t follow-up on the 4th game’s story, it feels like Klavier was left behind as a result. That’s why he’s low on the list. 

3) Simon Blackquill

Ah yes, the twisted samurai. For the record, Dual Destinies is my favorite Apollo Justice-era game, so it’s not a huge surprise that Simon is my favorite Apollo Justice-era prosecutor. For me, what makes Simon stand out is that he’s the most “complete” of the three AJ-era prosecutors.

My issue with Klav was that his storyline feels incomplete while my issue with Yuty was that he wasn’t that interesting of a character. Simon doesn’t have those problems. For one, he has the best gimmick between the three of them. It’s an interesting concept to have a prosecutor be an actual death row inmate. What’s cool about that is that the death row inmate gimmick worked for Simon’s character arc.

Dual Destinies set Simon up as the embodiment of the dark age of the law. He was a death row inmate who constantly talked about killing his foes. That’s why the reveal that he’s actually an honorable man who never killed anyone works so well, it’s a strong contrast to how he’s set up. Also, it’s a twist that works with Simon’s character as he’s supposed to be a psychology expert. He plays up his image of a crazy killer to intimidate his enemies. 

Other than that, I also feel like Simon had the best storyline of the AJ-era prosecutors. Also, even though his appearance in Spirit of Justice was a bit silly, it was still fun to see this character in a more lighter tone. 

2) Miles Edgeworth

Yeah, of course Edgey is this high up on the list. Like I wrote, I can’t count the Investigations games as I haven’t played them but even then, Miles had a pretty good run in the main series. He had a strong character arc in the first game, a decent return in the 2nd game, and a strong return in the 3rd game. It was great that you actually got to play as Miles in T&T and that he was the acting defense attorney. For me, Trials and Tribulations felt like the end of Miles’ character arc as he finally became a defense attorney, just like his dad. 

And honestly, Capcom should’ve left him at that. I’m not saying this is why he’s only 2nd on the list but I just want to say, I don’t think he needed to be in Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice. Yes, I am aware that Miles’ appearances in those games were just fun guest appearances for people who want that AA original trilogy nostalgia. However, I felt that his appearances in 5 and 6 slightly ruined his character arc. 

Why? Because he was back to being a prosecutor. Last time I checked, wasn’t his entire character arc about him becoming a defense attorney? He wanted to be a DA like his dad, he developed a misguided hatred of defense attorneys due to the DL-6 Incident, he was misled into believing that the number one goal of an attorney is to win court cases by Manfred von Karma, he was rescued by his friend Phoenix which led to him reassessing his life goals, he goes on a trip around the world to find himself, and then in the final game, he becomes Iris’ defense attorney, overcoming his initial hatred of DAs and fulfilling his childhood goal.

Maybe it’s just me but having Miles come back as a prosecutor in the AJ-era games feels like a step back in character development. But once again, that’s not the reason why he’s 2nd on the list. I like Miles, but I like the next guy even more. It should be obvious who it is by now.     

1) Godot

Yes, I know, this is potentially a controversial choice. I just wanna say, I don’t care if you love, like, dislike, or hate Godot. Let me write the reasons why Godot is my number one prosecutor.

When I was writing this list out, I was measuring the prosecutors based on several factors. Story, character arc, design, strength as a rival, humor and so on. Just to be clear, I don’t think Godot is the best of all those categories. For example, when it comes to strength as a rival, I’d say Miles and Franziska were stronger opponents. Godot is definitely a mid-tier rival, which makes sense as he’s supposed to be a rookie / defense attorney out of his league. 

So, why Godot then if he’s not the best in every category? Honestly...I’d say it’s the character overall. Regardless of your feelings towards the character, I feel that we can all agree that Godot’s story is the most tragic. 

Let’s recap; Godot’s story is of a good man who was destroyed by a wicked monster. He was then abandoned by the people around him and lost the love of his life. With no one to help him, he let his grief consume him to the point that he became a bitter shell of his former self, obsessed with shaming the people he feels are responsible for the death of his lover. It’s only at the end when he realizes that all of his hatred and anger was just him projecting his own self-hatred onto someone else. That even though it wasn’t his fault, he still holds himself responsible for his lover’s death. However, it’s too late to make amends as he’s damned himself. In a moment of blind rage, he doomed himself by committing murder. 

That is some HEAVY material for a game series that features the main character cross examining a parrot and conveniently developing amnesia just to set up a tutorial sequence. 

Going on another tangent, you know who Godot’s storyline reminded me of? Jax Teller from Sons of Anarchy. Both characters started out as honorable men who were deeply in love. Then, tragedy struck. They lost the love of their lives and, in their final character arc, they took their rage out on everyone. Sons of Anarchy season 7 is still some of the most devastating TV I’ve ever watched and part of the reason was because of how sad it was to watch Jax fall. He fell so deep into his rage and anger that by the time he got his revenge, he burned so many bridges that the only place his character could go was death.

Same with Godot. He’s a damn Shakespearean tragic protagonist in that he was ultimately undone by his own rage and anger. You can sympathize with him based on how he came to be but at the same time, he destroyed himself. It’s a devastating character arc and, as someone who loves Shakespeare and all things theater, I absolutely loved it. It’s the one character arc that has stuck with me after going through all six games over again, even more so than Miles and Simon’s arcs.

In addition to all of this, the fact that Godot’s character arc tied the entire trilogy together is definitely worth noting. From his storyline, the game tied together Mia Fey’s death, highlighted Mia’s importance to the main storyline, and even set up Trials and Tribulations’ main villain, Dahlia Hawthorne. I love it when stories do that, when the character arcs actually work hand-in-hand with the story that the writer is trying to tell. 

On some smaller notes, Godot definitely has the best character design in my opinion. Also, the best character theme (I still have the Fragrance of Dark Coffee playing in my head). Lastly, he has the best case in the original trilogy (Bridge to the Turnabout), as well as the best moment (the original pursuit theme plays when you expose the knife wound underneath his mask). 

So yeah. In my opinion, Godot is the best Ace Attorney prosecutor. Those are my reasons, feel free to disagree if you want.   

#ace attorney #phoenix wright #miles edgeworth #franziska von karma #godot #diego armando #klavier gavin #simon blackquill #nahyuta sahdmadhi #apollo justice #athena cykes #aa #capcom

[heroes-among-us-all]

Hello lovely

You flatter me, love

Shinsou: 

The fact that you’re Quirkless literally doesn’t change a single thing. He’s used to be characterized as a “villain” because of his Quirk, so he understands better than anyone that your powers don’t define you. 

Shinsou doesn’t exactly have much social experience, per se (since most people kept their distance out of fear), but he’s good at reading others, and it’s easy for him to pick up how you’re feeling.

He’ll ask, “What’s wrong, love? You’re looking a little bummed out.” and a lot of the times he hits the nail right on the head. It’s difficult for you to explain, but you just can’t shake the feeling that you’re weaker than others because you don’t have a Quirk to rely on. You told Shinsou this at some point, but he just shook his head in stark refusal.

“You’re the one who told me that my Quirk doesn’t determine what can of person I’ll become, remember? Quirk or not, you’re still (Name) to me. And there’s no way in hell you’re weak. I’ve seen the way you stand up to for those kids who’re getting picked on. Even if you don’t actually have a Quirk, you’re still way more heroic than those posers.”

 Even though Shinsou’s not the most expressive guy, he always finds a way to cheer you up. These episodes come and go from time to time; with you feeling insecure about your lack of Quirk, but he’s always going to be there for you whenever he can. He’ll run his fingers through your hair and kiss your forehead, all the while reassuring you that you’ll do just fine without a Quirk.

As far as Shinsou’s convinced, you’re pretty much the sweetest, more adorable person he’s ever met, and anybody who tries to make you feel bad is low-life scum. If people ever tease you due to your lack of Quirk, Shinsou’s not above using his own Quirk on them for a little payback. He normally wouldn’t brainwash his peers under any circumstances, but if they’re fucking with you, that’s basically a crime—and crimes need to be punished.

Long story short, he’s definitely humiliated the unfortunate couple assholes that dared to mess with you. They had no business tormenting Shinsou’s S/O, and they should’ve known better than to do it in the first place. At the very least, you can be sure that it won’t happen again.

He knows he’s a bit clumsy at properly displaying affection, but he does his best to smother you with hugs whenever he knows you’re feeling sad. Sleepy cuddles are a big mood, and you always wake up feeling better afterwards.

Honestly, Shinsou thinks that your smile is a Quirk in of itself. Your ability to make him so damn happy just has to be some kind of special power, it has to. That’s why he’s not worried about you. He knows you’re gonna go far in life, and wherever you end up, people will see you for who you are—not for your lack of Quirk.

Izuku: 

If anyone understands what it’s like to be Quirkless, it’s Izuku. Hell, he barely even acquired his own Quirk until he was nearly fifteen! So if you think he’s going to treat you any less than you deserve, you’re wrong there. 

Even though he made a promise to All Might, he can’t help it. You’re his S/O, and you deserve the truth. Before long, he’s brought you up to date and explained just how he used to be Quirkless himself, and how he was only able to get into U.A because his Quirk was given to him. You’re pretty much in awe, but you know that Izuku would never lie in such a way. So then he was Quirkless…just like you are? 

 If anything, Izuku actually loves the fact that you’re Quirkless. It may sound a bit silly, but the fact that he used to be Quirkless and now he’s met a Quirkless S/O…it really feels like fate is pulling the two of you together. His hero instinct kicks in, and he feels an immediate responsibility to protect you, cherish you, and make sure that you get all the love you need. 

 It goes without saying that he would love you just the same whether you had a Quirk or not, and Izuku already thinks the world of you, so that’s not likely to change. The only thing that might be a bit different is that he feels much more protective over you because of your situation. It’s not that he doesn’t think you’re strong enough to protect yourself, but he’s been on the receiving end, and has experienced firsthand how horrible it is to be bullied just because you’re Quirkless. Izuku never wants you to have to go through what he did, and he’s gonna do his very best to save you from the heartache. 

Sometimes his worrying might seem a little clingy and over-the-top: “(Name), did anyone say something to you today? No one said anything rude, right?? Because if they did, you know that I can always come and—” 

“I’m fine, Izuku. I promise.” 

“I-I just want people to treat you the way you deserve…!” 

He’s a worrier, and that’s never gonna change, but you know he only frets and asks so much because he cares for you a ton. There’s not a single day that goes by without Izuku reminding you how much he loves you, and how you’re an amazing person—with or without a Quirk. 

 If anyone ever does antagonize you, Izuku’s hero side is gonna kick in and he’ll be ready to kick some ass (after politely telling them off, of course). You’re his precious S/O, and you’re already perfect the way you are.

Bakugou: 

 Truthfully, Bakugou used to look down on people who were Quirkless (*cough cough Izuku), but along with his maturity, he’s realized not to look down on others or underestimate them. That being said, you’re his S/O—he loves you for a reason, and that reason isn’t your Quirk. So he’ll be damned if he treats you like a weakling just because you don’t have any powers. 

If someone like Bakugou was drawn to you in the first place, it’s obviously because you’re amazing in more ways than one. He doesn’t expect that you love him for his Quirk, either, so at the end of the day, those powers don’t mean jack shit when you’re in a relationship with someone you care for. 

He thinks you’re fun and kickass, even without a Quirk. The fact that you carry yourself with so much dignity and are still respectful to the turds that talk down to you honestly amazes Bakugou. If that’s not strength, then he doesn’t know what is.

Of course, Bakugou recognizes your strength and knows that you can fend for yourself, but that doesn’t keep him from getting hella pissed if he ever sees people giving you a hard time. You’re Quirkless, yeah. So what? Why does that give them the right to mess with you? What makes those little shits feel as if they’re good enough to even be talking to you? 

 It’s safe to say that Bakugou has (much to your dismay) both threatened and “lightly” assaulted people before. He knows not to go to extremes, but when he sees others looking down on you like that…ugh. His blood just starts boiling. You’re the most amazing person he’s ever met, and these lowlives are giving you shit just ‘cause you don’t have a Quirk. It’s just pathetic, really. 

 Bakugou doesn’t just handle your situation with anger, though. Again, he knows that you’re a strong person, but it helps him feel at ease if he can spend as much time around you as possible and escort you to places that aren’t exactly safe. He likes to keep his arm slung around your shoulder, and will glare down any person that displays even the tiniest bit of hostillity. The only thing that Bakugou doesn’t like about you being Quirkless is that things can get dangerous at times, and it’d be nice if you had some sort of physical power to fall back on. But that’s fine. He loves the hell out of you, and he definitely doesn’t mind staying close to make sure you’re safe. 

 You hold your head up high for the most part, but there are definitely moments when you get a little depressed about the fact that you’re Quirkless. Bakugou will be by your side in an instant, brows furrowed.

 “The hell are you gettin’ all upset over? I always tell you not to worry about that shit. You’re fine just the way you are. Don’t listen to those assholes.” 

 You’ll let out a soft sigh and nod your head. His expression will soften, and he’ll waste no time before wrapping you into a bear hug. A lot of tickle fights ensue whenever you’re feeling a bit gloomy; he always notices that it cheers you right up. He’s also gonna make sure to cuddle you for hours on end, so make sure you don’t have any plans that day—you’re not gettin’ away from him.

#hitoshi shinsou #katsuki bakugou #midoriya izuku #bnha #bnha imagines #bnha headcanons #bnha imagine #shinsou x reader #bakugou x reader #midoriya x reader #izuku x reader #katsuki x reader #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #mha #mha imagines #boku no hero imagines #relationship #fluff

[topicprinter]

I really liked this, so I transcribed it here to share:“The More You Tell, The More You Sell.Your ad is your salesman. Don’t gag him by limiting his words.The one unquestioned “truth” most big ad agencies buy into is…people will not read a lot of copy in an advertisement. Online, offline, on Websites, in magazines, on TV.They believe this with the fervor of a Kamikaze pilot. That’s why they come up with – and base entire campaigns on – cute slogans, meaningless slivers of copy, and incoherent jingles.On the other hand…the one proven truth that all direct marketers known from experience is…Customers Love Long Copy When It’s Targeted To Their Passions.I once wrote a 23-page letter (twenty-three!) to bodybuilders, which mailed profitably for several years. It was all about a hot new supplement that helped you recover faster from brutal workouts, skip the soreness other guys suffered, and enjoy a measurable surge in testosterone that would create powerful new muscle faster than you ever dreamed possible.Included were five pages crammed with detailed analysis of ingredients with unpronounceable names. Two pages of charts. No photos at all. It was page after page of dense, detailed copy.And bodybuilders ate it up, because it was all about them. Every sentence connected with their passion for their sport. Challenged some notions they had about weight training while supporting others which seemed like revelations. And every page read like a…“Can’t Put It Down Detective Story!”I’ve written dozens of three and four-page magazine ads. And I’m talking about ads that run in major publications, like Golf Digest, Muscle and Fitness, and Men’s Journal. One or two small photos, at most, and the rest of the pages thick with copy.These “monster sized” ads often work so well…they actually change the way the magazine looks. After other smart marketers see my ads appearing time and again, and rightly figure out these super-long pieces are raking it in, they follow suite. It usually takes about 18 months…but suddenly the magazine is rife with long copy ads.Some of my most successful Websites are single-scroll pages that equal over 30 sheets of manuscript (By “single scroll”, I mean there are no links on the site – you just keep scrolling down to read the entire site. The only link I usually use is for sending the reader to the shopping cart, when he’s in a lather to buy.)I’ve written ads that fill entire pages of newspapers. That’s equivalent of 4 pages of manuscript copy, single spaced.The average direct mail letter I write is at least 8 pages long, with several other pages of accompanying material. I’ve penned magalogs that took 30 pages of manuscript to fill.In fact, the 3 x 5 postcards I’ve written contain twice the copy you would find in an average ad agency-created advertisement.Why do I write such long ads?Because That’s What Works!Salespeople who work face-to-face with customers know “The more you tell, the more you sell.” They wouldn’t dream of sitting across from a prospect and trying to win them over with cutesy slogans, or, God forbid, by singing to them.No. A great salesman knows – to make the sale – he must present all the benefits of his product, in ways that directly affect the selfish desires and needs of his customers. He must meet an entire menu of objections, with clear, honest and believable answers that satisfy completely.No one wants to be an “easy” sell. It’s not in our nature. We need to be persuaded. And that takes some dedicated talking.Well, guess what?Your Ad Is Your Door-To-Door Salesman!Your letter or print ad or Website or video is literally going door to door at thousands of residences. And that little ad is completely alone. There’s no back-up. No second chance to clarify anything.You wouldn’t send a salesman out there dressed like a clown, would you? Have him approach potential customers, do something silly, then run off singing an inane slogan? Would you?Of course you wouldn’t.Your ad is your salesman. Your customers won’t know about the handcrafted details, the rare ingredients, the Swedish design, the way women will look at them when they use your product…Unless You TELL Them!They didn’t ask for your presence in their lives. They didn’t invite you in. You barged into their awareness completely unannounced.So, if you have something to say, say it. And don’t handcuff yourself by setting limits on the number of words you use.Remember: The more you tell, the more you sell.There is one “catch” to this of course. Your customer will NOT be bored, and will NOT struggle to finish your thoughts. He will NOT “make the connection” of your vague metaphors.He will NOT do your pitch for you.However… if you share his passion…and focus your copy on things that excite him…and meet his needs, and counter his objections…and feed his own interests…He Will Read Every Friggin’ Word You Write!Have you ever sat around talking with a car nut? He will prattle endlessly and with palpable passion about overhead cam shafts, Hearst 5-speed trannies, and why the only ’62 Chevy Impala worth owning is the muscle car with the beefy 326 cubic inche engine, not the one with the anemic 283.Or a musician. He’ll swoon over talk about a rhythm section in the pocket, single-coil lipstick pickups, tube screamer stomp boxes and the ethereal tone of a tweed Fender Twin. Did you know that the great bluesman Stevie Ray Vaughn filled the recording studio with Twin Reverb amps, and le ft them on for days until the tubes were brittle with heat…just so he could get the exact tone he wanted for blues guitar? That is dedication, man.That is also a great example of targeted detail. I lost all the non-guitar enthusiasts way back there…but I "got” all the musicians. If that was my intended audience, I won. I’ve now got their undivided attention. And who cares if you lose the part of the audience you don’t want?Don’t waste a moment trying to appease anyone who doesn’t share your passion. Instead, concentrate on selling your soul-mates.How do you write long copy that stays in the “pocket” of your intended customer’s passion? You use…“Reason Why” Copy.“Reason Why” copy simply means that you explain everything you say…using good, catchy, believable reasons that convince the reader.Great copy explains itself as it goes along. With a folksy swagger that the reader can trust, because “It’s just us car nuts talking, man”. Forget about all that stilted prose you see in most ads: “When one feels the temptation to engage in libations, one chooses a superior Scotch…”Horseshit. Write like you talk. And talk like you would if you were sitting face-to-face with your reader. Just yakking away about your shared passions.And, oh, by the way…you have something here he might find very interesting.In order to sell, you must romance. Seduce. Use a little foreplay, for God’s sake. Show that you can be trusted, that you know what you’re talking about, that what you have to offer really is a fabulous deal.And you can’t do that while talking like you…Have A Stick Up Your Ass.Have you ever bought anything from a salesperson you really liked? You felt a small bond with him, agreed with his worldview, felt he really was on your side and honestly wanted to see you happy?It’s a funny thing. Often, the best salesperson on staff is NOT the guy with perfectly coifed hair, the sharp dresser with the handsome profile and deep baritone voice.No. Often, the best salesperson is the schleppy little mutt who always looks like he slept in his clothes, always seems to be having a bad hair day, tends to mumble a bit.What’s his secret? Personality. The guy understands his fellow humans…and actually cares about them. He’s a little odd, sure, but he’s lovable. And he knows what he’s talking about.That’s how you want to write. Put some goddamn personality into your words, Bucko. Let the reader know there’s another human being on the other side of your letter. Someone with hopes, fears, desires and needs…Just Like His!Romance him like you would a lover. Be that guy other people love to hang around…because you’ve been places, seen things, discovered some really juicy and exciting secrets. Secrets you are here to share.Treat your reader the way you want to be treated. (That’s the Golden Rule, isn’t it?) If you were gonna consider buying a product like this…wouldn’t you want to know what was in it? If it really performed as advertised? If it really was a good deal? If this thing could actually satisfy your passion?It takes a lot of copy to cover those bases.And be honest. This is a master’s level sales secret. Be completely honest about your product. Reveal a flaw or two. There’s never been a perfect product manufactured in the history of man. Everything has something wrong with it. And everyone knows it.When you admit the limits of your product, you gain credit for being honest. You’re a straight talkin’ guy. You’re someone who can be trusted to tell the truth.The thing is…by revealing a flaw or two…you shine a brighter light on the positive benefits of your product. Normally, people won’t believe anything you say. They take all boasting with a big grain of salt. They…Assume You’re Going To Stretch The Truth.So astonish him. Be different. When you’re honest, and you prove it… you are no longer in the same category as all other advertisers. (Those lying bastards.) Nope. You’re a straight shooter. You tell it like it is.You’re one of us, man.A few last points: First, never talk down to your customers, as if you are the teacher and they are pitifully inadequate students. Readers will not be put down. They will not be lectured. Or bored.Instead, use yourself as the bad example: “I used to be that cocky guy who thought he would never get sick. And I don’t have to tell you what a shock it was to wake up one day and realize you arthritis. Yes, you and I share this crippling disease…”Second: Consider the personality you put into your writing your “secret weapon” against competitors… especially if your product is pretty much identical to everyone else’s. Personality is how you set yourself apart. Given the choice of dealing with a soulless corporation, or a passionate, but slightly eccentric guy…all other things being equal…you will win the sale.Lastly: your sales pitch must be complete. You need the same detailed persuasiveness to sell a $19 widget as you do to sell a $199 gold-plated widget.In fact, experienced marketers know that it sometimes takes MORE persuasion to get a customer to part with twenty bucks than it does to part with hundreds of dollars. It’s human nature. We tend to sweat the pennies, and be oddly casual about the dollars.The lesson: Don’t scrimp on your sales pitch. Cover all the bases, every time.

#/r/entrepreneur #reddit

[swipestream]

SUPERVERSIVE: Mumen Rider is the key to “One Punch Man”

The man himself, Saitama!

I recently watched “One Punch Man”, an excellent new(ish) comedy/superhero anime that you can currently find on Netflix (though only in sub, which may matter to some people, though I still liked it). It’s a very good show, funny, clever, amazingly well animated and with an absolutely stellar soundtrack, probably my second favorite in an anime show to “Cowboy Bebop” (which I honestly can’t even imagine anyone topping). But what really stuck out to my about it was how superversive it was, against all odds.

How? “One Punch Man” is a very silly concept and regularly features heroes who are either mocked and spat on, like One Punch Man himself, or who are petty, conniving jerks more concerned with getting ahead in the hero rankings than helping people. How can it possibly be superversive? What did it do to pull off this trick?

And it hit me.

The key to “One Punch Man” is not One Punch Man himself.

The key to “One Punch Man” is…Mumen Rider, the Cyclist for Justice!

“One Punch Man” is the story of Saitama, the titular One Punch Man. Saitama is a hero for fun in a world constantly plagued by disasters, supervillains, and monsters…and Saitama is bored with it all. You see, he has grown so powerful that he can take down any villain, no matter how strong, with a single punch, which is really no fun. Yet nobody knows who he is!

I wasn’t initially impressed by the premise, which is pretty much just a single gag, but the show hooked me in by episode 2 when we are introduced to Genos. Genos is the Watson of the show, a cyborg out for revenge against the (other) cyborg who killed his family, and after his life is saved by Saitama he moves in with him and lives as his disciple. Genos is the viewer stand-in, the only character in the show who understands exactly how powerful Saitama is. As the show goes on we are introduced to several other heroes and villains who appear poised to become regulars…one of these heroes being, yes, Mumen Rider: The Cyclist for Justice.

Mumen Rider is a C class hero, the lowest possible rank. His superpower?

He rides a bike. As in, a bicycle, not a motorbike.

And that’s it.

It’s a good gag, to have this character exist in a world of monsters and cyborgs and supermen. But that isn’t what makes the character truly great.

The man. The myth. The legend.

What makes him so ingenious? He isn’t a gag character.

Mumen Rider transforms the show from a subversive parody to a parody as homage singlehandedly One Punch Man” fans, hear me out. When we see Mumen Rider, we don’t really make fun of him, right? We find him saving a balloon from a tree to help a little girl. He gives his sort of wimpy battle cry a couple of times, but it is earnest and sincere and he is portrayed exactly that way. The character isn’t designed to be mocked by the viewer, and he isn’t presented that way. In the absolute best episode in the series, episode 9, where he squares off against the Sea King, the scene is perhaps the most moving and powerful in the entire show – and played absolutely straight.

This is vitally important to the plot. “One Punch Man”, as I said above, portrays a world of heroes who are petty, glory-seeking, self-righteous, hypocritical, and conniving jerks, more concerned with their rankings by the Hero Association than in actually helping people. The only heroes who don’t fit this mold are Genos, who is genuinely heroic but who is notably also driven by a desire for vengeance, and Saitama, who actually is a hero because he genuinely wants to be a hero but who is spat on and disrespected by the rest of society.

Well, those two and Mumen Rider.

Mumen Rider provides the counterpoint – and he really is the only true counterpoint we see. The Sea King arc in episodes 8 and 9, 9 especially, is easily the high point of the show. I’d go as far to say that it goes on my upper tier list with “The Avengers”, “The Incredibles”, and episode 2 of “Daredevil” as one of the all-time great self-contained superhero stories ever put to screen. Not even the overall-superior “My Hero Academia” put together a two episode stretch as good. And it’s all thanks to Mumen Rider.

When Mumen Rider faces off against the Sea King in episode 9, we know he’s toast. The Sea King, a horrific looking (and he is animated in a way that looks genuinely unsettling) amphibious monster, has just laid waste to multiple powerful heroes, including Genos, who is S class – the highest class of all. And Mumen Rider is a dude on a bike! We know, absolutely know, that he simply can’t win. And Mumen Rider knows this as well. And he says so.

And who is that guy he’s holding?

And then…something amazing happens. First a little girl cries out that she believes in him. Then the rest of the bystanders start joining in. The cheering becomes louder, and Mumen Rider is buoyed by the support of the crowd, the soundtrack playing quietly in the background as Mumen Rider finally gets the recognition he deserves as a true hero. And then…

I won’t spoil the rest of the episode. It really needs to be experienced. From his arrival to the end of the episode things just keep getting better and better. It really is a masterpiece, and knows exactly at what moments it has to be serious and what moments it can play for comedy. It deserves to be watched more than it deserves to be dissected.

The whole point here – the point around which the whole show by necessity centers – is that in Mumen Rider, we see a true hero , and we see him treated as a true hero. This is a man who earned it. He deserves it. And those people who disrespect the other real heroes, like Saitama? They’re not the norm. Not every person who claims to be a hero is in it for themselves. There are also guys out there like Mumen Rider…guys who put themselves on the line because that’s what a hero does, and people who know that, and who love them for it.

The world really does need heroes, and the people really do gain something from them. The Mumen Riders of the world are not a joke. They’re what we should all aspire to be.

Everything that happens before that and that happens after that is entirely reframed by that character and that scene. No longer is this a mean-spirited and cynical “Deadpool”-style parody of the superhero genre. No longer is the moral of the story that heroes are chumps and the public doesn’t deserve men like Saitama. Now we know – those heroes aren’t the real heroes, and the public really can be inspired and lifted up by men like Mumen Rider. And Saitama’s actions, despite his lack of public recognition, are not the actions of a chump. They, too, are the actions of a true hero.

And without Mumen Rider, the message of the show would be entirely different. It would be repulsive, really. The show could be recommended as an amusing and technically marvelous parody, but nothing more than that. But with Mumen Rider, it becomes truly great.

And that’s why he is the most important character in the entire show.

Overall score: 7 of 10. Highly recommended.

(A note: You must remember that my grading system is very tough. If Gurren Lagann is an 8, and Cowboy Bebop is a 9, then a 7 is a very good score, and an unreserved recommendation. I want to point this out because not everybody grades as tough as I do! Which means, incidentally, that I should probably drop my Batman Ninja grade to a 7).

I leave you all with this kickass OP:

ONE PUUUUUUUUUUUUUNCH!!!!!

SUPERVERSIVE: Mumen Rider is the key to “One Punch Man” published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames