The Wannabes Podcast: Recent Episodes
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Jesse (JD) Gardner and Will (Wassabi) Wassmer are both Ranked Super Smash Brothers Melee Players. They take an hour a week to talk about their experience, the grind, and what it's like to take this game seriously. They also have players from all over come in to chat in their 1v1 series!
Shephard "Fiction" Lima is a one of a kind player. Actually, there are other players like him, but none of them can claim ever reaching top 10 in the world.
Recently, Fiction has picked up two additional main characters in Falco and Sheik. Joining his already established Fox, he's looking to reinvent his approach to the game by just "playing what feels right". In tournament. For money.
While becoming a top player, Fiction has also pursued game development and will be soon releasing his game in early access. JD and Fiction talk through the mindset of someone at his level, what it means to improve and take the games seriously, juggling different hobbies and, yes, his approach to Twitter.
Kinetic: Break All Limits is on Steam Early Access on January 5th https://store.steampowered.com/app/1987710/Kinetic_Break_All_Limits/
This episode, like many others, was released early on our Discord. You can join that here: https://discord.gg/kVr2Cn46Fn
Music - “Virtual Soul” Harris Heller
There's a unique challenge in becoming a top player, and even more so when it happens overnight. After a string of 2nd places in 2022, including Genesis 8, Jake "Jmook" DiRado established himself as a serious tournament threat heading into this year. Representing his newly acquired sponsorship with Flyquest, he defied expectations by winning Genesis 9. Thank god he did, cause he chose that tournament over my bachelor party. At least it gave us something interesting to watch.
Winner of Genesis 9 & Collision 2023, Ranked 6th in 2022, and the champion of Upstate New York, Jmook returns to TWP after 4 years. Jake speaks to his upcoming move to California, the challenges of being a professional melee player, his plans to level up content and how he still considers "playing the homies" as fundamental to his improvement strategy.
This episode features submitted questions from our Discord. You can join that here: https://discord.gg/kVr2Cn46Fn
Music - “Virtual Soul” Harris Heller
Yeap, it's a long one. Trying something new here with a mega episode. This weeks theme is balance, finding a way to keep Melee (or ultimate) in our lives while exploring other hobbies or building our adult lives.
Starting off as a competitive player or farming a region, marketing content or working the algorithm, building a community or grinding ranked, we cover a bit of everything with the three sick guests of Ventus, Kogs and Billz.
0:00 - Intro and preamble
0:11:50 - Starting as a competitor & wannabes feedback w/ Ventus
1:17:34 - Pushing top 100 w/ Billz
2:04:35 - Breaking through the content sphere w/ Kogs
Solo episode and a possible return.
JD aka Poonslayer7 covers updates, why the show ended and what's important when being a melee player.
Feedback is appreciated. Let's see how this goes.
3 weeks off, zero prep. Can Wassabi and JD find the conversation in REAL TIME? Of course they can... They do it all the time.
Personal lives, exercising, Garlic Salt Ep. 0 and getting REALLY GOOD at Melee. All the basics.
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
JD's new podcast Garlic Salt has been in the works for a few months now, and it's finally time to release an episode to the world!
More info on a full release soon.
MONSTER-MEGA-THREE-SEPERATE-RECORDING-INTERVIEW
This man is a legend. One of the head TO's of Rollback Rumble, including The Big One, Commentator extraordinaire, and a power ranked Falcon player to boot, NathanSandwich exemplifies what it means to be a participating member of the community.
These interviews are largely influenced by RR: The Big One, taking place before, during, and after the event. JD and Nathan discuss their plans for content and other TO responsibilities, what it felt like to be in the thick of the action (while recording a content piece of course) and a final debrief about the experience.
We also go step-by-step through Nathan's career in TOing, commentary, and playing the game. Let me be clear: TOing is about 15 different roles in one, from Social media to seeding, conflict management to marketing.
This episode is crunchy. We wouldn't be mad if you didn't listen all at once...
IRL is coming back, and The Wannabes are taking some different tacts. What do we do to prep for a fest, what should we keep in mind while we're there? And why is JD always talking about eating cheese?
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
The Big One was insane! Wassabi and JD go over their content journeys and reflect on everything it took out of them, along with Will's amazing run to 25th in singles, JD's video editing, A long fox-ditto play session between them, and of course WATCHING SUMMIT! Patrons, make sure you keep an eye on the Patreon for some new premium ~CoNtEnT1
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
AKLO FOR SUMMIT!!!
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-Aklo-get-to-smash-summit-11
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed!
https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7
Aklo - https://twitter.com/SSBM_Aklo
And follow us on Twitch!
JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/aklo14
Aklo #Podcast #Melee
For our FIRST interview of Season 3 we have one of the best marth mains in the country, LSD! Let’s just get this out of the way, LSD are initials. Sponsors, relax.
LSD has been on the grind since the age of 13, traveling all throughout the south-east U.S and reaching number 1 in the state before being able to drink a beer. Now running for Summit, LSD takes on a series of questions ranging from Summit incentives to biggest mentor in Melee. We also get a chance to see what his ego says, uninhibited.
Marth main, Body & Mind player, eventual best in the world, this interview has something for everybody. An incredible way to start the season.
OH YEA BABY WE IN THERE.
Season 3 is the UNIVERSAL SEASON of going places, baby! We’re 2 and a half years into this thing and are on that gradual grind, and nothing says incremental change like getting extremely hyped over a new logo and branding. And then… Saying virtually the same stuff in each episode!
Nowadays, though, a two week break means a lot of activity built up for JD and Wassabi. There’s the secret project that we finally announce (Working on The Big One!), Wassabi making big decisions in his personal life, and JD coming in hot off a 3 day smash fest and finally looking like a fox that’s been playing for 7 years.
We’re just getting started, y’all. Let the games begin
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
Part 2 of 2 for Season 2. How fantastic!
The boys get a little lose with wine and beer, talk about how much of a trip it is to see our progress over the past 6 months, talk about Cyfer003 and the BSM pod, how much we love our discord, season 3 predictions, and of course, QUESTIONS!! Thanks for joining us.
Stay tuned for the new season in 2 weeks! (Probably)
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
It's not often that we do a special episode, but after last week's conversation about it feeling right, we've decided to spend more than 1 day going through our past season and wrapping things up properly. What does that mean though? More of the same, actually. Will and JD talk about increasing capacity like Goku, revisit some therapy sessions that were relevant and tease an upcoming project that's coming up sooner than later. How do we meet the moment without needing to sprint? What does "Grinding" mean and when is it appropriate? What have we learned from last season, and how do we approach Season 3? Next episode coming tomorrow. Thank for for joining us on this 6 month ride! Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
When we have a good opportunity come up, it feels like we can tie our entire identity up in it. Truth be told, it's taken a few times like this for us to actually deal with this anticipation. How do we get excited while keeping expectations down? How do we contribute our best work to a project we're not in charge of? And how do we keep the growth mindset while still living in the moment and working as hard as we can?
It ain't easy. Will and JD work through it in real time this episode, so don't expect any answers. Like always. What do we know?!
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
It's The Cheat! He's a dope luigi main, Head T.O of the legendary Smash Camp series, and a hilarious commentator/content creator. But most of all... he's a guest on the show today. He talks about all of these things!
This was recorded back in FEBRUARY of 2021, but the context here is evergreen. Listen in to one of our scenes greatest overall contributors talk about starting in the community, getting a job because of smash, and creating one of the sickest smash events in the entire country.
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
The Wannabes come fresh off their top 64 - top 8 commentary block to deep dive into their performance. A majority of this episode is a raw and detailed look at how JD and Wassabi can improve their commentary chops, synergies, and techniques.
Also, Wassabi recaps a weekend of tournaments from two weeks ago. Recap on recap!
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
Yup, The one and only.
In this interview JD sits down with legendary commentator, player, and personality Toph. Note - This was a few months ago, so before the Golden Guardians signed him.
Toph touches on his early career as a player and commentator, traveling to tournaments with Scar to get reps behind the mic, and answers a few lightning round questions about Melee commentary. A definite can't miss interview!
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
Sometimes good stuff happens, and it comes with a bit of fear. A good Ladder placing got Wassabi in bracket for TMT, and a great video got him views. What does he do with that pre-bracket fear? And how can he be happy for himself without getting derailed, or distracted, by letting his ego mess him up?
For JD, he's launching a new project soon. He may be confident in the project, but when you're bringing something into the world there's fear there as well.
Also in this episode: Weekly commentary duo debrief, some great questions from the one and only Cyfer003, and the announcement of a new PATREON! Coming soon!
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter!
https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch!
JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
Wassabi and JD are COOKING lately, and that's not just about the 5 minutes at the end when they talk about literal food. We're talking progress. We're talking good habits. Life updates. Melee practice, secret projects, teams practice scheduling. Exercise and working hard. It's non-stop over here, baby!
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod
JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch!
JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
It has been a crazy week for both Wannabes! So much happened in 7 days. JD fills us in on some life/project updates while Wassabi goes over his bracket run at the most recent NA West! These are enough topics on its on but JD and Will go deep into their performance as a commentary duo at the most recent EU event, Regen Online! Lastly it wouldn't be a Wannabes episode without answering community questions on discord, which is better a zero to death or a sick read?
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
PGH Carroll, is one of the best combo artist in the community. Known for his creative and jaw dropping combos with the entire character roster, he joins Wassabi to talk about his origin story and philosophy of what makes a good combo. We also go deep into his thoughts on the importance and potential of competitive custom stages for the future of Melee.
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod
JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7
Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch!
JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd
Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
Why does he try so hard to improve? What does it mean to "Overdo" something as opposed to "Doing it a lot" ? Have any questions?
Even though JD and Wassabi are basically each others therapists, there's a time and place for professionals. This episode features an amazing conversation that builds on Will's conversation with his therapist about, you guessed it, Super Smash Bros. Melee. Why does he play the game?
AKA. The Wannabes speak about Mental health pt.10
Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod
JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7
Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch!
JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd
Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
Melee #Wannabes #Podcast
It's been two whole weeks since Will and JD talked on Mic. Two weeks! How insane!
A lot of topics are covered here, from catching up on the recent ADHD diagnoses, JD starting Uncle Punch, and Wassabi getting into the content creation grind. Good vibes all around, and the conversation flows like a mighty river.
...I need to start tracking our topics better.
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod
JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7
Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch!
JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd
Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
From Melee to Slay the Spire, Tiramisu went from being one of New England's strongest players to trying to break the Watcher Win-Streaking World Record for consecutive A20 heart kills. While it will be a long journey to break the current record of 18, the lessons he learned from Melee will certainly help. Here are some of his highlights!
Link to the full hour interview below!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0TxkirV6pcbTA33TgodBfH?si=Gk7MiqwcRYmKQ-CVvwUTWw
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1v1-ep-4-tiramisu/id1480180908?i=1000449912784
PodBean: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-f7k56-ba16f9
Be sure to cheer him on at https://www.twitch.tv/maxxmaxx1
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod
Chelly Toms is a talented and prominent SSBM commentator, player, and streamer. JD and Chelly go into depth on what makes good commentary, how to put yourself out there, and why it's better to chase a good time than good clout. A true Melee fan, that's what you get from Chelly Toms.
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
*REUPLOAD
We talk a lot about mental health, but there's only so much that can be understood without a proper medical professional. Within the month both JD and Wassabi started treatment for their ADHD, and boy oh boy is it making an improvement.
What can we do now that editing isn't a massive wall? How are we going to take advantage of this new treatment? What new ideas are we excited about, now that we know they can be produced without issue? We might need to start a new season soon..
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
2 conversations recorded a week apart, JD talks to Wannabes marketing guru and ADHDer Ventus (Matt) about how he thinks he might have ADHD, then after his diagnosis and first days on medication. I know this is a melee podcast, but this is almost entirely about ADHD. Buckle up!
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Ventus - https://twitter.com/RemarkableMattt
There's nothing more important than our mental health. Sometimes it just takes a little digging to figure out what the hell is going on.. #Melee #Podcast #Wannabes Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
This week is a special divergence from Melee to talk about the stock market! Brian Feroldi is writer for The Motley Fool, has accumulated ~100k followers on Twitter posting financial advice and graphics, and has dedicated himself to spreading financial wellness. He is also JD's cousin!
If you are recently interested in the stock market and investing, and a regular listener to this podcast, this is a great introduction to set yourself up for financial success
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod
JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Brian - https://twitter.com/BrianFeroldi
And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd
Hey! Remember the Smash world tour? It's coming back, maybe. Hopefully. I think it will. Before all that, we continue last weeks conversations about energy levels and managing our expectations. How do we keep ourselves on track? Same ol stuff.
Featuring Cyfer003 from the Bottom of the Smash Mountain Podcast! Check him out on Spotify Or wherever else you get podcasts!
What should we do when we start to lose momentum? Often we look for complicated answers, but Melee teaches us that the simplest answers - or the things that worked for us before - can just as often be the path we need to take
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
After Wassabi's big move, the wannabes FINALLY got around to a bicoastal netplay session. It was some serious play, and they took the time to really dissect what happened. Just a casual conversation about a friendlies sesh, who can't love that? Also, Will and JD talk about the Discord hangout over the weekend, some questions COMPLETELY unrelated to melee, and a comment on the worst color.
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
Man - I don't even know how to describe this one. Once I stop off this rocket ship TO THE MOOOOOOON, I'll add the proper timestamps.
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/qFZHFw8ugH
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
Content is one of the most important facets of any Esport. Melee has had a long string of talented and passionate content creators since 2001, and Radar is no exception. From his Micro Melee series to The Mixup with TurndownforWalt, Radar has been a powerful force on Youtube and twitch for SSBM. Now, he turns his sights to a second game as well, Hearthstone Battlegrounds. If you're an aspiring creative in the Melee scene, this interview is a must see. Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/xTsMeG8g Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Radar - https://twitter.com/radarssbm And follow us on Twitch / Youtube! JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd Radar - https://www.youtube.com/user/michaelradargaming
Teams is back on the menu, and we want to talk about it.
Also on the menu? Some self reflection on the podcast, as we like to do, and a few CHOICE questions from our wonderful discord.
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/xTsMeG8g
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod
JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7
Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch!
JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd
Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
HNC Season 2 baby, this is the start of a new era. Over 500 entrants, with JD as an Admin and on the mic and Wassabi's first Boxx tournament, you know there's a hell of a lot to cover.
Jmook is the new hotness, Looking forward to 2021, and the best moments from 2020.
Have any questions? Join our Discord and let us know what you want discussed! https://discord.gg/xTsMeG8g
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod
JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi -
https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch!
JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd
Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
Wassabi takes on a new project called "Imperfect Protagonists". It's a new segment on the Wannabes channel that analyzes and reflects on anime moments or quotes that relate to him and his competitive mentality. Since JD isn't too into anime, Wassabi brings on his good friend VentusOfficial to talk about Haikyuu!! for this first episode. They explore the idea of a main character in the show and literally any character can be the protagonist of their own show.
SPOILER WARNINGS: We touch on alot of stuff from seasons 1 thru 4 of the anime series. Big thank you to VentusOfficial for being a guest host and nerding out about Haikyuu!! Follow him at @remarkablemattt on Twitter Follow the Wannabes Podcast on: Twitter → @thewannabespod Ask questions on our Discord! → discord.gg/xnjPFa7 JD → https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7 Wassabi → https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
Where were you when the Melee community raised over $300k in a week? We were, uh, watching - But also contributing in our own way! This episode Wassabi and JD talk over the 5DoM event, their first friendly session with Wassabi on the box, and getting in the mood of creating content. Short and sweet, but with plenty of times for shoutouts!
Why are we frauds? Life is going well, right? JD is getting a dog, Will got a SICK new job, we should be totally content, right? No. We aren't good at melee. Or we are, rather, but we aren't improving. It's tough to say.
In this episode we go over some harder hitting topics - namely unsupportive family. When these sorts of things get in the way, feeling attacked or brought down by those close to us, it's important to know that you have an outlet to talk about. Wassabi felt that this podcast was an outlet for that, and hopefully people in similar shoes feel like they're less alone because of this conversation.
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod
JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7
Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch!
JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd
Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
How we improve seems like a deeply personal journey, but sometimes we can look to top players to figure out what they do that works for them. It's an imperfect science, but Will and JD find a way to compare two of the games best players to see how they got to where they are now. Also, they ask the eternal question - How does N0ne improve from just playing unranked?
Times are tough, etc. etc. How do we stay in a focused mood when our past rhythms are out of whack? What do we look forward to? And what MAJOR update does Wassabi have in store!?
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod
JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7
Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch!
JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd
Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
We're back, again! It's been a while since we've been able to sit down and talk about the game, and it's great to be back at it. Even though the IRL events are a thing of the past, JD and Wassabi talk about how they're keeping Melee in their lives, what content they want to stick up with, and other side projects that are keeping them going.
Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/thewannabespod
JD - https://twitter.com/SoonPlayer7
Wassabi - https://twitter.com/WassabiSabi
And follow us on Twitch!
JD - https://www.twitch.tv/wannabe_jd
Wassabi - https://www.twitch.tv/wassabisabi
It's all about content in this episode. The Wannabes talk about their GOML runs, streaming while playing in tournaments, what type of content they want to make, and all the topics in between. Question to our viewers, what type of content would you make if given the resources? And what do you think Melee is missing?
We're back! After a long hiatus, Will and JD are back in action in video format. They talk about the future of melee after Slippi 2.0, their expectations, and their plans for additional content.
Wow, 50 episodes of Wassabi and JD talking about Melee. This episode is a combination of reflecting on the past and looking toward the future. What's next for the podcast? For the Wannabes themselves? If you enjoy a self-referential content creation strategy meeting, well, you're in luck.
Timestamps below!
00:00 Intro 02:14 Wassabi's is moving! 09:28 Being a beginner again 14:00 Self reflecting introspection 24:00 Current state of the podcast 28:03 Next steps 33:53 JD critiques 42:27 Old Wassabi 45:30 Next week previews 49:43 Small victories
One of the best Melee content creators & video editors joins Will for an extended 1v1 that covers everything from his early days of Melee, first attempt at a Youtube channel, what keeps him going and how anyone can build their own channel. There might be a theme here of us asking our favorite creators for advice on how to run our own channels... Selfish but effective!
Brian F has been grinding at Street fighter for about a decade, and he has the results to show for it. His commitment to the game, and his stream, proves that hard work and consistency is a surefire way to find success. Will and Brian go into what it takes to find success as a "pro" gamer, how to find your voice in your content, and why Hungrybox is his favorite Melee player. This one is a can't miss..
The youngest member of the legendary Brotherhood and the reigning champion of Hax's Nightclub comes on the podcast to talk to JD about playing melee as a kid, traveling and training with his brothers, and what bothers him about netplay. Aklo is a name you should be familiar with by now, but in case you're not, this episode might be the best way to learn...
Space-time might be warped, our entire reality might be completely flipped on its head, but there is always one consistent in this strange world: The NYC power ranking is absolutely insane. In this episode JD and Will talk about what they've been doing to stay sane during Covid-19, how to keep moving forward even if you need to reinvent your habits, and they break down the newly minted top 15 in NYC. We're back, baby.
Anytime we find somebody speaking about mindfulness in gaming a huge light pops up over our head. Turns out, when a clip of Dr. Jwns' stream started circulating around Smash twitter, Wassabi recognized him as a homie he met in Norcal, and shortly after they got together to create this wonderful piece of audio content. This conversation hits all the Wannabes pressure points, improvement, frustrations, motivation, ego, mindfulness, you name it. At over 1.5 hours this might be one of the strongest episodes to date. And this is JD talking!
Wally is one of New Jersey's most exciting new players, and for starting only three (3) years ago he's been on an absolute tear, beating players like Bobby Big Ballz, TheSwooper, and lint. Wassabi and Wally sit down for an extended interview covering his early years, practice schedule, and what it takes to make improvements at a high level. Lot of gold in this one, especially for you peach mains out there!
Poonslayer aka Poonslayer7 aka JD is one half of the hosts of this podcast, but this time he's being interviewed! JD goes over his days as the one and only Poonslayer, how he started in upstate and made a name for himself with his best friend Che$$. He talks about how to start a road trip, his ventures into content and commentarty, and his biggest tournaments of his career.
And by him, I mean me.
Yes, THAT Wassabi!! For the Wannabes Week of March Madness, we interview ourselves, and it turns out there's a lot of backstory that we've never covered before. Wassabi talks about his very first tournament up until the day he started recording the first episode of The Wannabes, and everything in between.
If you wanted to learn more about 1/2 of our amazing podcast team, then look no further. This is what Wassabi-nation has been waiting for.
Welp, we're in it now, folks. Hax's nightclub is shut down, as well as Pound, Full Bloom, and nearly all other tournaments for the next few months. Melee took a huge hit in this pandemic, that's for sure. Now is the time to stay safe, sane, and try to keep moving forward.
So, how do we navigate this? What's the best attitude to take to get through this long stretch at home? Wassabi and JD are no experts, but we find out a few things to hold on to. Let's keep our heads up, y'all!
We got Webs! After a drunken tweet turned out into a real example of why networking is a fake term, Webs and I got on the mic to talk about his early career in Melee and commentary, how modern day commentators can be successful, the Smash World Tour, and some personal JD issues. It's a good one, and it has NOTHING to do with Coronavirus. We promise.
Well, it's one of those episodes where we dig into what the hell we're doing with ourselves. This time, JD looks at what drives him forward with Melee and makes some realizations, and reevaluates. A tough conversation, but nothing too sad-boy. We'll save that for next week...
When we talk about "the community", there's often a group of people that are left out of the conversation. There's the top players, of course, or there are the 0-2er's, the new players we want to recruit. Players like Mose are often in that middle ground, and often times players in his shoes have the most to say.
Mose is a TO, content creator, B0xxer and many other roles. In this episode we cover his journey through the Melee scene, how he handled the grind of building a stream and Youtube channel, and how we can go about carrying ourselves when we start to lose sight of what's important.
For our second episode on Foreign Foxes week, we have the top player from Sydney Sock. JD and Sock talk about getting better in a smaller region, how to prepare for Majors when there are so few on your calendar, and his unique mindset for winning against "better players"
The Wannabes are going hard this month with 3 episodes a week! Yes! In this episode, we of course get hype for that, but there are other great things going on as well, such as Will and JD finding a new social circle outside of smash, a good HNC for both of us, and how JD got a great opportunity at work directly as a result from this podcast. Pretty cool episode to start the month off. Also, a great episode for first time listeners!
The #1 player in Germany (and 83rd in the world) stops by to kick off March Madness, and what a way to start! Nicki and Wassabi talk about the challenges of playing in a remote scene, mentality when competing, and the content he wants to make that caters to a different audience than usual. New York might have 70 man locals, now imagine that it was 7. And then try to make top hundred...
Type !SnooSnoo into any melee stream and you'll see the influence this man carries. Although his play style is absolutely bananas and his energy at majors is unmatched, SnooSnoo is one of the most intelligent and articulate melee players in Tri-state. JD and Snoo go over everything from meshing play style with optimization, how Melee feeds our spirit, maturing in real life and the game, and how it feels to have a tournament like HNC reinvigorate our local scene. Snoo is a goddamn treasure.
Wassabi hits it big at last weeks night club, and it turns out when you play that many sets you can talk about it for a full hour. This episode is one of those long conversations that comes from a big win, how we keep momentum going and how we deal with the implications. It's not just JD congratulating Will the entire time, we promise.
When we win, it can almost turn into a negative thing if not handled properly. If you wanted to hear two up and coming players deal with this phenomenon, then I couldn't recommend a better episode.
Whiskers is a top Yoshi from Queens, New York. Recently he's been on an absolute tear through anyone he comes in contact with, but this has not been a new development. Wassabi sits down with one of the countries top Yoshi mains to talk about his early career, improvement strategies and mindset, and how they can improve the local New York scene going forward.
If you don't know Whiskers, maybe you should watch more of Hax's Night Club... He usually does pretty well.
We fell for the trap, or should we say that JD fell for the trap, of talking about Fox Marth for about half an hour. Summit has it all in our minds, and as two foxes the Wannabes couldn't help themselves. Wassabi is good at the mu, for the record.
Later on, we go into talking about "Zen in the Martial Arts" and how we can take lessons from old and bring them into Melee. Why practice high kicks when we can master middle ones? Scar would love this conversation Wink
Content creator month? I guess so.
JD sits down with another NYC legend, Phil Nolan, to go over his thoughts on.. well.. making stuff. We talk about how he got into videography, how Melee is a great way to figure yourself out, and how to build the skills necessary to start a freelance career.
Wassabi and JD bring it all the way back to the building blocks, namely sleep and practice! You gotta check in with the easy stuff time in again, right? Lest we take it for granted, and all that?
Then the Wannabes dive into last week's HNC, how Wassabi clutched it out against Smuckers and what JD needs to do to become good at the peach matchup again. Also, they played each other again! Who won? Listen to find out.
Every Melee player wants to be in a position of glory and triumph. But what are the downsides? And how do we handle it?
My favorite Zane and a top 2 Analog host pops into our podcast for a special crossover episode! JD and Epengu talk about his first projects in Melee, leveraging opportunities and work through networking, translating skills out of Melee, and how to get better commentary gigs.
This was a fire episode, players and content creators alike should get a lot out of this sweet, saucy content.
The Wannabes answer a question from their Discord channel! We talk about how we handle emotions after tournaments, feelings we get from either a loss or a win. Also, talking about the inevitable questions of "Why are we doing this?" The terrible feelings that melee can bring up when things are at their lowest.
Then, the Wannabes Watchlist! Much less depressing!
What is the value of hard work? How do I keep myself motivated and moving along? Is any of this worth it at all?
I gotta lighten this thing up, dang.
This next player needs no introduction. The #2 puff in the world comes in for an interview with JD for an extended interview, covering everything from his first training partners and locals, work ethic, keys to improvement, and mindset. Then, 2Saint drops some sage advice on what he would tell his students, if he had them. Some absolute GEMS in this episode, no question about it.
Wassabi went to Genesis 7! And he has a hell of a story to tell!
Will goes in depth about his entire weekend, ups and downs, tournaments and money matches, player and spectator. Him and JD take a brief detour to completely pop off for the Tri-state players that kicked ass over the weekend, then talk about the importance of Majors as a whole and how we can best learn from them.
There's so much more Melee to play.
While JD wants to move forward quickly, sometimes it's about taking it one step at a time. Taking a local off, or focusing on other projects instead of competing. But when is "Self love" detrimental, when is burnout just a boogieman? This episode, JD tackles the concept of balance and how it impacts his ambitious goal of being one of the top 100 players in the world.
Another early morning pod! This time at 6 AM on a Tuesday. Neat!
In this episode, JD and Will go over Will's performance at Giga HoG, his preparation for Genesis this weekend, and overall how to balance their Melee time with everything else they have going on. What happens when we look at our jobs as an excuse? What benefits and weaknesses do we have as smash-hobbyists? And how do we put it all together to improve and get results? Some tough questions, but a great episode to start on if you want to give us a first listen.
What’s up Wannabes, in this episode I want to talk about the technical side of making top 100, namely, getting the people on the ballot to notice me.
It’s not just about picking up wins, there needs to be some strategy to it as well. What tournaments do I enter, how often, and what are the benefits of a Major over a Regional?
This episode will likely be the only one dedicated to this type of strategic tournament entry, but it had to be done sooner or later. Might as well get it over with, eh?
About time we get one of our listeners on the pod! Panos and Will have developed a strong relationship over the past year, playing each other often and navigating the wilderness of not-quite-top-playerhood. If you don't know Panos, he's an incredibly strong Tri-state Falcon that makes a splash in every tournament he enters, and the fact that he works full-time while balancing his Melee career makes him that much more appealing to us. His attitude toward the game and work ethic in how he improves is a great example of what it means to be a Wannabe.
Oh no, Wassabi and JD played in bracket!?! Honestly, it shouldn't be that weird, it just hasn't happened yet for some reason, so now they get to talk about it.
Since both of the Wannabes made top 8 at HNC this week, they had a lot to talk about. Then, they dive into topics like stylistic differences in fox dittos, the Falcon matchup, and why 2Saint may not be the world's most aggressive puff. He's still sick though, don't get us wrong!
In this week's episode of Road to Top 100, JD talks about his newest acronym, the VIPER method of improvement. VIPER stands for Vocalize, Internalize, Practice, Execute, and Refresh/Refine. Not too shabby, right? Using this strategy JD lines up his strategy for improving this year, since it'll take a strong player to crack the top 100, and there's plenty of improvement left to be had.
Also, before the main event, JD talks about his experience at the latest Hax's Night Club, where he placed 5th. This was a trial run to see if he wants to keep doing it, so let him know on twitter if it worked or not. At this stage of the project he is very impressionable, so, yea. Cyber bully him.
The first 1v1 of the New Year is with one of our favorite people in the world, Dr. Lobster! Currently ranked #1 on Long Island and #2 in New Hampshire, Doc Lob has had a storied history and some great insight into the game of Melee. In this episode JD and Dr. Lob talk a bit about his history, thoughts on improvement and mindset, and gives one of the best analogies about the game that we've ever heard.
This episode is an absolute treat.
Happy New Year! This is the second year of the Podcast, and The Wannabes open up 2020 with some fire. They're both ready to, as they say, "Beat some people".
Check out the timestamps for a closer look at this episodes topics. No synopsis can beat those delicious timestamps!
0:00 - Intro and episode summary \ 2:00- 2020 plans for the podcast \ 2:55- HNC Launch \ 3:25- JDs new series road to Top100 \ 9:34- Pressure and restlessness, some FOMO from Wassabi \ 15:06- Value of taking breaks and type of breaks \ 16:45- Genesis prep and thoughts \ 23:16- Ranking season is weirdddd \ 25:00- What it means to be T100 \ 32:46- Firm vs soft goals to make T100 \ 36:15- Personal weaknesses \ 42:46- "Striking distance" \ 45:47- What’s out of our control \ 51:46- First weekly shout out of 2020 (Aklo) \ 60:11- Discord Questions!
It's a Wannabes Podcast Bonus Series!
The Wannabes are fighting for a spot on the top 100 list, and JD wants to document the journey every week. He's made it his goal to crack the list, and each week he's going to go through his thought process on how to make it happen. In part one, JD talks about the goals for the series itself. What is he getting out of it? What will the viewer get out of it? Why do anything at all?
Music -
Done With Work - David Renda
Vibes - David Renda
On My Own - David Renda
We're back! To make up for the short hiatus, Will and JD come back strong with an extra long episode covering everything that happened since last time. JD gets a new job, Will starts a new training program, and they dive in DEEP on the fox ditto. This is another one of those episodes where if it's your first time listening, this is a great place to start. It sure as hell was fun to record.
Timestamps coming soon!
Thanksgiving, the ultimate holiday of gratitude and eating your face off. This week Will and JD talk in depth about what they're grateful for in Melee, the podcast, and generally in their lives. Also, Will has an insane week of Melee as he swings back up into his grind. This is starting to look nothing like an offseason...
Even though he lost to Wassabi on netplay riiight before recording, JD had a great run at Hax's Nightclub last week and is in pretty high spirits. The Wannabes talk about anticipating big matches, fighting against the "what if" thoughts at tournaments, and the best ways to come back from a Melee break. They also talk about Pokemon, of course. (Spoilers, JD beat Will on showdown)
Turbulence in JD's life, some clarity for Will. This episode has the Wannabes opening up to some real introspection, and tangling again with some of the more fundamental questions. How do we best improve, the concepts of low and high tides, escaping ego and playing to our ability. Then a step further, what is the value of ambition at all? When do we know when we're doing what we're meant to be doing? A deeper episode than most, but hey, it's what's been on our mind.
No tournaments in the horizon? That might stop some, but for some reason the wannabes are motivated as hell. With winter creeping up and the days growing shorter, JD looks to gain momentum to tough out the cold season. Meanwhile, Wassabi goes over his plans to improve as much as possible before 2020. Lots of inspiration in this episode... let's kick some ass!
The transformation is complete... Wassabi and JD have somehow switched into each other's modes, and probably for good reason. Will is looking to slow things down, catch his breath, and get everything in order. JD is trying to go fast. At this crossroads there are a ton of discoveries to make, and when Melee is concerned, there's still a lot of improvement left.
Yes, THAT Ginger! JD and the #18 player in the world sit down for an extended interview covering everything from Ginger's early career to modern streaming and marketing strategies for top players. Also, Ginger talks about an exciting new invitational he's hosting in Socal! Check out the Time stamps --
1:18 - Ginger's beginning // 5:45 early practice regiment // 7:30 Starting his grind to the top // 10:33 Streaming philosophy // 19:35 Developing brand and marketing // 21:07 Melee's growth and attracting new players // 24:03 Bringing money to the Melee scene // 28:25 Special tournament details // 33:00 The spirit of Melee // 35:45 Melee's influence on life // 39:07 Core values // 42:54 What advice would you give to an upcoming Melee wannabe?
It seems like only a few episodes ago that Wassabi had an insane run at the new NYC local while JD went through a rough patch. Now the roles have reversed, as JD kicks some butt at Hax's Night Club and Will takes time to reevaluate. Both of the Wannabes work through these feelings in real time, trying to understand where exactly they are in their journey, what they need to do to keep moving in a positive direction, and how to make adjustments when life seems to hit hard.
Warmmer is an unorthodox and creative Falco from Connecticut, and his recent results speak for them selves. His emphasis on Money matches and travel have helped him achieve some highly respectable Power Ranking spots, namely 5th in Connecticut and 18th in Tri-State. Warmmer joins JD to talk about Money matches, how they learn the game, giving back to the community and what it was like to be a new player trying to improve.
After Big House 9's payouts were released, the Melee Community collectively burst into a feverish conversation about the future of our scene and players. Why are payouts so low? Why can't we find funding with 90,000 views for our Majors? What can we do to fix this? The conversation seemed to explode on Twitter for the last few days, and so Will and JD sit down to focus on this topic for an hour.
There's a lot to discuss, more than can be filled into one episode, so join the conversation on our Discord and let's figure out some solutions! The future of Melee might look bleak, but with just a few tweaks we might be in business...
After a quick review of Hax's Nightclub, Will and JD find themselves in a conversation about their plateaus as players and what it takes to get to that next level. Where do they find joy in their work? Where are their efforts most valuable? How can the stories of their teenage years help them better understand what they get out of melee, and what they should focus on as adults.
Note from JD: This episode starts a bit laid back, as we found our topics in real time. Sometimes it's hard to know what we want to talk about, so we just dive in and figure it out as we go. I promise, this one has some real substance to it ;)
This one gets a bit meta.. JD and Will just got off a full week of posting Wannabes content, and they have some thoughts about it. Why do they still enjoy it? What is the purpose of it? How do we explain it to our parents? Digging into the weeds of making a show like this might not be interesting, but it was fruitful conversation for the Wannabes.
Also, we answer a question from our discord "what do you do after a bad loss (if you are still in tournament and if you get elimmed)" Thank you DarkGenex!
What does it mean to have a "good time"? With Melee, sometimes it's as simple as playing the game. Sometimes, like JD did last tournament, you need to optimize. In this episode, JD and Will go over Wassabi's crazy run at the new NYC Local, Hax's Night Club (V.2) and JD talks about renting out a party suite and how he wants to improve it for next time. As of late, these two have a lot to look forward to..
Peacecraft, formally known as Swiftbass, has been a staple of the Tri-state Melee scene for over ten years. Now firmly an adult, he's had to take time to evaluate where the game fits into his life, and so when he plays Melee, he REALLY plays Melee. In this 1v1, Will and Peacecraft talk about what it means to get good practice, how to find what's working for you on that day, what "good practice" is, and coming up with realistic goals for yourself.
Not often do we get to meet someone early in our career and see them evolve into a national threat. JD and TheSwooper go way back, back to when they were just learning their characters and got star struck by top players. Now, Swoops is a serious contender for top 100, and anyone who understands his work ethic and commitment would bet that he'll certainly get there. In this episode, JD and Luis talk about their early days, what it takes to be a top player, how to get into a "zone" when you play, and signs that this samus was something special.
There are not a lot of Mario mains in the world of Melee, so you can imagine JD's surprise when he faced an incredible one at Smash Con 2019. SmallHandsBrian is one of the few players carrying the Mario torch, and his dedication to his character is one we should all admire. In this episode, JD and SHB go over the many facets of playing a mid tier, along with all the challenges and virtues that might not be so obvious.
Ryobeat is a player known for his extremely technical and innovative peach, even since he first started at the age of 14. Even today, over 7 years since starting his melee career, he's developing new and exciting techniques that lead the charge in the Peach meta. Wassabi and Ryobeat sit down to finally record one of their patented "melee talks", covering topics like commitment to the game, burnout, and what it means to really innovate a character.
See Me On Lan 4 was a hell of an event for the Wannabes. JD commentated top 8 and got followed back by Fiction(!) and Wassabi tore through some tough players to an impressive 5th place. Afterwards, they joined 11 other friends and trashed a hotel room for the night. In this episode, JD and Will debrief a tournament series with a storied history, dissecting why they played well, how to replicate it, and what they need to do to keep this momentum going.
SaveasUntitled has been making videos for over 7 years, but recently he jumped into Melee content and his Youtube channel took off. JD and Scott sit down for an in-depth conversation on what his videos have done for him, how much he enjoys the process, and what they contribute to the Melee community at large.
YungD0nut has one of the best content creator mentalities I've ever seen. He streams, he commentates, he plays, but most importantly he loves the game and the people in it. You can also find some of the best players in the scene drop in on his podcast "The Bakery" and hear some amazing conversation. He joins JD for an in depth look into the world of melee podcasting, and what it takes to stick around this long, all while having a great time.
Shine 2019 was the last major of the Summer for JD and Wassabi, and in this episode they go over everything they learned from the experience. Majors are always a wild ride, and taking some time to digest and talk them all over is always good for improvement. Also, they share some stories from Saturday night when things got out of hand...