Story x Story - SoundSage

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Marina Díez, an award-winning game designer and Forbes Under 30 lister, to discuss her extraordinary journey as the first guest who was encouraged to get into games by their parents!

She’s now CEO of her own game studio, Three of Cups Games and we delve into how a proactive approach to creating opportunities helped her break into the gaming industry rather than waiting for doors to open.

Join the conversation and hear about the challenges of not only designing emotionally impactful games but also running an entire studio built on diversity and ethical foundations.

Connect with Marina online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marinadiezp
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninfa_dp

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In this Rewind episode, we're revisiting our Story Club discussion of The Colors Within, where Nigel and Tazziii invite guest for a novel twist om the book club format.

This episode features Film Scholar Rayna Denison, making her first appearance on the show, and returning guest Bish from GAL Podcasts. Together, they delve into explore this beautifully animated coming-of-age film that explores friendship, music and perception.

We cover how this film takes a different approach to other music-centred stories like Blue Giant and Whiplash, with less focus on technical excellence and more on using music to bring outcast friends together. We explore the use of colour to represent emotions and perception, how religious themes thread meaningfully through the narrative, and debate whether leaving character motivations to the imagination helps or hurts the storytelling.

Tune in to the mayamada Twitch channel each month for more Studio77 content: The Studio77 Report, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators and Games Night.

Guest Links

Connect with Dr Rayna Denison

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayna.denison

Connect with Bish & GAL Podcasts

Website: https://www.getalifepodcast.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GALPodcasts
Instagram: https://instagram.com/GALPodcasts
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/getalifepodcast.com

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii dive deep into KPop Demon Hunters (at 29:58), with guests Comic Creator Liza N. Cooper, and Watercolourist Tony Moy.

This Netflix animation has become overnight sensation and we explore how it manages to make the local global, connecting with not just KPop fans but mainstream audiences of all ages (ourselves included!). The film uses simple, emotional storytelling to keep things moving, alongside fantastic songs that we break down and debate which we enjoyed best. But does it succeed as a narrative beyond its catchy tunes and vibrant animation?

We examine the film's themes of friendship, identity and demon-hunting heroics, debating which moments work and how well the story's themes resonate. This week's storytelling tip is about designing a trio of protagonists for your story.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Bring Her Back (Cinema), Weapons (Cinema), Dungeon Crawler Carl (Book), Tulsa King (Paramount+), Solo Leveling (Crunchyroll), The God and the Gumiho (Book), The Scarlet Veil (Book), The Comic Shop (Kickstarter), Dragon Goes House Hunting (Crunchyroll), Astrobot (PS5), Dandadan (Netflix), The Paper (Sky), Shinobi: Art of Vengeance (PS5), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin (Comic),Eyes of Wakanda (Disney+)

Connect with Liza N. Cooper:

Website: https://www.siberianlizard.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/siberianlizard
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siberianlizard
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@siberian_lizard
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/siberianlizard

Connect with Tony Moy:

Website: http://www.tonymoy.art
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tonymoyart.bsky.social
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonymoy88
Instagram: https://instagram.com/tony_moy
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@tony_moy
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/tony_moy
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@tony_moy

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In this Rewind episode, we're revisiting one of our Studio77 shows, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators, where Nigel sits down with a different creator to explore their work and the craft of making comics.

This series is all about highlighting the people behind the art as we uncover their unique stories. This episode features a conversation with award-winning creators Rachael Smith and Paul Cornell, whose impressive portfolios include Quarantine Comix, Doctor Who, and work for Marvel and DC Comics.

The duo joins us to share insights about their creative processes and journey in the industry, with a special focus on their exciting new collaboration Who Killed Nessie? - a comedy cryptozoological whodunnit launching at Waterstones in September and showing at Thought Bubble in November. We explore how this mystery graphic novel came to life and discover the fascinating twists and turns of their creative partnership.

Tune in to the mayamada Twitch channel each month for more Studio77 content with Nigel, Tazziii and the mayamada community: Studio77 Report, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators and Games Night.

Connect with Rachael Smith online:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flimsy_kitten
Twitter: https://x.com/rachael_
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rachaelsmith.bsky.social

Connect with Paul Cornell online:

Website: https://www.paulcornell.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulcornell2096
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/paulcornell.bsky.social

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Fergo and Judy Powell, two comic creators at different stages of their creative journeys, to discuss their paths into the world of independent comics.

From introspective perspectives…to stories about premeditated murder (true story!), we explore what drives them to persevere through the challenges of the creative process. We delve into their contributions to the new WIP Comics infinity-themed anthology and their unique approaches to the project.

Join us for valuable tips and inspiration for both new comic creators and those looking to keep momentum going on their own creative paths.

Connect with Fergo online:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/fergocomics
Twitter: https://x.com/fergocomics

Connect with Judy online:

Website: https://www.judypowell.online

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jpowell470

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii dive deep into Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (starting at 19:58), with our guest SARE, a music artist and DJ from London.

The third instalment in the Sonic film franchise brings some darker themes with the introduction of Shadow the Hedgehog while maintaining its family-friendly appeal. But does the balance work when the lead character brings enough slapstick for the entire cast?

We examine how director Jeff Fowler has adapted the source material for younger audiences, navigating more complex themes of grief and revenge, and discuss why storytelling approaches look different when creating content for family audiences. This week's storytelling tip is about making good use of flashbacks.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Summer Pockets (Steam), The Fragrent Flower Blooms with You (Crunchyroll), Sonic Racing Crossworlds Open Beta (PlayStation/Xbox), Metaphor Refantazio (PlayStation), Dance with the Devil Musical Anime (Crunchyroll), Abbot Elementary (Disney+), Castle (Disney+), Gamer (BBC iPlayer), Heaven Official's Blessing (Crunchyroll), Destiny Rising (iOS), Out and About (Steam), Better Call Saul (Netflix), Dandadan (Netflix), Tokyo Revengers (Disney+), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin (Comic), Eyes of Wakanda (Disney+)

Connect with SARE online:

Website: https://officialsare.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsare
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@officialsare

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This week, Tazziii is away for one more week so Nigel is joined by guest co-host Aisha (aka Doomed Prinny) for an insightful conversation about cosplay culture in 2025.

We dive into a discussion on the evolution of cosplay in the digital age, we explore how technology has transformed the craft, culture and our perceptions of what makes a good cosplay. We debate the boundaries between digital enhancement and traditional costume crafting, the impact of social media on cosplay standards, and the tension between cosplay as a personal hobby versus a professional career.

Listen for a fantastic analysis of authenticity, craft, and values in cosplay culture!

Connect with our guests online:

Aisha (Doomed Prinny)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hades_kitty
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Aisha_kicks_ass
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/doomedprinny.bsky.social
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Aisha_anime

Bekzxx

Instagram: http://instgram.com/bekz.xx
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/bekzxx
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bekz.xx

Dani (Hijabi Hoo)

Twitter: https://x.com/hijabihoo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hijabihoo
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hijabihoo
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/hijabihoo

Coco

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CallingMeCoco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callingmecoco

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This week, Tazziii is away so Nigel goes solo with guest Des Gayle from Altered Gene to dive deep into the new Superman film (starting at 20:14), directed by James Gunn.

The latest addition to the DC Universe is a fresh take on the iconic superhero, introducing a new cast and new lead, but does it succeed as a narrative beyond being the first film in James Gunn's DCU reboot?

We examine how this version differs from previous Superman iterations, debate whether the large cast works, and discuss why it's so difficult to make a compelling Superman film. The episode also explores the wider DCU and MCU outlook amidst general audience superhero fatigue at the box office - can these films return to their former glory? This week's storytelling tip is about effective extended dialogue scenes in fixed locations.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Nightwing, Superman (DC). Bosch (Amazon Prime Video). Shinobi Art of Vengeance (PlayStation), Better Call Saul (Netflix), Fire Force (Crunchyroll), Vinland Saga (Netflix), Bob's Burgers (Disney+)

Connect with Des online:

Website: https://www.alteredgene.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desgayle
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kid_Desimo

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Tom Jenkins, Creative Director at Spud Gun Studios, to hear about his journey from North West London to being part of a leading team in British online animation.

Listen as we delve into how navigating challenging educational experiences shaped his approach to creativity and content creation, leading him to Mashed — formerly owned by Channel 4 and now an independent powerhouse with billions of views!

We get to hear Tom explain why authentic storytelling matters more than view counts, with must-hear insights for content creators at any stage of their own creative journey.

Connect with Tom Jenkins online:

Website: https://spudgunstudios.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-jenkins-544b6916
Twitter: https://x.com/wimbizzle
Discord: mashedtom

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We're back from our recording break with brand new episodes of Story x Story! This week, Nigel and Tazziii get into the family spirit with a deep dive into The Fantastic Four: First Steps (starting at 26:39), with special guest filmmaker Jed Shepherd.

We discover whether third time is the charm with yet another reboot of Marvel's first family. Now under Marvel's stewardship, is this the story to succeed in telling a coherent, comics-accurate narrative where many have failed before?

We examine this relatively simple but effective story and debate whether light-touch storytelling works to ensure an emotional bond with the ensemble cast and themes of sacrifice. This week's storytelling tip is about creating an effective ensemble cast.

Other stories we're enjoying include: A Short Stay in Hell (Book), Piranesi (Book), The Toxic Avenger (Shudder), Bring Her Back (BBC iPlayer), Watch the Skies (Channel 4), Kpop Demon Hunters (Netflix), Grounded 2 (Xbox), Wings and Embers (Netflix), A Court of Frost and Starlight (Netflix), A Court of Silver Flames (Netflix), You are Ms Servant (Crunchyroll), Wise Man's Grandchild (Crunchyroll), I'll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History (Crunchyroll), Tokyo Revengers (Disney+), Superstore (Netflix), Better Call Saul (Netflix), Ironheart (Disney+), Dandadan (Netflix)

Connect with Jed online:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jedshepherd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jedshepherd
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jed_shepherd

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We're on a recording break over July and will be back with new episodes in August. In the meantime, we're bringing you Rewind episodes to enjoy as we revisit the conversations from our "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" representation campaign launch livestream back in April.

Each segment will be released as a new episode on the podcast feed and features fantastic guests, including participants from the Campaign 40 photoshoot. You'll hear advice on game development and valuable tips on networking and other industry processes from experienced professionals.

This final segment features Nigel in conversation with Tazziii and our headline guest Cinzia Musio, Interim CEO for Code Coven and award-winning Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Consultant. We spoke with them about the economic and diversity challenges facing the gaming industry today, and got into some great insights on how to create more inclusive spaces. This is the last Rewind segment of our recording break, and we'll be back with brand new episodes in August - see you then!

Campaign Website

"Do I Look Like A Gamer?": https://looklikeagamer.com

The "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" campaign is our annual initiative focused on improving representation in the gaming industry. We're about highlighting diverse voices and experiences in gaming while challenging stereotypes about who gamers are.

Guest Links

Cinzia Musio

Website: http://cinziamusio.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/geekybaking
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geekybaking

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This second segment features Nigel in conversation with indie developer Daniel Morrison, Content Creator Curly Locks, and sibling gamers Michael & Kin Hoang as they discuss the ins and outs of effective networking skills. We'll be bringing you the other segments over the coming weeks, and we'll resume recording new episodes of the podcast next month - see you then!

Campaign Website

"Do I Look Like A Gamer?": https://looklikeagamer.com

Guest Links

Daniel Morrison

Website: https://www.creativegeniusgames.co.uk
Twitter: https://x.com/CreativeGeniusG
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativegeniusgames
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@creativegeniusgames

Curly Locks Gamer

Instagram: http://Instagram.com/curllocksgamer
Twitter: https://x.com/Curlylocksgamer
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@curlylocksgamer
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/gamergirlwiththecurls

Michael Hoang

Twitter: https://x.com/mrchineseboy10
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrchineseboy
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrchineseboy

Kin Hoang

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimiko_22x
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Kimiko_22x

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We're on a recording break over July and will be back with new episodes in August. In the meantime, we're bringing you Rewind episodes to enjoy as we revisit the amazing conversations from our "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" representation campaign launch livestream back in April.

Each segment will be released as a new episode on the podcast feed and is packed full of amazing guests, including some of those who took part in the Campaign 40 photoshoot. You'll hear advice on game development and, as ever, great tips on networking and other parts of the process from people who are in the industry.

This second segment features Tazziii in conversation with the indie development team behind JoveGuille's Jordi & Oslo game, Content Creator Damien Pedryc, alongside Streamer & Presenter GoldiRoxs. We'll be bringing you the other segments over the coming weeks, and we'll be back recording new episodes of the podcast next month - see you then!

Campaign Website

"Do I Look Like A Gamer?": https://looklikeagamer.com

Guest Links

Guillem Jove

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joveguille
Instagram (Jordi & Oslo): https://www.instagram.com/jordioslocomics

Callum May (GoldiRoxs)

Twitter: https://x.com/GoldiRoxs
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@goldiroxs

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You'll hear advice on game development and, as ever, great tips on networking and other parts of the process from people who are in the industry.

This first segment features Tazziii in conversation with indie developers C Bedford of à la mode games and Felix Li, creator of the game Pool 2, alongside Podcast Host Cameron Keywood.

We'll be bringing you the other segments over the coming weeks, and we'll be back recording new episodes of the podcast in next month - see you then!

Campaign Website

“Do I Look Like A Gamer?”: https://looklikeagamer.com

The "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" campaign is our annual initiative focused on improving representation in the gaming industry. We’re about highlighting diverse voices and experiences in gaming while challenging stereotypes about who gamers are.

Guest Links

Cameron Keywood

Website: https://cameronkeywood.weebly.com
Twitter: https://x.com/cameron_keywood

C Bedford

Twitter: https://x.com/alamodegames
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alamode.games
Instagram: https://instagram.com/alamode.games

Felix Li

Twitter: https://x.com/flxli227
Instagram: http://Instagram.com/felix_li_projects
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@felix_li_projects
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/flxli227.bsky.social

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit at the video game roundtable with games journalist and author Gary Swaby, content creator Cameron Keywood, and producer and voice artist Radiant G.

In the first half of the show, we dive into the games we've been playing before launching into a great discussion on some major gaming stories that have caught our attention.

We discuss the Nintendo Switch 2's record-breaking launch, Microsoft's partnership with Asus for a new handheld and what it means for Nintendo's future, plus we give our assessment on Geoff Keighley's latest iteration of the Summer Game Fest!

Video games we're playing: Civilization VII (PC), Marvel Rivals (PC, PlayStation, Xbox), Monster Hunter Wilds (PlayStation, Xbox), Apex Legends (PC, PlayStation, Xbox), Blue Prince (PC), Sniper Elite: Resistance (PC, PlayStation, Xbox), Doom: The Dark Ages (PC, PlayStation, Xbox), The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword & Echo's of Wisdom (Switch), Astro Bot (PlayStation), Sifu (PC, PlayStation, Xbox), GTV 5 (PC, PlayStation, Xbox), South of Midnight (Xbox)

Connect with our guests online:

Gary Swaby

Website: https://thekoalition.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GarySwaby

Cameron Keywood

Website: https://cameronkeywood.weebly.com
Twitter: https://x.com/cameron_keywood

Radiant G

Website: https://pressspacetojump.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/radiantg.bsky.social

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with UK-based electronic music artist SARE to talk about their self-taught journey from video game and anime fan to their current position as a singer-songwriter, remixer, and DJ.

Listen as we delve into how their experience within a creative family led them to take their formal training to another level by learning how to make their own music based on a love of geek culture—which is taking them across the globe!

Hear how they prepare for shows, the impact social media has on their following, and what they learn from collaborating with other artists in the industry. A must for aspiring professionals looking to turn their passion into a budding creative career.

Connect with SARE online:

Website: https://officialsare.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsare
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@officialsare

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii get heavy as they dive deep into the heart-wrenching anime film A Silent Voice (starting at 21:51), with Comic Creator Feff Silvers.

A redemption story with a bully at its core, this complex narrative explores many issues including bullying, social anxiety, depression, and suicide. We explore whether it is able to weave those topics together in a narrative that makes us care about the journey…and wow is there a lot of feelings to explore here!

We look at the way issues characters deal with in the past impact them in the present day and whether everyone is deserving of forgiveness, debating which moments affected us the most and how the story's themes are so important for society today. This week's storytelling tip is about designing an unlikable protagonist.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Witch Hat Atelier (Manga), Yakuza Fiancé (Crunchyroll), Apothecary Diaries (Crunchyroll), Once Upon A Witch's Death (Crunchyroll), The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo Switch), Dr Stone (Crunchyroll), Superstore (Netflix), South of Midnight (Xbox), Better Call Saul (Netflix), Win or Lose (Disney+)

Find Feff online:

Website: https://feff.works
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/feff.bsky.social

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions of bullying, social anxiety, depression, and suicide. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, please reach out for help: ⁠https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/seeking-help-for-a-mental-health-problem/mental-health-helplines⁠

UK: Samaritans (116 123)
US: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988)
More Options: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii are overrun with memes as they dive deep into A Minecraft Movie (starting at 21:12), with our guest Danni Unbox, an Award-Winning Tech, Gaming & Lifestyle Creator.

It's a story based on the best-selling video game of all time, but one we went in with little to no expectations... so did it deliver? We take a serious look at a decidedly non-serious story to pick apart the journey to save the creative spirit!

We examine the very fast-paced plot, eclectic characters, and loose themes to see if it all works as a coherent story, debating which moments work and whether the story's themes manage to break through the chaotic energy of the plot to resonate effectively. This week's storytelling tip is about how not to do character exposition.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Minecraft (Xbox), AtomFall (PC), Pirates of the Caribbean (Disney+), Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye (Cinema), The Unaware Atelier Meister (Crunchyroll), The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows (Crunchyroll), Solo Leveling (Crunchyroll), Wild Card (Netflix), Superstore (Netflix), GTA V (PlayStation/Xbox/PC), Astrobot (PlayStation), Black Mirror (Netflix).

Connect with Danni Unbox online:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Bigboxlittleboxunbox
Instagram: http://instagram.com/bigboxlittleboxunbox
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/biglittleunbox
TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@bigboxlittleboxunbox

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This week, Nigel sits down with Fahim Motahar, an Animator on the Cbeebies show Nikhil & Jay, to discuss his journey from studying journalism to finding his passion in animation - a path that led him to one of the most ground-breaking preschool shows in recent times.

We hear how his early love for '90s cartoons and supportive parents, who exposed him to various creative activities across cultures, inspired him to pursue animation as a career. This experience prepared him to join a team of over 30 animators in creating the show's initial 52-episode run.

This episode is great for anyone wanting to learn more about the animation process and what it's really like working on a new show for a major distributor. We also get to dive into anime influences along the way!

Connect with Fahim online:

- Website: https://fahimation-art.webflow.io

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fahimation_art

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with C.B. and Tom, the husband and wife team also known as à la mode games, to discuss their journey from part-time to full-time indie game development!

In a bumper interview, we delve deep into both the technical and human side of bringing a video game to market with a team doing it for the very first time. We get to hear insights into how their technical and creative backgrounds prepared them to bring their debut game "Sorry We're Closed" to life, including the challenges and lessons learned along the way to developing and marketing a game for real.

This is a must-listen if you're planning to make your first game, or interested in the behind-the-scenes of working on a creative project with a close friend or significant other.

Connect with à la mode games online:

Website: https://alamode.games
Twitter: https://x.com/alamodegames
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alamodegames
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alamodegames.bsky.social

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii are going alone as we fly south for the winter with our deep dive into DreamWorks' emotional ride, The Wild Robot (starting at 20:44).

It's a new spin on the fish out of water story and one that tugs hard on the heartstrings and makes us question whether kindness can be a survival skill. But does its somewhat predictable plot impact the emotion of its journey?

We examine how a narrative that revolves around robots and animals manages to tell such a human story about adapting to harsh environments, parenthood, friendship and growing beyond your programming. This week's storytelling tip is about designing a Fool Triumphant narrative journey.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Slime ISEKAI Memories, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Four Seasons, Resident Alien, Gangs of London, Sakamoto Days, Thunderbolts*

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In this Rewind episode, we're bringing you the audio from our monthly Studio77 Report with Nigel and Tazziii discussing their reactions to the hotly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 console!

Join us as we break down the recent Nintendo Directs and views on the console itself, from newly revealed specs, including surprise inclusion of 4K gaming… to the surprise increase in pricing. We'll share our reactions to the hardware features, launch titles from Mario Kart World to third party, and what this means for Nintendo's next generation of gaming.

You can catch the Studio77 Report live on Twitch and YouTube each month: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada and https://youtube.com/mayamadatv

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii upgrade their operating systems to metaphysical levels for a dive deep into Spike Jonze's scarily accurate Her (starting at 26:52), with Comic Creator Nathan Hawthorne and Community & Member Engagement Lead Sara Veal as guests.

Even over a decade old, we discuss how relevant this story is to today's world post mass ChatGPT adoption. Even in its pastel tones, it manages to capture our growing dependence on AI companions from a professional and relational level...but does it work as a narrative beyond its foreshadowing?

We examine its surprisingly human themes of moving past the pain of breakups, loneliness in a technologically connected world, and what our relationship with AI means for our relationships with the flesh-and-blood people around us, debating which themes about what makes love special for humans resonate effectively. This week's storytelling tip is about creating a meaningful job role for your protagonist.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Wild Card: Let the Tarot Tell Your Story (Book), You (Netflix), It Takes Two (Xbox), Dr Stone (Crunchyroll), Beastars: Final Season Part 1 (Netflix), Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Crunchyroll), Campfire Cooking in Another World (Crunchyroll), The Witch Hat Atelier (Manga), The Apothecary Diaries (Manga & Crunchyroll), Vinland Saga (Netflix), Daredevil: Born Again (Disney+), South of Midnight (Xbox), Sinners (Cinema).

Connect with Nathan online:

Website: https://www.hawthornearts.com

Twitter: https://x.com/hawthornearts

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hawthornearts

Connect with Sara online:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/digitalbruhaha

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalbruhaha and https://www.instagram.com/sirena.curiosa

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Roshelle Patterson, a UX Researcher and Writer, to discuss her journey from serving in the U.S. Air Force to working in the video games industry across both AAA and indie titles, including Blizzard's World of Warcraft: The War Within and the climate-focused indie project Waves of Jeju.

We hear how she navigated her path with intention and a desire to positively impact others. Join the conversation and discover how taking stock of what motivates you can lead to opportunities that are the perfect fit for you. This is a must listen for anyone worried about missing the “conventional” path to games...there is none!

Connect with Roshelle online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roshelleantoinette
Email: roshelleantoinette@gmail.com

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii explore what it means to be an introvert, extrovert and everything in between in the creative industries with Bridget Banton, television executive and founder of Dear Creative Gurl.

In this candid conversation, we delve into what makes different personality types tick and how they manifest in professional settings. From navigating networking events to managing energy levels during meetings, we share invaluable insights from our years of experience across mayamada, television, consultancy, and lessons learned along the way.

We also look at practical strategies for being your best self whilst pursuing creative entrepreneurship so that you can stay true to what energises you, discussing everything from sustainable work routines to authentic relationship-building. This week's episode is essential listening for anyone looking to better understand and leverage their personality type in the creative industries.

Guest Links

Connect with Bridget online:

Website: https://www.dearcreativegurl.com
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/bridgetbanton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearcreativegurl
Substack: https://dearcreativegurl.substack.com/p/a-seat-at-the-table

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In this Rewind episode, we're bringing you the audio from our recent Casual Conversations With Comic Creators livestream where Nigel talked with watercolourist and comic artist Tony Moy.

The international artist gave us some great insight into his creative journey, from teaching and working in the tech industry to working with Marvel Snap, travelling for some of the biggest conventions in the US and his passion project The 442nd — a watercolour comic about the Japanese American 442nd Battalion.

Originally streamed on Twitch, this conversation delves into Tony's unique artistic style, his experience teaching at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, and what he's learnt about taking the leap to go for his dreams. Tune in for insights into the craft of making comics and bringing historical stories to life through art.

You can catch Casual Conversations With Comic Creators live on Twitch each month: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii enlist into the most secretive British spy agency with this deep dive into Kingsman: The Secret Service (starting at 24:36), with Aisha Ahmed, Freelance Community Manager & Journalist.

We reminisce on this decade-old story and see if the comic book-inspired narrative still holds up or whether its portrayal of the London Roadman lifestyle is outdated in 2025. With a protagonist that displays a strong moral core beneath a rough exterior, it's a film that shares beats with another troubled youth who is enlisted into a super-secret agency to learn the tricks of the trade in order to take down a malevolent threat.

We examine the depiction of social mobility in a Bond-like setting, debating whether the tonal balance between refined gentleman and ultra-violence works for this adventure and how the story's themes resonate with our panel. This week's storytelling tip is about implementing a "Save the Cat" moment in your story.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Adolescence (Netflix), Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Crunchyroll), The Apothecary Diaries (Crunchyroll), I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I'll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time (Crunchyroll), Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms (Crunchyroll), Sakamoto Days (Netflix), Dr Stone (Crunchyroll), Vinland Saga (Netflix), Daredevil: Born Again (Disney+)

Guest Links

Connect with Aisha online:

- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hades_kitty

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Aisha_kicks_ass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Aisha_anime
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@AishaAhmedAnime

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This week, we’re bringing you a special Rewind episode featuring the “My Creative Journey” roundtable discussion from our Origins: Against All Odds manga launch event during Women’s History Month 2025, hosted by Japanese Gallery Kensington.

Moderator (and manga muse) Tazziii was joined by panellists Miyuki Panda, Janelle McCurdy, and Shazleen Khan for an open and honest conversation about their careers, discovering their voices, making it through the hard times...and licking cars?!

Check out the episode and don’t forget to grab your copy of "Origins: Against All Odds" on our website at mayamada.com

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Simone Giampaolo, Director of Animated Films, to discuss his journey from the south of Switzerland to studying animation in the UK.

His path led him to work with some of the biggest names in animation, including major studios like Netflix, Disney, and Aardman, while still finding time to direct independent teams to award-winning work.

We delve into Simone's process to understand why he makes stories, what creativity means to him, and what makes animation such a unique medium for empathetic storytelling and conveying important messages—plus we discover how cute (and also what is) a Quokka is live on the podcast!

GUEST LINKS

Website: https://simonegiampaolo.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-giampaolo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giampaolo.simone

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii don their capes, cowls, and hit the bricks for a deep dive into The LEGO Batman Movie (starting at 27:17), with Content Creator Chochy.

We tackle this high-octane, laugh-a-minute exploration of the Batman mythos told through the LEGO IP, as we question whether this animated view of Batman's trauma and his relationship with The Joker has given us the best story about the Dark Knight to date. It's a fun ride, but does it succeed as a narrative that can entertain audiences on multiple levels?

We examine its themes of family, trust, and vulnerability, debating which moments work and whether the redemption arc ends on a satisfying note. This week's storytelling tip is about creating meaningful setbacks on the path to redemption for your protagonist.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Mickey 17 (Cinema), Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (Disney+), Superman & Lois (The CW), School Spirits (Paramount+), Supacell (Netflix), Superstore (Netflix), Sakamoto Days (Netflix), My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom (Crunchyroll), Captain America: Brave New World (Cinema), Gangs of London (Netflix), Klara and the Sun (Book), Daredevil: Born Again (Disney+)

Guest Links

Find Chochy online:

Website: https://linktr.ee/chochyplays
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chochy.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chochyplays
Instagram: https://instagram.com/chochy1000
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@chochy1000
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chochyplays

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with comic creator and Broken Frontier's "One to Watch," Shane Melisse, to discuss his journey from product design to forging his own path in the world of comics.

Shane has been on a real journey of learning since taking his first creative steps and shares with us the power of getting good advice and the benefit of being in a collective when starting out.

Listen in as we delve into how his style and background led him to create Road Knight, a story that has attracted audiences and Netflix's attention! We gain insight into creative ownership and understand the importance of trusting your own talent and stories while developing your craft.

Guest Links

- Website: https://www.shanefaced.com

- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shanefaced

- BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/shanefaced.bsky.social

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sadly put an end to the pursuit of perfection with a Retrospective deep dive into the second and final season of the hit animation series Arcane: League of Legends (starting at 28:52). Joining them are artist and digital content creator Liza N. Cooper and Wesley Louis from The Line Animation Studio.

After considering the first season a masterpiece, we explore whether the second season maintains the high standard set by the narrative and technical achievements of its predecessor.

We examine how the series has been able to adapt its lore to resonate so strongly with both fans and newcomers alike, debating its most impactful moments and whether the themes of redemption, grief, and the pursuit of perfection bring a satisfying conclusion to this 9-episode thrill ride!

Other stories we're enjoying include: Peppa Pig (BBC), Severance (Apple TV+), Jack Reacher (Prime Video), Dragon Ball DAIMA (Netflix), Scissor Seven (Netflix), Invincible (Prime Video), The Penguin (HBO Max), Umbrella Academy Season 4 (Netflix), A Man on the Inside (BBC iPlayer), Kiss Him Not Me! (Crunchyroll), The Apothecary Diaries (Manga), Blue Lock (Crunchyroll), I'm Still Here (Cinema), Blue Eyed Samurai (Netflix).

Guest Credits

Liza N. Cooper (Siberian Lizard)Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok

Wesley Louis - The Line AnimationWebsite

TazziiiTwitter | Instagram | TikTok | Bluesky

mayamadaInstagram | TikTok | Bluesky | Twitter | YouTube

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In this fourth and final segment of our 2024 "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" International Future Summit livestream Rewind, Tazziii and Nigel are joined by Trevor Graham, Gaming Ambassador for Virgin Media O2, and Marta Camilo, Gaming Community Manager for Lego, to explore the future of community building and events in games.

It's been a challenging year with the closure of major in-person events in the UK, mirroring a global shift toward more controlled online experiences from large games companies. Will this trend continue, or do players still crave those special moments that come from sharing physical space?

Check out the podcast feed for parts 1-3, and stay tuned for the launch of the 2025 "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" campaign this spring!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii host our first video game roundtable of the year and are joined by Content Creator TJBASC, Content Creator Fleur Nelle, and Presenter & Host Nimmz, who are on hand to share their thoughts on the games industry and make sense of it all through helpful situational family analogies!

In the first half, we dive into the games we've been playing before launching into the games industry news that has caught our collective attention (from 26.47). The recently revealed Nintendo Switch 2 is top of mind, as well as contrasting strategies from Microsoft and Sony. Can all three platform holders win the generation?

Video games we're playing: Stardew Valley (PC/Switch), Just Dance 2025 (Switch), Uncharted 3 (PS5), Fortnite (PC), Warframe (PC), Mario Party Jamboree (Switch), Granblue Fantasy: Relink (PS5), Loco Motive (PC), Titanfall 2 (Xbox), Echoes of Wisdom (Switch), Infinity Niki (PC), Little Nightmares 2 (Switch), Astrobot (PS5), Sifu (PC), Marvel Rivals (PC)

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Alexis Trust, Marketing & Publishing Product Lead at Chucklefish, to discuss their journey from AAA games to the world of indie game publishing.

We delve into their early days of sharing second hand game consoles with siblings led them to the army which prepared them to build communities for some of the biggest brands in games. Alexis later took that experience to support smaller teams in releasing games to the public, even trying their hand at making their own title.

Check out the conversation and discover how your unique path and experiences can be the reason you thrive in the video games industry!

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We're back for a brand new season of the Story x Story podcast! This week, Nigel and Tazziii are making magic solo as we dive into the enchanting melodic adventures of Encanto (starting at 29:52).

We break down this musical narrative rooted in Colombian culture as it explores the challenges of stewarding gifts given to an individual and how to approach life when you believe you didn't receive something special. It's an emotionally colourful tale that manages to trigger some introspective moments with our hosts.

We examine themes of family, generational trauma and comparison with those around you. We also debate the narrative usefulness of one of Disney's most popular recent songs (and memes) as we finally get to talk about Bruno! This week's storytelling tip is about maintaining narrative momentum through music.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Gamers! (Crunchyroll), Mob Psycho (Crunchyroll), Sex in the City (Sky), Sugar Apple Fairy Tale (Crunchyroll), One Piece (Crunchyroll), Blue Lock (Crunchyroll), Tokyo Revengers (Crunchyroll, Disney+), Gangs of London (Netflix), A Real Pain (Cinema), Little Nightmares 2 (Nintendo Switch).

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We're on a recording break in January before returning with Season 7 of the Story x Story podcast next month. During this time, we're giving our voices a rest (sort of) while treating you to some great Rewind episodes featuring conversations from our "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" campaign launch livestream in December.

In this third segment, Tazziii and Nigel explore the evolving ways we play video games and discuss whether the industry has found the right balance between single-player, co-op, and live service games. Jay also shares insights on educating future gaming talent, what she enjoys about her role and potential impact on the industry that young people can have.

We'll return in February with Season 7 of Story x Story, packed with exciting discussions—from deep dives to roundtable conversations and interviews with creative industry professionals. Until then, enjoy this month's line up of episodes!

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We're on a recording break over January and will be back with Season 7 of the Story x Story podcast. In the meantime, over January, we give our voices a rest (sort of) and give you a bunch of great Rewind episodes to enjoy as we revisit the amazing conversations we had from our "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" campaign launch livestream in December.

This second segment sees Tazziii and Nigel recap the highs and lows of gaming in 2024 with Dames4Games' own Destinee Cleveland alongside Content Creator Chochy.

We get into what continued to be a rocky year for the video games industry across the world, with the loss of favourite games events and the ongoing redundancies and studio closures. But it's not all bad as we're able to highlight personal positives from the year and look forward to (hopefully) a brighter 2025 for ourselves, the industry and wider culture!

We'll be back recording new episodes for Season 7 of Story x Story, and we've got a lot of great discussions in store—from deep dives to round table discussions and interviews with creative industry professionals. So enjoy this month's episode lineup and we'll see you again for Season 7 in February.

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This first segment is a play-along with Mel Taylor, the Creative Director of MELLOW Games, a games studio working on a really intriguing narrative game called Blueberry. It's about a woman's life, memory processing, and trauma. Nigel spoke with Mel while Tazziii played her game live on stream, and you can hear that discussion in this week's Rewind episode.

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It's the final episode of 2024!! For our Season 6 Wrapped episode, Nigel and Tazziii have put together their personal top five favourite stories of the year. There's also room for honourable mentions, stories that surprised, and disappointed us as well as our favourite ongoing or unfinished stories. So join us as we recap our favourite comic, anime, TV, film and video game stories that made us stop and take notice over the past 12 months.

We're going on a recording break over January, but will be back in February with Season 7 of Story x Story. In the meantime, you'll be able to enjoy some great bonus Rewind episodes until we start recording again in 2025 - Happy New Year!

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Another year comes to a close, which means it is time to look back at the past 12 months of incredible story discussions! This special episode brings you the best highlights, pre and post-show chats, and (many, many) bloopers from Season 6 of the podcast, featuring Nigel, Tazziii, a line-up of amazing guests—and a now fully reformed Craig!

We've packed our favourite moments into this episode, showcasing a year of deep dives into stories from Gran Turismo to Scott Pilgrim and Deadpool, along with insightful and entertaining conversations with new and returning guests across comics, manga, TV, and video games. Season 6 marks an extra special milestone as we celebrated our 200th episode 🎉🎉

So sit back and enjoy the ups, downs, sage advice, and everything in between as we recap another season of Story x Story!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii celebrate reaching 200 episodes of the podcast as they dive deep into the anime feature film Blue Giant (starting at 36:23). Joining them is special guest Lao K—not only the other mayamada co-founder but the person responsible for the podcast starting in the first place!

As we enter the double centurion club, we explore the creative journey of the film's three protagonists and how their perspectives on artistic talent weave into a tightly built wound narrative. The story gives us deeper insights about pursuing your dreams in the face of heavy resistance and some self-doubt. Its optimistic approach to creative obsession gives us a chance to debate views on success and storytelling in Eastern versus Western media.

There are themes aplenty to examine, and we get quite philosophical doing just that! This week's storytelling tip explores using underdog narrative beats in stories beyond sports dramas.

This episode was made possible thanks to All the Anime, who provided review copies of Blue Giant.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Dragon Ball Super (Crunchyroll), One Piece (BBC iPlayer), Monster Hunter: World (PC/Console), Foundation (Apple TV+), Holiday in Handcuffs (Disney+), Nutcracker (Disney+), So I'm a Spider, So What? (Crunchyroll), Gosick (Crunchyroll), In Another World with My Smartphone (Crunchyroll), Parallel World Pharmacy (Crunchyroll), Drug Store in Another World (Crunchyroll), If It's for My Daughter, I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord (Crunchyroll), Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits (Crunchyroll), The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Nintendo Switch), Joker: Folie à Deux (Cinema), Arcane Season 1 & 2 (Netflix), Gladiator 2 (Cinema), The Wild Robot (Cinema)

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Lucia La Rezza, aka The Nerd Violinist. The musician, composer, and arranger joins us to talk about her journey from multiple Italian locations to the UK and her discovery of music and games. We relive recent performances at FORMAT and the Golden Joystick Awards, while also learning how Lucia found the stability needed to balance a full-time job with musical adventures that have taken her to major events in the UK and mainland Europe.

Lucia also shares her experiences managing physical and mental health and the personal evolution that allows her to make the best of each opportunity. This episode offers valuable insights into the musical side of games and how to move forward in life without letting others' opinions slow you down.

In this episode, we explore:

The journey from classical violin to video game music composing and arrangement
Balancing creative work with business management and marketing
Performing at major gaming events across Europe and the UK

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This week, we're revisiting a recent episode of our Studio77 show, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators, the show where Nigel chats with another creator about their work and the craft of making comics!

It's about showcasing the human being behind the art as we discover each person's story. In this segment, Nigel is in conversation with Dutch Illustrator and Comic Artist Renee Rienties, whose work crosses comics to animation, directing and even event management!

Renee is another returning guest coming for her second sit-down on the show, and we take the opportunity to recap our time at the Malta Comic Con as well as look forward to other international events like The Big Draw and Angoulême Comic Art Festival. We also learn more about the projects Renee is working on as we discuss her evolution as an artist from her first efforts and the journey of becoming a full-time creative — with all the bumps and lessons that come with it!

Catch more shows live on the mayamada Twitch each month with Nigel, Tazziii and the mayamada community: Studio77 Report, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators and Games Night.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Sophie Knowles, Lead Artist at Sad Owl Studios and 2024 BAFTA Breakthrough Cohort member. She joins us to talk about her journey to the UK and discovering a passion for the craft of art. We get to hear how a passion for anime and manga led her to discovering 2D art before making the switch to 3D and becoming a self-described generalist.

Sophie also shares her experiences working on the BAFTA award-winning game Viewfinder, and what the award meant to her personally. This episode offers valuable insights into video game art and what it takes to bring ideas to life visually whether you are the person coming up with the original ideas or supporting the development of great ideas in a team!

In this episode, we explore:

The distinction between being a generalist and specialist in game art
Collaborating effectively with both artists and non-artists
The personal impact of receiving prestigious industry recognition

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii say goodbye to a master of storytelling with Hayao Miyazaki's last film…maybe? Either way, we get autobiographical with a deep dive into The Boy and the Heron (starting at 19:36), with manga artists Inko and Chie.

It's a story that combines all that makes Miyazaki stories great, but with a message that can be a challenge to decipher for those not already familiar. We examine the narrative and pull apart why this left us feeling positive and hopeful by the end. It's a story that relies on the emotional journey of its main characters (from the cute to the absurd) over a logical plot. But it absolutely has something special to say in its themes about dealing with grief and accepting suffering as a part of life. This week's storytelling tip is about implementing a non sequitur narrative in your story.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Fairy Tale (Book), How High We Go in the Dark (Book), Kaos (Netflix), What We Do in the Shadows (Hulu/Disney+), Black Clover (Crunchyroll), Bob's Burgers (Disney+), The Way of Kings (Book), Agatha All Along (Disney+), Tokyo Revengers (Crunchyroll)

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Elizabeth Cox, the founder of Should We Studio, an independent production company dedicated to raising awareness of the most important issues shaping the future. She joins us to talk about her journey from the world of science to the animation industry and what her experience means for the stories she creates.

Elizabeth shares her experiences working on the studio's upcoming animated series Ada, a five-episode series exploring the ethical and social implications of new technologies. This episode is a great insight into the animation process and what it takes to produce new stories giving voice to underrepresented perspectives across history.

Tune in to discover:

How education prepared Elizabeth for the work she does today
The challenges in transitioning from a science background to a creative role
Insights into the animation industry

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii venture out into the nuclear wasteland with a retrospective look at the Fallout video game adaptation (starting at 26:54), with a full house of guests: Content Creator Jack Mullen, Host and Presenter Aisha Ahmed, along with Cosplayer and Content Creator kayPOWXD.

We take a look at another video game adaptation that manages to sidestep a long line of below-par adaptations and deliver a narrative that faithfully brings the world of Fallout to new audiences while satisfying fans familiar with the games. It's all about the journey, and along the way are believable characters that bring emotional arcs and lore to its audience in a way that avoids endless exposition. It's a valuable lesson for future adaptations and a great listen for fans of the franchise!

Other stories we're enjoying include: Final Fantasy X (PlayStation), Final Fantasy XIII (PlayStation), Astro Bot (PlayStation), Little Goody Two Shoes (PC/Switch), Dandadan (Netflix), The Legend of Vox Machina (Amazon Prime), The Elder Scrolls Online (PC/Console), Life with an Ordinary Guy who Reincarnated into a Total Fantasy Knockout (Crunchyroll), Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle (Netflix), Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Xbox), Agatha All Along (Disney+), Bob's Burgers (Hulu/Disney+), Black Clover (Crunchyroll).

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It's about showcasing the human being behind the art as we discover each person's story. In this segment, Nigel is in conversation with Fantasy Artist & Colourist Eren Angiolini, whose titles include: Critical Role - The Mighty Nein Origins, Justice League, DC Pride, The Domain and Doctor Who.

Eren is returning for their second sit-down on the show, and we get to hear about the work they are currently making progress on, which includes a recent epic Kickstarter campaign! Eren also details their love for Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs) and the manifesting journey that landed them the Critical Role comic gig, plus we get to know how they see their career as a massive plot twist!

Catch more shows live on the mayamada Twitch each month with Nigel, Tazziii and the mayamada community: Studio77 Report, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators and Games Night.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with an amazing duo of creatives! Producer and founder of Singer Studios, Eloise Singer, and Dr. Dave Ranyard, founder and CEO of Dream Reality Interactive and Executive Producer of Pirate Queen.

They join us to talk about their journey from paths outside of the games industry to eventually meeting and deciding to work on the now Emmy-nominated VR experience. This is a must-listen for anyone looking for inspiration on breaking into video games when you're coming from different industries. We delve into how their experiences in film, TV, and music prepared them to bring the story of the legendary pirate Cheng Shih to life!

Join the conversation to appreciate the challenges and lessons that stuck with them, and gain insight into what really goes on at a fancy Hollywood party!

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This week, we have a great Rewind episode for you with the audio from our autumn video game roundtable livestream! Nigel and Tazziii go live to recap the video games we've been playing before setting the stage for an exciting discussion on some of the biggest news stories that have captured our attention over the year so far.

As always, we're joined by an eclectic mix of video game professionals and have a bumper line up of guests: Host & Voice Over Artist Miabyte, Game Composer Chase Bethea, Twitch Streamer and Lego Gaming Community Manager Marta, and Cosplayer & Narrative Designer at Square Enix, Rhianne Murphy.

We cover news from the big three in gaming as well as other players in the industry and wider culture. So listen in as we give our thoughts on the latest failure in live service games, Xbox's Game Pass price hike, the price of the PS5 Pro and Nintendo's new cons—alarm clock?? Plus, we invite our cat to share their thoughts on the state of games today. Make sure you catch the debate and head over to the mayamada Twitch channel for our other Studio77 schedule of shows.

Video games we've been playing: Astro Bot, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Magic: The Gathering, Chessmaster: The Art of Learning, Yakuza Kiwami, Fields of Mistria, Dragon Age books, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, The Gunk, Mario Wonder, TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Dimension Shellshock DLC, Pico Park.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii go back to where it all started for a deep dive into Hayao Miyazaki's pre-Studio Ghibli masterpiece (starting at 28:55), with guest Laura Watton, a comic creator known as Pink Apple Jam.

We revisit this title 40 years on from its release and discuss how relevant its environmental themes still are, as well as compare the changes in the acceptance of lengthy animated stories with strong female characters. At the time, a reluctance led to the disastrous Western adaptation, but what is it that made producers nervous?

We examine the brilliant worldbuilding that can be learned from and discuss the perception of gender roles in media. This week's storytelling tip is about utilizing exposition in your story's dialogue.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Ranma ½ remake (Netflix), Bob's Burgers (Disney+), The Kid Who Would Be King (Disney+), WandaVision — "Agatha All Along" (Disney+), Black-ish (Disney+), Restaurant to Another World 2 (Crunchyroll), The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses (Crunchyroll), Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (Crunchyroll), Solar Opposites (Disney+), Terminator Zero (Netflix).

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Moo Yu, Creative Director at Team Artichoke and a founding team member of POC in Play.

He discusses his journey over 20 years in video games working on titles like Knights & Bikes, LittleBigPlanet, and Ratchet & Clank. He is now making a new game with his own team and allows us to delve into the transition from Gameplay Programmer to managing a team.

We get to hear how his work across AAA has prepared him to create an inclusive environment for others to thrive while making his new game Myth Match. Join the conversation to appreciate the rewards and challenges of indie game development.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii conduct what can only be described as a narrative autopsy as we dive deep into the shallow waters of the Borderlands film (starting at 22:55), with our guest and Content Creator Mark Ōu Chéng.

We do our best to pick out the storytelling lessons from a story with a barely serviceable plot, characters that lack motivation, and worldbuilding that all seems to do its best to move away from the source material of the video game series… but it's not all bad, as we at least enjoyed the conversation!

This is certainly a cautionary tale for storytellers, and we examine the key elements that bring this story down and debate which moments could have worked if given more (or any) attention and care to the video game material. This week's storytelling tip is about how failing to use foreshadowing and misdirection effectively leaves an audience emotionally disengaged.

Other stories we're enjoying include: The Dispossessed, The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash, A Journey Through Another World: Raising Kids While Adventuring, Quality Assurance in Another World, The Way of Kings, and Shōgun.

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We have a great Rewind episode for you with the audio from our latest Studio77 Report recording on Twitch. Each month, Nigel and Tazziii dive into our top video game stories of the month, which include the next evolution of The Sims franchise with Project Rene and the unexpected shutdown of PlayStation's new game 'Concord' just two weeks after launch.

We'll also share some valuable industry advice that reminds us of the importance of focusing on personal happiness and motivation. Finally, we reveal the new topic as we discuss the price of the PS5 Pro. Join the discussion and cast your vote!

Enjoy the audio, and if you'd like to watch us record it live, you can follow mayamada over on Twitch for this and other shows as part of our Studio77 platform: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

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This week, Nigel flies solo as he chats with Myleah, the Founder of Lumikha Cosplay Resale, who works across multiple creative industries, including as a community manager in the video game industry. She reminisces over the family ties that brought her into the world of video games at an early age.

Myleah is currently working on the first annual FRAY World Game Jam, an immersive 48-hour game jam experience, alongside our own events team at mayamada. Listen to the discussion to hear how discovering anime and manga led her to becoming a cosplayer and a to a business journey that has taken her through a variety of life shaping experiences with communities around the world.

You can join the FRAY World Game Jam at https://frayworld.com/jam

And follow Myleah too!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/METTALEAH

Instagram: https://instagram.com/flyhinata

https://LumikhaCosplay.com

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii engage in some fourth-wall-breaking corporate synergy as we do a deep dive on Deadpool & Wolverine (starting at 28:31), with Mega City Comics' Vik Deluca.

Deadpool's first foray into the MCU has led it to become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, but does it function well enough as a narrative without the mix of humor and nostalgia?

We examine the buddy cop dynamic as we follow this combustible (and indestructible) pair through the void, debating which moments work and whether the story's themes shine through well enough to matter. This week's storytelling tip is about implementing dual protagonists in your story.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Black Myth: Wukong, Igazuri, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Futurama, Core Keeper, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Fallout, Zom 100 and The Boys.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Mike Armstrong, a designer and cartoonist who is one of the co-organisers of WIP Comics, a global community of comic creators. He talks to us about his artistic upbringing and transition from working in advertising to the world of comics, highlighting the unique experiences that made him the artist he is today.

Mike is currently working on the 2024 WIP Comics anthology, "Tall Tales and Short Stories," which is the group's latest successful Kickstarter campaign due for release later in the year. Mike shares his journey to becoming part of the community and what goes into organising over 70 artists to produce their best work on time—or close enough to it!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii head to the Land of the Dead for a deep dive into Pixar's Coco (starting at 23:21), with Content Creator Coco!

We take a look back at this narrative deeply rooted in Mexican culture and discuss how it was handled and the considerations around creating stories informed by different experiences. In back-to-back Pixar deep dives, we also get to revisit the ongoing topic of the "Pixar Slump".

Then we look at the Hero's Journey and explore Miguel's wholly relatable quest to pursue a creative dream when all others around him say "no". It's an emotional journey and one that is sure to result in a tear or two by the end. This week's storytelling tip is about using foreshadowing and misdirection to lead your audience to a plot twist.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Naruto, A Court of Thorns and Roses, Futurama, Fairy Tail, Blue Lock, Andor, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii dive into the complex, wide-ranging topic of video game preservation and ownership with indie developer and founder of Asobi.tech, Quang Nguyen. The subject of how we preserve the games we love playing and what it means to own a title in the modern age comes with many difficult considerations, and we’re here for them all!

We take a look at the evolution of game ownership over the years, before examining what it means to preserve generations of culture and the barriers to ensuring the history of the medium is still accessible to future generations in years to come.

We then look at present-day efforts in preservation, including remakes and remasters that bring a modern-day refresh to classics, before considering how game subscription services have impacted the way we view game ownership and what it means going forward.

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We’re back from our recording break with new episodes for the second half of Season 6! This week, Nigel and Tazziii delve headfirst into our subconscious for a deep dive into Inside Out 2 (starting at 26:46), with our very own Illustrator Pinali.

It’s been a while since we talked about new stories, so we have a bumper “Stories We’re Enjoying” segment, before we get into the discussion of this Pixar favourite sequel and now the biggest animated film of all time! We talk about whether the story represents an end to the “Pixar Slump” or just another in a long line of successes for the Disney-owned studio.

Then we get existential as we analyse the new more complex emotions and how they resonate with us as adults today as well as young people navigating an ever more complex world around them. We’re talking narrative too, including a debate on whether this sequel stays too close to safety when it comes to worldbuilding and character development. This week's storytelling tip is about having fun with analogy in your narrative to bring complex ideas to a broad audience.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Sweet Tooth, The Dragon Prince: Mystery of Aaravos, My Hero Academia (manga), Grown-ish, The Imaginary, Jobless Reincarnation, Zombie 100, Spice and Wolf, Valorant, Call of Duty, Peaky Blinders, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Rick and Morty, Fallout, One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, Blue Lock, Your Lie In April (Theatre).

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We're on a recording break over July and will be back with new episodes in early August. Until then, join us for sun, sand (or pebbles), and stories in this special live recording of the Story x Story podcast! Nigel & Tazziii are discussing the video games industry, as we recap the Develop:Brighton experience with a series of guests who attended the conference.

We invited attendees to share their stories, as well as best practices and initiatives for fostering a more inclusive gaming community. Over this recording, you'll hear from Content Creator Jack Mullen, Bonsai Collective Community Manager Shawny Alison, and aspiring video game professional Sheena Malam as they share their experiences of Develop, what they are currently playing, and favorite games to relax on a beach with…the answers may surprise you!

Enjoy our final Rewind episode of the summer. We’ll be back recording for Season 6 in August next week.

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We're on a recording break over July and will be back with new episodes in August. In the meantime, we’re revisiting some of the amazing conversations we've had over the past year and have a Rewind of Casual Conversations With Comic Creators, the show where we speak with fellow creators about their work and the craft of making comics!

It’s about showcasing the human being behind the art as we discover each person's story. In this segment, Nigel is in conversation with writer Christian Carnouche. We hear about Christian’s travels, how networking led to his break into making comics, and his new graphic novel “TUNIS TO SYDNEY” coming out at the end of July 2024, published by Fairsquare Comics.

Stay tuned for more Rewind episodes, and we’ll be back recording for Season 6 in August!

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We're on a recording break over July and will be back with new episodes in August. In the meantime, we’re revisiting some of the amazing conversations we've had over the past year and have the third and final part from our "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" campaign launch livestream.

In this segment, Nigel and Tazziii met with Content Creator Michael Akpowowo and indie developer Leon Ivey. We get to learn the origin story for each guest, plus discover more about the secret to effective networking…including some of our embarrassing networking moments!

Stay tuned for more Rewind episodes, and we’ll be back recording for Season 6 in August.

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We're on a recording break over July and will be back with new episodes in August. In the meantime, we’re revisiting some of the amazing conversations we've had over the past year and have the second of three parts from our "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" campaign launch livestream.

In this segment, Nigel and Tazziii met with C Bedford, Founder of à la mode games, and Troy Aidoo, Content Creator at Stream Cast. We get to explore the ins and outs of both making and commentating on games as we discover what diversity means to each of our guests.

Stay tuned to hear part three, and we’ll be back recording for Season 6 in August!

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We're on a recording break over July and will be back with new episodes in August. In the meantime, we’re revisiting some of the amazing conversations we've had over the past year, starting with the first of three parts from our "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" campaign launch livestream.

In this segment, Nigel and Tazziii talked with indie developer Sarah Harrison and Hivefolio founder Declan Talbert about careers in the video game industry. Whether you're aspiring to break into the industry or just curious about what it takes to build a career in gaming, this conversation is full of insights.

Stay tuned to hear parts two and three, and we’ll be back recording for Season 6 in August!

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This week, Nigel is hosting solo as he welcomes two of our "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" Campaign 40 members to the podcast for the first time to talk about the games we've been playing and the summer of video games, along with the deluge of showcases that come with it (starting at 22:29). Marketing Manager & Chair of DEI, Jerreau Henry, alongside Content Creator and Gaming Ambassador, Trevor Graham, bring their thoughts to the games news...which there is plenty of!

We discuss the Summer Game Fest showcase, the games on display, and its place in the video game announcement landscape following the confirmed demise of E3. We also get to talk about the rumors around new consoles and whether we need an upgrade to the PS5 this year, plus the backlash to diversity in video game narratives.

Video games we're playing: Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Hollow Knight, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, eFootball, Fortnite, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii delve into the war between humans and simians for a deep dive into Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (starting at 26:46), with The Popcorn Podcast Host Dylan.

We discuss the legacy of this franchise and the value of another instalment after a strong initial reboot trilogy. With some impressive motion capture and CGI showcasing this thoughtful narrative, we examine the franchise's new protagonist who is leading the way. We get into a serious debate about the meaning of Noa’s revenge mission and what we learned by its end. This week's storytelling tip is about truly revealing character through the difficult decisions they must make over the story.

Other stories we're enjoying include: The Fall Guy, Love Lies Bleeding, Mad Max & Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, The Boys, The Bear, House of the Dragon Season 2, One Piece, The Kingdom, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Invincible, Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece, The Mitchells vs. the Machines.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Jupiter Hadley, a community manager and freelance journalist, to discuss their literal and figurative journey from Upstate New York to building communities and reporting across the UK games industry. Listen as we delve into how their love of indie games prepared them to make a splash in a brand new country, becoming MCV/DEVELOP’s 30 Under 30 in 2023.

Join the conversation to appreciate the value of not letting the opinions of others be a barrier to your goals, and the importance of parental support for young aspiring talent...whether they understand video games or not!

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In this Story x Story Rewind episode, we're bringing you the audio from our recent "Games Industry Explained: All Quirks Required" roundtable discussion.

Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Talent Acquisition Consultant, Terrence Cua, to discuss the ever-evolving landscape of the video game industry and the skills, talents, and qualities needed for a successful career.

This event, originally a livestream, was part of the "Do I Look Like a Gamer?" campaign and took place at King's London headquarters, the makers of Candy Crush. Tune in to gain invaluable advice whether you're employed, a freelancer, or an indie developer aspiring to make your mark in the gaming industry.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii talk to the new comic duo, Emmanuel Ojo and Camex Udeh. Their first published entry together placed them 4th out of 10 shortlisted in the 2024 Manga Jiman Competition. We learn how they collaborated to produce an award-winning story and their future plans in the world of manga.

In this comprehensive interview, we delve into the process behind comic collaborations. We discuss the story the pair produced for the theme "Forward", their respective roles, and how they handled creative conflict. We also talk extensively about ambition, motivation, and reaching your full potential. It's an energetic conversation you won't want to miss, especially if you're a first-time comic creator or about to publish your first work.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii get folded up and fly as they enter the world of stop-motion for a deep dive into Kubo and the Two Strings (starting at 20:15), with Content Creator Manny Moon.

We get caught up in the animated marvel that brings a lot of texture to a Hero’s Journey that sees some serious and complex themes brought to a children’s feature. As well as the great representation on display, we examine the narrative and subvert the expectations of a cinematic climax to really lean into compassion in its characters and themes. This week's storytelling tip is all about non-violent ends to your story.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Final Fantasy Remake and Rebirth, My Hero Academia, Avatar the Last Airbender live action, X-Men 97, Summertime Rendering, Jujutsu Kaisen.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii talk to content creator and cosplayer Abi, also known as Opal Ink Cosplay. By day, she works as a publishing executive at Future Friends Games, and by night, she dresses as her favourite fictional characters.

We hear how an early passion for games has turned into a promising career balancing multiple creative pursuits. We also hear Abi's perspective on tackling burnout, and the amazing story behind her becoming the official Atreus cosplayer for God of War Ragnarök, a role that allowed her to work alongside Santa Monica Studio!

Abi is a fantastic example of how putting your talents out into the world can bring fantastic opportunities back to you and one you don’t want to miss.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii blur the lines between reality and fantasy as they chase dreams through time for a deep dive into the Satoshi Kon anime, Millennium Actress (starting at 16:50), with Content Creator Izzy Kento and Comic Creator Feff Silvers.

We get to grips with this boundary-pushing narrative that explores the pursuit of love and goals in a way only the acclaimed late Japanese director can do. A simple plot carries a meaningful theme and we debate the expectation of anime among different audiences as we dig into the novel narrative structure that frames a love story for the ages. This week's storytelling tip is about establishing these themes in the opening sequence of your story.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Stardew Valley, Spy x Family: Code White, Baby Reindeer, Delicious in Dungeon, Avatar The Last Airbender Live Action, The Fall Guy, X-Men 97, Andor.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit with fantasy author Janelle McCurdy, creator of Mia and the Lightcasters, to discuss her early life journey to becoming a fully-fledged writer and video game content creator.

Listen as we discover how discouragement at college led to 10 years of perseverance that prepared her to achieve agency representation and create worlds of diverse characters that reach readers worldwide. Janelle tells us how she dealt with rejection and found the need to make space to feel negative emotions so she could still celebrate small wins.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii are going it alone as they figure out the secret to cloning for a deep dive into the genre-mashing mystery, They Cloned Tyrone (starting at 24:23), without our usual guest spot.

We take a look at this feature-length debut and examine why it resonates as an entertaining piece that wraps a meaningful message about the treatment of communities by the powers that be. The strong cast carries the material as it moves deeper and deeper into a dark conspiracy, making both dramatic and comedic stops along the way. This week's storytelling tip is all about developing a Mystery Box narrative in your story.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Station 19, Monsters at Work, Peaky Blinders, Good Times, X-Men '97, and Summer Time Rendering.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Jasmine Moore, a Games Producer & Narrative Designer, to talk about the skills and personal qualities needed to navigate the challenging journey into the video games industry.

Jasmine has worked for some of the biggest companies in games as well as working on her own projects. In the episode, she shares the early life moments that sparked her interest in games and the advice given along the way to an ongoing career in the industry. We get the outside perspective from someone born in the US, with key insights for aspiring professionals...and lots of book recommendations too!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii are pulled through a vegan portal for a deep dive into the latest adaptation of the cult hit, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (starting at 18:28), with Content Creator MiyukiPanda and Executive Producer at Radical Forge, Des Gayle.

We examine the differences between the popular film, comic source material, and this new story being told in an animated medium as we delve into the particular strengths of a world seen from a new set of eyes.

This version of the story allows us to dig deeper into characters who have been given more fleshed-out arcs that add to the many themes that are delivered in a seemingly adolescent wrapper. That's not to say the animation is anything less than impressive, so the only question is whether we want to see more Scott!

Other stories we're enjoying include: Legend of Korra, Dune 2 and Cars, The Wicked and The Divine, Mr & Mrs Smith, Apothecary Diaries, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Lightyear Frontier, Spider-Man 2, Andor, X-Men '97

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This week, we have a rewind of a recent Story Club livestream special! Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Vik Deluca from Mega City Comics as they dive into the Eisner Award-winning graphic novel, "Superman For All Seasons." This introspective narrative explores the transformation of Clark Kent from farm boy to (arguably) the world's greatest superhero. Our discussion not only focuses on Clark's extraordinary powers but also his relationships, struggles, and the responsibilities that come with his abilities.

We also confront the age-old debate: Is Superman a boring character? This episode might change the minds of the sceptics among us (i.e. Nigel). Tune in as we delve into the early life of Superman, the impact of his journey on his character, and the influence of his story on the perception of the Man of Steel.

You can catch future Story Club, and other livestream shows on the mayamada Twitch channel: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Navy Bird, a comic artist and writer specialising in fantasy comics, to discuss how manga, anime, and novels from major authors have shaped her career. Navy is part of the WIP Comics group and contributed to their recent "Change" anthology that was successfully Kickstarted in 2023.

Listen as we delve into her experiences working with other creators versus being solo on projects. She also explains the meanings behind her fantastical stories and imagery. We also hear about her journey through education and discover how an art teacher who couldn't draw influenced her outlook today.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii take a stroll through South London for a deep dive into the refreshing Rom-Com, Rye Lane, (starting at 29:47) with Presenter and Broadcaster Shay Thompson.

We revel in this positive and recognisable depiction of love in one of London's lesser-known boroughs when it comes to mainstream representation. Despite a narrative built on familiar genre underpinnings, Raine Allen-Miller manages to keep things feeling fresh in her feature directorial debut. We cover its infinitely relatable characters and appreciate role reversals in a sharp and timely telling of finding hope when it comes to love. This week's storytelling tip is all about using foil characters in your story.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Baldur's Gate 3, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Witch and the Beast, Snow White with the Red Hair, Halo Infinite, Futurama, Andor, and Dune: Part Two.

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We're back talking about AI and creative industries! This week, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by University of the Arts London Lecturer and Game Developer Thom Kaczmarek to discuss the impact AI is having on creative industries and the students studying today with hopes of entering those industries tomorrow.

We delve into the recent rapid advancements in AI technology and how these tools are impacting the way professionals work. We also take a view from an educational perspective and consider how young people will need to adapt and change the skills they develop to thrive in an increasingly automated world.

AI can be a powerful tool for creativity, but we will need to adapt ourselves to stay ahead in the future…so are we changing AI or is AI changing us…are we the tools?!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii head to the Italian Riviera as we take a deep dive into the deep blue sea for Luca (starting at 27:44) with Cosplayer Coco.

A pandemic-affected release didn't seem to impact the reception of this coming-of-age story, and we get into the reasons for its successful outing with audiences of all ages. We explore the themes of latent "otherness" beneath the surface and what they mean for the arcs of the characters as well as the real world around us. This week's storytelling tip is all about building allegory through dual narratives.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Avatar the Last Airbender (Netflix), Good Doctor, Sweet Reincarnation, I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level, Reborn as a Vending Machine I Now Wander the Dungeon, Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World, Black Clover, Call of Duty: Mobile, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Ranking of Kings, Peaky Blinders, Mea Culpa.

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We've got a great Rewind episode for you! In addition to the Story x Story podcast, we also have other livestream shows here at mayamada, and throughout the season, we want to introduce more of them to you.

So, each season, we'll be sharing audio from some of those shows for you to check out. This week, it's the recording of The Studio77 Report, a show where Nigel and Tazziii discuss video game news stories that have caught our interest over the past month before we talk about announcements, events, and news from the mayamada universe.

If you'd like to hear us record it live, then you can follow us over on Twitch for this and other shows as part of our Studio77 platform: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

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It's our first video game roundtable of 2024! This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome brand new guests to the podcast to talk about the games we’ve been playing and the outlook for the three main platform holders over the year (starting at 30:31).

Content Creators Atari and Mini Midas both bring their perspective to what has already been a busy start to the news cycle, as we debate Microsoft’s apparent multiplatform strategy, the relentless move to games as a service model, and how video game publishers may have lost the romance and mystery when it comes to promoting games to their audience.

Games we’re enjoying (or not): Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Dinkum, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Tekken 8, Apex Legends, Lies of P, Ratchet and Clank, (reluctantly) Palworld, Call of Duty Mobile, Nintendo Game Garage Builder, Dreams, GameMaker, Gears of War 4, Hi-Fi Rush, Rollerdrome, Mario Wonder, Spider-Man 2, Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit with Alexandra McCarthy, a Birmingham-based illustrator and comic creator, to discuss how art became a release in her early years and how it has become her profession today. We learn more about her experiences through education and what makes the difference when supporting young creative talent.

Listen as we delve into her experiences creating her own manga and stepping out of her comfort zone to market her work. We get to appreciate her process as both a writer and an artist...and art teachers who just don't get your best jokes!

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We're back for another season of Story x Story! This week, Nigel and Tazziii take their racing wheels into the real world for some high-octane excitement as they do a deep dive into the film Gran Turismo (starting at 29:26) with Content Creator MiyukiPanda and Sim Racer Rayokarna.

Inspired by real-life events, this underdog story had us following the emotional exploits of Jann Mardenborough, who turned his racing sim passion into a full driving career. We explore the balance that comes with adapting a true life story for Hollywood, as we debate the exciting twists and turns of this narrative with strong themes of pursuing goals and overcoming the doubts of those around you. This week's storytelling tip is all about creating conflict through character motivations.

Other stories we're enjoying include: The Creator, Arcane, Rurouni Kenshin, MF Ghost, Banished from the Hero's Party, Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie, Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!, Arte, Banished From The Hero's Party, I Decided To Live A Quiet Life In The Countryside, Summer Time Rendering, I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss, The Color Purple, Akuma-kun, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Spider-Man 2, Godzilla Minus One, Peaky Blinders, The Brothers Sun.

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As we prepare to return for Season 6 of Story x Story, we continue our series on video games with this special conversation about diversity in the industry. Nigel talks to Dom Shaw, EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Coordinator at Ukie, and Liz Prince, Business Manager at Amiqus, about the journey of developing the newly launched Empower Up website.

This collaboration between Ukie’s #RaiseTheGame initiative and the specialist games recruitment agency aims to be a toolkit and guide for employers of all sizes to improve their diversity and inclusion efforts as we work towards an industry that continues to involve diverse perspectives and experiences in the process of making and selling its games.

Enjoy this Behind The Story look at the motivation behind the website, and check out our own "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" campaign for more positive representation in video games.

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We're on a recording break and will return for Season 6 of the Story x Story podcast in February! In the meantime, enjoy this Rewind episode: Part 4 of our recent "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" International Future Summit livestream from December 2023. We rounded off the campaign with this special event, taking stock of the video game industry in 2023 from the people in it.

In this episode, Tazziii talks with the co-founder of À la Mode Games, C.B., to discuss their game, Sorry We're Closed. The game is in development, and we get a behind-the-scenes look at the ups and downs of video game development, and what they're looking forward to in 2024. We'll be back with a new season next month, starting with a special discussion on video games and diversity - enjoy!

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We're on a recording break and will return for Season 6 of the Story x Story podcast in February! In the meantime, enjoy this Rewind episode: Part 3 of our recent "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" International Future Summit livestream from December 2023. We rounded off the campaign with this special event, taking stock of the video game industry in 2023 from the people in it.

In this episode, Nigel and Tazziii speak with Vicktorija Koluzajeva, Games Submission Manager at ID@Xbox, and JJ Fox, Founder and Creative Director of Canine Games, for a roundtable looking towards the future of the games industry.

We delve into AI and how it will shape the game development process from the perspectives of both indies and AAA studios. We also discuss the changing nature of video game marketing, which has seen a shift away from E3-style events to online efforts. Part 4 is still to come, and we'll be back with a new season next month - enjoy!

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We're on a recording break and will return for Season 6 of the Story x Story podcast in February! In the meantime, enjoy this Rewind episode: Part 2 of our recent "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" International Future Summit livestream in December. We rounded off the campaign with this special event, taking stock of the video game industry in 2023 from the people in it.

In this episode, Nigel speaks with Radical Forge’s Des Gayle about the difficult year in the video games industry that has seen large-scale layoffs at many studios. Nigel then brings the same discussion to an international panel of Marketing Manager Destinee Cleveland, Indie Developer Nils Slijkerman, Games Lecturer Thom Kaczmarek, and games student Gianluca Montaque. We also talk about the games we've enjoyed in 2023 and what we're looking forward to in 2024.

Parts 3 and 4 are still to come in January, and we'll be back with a new season next month - enjoy!

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We're on a recording break and will return for Season 6 of the Story x Story podcast in February! In the meantime, enjoy this Rewind episode: Part 1 of our recent "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" International Future Summit livestream in December. We rounded the campaign off with this special event taking stock of the video game industry in 2023 from the people in it.

In this episode, Tazziii speaks with content creator and disability advocate Mollie Evans plus Associate Artworker at Activision, Theo Waldron. They get into personal achievements and milestones for the year.

Parts 2, 3 and 4 will be posted over January and we'll be back with new season next month - enjoy!

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It's the final episode of 2023!! For our Season 5 Wrapped episode, Nigel and Tazziii have put together their personal top five favourite stories of the year. There's also room for honourable mentions, stories that surprised, and disappointed us as well as our favourite ongoing or unfinished stories. So join us as we recap our favourite comic, anime, TV, film and video game stories that made us stop and take notice over the past 12 months.

We're going on a recording break over January, but will be back in February with Season 6 of Story x Story. In the meantime, you'll be able to enjoy some great bonus Rewind episodes until we start recording again in 2024 - Happy New Year!

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We've arrived at the end of another year, so it’s time to look back at the past 12 months of great story discussions! In this special episode, you'll hear the best highlights, pre-show chats, and (many, many) bloopers from Season 5 of the podcast, brought to you by Nigel, Tazziii, a variety of amazing guests...and a now well-behaved Craig?!

We've crammed our favourite moments into the episode from a year that saw us go from Whiplash to Mario, Barbie, to Parasite, and more as we discussed stories across pop culture with new and returning guests across comics, manga, TV, and video games. So sit back and enjoy the ups, downs, wise advice, and everything in between as we recap another season of Story x Story!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii invite digital illustrator and concept artist Ravi Nkengfack to discuss his life as a comic creator and the journey from education to the world of freelance work. We get to discover how his time studying Computer Games Arts prepared him to produce illustrations and commissions for a range of clients, as well as his own WEBTOON series "WORLD'S STRONGEST".

In the conversation, we get to appreciate the importance of family support for a young creator, and the value of networking...as well as the fear most people have with it!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii join the race to become King of the Pirates in this retrospective on Netflix’s One Piece live-action adaptation with Content Creator Izzy Kento (starting at 27:20).

We praise the adaptation that got it right as we examine the aspects of this series that stayed true to the source material while working for this new medium. Izzy brings their love for the manga series as Tazziii shares experiences from over 600 episodes of the anime for us to judge what works and why our favourite moments land so well. We also get into the characters and why they work so well from a storytelling perspective.

There's also room made to talk about the podcast favourite Zoro...though not enough time by the sound of it!

Other stories we're enjoying include: Baldur's Gate 3, One Piece (Manga), Pom Poko, Scott Pilgrim: Takes Off, Shadow and Bone, Family Switch, Invincible, Obliterated, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Ranking of Kings.

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We're rewinding to an episode of Casual Conversations With Comic Creators, a mayamada show where we talk to a different creator each month to discover the person behind the comic art. Nigel sits down with WIP Comics member Lara Callaghan the week before they head out to the Thought Bubble Comic Convention, November 11th - 12th.

Lara talks about her experiences with WIP Comics' recent successful Kickstarter campaign and what it's like to bring new material to a convention. She also reflects on her love of manga and tells us what her life looks like as the protagonist of her own story.

Stay tuned for more new episodes next week, the last few of Story x Story Season 5!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii play with fire as they do a deep dive into Pixar's Elemental with our very own illustrator Pinali (starting at 27:14).

We debate the reasons for the animation's disappointing box office performance, while giving our take on how this film stacks up to similar entries in the Pixar catalogue. We also discuss the story's portrayal of the immigrant tale and how diverse stories can connect us. This week's storytelling tip is all about the “Fun & Games” section or your story.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Blue Eye Samurai, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Sicko Shock 2 (Anime Sickos), Jobless Reincarnation, Shadow and Bones, The Marvels, Primal, Mami Wata, Invincible.

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This week's episode is a rewind of our livestream adventures at the Insomnia 71 festival in September 2023! Nigel and Tazziii recorded live from the show floor with a variety of guests as we discussed the (mostly) failures and (some great) successes of video game adaptations on the big and small screens.

In the first segment, we're joined by Content Creators Miss Bubbles and Voyveda Rose as we cover The Witcher's missteps and more. Then in the second segment, we welcome Content Creator Miyuki Panda and cosplayer Sammi Dodger as we reminisce over hits like Cyberpunk and podcast favourite Arcane.

We'll be back with the final few episodes of Story x Story Season 6 from next week!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome video game content creator LilChaos to learn more about her journey in building a career as a content creator. There's a lot to unpack as we learn where the "Chaos" name came from, and how she has overcome significant hurdles on the road to growing a personal brand through Twitch and other social media platforms. We cover the highs and lows and provide a relatable and realistic perspective on the challenges of content creation.

LilChaos also talks about her passion for cosplay and how she has learned patience and resilience from her creative skills. There is a wealth of advice in this conversation for those looking to follow a similar path, or anyone interested in what a creator goes through to bring you entertaining content.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii examine socioeconomic constructs while avoiding peaches as they do a deep dive into the Academy Award winning film Parasite (starting at 25:20).

This meticulously constructed work masterfully explores many meaningful themes and symbols as it juggles genre and tone so well throughout. It tackles topics from wealth disparity to the challenges of upward social mobility, all communicated through dialogue and visuals. We also investigate why this non-English language film resonated with a global audience. This week's storytelling tip is all about using symbols and motifs to reinforce your themes.

Other stories we're enjoying include: L'etreinte, One Piece, One Punch Man, Power Book IV Force TV Show, Cyberpunk Phantom Liberty, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, My Happy Marriage, Ōoku: The Inner Chambers, Attack On Titan, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Haikyuu!!, Beckham

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This week, we delve into the controversial AI debate! Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Freelance Art Director Lucy Kyriakidou, and Graphic Designer Kevin Li to discuss the impact AI is having and will have on art. We examine the moral considerations as well as the commercial implications of this new and sometimes intimidating technology that seems to be taking over all aspects of human expression.

We take a philosophical look at the pros and cons of the technology, as well as the similarities to previous technological changes throughout human history. This is one for those in the business of art, as well as those concerned about the increasing AI-ificaton of everything we do.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii are dissecting stop motion excellence as we are joined by NextGen Skills Academy Programme Administrator Charlie Blay for a deep dive into the hauntingly good Wendell & Wild (starting at 24:12).

We talk about creating stop motion horror for younger audiences in the coming-of-age narrative with an Afro Punk twist. Along the way, we delve into the narrative as we debate whether you can have too much story. We also give our thoughts on the diversity on display and how that has been handled through its cast of characters. This week's storytelling tip is all about creating scenes that turn in your story.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Persona 5, Cowboy Bebop, What a Shame, Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs, My Dress-Up Darling, The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 3, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Spider-Man 2.

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This week is a rewind from our autumn video game roundtable livestream over on Twitch. Nigel and Tazziii were joined by Alan from Melanin Gamers and Andy from StreamCast to talk about the game we're playing and the video game news stories that have caught our attention.

We discuss Unity's decision to abruptly overhaul their pricing structure to the absolute displeasure of everyone, before moving onto other topics around the industry. Microsoft's deal to purchase Activision Blizzard has finally come to an end, but we’re also looking further into the horizon and debate whether games are becoming too big to enjoy. Oh, and Tazziii reveals she is a witch!

You can catch our range of Studio77 livestream shows on the mayamada Twitch channel each month.

Game we’re enjoying this week(ish): Starfield, Mortal Kombat 1, Lies of P, Marvel's Spider-Man, Pokémon Shield, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, Tekken 8, We Were Here Expeditions, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.

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This week, Nigel talks with SenseiTash, a variety Content Creator, to discuss their journey in the creative space starting from a young age and the process of becoming an independent creator. We explore how their passion for dancing, gymnastics, and martial arts translated into video games and the balance between playing games for personal enjoyment versus catering to an audience.

We first met Tash during our "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" campaign, and they share their thoughts on diversity in video game culture. They also highlight ways to make the path of a content creator more accessible for future generations.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii are on a mission to close doors as we are joined by manga creators Inko and Chie for a deep dive into another visually impressive Makoto Shinkai anime film, Suzume (starting at 27:43).

We talk about the Hero's Journey that Suzume goes on to unpack the trauma in her life. Along the way, we delve into the methods used to convey meaningful themes and whether they work together to deliver the story’s message. We also discuss the visual excellence on display as we consider the reasons why this may not be seen as the masterpiece some of Shinkai-san's previous work. This week's storytelling tip is all about creating a story where your protagonist perceives things as their fault.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Endeavour, The Fairy Tale One Piece (Live Action), JYami no Shizuku, The Devil is a Part-Timer!, Rent a Girlfriend, Sword Art Online: Alicization, Black Mirror, Demon Slayer.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by cosplayer Coco, who loves to dress up as characters from video games, comics, and anime. We learn how her middle eastern background influences her costume choices as she shares a wealth of tips for cosplaying on a budget!

After meeting at the Insomnia Gaming Festival, Coco shares her experiences traveling to various conventions across the country and her most memorable interactions at comic conventions and gaming festivals. We also get an education on the nuances of "tea," "supper," and the different types of bread in the north of England.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii go pink to take on the patriarchy as we’re joined by content creators Saskia Cole and Gael Level for a deep dive into Greta Gerwig's thought-provoking take on the pop culture icon that is Barbie (starting at 23:13).

The discussion this week is wide-ranging, from the origins of the famous doll and previous attempts at a movie adaptation to the narrative itself. We delve into this story’s use of familiar film tropes as we compare Barbie to the Matrix, and give our take on the deeper meaning of the film including the issues of feminism and the female perspective. This week's storytelling tip is all about delivering a message through your narrative as a creator.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Someday Maybe, Call of Duty, Starfield, The Penthouse, The Flower of Evil, Beau Is Afraid, Primal, TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, Little Nightmares 2, Winning Time, Fruit Basket.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Chase Bethea, known as the "Swiss army knife of video game composition", to discuss his role in bringing video game sounds to life. We explore our personal definitions of creativity and the significance of treading your own path in the creative industries.

In the interview, Chase shares his experience growing up with a diverse musical background in Chicago. He also reveals how a connection to the Greek pantheon sparked his realization that he could create music for video games.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii get to grips with a time mechanic as we’re joined by Bish from GAL Podcasts for a deep dive into Mamoru Hosoda’s The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (starting at 31:14).

We salute the effective messaging delivered in this short runtime as we examine the themes on display and the way they are delivered through the light and humorous use of time manipulation. Tazziii is also on hand to help us navigate the mind of an adolescent girl discovering feelings of romantic love for the first time! In this episode's storytelling tip, Nigel discusses how to create significant meaning in your story through low stakes.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Chivalry of a Failed Knight, Lollipop Chainsaw, The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague, Blue Beetle, Sakamoto Days, Dr. Stone, and One Piece (Live Action).

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This week Nigel and Tazziii welcome writer and illustrator Mina Ghosh to talk about the manga medium and its adoption outside of Japan. We get into where our love for the medium (and related medium anime) started, as we explore the tricky line betwen appreciation of the form and appropriation without proper consideration of its cultural roots.

Whether you're a consumer or a producer, this is a discussion that you'll gain new perspective from hearing!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii roll a D20 to determine whether the podcast will happen or not. Joining us on our deep dive into Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (starting at 23:00) are Session Zero Sorceress BillieTrixx and Game Designer James Wallis.

We delve into this latest attempt at capturing the D&D Zeitgeist, and thankfully, this is a much more successful effort than in 2000! The heist format makes for a great structure to tell a D&D-inspired narrative, and we examine the narrative decisions that allowed what was once a niche hobby to be brought to mainstream audiences. In this episode's storytelling tip, Nigel talks about creating a reactive protagonist.

Other stories we're enjoying include: Divergent, Manifest, Zombieland Double Tap, Vita Nostra, The Sword Defiant, Fruit Basket, Rent-A-Girlfriend, The Proposal, One Piece, Lookism, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Primal, and Marlon.

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This week, Nigel welcomes Mori Mori Studio Co-founder Mandy Wong to discuss her journey into the world of animation. We delve deep into her upbringing in Hong Kong and how she used her artistic skills to communicate and express herself in a new country.

We then explore the path that led her to create the pre-school show Millie and Lou. Mandy explains how the impact of early friendships influenced the story being told today. Additionally, Mandy reveals what she learned from multiple rejected pitches and how she navigates having a significant other as a business partner.

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We are back from our mid-season break and are recording new episodes of Story x Story! This week, Nigel searches for his place in the multiverse with comic artist Ryan Jenkyns and Wesley Louis, Director at The Line Animation. We delve into Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (starting at 23:00) and the incredible animation on display in this epic feature.

The film delivers amazing visuals and takes Miles on a great journey, with plenty of relatable themes to explore. We discuss the challenge of breaking up one story into two parts and the skill with which this diverse narrative comes together on the big screen. In this episode's storytelling tip, we talk about creating a story with two protagonists.

Other stories we're enjoying: How to Think When You Draw, Batman Superman World's Finest, UltraMega, Kroma, Breaking Bad, Train to Busan, My Adventures with Superman, Secret Invasion, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Oppenheimer, Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, and Primal.

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Enjoy the final Rewind episode before we return from our recording break next week! In this episode of Casual Conversations With Comic Creators, a mayamada show where we talk to a different creator each month to discover the human behind the comic art, Nigel sits down with mayamada Illustrator Pinali about her journey from math graduate to anthropomorphic manga artist.

You'll hear about how a chance meeting at the London Comic Con led to a creative partnership that continues to produce stories a decade later. We also discuss getting inspiration from mediums other than comics...and how much effort goes into making fur suits.

Stay tuned as we'll be resuming Season 5 of Story x Story from August 10th!

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We're on a recording break over July but still have some great conversations for your podcast feed!

This week's Rewind is from Casual Conversations With Comic Creators, a mayamada show where we talk to a different creator each month to discover the human behind the comic art.

Nigel talks with French Marvel, DC and Image Comics arts Geoffo about his journey to becoming a comic artist at the world's biggest comic publishers. We also discuss maintaining your health when producing art consistently and look inwards at what makes Geoffo tick as a creator.

Stay tuned to hear more Rewind episodes before we resume Season 5 of Story x Story from August 10th - enjoy!

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We're on a recording break over July but still have some great conversations for your podcast feed!

This week's Rewind is the last segment from our mid-season livestream special. We discuss our stand-out stories in the world of video games as Nigel and Tazziii are joined by presenter Shay Thompson, indie developer Glen Henry and musician Chase Bethea. We delve into each guest's origin story, debate the merits of the Summer Games Fest...and perform the very British act of spending arguable far too much time discussing the weather!

Stay tuned to hear more Rewind episodes before we begin recording for Season 5 in August.

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We're on a recording break over July but still have some great conversations for your podcast feed!

This week's Rewind episode is from our mid-season livestream special. We discuss our stand-out stories of the year so far and in this second segment, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by new and experienced cosplayers alike with Agent3 and Frighty Face. We reveal some of the stories we've been enjoying recently, highlight some that we're looking forward to...and talk a whole lot about Zelda! Stay tuned to hear the second and third segments from the livestream before we begin recording for Season 5 in August.

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We're on a recording break over July but still have some great conversations for your podcast feed!

This week's Rewind episode is from our mid-season livestream special. We discuss our stand-out stories of the year so far and in this first segment, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by the present and future of the mayamada team. We reveal some of the stories we've been enjoying (or not) recently including Berserk, Kill Bill and Whiplash...while doing our best to avoid spoilers, some better than others! Stay tuned to hear the second and third segments from the livestream before we begin recording for Season 5 in August.

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It's the Summer of Games, and Nigel and Tazziii welcome a panel of first-timers to discuss the games we're playing and the abundance of game showcases (starting at 32:57). Game Over Beer Podcast host Tom Maya, content creator Saskia Cole, and game designer Danny Colclough are all on hand to debate the merits of Geoff Keighley's efforts to get us all hyped about video games. We also talk about the lack of representation at the show, upcoming releases we're excited for and gaming news across Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo.

Games we’re enjoying (or not): Call of Duty, Gone Home, Road 96, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Subnautica, Shadow of the Colossus, Sonic the Hedgehog, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Cozy Grove and yet to play it! Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Final Fantasy XVI, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

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We’re doing it LIVE! This week's episode is a rewind from the MK Film & Comic Con, making it the first podcast recorded at a comic convention in podcast history. Nigel and Tazziii discuss big-budget adaptations of comic, manga, and video game franchises in front of a studio audience. We question why Hollywood continues to invest in adaptations despite the number of flops and examine some of the best and worst adaptations to understand why some have fared better than others.

In addition, Nigel and Tazziii talk to the audience and ask for examples of the good, bad and ugly. This discussion analyses the reasons behind the failures of the Uncharted and The Last Airbender films, as well as the great examples set by Arcane and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. So whether you're a fan of the original source material or just a movie buff, you’re in for a great walk down memory lane…and maybe one or two reminders of adaptations you tried to forget!

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This week on the podcast, Nigel and Tazziii search for the Christmas Spirit in Tokyo and take a deep dive into Tokyo Godfathers (starting at 28:09). We discuss the surprisingly relatable themes in Satoshi Kon's most grounded and realistic work. The film delivers a wonderful mix of complex and nuanced subtlety in its themes, as we have come to expect from the late Kon's work. In this episode's storytelling tip, we focus on making the narrative location a central character in your story.

Other stories we’re enjoying: The Castle of Otranto, The Hourglass, Honkai: Star Rail, Demon Slayer, One Piece, Ted Lasso, Good Omens, Platonic, Little Witch in the Woods, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, Lookism, Robin Robin, and Primal.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome the Marketing Manager at Freedom Games and Founder of Dames 4 Games, Destinee Cleveland. We get into the rise and fall of E3 and where we go from here when marketing video games to a passionate audience.

From the murky future for E3 to the recent supremacy of Geoff Keighley and the Summer Games Fest, we're discussing how video game marketing has changed and what we want to see for it to improve in the future. We also get the perspective from someone working in the games industry on how you can make a career marketing video games.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii head into the vastness of space for a deep dive into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 with Jason and Rich from the Woo Long Talks Podcast (at 28:27). We delve into James Gunn's final entry in the series and the MCU as he heads to DC. It's a triumphant send-off, and we're here for the emotional rollercoaster that is Rocket's story, masterfully incorporating the arcs of all the Guardians' found family members. This episode's storytelling tip is about delivering on an ensemble cast.

Other stories we're enjoying: Hajime no Ippo, Succession, Yasuke, Jujutsu Kaisen, Redfall, One Piece, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Barry, Haikyu!!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome Aniboxx Founder Jide Johnson to talk about his journey to the world of animation. We delve deep into his early days and learn how his passion for music ignited creativity and his ability for self-expression.

We also navigate tricky conversations with parents, delving into the pivotal moment when Jide stepped away from a conventional career path to embrace a life of animated storytelling. This journey is must listen for anyone with an interest in the process of animation!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii throw away the instructions and get creative in Bricksburg for a deep dive into The Lego Movie with Content Creator Dan's Distillery (at 28:55). We discuss the way this story has shaken off its commercially minded origins to deliver a well-executed, funny and thoughtful narrative that explores the balance between conformity and creativity. The episode's storytelling tip is about breaking the routine of your story's first act.

Other stories we're enjoying: A Space for the Unbound, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Euphoria, Star Wars Jedi: Jedi Fallen Order, Kotoro Lives Alone, Barry, Air.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome cosplayer Manny Moon to unpack the story of her journey into the world of costume design and cosplay. In this conversation, Manny tells us the personal impact cosplay can have on confidence and self-image as we hear about lessons from her first cosplay efforts.

We talk about mental health, diversity and the debate between accuracy and interpretation when it comes to cosplayers of colour. This is a great discussion to get an insight into the world of cosplay and the individuals who bring it to life!

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This week on the podcast, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Vik Deluca from Mega City Comics (at 34:00) as they delve into the futuristic world of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. In this 10-episode season retrospective, they explore the tragic themes of corporate greed, doomed relationships, and the desire to be special.

Set in a visually stunning anime adaptation, the story follows a headstrong protagonist and a group of mercenaries known as "edgerunners" as they take on dangerous jobs in a world where technology has advanced beyond human control.

In addition to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, we're also enjoying a variety of other stories, including Diablo IV, Dungeons & Dragons, Sweet Poolside, Link Click, Servant, Jedi Fallen Order, God of War Ragnarok, Red Flower Stories, Umbrella Academy, and Hustle.

Tune in for great discussions on exciting stories and more!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii take a trip to the Mushroom Kindom with a deep dive into The Super Mario Bros. Movie with Safe In Our World Partnerships & Training Officer Sky Tunley-Stainton and British Manga Creator Laura Watton (at 30:17). We get into the well animated though very safe animation to talk about how well this latest adaptation does in erasing the ghosts of the 1993 film. You're in for a treat with a great debate on production quality, fan service and intertextuality in film. The episode's storytelling tip is about developing contrast in your characters.

Other stories we're enjoying: The Last Unicorn, Smallville, Cobra Kai, The Mandalorian, Kimi ni Todoke, Ikebukuro West Gate Park (IWGP), Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, The Owl House, Minecraft Legends, The Rising Of The Shield Hero, Life Lessons With Uramichi Oniisan, Kotaro Lives Alone, Nobody, Power Rangers: Once & Always.

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This week, Nigel welcomes Rebellion's Senior Accessibility Designer Cari Watterton to unpack the story of her journey from a young aspiring actor to a career making video games accessible for more people. In this conversation, we get to learn about the process of designing games to be more accessible and challenge assumptions about including accessibility as we look at popular examples in modern day games.

We talk about why accessibility does just equal disability, and how it brings value to all players. Cari also talks about the role her family played in her early career and what success in life looks like to her. This is a great discussion for those unfamiliar with the impact accessibility has in the games we play!

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This week, we're giving you a Rewind of our Story Club livestream deep dive into HBO's The Last of Us series. Nigel and Tazziii were joined by super fan Mr Midas and newcomer to the world of Infected, Mark Ōu Chéng.We get into the ins and outs of the adaptation and examine how faithful it was to the source material, plus debate the changes that were made for the medium and how the characters were portrayed for the retelling on the small screen!If you want to watch our Story Club episodes live as they happen, be sure to follow us on Twitch. And don't forget to tune in next week for another in-depth discussion. Enjoy!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome manga creator Edward Welch to unpack the story that is his journey from British Museum to full-time manga creator. Edward is the 2021 winner of the Japanese Embassy's Manga Jiman competition and gives us his perspective on finding your way as an independent comic creator.

We talk about how he has used his academic background in history and experiences from other industries to power the work he does today. We also get into the manga Edward is reading...and why keeping dinosaurs in Zoo doesn't always end in disaster!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii take a trip to the wild west with a deep dive into The Harder They Fall with mayamada team member Lara-Lee Green (at 21:04). This is a western with a twist with a predominantly Black cast and director in his feature length debut. We examine the narrative decisions made in the stylish Western and the impact of representation on its audience. This week's storytelling tip focuses on developing a good Obstacle Character in your story.

Other stories we're enjoying: The Last of Us, Your Honor, Kubo and the Two Strings, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Ted Lasso, Red Flower Stories, Haikyuu!!, John Wick

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This week, we're rewinding to our first Studio77 Report recording of the year with a discussion of our top video game related stories of the past month. In a members-only segment that we're sharing on the public podcast feed, we delve into the death of live service games and James Gunn's new plans for video games in the DC Extended Universe.

If you want to watch us record the Report live each month, be sure to follow us on Twitch. And don't forget to tune in next week for another in-depth discussion. Enjoy!

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This week, Nigel welcomes writer, designer and educator James Wallis to unpack the story of his journey from Suffolk into tabletop game design James has seen the games industry grow up since his start and brings an extraordinary amount of knowledge and perspective for aspiring creative professionals to learn from.

We talk about the mindset needed to make a living in the games industry, why being perfect doesn't matter and the depth of storytelling in early Sonic games! This is a must-listen conversation for anyone looking to make a start in game design whether in tabletop or video games.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii are flying solo, and with no guests to keep us in check, you get to enjoy a bumper story segment before we journey to the Quantum Realm for a deep dive into Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (starting at 32:35).

The latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe has received mixed reviews, but we put a positive spin on the scaled-down adventure as we discuss what we enjoyed about the film. From the superpowered family dynamic to the unique character designs and introduction of the MCU's new Big Bad, we share our thoughts alongside our critiques. This week's storytelling tip focuses on creating a strong inciting incident in your story, something that Ant-Man and The Wasp doesn't quite achieve.

Other stories we're enjoying: Lockwood and Co, Lookism, Community , It Takes Two, Umbrella Academy, Castlevania, The Last of Us.

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This week's episode is a rewind from our Studio77 show, Casual Conversations With Comic Creators. Each month, mayamada co-founder Nigel speaks to a different creator to discover their journey and showcase the human behind the art form we love.

In this episode, Nigel was in conversation with Japanese manga creator and VTuber Mikiko for a one-hour Twitch livestream. The pair discussed Mikiko's journey from Japan to the UK, stereotypes of manga in the UK, and the debate around copyright and fan art.

We also get a lesson on the rise of VTubing, and how it can release the mental strain of livestreaming on a regular basis.

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It's an intimate roundtable for three as Nigel and Tazziii are joined by content creator Miabyte for a deep dive into a selection of video game news stories from across the industry (from 32:51).

We get into a host of topics, including the apparent death of live service games and headlines from each of the big three platform holders: Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. We also discuss the pricing of games amidst a cost of living crisis, as well as consider the impending AI fuelled future of video games.

Games we're enjoying: Metroid Prime Remastered, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, Crisis Core, The Sims 4, God of War Ragnarök.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome Comic Creator Sammy Ward to unpack the story of her journey into the world of illustration and sequential art. Sammy started making comics in 2018 and has since gone on to be listed in Broken Frontier’s ‘Six to Watch’ for 2022. We talk about making the decision to go full-time as a freelance creator, the challenges that come with pricing your work, and how crowd funding platforms like Kickstarter and Ko-fi play a role in financially sustaining a creative passion. This is a great discussion for those looking to get started with making a living from your art.

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We're BACK! Season 5 of the Story x Story podcast starts today and we're kicking things off with Whiplash. Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Lao K and The Popcorn Podcast for a deep dive into this masterclass debut film from Damien Chazelle (from 31:33).

The cutthroat musical drama gives us a lot to think about when it comes to storytelling and the pursuit (and cost) of greatness. We discuss the narrative and the thematically balanced characters as we consider our own creative journeys. This week's storytelling tip looks at introducing the key characters in your story.

Other stories we're enjoying: The Fabelmans, Tár, Babylon, Yoku's Island Express, Billions, Judgement, Ted Lasso, Rent A Girlfriend, Severance, Saga, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Squid Games.

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We're almost ready to return for Season 5 of the Story x Story podcast! While you wait for new deep dives and discussion, enjoy a rewind of our Casual Conversations With Comic Creators, a mayamada show where we speak to a different creator each month to discover the human behind the artform.

In this episode, Nigel speaks with Italian illustrator and comic artist Eren Angiolini for the one-hour Twitch livestream. The pair discuss just what exactly a Colourist does, our experiences at conventions and the many misconceptions around the craft of making comics.

We'll be back with new episodes next week - enjoy!

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We're on a recording break and will return for Season 5 of the Story x Story podcast in February. In the meantime, enjoy a Rewind of our Creativity & Cosplay roundtable Twitch livestream from earlier this month. Host and content creator Tazziii talks with three different cosplayers, Izzy Kento, Midnight Pursona and Kasumikat. It's a conversation that spans continents and is definitely one of our most open and honest ever!

Keep your tissues at the ready as we get into the ups and very tearful downs of life as a cosplayer. From first cosplays to challenging times...and a lot of One Piece talk! We get into it all, so if you've ever felt the urge to cosplay but need a push, let this conversation be it. And if you just wanted to get more insight into what it takes to put together great outfits, then you'll surely enjoy this episode too.

We'll be back with new episodes in February - enjoy!

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We're on a recording break and will return for Season 5 of the Story x Story podcast in February! In the meantime, enjoy a rewind of our Casual Conversations With Comic Creators, a mayamada show where we speak to a different creator each month to discover the human behind the artform.

In this episode, Nigel spoke with London based illustrator and comic artist Dominique Duong for the one hour Twitch livestream. They discuss the ups and downs of running a Kickstarter campaign, inspirations, and how Dominique's journey through games jobs led her to discover her passion for comic art.

We'll be back with new episodes in February - enjoy!

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In this episode, Nigel spoke with Cantonese-Scottish comic creator Chris Manson in a one hour Twitch livestream. We discuss the ways that Chris explores different aspects of tradition, identity, and belonging in his work by drawing on both of his heritages. We also get into the (now successfully funded) Kickstarter campaign that Chris was part of in 2022.

We'll be back with new episodes next month - enjoy!

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We're on a recording break and will return for Season 5 of the Story x Story podcast in February! In the meantime, enjoy a rewind of our GamePad Report show where Nigel and Tazziii talk about the video games stories that have caught their attention over December 2022.

Tazziii discusses a new effort to bring the joy of playing video games to Man's Best Friend, while Nigel continues to be drawn to the ongoing battle for gamer eyeballs as the fight between the Summer Games Fest and E3 looks set to get even more intense this year.

We'll be back with new episodes next month - enjoy and happy new year!

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It's the final episode of 2022!! For our season 4 Wrapped episode, Nigel and Tazziii have put together their personal top five favourite stories of the year. There's also room for honourable mentions, stories that surprised, and disappointed us as well as our favourite ongoing or unfinished stories. So join us as we recap our favourite comic, anime, TV, film and video game stories that made us stop and take notice over the past 12 months.

We're going on a recording break over January, but will be back in February with Season 5 of Story x Story. In the meantime, you'll be able to enjoy some great bonus rewind episodes until we start recording again in 2023 - Happy New Year!

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It's the end of the year, so we're taking a look back at 12 months of entertaining story discussions! Listen to the best highlights, pre-show chats and (so many) bloopers from Season 4 of the podcast, brought to you by Nigel, Tazziii, great guests...and a reformed Craig?!

We've packed our favourite moments from a year of conversations about stories across pop culture with new and returning guests across comics, manga, television, video games and more. So sit back and enjoy the ups, downs and everything in between as we recap another season of Story x Story!

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PLEASE NOTE: We had some audio issues for the first 11 minutes of the episode, but they get sorted from then on.

This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome the Scriptwriter Mariama Ives-Moiba, to unpack the story that is her journey into writing for television. Mariama has turned a childhood passion for theatre into a freelance writing career, writing on shows that include Pip and Posy, The Rubbish World of Dave Spuds, JoJo and Gran Gran, Little Stories Everywhere and more.

We talk about the craft of writing, Mariama's routine and how non-technical skills like delivering work on time and networking have served her so well in the industry. This is a great episode particularly for anyone with an interest in turning their passion for writing into their own career in any medium!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-127-behind-thestory-with-mariama-ives-moiba-scriptwriting/

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii head to the Upside Down for a retrospective deep dive into Season 4 of Stranger Things with Auroch Digital Community Manager Pastelbat and Cosplayer Black Bettie. We get into the longest season so far and dissect the character journeys and troubled relationships seen from Hawkins to Russia Gulags. It's a return to form for the show and we get to debate what worked so well, and what left room for improvement.

Other stories we're enjoying: Destiny 2, Alchemy of Souls, Interview with the Vampire, Firefly Lane, Lilly and Dash, Saga Volume 4, Russian Doll, God of War Ragnarök.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii take on a common perception of comics...that there's no money to be made in creating them. To help with the discussion, we've invited Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and previous UK Comics Laureate Hannah Berry onto the show.

We get into the common (mis?) conception that comics and money never meet, as well as digging into Hannah's work on the first national survey of the UK comics industry to gain a better understanding of the challenges and ways to help those working within it.

If you are an aspiring comic creator, a family member supporting one, or just interested in learning more about the industry, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii journey back to Wakanda for deep dive into the Black Panther sequel with Dylan from the Popcorn Podcast and Destinee Cleveland from the Burn Out Brighter Podcast. We consider the decision not to recast Chadwick Boseman before tackling the narrative itself, discuss stand out performances and how director Ryan Coogler's vision fares against the weight of expectation and the Marvel Machine. This week's storytelling tip is all about exploring grief through four corner opposition.

Other stories we're enjoying: Rings of Power, House of the Dragon, Halloween, Romantic Killer, Oni, The Harder They Fall, Wednesday, Remake Our Life!, More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers, God of War Ragnarök

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This week we have a rewind of our Story Club roundtable livestream. Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Twitch Streamer (and possible future cat owner) BillieTrixx for a deep dive into the indie hit video game Stray!

Recently nominated for Game of the Year and Best Narrative at The Game Awards, we get into all aspects of the story and themes of this charming feline adventure. From its cyberpunk aesthetic and intelligent game design, it's a title that has definitely surprised us along with millions of gamers and non gamers around the world.

Follow mayamada on Twitch for future Story Club livestreams: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome back video game lawyer Rahul Gandhi to discuss everyone's favourite topics...blockchain, NFTs and the metaverse! We aim to have a (somewhat) balanced discussion on these Web3 technologies in the video games space. Along the way, we break down what they are, why they matter to video games...and why everyone seems to hate them.

This may be our most controversial episode yet. The industry is already littered with failed NFT experiments and passionate backlash, so we make an effort to go beyond the outrage, dig into the technology to gain a better understanding of it all.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome the Dynamic Duo of Greg Driver (Ace Comicals) and Annabel Anzy (Melanin Gamers) for a super powered deep dive into the latest DC film, Black Adam (from 28:39). We get stuck into this bombastic blockbuster to examine what worked and what didn't across the story's rollercoaster journey.

It's a comic book film over a decade in the making so we take time to debate narrative choices, which characters stand out and answer some listener questions too! This week's storytelling tip is all about developing the False-Ally Opponent character in your story.

Other stories we're enjoying: Gotham Knights, Born A Crime, Death of Superman, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities, Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher, Spy x Family, That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime, Paddington, Return of Mary Poppins, Dragon Quest Heroes 2, Saga, Castlevania, Mr Robot

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome the founder of FORMAT, Simran Whitham, to unpack the story that is his journey into the world of video game events. Described as "the ultimate gaming social", FORMAT is a nightlife event for gamers and non-gamers alike, and we discover how Simran found a passion for events and outreach that led him to create a platform for game studios, developers and fans to come together and have fun!

Simran talks about how family support shaped his outlook, and the lessons he has learned along the way from some of the biggest names in the games industry. We also learn about the places he has travelled to and how spending time away from video games has enriched the work he does today.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-121-behind-the-story-with-simran-whitham-video-games/

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This week we have a rewind of our video game roundtable livestream. Nigel and Tazziii are joined by a great panel of guests from the games industry: Rosie Taylor and Sky Tunley-Stainton from mental health charity Safe In Our World, alongside host and presenter CJ The Geek.

We share some of the games we're playing, before getting into video game news stories around the industry. The panel give their thoughts on the unprecedented GTA 6 leaks, Microsoft's ongoing purchase of Activision Blizzard and the first reactions to the Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer.

Follow mayamada on Twitch for future Story Club livestreams: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

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Nigel and Tazziii welcome YouTuber Daniel Morris to the show for a spooky deep dive into the stop-motion animation Coraline. We dig into what makes this well crafted story so creepy for young and older audiences while marvelling at the effort required to create such stunning visuals. The storytelling tip this week is all about setting the tone for your story.

Other stories we're enjoying: House of the Dragon, Andor, Disney Dreamlight Valley, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Better Place, Spy x Family, She Hulk.

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This week we have a rewind of our Story Club livestream for Tropic of the Sea. Nigel and Tazziii were joined by comic creators Lara Callaghan and Vittorio Deluca for a deep dive into the late anime auteur Satoshi Kon's first feature-length manga. We get into the narrative of this modern day fantasy, discuss its characters and the environmental themes while considering the process of creating comic stories.

Follow mayamada on Twitch for future Story Club livestreams: https://www.twitch.tv/mayamada

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Nigel and Tazziii welcome manga artists Inko and Chie for a deep dive into Makoto Shinkai's Weathering with You. We go on an emotional journey of young love within impending disaster to discuss this wonderfully animated feature. Along the way, we debate the environmental message of the film as well as the significance of the handgun in the narrative and Japanese society. This week's storytelling tip is all about your protagonist’s false beliefs and actions.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Bloodlands, Delicious in Dungeon, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., She-Hulk, One Piece, Malcolm In the Middle, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Lighthouse Witches, Witch Way Hollows Bay, Stray, Isola, Odd Taxi.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-119-not-your-climate-casanova-weathering-with-you/

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome comic artist and writer Cara Gaffney to talk about her journey as into the world of comics. We discuss her anthology project Tilt: Six Tales, successfully funded on Kickstarter this month and how she tackles the concept of digital immortality in her story “In Lilac & Silver”.

Cara talks about her personal comic projects and what she learned from developing her craft in...underground “Original Comic Tournaments”?! We also discuss representation and the need to depict diverse relationship in stories, plus give a ton of advice for new and aspiring comic creators.

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We're keeping it in house this week as Nigel and Tazziii welcome mayamada’s own Story Editor and ITV Programme Lawyer Lara-Lee Green for a deep dive into the impeccably crafted Pixar animation, Up. We take flight on a discussion about this unique Hero’s Journey with twists and turns that had us contemplating life’s meaning and the challenges of letting go to make space for new adventures in life…yes, it’s another podcast episode about an animation that raises deep existential questions! This week's storytelling tip is all about using emotion to deliver exposition in your narrative.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Trying, Severance, Witch Way to Hallows' Bay, Agents of Shield, Batman Unburied, Odd Taxi, Mr Robot, Demon Slayer.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome indie video game developer Graham Reid about his journey as a solo creator. We get into the realities of life since deciding to leave his job at Snapchat to become a full time developer, and what he has learned from his previous "9 to 5" role.

Graham gives us great advice on starting small as a creator, and how he overcomes imposter syndrome to be a positive example for future generations of diverse gaming talent. In between his multiple roles making Super Space club, Graham also tells us why he's added YouTuber to his list of job titles, and what we can expect from the rest of his journey.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome writer and photographer Mark Ōu Chéng for a deep dive into the fast-moving action comedy Bullet Train! We get on board this black comedy and its unique setting to debate where the stylised adaptation works and where it falls short of the station. With so many quirky characters and stand out moments, we have a lot of fun with this discussion...and even more fun with our (often questionable) train puns! This week's storytelling tip is all about setting up the third act in your narrative.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: The Three-Body Problem, She-Ra, Nope, She Hulk, Prince of Persia, One Piece, Castlevania, Sakamoto Days

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-115-alight-here-for-rail-puns-bullet-train/

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome Producer Mike Anderson to talk about his journey into the video games industry. We have a deep conversation as Mike discusses the path that led him from Quality Assurance (QA) through to his current role at the London-based indie game studio Ustwo Games.

He breaks down what is involved in being a Producer as he recaps what made their breakout hit Monument Valley such a success. Mike is also an advocate for improved representation in games and talks about the case for diversity in the industry and the work he does with the POC In Play organisation. We also get into what makes the Nintendo DS such a great console!

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This week on the podcast, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by writer Gary Swaby, also a member of the entertainment website The Koalition. We get into the 29th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: Love and Thunder...and do our best to stay positive. It's safe to say we weren't impressed but managed to find many (so many) storytelling lessons in the shortcomings of Thor's latest adventure. This week's storytelling tip is about setting the right tone for your stories.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Alex Cross, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Better Call Saul, Hades, Sleepy Hollow, The Witcher: Introducing the Witcher, Queen of the South, Demon Slayer, Castlevania.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii take a trip to the legal side of the video games industry with Rahul Gandhi, a game lawyer at the media and technology law firm Sheridans. We get into the journey to advising and negotiating for game companies and creators at all levels, before taking a tour around several key legal topics.

We discuss indie contracts with jakefriend, before talking about the mistakes that content creators often make when it comes to the legal side of their business. We also get into the recent high-profile video game acquisitions and what they could mean for the future of the industry.

And we almost make it to the end of the episode without mentioning the Metaverse and NFTs...but we'll leave that discussion for a later episode!

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Story x Story is back from the mid-season break with a brand new deep dive episode! This week, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by film producer and screenwriter Jed Shepherd to discuss the multiversal delight that is Everything Everywhere All At Once.

We delve into this truly unique cinema experience to determine what makes this absurdly chaotic plot work so well, and why a film with an Asian-led cast has such universal appeal. This week's storytelling tip is about creating meaning from the chaos in your stories.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Severance, The Time Traveller's Wife, Where the Crawdads Sing, The Umbrella Academy, Dreamscaper, Isola, Love Death & Robots, Stranger Things.

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This week's Rewind episode is part 3 of our July Mid-Season Livestream Special on Twitch. Nigel and Tazziii are joined by cosplayer and content creator Snickerdoodle Chan! We share one more round of the stories we've been enjoying so far this year including JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Kotaro Lives Alone and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. We also get to talk cosplay and get caught up everything Snickerdoodle has been up to since her first interview on episode 78. Stay tuned because next week we return from our mid season break and begin recording new episodes of Story x Story!

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This week's Rewind episode is part 2 of our July Mid-Season Livestream Special on Twitch. Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Twitch Partner and Host Trista Bytes! We get into more of the stories we've been enjoying so far this year including She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Sakamoto Days and Arcane: League of Legends. We also get into some video game announcements, giving our thoughts on news that pop culture events organiser ReedPop is officially taking over E3. Stay tuned to hear the third and final segment from the livestream next week before we begin recording Season 4 again from August 8th.

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This week's Rewind episode is from our 2022 midseason Twitch livestream! We're talking about our favourite stories of the year so far and in this first segment, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by NGI Events founder Rayokarna. We reveal some of the stories we've been enjoying recently including Super Sentai, Odd Taxi and Top Gun: Maverick...plus debate whether Nigel plays games or not! Stay tuned to hear the second and third segments from the livestream before we begin recording Season 4 again in August.

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In this week's Rewind episode, podcast co-host Tazziii leads an inclusive discussion with cosplayers from across the globe about the craft of cosplay. Tazziii is joined by Kotta Kitty (UK), Sonia Pinciaroli (Italy) and Black Bettie (United States) to discuss how everyone got into cosplay, what each has learned during the pandemic and why cosplay is and should be for everyone.

Stay tuned for Season 4 of Story x Story to resume recording in August!

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This week we have a Rewind episode from our Twitch livestream series, Casual Conversations with Comic Creators. Nigel speaks with fellow British manga creator Shango Edunjobi who tell us how he became a dancer before being a comic creator! He shares his thoughts on manga versus western comics as well as what drew him to anime while growing up. We also get into the craft of storytelling and debate the value of flashbacks in comics, and what we can learn from stories from other mediums.

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It's our last episode before our July recording break! This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome an esteemed panel of video game professionals to discuss the summer of games so far. Content Creators BillieTrixx and Miabyte along with Game and Narrative Designer Brenden Gibbons are all on hand to help us break down the most interesting stories around the industry, and share the video games they're enjoying right now. We get into Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo news...and even talk some sports ball!

Video games we're playing this week: Minecraft, Fortnite, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, Neon White, Dorfromantik, Hades, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Halo, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Psychonauts 2, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge.

Stay tuned to the podcast feed for more rewind episodes, and we'll be back again in August!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-110-the-dont-call-it-an-e3-roundtable/

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This week we have a Rewind episode from our Twitch livestream series, Casual Conversations with Comic Creators. Nigel speaks with South African Comic Creator Marius Smuts about how he became a comic fan at an early age before moving to the UK, plus some of his favourite creators and stories. Marius takes us through his approach to making comics from the perspective of a writer, director and documentary maker. We also get to talk about current comic book movies as well as the benefits of creating stories in the comic medium versus film.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome costume maker and cosplayer Sarah McClintock. They work across film, theatre, and TV for some of the biggest corporations around, and also make costumes for cool anime characters they want to dress up as at conventions. We get into Sarah's journey from Belfast to film sets and how they have used resources both in and out of education to build a career in an exciting and competitive industry.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-108-everyone-needs-a-hiro-belle-2/

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This week on Story x Story, Nigel and Tazziii welcome G.Sus Coplay on for a deep dive into the incredibly animated world of Belle. We get to explore the real world of the rural Japan where trauma leads to growth, as well as the virtual world of U with all its parallels to our own online lives. This week's storytelling tip is all about creating stories that exist in two different worlds.

Other stories we're enjoying: Dorohedoro, Odd Taxi, Spy × Family, Kill Baxter. Showdown in Cape Town: Roman, Komi Can't Communicate, Doll Face, Single Parents, Inside Job, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Love Death & Robots, Obi-Wan Kenobi

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Welcome to Story x Story! This week we have a rewind episode from the May livestream of our Casual Conversations With Comic Creators series. mayamada co-founder sits down with comic artist Renee Rienties for an open and honest conversation about the craft of comic storytelling.

We get into topics like dealing with burnout and self-doubt as a creator, as we discuss Renee's latest anthology project Figments of Passion. She tells us how she brought together artists from all over the world for a passion project born out the COVID-19 pandemic.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome (the other) mayamada co-founder Lao K for a discussion on the state of video game subscription services. We take a look at the efforts of the current major platform holders and debate how Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo's services stack up and what each has to offer in the space. Then we consider what impact game streaming and live services will have on video game ownership as we move into increasingly digital delivery models.

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii have a bumper panel of guests for a dive deep into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. We're joined by Jason & Rich from Woo Long Talks along with Vik Deluca from Mega City Comics shop in London. We debate the progression of Wanda Maximoff's character arc in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe release, its horror aesthetic and the brutal introduction (and exit) of the Illuminati! This week's storytelling tip is about bringing your story's MacGuffin to life.

Other stories we're enjoying: Dune, Boxing Day, Pirates, Spy x Family, Dr Sleep, Elden Ring, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Sakamoto Days, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Senior Year, Murder Any Witch Way, Moon Knight, Demon Slayer, Winning Time.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-106-doctor-strange/

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In this episode of Story x Story, Nigel and Tazziii welcome Taylor Campbell and Yasin Ali, two-thirds of the indie game developers known as Orthors.

We talk about the group's London roots and developing their gaming startup and what they have learned along the way. Taylor and Yasin tell us how they are making waves in gaming industry and what diversity means to them. We also find out why they started their own platform to get their message heard, and where the name "Orthors" came from!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-105-behind-the-story-with-orthors-video-games/

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome Bish Loves Mish from the Get A Life Podcast for an in depth discussion about the animated classic Spirited Away. We've discussed Hayao Miyazaki's work many times on the podcast and discover something new each time, even in this 20+ year old release! We dive deep into the story's themes that are still relevant today. From capitalism to toxic work culture and the power of names and identity. This week's storytelling tip is about using motifs and symbols in your story's narrative.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Food Wars, Spy x Family, Moon Knight, Finished Bridgerton, Tiger & Bunny, Moon Knight, Demon Slayer.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-104-whats-my-name-again-spirited-away/

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Podcast co-host Nigel sits down with Dutch comic creator Sabrina Koojimans in this week's Story x Story episode. Sabrina tells us about their journey as a comic creator and how they discovered the world of manga through Akira! A discovery that lead to a life of comic art and storytelling, all the way to being a published comic creator!

We talk about having confidence in your work, knowing where to put your energy when drawing and crowdfunding as an independent comic creator.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-103-behind-the-story-with-sabrina-koojimans-comics/

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Nigel and Tazziii welcome back to of the biggest Batman fans we know for a deep dive into Matt Reeves' The Batman. Annabel Ashalley-Anthony of Melanin Gamers and Greg Driver of Ace Comicals help us break down the latest film adaptation of the Caped Crusader.

We discuss some great performances, narrative themes and get into the debate around the film's length...was it too long or just the right length?

This week's storytelling tip is about the relationship between the protagonist and antagonist.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Apex Legends, Lego Star Wars, Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection, Pokemon: Arceus, The Lost City, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Sonic The Hedgehog, Loch Of The Dead, Moon Knight, Candles, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Psychonauts 2

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-102-vengeance-in-the-twilight-hours-the-batman/

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It's our first ever, second time returning interview guest!

Nigel and Tazziii welcome back Dutch comic artist Renee Rienties for her second "Behind The Story" episode. We catch up with what she has been up to since we first spoke at the start of the pandemic in 2020. Renee tells us about the challenges faced as an artist during COVID-19, her new comic anthology project and which anime character she would date! Check out our May "Casual Conversations With Comic Creators" Twitch livestream where we'll be talking more with Renee about her Kickstarter campaign.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-101-behind-the-story-with-renee-rienties-comics/

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We're officially members of the Triple Digit Club and for the 100th episode of Story x Story, Nigel and Tazziii take a deep dive into Pixar's Turning Red. We tackle the controversy that surrounded the film as we also examine its characters and narrative themes. Then we reflect on the last 99 episodes of the podcast to discuss our highlights from story discussions over the past three years. You'll also hear audio from Episode 0, plus some heart warming messages from previous guests. Thank you for being on the journey with us, here's to another 100 episodes!

Other stories we've been enjoying: Loch of the Dead: Frey & McGray Book 4, Joy, Silent Sea, Judas and the Black Messiah, Resort to Love.

show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-100-the-triple-digit-club-turning-red/

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii interview another awesome creative professional as we welcome cosplayer and Twitch Partner Jahara Jayde! Despite being new to both industries, Jahara has had an incredible rise and lets us in on her journey from Japanese Tutor to streamer cosplayer inspiring young BIPOC girls to enter the gaming and cosplay industry. She talks about finding what you love to do and the support needed to pursue it in this epic conversation!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-99-behind-the-story-with-jahara-jayde-cosplay/

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This week Nigel and Tazziii welcome Wesley Louis, Co-founder and Director at The Line Animation!

Get ready for a deep dive as we do a retrospective on the ground-breaking series that is Arcane: League of Legends. There is lots to talk about, from characters to emotional narrative and of course the incredible animation and art style. We cover it all from the perspective of storytellers with limited prior knowledge of the video game source material. We also get into this story's many themes and make a case for Silco being a good father...?

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-98-dont-cry-youre-perfect-arcane-league-of-legends/

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome Wireframe Magazine Features Editor Aaron Potter for a first appearance on the podcast! He joins us for a deep dive into the newly released Uncharted movie to discuss Tom Holland's latest blockbuster role. After a troubled production journey, we finally get to examine this video game adaptation and see how it stacks up to its video game source material. Our storytelling tip looks at the Hero's refusal of the call.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Red Rocket, No More Heroes 3, Always A Witch, Kotaro Lives Alone, Space Force, Kuroko's Basketball: Last Game, The Silent Sea.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-7-tales-of-ruffians-and-escapades-uncharted/

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This week, mayamada co-founder Nigel Twumasi welcomes freelance games concept artist Emilie Rinna. Emilie talks about her time growing up in France, how she discovered the role of a concept artist and the key role her mother played in her journey. She also provides young and aspiring artists with advice on getting started in the industry. Thank you to the French Institute in London for making this interview happen!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-96-behind-the-story-with-emilie-rinna-video-game-art/

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This week's Story x Story episode is a Rewind of our Story Club Twitch livestream, Nigel and Tazziii joined by Sachin Shah from Gaming the Mind.

The panel did a deep dive into the 2021 sequel Psychonauts 2 and we discussed all aspects of the game from its unique art style, incredible level design and strong themes around mental health

Story Club is a regular deep dive live stream series looking at comics and video game stories. Follow mayamada on twitch to catch the next one live!

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Nigel and Tazziii bring out the video game roundtable for a worldwide discussion industry news stories. This week, we're joined by Matt and Destinee from the Burn Out Brighter podcast, plus Hassan and Levi from The Nerd Alternative.

Acquisitions are the hot topic for the day as we get into the panel's thoughts on Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard, Sony's purchase of Bungie, and Nintendo's...well, who knows!

Games we're playing: Summer in Mara, Horizon Forbidden West, Skul: The Hero Slayer, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, Psychonauts 2.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-95-the-mergers-acquisitions-roundtable-video-games/

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In this week's Story x Story episode, Nigel and Tazziii talk with self-taught comic creator Feff Silvers.

We discover her journey from physics to illustration and how a visit to a comic convention sparked her passion for producing "very British" manga-style stories.

Feff also talks about the realities of self employment in the comics space, while giving plenty of tips for aspiring creators.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-94-behind-the-story-with-feff-silvers-comics/

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Season 4 starts here! We're back recording the Story x Story podcast and this week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome mayamada co-founder Lao K and Into Games Community Manager, Tom Bradstreet, for a deep dive into the sci-fi epic Dune.

And what a story to start with...we travel to Arrakis to get into this complex, multi-layered narrative and discuss how well this latest attempt at adapting Frank Herbert's novel fares with our panel. This week's storytelling tip looks at the different ways you can end your story.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Lord of the Rings, Amazing Spider-Man, Pillars of the Earth Naruto Shippududn, Halo: Memory Agent, Odd Taxi, Skyward Sword. Narcos: Mexico, Terror in Resonance, Star Wars Clone Wars.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-93-did-i-mention-ive-read-the-book-dune/

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It's our final Rewind episode before we return for Season 4 of the Story x Story podcast! This week you can enjoy the audio from our February GamePad Report livestream recording. Everyone month Nigel and Tazziii record The GamePad Report, our round-up of announcements for GamePad the mayamada universe.

We also talk about the gaming news stories that have caught our attention over the past month. And there's only one story on everyone's mind...Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard!

Listen to what we think and stay tuned for Season 4 of the podcast, starting next week!

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We're on a recording break over January, but you can enjoy this Rewind series of podcast episodes about breaking into the video games industry.

mayamada co-founder Nigel Twumasi speaks with Chris Sayers (Mediatonic Games), Saskia Bünte (The Chinese Room) and Matt Lawson-Hall (MADE BY TITANS) about how they found their way to working in games.

In Part 3, we talk about what our panellists enjoy most about working in video games plus what releases they are looking forward to most.

Stay tuned...we'll be back for Season 4 of Story x Story in February!

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We're on a recording break over January, but you can enjoy this Rewind series of podcast episodes about breaking into the video games industry.

In Part 2, we talk in more detail about exactly what each panellist does as well as the perception versus the reality of those roles.

Stay tuned...we'll be back for Season 4 of Story x Story in February!

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We're on a recording break over January, but you can enjoy this Rewind series of podcast episodes about breaking into the video games industry.

mayamada co-founder Nigel Twumasi speaks with Chris Sayers (Mediatonic Games), Saskia Bünte (The Chinese Room) and Matt Lawson-Hall (MADE BY TITANS) about how they found their way to work in games.

In Part 1, we look at each person's origin story, that is, what it took to make the switch from player to game developer

Stay tuned...we'll be back for Season 4 of Story x Story in February!

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We're taking a recording break and will be back with Season 4 of the podcast in February! In the meantime, you can enjoy a rewind of our GamePad livestream interview with Italian Game Designer Pietro Riva, founder of the indie studio Santa Ragione.

Nigel and Tazziii talk with Pietro about his board game background, the challenges of getting your game seen as an indie, as well as his manifesto on minimalist game design.

We'll be back with new episodes next month - enjoy and happy new year!

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It's the last episode of 2021!! For our season 3 Wrapped episode, Nigel and Tazziii each put together their personal top five stories of the year. There's room for honourable mentions and stories that surprised us too as we recap our favourite anime, TV shows, films and games that made us stop and take notice over the past 12 months. We'll be back in February with season 4 of Story x Story, but you'll be able to enjoy some bonus rewind episodes over January until we start recording again in 2022!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-92-2021-wrapped-our-favourite-stories/

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In this week's Story x Story episode Nigel and Tazziii welcome back Art Director for TreesPlease Games, Riana McKeith, to look back over the first two seasons of Disney's The Mandalorian.

We discuss what makes this such an accessible entry point into the Star Wars universe, and the impressive technology behind its production. Great worldbuilding, characters and our favourite episodes are all covered...we also spend a lot of time discussing the cuteness of Baby Yoda!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-91-the-npcs-of-star-wars-the-mandalorian/

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It's that time of the year to look back at another year of great story discussions! Listen to some of the highlights, pre-show chats and bloopers from Season 3 of the Story x Story podcast, brought to you by Nigel and Tazziii!

We've packed in some of our favourite moments from a year of talking about stories across pop culture with some amazing returning and new guests across comics, manga, cosplay, video games and more. Sit back and enjoy the ride as we near the end of another season of the show!

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In this week's Story x Story episode, Nigel is joined by guest co-host Pinali to get into one of the biggest film releases of the year.

They are joined by Amiad Fredman and Studio77 member KottaKitty for a deep dive into Spider-Man: No Way Home. We cover all the surprises in the latest entry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as examine what the story gets right and wrong.

This week's storytelling tip is about creating protagonists who carry the burden of responsibility.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Dexter, PEN15, The Witcher, The Arcane, Ori and the Blind Forest, The Mandalorian, Hawkeye.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-89-find-peter-parker-spider-man-no-way-home/

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In this week's Story x Story episode Nigel and Tazziii talk with journalist and author Bounthavy Suvilay, who has literally written the book on indie games. She talks about the making of her book "Indie Games" which takes a detailed look at the history of the craft, culture and business of independently developing video games.

We get into the reality for pursuing your dream, advice for aspiring developers and also find time to talk about Bounthavy's passion for anime and manga.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-88-behind-the-stroy-with-bounthavy-suvilay-indie-games/

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In this week's episode of Story x Story Nigel and Tazziii welcome Osh Carr and Miranda Evans from Europe's biggest cosplay channel, The 86th Floor!

It's a super-powered conversation as we dive deep into the 2004 Pixar animation The Incredibles. We talk about Metroville's response to "supers", what the story's themes say about exception talent today and our favourite characters in the film.

This week's storytelling tip is about showcasing character personalities through their design.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Hawkeye, Kong vs Godzilla, Canon Busters, Seven Deadly Sins, Boxing Day, Stardew Valley, King Richard, Arcane.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-87-absolutely-no-capes-the-incredibles/

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This week's Story x Story episode is a replay of our first-ever "Story Club" Twitch livestream from September 2021.

Story Club is a new series where we do a live deep dive on a comic, manga or video game with guests. Nigel and Tazziii welcome Ace Comicals host Greg Drive and Colourist Eren Angiolini for a deep dive into the all-ages fantasy graphic novel Scales & Scoundrels. The panel gets into the artwork, characters and narrative themes plus takes questions from our livestream chat!

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In this week's Story x Story episode Nigel and Tazziii welcome creative storyteller Muniyra Douglas to talk about her journey into the African comic book industry. She tells us how she landed her role of Editor in Chief at Nigerian based creative content and entertainment company VX Comics. We talk about the need for an editor in the process of making comic stories, and how she works with a remote team spanning multiple continents! Muniyra also gives her advice for any aspiring comic creator, plus highlights the challenges of bringing more diversity into the comic book industry.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-86-behind-the-story-with-muniyra-douglas-vx-comics

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This week's Story x Story episode is a bumper episode as Nigel and Tazziii form our own super powered ensemble cast to break down Marvel's Eternals. We welcome Greg Driver and Leon Everett from the Ace Comicals podcast, along with Vik Deluca from Mega City Comics for a very deep dive into this very divisive entry to the MCU where we talk about how the film deals with the weight of Jack Kirby's original comic source material, where it misses the mark as well as what it does well.

This week's storytelling tip is about creating multiple protagonists for your story.

Other stories we're enjoying: Hades, Halloween, Seinfeld, 20th Century Boys, Locke and Keye, Red Notice, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, Kuroko's Basketball, The Mandalorian

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-85-to-eternity-and-beyond-eternals/

EPISODE TIMELINE

Stories We're Enjoying - 5:16

Main Story Discussion - 26:10

Storytelling Tip - 1:56:07

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In this week's Story x Story episode Nigel and Tazzii welcome narrative designer Arden Osthof and micro developer Quang Nguyen to talk about handheld gaming. We get into our first experiences with portable consoles, what makes games on the go unique and the dominance of Nintendo in this market.

With Valve's Steam Deck on the horizon, we also look and the latest challenge to Nintendo's crown. Can Valve's upcoming handheld become a success where others have failed?

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-84-heres-the-thing-about-handhelds-video-games/

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome Melanin Gamers team members Laura and Donavan for a deep dive into Satoshi Kon's surreal anime thriller Paprika. We break down the many thought-provoking themes and what the story says about our relationship with our dreams and media environment. This week's storytelling tip is about creating transitions to develop your story's narrative.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: The time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Miss Kobayashi, Until Dawn, Shield Hero, Ori and the Blind Forest, Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise, Kuroko's Basketball.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-83-it-was-all-a-fever-dream-paprika/

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with Nina Modaffari, a concept artist working at EA's Maxis Studios. Nina tells us how she got her start in the video games industry, going on to land a role working on The Sims 4 after being a fan of the game! We get into the ins and outs of the concept artist role in the video game development process, why representation matters in the industry and plant care too.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-82-behind-the-story-with-nina-modaffari-games-and-art/

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This Story x Story bonus is a replay of our Twitch livestream video game roundtable. Nigel and Tazziii welcome Lauren Kaye, Streamcast and LiyahABG to our roundtable to talk about the state of next gen gaming. We get into the upcoming Halo Infinite and Xbox's Game Pass strategy, PlayStation's first party line up...and whether Nintendo can hold onto their handheld crown with the Steam Deck incoming. We also take some time to delve into a controversial move from Twitch and try to figure out what makes Grand Theft Auto so popular!

Games we're enjoying: Dark Souls, Little Nightmares 2, Animal Crossing, Dead by Daylight, Lost Judgment, Pokémon Diamond, Ratchet & Clank.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-special-next-gen-console-roundtable/

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In this week's episode of Story x Story Nigel and Tazziii welcome Woo Long Talks podcast co-host Rich Reviews for a deep dive into Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. We talk about the Master of Kung-Fu's debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film's Millennial themes and what it all means for representation in Hollywood blockbuster cinema. This week's storytelling tip is about delivering exposition through action.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Kim's Convenience, Sex Education, Star Link, Turner and Hooch, Until Dawn, Cobra Kai, Batman and the Justice League Manga, Erased.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-81-like-fathers-like-sons-shang-chi/

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome Founder and Project Director of Spritewrench Studios, Glen Henry. Glen pulls back the curtain as he tells us about his journey in creating his own micro-studio and what the video game culture is like in Jamaica. We also discover what he has learnt from making games independently with a focus on narrative, and his favourite manga titles!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-80-behind-the-story-with-spritewrench-studios

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In this week's Story x Story episode Nigel and Tazziii welcome mayamada co-founder Lao back to the podcast for a deep dive into the video game inspired film Free Guy. We get into all aspects of the story, from its many gaming references to narrative themes and what the story says about the current state of the video game industry and its players. This week's storytelling tip is about the value of a clueless character

Other stories we're enjoying: James Bond, Pillars of the Earth, Shadow and Bone, Queen of the South, Little Nightmares.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-79-two-guys-a-game-and-a-cappuccino-free-guy/

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In this week's Story x Story episode Nigel and Tazziii welcome up and coming cosplayer Snickerdoodle Chan to talk about her journey and the craft of cosplay! We learn how Snickerdoodle got into cosplaying and the way she uses social media to showcase her unique spin on popular anime and video game characters. We also discuss challenges cosplaying as a person of colour and how to deal with negative encounters online. Tune in for great advice for aspiring cosplayers and creative professionals alike!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-78-behind-the-story-with-snickerdoodle-chan-cosplay/

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Nigel and Tazziii welcome manga creator Inko Ai Takita for a deep dive into the feature-length anime Your Name in this week's Story x Story episode. We explore the emotional rollercoaster of the narrative, as well as the incredible visuals and themes put together by director Makoto Shinkai. We also get into our favourite characters and moments in this journey across time to find a soul mate. The week's story tip is about creating a non-linear narrative.

Other stories we've been enjoying: Little Nightmares, Wave, Listen to Me, Fire Force, Assassination Classroom, Free Guy, Horizon Zero Dawn, Beastars.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-77-guess-its-a-time-machine-your-name/

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In this week's bonus episode, you can listen to the full replay of our Twitch livestream interview with Michael Chu, Narrative Director at 31st Union a previous lead writer of Overwatch.

Nigel and Tazziii sit with Michael to talk about his journey into the games industry and the process of writing for some of the world's biggest video games including Grounded, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II and of course Overwatch. Michael also gives us a behind the scenes look at making games, plus some of his favourite Ramen recommendations on both sides of the Atlantic.

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In our latest Story x Story episode Nigel and Tazziii welcome VTuber and Voice Actor, Tiffany Witcher to talk about the world of virtual Twitch streaming. Tiffany lets us how she came from studying theatre to livestreaming through a virtual avatar. We also get into her work in voice acting, charity streaming and advocating for better accessibility in gaming, offering tons of advice for aspiring creatives!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-76-behind-the-story-with-tiffany-witcher-vtubing-voice-acting/

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You can now listen to all 5 segments of our Story x Story Twitch livestream in your podcast feed.

In our fifth and final segment of the stream, Nigel and Tazziii sit down with indie video game developer Graham Reid to talk to us about his game Super Space Club. You can hear how Graham got into the video games industry, what games he is looking forward to and the process of making his a game as a solo developer!

You can also catch Super Space Club as an Xbox console launch exclusive later this year!

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome comic creator Robert Luckett to a deep dive into James Gunn's DC film The Suicide Squad. Part sequel, part remake, we discuss where this new entry to the DC Extended Universe improves on the first effort (the importance of "The") and our favourite members of the squad! This week's storytelling tip is about making your story's protagonist an antihero.

Stories we're enjoying this week: Odd Taxi, Sam & Max, Fairy Tail, Dragon Quest Builders 2, Inuyasha, 7 Deadly Sins, Kakegurui, Queen of the South.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-75-high-human-violence-the-suicide-squad/

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In this week's episode of Story x Story Nigel talks to Game Designer Rosa Carbó-Mascarell about her journey into the video games industry! She reveals how Portal led her to discover gaming as a career option and moved from architecture into a freelance role and gives advice on getting into games and how we can make the industry more inclusive for all.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-74-behind-the-story-with-rosa-carbo-mascarell-video-games/

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Story x Story is back from our mid-season break, bringing you more story deep dives until the end of the year!

This week Nigel is joined by Daniel Morris aka Dan's Distillery for a great conversation about Disney's animated feature Raya and the Last Dragon. We talk about the incredible animation, the story's themes, character representation and the difference between Disney and Pixar animation...oh and dragons too!

This week's story tip is all about adding depth to your story's characters.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-73-its-a-con-baby-world-raya-and-the-last-dragon/

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It's a mid-season podcast special! You can now listen to all 5 segments of our Story x Story Twitch livestream in your podcast feed.

The third segment is brought to you in collaboration with Broken Frontier. Nigel is joined by Editor-in-Chief Andy Oliver alongside comic creators Shazleen Khan and Nic Mac. We talk about the comic stories we're reading right now as well as our own comic projects that we have on the go during lockdown.

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It's a mid-season podcast special! You can now listen to all 5 segments of our Story x Story Twitch livestream in your podcast feed.

In our fourth segment, Tazziii chats with Andy from Streamcast and Twitch streamer Mikayla Jones about the video games they're playing, expectations from the summer of games and whether Luigi is the better of the Mario brothers!

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It's a mid-season podcast special! You can now listen to all 5 segments of our Story x Story Twitch livestream in your podcast feed.

In this second segment, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Alan from Melanin Gamers to talk about the stories we're enjoying so far this year. We get into our thoughts about Netflix's anime series Yasuke, the first few Marvel shows on Disney+ and some video game news too.

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It's a mid-season podcast special. You can now listen to all 5 segments of our Story x Story Twitch livestream in your podcast feed!

In part 1, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by mayamada Co-Founder Lao K and Illustrator Pinali. We talk about the making of the new Serious: Through The Fog manga, and who's mayamada character resembles them the most.

We also get into some of our favourite stories of the year so far. This is part 1 of 5, so stay tuned for more bonus episodes over the summer holidays!

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In this episode of Story x Story Nigel and Tazziii sit down with indie developer Neil Jones aka Aerial_Knight. We discuss his journey into the video games industry...from failing to find a job to releasing the breakout debut Aerial_Knight's Never Yield. Find out what it takes to create your own lane in gaming as we go behind the story with another creative talent!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-72-behind-the-story-with-aerial-knight/

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In this episode of Story x Story we bring to you a replay of our Creativity & Cosplay Twitch Livestream! GamePad Host Tazziii talks with cosplayers Midnight Pursona, Yakfrost and Wonder Kat about their journey and how they have continued their craft throughout the pandemic. They also discuss overcoming challenges and advice for cosplayers everywhere as we take on questions from the live chat.

Follow mayamada on Twitch to catch our future panel and interview events live!

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This week in Story x Story, Nigel and Tazziii sit with Rachael Smith, creator of Quarantine Comix: A Memoir of Life in Lockdown. They talk about her journey as a full time comic writer and artist work on many critically acclaimed graphic novels in her career so far. This great conversation covers life during the pandemic, imposter syndrome as an artist and plenty more advice for new and experience creative professionals alike!

Buy Quarantine Comix: https://www.waterstones.com/book/quarantine-comix/rachael-smith/9781785787836

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-71-behind-the-story-with-rachael-smith-quarantine-comix/

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This week, Nigel and Tazziii welcome writer and comic creator Christian Carnouche for a deep dive into the 2013 sci-fi film Snowpiercer. We break down Bong Joon-ho's allegorical story that comments on income inequality, segregation of social classes...and the proper placement of shoes! This episode story tip is about using allegory to convey your narrative message.

Stories we're enjoying this week: Carbon and Silicium, Once Upon A Time, Dragon Quest Builders 2, The Mandalorian, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-70-you-are-not-a-shoe-snowpiercer/

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This week's Story x Story epiosode is a replay from our Twitch livestream discussion "Work + Play: Mental Health in Video Games", part of the Games Careers Week.

Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Sachin Shah (Gaming the Mind), Amiad Fredman (Safe In Our World) and Ed Stern (Splash Damage) shed light on an important topic for those who are interested in being part of the video games industry.

https://gamingthemind.org

https://safeinourworld.org

https://www.splashdamage.com

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Nigel and Tazziii bring together another roundtable to talk about the upcoming E3 2021 event! They are joined by Esports Hosts John Pee and Veracity along with the founder of GEEK GAME TYTE, REDinFamy. We debate the need for a physical E3 in a post pandemic landscape, plus what games we're looking forward to from the industry showpiece event. The panel also discuss what cross-gen gaming means for the longevity of the previous generation and impact of the current one.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-69-the-fast-train-to-e3-video-games/

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In this week's Story x Story episode Nigel and Tazziii welcome Lead Narrative Designer at Silver Rain Games Corey Brotherson and Player Support Liaison at Jagex Jasmine Moore to talk about video game storytelling. We discuss some of our favourite video game stories and what makes games unique as a storytelling medium and also get into issues with Ludonarrative dissonance and advice for aspiring video game writers.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-68-the-players-journey-video-games/

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In this week's Story x Story episode Nigel and Tazziii welcome author and The Koalition journalist, Gary Swaby for a deep dive into sci-fi adventure Minority Report. We look at how well this 2002 vision of future technology holds up in 2021 and discuss some big themes and the ethics of convicting people in the present for future actions.

This week's story tip is about implementing exposition though conflict and characters.

Stories we're enjoying this week: Warbreaker, The Poppy War, Dragon Quest Builders 2, The Nevers, Mr Robot, Firewatch

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-67-throwback-to-thought-crimes-minority-report/

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This episode is a bumper interview episode! Nigel and Tazziii interview Bob Cheshire, concept artist for Disney and Jurassic World franchises. He has worked on titles including: Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker, Endgame, Infinity War, Black Widow, Jurassic World 3! We talk about Bob's journey from school teacher to working on some of the biggest films on the planet! There's lots of advice for aspiring illustrators from an incredible creative professional.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-66-behind-the-story-with-bob-cheshire-concept-artist

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In Story x Story this week Nigel and Tazziii welcome Annabel Ashalley-Anthony, founder of Melanin Gamers and resident DC Stan to discuss Batman: The Killing Joke. We cover this animated adaptation of a classic graphic novel and definitive Joker origin story. We also talk about the problematic inclusion of the Barbara Gordon prologue in the animation version as well and this dark interpretation of the Joke character. This week's storytelling tip is about making good use of plot devices in your story.

Stories we're enjoying: Horizon Zero Dawn, Tiger & Bunny, Yasuke, Deadly Class, Black Lagoon

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-65-so-the-joke-was-on-us-batman-the-killing-joke/

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The final part of our bonus episode is here! This is audio from the spring GamePad Online panel discussion looking at the growing size of video games and whether they are becoming "too big" as we move into a new generation. mayamada co-founder Nigel is joined by GAMINGbible journalist Imogen Mellor, founder of indie studio Asobi.tech Quang Nguyen and Creative Director at Perpetual Games Annie Grudeva. In part 3, we look towards the future and the actions we can take as an industry to ensure smoother game launches.

You can also watch part one of the panel on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uvpGuxzKCKM

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Welcome back to part 2 of our audio from the spring GamePad Online panel discussion looking at the growing size of video games and whether they are becoming "too big" as we move into a new generation! mayamada co-founder Nigel is joined by GAMINGbible journalist Imogen Mellor, founder of indie studio Asobi.tech Quang Nguyen and Creative Director at Perpetual Games Annie Grudeva. In part 2, we look at the expectation for large games from a games media and fan perspective.

You can also watch part one of the panel on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uGgtTbpBboo

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This week's bonus episode is audio from the spring GamePad Online panel discussion looking at the growing size of video games and whether they are becoming "too big". mayamada co-founder Nigel is joined by GAMINGbible journalist Imogen Mellor, founder of indie studio Asobi.tech Quang Nguyen and Creative Director at Perpetual Games Annie Grudeva. In part 1, we look at a brief history of open world games and what led to CD Projekt RED's rocky launch of Cyberpunk 2077.

You can also watch part one of the panel on YouTube: https://youtu.be/KJW-z839wKk

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In this week's Story x Story episode Nigel and Tazziii welcome screenwriter Jed Shepard to talk about streaming services and their impact on storytelling. Jed tells us how his horror film Host became a runaway success during lockdown, being called "the scariest movie of the past decade" and "the genre phenomenon of 2020". We discuss binge watching, reaching niche audiences and the future impact of streaming services post-pandemic.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-64-how-streaming-is-changing-storytelling/

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In this week's episode of Story x Story Nigel and Tazziii welcome presenter and content creator, Trista Bytes for a deep dive into the Studio Ghibli animation, Kiki's Delivery Service. We figure out which version of the animation each person has seen and then get into the characters and favourite moments in this coming of age story, with themes still incredibly relevant 30+ years later. This week's storytelling tip is about exploring your story's theme through its characters.

Stories we're enjoying this week: Are You Human, The Way of the House Husband, Falcon & the Winter Soldier, Mr Robot.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-63-subbed-dubbed-or-all-the-above-kikis-delivery-service/

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"We're back for Story x Story and It's just Nigel and Tazziii here for this week! We get into a deep dive talk about X-Men: Days of Future Past. We discuss Charles' journey as protagonist and Magneto's flair for the dramatic as well as getting into our expectations for the X-Men in the Marvel Cinematic Universe...can you have too many character in a franchise? This episode's story tip is about raising the stakes in your story.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: A King’s Tale: Final Fantasy XV, Great Pretender, The Way of the House Husband, The Irregulars, Black Lagoon, Falcon & The Winter Soldier, Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Show Notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-62-through-places-space-and-time-x-men-days-of-the-future-past/

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This week's Story x Story episode is a Twitch Livestream replay! Nigel and Tazziii talk with Square Enix Product Manager, Karla Reyes and Code Coven Alumni, Midi Mayo about the journey into the video games industry. As Karla prepares for the release of the upcoming Tomb Raider Reloaded mobile game, she gives advice on how to break into video games and we're also joined by illustrator Midi about her early stage journey and aspirations in video games and VTubing.

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In this week's Story x Story episode Nigel and Tazziii talk with concept artist and illustrator, Celine Choo about her journey to become a professional freelance artist. Celine describes the steps she took to develop her career after graduating from university. It's a journey that saw her take up roles in character design, video games and the toy industry and we also find out how food influences her work and the value of being a good person to collaborate with!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-61-behind-the-story-with-celine-choo-illustrator/

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In this week's episode, Nigel and Tazziii welcome Art Director at TreesPlease Games, Riana McKeith and Comic Artist, Renee Rienties to an existential crisis party as we talk about Pixar's, Soul. We discuss passion, purpose and what it means to find your spark for life as protagonist Joe searches for and achieves what he was born to do. In this episode's storytelling tip, Nigel talks about establishing the rules for your story's world.

Stories we're enjoying: WandaVision, Ghosts of Tsushima, You, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Moriarty the Patriot, Sweet Home, Great Pretender, Black Lagoon.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-60-what-i-want-is-the-ocean-soul/

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In this week's episode Nigel and Tazziii sit down with content creator and Twitch steamer, Voyevoda Rose to talk about her journey into video games. She describes how she turned a negative experience into a positive and co-founded the community Divine Muses to support women in the fighting game community space. Rose gives valuable advice for other looking to make their own way as a streamer and tells us what it means to be an "FGC Mom"!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-59-behind-the-story-with-voyevoda-rose-divine-muses/

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In this week's episode Nigel and Tazziii welcome mayamada Story Editor Lara-Lee Green and Concept Artist Rogier van de Beek for a discussion on 2013's Pacific Rim. We talked about Guillermo del Toro's homage to the anime mecha genre, adapted as a summer blockbuster. Listen and find out who we thoughts could have made a more interesting protagonist than the one we got, and our favourite Jaeger models.

Nigel's story tip looks at considerations around plot versus character based storytelling.

Stories we're enjoying: Coming 2 America, Divinity: Original Sin 2, WandaVision

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-58-rumble-in-the-kaiju-jungle-pacific-rim/

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This bonus episode of Story x Story is audio of our livestreamed Studio77 interview about esports and gaming communities where Nigel and Tazziii talk with Chis Davis, founder of Phorce Management Group and Black Gamer League. Chris tells us about his journey into video games and how he combines his love of sports with competitive gaming. We also talk (just a little bit) of regular sports too!

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Our first games roundtable of 2021 is a big one! Nigel and Tazziii welcome Alysia Judge, Rayokana, EbonixSims, Nimmz and Quang Nguyen to talk about games and the industry. We share our thoughts on the very 2020 release of Cyberpunk 2077 and also talked about the state of PS5, Xbox, Nintendo and how wealth disparities plays a role in diversity in video game development.

Games we're playing: Return of the Obra Dinn, Warframe, Phantasy Star Online 2, The Walking Dead Series, The Sims, Super Mario 3D World + Bowsers Fury, Strange Brigade, Guilty Gear Strive, Project Winter, Tetris99, Super Mario Kart 8, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Watch Dogs: Legion, Injustice 2, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-57-were-going-to-need-a-bigger-roundtable-video-games/

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In this episode of Story x Story Nigel and Tazziii interview Rich Siegel, founder of independent studio Cleaversoft. He talks about his journey from restaurant delivery startup to game developer, and the story behind Cleaversoft's first game EarthNight. Rich gives great advice on practising your craft as a game designer, representation in video games and what he is looking forward to most form future generations of video games.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-56-behind-the-story-with-rich-siegel-cleaversoft/

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Season 3 starts here! Nigel and Tazziii are back with a brand new season of Story x Story and we welcome Laura and Donavan of Melanin Gamers to discuss Satoshi Kon's animation thriller, Perfect Blue. We get into the disturbingly relevant themes and expert use of colour and symbolism in this feature length anime. This episode's storytelling tip is about using foreshadowing and misdirection in your stories.

Stories we're enjoying this week: My Love Story, Mobile Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, Alien Isolation, Queen's Gambit

Show Notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-55-we-came-for-the-intentional-confusion-perfect-blue/

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It's our last bonus episode before the return of Story x Story Season 3 in February! In this episode, co-host Nigel talks to Teddy Kossoko, founder of Masseka Game Studio and 2018 Forbes Africa 30 under 30. Teddy talks about why he started his own games studio, making video games to showcase African cultures. He also talks about the opportunities and challenges making games for the African continent, pursuing his ambition and his views on the new generation PS5 and Xbox consoles.

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In this Twitch livestream audio replay, Co-host Tazziii talks to three cosplayers about adapting their craft during the 2020 pandemic. Taylor Van Gilder, Casey from LM Cosplays and Lissandela from Kigu Talks discuss cosplaying difficulties, lessons and hopes for 2021, take a listen now to see what they have to say about their craft! This is a bonus episode. We'll be returning of season 3 of Story x Story in February.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-podcast-cosplay-in-2020-and-beyond-panel/

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In our final episode of Story x Story from 2020, Nigel and Tazziii wrap up 2020 their personal top 5 stories of the year. There's room for honorable mentions too as we recap the comics, shows, films and games that got us though an unprecedented year. We'll be back in February with season 3 of Story x Story. You can enjoy bonus episodes over January ahead of our return!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-podcast-2020-wrapped/

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Sit back and listen to some of the best bits from Season 2 of the Story x Story podcast, brought to you by Nigel and Tazziii! Catch the best bits from a year talking stories across pop culture with a variety of guests from across comics, manga, cosplay, video games and more. We've also thrown in pre show audio and a blooper or two for good measure!

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You can now listen to all 5 segments of our Story x Story Twitch livestream in your podcast feed! In part 5, Tazziii welcomes Asobi. tech founder Quang and one-quarter of the Streamcast team Troy to talk about the gaming stories that stuck with them in 2020. We also discuss the release of Cyberpunk 2077 and debate how big video games need to be. Make sure you listen to the previous 4 bonus episodes that were released over the Christmas holidays and we'll see you in the new year!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-end-of-year-livestream/

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You can now listen to all 5 segments of our Story x Story Twitch livestream in your podcast feed! In part 4, Nigel and Tazziii invite the founders of Melanin Gamers, Annabel and Alan Ashalley-Anthony to share their favourite stories across film and TV. We also spoke about what we're looking forward to most in 2021 and shared a public service announcement about bread. This is part 4 of 5, so stay tuned for the final bonus episode over the holidays!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-end-of-year-livestream/

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You can now listen to all 5 segments of our Story x Story Twitch livestream in your podcast feed! In part 3, Nigel welcomes a panel of comic fans and creators, Eren Angiolini, Mikiko, Greg Driver and Lara Callaghan to highlight the stories that caught our attention in 2020. We also spoke about what we're looking forward to most in 2021, including a swift return to conventions. This is part 3 of 5, so stay tuned for more bonus episodes over the Christmas holidays!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-end-of-year-livestream/

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You can now listen to all 5 segments of our Story x Story Twitch livestream in your podcast feed! In part 2, Tazziii is joined by long time mayamada fans and supporters, Michael, Kin and Hayley. We talked what got us through the year as well as the stories and games that got us most excited to in 2020. This is part 2 of 5, so stay tuned for more bonus episodes over the Christmas holidays!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-end-of-year-livestream/

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Merry Christmas! You can now listen to all 5 segments of our Story x Story Twitch livestream in your podcast feed! In part 1 of our end of year livestream episode, Nigel and Tazziii are joined by mayamada Co-founder Lao K, Illustrator Pinali and Story Editor Lara-Lee. We talked about the process of making our manga, turning ourselves into characters and our favourite stories of 2020. This is part 1 of 5, so stay tuned for more bonus episodes over the Christmas holidays!

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-end-of-year-livestream/

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In our final podcast recording of 2020, Nigel and Tazziii welcome video game host and fan of narrative based games, Mr Midas to dive deep into The Last of Us Part 2. We talk about the consequences of Joel's actions in the first game, Ellie and Abby's character arcs plus whether we think the game is worthy of the Game of the Year title. This week's storytelling tip is about using flashbacks in your story, a storytelling device used to great impact in The Last of Us Part 2 narrative.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-52-cant-we-all-just-talk-it-out-the-last-of-us-part-2/

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This time in Story x Story, Nigel and Tazziii welcome back host and content creator Trista Bytes as we dive into the classic anime Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. We examine the storytelling elements that have led to its high concepts, fleshed out character arcs and complex narrative being considered among the best of all time, plus we answer your questions about the show and check to see if it is still too soon!

Show notes:

https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-51-it-will-always-be-too-soon-fma/

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Join Nigel and Tazziii as they welcome Art Director, Riana McKeith for a deep dive into the mind with Pixar's animated feature Inside Out. We break down the journey taken by Riley and Joy and recap our favourite moments of an emotionally complex narrative, made simple enough for a child to understand. This week's storytelling tip is about the role the forces of antagonism can play in your story.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Last of Us Part 2, The Mandalorian, The Seven Deadly Sins and Watchmen.

Full show notes:

https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-50-this-is-riley-talking-to-riley-inside-out/

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In this bonus episode, co-host Nigel sits down with three comic and animation creators to discuss the manga and anime medium in a special panel for Thought Bubble Digital Festival.

Comic creators Lara Callaghan and Mikiko, along with animator Wesley Louis demystify manga and introduce newcomers to the medium.

Video Panel YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvIkUjZ0iPk

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Nigel and Tazziii welcome Fabrice Sapolsky, comic writer, artist, editor, publisher and co-creator of Spider-Man Noir. Fabrice tells us how his publishing company Fair Square Comics seeks to support and provide more exposure to under-represented creators around the world.

This is an episode for comic lovers as well as aspiring comic creators! Fabrice breaks down the business of comics and passes on a ton of advice from a career that has included working with Panini Comics, Marvel plus his own independently made titles.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-49-behind-the-story-with-fabrice-sapolsky-fair-square-comics/

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In this episode of Story x Story Nigel and Tazziii welcome Woo Long Talks Podcast hosts Jason and Rich to discuss Russo Brothers directed epic Captain America: Civil War. We debated the merits of Team Cap versus Team Iron man and which side of the superhero oversight debate we all fell on. We also gave tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, who delivered an incredible debut in the MCU as Black Panther. This week's story tip is about creating a third meaningful third act to deliver on the themes of your narrative.

Stories we're enjoying this week: Food Wars (Anime), X-Men: X of Swords (Comic), Bly Manor (TV) and Mr Robot (TV).

Notice: Apologies for the slight but hilarious audio distortion on the audio of one of our guests.

Show notes:

https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-48-its-time-we-picked-sides-captain-america-civil-war/

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In this episode of Story x Story Nigel and Tazziii welcome Decoy Games founders, Khalil and Ahmed Abdullah to talk about their journey into the video game industry and first game release 'Swimsanity'. We talk about what it takes to develop and release a game independently and what lessons they've learned along the way and they also let us know what they're most looking forward to from the next generation of consoles.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-47-the-story-with-decoy-games-swimsanity/

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In this episode, Nigel and Tazziii welcome manga artist Inko for a deep dive into another Hayao Miyazaki animation, the fictionalised biopic The Wind Rises. We talked about the stunning 2D animation, dreams containing inevitable sadness and the controversy surrounding the wartime backdrop of the film and on top of that Nigel also discusses how to control the pacing of your story.

We also enjoyed these stories this week: The Last of Us Part 2, Little Nightmares, The Boys Season 2.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-46-we-still-want-pyramids-the-wind-rises/

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Join Nigel and Tazziii as they welcome back neuroscience and gaming researcher Michiel Smit to discuss what happens to your brain when you play video games. Michiel gives us his perspective as a former video game addict as we talk about at the potential for risk in video games alongside covering the WHO's classification of "gaming disorder" as a behavioural addiction, as well as the potential for video games to be a force for positive mental health as we prepare to greet a new generation of gaming experiences.

Interview video: https://youtu.be/NHiCHwvvBgM

Video Games & Well-being panel: https://youtu.be/A5a__yMxGDQ

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It's episode 45 of Story x Story and this time we are welcoming GAMINGbible journalist, Imogen Mellor and Nomad Games Marketing Gremlin, Thomas Young to talk storytelling in video games. Join us as we discuss our panel at EGX Digital on the same topic (YouTube link in show notes) and get into our favourite video game stories, the balance between mechanics and narrative and whether we can objectively critique increasingly complex narrative in the game we play.

Show notes:

https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-45-from-linear-narratives-to-naked-link-video-games/

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It's episode #44 of Story x Story and we are welcoming writer and co-owner of The Koalition website, Gary Swaby to chat with Nigel and Tazziii about Rogue One, the first standalone film from the Star Wars franchise . We spoke about the film's role in the wider Star Wars universe, how much fan service is too much and the enduring legacy of great droid characters as well as delving into this week's story tip is about the considerations involved in killing your story's main characters. We also take a peek into stories we're enjoying this week: Bad Boys For Life, Vagabond, Cowboy Bebop, Re:Zero, Genshin Impact, Death or Glory, Ready Player One (Novel).

Show notes:

https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-44-never-tell-us-the-odds-rogue-one/

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In episode 43 of Story x Story, Nigel and Tazziii welcome British comic makers Steven Okeya and Anthony Aina, co-founders of Penificent Publishing and creators of Knife Boy to the podcast to discuss the creation of comics with a social purpose, working with young people and what it means to create black characters in the comic industry. Steven and Anthony also give their top comic storytelling tip about creating knowing your character's goals.

Show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-43-behind-the-story-with-penificent-publishing-knife-boy

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This week Nigel and Tazziii welcome host and Twitch Streamer, Trista Bytes back for an exciting talk on Steven Spielberg's adaptation of the Ernest Cline's novel 'Ready Player One'. We chatted about how the film matches up to the original source material for Ready Player One and where it falls short in its narrative and characterisation as well as Nigel giving an awesome story tip about executing on narrative themes. We also had time to chat about the stories we're enjoying this week: Dead Space, Dragons Dogma, The Mandalorian and Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Show Notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-42-spielbergs-silvery-puddle-ready-player-one/

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Nigel and Tazziii welcome a roundtable of gaming guest to discuss the latest news in the next gen console cycle. Founder of Melanin Gamers Annabel Ashalley-Anthony, YouTube content creator Daniel Morris and Variety Streamer Voyevoda Rose take a look at the strategies behind the PS5 and Xbox Series X console launches plus examine Microsoft's surprise purchase of Zenimax and how that will impact the industry in the coming years.

Games we're enjoying this week: Apex Legends, GTA 5, Marvel's Avengers, Judgement, Forza, Need for Speed, Sims 4, Ratchet & Clank PS4, Animal Crossing.

Full episode show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-41-next-gen-console-roundtable-video-games/

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In this episode of Story x Story, Nigel and Tazziii are happy to welcome Laura and Donavan of Melanin Gamers back to the show to talk about anime adaptions! We discuss the attempts at reworking beloved properties like Full Metal Alchemist, Death Note, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Ghost in the Shell which had some very interesting anime adaptions. On top of this we also give our suggestions for anime adaptions that we are anticipating or even wishing to happen. Tune in now!

Episode show notes:

https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-40-anime-adaptations-who-are-they-even-for/

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Nigel and Tazziii welcome mayamada illustrator Pinali about the cyberpunk action film adaption of the manga Battle Angel Alita. We talked about how well the film balances world building and characterisation as well as the endearing quality Alita has as the lead character in this story. We also took a look at this week's storytelling tip about the dreaded passive protagonist problem.

Other stories we're enjoying this week: Legend of Korra, Toradora!, Umbrella Academy.

Full episode show notes: https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-39-the-deadly-berserker-with-puppy-dog-eyes-alita-battle-angel/

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In this episode of Story x Story Nigel and Tazziii invite illustrator and colourist, Eren Angiolini for her first appearance on the show! We're talking about the classic series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, a "kids show" beloved by children and adults alike for its great world-building and character development. We delve deep into the shows complex themes and many great charterers characters from Katara, Sokka and Toph to Zuko and Uncle Iroh as well as answering a ton of question from listeners!

Episode show notes:

https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-38-much-more-than-a-kids-show-avatar-the-last-airbender/

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Nigel and Tazziii welcome back Ace Comicals podcast host Greg Driver to discuss Fox's 2017 film Logan! We chatted about comic book movies and what we think about them before delving into this very gritty look for Wolverine in Hugh Jackman's final outing, and give a storytelling tip about creating character redemption arcs. Not to leave DC out of the picture, we also talk about news from the recent FanDome event include The Batman trailer and Jim Lee poster art.

Episode show notes:

https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-37-fake-comics-with-real-redemption-logan/

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Nigel and Tazziii chat with UK cosplayer, Kenny Cosplay Stuff all about his journey as a cosplayer including his most iconic cosplays, such as Iron Man and his work at huge conventions such as Hyper Japan. There's plenty to discuss about the cosplay scene so have a listen to our latest episode to find out more!

Episode #36 show notes:

https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-36-behind-the-story-with-kenny-cosplay-stuff/

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Nigel and Tazziii have a chat with illustrator and comic creator, Ryan Jenkyns all about the hit movie: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. There's plenty to unwrap in this cinematic masterpiece including he discussion of all the themes within the story from taking a leap of faith to Ryan breaking down the processes behind the incredible visuals of the animation. We also talk about our story tip for this week about executing on reversals in a story.

Episode #35 show notes:

https://mayamada.com/story-x-story-35-miles-on-the-ones-and-twos-spider-man-into-the-spider-verse/

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As part of the Comic Conline event, Nigel and Tazziii are bringing you the audio from a series of interviews that Nigel recorded with artists and illustrators taking part in the online event. This is the second half of interviews from the event where he chatted with comic colourist Enrica Angiolini, Australian comic writer Christian Carnouche, and comic writer, illustrator and editor Fabrice Sapolsky. Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com.

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Fabrice Sapolsky online:

https://twitter.com/fabricesapolsky

Find Christian Carnouche online:

https://twitter.com/carnouchec

Find Enrica Angiolini online:

https://twitter.com/ErenAngiolini

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix:

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Story x Story an entertaining podcast for people who love to talk about stories. Listen to mayamada co-founder Nigel and content creator Tazziii as your co-hosts for engaging deep dives discussions into stories across pop culture. We welcome regular guests on give their experienced opinions about anime, film, TV, comic books and video games. New episodes are out weekly, so join us for great conversations on stories we love and tips on creating your own!

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Gina online:

tiktok.com/@gladepanther

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix:

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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As part of the Comic Conline event, Nigel and Tazziii are bringing you the audio from a series of interviews that Nigel recorded with artists and illustrators taking part in the online event. He chatted with British comic illustrator Ian Richardson, concept artist Rogier Van De Beek and comic artist and illustrator, Valentina Sannais. Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com.

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Ian Richardson online:

https://www.instagram.com/ian_richardson_art

Find Rogier Van De Beek online:

https://twitter.com/Rogiervdbeek

Find Valentina Sannais online:

https://www.instagram.com/greeneyedblackwolf

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix:

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii are here for another intriguing episode of Story x Story where they chat with Ahmed El-Badawi, a Project Planner who has recently started at Sumo Digital Sheffield. There's plenty to discuss here, from tips of getting into the industry to what games Ahmed has been playing during lockdown, there's lots of awesome things in this episode so be sure to tune in! Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com.

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Ahmed online:

https://twitter.com/akmememe

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix:

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel hosts our latest roundtable gaming podcast episode with Gary Swaby of The Koalition, Imogen Mellor and Trista Bytes. There's plenty of discussion on the next gen consoles, upcoming games and even more, tune in to hear our thoughts. Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com.

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Gina online:

tiktok.com/@gladepanther

Find TristaBytes online:

https://twitter.com/TristaBytes

Find Imogen Mellor online:

https://twitter.com/ImoMellor

Find Gary Swaby online:

https://twitter.com/GarySwaby

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix:

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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We apologise for internet connection issues that affected the audio quality of this episode. Nigel and Tazziii chat with manga artists Inko and Chie about the famous Studio Ghibli movie, Princess Mononoke! There's plenty to unpack from this film, from the characters to the story and the lore of Princess Mononoke, tune in to hear what we have to say! Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Gina online:

tiktok.com/@gladepanther

Find Inko online:

https://twitter.com/yokkoishoichi

Find Chie online:

https://twitter.com/chitanchitan

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix:

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii have a discussion with Donovan and Laura from Melanin Gamers all about video game movies. We chat about how we feel about them, our favourites, least favourites and what we think the future holds for movies based off video games. Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Melanin Gamers online:

https://twitter.com/melaningamers

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix:

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii interview Abubakar Salim, actor, voice actor and founder of Silver Rain Games. We chat with him about his time voicing in the hit game, Assassin's Creed: Origins and what the world of being a voice actor is all about. Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Abubakar online:

https://twitter.com/Abzybabzy

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix:

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii have an intriguing chat with professional cosplayer, Casey from LM Cosplays! If you want to find out about the professional cosplay world then tune in for this great interview all about Casey's work and delve more into the cosplay community. Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

https://mayamada.com | https://gamepad.events | https://thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Casey online:

https://linktr.ee/labinnak

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix:

https://alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii chat with video game host Mr Midas about The Last of Us, the hit game from Naughty Dog! There's definitely plenty to be said about this masterpiece of a game from battling the Infected to the game's excellent narrative and of course THAT ending. Listen to thoughts as we get ready for the release of Part II really soon! Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

https://mayamada.com | https://gamepad.events | https://thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Mr Midas online:

https://linktr.ee/MrMidasGames

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix:

https://alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Jason and Rich from Woo Long Talks to discuss Warner Bros' super-powered movie Wonder Woman! We get into Gal Gadot's performance as Diana, talk about THAT third act and tackle listener questions. Nigel's storytelling tip for this episode is about The Lie Your Character Believes. Send us your questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online: mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online: www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Woo Long Talks online: woolongtalks.com

Music by Fisayo Karunwi: @fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix: alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii are back for another discussion alongside mayamada artist, Pinali to chat about the Dreamworks movie, Megamind! Send us your questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online: mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online: www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Pinali online: www.pinali.net

Music by Fisayo Karunwi: @fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix : alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii are back for another creator interview as we chat with Renee Rienties, a comic book artist and illustrator from the Netherlands as we delve into all of her work! Send us your questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online: mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online: www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Renee online: www.artofreneerienties.com

Music by Fisayo Karunwi: soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix : alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Greg Driver from the Ace Comicals podcast to talk about The Dark Knight. We also get into stories that we've been watching, reading and playing this week plus give a brand new storytelling tip. Send us your questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online: mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online: www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Ace Comicals online: www.acecomicals.com | acecomicals.threadless.com

Music by Fisayo Karunwi: soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix : alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii have a chat and interview with former mayamada co-founder, Lao all about video game streaming! Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online: mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online: www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Lao online: https://www.instagram.com/laokarun/

Music by Fisayo Karunwi: https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix : alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Story x Story Special #22: Behind The Story With Tori Jones (2020 Manga Jiman Winner)

Nigel and Tazziii have a chat and interview with Tori Jones, illustrator, storyteller, tea addict and winner of the 2020 Manga Jiman competition. Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online: mayamada.com | gamepad.events | thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online: www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Tori online: https://toriellajonesart.wixsite.com/toriecho

Music by Fisayo Karunwi: https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix : alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii host a roundtable discussion all about our favourite video games and what we're all getting stuck into during the Coronavirus pandemic. We're chatting with Streamcast, Annabel of Melanin Gamers and Voyevoda Rose! Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com

gamepad.events

thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Streamcast online:

www.thestreamcast.co.uk/

Find Voyevoda Rose online:

www.twitch.tv/voyevoda_rose

Find Melanin Gamers online:

www.themelaningamers.com/

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii chat with comic and manga artist, Mikiko all about her artwork and current projects, including how the COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting her workload. Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

https://mayamada.com

https://gamepad.events

https://thestoryboard.org

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

Find Mikiko online:

https://mikiko.art

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

https://alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel, Tazzii and Gina chat about what we've been consuming during the recent Coronavirus pandemic to keep ourselves entertained. From Borderlands to The Witcher, tune in to find out what we've been watching and playing for the past week!

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

https://mayamada.com

https://twitter.com/mayamada

https://www.facebook.com/mayamada/

https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: https://kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada/hot-lunch-vol-1-a-culinary-heist-manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

https://twitter.com/tazziii

https://linktr.ee/tazziii

Find Gina online:

https://www.instagram.com/hedgey_art

https://www.tiktok.com/@gladepanther

https://www.deviantart.com/hedgey

https://linktr.ee/hedgey_art

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

https://alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii chat in this single topic discussion episode all about the brand new Disney+ streaming service!

Find out what they think all about the new service and whether or not they think it will be good or bad for the future of Disney and streaming services as a whole.

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

https://mayamada.com

https://twitter.com/mayamada

https://www.facebook.com/mayamada/

https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: https://kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada/hot-lunch-vol-1-a-culinary-heist-manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

https://twitter.com/tazziii

https://linktr.ee/tazziii

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

https://alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Nigel and Tazziii are joined by Gary Swaby and Lara Callaghan, co-host of The Manga Forum to talk about the awesome manga, All You Need Is Kill!

Adapted from the light novel of the same name, the story also inspired the Hollywood film Edge of Tomorrow, which we discussed with Gary on episode 6.

We had a couple of technical difficulties in this episode so if there are any irregular pauses this is why!

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

https://mayamada.com

https://twitter.com/mayamada

https://www.facebook.com/mayamada/

https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: https://kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada/hot-lunch-vol-1-a-culinary-heist-manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

https://twitter.com/tazziii

https://linktr.ee/tazziii

Find Gary Swaby online:

twitter.com/garyswaby

thekoalition.com

Descendant of the Elders: Realm Blender Book 1 https://www.reditalgroup.com/publishing/descendantoftheelders.html

Find The Manga Forum online:

https://twitter.com/themangaforum

https://mangaforum.art.blog

instagram.com/themangaforum

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOzgmG7UBfWSbMGpfg6zdQ

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

https://alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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We're introducing a new show format for episode #16! Co-hosts Nigel and Tazziii discuss whether Marvel Studios will guide the MCU to the same levels of success in this decade as we saw in the last decade.

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com

twitter.com/mayamada

facebook.com/mayamada

instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Find Tazziii online:

twitch.tv/tazziiix

twitter.com/tazziii

linktr.ee/tazziii

Music by Fisayo Karunwi: @fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix : alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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Welcome back to Story x Story as we roll in season 2, a mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founder, Nigel and co-host, Tazziii!

In this episode, we are joined Trista Bytes and we'll be talking all things Harley Quinn as we take a dive into the new Birds of Prey movie!

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

https://mayamada.com

https://twitter.com/mayamada

https://www.facebook.com/mayamada/

https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: https://kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada/hot-lunch-vol-1-a-culinary-heist-manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

https://twitter.com/tazziii

https://linktr.ee/tazziii

Find Gina online:

https://www.instagram.com/hedgey_art/

https://www.deviantart.com/hedgey

Find TristaBytes online:

https://www.youtube.com/c/tristabytes

https://www.instagram.com/TristaBytes/

https://www.twitch.tv/TristaBytes

https://twitter.com/TristaBytes

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

https://alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

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We're on a break and will return with Season 2 of Story x Story next month but we've got a bonus podcast episode with Nigel and Tazzii all about the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog movie for you!

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com

twitter.com/mayamada

facebook.com/mayamada

instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada…manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

twitch.tv/tazziiix

twitter.com/tazziii

linktr.ee/tazziii

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

@fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

View Details

We're on a break and will return with Season 2 of Story x Story in February 2020. Until then, we've got a bonus episode with Nigel and Tazzii all about Martin Scorsese's comments on comic book movies! See you back for regular episodes in February!

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com

twitter.com/mayamada

facebook.com/mayamada

instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada…manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

twitch.tv/tazziiix

twitter.com/tazziii

linktr.ee/tazziii

Music by Fisayo Karunwi: @fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix : alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

View Details

We're on a break and will return with Season 2 of Story x Story in February 2020. Until then, a very happy new year to all of our listeners and everyone who has been supporting the start of our Story x Story Podcast this year. We look forward to bringing you more great discussion in 2020, stay tuned!

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com

twitter.com/mayamada

facebook.com/mayamada

instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada…manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

twitch.tv/tazziiix

twitter.com/tazziii

linktr.ee/tazziii

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

@fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

View Details

We're on a break and will return with Season 2 of Story x Story in February 2020. Until then, a very merry Christmas to all of our listeners and everyone who has been supporting the start of our Story x Story Podcast this year. We look forward to bringing you more great discussion in 2020, stay tuned!

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com

twitter.com/mayamada

facebook.com/mayamada

instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada…manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

twitch.tv/tazziiix

twitter.com/tazziii

linktr.ee/tazziii

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

@fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

View Details

Welcome to our 12th and final 2019 episode of Story x Story, a mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founder, Nigel and co-host, Tazziii!

In this episode, we are joined by former mayamada co-founder, Lao and editor Lara-Lee to discuss our latest manga title release 'Hot Lunch Volume 1'! We're really excited for you all to read our latest manga so listen in to hear us chat all about what's coming in this story.

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com

twitter.com/mayamada

www.facebook.com/mayamada/

www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada…manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

twitter.com/tazziii

linktr.ee/tazziii

Find Lao online:

https://www.instagram.com/laokarun/

https://twitter.com/LaoKarun

Find Lara-Lee online:

https://www.instagram.com/lara_lee_green/

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

@fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

View Details

Welcome to our eleventh episode of Story x Story, a mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founder, Nigel and co-host, Tazziii!

In this episode, we are joined by Annabel of Melanin Gamers and previous Story x Story co-host, Lao to discuss the new DC 'Joker' movie! We chat about our expectations, what we thought of it and how the character has been portrayed.

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

https://mayamada.com

https://twitter.com/mayamada

https://www.facebook.com/mayamada/

https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: https://kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada/hot-lunch-vol-1-a-culinary-heist-manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

https://twitter.com/tazziii

https://linktr.ee/tazziii

Find Gina online:

https://www.instagram.com/hedgey_art/

https://www.deviantart.com/hedgey

Find Annabel online:

https://twitter.com/melaningamers

https://www.twitch.tv/melaningamers

https://themelaningamers.com

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

https://alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

View Details

Welcome to our tenth episode of Story x Story, a mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founder, Nigel and co-host, Tazziii!

In this episode, we are joined by 4 guests, ShaoDow, Shay Thompson, Voyevoda Rose and Mr Midas to talk about the EGX gaming convention in London last weekend.

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

https://mayamada.com

https://twitter.com/mayamada

https://www.facebook.com/mayamada/

https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

https://www.Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: https://kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada/hot-lunch-vol-1-a-culinary-heist-manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

https://twitter.com/tazziii

https://linktr.ee/tazziii

Find Gina online:

https://www.instagram.com/hedgey_art/

https://www.deviantart.com/hedgey

Find ShaoDow online:

https://twitter.com/ShaoDowMusic

https://www.diygang.co.uk

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6DDdZ3Ezd3Sd2q5yf3z6vJ

https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/shaodow/591042979

Burn Out single: https://fanlink.to/burn-out

Find Voyevoda Rose online:

https://twitter.com/Rose_Voyevoda

https://www.twitch.tv/voyevoda_rose

Find Shay Thompson online:

https://twitter.com/moods_jpg

https://www.instagram.com/moods.gif/

https://twitter.com/leveluplinkup

Find Mr Midas online:

https://twitter.com/MrMidasGames

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBB8SfJVpgkz4EWvzoYgMzA

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

https://alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

View Details

Welcome to our ninth episode of Story x Story, a mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founder, Nigel and co-host, Tazziii!

In this episode, we are joined by our guest, J King the Artist as we discuss our thoughts on the cult classic movie, The Matrix! Join us a we chat about what makes The Matrix such a well-known film, our thoughts and we get philosophical as we delve into deeper meanings the film has.

Send us questions and feedback on feedback@mayamada.com

Find mayamada online:

https://mayamada.com

https://twitter.com/mayamada

https://www.facebook.com/mayamada/

https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: https://kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada/hot-lunch-vol-1-a-culinary-heist-manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

https://twitter.com/tazziii

https://linktr.ee/tazziii

Find Gina online:

https://www.instagram.com/hedgey_art/

https://www.deviantart.com/hedgey

Find J King online:

https://www.jkingtheartist.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/jkingtheartist

https://www.instagram.com/jkingtheartist/

https://twitter.com/JKingTheArtist

Music by Fisayo Karunwi:

https://soundcloud.com/fisayokarunwi

Artwork by Aly Graphix :

https://alygraphix.wixsite.com/designer

View Details

Welcome to our eighth episode of Story x Story, a weekly mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founder, Nigel and co-host, Tazziii!

In this episode, we discuss our thoughts on the popular Disney Pixar movie, Zootopia! We talk about our favourite funny moments, hat we love about the story and the ideals it holds and showcases about racism and prejudice.

Find mayamada online:

https://mayamada.com

https://twitter.com/mayamada

https://www.facebook.com/mayamada/

https://www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Gamepad.events

Hot Lunch Kickstarter: https://kickstarter.com/projects/mayamada/hot-lunch-vol-1-a-culinary-heist-manga-for-all-age

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

https://twitter.com/tazziii

https://linktr.ee/tazziii

Find Gina online:

https://www.instagram.com/hedgey_art/

https://www.deviantart.com/hedgey

Find Pinali online:

https://twitter.com/Pinalinet

https://twitter.com/StudioPinali

Yuki Vs Panda comic: https://www.comixology.co.uk/Yuki-vs-Panda-Revenge-Lust-Karaoke-Vol-1/digital-comic/42644

View Details

Welcome to our Seventh episode of Story x Story, a weekly mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founder, Nigel and co-host, Tazziii!

In this episode, we discuss our thoughts on all the new releases of Phase 4 of the MCU, what we're excited for, what we're not so excited for and most importantly, how we feel about the news of Spider-Man!

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com

twitter.com/mayamada

www.facebook.com/mayamada/

www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

twitter.com/tazziii

linktr.ee/tazziii

Find Gina online:

www.instagram.com/hedgey_art/

www.deviantart.com/hedgey

Find Woo Long Talks online:

woolongtalks.com

twitter.com/WooLongTalks

https://soundcloud.com/woolongtalks

Music by Fisayo Karunwi and from freesound.org

View Details

Welcome to our fourth episode of Story x Story, a weekly mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founder, Nigel and co-host, Tazziii!

In this episode, we discuss our thoughts on the gripping movie, 'Edge of Tomorrow', listing our funny moments, favourite scenes and then talking about how to do a good time-based story.

Find mayamada online:

mayamada.com

twitter.com/mayamada

www.facebook.com/mayamada/

www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

twitter.com/tazziii

linktr.ee/tazziii

Find Gary Swaby online:

twitter.com/garyswaby

thekoalition.com

Descendant of the Elders book: www.reditalgroup.com/publishing/des…theelders.html

Music by Fisayo Karunwi and from freesound.org

View Details

Welcome to our fourth episode of Story x Story, a weekly mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founder, Nigel and co-host, Tazziii!

In this episode, we discuss our thoughts on Pixar's latest Toy Story blockbuster and how it made us feel as people who have grown up with all the movies (and played with toys as kids!) there's a lot to be said about this film and how it fits in with the Toy Story world as a whole.

As Patreon subscribers you get access to the podcast 24 hours before the general public, so enjoy and let us know your thoughts.

Find mayamada online:

https:// mayamada.com

twitter.com/mayamada

www.facebook.com/mayamada/

www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Find Tazziii online:

www.twitch.tv/tazziiix

twitter.com/tazziii

linktr.ee/tazziii

Find The Manga Forum online:

twitter.com/themangaforum

mangaforum.art.blog

instagram.com/themangaforum

www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOzgmG7UBfWSbMGpfg6zdQ

Music by Fisayo Karunwi and from freesound.org

View Details

Welcome to our fourth episode of Story x Story, a weekly mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founders, Nigel and Lao!

In this episode, we discuss our thoughts on the latest Marvel hit, 'Spider-Man: Far from Home'. We delve into the story and talk about our favourite parts and best characters, as well as giving some story tips!

Find mayamada online:

https:// mayamada.com

twitter.com/mayamada

www.facebook.com/mayamada/

www.instagram.com/mayamadatees

Music by Fisayo Karunwi and from freesound.org

View Details

Welcome to our third episode of Story x Story, a weekly mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founders, Nigel and Lao!

In this episode, we are joined by Level Up Link Up founder, Shay as well as Melanin Gamers founder, Annabel as we discuss our thoughts on E3 and delve deeper into character creation and making characters that aren't generic, taking ideas from the recent E3 announcements.

As Patreon subscribers you get access to the podcast 24 hours before the general public, so enjoy and let us know your thoughts.

Find Shay online:

https://twitter.com/moods_jpg

https://twitter.com/leveluplinkup

Find Annabel online:

https://twitter.com/melaningamers

https://www.twitch.tv/melaningamers

https://themelaningamers.com

Music by Fisayo Karunwi and from freesound.org

View Details

Welcome to our second episode of Story x Story, a weekly mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founders, Nigel and Lao!

In this episode, we are joined by Twitch streamer and online content creator, Tazziii as we discuss the MCU universe and what we love about it! We also chat about what makes a good story and how to create your own stories with characters and worlds that work for you.

As Patreon subscribers you get access to the podcast 24 hours before the general public, so enjoy and let us know your thoughts.

Find Tazziii online:

https://www.twitch.tv/tazziiix
https://linktr.ee/tazziii

Music by Fisayo Karunwi

View Details

Welcome to our first episode of Story x Story, a weekly mayamada podcast with mayamada co-founders, Nigel and Lao!

In this episode, we discuss the latest mayamada news including our upcoming appearance at the London Comic Con. Then we get into Avengers: Endgame and our thoughts on the MCU's latest record-breaking blockbuster!

Music by Fisayo Karunwi

Story x Story: Recent Episodes

mayamada