Hi everyone,

It’s been a bit since there’s been any updates here, and I apologize for that. Despite my grand plans everything that I discussed in the last update has kept me busy. Between work obligations, wedding planning, mental illness, and more, my grand plans to reignite this project stymied. But it was never far from my mind, and I am (fingers crossed) hopeful that this year will be a bit more productive for this project. We’ll see if the state of the union manages to remain intact for that long.

But even compared to years past, looking at 2025 in review is a bit difficult for me. I definitely struggled with anhedonia (not finding joy in things I usually do) a fair deal, and found myself retreating into passivity and not staying consistent with habits that I know make me happy and bring me joy. I watched many fewer movies this year, I saw so much less television, I read less manga, and my narrative comics reading basically ground to a halt. I leaned heavily on podcasts, consuming hours and hours of my time to fill my head every spare moment at work or at home. I didn’t want to be alone with my own thoughts, so I let those of others fill the space. Unfortunately, that’s not a very good strategy for productivity or creativity.

But I shouldn’t act as though the year was all doom or gloom. I had my first real vacation in years. I got engaged and I am so excited to be married! I managed to systematize my media consumption in a way that both held me accountable and made it so that I was markedly more intentional with how I took stuff in. I experienced some things that I genuinely, truly love. I got to see a friend perform onstage with performers of national and dare I saw even international renown. I got to see some of my favorite artists perform live. I found myself growing a greater appreciation for community and mutual aid, something that feels relevant now more than ever as I see what’s happening in Minnesota, and I truly appreciate the ways that art can bring us together.

Getting into the stats, I saw 23 movies (although only 19 were new to me and a handful were short films); I saw 135 episodes of TV across primarily 8 seasons of different shows; I watched 573 long-form internet videos (no shorts, reels, or tiktoks); I read 31 books, 173 volumes of manga (for a total of 1419 chapters); 919 blogs or articles, and 1404 comics of all different forms, shapes, and sizes. But the thing that I tracked the most of, by far, were the 2,261 podcast episodes that I listened to (totaling 1,297 hours (54 days) of listening time). Looking at these numbers, I see my typical bad habits rearing their heads, leaning on media take in passively while not engaging as deeply with works that challenge and test me. But I am happy that I managed to markedly increase my book reading over the year prior. And I’m happy with how much independent media I found and supported over the past year. Going forward, I hope to improve the variety in my media diet and balance the scales between the categories better, and hopefully you’ll see that in real time as I post more often.

Unlike last year, I’m not going to try and do lists. If I even tried to do that, the lists would be pretty lopsided and the scores would be lackluster. Instead, I’ll just break the categories down and ramble about what really tugged at my heart strings in each.

Music

This is a bit of a weird category because I didn’t track my music much this past year. I didn’t realize how little I was doing in that regard until my spotify wrapped came around and showed that my most played song had been played 3 times (it was Tracy Chaplin’s Fast Car if you’re curious). But I know that this isn’t an entirely honest indicator. I’ve been trying to shift myself out of the Spotify ecosystem for a while so that I can better support the artists I care about, especially in a time where 87% of music on Spotify will no longer pay out to artists under their new revenue model.

I know that I bought four new albums and a handful of singles, but physically and digitally. I also tried to focus primarily on YouTube for my other listening to directly support artists’ channels. I went out to two concerts and would’ve gone to more if not for Kneecap’s terrorism charges and Julien Baker’s concussion. If there’s one take away from the music section, please please please make an effort to support live music where you are. See a band you’ve never heard of. See a local band that just formed. Go to the sketchy venue that looks like it isn’t up to code. More than ever, now is the time to support art by humans for humans.

But the year still saw some of my favorite musicians release music and for me to fall in love with some new bands. Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus both released solid albums (Send a Prayer My Way and Forever is a Feeling) that while sweet and catchy, played things a little too safe and failed to live up to their full potential. But I say this after listening to each album at least a dozen times, and if history is any indicator, I will only grow to like these albums more as time goes on.

La Dispute dropped music for the first time in six years, and No One Was Driving the Car is dare I say their best album since Wildlife in 2011. A delightful mix of allegorical epics, deeply personal stories, and some of the best instrumentals and lyricism in the game, this album showcases their barely contained rage at the inadequacy of the people governing us, and if that’s not relatable in 2025 I don’t know what is. The standout for me is the incredible Environmental Catastrophe Film, a heart-wrenching eight and a half minute long ballad.

Tyler Childers has found himself a subject of discussion of late between his sobriety journey and his acceptance of “woke” causes. In Snipe Hunter, Tyler strips back away some of the tenderness that has been present in his last few albums and takes aim at anyone who has claimed that his politics or sobriety have made him go soft. While Eatin’ Big Time is probably the best example of the sound and messages of the album, Bitin’ List has a soft spot in my heart as probably one of the funniest songs I’ve heard in a while.

But more than anything, the standout of the year for me was Beach Bunny with the drop of their third album, Tunnel Vision. As those close to me know, I’m a massive fan of the “Bubblegrunge” genre, so I’ve been aware of Beach Bunny for a while. But while I’ve always enjoyed their music, there was always something that I found a bit lacking that prevented me from considering the band one of my favorites. But Tunnel Vision dealt with many of the minor gripes that I had with the band before now. Lead singer Lili Trifilio feels as though she’s truly unlocked her voice in this album, showing a range, uniqueness, and sense of experimentation that wasn’t fully there in the past. The band no longer relies on one to two jazzy bass lines to power their bridges. And the lyrics have grown beyond focusing almost exclusively on love songs to instead deeply personal examinations on mental illness, aging, and the state of the world at large in addition to the love songs. My favorites from the album are the eponymous Tunnel Vision and Clueless. But then, after dropping my favorite album of the year, Lili and the gang then dropped the single Year of the Optimist midsummer, and is probably my favorite song of theirs to date.

Podcasts

Obviously, podcasts were a big part of my year. There are about 56 shows I actively follow. But I have to admit that many shows simply washed over me. That’s not to say that these shows weren’t good, I just wasn’t always locked in to give each show the attention it deserves. There are still plenty of good shows I can list. Remap Radio remains close to my heart, although I feel like you need to be a premium member to truly get the full experience. The 404 Media Podcast is vital to keeping me updated on both tech and the news. 99% Invisible is consistently excellent and is constantly teaching me things. Panic World is both some of the best and some of the most infuriating podcasting I subject myself to. And Weird Little Guys has felt more important than ever over the past year. But if I had to pick standouts, it would be the following.

I’m a big fan of Austin Walker. He led me to Waypoint, I listen to the Friends at the Table extended podcast universe, I follow his blog Clockwork Worlds, and I am eagerly awaiting his TTRPG Realis to drop a full release. But despite my fandom of him, it took me an embarrassingly long time to begin listening to the book club show he guests on in the Ranged Touch network, Shelved by Genre. The premise of the show is simple. Austin, CMRN Kunzelman, and Michael Lutz read a book of genre fiction (so far mostly fantasy or sci-fi) and discuss. But CMRN and Michael are both professors of media studies and Austin is certainly versed in the field himself, so tackling these books with both an academic lens, a good moral compass, and an unceasing sense of humor is consistently rewarding. This year, I’m reading the works of Tolkein along with them and I couldn’t be more excited.

World’s Beyond Number is far and away my favorite narrative podcast. With a tight cast of Brennan Lee Mulligan, Lou Wilson, Erika Ishii, and Aabria Iyengar, Worlds Beyond Number is a masterclass in actual play that manages to avoid the pitfalls that often hit these shows. First, it is designed specifically as a podcast, with excellent sound design and an intentionality to not rely on visual cues. Second, the smaller cast size allows for each character to get their chance to shine. As much as I love Critical Role, Dimension 20, Friends at the Table, and so many other shows, it seems like three players is really a sweet spot for this format. Lastly, Brennan does an excellent job of creating level 20 stakes at low levels. Many actual play shows would have their level 1/level 2 characters fighting bandits, taking down a dangerous animal, or maybe protecting a village from some goblins. Brennan is not afraid to throw his characters against gods and empires in pitched multinational battlefields. The icing on the cake is a truly enrapturing story about institutional capture, colonialism, revolution, and friendship. This show never ceases to amaze me.

NeverPost is probably the best and most consistent podcasting that I listen to. This show exploring the ins and outs of internet culture always feels so vibrant and connected to what I’m feeling, whether they are talking about joyful subjects like cutting loose from capitalism or harder topics like being a journalist from prison, this team is doing some of the best reporting, some of the best podcasting, and some of the best community building of any show I follow. I cannot recommend this show highly enough.

Movies

Most of my favorite movies of the year I’ve already talked about extensively in prior posts. A Nice Indian Boy is an excellent and heartfelt queer romcom. Hundreds of Beavers is one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen and an excellent example that a limited budget is no match to the boundless spirit of human creativity. In the Shadow of the Cypress is an absolutely beautiful short film and a triumph of animation. And rewatching Flipside reaffirmed ranking it so high last year. But there are a couple additional movies worth mentioning.

Oh, Hi! was devastatingly funny and shockingly grounded for its premise. Molly Gordon and Logan Lehrman both did an excellent job of portraying their roles, and the movie was exquisitely shot to emphasize the cramped and frantic nature of the plot. The script in particular I want to shout out as really grounding the characters as so believable, and their scramble to adjust to the spiraling situation was well done.

Inside Job is an old documentary about the financial crisis. It was released early into the crisis before we had the benefit of seeing the entire scope of what would unfold. And yet even with a smaller frame of reference, this movie does a better job of capturing the tragedy of the problem and the callousness of what got us there more than almost any other exploration of the topic I’ve seen. But what stood out most of all is how this is a masterclass of hostile journalism. The director is not afraid to burn bridges, and when he gets powerful people in the room, he calls them out and puts them on the spot. There were times were my skin crawled seeing how tense some of the exchanges got, but that can be necessary to accurately cover and address such a serious topic.

TV

Yet another series where I’ve already talked extensively about some of the best of what I’ve seen. My year started being wowed by Billions, I then fell deep into Reacher (although I find season 3 pretty morally reprehensible), and then I almost entirely stopped watching TV outside of Pokerface, which I almost regret now that it has ended on a cliffhanger that will never be resolved. The one exception to this was finally getting a subscription to Dropout. I’ve been inundated with ads for their shows, and obviously I was familiar with many of the cast regulars from Geek and Sundry, College Humor, and other corners of the internet. And Gastronauts was there for me when I was stuck overnight in the Atlanta airport and needed something to binge. But there are really only two shows worth highlighting.

Game Changer is an inconsistent show, but when it hits it is one of the funniest shows I have ever seen. Season 7 really pushed itself, and while there were some episodes that I considered genuine duds, the episodes Rulette, One Year Later, and the best of them all You-lympics are genuinely some of the best and funniest bits of television that I’ve ever seen. Sam Reich really does deserve that Emmy.

Going from Game Changer to Game Changers, Heated Rivalry really deserves the buzz its been getting. Not because of the sex scenes. Not because it’s a queer romance. But because it is a genuinely well acted, well written, and well shot show that was made on a shoestring budget in Canada. Heated Rivalry is a genuinely good show, and while as a whole it has some flaws, Episodes 2 and 5 are true standouts and the show deserves the acclaim its received, even if some of the attention has been cringe and voyeuristic. But I will never ding a show for the behavior of its worst fans.

Videos

Jacob Geller. There is no one I could highlight in this category besides him. This past year I watched every video on his channel and all of them are at least close to being a masterpiece. Even trying to just limit this list to videos of his that I’ve rated 5⭐ came to a list of 9 videos. Given that I rated less than 15 things 5⭐ this past year, for one man to hold nine of those sports is staggering.

Jacob Geller is a video essayist focused on video games. But to say that is to misunderstand the core appeal of his videos. He uses video games as a lens and jumping off point to talk about much deeper topics, such as how violence in video games helps to shape our perceptions on execution; our desire to preserve everything from fear of loss contrasted with the horror of eternal existence.

But the pieces of his that I think the most about are as follows. Who’s Afraid of Modern Art speaks directly to the effort and intention that makes these works so valuable, and how the avant garde pushes humanity forward even when it draws hatred from the masses. Museum Theft covers colonialism and what it means to “own” history and how we respond when people try to take a piece for themselves. Fear of Cold examines one of our most primal fears. Fantasies of Nuremburg covers the ambivalence that comes at the intersection of justice and vengeance, and how we fantasize about some sort of cosmic comeuppance to make bad things right to fill the void that violence leaves upon us all.

Articles

2025 was the year I went all in on indie media. Aftermath is doing some of the best and most varied culture reporting in the game, all while being a source of support for the growing number of culture journalists who are finding themselves without a home. 404 Media are some of the hardest working, most prolific, deepest digging journalists in the game. While their beat focuses on tech, the way tech touches on most everything gives them the ability to cover just a massive range of subjects. But what’s even better than their reporting is their voice. I specifically love Jason Koebler’s writing style, and all year I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this piece he wrote on the LA wildfires.

I enjoyed buying Rascal’s zine that compiled some of their best writing. While Rascal predated the collapse of Polygon, it is intrinsically connected. I’ve enjoyed seeing the folks from Polygon doing their best to salvage the situation, and seeing sites and blogs like Rogue, Mothership, and PV Guide. I truly believe that indie journalism is our best and brightest path forward.

As an attorney, Court Watch is an invaluable and mostly free resource about what is going on in the legal world. While a bit more deranged, Garbage Day and even more so Today in Tabs are some of my favorite ways to stay on top of what is going on in the world.

Comics

As I mentioned, comics were a bit weird for me. Most of what I read I came across just scrolling through instagram. Not to say that these comics can’t be quality. Abigail Claire @butterflypigment had the beautiful and haunting Maw come out over the course of October. Vic Mietus @ficklevic’s Ego Bruise at the Comics Fair was a riotous exploration of style and emotion. Neil Kohney @neilkohney’s The Other End continues to produce some of the most disgustingly funny comics on a consistent basis. But many of my favorite comics have been on hiatus.

The Golden Boar was doing an excellent job of deepening its characters and their relationships while building towards an upcoming conflict when the author went on maternity leave. Rose Tide Rising continues to be one of the most exciting, romantic, and artistic series I follow, but has only had a single release since early July, and that was in August. Nick Edward’s Kingly has taken its goofy comedy to places increasingly dark and suspenseful, but there has been no update since June. As much as I love all these series, I have had trouble finding something to grab my attention in the interim.

Manga

Yet again, I am forced to say that it was a weird year in this category of media for me. Many series that I’ve come to love like Vinland Saga and Show-ha Shouten came to an end. Other series that I thought had immense promise like Embers and Syd Craft: Love is a Mystery were cancelled far too early on. Then other series that I love and respect like Akane-Banashi; One Piece; and Dandadan were slightly lackluster compared to years past. But there were also glimmers of brilliance. Series like Shinobi Undercover, Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi, and Ichi the Witch are showing just how fun young authors can be. Black Clover and the Elusive Samurai are both doing a remarkable job of bringing their series to an end. The historical epic Kingdom continues to go strong and is now legally available in the US for the first time ever. Yomi no Tsugai is showing once and for all that Hiromu Arakawa is one of the greatest to ever do it. But all year, there were three series that really stood out to me.

Witch Hat Atelier is a beautiful and vibrant series with a consistent undercurrent of menace. It follows a young girl named Coco who is dragged into the secretive world of Magic after tragedy befalls her. Absolutely beautiful art, absolutely incredible storytelling, and a deliciously rich world make this a fantastic and easy series to jump into.

Kagurabachi continues to be one of the strongest series in Jump because the author understands the medium fully. From utilizing page and panel breaks, to the way he conveys action, to his understanding of space, Kagurabachi is a story that is not only enjoyable, but it is truly taken to the next level because it is drawn. The Samura arc was incredibly powerful, and the year ended with such a bang that it was impossible not to call attention to the series. I’ve been consistently surprised with just how strong the storytelling is in this series, and just how far the author is willing to go in this YA series.

Shiba Inu Rooms was far and away the best thing I read this year. The story of a moody teen and her talking ghost dog never ceased to delight me. In spite of the goofy talking dog premise, the series is at its best when it focuses on the mundane, such as leaving your pet alone overnight or the struggles of dealing with grief. This is truly a beautiful story about the ties that draw us together and the bonds we share with our pets, and the emotional manipulation in this series always gets me. I absolutely love this series, and in a magazine full of young boys fighting things, I’m glad to see that the best thing they’re doing is this simple domestic tale.

Books

This category is is one of the harder to discuss, because I feel like most of the books I read and enjoyed come with massive caveats. Cinema Speculation by Quentin Tarantino is grating and self-indulgent, but one of the most fascinating explorations of films of the 60s and 70s I’ve seen. The man has seen so many movies, and he has such an appreciation and understanding of the craft of filmmaking. However, he seems to not understand what makes good writing. He decries the cowardice and conservativism of the modern film industry, but when looking at his works, this criticism rings hollow. He doesn’t believe in subtext, and that certainly shows in his work.

Tender is the Flesh is a fascinating work on machismo and dehumanization. The brutal look at the meat industry played out on humans was masterfully done, and a poignant insight into Argentine culture. There’s Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib was a beautiful memoir and look at Columbus, basketball, black culture, and all the ways this trio intersects. The Imperial Radch Trilogy was an incredible exploration on artificial life and what it means to be a person, and I found the way it revels in the mundane to be one of its biggest strengths, although I understand why this trait disappointed many.

Dungeon Crawler Carl has been a comfort series for me this past year, and I’ve enjoyed the juvenile humor, pop culture references, and the simplistic writing that have made this series easy to breeze through. The series has some deep, intrinsic flaws on both a stylistic and thematic level, best highlighted by mynameismarines, but I think the author is generally well-intentioned, he does better with the thematic message as he goes, and I have to admit that I find them fun. Specifically, I think books 1, 3, and 5 are quite good, and I’m currently reading book 7 so here’s hoping that the trend of odd numbered entries being solid stays true.

But the best books I read this year were the collected works of James Islington. I read both his doorstopper Licaneus Trilogy and I am all caught up on his Hierarchy series. The man loves to write a puzzle box, and I am a sucker for his characters and prose. Something I appreciate about his story telling is that he is deliberately making things hard for himself. He deals with time travel, shapeshifting, parallel universes and dimensions. He is making his life more difficult by trying to make intricately detailed worlds and systems. It doesn’t always work out for him. I found that the Licaneus Trilogy ended with about half the storylines resolving perfectly and about half resolving with a wet thud. But oh the journey.

An Echo of Things to Come was one of the most suspenseful and satisfying books I’ve ever read. I was constantly on the edge of my seat to see what mystery, riddle, or twist would unfold. The close reader is consistently rewarded with breadcrumbs of the numerous mysteries. While the finale doesn’t quite pay out everything that was set up in this middle entry, I was truly enthralled by this book and I think it’s so well-written that it warrants a read even if its partners on either side let it down.

Despite receiving more mixed reviews than its predecessor The Will of the Many, I still found this book to be more than a worthy successor. Once again, Islington makes life hard for himself and in doing so some of the plot threads accelerate in a way that some people found unrealistic and ungrounded. I don’t entirely disagree, but I still found the story overall and particularly the characters to be so engaging that I was willing to forgive the flaws that this book had. My fondness for this book will likely be heavily dependent upon the next entry, but what was set up here continues to escalate the stakes and is one of the most unique and ambitious versions of multi-pov storytelling that I’ve seen.

2026

So that was a long one to kick off the year. I know that things are going to stay a little spotty as I get ready for my wedding, but I am excited to see you all there. After, I genuinely am hopeful that I will be able to put out at least a couple posts a month. I really do want to work on my writing and to share the good things I find with you all. If you ever check out something I talk about, please let me know. Here’s to the year ahead, let’s hope it’s better than the last.

Take care all.

Soma