Pieces of media that changed you?

[starbreaker]

more recently i feel that final fantasy xiv has affected me a lot especially the endwalker expansion. idk i think it kinda just has helped me see the hope in things even when they look bleak. thanks venat lol

Yeah, the Endwalker expansion in particular reads like a crash course in existentialism, humanism, and optimistic nihilism. It's like, "We don't matter to the universe? Well, fuck the universe. We matter to ourselves and to each other, and that's enough, dammit."

I swear, the more FF I play the more convinced I am that the writers and developers are reading Michael Moorcock, because a lot of themes you find in FF also show up in Moorcock's sf and fantasy, even in the really dark stuff like the early Elric stories. Hell, the Hawkmoon novels read like a FF scenario.

[Bede]

In my mind, there are two ways to answer this. With media that changed me because it directly led to me finding out things about myself, or finding other people, and with media that changed my perception.

Media that changed me because it led to me finding important people, or important things about myself include:

Professor Layton. It's through the series that I met my partner, and lots of other important people in my life! It also is what helped me realize I was trans. More specifically, it was my attraction to Randall Ascot feeling queer which made me do research into male/female gender identities, which ended with me identifying as bigender. (Plus, it's just a really good game series.)



Steven Universe. I grew up alongside this show, and it (along with Ruby and Sapphire in particular) was extremely important in helping me learn more about my queerness. Peridot from the show also led to my autism diagnosis, which is not a joke. I related to Peridot so intensely in a way that I never had with a character before; only to go online, and to see people calling everything that I related to her for autistic traits. Cue research, and a realization... So, shoutout to everyone's favorite angry little slice of pie for that!



As for media that changed me because it changed my perception, I have to give that title to Celeste. This game's story changed my life, through teaching me to be kind to myself, and to not view my mental illness as a villain, but, instead, as something to be cared for and tended to.

[Memory]

I don't think I will ever be able to pinpoint why this changed me, but seeing Thom Yorke's short film Anima back in 2019 had a significant impact on me. Especially the second half of it. It's only 15 minutes long, but every minute of it is beautiful and I tear up whenever I watch it and hear the "Dawn Chorus" part towards the end. Now whenever I am feeling emotional or going through something that has a lot of heavy emotions tied to it, I think of the "Dawn Chorus" part, and... I can't exactly describe how it makes me feel. It makes me cry, but it also makes me feel like everything is going to be okay as well.

[Street_Mage]

Ichi The Killer (1998 - 2001)

I am not a manga or anime person by any means, I don't even remember how found this work. But when I did, and read through it, something changed in me.

If you know Hideo Yamamoto, it's probably from Homunculus (2003 - 2011), and you find that the author excels in writing compelling, psychologically troubled characters.

As for the plot, I will only say this: This is a story of the ultimate sadist meeting with the ultimate masochist.

Now, on the surface, this is a violent, gory thriller story with immensely perverse sexual elements. But it is not exploitation. The series is explicit with its violence but never overabundant or used in a way that it feels forced or shallow. The sexual elements at first might just be there to evoke a quick response from the reader, as is the case with some minor characters, but in the case of the two main characters, it is the driving force of their actions, and uncovering the workings behind their desires is a fascinating, yet truly disturbing journey one cannot simply look away from. For characters, this is a morally grey world. There are no heroes in the world of Ichi. But Hideo Yamamoto finds a way to make you care about these otherwise reprehensible characters. Never in a way that excuses them, but at least provides some possible explanation behind their reasoning.

This is possibly one of the most violent works of comic/manga media out there. But let me tell you, the scariest parts of this manga are not people being hurt or killed. It is when people are talking. When you find out why they do what they do. The most terrifying part of this series, in my opinion, is when two characters are simply sharing a meal in a room. No one gets hurt, or threatened, they simply talk. And it is still one of the most chilling things I have ever witnessed.

- spoiler for mention of SA -

Spoiler

As for what really got me about this work, it may be a willing misinterpreation on my part, but here it is. When our titular character enters his killing rage, the form of relentless crying, an overflowing of rage, frustration, and sadness, hits a raw nerve with me. Ichi's trauma and present state has an ever-present sexual element, and is largely the motivator for his actions (to inflict pain and death on others), hence why I believe his "memories" are largely, if not entirely fictional, and he was more likely a victim of repeated abuse. Yet that state of crying, rampaging, feeling of helplessness that can only manifest in an overwhelming tantrum, well that brought me back to unpleasant times in my life, even though there was no sexual element involved or manifested.

[close]

The most respectable thing about this manga is that it has no message, but it does not mean that it is pointless, far from it. It takes through the abyss, shows you its caverns without shame or hesitation, and allows you to leave without bond, giving you the freedom to judge what you witnessed for yourself.

[Numberedpaws]

BFDI. Yes yes I know it's a bit silly, but the first time I binge watched BFDI I was entirely entranced. I was almost 18 at that point but it was still incredibly entertaining for something I planned to only watch a couple minutes of and not be interested in. The best thing is, the media related to it just never stops. This entire community has formed around BFDI and object media to the point where I can find something new but related to watch whenever I want. It's the perfect autism machine. Even though I dislike the community, I just can't find any reason to really leave it behind.

Now, if you want a real change- a lot of my system members are from Object Shows. In fact I, the current host, am a fictive of an OC made by the previous host based on a species from BFDI (Algebralien) we also discovered and started looking into ourselves more as a system through object shows. So yeah, I'd say it's definitely changed my life haha!

[doomvega]

Man, there's a lot now that I think about it. The first one that fundamentally altered my brain chemistry is Wall-E. I found it when I was super young and it awoke something deep within me. I took a strong interest in botany that still hasn't gone away and I'm fairly certain it's responsible for my anti-capitalistic sentiments.

Next up is TF2. I blew through those comics in one night and I fell in love immediately. It helped me realize that being weird is actually kickass (and that I was trans!). I can't play the game to save my life but for the first couple of summers that I did play it I had a good time.

I discovered DOOM this past January and I genuinely can't believe I hadn't played it sooner! That whole series is a big metaphor for more anti-capitalistic stuff LMAO.

[mike]

nothing has ever made a bigger impact on me than outer wilds. i sing praises about this game whenever i can, it's genuinely the most beautiful game i have ever played, art style, music, and storytelling-wise.

outer wilds is a space exploration game where you play as an alien leaving their village to explore the solar system around them and uncover what happened to the alien race that inhabited the planets before them. it's one of those games where you should go in as blind as possible and experience just how amazing it is for yourself 

it single-handedly revived my passion for space (and marshmallows) and the ending made me so emotional i couldn't stop thinking about it for months after. game so good it literally changed my life lol

[alexela64]

2 - Media that changed my perception and inspiration
Trinity Blood

trinity blood mentioned rahhhhh!!! i agree with p much everything you said about the franchise here tbh. Hasn't changed my life but definitely a big hyperfixation.

as for media that changed my life:
Blue Period
I started reading Blue Period at a really low point in my life. The narrative really resonated with me as someone that has constantly beat themselves up over the quality of their art. I had just lost a friend and was seeking psychiatric help for the first time, on top of graduating high school.
I will never forget the moment I read about shibuya being blue in the morning. The way that Yaguchi finds inspiration in the seemingly mundane inspired me to see the beauty in what was around me. It genuinely helped me change my outlook on life for the better.

The visual kei/jrock subculture/genre
It's tough to attribute any one artist/group (although i will admit i've always loved plastic tree) but getting into vkei last summer genuinely changed so much about my life. I embraced an entirely new aesthetic and got more bold about the way I dressed.
It was the catalyst that finally brought me to buy an electric bass guitar after 5 or so years of pining and fantasizing.
Many of the first songs i learned were from vkei/jrock, and I genuinely am so passionate about the many bassists of the genre - toshiya, tadashi, reita (rip).

It was because of this that I met a whole new group of people, who keep telling me that I've progressed in learning very quickly (?!?!?) and share a similar passion towards music and its creation. I've really found a home in what these genres have created for me, and I'm eternally grateful for getting back into making music after all these years.

[garystu]

Pokemon. Millennials know.

[wygolvillage]

Revolutionary Girl Utena changed a lot about how I view adulthood and social structures. I watched it at just the right time. I love the movie a lot too!  It gave me more hope for the future and the drive to become more independent and step into the "outside world".

On a more mundane level, it changed how I view media as well. Being a former tumblr user I tended to have a very non-nuanced, black and white view on portraying certain topics- and the way Utena portrays its more controversial/upsetting themes is so artful that it made me appreciate the value of transgressive media a little more than how I did before.

[halcybutton]

hm... oyasumi punpun, but only upon re-reading it in my adult years. getting older definitely gave me a better understanding of the whole story. this changed my view of myself, past relations, and made me want to work towards self betterment

on a more mundane level, the mass effect series is a pretty huge personality influence for me, it's my favorite series. shaped my taste in media and such definitely

[Misanthropic Monster™]

I suppose the pieces of media that effected me the most and helped formed me as a person were;

• Beetlejuice
• Labyrinth
• Killer Klowns From Outerspace
• Ghostbusters
• The 8-bit and 16-bit Sonic games
• Diablo 2 LOD
• Real Monsters
• Ren & Stimpy

[bingus_baby]

Undertale for sure. That game changed my brain chemistry for the better. The sense of pacifism that it had is really important. I won’t rant because I am oh so tired, but the game speaks for itself. I personally don’t feel the spark about it that I used to, likely from age and over saturation, but I think it could really be a game changer for someone who hasn’t played it yet and isn’t tainted by the memes. It’s a game that really does teach you to be a kinder person. A good game for da formative years!

And +1 for Night in the Woods. It hit me back then due to Mae’s sense of wanting something better in life, but if I played it today, that game would BREAK me. I’ve been dealing with a debilitating existential crisis lately and I think that game could either give me the perspective I need, or make it worse. As a college kid burnout, that game was made for me.

La La Land is a movie that doesn’t get talked about enough. It’s not an earth shattering movie, but the ending hits hard. It’s subversive in a way that isn’t super crazy, but heartbreakingly realistic. It’s relatable in the cruel way. I still shed a manly tear to the score.

Lastly, All Too Well (10 min ver). I’m not really into Taylor Swift, but that song does storytelling really well, which is something I don’t see in music much lately. (English music, at least.) It’s only a moving song if you can relate to the lyrics, otherwise I don’t think it would be too striking to the average person. But the music itself is also really nice, the slow outro as the vocals echo into silence is really amazing imo. Puts the original recording to shame.

[Yaya]

Hi! It’s been so wonderful reading about the media that has impacted everyone here.

For me:

Sonic 2 and Sonic Mania ignited my original love for video games.

Carmen San Diego introduced me to my first strong female role model (powerful, super cool, just take out the "evil villian" part).

Runescape and Puzzle Pirates were my gateways to socializing and exploring vast online worlds during my school years. Puzzle Pirates also provided community during the early pandemic with a really awesome devoted small user base.

The first two Harry Potter games (by EA) captivated me with their fun and magical experiences.

Wizard 101 was a delightful world where I connected deeply with my younger sister.

Celeste fundamentally taught me to believe in myself and that I could achieve anything.

From TV, Star Trek: The Next Generation resonated with me due to its values and optimism.

Studio Ghibli movies taught me the beauty of moving through life at my own pace, while Your Name and A Silent Voice touched on themes of identity and acceptance.

I also just saw I Saw The TV Glow, a beautiful (albeit disturbing) movie about acceptance, in theaters now.

Thanks everyone for sharing!

[Paprika]

That's quite easy for me !

First of all was... Mighty Max ! I went super crazy with these as a kid and kept asking for them until it wasn't sold anymore. I cried for days and my parents did their best to make some kind of damage control, saying "perhaps it'll come back later", "you know toys come and go, it'll be cool in 10 or 20 years don't worry". It was really my first huge interest. Then I went on with Dinosaurs as a general theme for many years but with less interest than Mighty Max.

Life goes on and I discover Daria on MTV and my world is ansolutely blasted to pieces. She's witty, sarcastic and intelligent. Beside the acid approach to people, I could relate a bit to her and Jane (her best friend) but this show carried my sould for many many years.

Then the 2010 era comes up and I discover TransFormers comic-books and I end up reading "Last Stand of The Wreckers" and it's my favorite comic-book of all time, you can't even imagine. If I had billions on my bank account I would probably buy thousands of copies and gift them to random people in the street. I want it as a mandatory read in school. I'm super obsessed with IronFist/Fisitron character and I think art and writing are top tier.