by Alice-Ginevra Micheli, Contributing Writer
We all have that feeling. You know the one: You finish watching a movie and something about it hits you in just the right spot. Whether it was the theme, the story, or even the characters, there was a quality about it that almost makes you want to turn around and go back a second, third, or even fourth time!
Bar the reality of living in the movie theater for the rest of your days, you turn to the rest of pop culture and start to look for other avenues where you can find that same feeling.
Well I’m here to make this plight easier for all. Each month, I take a piece of pop culture that was prevalent in the social consciousness — whether it is a movie, TV show, or something else — and then recommend other forms of media for those who want to stay in that world a little bit longer.
Welcome to your One Stop Pop, internet!
June continued to serve some major players into the cinema world this year, with supposed hit after hit landing at our feet. Now some of these didn’t quite perform to the standard that many hoped they would, but others ended up being recognized much more than initially expected.
One of these is the new animated Netflix movie Nimona, which follows our titular character as she joins the villain Ballister Blackheart in his plans to destroy the over-controlling Institute.
Funny, heart-warming, and original, this film seems to have hit a particular chord with many, and fulfilled tastes for a romping fantasy adventure entree around a lovable antihero. Now obviously there’s the graphic novel that you can sink your teeth into if you’d like to see more from this particular world. However, there are also a few other mediums that I can suggest if you’re interested!
Book: And I Darken by Kiersten White
From graphic novel to written book, one of the key elements of the Nimona story is turning the idea of heroes and antiheroes on its head, and playing with what we typically come to expect in fantastical stories.
A great rendition of this in the young adult fantasy oeuvre is And I Darken by Kiersten White. Following the daughter of notorious conqueror Vlad the Impaler, Lada Dragwyla is a brutal person. Captured and held due to her prominent lineage, she is the ultimate anti-princess who knows how to wield a sword, and will stop at nothing to keep herself and her brother alive.
This series borders on making it out of the young adult territory and into the next age level purely based on the violent tendrils that snake throughout its narrative. With that in mind, it’s a story that is designed to keep you nose-deep within its pages, voraciously consuming in order to get answers to the many questions you may have.
Now, I wouldn’t go into this expecting hard fantasy, as it’s more in line with revisionist historical fiction set in a dark, medieval time. However, the anti-element of this hero is not only strong but crucial to its themes, as they are painstakingly set up to be continued in the following two books of the trilogy.
Netflix Series: Arcane
Now we go from the written word to the beautifully animated. Nimona has captured the hearts of many viewers due to its wholly unique and stunning design. So of course I had to look at providing another example of something like this that is focused on a similar graphic display.
With all this in mind, where else would I turn but toward another of Netflix’s titles, Arcane.Based on the incredibly successful League of Legends video game, Arcane is heralded for its mind-blowing animation, as well as for its incredible story.
Set in a steampunk “utopia,” the show follows the origins of two iconic League champions — and the power that will tear them apart.
This show has many similarities to the movie of the month, exploring themes such as family, identity, and heroism that the animated film does in its own unique way. However, it is also much darker, both in color palette, and in tone; it is not a show for the faint of heart. Taking the breathtaking combination of 2D and 3D animation, it breathes life into a cast of characters and operatic story that will have you clicking “play next episode” faster than ever as you experience its saga.
It’s heartbreaking, adrenaline-pumping, and simply a feast for the eyes.
Video Game: CrisTales
From one animation example to another, this is one that you can take entirely into your hands and experience for yourself. With an illustration style that’s inspired by traditional Colombian art, CrisTales is an adventure romp through time and space — literally.
Playing as our unlikely hero, Crisbell, you’re thrust into a world of time magic and future consequence, all sitting on the shoulders of your decisions and actions. Now, this sounds a lot more intense than it actually is.
A turn-based JRPG-style game, the unique past/present/future gameplay showcases a new style that will have even the most seasoned of gamers playing a little longer than intended to see where the story goes.
With plenty of stats, and leveling up available for those who like a good grind, as well as a compelling enough story for those who just want to come along for the ride, there’s something here for every type of player.
However, like I mentioned, the real draw here is the design, taking on a unique look and feel that truly pulls together this magical world. Almost cartoonish, it’s sort of a blend of a storybook look with an anime complexity that results in a real visual treat.
Podcast: Girls Who Don’t D&D
Now, we can’t have a fantasy animated film that has to do with knights, dragons, and everything in between without having some reference to the originator of all things: Dungeons & Dragons.
The obvious recommendation here would be Critical Role and everything they’ve done over the last few years; however, if it was obvious recommendations you were looking for, you wouldn’t be reading a piece like this, would you?
All that aside, I have decided to go a little left of field here and recommend Girls Who Don’t D&D instead.
One of the most fun elements of any D&D game is the absolute chaos the play can diverge into based on the craziness of people’s choices at any moment.
A standard heist adventure can result in the party being dead, gone insane, or in an equally perilous condition just because one of them decided to aggravate a random NPC. This often results in side-splittingly hilarious situations that can aggravate even the calmest of Dungeon Masters in a good-natured way.
Girls Who Don’t D&D is this ideal bottled into episodic content. It follows three girls and one Dungeon Master who are quite literally flying by the seat of their pants. The girls have never played before, and the DM technically owns all the D&D books, but hasn’t actually read them.
It’s chaos edited into audible enjoyment, and I highly recommend you check it out!
Well there we have it: Lots of adventure and magical fun awaits any person who was left wanting for more after having seen Nimona 18 different times already. Whether you want to play, read, watch, or just listen, you’re sure to find more subversive enjoyment in these selections.
We’ll return next month with July’s biggest hit (or smallest, depending on how I’m feeling). Until then, thank you for visiting SiftPop’s One Stop Pop. We hope to see you again soon!
You can read more from Alice-Ginevra Micheli, and follow her on Instagram and Letterboxd