This week, we dive headfirst into emotional ruin — courtesy of Look Back, the devastatingly beautiful anime film by Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto. Before we get our hearts ripped out, we unpack a flood of new music releases — including Testament’s Para Bellum and Fayle's haunting Heretics and Lullabies — rail against Microsoft’s Game Pass price hike, and talk streaming fatigue and piracy. Peter also shares his new plan to train like a writer-athlete with a three-month learning sprint, while Eden reviews Nine Inch Nails’ Tron: Ares soundtrack, gushes about Apothecary Diaries, and explains why a Regency “choose your own adventure” romance might be the most fun book they’ve read all month. It all ends with tears, cello music, and a haunting meditation on why we create art in the first place.
📝 Episode Notes
Intro
- The “lost” episode vanished into the ether — maybe because it was too powerful for the far right to handle.
- Both hosts are feeling post-busy-season burnout and existential malaise.
Music Corner
- 🚨 Rush Reunion Tour: With Neil Peart’s family’s blessing, Rush returns with drummer Anika Nilles.
- Eden: “Neil was never the fastest.”
- Peter: Debates whether to travel for the tour or keep his memories intact.
- 🎻 Raphael Weinroth-Browne – Lifeblood: Beautiful, emotive cello-driven prog from the Leprous collaborator.
- ⚡️ Testament – Parabellum: Experimental thrash with black, death, and groove elements.
- 🕯 Frayle – Heretics and Lullabies: October-perfect doom — haunting vocals and atmosphere. Peter’s album of the month.
Gaming & Streaming Rant
- Microsoft’s Game Pass price jump to $30/month = cancellation time.
- Broader discussion: streaming bloat, rising costs, and the rise of “ethical piracy.”
- Quote of the section: “You wouldn’t scrape all the art ever made to create an anime titty generator.”
Writing & Learning Sprint
- Peter’s “Three-Month Learning Sprint” inspired by Dave Perell’s athlete model of skill-building.
- October–December: studying the craft of novel writing before starting Book #4 in January.
- Reading Save the Cat! Writes a Novel (Jessica Brody) and joining Writing Mastery Academy.
- Reflections on learning structure, story beats, and wanting to finally write a novel he’d let others read.
- Eden debates joining NaNoWriMo again… maybe.
Eden’s Media & Reading Corner
- 🎬 Tron: Ares (2024): “No one’s seeing it — and for good reason.”
- Weak Nine Inch Nails soundtrack, but still better than most.
- 📚 Apothecary Diaries — finished all 15 volumes.
- 🐀 Though I Am an Inept Villainess — courtly fantasy with body-swap hijinks and fried potatoes.
- ❤️ My Lady’s Choosing — a hilarious, Regency-era, choose-your-own-romance adventure.
- 🕹 Doll’s Nest — “What if Armored Core, Dark Souls, and Frame Arms Girls had a baby?”
Main Event — Look Back
- 58-minute emotional gut punch about art, friendship, and loss.
- Recap: child prodigies Fujino and Kyomoto become artistic partners, drift apart, tragedy strikes, and grief reignites creation.
- Themes: rivalry, purpose, creative identity, and the way art bridges life and death.
- Peter: “The moment that cello started playing, I knew this was going to fuck me up.”
- Discussion on Fujimoto’s tone shifts, showing vs. telling, and the balance of subtlety and brutality.
- Shared conclusion: gorgeous, devastating, and they’ll never watch it again.
Wrap-Up
- Look Back is available on Amazon Prime.
- Next episode in a couple of weeks.
- Sign-off reminder: leave a review and email feedback@themiddleofculture.com
