Anonymous asks:

What book(s) on comparative mythology would you recommend to a beginner?

To be honest, I’ve not read a book on comparative mythology that I’ve liked all that much. It’s a good idea in principle but one that lends itself to overreaching, and making some strange comparisons between cultures that have little in common. Actually, you’ll probably not do yourself a huge disservice by just bingeing a few Wikipedia articles, and as a university teacher I’m not supposed to say that but, well, it has a mix of the actual content of myths and interpretation of them, and can generally point you to respectable books and articles that will tell you more if you’re interested. Just don’t take anything it says on the interpretive side as the gospel truth, and you’ll be fine.

Anonymous asks:

what’s the ideal place for you to live in in each region?

I like the mildness of maritime climates (leaving New Zealand has given me a lot of opportunities, but damn, the rest of the world has hot summers and cold winters, and I miss the ocean), and the convenience of medium-sized cities. Places like Slateport City (which, incidentally, has some of my favourite music in the games), Fuchsia City, Olivine City, or Sunyshore City (the clean energy is a nice bonus). Places that are near to interesting archaeological sites are also a draw, like Violet City, the town on Six Island in Sevii, or Geosenge Town. Opelucid City might be interesting, with its past/future schizophrenia. I’d take basically anywhere in Alola, probably Malie City given a choice.

Anonymous asks:

How do you reckon Ghost Pokémon feel (or would feel) about Ho-oh’s death-defying, life-bringing power, particularly those who are explicitly ghosts like Yamask, Phantump, and Gengar? How would Cubone feel if it knew there’s a Pokémon that might be able to bring its mother back? Would Ho-oh’s power turn Shedinja into a new Nincada, or Ninjask? How does it relate to Xerneas and Yveltal? There’s so much potential for Ho-oh’s revival power that I feel is greatly underexplored in the series…

Hmmmm…

Interesting. There’s probably a lot you can do with that. There’s a great deal we don’t know about Ho-oh’s resurrection power and its limits, which I would assume other Pokémon don’t know either. Continue reading “Anonymous asks:” →

Pokémon Moon, Epilogue: Responsibility

Beneath the crystal dome at the summit of Mount Lanakila, all is serene; all is peaceful. The dome sparkles in the midday sun, the air is still, pure white clouds drift softly past the mountain below, and the inlaid Pokéball design on my throne pulses gently with a warm azure light.
“…sweet Arceus, I’m SO BORED!”

Continue reading →

Anonymous asks:

Do you have a huge school debt?

Not really. In New Zealand we have something we like to call a functioning educational system, so my undergrad degree was maybe 1/5 the cost of an equivalent US qualification, and I have a full scholarship in my US PhD program.

Anonymous asks:

what are your views on ledian and how can you make him (i really see ledian as a him) good or actually viable? because i, for one, was disappointed back when i was playing the gen 2 games for the first time because i thought ledian’s whole “ladybug that punches things with its four boxing glove arms” design was awesome.

Better stats.

I mean, that’s a dull cop-out answer, but… like… that has to be step one. The boxing/punching thing seems to be a fairly important element of Ledian’s design, but they gave him an attack stat that’s outclassed by baby seals, some caterpillars, seaweed, and f&#%ing Bidoof. Continue reading “Anonymous asks:” →

Anonymous asks:

Are you a feminist?

Well, I don’t generally call myself one, because I don’t really know anything about the history of feminist thought and don’t have any active role in any gender equality organisations. I feel like saying “I’m a feminist” would be taking credit for something that I don’t have much to do with. But, I mean, if you’re just asking whether I think gender equality is a good thing… well, yeah.

The Philosophical Sheep asks:

When you review the major trainers in gen 7 (a.k.a. the rivals, villains, champion etc.) would you mind talking more about how the pokemon they use “fit” them as a character? My biggest complaint about Cyrus, for instance, was that his ace was a Weavile which didn’t seem to fit him at all. Lysandre, meanwhile, had a Gyarados as his strongest pokemon, which was unexpected given his element but fell in line with his motives quite well. Just something to consider.

Hmm. Duly noted, and I think there’s a couple of choices of that kind in Sun and Moon that would be worth talking about, when I write those (probably after reviewing the Pokémon, since I’ve been putting that off too long already).

I think there’s sort of an argument for Weavile as Cyrus’ signature Pokémon, in that his type is very appropriate for Cyrus – “dark and cold” basically sums Cyrus up. But yeah, other than that, I don’t think Weavile was a great choice; Cyrus isn’t a spiteful person or a particularly devious and cunning villain, and those stick out as Weavile’s core characteristics. Obviously they wanted it to be a Pokémon that was new in generation IV, and I’m not sure what else I would have chosen… maybe Magnezone (for his affinity with machines) or Spiritomb (for his interest in ancient magical powers)…

Rockcutter64 asks:

Since they seemed to have abandoned mega evolution for the moment, any idea what you’d do with megas of the 2nd gen starters?

Not really… I’ve never been wild about any of the generation II starter Pokémon (not even Meganium, who enjoys the benefit of my blanket fondness for all Grass Pokémon), and honestly I don’t really like designing mega evolutions very much. Typhlosion in generation VII actually got an interesting little almost-signature-move (she shares it with Moltres, and it can be bred into Growlithe, but hey, who’s counting?) – Burn Up, which gives you one really powerful Fire attack and then strips you of your Fire type, which in Typhlosion’s case makes her typeless. I’d sort of like to give Meganium and Feraligatr something new to match, and then maybe these putative mega forms could have new abilities that mesh with the signature moves somehow. For Typhlosion, you could have her automatically regain her Fire type at the end of the turn after losing it (for any reason – Burn Up, but also Soak, or anything else added to the game in the future that can cause a Pokémon to lose its original type) and increase her special attack whenever that happens. Meganium ought to have something better than Sweet Scent that emphasises her ability to quell violence and conflict or restore life… maybe a kind of mass Wish, a delayed full restore that affects everything in play, with an ability that causes all healing from Meganium’s moves to recur one turn later, with reduced effect. And Feraligatr can just… I don’t know, be able to bite everything in half, or whatever.