Media Blog
Picture by hbieser
The 7 Shapes — Reflected in the Stories We Love
Not only in the magical world of Esperia, but right here on our beautiful planet Earth, we can also find echoes of the 7 Shapes—hidden in plain sight.
While we may not possess the magical powers of the Espers, we carry within us a human equivalent of their StarDust:
our incredible brain.
What if we looked at the world around us with greater awareness?
What if the stories we read, the movies we watch, the anime, manga, and books we cherish…
were more than just entertainment?
Each post below explores the presence of wisdom, balance, willpower, empathy, and more—through the lens of popular culture.
Let’s rediscover what inspires us, one tale at a time.
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Zatoichi and Self-Awareness: Can a Blind Swordsman Teach Us to See the World Differently?
Read more: Zatoichi and Self-Awareness: Can a Blind Swordsman Teach Us to See the World Differently?Zatoichi is a fictional character created by Japanese novelist Kan Shimozawa. He is an itinerant blind masseur and swordsman of Japan’s late Edo period (1830s and 1840s). The story became a movie series, followed by a television series, both featuring the same actor—who likely served as the inspiration for Admiral Fujitora in One Piece. More…
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How Can Final Fantasy Tactics Teach Us About Mastery and Self-Discovery?
Read more: How Can Final Fantasy Tactics Teach Us About Mastery and Self-Discovery?Final Fantasy Tactics is a 1997 tactical role-playing game by Square, released in 1997. This is the first installment of Final Fantasy as a tactical RPG, yet it has been cited as one of the greatest video games ever made. It is also the first entry set in the fictional world later known as Ivalice,…
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Schindler’s List: “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire.”
Read more: Schindler’s List: “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire.”What does it take to break free from passivity? Schindler’s List is a 1993 American epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is based on the historical novel Schindler’s Ark (1982) by Thomas Keneally. The film follows Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist who saved more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees…
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How Does Walking with You by Novelbright Reflect the Importance of Social Relationships and Brain Health?
Read more: How Does Walking with You by Novelbright Reflect the Importance of Social Relationships and Brain Health?How can music help us connect with others? I discovered Novelbright quite recently through their song Walking with You, which Alexa often played when I asked for music. The energy of the song immediately caught my attention, and it soon became a favorite of mine to sing at karaoke with my wife. Novelbright embodies the…
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How Does Toxicity by System of a Down Reflect Society’s Illusions?
Read more: How Does Toxicity by System of a Down Reflect Society’s Illusions?Can listening to politically charged music lead to real change? I first began listening to System of a Down when their second album, Toxicity, was released in 2001. Produced in part by Rick Rubin, the album solidified the band’s unique sound—an intense fusion of metal, punk, and traditional Armenian influences. Though an American band, all…
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Fight Club: How Does Mental Health Shape Our Reality?
Read more: Fight Club: How Does Mental Health Shape Our Reality?What Does Fight Club Teach Us About the Invisible Struggles of Mental Health? Fight Club is a 1999 American film directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter. It is based on the 1996 novel Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. I have watched it multiple times—not only because of…
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Can Dragon Night Help Us Reflect on War, Justice, and Awareness?
Read more: Can Dragon Night Help Us Reflect on War, Justice, and Awareness?Dragon Night is a song by SEKAI NO OWARI, a Japanese pop band, released in 2014. An English version exists and may be more well-known internationally, as it is the official PV on their YouTube channel. The song is catchy and straightforward, but the inspiration behind its lyrics may reference a historical event—the Christmas Truce…