The Boy and the Heron

The Lord of the Rings

After walking hundreds of miles across Middle-Earth, Daniel and Bo finally arrive at the grandfather of all Triumphs - The Lord of the Rings. Pretend to be shocked by Bo's tragic confession at the very beginning of the episode. Travel back to 2001 with Daniel and recall what it felt like to watch these in the theater for the first time. Listen with mouth agape while Daniel defends Boromir at the stand. Examine the call to adventure, but first, imagine the icy touch of a frothy pint on your lips as you live out many peaceful days in the Shire. What is it about Tolkein's world that has stood the test of time for so long, that makes it so loved and adored? We think we've got it figured out.

Jedi: Survivor

We invite a friend to join the side of peace and hope - a side that believes that great stories exist and can be celebrated freely. Bo, Daniel, and Mark swap stories about their experience with the rich and deep story that Respawn has woven into the great tapestry that is Star Wars. How did it feel to see the Jedi Temple? Did Tears of the Kingdom affect how quickly we got around to playing it? Which stances did we all prefer? Did you see that teaser with Mark Hamil? While Jedi: Survivor's been out for a while now, we think it deserves remembering, and can now safely apply and be approved for Triumph status.

Blue Eye Samurai

Discussing the triumph Blue Eye Samurai, equal parts Samurai Jack, Die Hard, Avatar the Last Airbender, Kill Bill, and Mandalorian. Daniel wonders if Mizu is redeemable. Bo insists that she must be. Daniel applauds the animation and writing. Bo laments the long wait for season two.

Baldur's Gate 3

In which Bo, Daniel, and guest star Anthony explore all the incredible passion and detail inside of 2023's game of the year. At over 100 hours each, the three compare their play experiences, including an in-depth comparison of their Goblin Camp strategies and Character Creator shenanigans. We manage to (mostly) avoid Act 2 and 3 spoilers due to Daniel having spent more than 40 of his 100 hours in the character creator, and the other 60 in Act 1, with 5 different characters. Anthony and Bo agree that Karlach is the superior romance option, and Bo misnomers a Deep Gnome as a Duergar, effectively ruining his relationship with all Deep Gnomes for the remainder of time.

The Boy and the Heron

In which Daniel and Bo absolutely gush about Miyazaki's so-called final film. Daniel points out it may be Miyazaki's most personal and authentic yet, and Bo breaks down Mahito's grieving journey. Daniel asserts the Grey Heron must be death itself (what CAN'T Edward Cullen do?) and Bo identifies Miyazaki's more subtle depictions of forgiveness and love. Daniel explains that while this is a hot entry to the Ghibli repetoire, Monoke may still hold his personal first place spot.