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Heya! The previous poll was a bit long, so for this one I've only included people who got 10 votes or more in the old one. There could be a different poll next week - new people have signed up, so they'll probably be incorporated in some way - I just didn't want another insanely large poll here.
Interview and flavour of poll winner prem by Scene. That Ninetales down there represents Scene, while the Weavile's prem. Thanks to everyone for voting and taking part in the project - your support has been great!
: Alright prem, it's good to have you here today. You're widely known as a dedicated Little Cup player and "that anime guy", but we don't know too much about your life outside the realms of Smogon and PS. Who are you and what do you do?
: So my name is actually Prem. I'm a first year at college studying software engineering, and I have that stereotypical Indian job of tech support.
: Sounds like you had an easy time picking a username then. Whereabouts are you based, and would you ever see yourself moving in the future?
: Well I live in California. But nah, I love the weather here. I hate cold weather and I don't plan on leaving lol.
I'm hit with a sudden pang of envy.
: Over here in Ireland our idea of good weather is when it's not raining - I'm sure it being nice outside opens up a lot more possibilities for your free time. What kind of hobbies do you have, aside from contributing on Smogon?
: Obviously I read lots of manga and watch lots of anime but other than that, attempting to play competitive Smash Bros Brawl, and cooking. I used to play drums, working out cause I got fat, Yugioh or Puzzle and Dragons too. Cooking is like just something everyone in my family does. I mostly bake cause my brother cooks more often and my mom is afraid to let me cook worrying i will blow something up, so I only cook when I'm alone. Smash, I play Project M [a SBB game mod] a lot with my friends and we actually aren't godawful but I can't wavedash consistently and we like messing around too much to be really good. I played percussion throughout high school but then stopped in college cause lazy. I just learned to do fancy shit that looks nice. Yugioh I used to do a lot but stopped just cause I got into Smash more. Puzzle and Dragons is a phone free to play game that's taken at least 500 dollars from me because it's really addicting and it's basically Pokemon+Bejeweled at the same time.
As for anime and manga, myanimelist tells me I've read something like 140 days worth of manga in my life. Anime I just started to actually watch recently so not nearly as much time spent overall, but basically I've pulled all of my allnighters in college because of anime.
I do a slight double-take.
: 140 days? That's quite the time sink, lol. And I'm not sure I want to find out more about that $500, to be honest. Anyway, what aspects of anime do you enjoy, and are there any in particular you'd recommend taking a look at?
: Aldaron kinda told me I was inhuman during that one year... anyway I don't know, I'm just a person who gets bored really easily and wanted something to kill time and so I got into anime and manga. I honestly just watch and read for entertainment, so before I used to be okay with anything, nowadays i actually care about quality though.
Recommendations are hard because of what genres people are into, like in the Anime and Manga room we made pastebins of general recommendations for basically every genre. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan would probably be the one that i think most people could enjoy. Manga, I'm going to say One Piece. I know so many people who are like "Big 3 sucks" (Naruto, Bleach and One Piece) and then talk about One Piece anime and it pisses me off because the anime sucks lol. Only One Piece is good though, of those three.
He nods his head solemnly.
: Sounds interesting - I've never got into anime personally, but I know there's some really good stuff out there. Changing tack a little, how exactly did you get into Pokemon and Smogon?
: Pokemon I was always kinda into cause playing Yellow as a kid and all, but I got into competitive mons like 6 years ago? Yeah, me and my friend wanted something to do on the bus ride to and from school so we started playing competitive mons and I always looked up sets on Smogon. Then like 4 years ago, around the time BW started, I was told about PO and I kinda started getting into the community there. Then I finally made a forum account cause someone posted something that was just incorrect in C&C and it irritated me because I hate people giving wrong info. So I made an account literally just to tell him he was wrong.
I notice his eyes gleaming as he recalls the occasion with pride.
: So you started off in C&C setting people straight on their facts - how did you end up where you are today, as a top LC player and long-time PS mod?
: I got sim mods first in just like 4 months or something because I was on a lot. I mostly just talked a lot, then during the staff revamps on PO I got mods and I've been that for like 4 years now. Then LC, I remember wanting to play that meta cause it looks adorable. My first game was against Al_Alchemist who promptly kicked my ass. Then I learned from ShinyAzelf kinda, with a lot of other people too, and then I started posting a lot and helping in c&c until yeah shit happened: I wasn't bad, I did work. You get places when you do that.
I can't argue with that.
: Very true. You've come a long way since then - you're even quietly racking up the badges too! What are you up to now, and where do you see yourself contributing in the future?
: I don't really plan on doing new stuff, basically I'm gonna help out LC all the time cause I love the community and I don't plan on ever leaving Smogon cause the same reason. It's mostly just me doing the same shit, obviously stuff like LC in SPL (Smogon Premier League) is big and tournaments are actually pretty fun so I might get more into that if I have time. Current projects in LC? I think mostly all I've been doing is for Smogcasts and stuff cause I'm mostly a sim mod in the end so I'm always on PS too much work to do extra work.
: Little Cup is a tier that's unique, but also one that's often... not really treated as a really competitive tier. What drew you to the meta of the baby Pokemon?
: It's really really cute. I like cute things
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Beyond that, it's just a nice smaller community. I've always thought people on Smogon get crazy for stuff like trophies and that the stereotypical "tourney asshole" people were annoying so a nicer community was fun.
: You've been a Showdown mod for quite a while now. What are the perks and disadvantages of being staff, and what advice would you give to someone looking to rise up the ranks?
: Disadvantages are definitely getting random pms and being "incapable" of ignoring them. If I lock someone and they start pm spamming me I just kinda have to deal with it, too. Also people expect me to solve the stupidest problems where I'm just like "um it's the internet, man up". Then perks, I don't know it's nice having a symbol next to your name, it's nice being able to help people out when they have problem and it's nice being able to mute and lock. Sounds a little Hitler but HONESTLY, it's so nice when someone does something that's bad and you can be like "bye motherfucker".
My advice is to be a good user but don't be a suck up; you don't need to say hi to every auth that enters and you don't need to follow the rules [I wouldn't take this literally, to all you opportunistic trolls reading this]. Always be a person before that because otherwise you are boring and if the chat is boring then I'm bored and I leave and no one wants that.
I nod in understanding.
: Absolutely, having an agreeable personality will get you places in life faster than anything else. Alright, now for the moment everyone's undoubtedly been waiting for since we kicked this off. What's your favourite Pokemon?
He grimaces slightly.
: Man, I fucking hate this question, lol. Probably Weavile, if only because when I started competitive mons my friend used like 5 dragon teams and I always used Weavile and won solely from CB ice punches.
I have to admit, I'm in awe. I knew he was good, but I wasn't quite prepared for this.
: Truly the work of a master. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words you'd like to leave us with?
: haunter is trash. MUST BE IN INTERVIEW NOT NEGOTIABLE.
We can both just about hear the sound of distressed crying from the vicinity of Naples.
: No question friend, the people need to know the facts.
: Yeah.
: Alright, it was a pleasure interviewing you, prem. Thanks for your time, and good luck in your future endeavors!
: Thanks, it was fun!
We go our separate ways, him humming slightly. I leave both enlightened about just how crappy phone games make money, and slightly bemused this man has enough time in his busy life to even consider holding down a paying job.
One Piece is something I actually liked as a kid, but I got older and formed opinions, then started to care about the kinds of anime I watch. I feel like "GUM GUM ROCKETTTT!!!!" from Luffy, is a funny quote to think back on now. I did love it as a kid :p Now One Piece is meh to me.
In my older post, I promised females and strategic sets to lead you to victory, but that was not enough to win. this time, I offer that AND a once in a life time opportunity to join the Illuminani. Members of the Illuminani are promised eternal glory, more females, more strategic sets, pictures of me, pictures of Pamela Anderson, pictures of Justin Bieber, and pictures of the legendary Drake. Vote now, vote nani. #yolo #swag #illuminani #drake #prem