by Crazy Ivan
The other day I happened to be amid a crowd of Myachi Maniacs, as often I am, and before long, a trading frenzy broke out. I'd brought a couple of semi-rares and semi-commons (mostly series 4.2 - 5.3x) and the dozen-plus collectors all had their Myachis so before long I was negotiating and brokering and answering familiar questions. "Is this fair for that?", "How about this?", "What if I add that?", "What would you trade for this?", "What could I offer you for that?", "Which is my rarest?", and so on.
You have to understand that as a person who has (a) collected Myachis for a decade, (b) actually wrote the Sackthology and (c) has probably done twice as many Myachi trades as any three other people put together (and yes, that's counting Myachi Masters), most of the answers to these questions are second nature to me. I hardly even have to think about most of them. Sure, an odd small run Paki-Sack from a couple of years back might throw me off a bit, but generally I can rattle off answers to questions like this without even coming up for air.
Which is why I was so surprised when I found myself completely unable to answer a question.
One of the would-be traders held up a Myachi and said, "What would be fair for this one?"
In a sense, it wasn't a particularly rare Myachi. It was the White Rabbit, the plain white micro-suede that comes with the blue paddle set. And if that were all, I'd just say it was slightly rarer than a 5.4 (as you have to buy a $20 item to get it). But this one had been personalized. And it wasn't just any personalization, it was a work of art that Lucky had drawn on the Myachi for the Maniac in question. It was not only one of a kind, but it was a really cool one of a kind.
"Nothing, bro," I said, after a long pause to think it over. "There's no Myachi that would be a fair trade for that one."
"I know," he said proudly, "but if I was gonna trade it, what would it be worth?"
And here I was dumb-founded. I mean, sure, if I offered him a Goldfish for it, he'd be crazy not to take it right? There aren't more than three of those in the world and they're much older and more well-known than this particular White Rabbit, so as far as that goes, a personalized White Rabbit would be nowhere near the crown jewel of a collection that a Goldfish was.
This is an academic argument, of course, since there's no way anybody's ever going to offer a Goldfish for it, but it does beg the question, what would be a realistic trade for it. If somebody really, really wanted it, what would they have to offer for it before it would be a fair trade?
I actually wrestled with this question for a while before I realized why it was so difficult to answer. Sure, there are a ton of Myachis that I can name that one might trade for that White Rabbit and some of them would be "fair" by any reasonable standard, but there's no trade I can imagine where both people would truly get an even shake. And eventually, I figured out why. Some Myachis are just untradable.
Let me give you another example, but in this example, you have to pretend I'm not a Myachi Master. Imagine that I'd turned Myachi Man down when he offered me a job, but I kept playing Myachi and collecting them. But in this alternate universe I'm just "Aaron Davies", not "Crazy Ivan" and I don't write the Myachi Blog and I don't have a massive collection. I just have a few Myachis from different points in history.
One of my most prized Myachis (now and in our theoretical example) is my first Myachi. It's a Sour Apple Green that is so beat up and warn in that I might as well call it a Sour Apple Brown. It's gone far beyond yummy and onto just plain falling apart. I stopped jamming with it years ago and now it just sits on a tube on the shelf with my uber-rare sacks. It's nowhere near as old or rare as the Goldfish, the Iridescent Rainbow or the Paper Tag Yellow Wetsuit that surround it, but in my mind it's just as valuable. My personal connection to it gives it a value beyond it's official "Trade Value".
Now, the very fact that it's my first Myachi gives it a certain amount of value to the average collector. Just the fact that it was the first Myachi in one of the world's largest Myachi collections gives it a value to anybody that a normal Sour Apple Green wouldn't have, but if I'd never become a Myachi Master, it would just be a Sour Apple Green and its Trade Value would be 68. That would make it "officially" worth a Electric Orange Shag or maybe an Aqua Crush and a Fudge Stripe. But would I make that trade?
The point is that a Myachi has a "Trade Value", but it also might have a "Personal Value" that tosses the Trade Value out the window. See, the "Personal" value that I attach to a Myachi will never be the same to you as it is to me, so we're simply dealing with two different valuations. You could offer me a trade with a total Trade Value that was twice what my Sour Apple was worth, but I wouldn't trade it to you because it I'm attached to it in a way that you're not. Anything you could offer to get it would be WAY too much to give up.
In the same way, that White Rabbit will never be as valuable to someone else as it was to the original owner. Sure, anybody would love to have a Myachi that was intricately detailed all the way around by one of the world's most famous Myachi Masters, but just having a Myachi detailed by Lucky is nowhere near as cool as having a Myachi that was detailed by Lucky for you.
I have a number of "untradable" sacks in my collection and you probably have a few in yours as well. They don't need to be super-rare or mismade or even particularly valuable to other people, as long as they have a genuine connection for you, personally. I can't tell you how many times I've been trying to work out a trade with somebody where I'm turned down by somebody telling me, "Well, that was actually my first Myachi."
And when I hear that, I don't pursue it. I don't up my offer. I recognize that we're dealing with a Myachi that will never be as valuable to me as it is to the person I'm trading. And in my opinion, I think it's pretty cool that the only three Myachis I have that I would never trade are all sacks that nobody would be all that interested in trading for anyway.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
New Series Teasers
by Crazy Ivan
I put up a post on Wednesday about a new series in the works. And although I wrote a really long post about it, it's been pointed out to me that I actually give absolutely no details at all about what to expect from the new series. I spend the whole post talking about how excited I am about it and why I'm excited about it, but I don't say anything at all about the series itself.
I'll admit that part of that was an accident. I did mean to sneak a few teasers in there when I first set about writing that post, but I got so into recalling all the new series that have come and gone that I spent the whole post being nostalgic. And when I look back over it, I kind of feel bad for anybody who read through the entire post looking for a few hints about what's coming.
So I decided to write a whole new post just to offer a few cryptic clues about some of the new colors and fabrics that are coming. Keep in mind that we're still a ways off from the debut. The Myachis are being manufactured now so unless we fly a few in, it could be months before any of these are available on the shelf. But it's never too early to get excited, is it?
To be perfectly honest, I don't know 100% what will and won't be included in the series. As far as I know, all the fabrics are settled and we're actually in the process of manufacturing them, but I've seen enough of these to know that it's never too late for something to change. Heck, when the Red Line showed up, we didn't know about it until the Myachis hit store shelves! So I preempt everything I say here with a warning that chaos is looming and anything can happen.
By far, the most buzz-worthy sack of the 5.4 series was the Starburst. It had been a while since we'd done a good shag and this one was a lot more than just a "good shag". It's a great jammer and has a really cool color, design, pattern... whatever. It's been an incredibly strong seller with both the guys and the gals and it looks fantastic in a jam. No wonder, then, that one of our first priorities in this new series was to find a legitimate "sister sack" for the Starburst. And all I'll say is that we did.
Another them of the previous series was re-releases. We brought back several incredibly popular patterns (like the Aztec Red and Blue Labyrinth) in this series and it was pretty well received. With that in mind, if I'm recalling correctly (and nothing changes) there will be three re-releases in the new series. One is a very recent sack, one is semi-recent and one is from way back. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that one of these re-releases is something I've been looking forward to for about 5 years.
The only other teaser I'm going to offer is that this will be a really fun series with a much more muted palette than the last one. There are a few brightly colored sacks, but by and large it will be a slightly darker series. Skull and crossbone patterns and camouflage are always really popular, so expect to see at least one of each. Beyond that, I'm not saying a word.
I put up a post on Wednesday about a new series in the works. And although I wrote a really long post about it, it's been pointed out to me that I actually give absolutely no details at all about what to expect from the new series. I spend the whole post talking about how excited I am about it and why I'm excited about it, but I don't say anything at all about the series itself.
I'll admit that part of that was an accident. I did mean to sneak a few teasers in there when I first set about writing that post, but I got so into recalling all the new series that have come and gone that I spent the whole post being nostalgic. And when I look back over it, I kind of feel bad for anybody who read through the entire post looking for a few hints about what's coming.
So I decided to write a whole new post just to offer a few cryptic clues about some of the new colors and fabrics that are coming. Keep in mind that we're still a ways off from the debut. The Myachis are being manufactured now so unless we fly a few in, it could be months before any of these are available on the shelf. But it's never too early to get excited, is it?
To be perfectly honest, I don't know 100% what will and won't be included in the series. As far as I know, all the fabrics are settled and we're actually in the process of manufacturing them, but I've seen enough of these to know that it's never too late for something to change. Heck, when the Red Line showed up, we didn't know about it until the Myachis hit store shelves! So I preempt everything I say here with a warning that chaos is looming and anything can happen.
By far, the most buzz-worthy sack of the 5.4 series was the Starburst. It had been a while since we'd done a good shag and this one was a lot more than just a "good shag". It's a great jammer and has a really cool color, design, pattern... whatever. It's been an incredibly strong seller with both the guys and the gals and it looks fantastic in a jam. No wonder, then, that one of our first priorities in this new series was to find a legitimate "sister sack" for the Starburst. And all I'll say is that we did.
Another them of the previous series was re-releases. We brought back several incredibly popular patterns (like the Aztec Red and Blue Labyrinth) in this series and it was pretty well received. With that in mind, if I'm recalling correctly (and nothing changes) there will be three re-releases in the new series. One is a very recent sack, one is semi-recent and one is from way back. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that one of these re-releases is something I've been looking forward to for about 5 years.
The only other teaser I'm going to offer is that this will be a really fun series with a much more muted palette than the last one. There are a few brightly colored sacks, but by and large it will be a slightly darker series. Skull and crossbone patterns and camouflage are always really popular, so expect to see at least one of each. Beyond that, I'm not saying a word.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
A New Series Looming?
by Crazy Ivan
In the time I've been with Myachi, I've watched 29 new series arrive. It works out to about 3 new series each year, though that's just an average. Back in the early days it was only one new series a year and nowadays they come with much greater frequency.
Generally, when you've been through something 29 times over a 10 year period, it starts to lose its luster. Doesn't matter much what it is, once you've done it that many times, it's just not as exciting as it was. I'm sure going to the moon is really awesome, but if you did it 29 times in a ten year period, at a certain point, I'd have to imagine it would seem routine. Sure, it would still be fun, sure it would still be exciting, but as fun and as exciting as the first time? I doubt it.
So one would think that eventually a new series coming out would just be more of the same. New fabrics? New color? Been there. Done that. But strangely enough, that hasn't happened at all. If anything, I get more excited about new series as we make more and more of them.
There's a couple of reasons, I suppose. One is that when I was new to the game and the company, every Myachi was new to me. Sure, a new series was cool, but it wasn't any cooler than looking over Kid Myach's collection and finding old gems like the Yellow Cat and the Silver Surfer. All Myachis were new to me at that point, so the new series wasn't any newer than the old series.
Another factor that staves off the monotony is the life-cycle of a Myachi. I can't tell you how many times we make a new series, I get excited about it, the excitement fades and then I see a really broken in sack from that series and I get excited about it all over again. When I first started with the company and I saw a new Myachi it was just, "Hey, a new Myachi! I wonder how good it will jam." But now, I have so many different questions. Sure, I still wonder how it will jam, but I also wonder how it will jam when it's broken in. How will it jam once it's been broken in for a year? How popular will it be with collectors? Will it be one of those inexplicable sacks that everybody wants two years from now? Will it be one of those inexplicable sacks that everybody seems to forget about? Will it be the first in a long line of similar sacks or will it stand alone as a family of one? Will it wind up being my favorite from the series? Will it wind up being my least favorite? Most of these questions will take months or years to truly answer, so every time I see a new Myachi I know that it's opening up a corridor of mystery that I'll be wandering through for quite some time.
And, of course, the biggest factor that contributes to my ever-increasing excitement is my personal involvement with the series. When series 1.0 came out, I was brand new to the company and I didn't even see the sacks until they were on the shelf. I just came into the booth one day and "BAM", there's series 1.0. With 1.1 it wasn't much different. In 1.2 Myachi Man showed me the prototypes before the sacks were released, but it wasn't until series 2.0 that I had a hand in helping choose the fabrics.
Once you've got a personal stake in it, that changes everything. I see a fabric and I fight for it to be included in the new series and then I've got to take ownership of it. If that Myachi turns out to be a bad jammer or an unpopular design, that's my fault. But then again, if it becomes a legend that everybody is clambering over each other to get, I can take a little pride in it, knowing I helped to make that Myachi a reality.
So as I eagerly anticipate the new series I can't help but wonder if that excitement will ever start to fade. And who know? Ten years from now it might be a ho-hum nonevent for me, but considering how stoked I am right now, I find that hard to believe.
In the time I've been with Myachi, I've watched 29 new series arrive. It works out to about 3 new series each year, though that's just an average. Back in the early days it was only one new series a year and nowadays they come with much greater frequency.
Generally, when you've been through something 29 times over a 10 year period, it starts to lose its luster. Doesn't matter much what it is, once you've done it that many times, it's just not as exciting as it was. I'm sure going to the moon is really awesome, but if you did it 29 times in a ten year period, at a certain point, I'd have to imagine it would seem routine. Sure, it would still be fun, sure it would still be exciting, but as fun and as exciting as the first time? I doubt it.
So one would think that eventually a new series coming out would just be more of the same. New fabrics? New color? Been there. Done that. But strangely enough, that hasn't happened at all. If anything, I get more excited about new series as we make more and more of them.
There's a couple of reasons, I suppose. One is that when I was new to the game and the company, every Myachi was new to me. Sure, a new series was cool, but it wasn't any cooler than looking over Kid Myach's collection and finding old gems like the Yellow Cat and the Silver Surfer. All Myachis were new to me at that point, so the new series wasn't any newer than the old series.
Another factor that staves off the monotony is the life-cycle of a Myachi. I can't tell you how many times we make a new series, I get excited about it, the excitement fades and then I see a really broken in sack from that series and I get excited about it all over again. When I first started with the company and I saw a new Myachi it was just, "Hey, a new Myachi! I wonder how good it will jam." But now, I have so many different questions. Sure, I still wonder how it will jam, but I also wonder how it will jam when it's broken in. How will it jam once it's been broken in for a year? How popular will it be with collectors? Will it be one of those inexplicable sacks that everybody wants two years from now? Will it be one of those inexplicable sacks that everybody seems to forget about? Will it be the first in a long line of similar sacks or will it stand alone as a family of one? Will it wind up being my favorite from the series? Will it wind up being my least favorite? Most of these questions will take months or years to truly answer, so every time I see a new Myachi I know that it's opening up a corridor of mystery that I'll be wandering through for quite some time.
And, of course, the biggest factor that contributes to my ever-increasing excitement is my personal involvement with the series. When series 1.0 came out, I was brand new to the company and I didn't even see the sacks until they were on the shelf. I just came into the booth one day and "BAM", there's series 1.0. With 1.1 it wasn't much different. In 1.2 Myachi Man showed me the prototypes before the sacks were released, but it wasn't until series 2.0 that I had a hand in helping choose the fabrics.
Once you've got a personal stake in it, that changes everything. I see a fabric and I fight for it to be included in the new series and then I've got to take ownership of it. If that Myachi turns out to be a bad jammer or an unpopular design, that's my fault. But then again, if it becomes a legend that everybody is clambering over each other to get, I can take a little pride in it, knowing I helped to make that Myachi a reality.
So as I eagerly anticipate the new series I can't help but wonder if that excitement will ever start to fade. And who know? Ten years from now it might be a ho-hum nonevent for me, but considering how stoked I am right now, I find that hard to believe.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Myachi Baseball
by Crazy Ivan
We just wrapped up yet another awesome season of Myachi after-school programs here in the city. On Wednesday we closed the last one out with a bang. Normally Lucky hosts the school program and when the schedule will allow it, I'll put one other Myachi Master there with him for the sake of variety. But on the final day we went all out. Lucky, Kid, Maverick, Hops and myself all showed up for bit of a Myachi bonanza.
And yes, there were trades, there was Fu, there was MYACH and there were some new tricks to work on for everybody (including us masters), but the highlight of the day for me was the biggest game of Myachi Baseball ever played.
We only had time for three innings and my team got crushed (7 to 3), but we all had a blast doing it. See, this wasn't the first time we've played Myachi baseball, but it's the first time that we ever had (a) enough people to field two legitimate teams and (b) paddles.
As you might have guessed, the paddles changed everything. In the past, outfielding was all but impossible in Myachi baseball and passing quickly in the infield was so tough that you constantly gave up runs by lofting the Myachi too high as you moved it from 2nd base to 3rd. Once you add paddles, you can outfield, you can turn double plays and you can scoop a Myachi off the ground quickly enough to keep it in play.
And with the weather getting warmer, I figured it would be a great time to highlight this particularly awesome Myachi game.
HOW TO PLAY:
Basically, Myachi baseball is exactly what you think it is. It's played essentially just like baseball so any rules I don't specifically mention here would just be the same as the rules in regular baseball. There are only a few minor changes you need to make.
BATTING: When you're up to bat at Myachi baseball, you don't have a bat, but you do have two options. One it to use your foot and kick the oncoming pitch into the outfield. The other option is to catch the Myachi and throw it into the outfield. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but before I discuss those, let's look at a few options the batter doesn't have:
We just wrapped up yet another awesome season of Myachi after-school programs here in the city. On Wednesday we closed the last one out with a bang. Normally Lucky hosts the school program and when the schedule will allow it, I'll put one other Myachi Master there with him for the sake of variety. But on the final day we went all out. Lucky, Kid, Maverick, Hops and myself all showed up for bit of a Myachi bonanza.
And yes, there were trades, there was Fu, there was MYACH and there were some new tricks to work on for everybody (including us masters), but the highlight of the day for me was the biggest game of Myachi Baseball ever played.
We only had time for three innings and my team got crushed (7 to 3), but we all had a blast doing it. See, this wasn't the first time we've played Myachi baseball, but it's the first time that we ever had (a) enough people to field two legitimate teams and (b) paddles.
As you might have guessed, the paddles changed everything. In the past, outfielding was all but impossible in Myachi baseball and passing quickly in the infield was so tough that you constantly gave up runs by lofting the Myachi too high as you moved it from 2nd base to 3rd. Once you add paddles, you can outfield, you can turn double plays and you can scoop a Myachi off the ground quickly enough to keep it in play.
And with the weather getting warmer, I figured it would be a great time to highlight this particularly awesome Myachi game.
HOW TO PLAY:
Basically, Myachi baseball is exactly what you think it is. It's played essentially just like baseball so any rules I don't specifically mention here would just be the same as the rules in regular baseball. There are only a few minor changes you need to make.
BATTING: When you're up to bat at Myachi baseball, you don't have a bat, but you do have two options. One it to use your foot and kick the oncoming pitch into the outfield. The other option is to catch the Myachi and throw it into the outfield. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but before I discuss those, let's look at a few options the batter doesn't have:
- You cannot use your body to catch the Myachi. If you opt to catch the pitch and toss it back out, you must make the catch with the back of your hand, not by cradling it between your arm and body.
- Generally, batters don't use paddles. Only outfielders use paddles. But if you've got one or two players that are newer to Myachi, giving them a paddle when they're up to bat is a great way to handicap the game and keep it fair for everyone.
- A drop is a strike, not a ball. If you attempt a catch and miss it, it doesn't matter where the Myachi winds up, that's a strike. It's not a bunt, it's not a foul.
The strategy of whether to catch or kick will change throughout the game and it might even change during a single at-bat. Catching and throwing will allow you to be more accurate and exploit a hole in the opposing team's defense, but it also gives them more time to get ready. A kick is less accurate, but it tends to leave the defense scrambling a bit more.
Kicks are also much harder, so often a batter will attempt kicks until they have a couple of strikes and then they'll play it safe and go for the catch. This strategy can be effective, but it makes life easier on the pitcher, as he or she will then generally know what you're going to do and pitch accordingly.
PITCHING: The "Strike Zone" in Myachi Baseball is a bit lower than it is in traditional baseball. Since the kick is a genuine option, a pitcher can toss a Myachi much lower than they could with a baseball and still have a hittable pitch. When we played at the school, we used our "Myachi Golf" target to define the strike zone. A trashcan lying on one side would be about the right size for a strike zone... a hula hoop could work. Basically, you just have to clearly define a circle that sits low to the ground behind the batter.
This is really important unless you want to spend half the game arguing about whether that pitch was high or outside or what. If the batter doesn't swing (or touch the Myachi when he or she tries to catch), you can easily say if it was a ball or strike just based on whether it went through the hoop or landed in the trashcan or whatever.
I should note that in our game, we had Kid Myach pitching for both teams and if he'd wanted to, he could have pitched a no-hitter. If he'd really been rifling the Myachis in, we'd have been helpless. So to keep the game fun, you can add an "arc" rule (meaning the Myachi must travel in a curve rather than coming straight across) or you can back the pitcher way up so that they can't accurately pitch really fast shots. As weird as it might seem, if we were playing among Myachi Masters, we'd probably have the pitcher standing on 2nd base.
OUTFIELD: Basically this works exactly like it does in regular baseball, but there are a couple of important things that I felt like I needed to address. One is that outfielding in Myachi baseball is one of the very few times you can ever touch a Myachi with your palm during a Myachi game. Obviously, you can't catch with your palm since that would just about defeat the purpose of the game. If you're going after a fly ball, you still have to catch with the back of your hand or your paddle. And if your throwing to the infield, you still have to throw from the back of your hand or your paddle.
But the palm is acceptable if you're picking up a Myachi that has landed in the outfield. In fact, not only are you allowed to pick it up with your palm, but you can even toss it to a teammate from your palm in these instances if:
- You throw immediately (if you take a step or pause before throwing, you must move the Myachi to the back of your hand or your paddle before passing it) and
- You don't "set" the throw (meaning that your hand doesn't go back behind your shoulder to make the throw)
Palm throws are only allowed if you pick the Myachi up and throw it all in one motion and such throws should be arcing throws. The only reason this is allowed is because moving the Myachi from your palm to the back of your hand before a throw makes fielding take too long and gives the offense a huge advantage in the game, leading to scores of 11 to 14 in the second inning.
----
Armed with just that info, a basic understanding of how to play baseball, a Myachi. a few paddles and a few friends, you're ready to play. If you have questions that I didn't cover in this post, feel free to leave them in the comments section and we'll get you taken care of.
Monday, April 22, 2013
On Confidence
by Crazy Ivan
One of the hardest things to learn for new Myachi Masters is what tricks to teach to who. It's a pretty delicate balance when you're introducing somebody to the game; It the tricks you give them are too easy, they won't be challenged and they won't have fun; If the tricks you give them are too hard, they won't be able to do them and they won't have fun.
Clearly, what you're looking for is a good middle ground where the tricks are challenging enough that they might not master it right away, but easy enough that they won't get frustrated. Now this would be relatively easy if every person you met had the same skills going into it, but people don't come out of cookie cutters and no two are ever alike.
There are, of course, some basic cues you can look to. Age is the biggest one, obviously. If I'm teaching a six year old to play for the first time, I'm not gonna start off with foot tricks. Similarly, if I'm teaching a 16 year old, I'm not gonna start off with a bunch of trap moves.
But even among the same age there's a lot of variance when it comes to skills. I could teach two people and they could both be, say, 12 years old, guys, baseball players and the same basic height. That doesn't mean that they'll have the same skill level. Heck, they might not even be close. One of them might be able to hit an Under the Leg 360 on the first try, while the other might struggle to do a Hulk.
There are a lot of clues that you learn to pick up on as a Myachi Master. You can learn a lot just from the way a person catches. You can learn a lot by whether they're paying close attention to what you're saying or just tackling the trick full-speed-ahead. You can learn a lot by how they respond to the first trick. But if you really want to know how good somebody's going to be at the game, there's one factor that tells you more than all the others combined: Confidence.
The thing about confidence is that if you have enough of that, the skill comes naturally. If I'm teaching, say, a 13 year old girl to play and she has a "I'm going to get this" attitude, I know I can teach her some tougher tricks because even if she doesn't get them right away, she's not going to give up. But if I'm teaching, say, a 21 year old man with a "This looks hard" attitude, it might not matter that he's actually naturally better at the game than the 13 year old. He's going to give up the second time he drops it so I have to give him super-easy moves that I know he'll hit.
I only bring it up because I probably hear "I'll never be able to do that" fifty times for every time I hear "I'm going to get this". I hate hearing the never and I love hearing the going because I know that both of these statements are true and the only thing you have to do to switch from "never" to "going" is changing what you say.
I know you've heard it before: "Whether you say you can or say you can't, you're right". Far be it from me to drill an old cliche into your head, but honestly, it's the most important thing a person can learn in my opinion. Confidence makes the difference no matter what you're trying to accomplish. And if there's nothing you're confident about, odds are nothing is exactly what you'll accomplish.
And the coolest thing about confidence is that it's free. It's the only thing I know of the you can get just by pretending that you have it. One of the main reasons that I've been able to stay stoked about Myachi for the past ten years is that I know that every day I'm helping people, both young and old, to build confidence. And it doesn't matter if it's confidence in their Myachi skills, their social skills or their ability to learn new stuff, because confidence is "fungible". If you get confidence in one area, you automatically get it in the other.
I've talked a lot about confidence before on this blog and, word of warning, I'm quite confident that I'll talk about it again.
One of the hardest things to learn for new Myachi Masters is what tricks to teach to who. It's a pretty delicate balance when you're introducing somebody to the game; It the tricks you give them are too easy, they won't be challenged and they won't have fun; If the tricks you give them are too hard, they won't be able to do them and they won't have fun.
Clearly, what you're looking for is a good middle ground where the tricks are challenging enough that they might not master it right away, but easy enough that they won't get frustrated. Now this would be relatively easy if every person you met had the same skills going into it, but people don't come out of cookie cutters and no two are ever alike.
There are, of course, some basic cues you can look to. Age is the biggest one, obviously. If I'm teaching a six year old to play for the first time, I'm not gonna start off with foot tricks. Similarly, if I'm teaching a 16 year old, I'm not gonna start off with a bunch of trap moves.
But even among the same age there's a lot of variance when it comes to skills. I could teach two people and they could both be, say, 12 years old, guys, baseball players and the same basic height. That doesn't mean that they'll have the same skill level. Heck, they might not even be close. One of them might be able to hit an Under the Leg 360 on the first try, while the other might struggle to do a Hulk.
There are a lot of clues that you learn to pick up on as a Myachi Master. You can learn a lot just from the way a person catches. You can learn a lot by whether they're paying close attention to what you're saying or just tackling the trick full-speed-ahead. You can learn a lot by how they respond to the first trick. But if you really want to know how good somebody's going to be at the game, there's one factor that tells you more than all the others combined: Confidence.
The thing about confidence is that if you have enough of that, the skill comes naturally. If I'm teaching, say, a 13 year old girl to play and she has a "I'm going to get this" attitude, I know I can teach her some tougher tricks because even if she doesn't get them right away, she's not going to give up. But if I'm teaching, say, a 21 year old man with a "This looks hard" attitude, it might not matter that he's actually naturally better at the game than the 13 year old. He's going to give up the second time he drops it so I have to give him super-easy moves that I know he'll hit.
I only bring it up because I probably hear "I'll never be able to do that" fifty times for every time I hear "I'm going to get this". I hate hearing the never and I love hearing the going because I know that both of these statements are true and the only thing you have to do to switch from "never" to "going" is changing what you say.
I know you've heard it before: "Whether you say you can or say you can't, you're right". Far be it from me to drill an old cliche into your head, but honestly, it's the most important thing a person can learn in my opinion. Confidence makes the difference no matter what you're trying to accomplish. And if there's nothing you're confident about, odds are nothing is exactly what you'll accomplish.
And the coolest thing about confidence is that it's free. It's the only thing I know of the you can get just by pretending that you have it. One of the main reasons that I've been able to stay stoked about Myachi for the past ten years is that I know that every day I'm helping people, both young and old, to build confidence. And it doesn't matter if it's confidence in their Myachi skills, their social skills or their ability to learn new stuff, because confidence is "fungible". If you get confidence in one area, you automatically get it in the other.
I've talked a lot about confidence before on this blog and, word of warning, I'm quite confident that I'll talk about it again.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Finding Your Signature Trick
by Crazy Ivan
It obviously takes a certain type of person to be a Myachi Master. Like any job, there are certain personality characteristics that you kind of have to have if you want to be good at this job; you need to be outgoing, you have to be a good teacher, you have to have mad skills, you have to be talkative, you have to be patient...
As a consequence of all that, when we bring on a new Myachi Master in training, there are a few things you can count on. Sure, not everyone will react the same way when they start doing this job, but most of the people who have that "Myachi Master Personality Type" will. In fact, we can usually get a pretty good idea how effective somebody is going to be at the job based entirely on how they act when they get there the second day.
If a second day Myachi Master Trainee comes in and shows you all the new tricks he or she is working on and how close they got to (insert awesome trick here), odds are good that they're going to work out well for us. If they show up on the second day and they tell us stories about when they were teaching their friends to play last night, odds are they're going to work out well for us. If they come in showing us how broken in they got their demo sacks and asking us about a rare one they saw referenced on some video or another, odds are that they're going to work out well for us. And if they're already thinking about their signature trick on day two, odds are really good that they're going to work out well for us.
As I mentioned yesterday, we have exactly such a trainee working with us now. He's been with us for over a month, but he hurt his hand pretty bad a week after he started (he slipped coming up his stairs. It was completely unrelated to Myachi) so he's only had a few weeks of practice. And he's doing all the things a really promising new Myachi Master should be doing. He's working on tough foot tricks, locking down his Matrix, asking a lot of questions, tweaking his coaching style, taking bits and pieces from all the guys and working hard at coming up with his signature trick.
Of course, everything I just said about a Myachi Master is equally true of a Myachi Maniac. The only real difference between the two is that we pay the Masters. If I meet somebody and teach them the game and they come back the next day showing me all the cool stuff they worked on and trying to come up with a nickname and a signature trick, I know I'm dealing with a serious Myachi Maniac. Heck, I probably know it better than the Maniac I'm talking to.
So as I watch Genaro (still haven't given him a nickname) struggle for something original for his signature trick, I think about all the Myachi Masters I've watched evolve over the years. I think back on some of the different signature tricks and I couldn't help but think about how they were all similar and how they were, at the same time, all unique.
My signature trick just sort of happened. The Crazy Ivan was a trick I learned while I was still Hackey-Sacking, so it was only natural that I used it when I started with Myachi. For the first week or so, it was the only impressive thing I could really do with the thing, so I did it a lot. Once I was named after it, I figured I was stuck with it as a signature trick from then on.
The same was true of Maverick. I don't think he ever set out to make the "Maverick" his signature trick. It was just a really impressive trick that he was really good at. Heck, I don't even think he was the one that started calling it the Maverick. That might have been Animal or Monk... heck, it might even have been me.
Speaking of Monk, his signature trick was also settled quick. In fact, we knew what his signature trick was before we hired him. When we first met him, he'd already come up with the Flying Fish and we were all so enamored with that move that he had no choice in the matter either. It was awesome, it was original and it was a perfect signature trick, especially since he was crazy good at it.
But I shouldn't give the impression that coming up with your signature trick is always easy. For most people it's a bit of a struggle. Animal spent years waffling between a couple different tricks. For the first several years he was with the company he seemed to have a new "signature trick" every week. And if you have a lot of signature tricks, that means you really don't have any.
After a while he settled on the "Smooth Criminal" and that was his signature trick for a couple of years, but then as he perfected the Matrix Unleashed, his signature move evolved to one of the quintessential Myachi tricks and even though it took him a long time to settle on it, he probably ended up with the coolest signature move in the game because of it.
In some ways, Lucky is still in the middle of that struggle. He has a signature move, but I'm not going to name it here, because if I do, he'll change it in a few months and I'll have out-of-date information on the blog. I think that he's on the verge of something amazing, so I don't want to paint him into a corner with what he's doing now.
Bones was a particularly creative guy and he had so many awesome creations that it was hard to say anything was ever his "signature trick". If pressed, I'd say his was the Stop Watch and I would imagine he'd tell you the same, but he's known for so many moves it's hard to pick a single one.
Bamboo, on the other hand, is every bit as creative and skilled, but there's no question in anyone's mind that the Armageddon is his signature move. He came up with several more afterward, but his affinity (and ability) with that trick made it clear that it was his move.
I could keep going, of course, but what I'm trying to illustrate with this list is how intensely personal choosing a signature trick is. There's no right way or wrong way to do it. Some people pick a signature trick and stick with it for a decade (guilty) and some people let their signature move evolve as they get better and better at the game. Some people create whole new tricks for their signature move while others just get really, really good at a trick somebody else invented. Or others, like Kid Myach, just find a really cool new way of fitting some existing tricks together and create a signature combo like the Wavy Gravy.
It's also not something that you have to have to be a Myachi Master. In a lot of ways, Myachi Man doesn't have a signature trick and I can't imagine anybody would deny that he's a Myachi Master. Sure, you could call the Flow or the Fist of Lightening his signature trick, but he's also fond of pointing out that in a sense, all the tricks are his signature trick.
Since it's such a personal choice, it's hard for me to offer any advice on choosing your signature trick, but there are a few things that I can say that might help:
It obviously takes a certain type of person to be a Myachi Master. Like any job, there are certain personality characteristics that you kind of have to have if you want to be good at this job; you need to be outgoing, you have to be a good teacher, you have to have mad skills, you have to be talkative, you have to be patient...
As a consequence of all that, when we bring on a new Myachi Master in training, there are a few things you can count on. Sure, not everyone will react the same way when they start doing this job, but most of the people who have that "Myachi Master Personality Type" will. In fact, we can usually get a pretty good idea how effective somebody is going to be at the job based entirely on how they act when they get there the second day.
If a second day Myachi Master Trainee comes in and shows you all the new tricks he or she is working on and how close they got to (insert awesome trick here), odds are good that they're going to work out well for us. If they show up on the second day and they tell us stories about when they were teaching their friends to play last night, odds are they're going to work out well for us. If they come in showing us how broken in they got their demo sacks and asking us about a rare one they saw referenced on some video or another, odds are that they're going to work out well for us. And if they're already thinking about their signature trick on day two, odds are really good that they're going to work out well for us.
As I mentioned yesterday, we have exactly such a trainee working with us now. He's been with us for over a month, but he hurt his hand pretty bad a week after he started (he slipped coming up his stairs. It was completely unrelated to Myachi) so he's only had a few weeks of practice. And he's doing all the things a really promising new Myachi Master should be doing. He's working on tough foot tricks, locking down his Matrix, asking a lot of questions, tweaking his coaching style, taking bits and pieces from all the guys and working hard at coming up with his signature trick.
Of course, everything I just said about a Myachi Master is equally true of a Myachi Maniac. The only real difference between the two is that we pay the Masters. If I meet somebody and teach them the game and they come back the next day showing me all the cool stuff they worked on and trying to come up with a nickname and a signature trick, I know I'm dealing with a serious Myachi Maniac. Heck, I probably know it better than the Maniac I'm talking to.
So as I watch Genaro (still haven't given him a nickname) struggle for something original for his signature trick, I think about all the Myachi Masters I've watched evolve over the years. I think back on some of the different signature tricks and I couldn't help but think about how they were all similar and how they were, at the same time, all unique.
My signature trick just sort of happened. The Crazy Ivan was a trick I learned while I was still Hackey-Sacking, so it was only natural that I used it when I started with Myachi. For the first week or so, it was the only impressive thing I could really do with the thing, so I did it a lot. Once I was named after it, I figured I was stuck with it as a signature trick from then on.
The same was true of Maverick. I don't think he ever set out to make the "Maverick" his signature trick. It was just a really impressive trick that he was really good at. Heck, I don't even think he was the one that started calling it the Maverick. That might have been Animal or Monk... heck, it might even have been me.
Speaking of Monk, his signature trick was also settled quick. In fact, we knew what his signature trick was before we hired him. When we first met him, he'd already come up with the Flying Fish and we were all so enamored with that move that he had no choice in the matter either. It was awesome, it was original and it was a perfect signature trick, especially since he was crazy good at it.
But I shouldn't give the impression that coming up with your signature trick is always easy. For most people it's a bit of a struggle. Animal spent years waffling between a couple different tricks. For the first several years he was with the company he seemed to have a new "signature trick" every week. And if you have a lot of signature tricks, that means you really don't have any.
After a while he settled on the "Smooth Criminal" and that was his signature trick for a couple of years, but then as he perfected the Matrix Unleashed, his signature move evolved to one of the quintessential Myachi tricks and even though it took him a long time to settle on it, he probably ended up with the coolest signature move in the game because of it.
In some ways, Lucky is still in the middle of that struggle. He has a signature move, but I'm not going to name it here, because if I do, he'll change it in a few months and I'll have out-of-date information on the blog. I think that he's on the verge of something amazing, so I don't want to paint him into a corner with what he's doing now.
Bones was a particularly creative guy and he had so many awesome creations that it was hard to say anything was ever his "signature trick". If pressed, I'd say his was the Stop Watch and I would imagine he'd tell you the same, but he's known for so many moves it's hard to pick a single one.
Bamboo, on the other hand, is every bit as creative and skilled, but there's no question in anyone's mind that the Armageddon is his signature move. He came up with several more afterward, but his affinity (and ability) with that trick made it clear that it was his move.
I could keep going, of course, but what I'm trying to illustrate with this list is how intensely personal choosing a signature trick is. There's no right way or wrong way to do it. Some people pick a signature trick and stick with it for a decade (guilty) and some people let their signature move evolve as they get better and better at the game. Some people create whole new tricks for their signature move while others just get really, really good at a trick somebody else invented. Or others, like Kid Myach, just find a really cool new way of fitting some existing tricks together and create a signature combo like the Wavy Gravy.
It's also not something that you have to have to be a Myachi Master. In a lot of ways, Myachi Man doesn't have a signature trick and I can't imagine anybody would deny that he's a Myachi Master. Sure, you could call the Flow or the Fist of Lightening his signature trick, but he's also fond of pointing out that in a sense, all the tricks are his signature trick.
Since it's such a personal choice, it's hard for me to offer any advice on choosing your signature trick, but there are a few things that I can say that might help:
- The trick doesn't have to be ridiculously hard. In fact, it shouldn't be because it should be something you can hit 100% of the time. It should be something that you can toss out in any situation, ideally.
- It doesn't have to be something nobody's ever done before. There are way too many Myachi Maniacs for everyone to have a brand new signature trick.
- It isn't set in stone when you choose it so if you get way better, don't hesitate to revamp your signature move. Just because I've never done it doesn't mean that you shouldn't.
- Your signature trick should be a reflection of your style of Myachi. My style is super-energetic so I chose a physically demanding trick. Mav's style is flashy and really difficult so he chose a big, tough, impressive trick. Monk's style was light-hearted, precise and strike heavy so he had a silly, difficult strike trick.
- It shouldn't be too common. Don't select a move that everyone does all the time or it can't really be your 'signature'. You don't want the 360 or the Wolverine as a signature trick, although if you really like those moves, you can use them in a combo to devise your signature trick.
If you have any additional advice, feel free to leave a comment below.
Monday, April 15, 2013
A Shout Out to a STWAKOJeer
by Crazy Ivan
It's always nice to meet a Myachi Maniac. It's even nicer to meet a Myachi Maniac who has been doing such a good job spreading the word that we've already noticed a huge spike in online orders from his hometown. It's even nicer when that Maniac has ridiculous skills. And it's even nicer when he shows up to throw down some of those skills at the perfect moment.
So first, the story:
We have a new Myachi Master in Training, Genaro, at FAO (more details when we come up with a nickname for the dude). He and I were at the store together Saturday morning rocking it out. He's got a big family of people playing and the two brothers, two sisters and two cousins are all loving it. They're pretty athletic so he was able to teach them some tougher stuff right away and the oldest of them was working on the Wolverine after only a couple of minutes.
But dad was skeptical. After all, he says, "You do this for a living though! These kids are never gonna get as good as you."
Of course, I could have stepped in and pointed out that Genaro had only been doing it for a living for a few weeks. I could have pointed out that I know at least 200 kids younger than his kids that are better at the game than a brand new Myachi Master. And that's not a knock on Genaro's skills. He's really good. But I know some 10 year olds that have been in this game for 3 years and have the skills to show it.
But I didn't need to say anything. Because literally seconds after dad says this, a cat walks up that I've never met before. And he throws down a picture-perfect Matrix. Keep in mind that Genaro still doesn't have that move. He's maybe 1 out of 8 on it. But this kid who's about the same age as the skeptical dad's kids, just wanders up and throws it down like it's nothing.
Turns out he'd learned the game from Lucky a few weeks earlier and somehow he managed to get his hands on a 3.2 Finish Line (and had no idea how rare or awesome that was). He's infected his whole school with Myachi Mania, so much so that when I started to tell Kid Myach this story he was able to tell me what town the dude lived in just based on where our website orders have been going.
So to Irish in Connecticut, thanks for your spectacular timing this weekend. And thanks for helping us spread the word out there. It's because of people like you that this game has grown from an idea to a multinational corporation. Keep up the good work!
It's always nice to meet a Myachi Maniac. It's even nicer to meet a Myachi Maniac who has been doing such a good job spreading the word that we've already noticed a huge spike in online orders from his hometown. It's even nicer when that Maniac has ridiculous skills. And it's even nicer when he shows up to throw down some of those skills at the perfect moment.
So first, the story:
We have a new Myachi Master in Training, Genaro, at FAO (more details when we come up with a nickname for the dude). He and I were at the store together Saturday morning rocking it out. He's got a big family of people playing and the two brothers, two sisters and two cousins are all loving it. They're pretty athletic so he was able to teach them some tougher stuff right away and the oldest of them was working on the Wolverine after only a couple of minutes.
But dad was skeptical. After all, he says, "You do this for a living though! These kids are never gonna get as good as you."
Of course, I could have stepped in and pointed out that Genaro had only been doing it for a living for a few weeks. I could have pointed out that I know at least 200 kids younger than his kids that are better at the game than a brand new Myachi Master. And that's not a knock on Genaro's skills. He's really good. But I know some 10 year olds that have been in this game for 3 years and have the skills to show it.
But I didn't need to say anything. Because literally seconds after dad says this, a cat walks up that I've never met before. And he throws down a picture-perfect Matrix. Keep in mind that Genaro still doesn't have that move. He's maybe 1 out of 8 on it. But this kid who's about the same age as the skeptical dad's kids, just wanders up and throws it down like it's nothing.
Turns out he'd learned the game from Lucky a few weeks earlier and somehow he managed to get his hands on a 3.2 Finish Line (and had no idea how rare or awesome that was). He's infected his whole school with Myachi Mania, so much so that when I started to tell Kid Myach this story he was able to tell me what town the dude lived in just based on where our website orders have been going.
So to Irish in Connecticut, thanks for your spectacular timing this weekend. And thanks for helping us spread the word out there. It's because of people like you that this game has grown from an idea to a multinational corporation. Keep up the good work!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
JOTYA History: The STWAKOJ Award
by Crazy Ivan
I know, I know... you know. But I still have to say it. There are a few people reading this that might be really, really new to Myachi so I have to say it.
STWAKOJ is a Myachi acronym that means "Spread the Word and Keep On Jammin'". It's been a part of the movement since at least 2005 when Myachi Man shortened the usual closing line of his email and we've used it internally ever since. I guess it was late 06 when the phrase made it's way out into the Myachi community and it's been synonymous with Myachi ever since.
In 2008, it also became one of the categories we decided to honor each year in our Jammer of the Year Awards. In fact, when we originally started kicking around the idea of a Jammer of the Year Award, we only planned on giving out one award each year and the criterion for that winner would have been the criterion that we use now to judge the STWAKOJ Award winner.
Ultimately, of course, we decided that there were too many factors involved in being a Myachi Maniac for any one award to properly weigh all of them so we split it into a few different categories. Now, I've already explained how, in a sense, the Trickster Award is the most important in all of Myachi and how, in a sense, the Forum award is the most important in Myachi, but in truth, the STWAKOJ Award really is the most important. Or at least, it awards the most important trait.
Take Myachi Man as your example. If he exemplified the things that would win the Trickster Award, he would be phenomenal at the game (he is), he would have created hundreds of tricks (he has) and he would be a legend in the movement (he is). But, of course, if he didn't also exemplify the things that would win the STWAKOJ Award, there wouldn't be any movement to be a legend of.
Myachi is built on STWAKOJ. The whole empire is built on the idea that one fan of the game teaches his or her friends, they teach their friends, they teach their friends and so on. It would take a long time for Maverick, Lucky, Bones, Hard Kore and I to teach the whole world to play, but if we spread the game like a (good version of a) virus, we can eventually conquer the whole world.
And of course, given the nature of the award, the voters have often favored people who spread the word across the US border. In fact, only once in it's 5 year history did the prize go to somebody who lived in the US during the year of the award. Once it went to an American who was living in China, twice it went to different Maniacs in the UK and last year it went to Switzerland.
Anybody's guess where it will land this year...
I know, I know... you know. But I still have to say it. There are a few people reading this that might be really, really new to Myachi so I have to say it.
STWAKOJ is a Myachi acronym that means "Spread the Word and Keep On Jammin'". It's been a part of the movement since at least 2005 when Myachi Man shortened the usual closing line of his email and we've used it internally ever since. I guess it was late 06 when the phrase made it's way out into the Myachi community and it's been synonymous with Myachi ever since.
In 2008, it also became one of the categories we decided to honor each year in our Jammer of the Year Awards. In fact, when we originally started kicking around the idea of a Jammer of the Year Award, we only planned on giving out one award each year and the criterion for that winner would have been the criterion that we use now to judge the STWAKOJ Award winner.
Ultimately, of course, we decided that there were too many factors involved in being a Myachi Maniac for any one award to properly weigh all of them so we split it into a few different categories. Now, I've already explained how, in a sense, the Trickster Award is the most important in all of Myachi and how, in a sense, the Forum award is the most important in Myachi, but in truth, the STWAKOJ Award really is the most important. Or at least, it awards the most important trait.
Take Myachi Man as your example. If he exemplified the things that would win the Trickster Award, he would be phenomenal at the game (he is), he would have created hundreds of tricks (he has) and he would be a legend in the movement (he is). But, of course, if he didn't also exemplify the things that would win the STWAKOJ Award, there wouldn't be any movement to be a legend of.
Myachi is built on STWAKOJ. The whole empire is built on the idea that one fan of the game teaches his or her friends, they teach their friends, they teach their friends and so on. It would take a long time for Maverick, Lucky, Bones, Hard Kore and I to teach the whole world to play, but if we spread the game like a (good version of a) virus, we can eventually conquer the whole world.
And of course, given the nature of the award, the voters have often favored people who spread the word across the US border. In fact, only once in it's 5 year history did the prize go to somebody who lived in the US during the year of the award. Once it went to an American who was living in China, twice it went to different Maniacs in the UK and last year it went to Switzerland.
Anybody's guess where it will land this year...
Monday, February 4, 2013
JOTYA History: The FORUM Award
by Crazy Ivan
You could make an argument that any of the 4 JOTYAs is the most coveted prize in all of Myachi, but the Forum award always seems to be the tightest race. It often has the most heated battle for nominations and it almost always has the narrowest margin of victory.
It's not hard to see why. Until 2 years ago, this ceremony was entirely conducted through the forum. And even now that I've opened it up to the blog, the FB page, etc., the bulk of the discussion and voting goes on there. Because of that, everyone has a horse in this race.
Keep in mind that not every Myachi Maniac is a cutting-edge freestyler or an international traveler. A lot of the people on the forum probably don't feel like they're qualified to win the Trickster or STWAKOJ awards, but everyone is a contender for the Forum award. This one is just about who does the most to make the forum a fun place to hang out.
And there are always a great pool of candidates. Myachi has one of the oldest company-sponsored skill toy forums on the internet and we're pretty proud of the community that it has created over the years. Sure, there have been some peaks and valleys, some slow times and some busy times, but in all we've created a community that has sparked at least several dozen lifelong friendships.
But forums are forums so once in a while interpersonal conflict arises and, like you find on any online forum, there are occasional spats, disagreements and downright fights. That means that when STWAKOJ time comes around, a lot of people that might have partially burned bridges in the past suddenly get a little more political and try to smooth out old differences with potential voters.
The Forum Award is my personal favorite because I've seen the kind of community that it helps to foster. The past winners are exemplars of the kind of people we want populating our forum, the kind of voices we want representing our movement online. It's ultimately an award about friendship, and what could be more meaningful than that?
You could make an argument that any of the 4 JOTYAs is the most coveted prize in all of Myachi, but the Forum award always seems to be the tightest race. It often has the most heated battle for nominations and it almost always has the narrowest margin of victory.
It's not hard to see why. Until 2 years ago, this ceremony was entirely conducted through the forum. And even now that I've opened it up to the blog, the FB page, etc., the bulk of the discussion and voting goes on there. Because of that, everyone has a horse in this race.
Keep in mind that not every Myachi Maniac is a cutting-edge freestyler or an international traveler. A lot of the people on the forum probably don't feel like they're qualified to win the Trickster or STWAKOJ awards, but everyone is a contender for the Forum award. This one is just about who does the most to make the forum a fun place to hang out.
And there are always a great pool of candidates. Myachi has one of the oldest company-sponsored skill toy forums on the internet and we're pretty proud of the community that it has created over the years. Sure, there have been some peaks and valleys, some slow times and some busy times, but in all we've created a community that has sparked at least several dozen lifelong friendships.
But forums are forums so once in a while interpersonal conflict arises and, like you find on any online forum, there are occasional spats, disagreements and downright fights. That means that when STWAKOJ time comes around, a lot of people that might have partially burned bridges in the past suddenly get a little more political and try to smooth out old differences with potential voters.
The Forum Award is my personal favorite because I've seen the kind of community that it helps to foster. The past winners are exemplars of the kind of people we want populating our forum, the kind of voices we want representing our movement online. It's ultimately an award about friendship, and what could be more meaningful than that?
Thursday, January 31, 2013
JOTYA History: The TRICKSTER AWARD
by Crazy Ivan
Some people would argue that the Trickster Award is the most coveted award in all of Myachi. After all, it's primarily a game of skill and this is the only one of the Jammer of the Year prizes that recognizes somebody for their Myachi skills.
A quick perusal of the past winners will show that only top echelon jammers have won it before. Mantis has taken the prize twice, Kickstand, Dragon and A-Train once. All four of them true masters of freestyle Myachi.
But all that being said, the Trickster Award is not necessarily about who has the best skills. Mantis won in 2008 and 2010, but Dragon won in 2009. Does that mean that Dragon got better at Myachi that year and Mantis caught back up in the following year? Of course not. Because the Trickster Award is about something more than that.
Of course, I don't get to vote in the awards so I can't say exactly what people take into consideration when they're choosing the winner, but after watching the process go down for 5 years in a row, I can say with certainty that there are certain commonalities in the people that have won.
The most important factor, as near as I can tell, is INNOVATION. That's the one thing that all the winners have had in common over the years. Each one of them helped to take the game to the next level by creating new tricks, new combos and new ways of executing the classics. They took the next logical step in the game and created two Myachi versions of one Myachi tricks or three Myachi versions of two Myachi tricks (and in Mantis' case, four Myachi version of three Myachi tricks). They pushed the envelope. They test the boundaries.
Not only does this make them great Myachi players, but it also helps others to become better. The true Trickster is the one who brings everyone's game to a higher level. Our past winners have certainly personified that trait and I'm sure whoever takes the award this year will continue that proud tradition.
Good Luck to all the hopefuls!
Some people would argue that the Trickster Award is the most coveted award in all of Myachi. After all, it's primarily a game of skill and this is the only one of the Jammer of the Year prizes that recognizes somebody for their Myachi skills.
A quick perusal of the past winners will show that only top echelon jammers have won it before. Mantis has taken the prize twice, Kickstand, Dragon and A-Train once. All four of them true masters of freestyle Myachi.
But all that being said, the Trickster Award is not necessarily about who has the best skills. Mantis won in 2008 and 2010, but Dragon won in 2009. Does that mean that Dragon got better at Myachi that year and Mantis caught back up in the following year? Of course not. Because the Trickster Award is about something more than that.
Of course, I don't get to vote in the awards so I can't say exactly what people take into consideration when they're choosing the winner, but after watching the process go down for 5 years in a row, I can say with certainty that there are certain commonalities in the people that have won.
The most important factor, as near as I can tell, is INNOVATION. That's the one thing that all the winners have had in common over the years. Each one of them helped to take the game to the next level by creating new tricks, new combos and new ways of executing the classics. They took the next logical step in the game and created two Myachi versions of one Myachi tricks or three Myachi versions of two Myachi tricks (and in Mantis' case, four Myachi version of three Myachi tricks). They pushed the envelope. They test the boundaries.
Not only does this make them great Myachi players, but it also helps others to become better. The true Trickster is the one who brings everyone's game to a higher level. Our past winners have certainly personified that trait and I'm sure whoever takes the award this year will continue that proud tradition.
Good Luck to all the hopefuls!
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
The 500th Post on the Myachi Blog
by Crazy Ivan
This will mark the 500th post on the Myachi Blog. It's been around since February of 2011 so we're about to celebrate our 2nd anniversary as a blog. That means that on average, we're updating the blog about once every 1.4 days or so. That's a pretty good average if you just look at that number, but if we really break it down, it's not as good as it should be.
In 2011, the year I first started this blog, there were 444 posts. I only did it for eleven months, so that was an average of about 9 new entries a week. At that rate, I should have posted the 500th entry sometime in April of last year. But in 2012, there were only 54 updates to the blog in the whole year. That's only a little more than 1 a week.
Now obviously I have nobody to blame for this but myself. As the company has gotten bigger, it's also gotten busier and while I once had a great deal of time to dedicate to the blog, the forum, the FaceBook page, the Twitter account and the You Tube Channel, recently I'm lucky if I can find enough to time to eat lunch and breath regularly.
So if it's gotten a little bit dusty in here, blame me. I'm the janitor, after all. I'll be checking in as often as possible in 2013 and I hope that I can make that a lot more often than it was in 2012. With a little bit of luck, we can celebrate the 1000th post this time next year.
Friday, January 25, 2013
2012's Jammer Of The Year
by Crazy Ivan
It's been a tradition in Myachi now for 6 years. Every year in January and February we undertake a small process designed to recognize the contribution that Myachi Maniacs all over the country and the world make to our movement. Obviously Myachi Man, Kid, Maverick and the other Myachi Masters (including me) work pretty hard every day to spread the word of Myachi and keep the game going strong, but if it wasn't for the contributions of the Myachi Maniacs, we never would have gotten this thing off the ground.
That's why, way back in 2007, we decided to start this little annual celebration and in the intervening years it's kind of taken on a life of its own. I know that a lot of our long-time maniacs look forward to it all year and as the arbitrator of the whole ordeal, I can say honestly that it's one of my favorite responsibilities as a Myachi Master.
The coolest thing about the awards is that they're all decided on by the Myachi Maniacs themselves. It's up to you to pick the nominees and once the nominees are in, it's up to you to vote for the winner. And as MMFL has pointed out in the past, if you want to win one of these awards, it's up to you to earn it all year long.
The nominating process began yesterday on the Myachi Forum and is only open to members there. Of course, if you're not a member of the forum and want to nominate someone, it's not too late to sign up and send me a nomination via private message. Just sign up, go to "General Discussion" and look for the JOTYA 2013 post toward the top of the page.
Keep in mind, it's only the nominations that are restricted to forum members. Voting will be open to anyone who wants in on it. The more votes the merrier. I'll be putting plenty of info here on the blog as well so that even if you're new to Myachi you might be able to make an informed vote.
There are three award categories this year:
It's been a tradition in Myachi now for 6 years. Every year in January and February we undertake a small process designed to recognize the contribution that Myachi Maniacs all over the country and the world make to our movement. Obviously Myachi Man, Kid, Maverick and the other Myachi Masters (including me) work pretty hard every day to spread the word of Myachi and keep the game going strong, but if it wasn't for the contributions of the Myachi Maniacs, we never would have gotten this thing off the ground.
That's why, way back in 2007, we decided to start this little annual celebration and in the intervening years it's kind of taken on a life of its own. I know that a lot of our long-time maniacs look forward to it all year and as the arbitrator of the whole ordeal, I can say honestly that it's one of my favorite responsibilities as a Myachi Master.
The coolest thing about the awards is that they're all decided on by the Myachi Maniacs themselves. It's up to you to pick the nominees and once the nominees are in, it's up to you to vote for the winner. And as MMFL has pointed out in the past, if you want to win one of these awards, it's up to you to earn it all year long.
The nominating process began yesterday on the Myachi Forum and is only open to members there. Of course, if you're not a member of the forum and want to nominate someone, it's not too late to sign up and send me a nomination via private message. Just sign up, go to "General Discussion" and look for the JOTYA 2013 post toward the top of the page.
Keep in mind, it's only the nominations that are restricted to forum members. Voting will be open to anyone who wants in on it. The more votes the merrier. I'll be putting plenty of info here on the blog as well so that even if you're new to Myachi you might be able to make an informed vote.
There are three award categories this year:
- The STWAKOJ Award: This award goes to the Myachi Maniac who has done the most to help spread the word of Myachi over the country and over the world in the previous year. Past winners include Halestorm (China), A Guy Called Will (England), Mach 3 (England), DGH (USA) and Myachi Max (Switzerland). So as you can tell, this is a pretty international award.
- The TRICKSTER Award: This award goes to the Myachi Maniac who has done the most to help expand the game itself by inventing new tricks, games and styles in the past year. Past winners include A-Train, Dragon, Kickstand and the only two time winner, Mantis.
- The FORUM Award: This one goes to the member of our online forum who has done the most to help make it an inviting and hospitable place for veterans and people new to the game. Past winners include Jedi, Champ, Downtown and MMFL (The latter two shared the award once and won it solo as well)
Twice in the past we've also included a "Lifetime Achievement" Award, but this award is so coveted that we've decided only to give it out once every 5 years. The next time it will be awarded will be in 2017 (for the calendar year of 2016). Past winners include MMFL (2007) and Downtown (2012).
I'll be posting a lot more about the JOTYAs over the next couple of weeks, so be sure to check in regularly and get your fix.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
New Year, New Location
by Crazy Ivan
As many of you have already learned, Myachi headquarters has moved. As much as we loved our location out in Long Island, it had become increasingly impractical to have such a big HQ in a place that the majority of Maniacs couldn't reach. With so much of our business going on in and around the city, it made less and less sense for our HQ to be so far from the center of action.
While we'll certainly miss the location out in Glenwood Landing, the new spot is much more convenient for purposes of making deliveries, receiving deliveries, commuting back and forth from the House of Skills and getting back and forth from our two biggest retail locations.
Unfortunately, the new location does not include a retail spot. In our old HQ, of course, we had a little Myachi store and a big Myachi play area, but it wouldn't make much sense to do that with a new HQ in the city. After all, we already have two of the best retail locations a toy company could possibly want in NYC. So as much as we're all digging the new spot, it's not exactly a place where maniacs can drop by to visit. And even if you did, there wouldn't be much to see except piles and piles of Myachis.
So to all of you who got used to coming to see us out at the old HQ, we're sorry and we'll miss you. You made our time out there awesome and you're the reason we're sorry to leave the old spot behind. Unfortunately, these decisions often have to be made from a purely business perspective and it makes better business sense at this point for our HQ to be inside the five boroughs.
Of course, the new location is only one of many new things happening in the world of Myachi in 2013. Stay tuned to the blog to keep up to date on all the new, exciting changes awaiting us in the new year.
As many of you have already learned, Myachi headquarters has moved. As much as we loved our location out in Long Island, it had become increasingly impractical to have such a big HQ in a place that the majority of Maniacs couldn't reach. With so much of our business going on in and around the city, it made less and less sense for our HQ to be so far from the center of action.
While we'll certainly miss the location out in Glenwood Landing, the new spot is much more convenient for purposes of making deliveries, receiving deliveries, commuting back and forth from the House of Skills and getting back and forth from our two biggest retail locations.
Unfortunately, the new location does not include a retail spot. In our old HQ, of course, we had a little Myachi store and a big Myachi play area, but it wouldn't make much sense to do that with a new HQ in the city. After all, we already have two of the best retail locations a toy company could possibly want in NYC. So as much as we're all digging the new spot, it's not exactly a place where maniacs can drop by to visit. And even if you did, there wouldn't be much to see except piles and piles of Myachis.
So to all of you who got used to coming to see us out at the old HQ, we're sorry and we'll miss you. You made our time out there awesome and you're the reason we're sorry to leave the old spot behind. Unfortunately, these decisions often have to be made from a purely business perspective and it makes better business sense at this point for our HQ to be inside the five boroughs.
Of course, the new location is only one of many new things happening in the world of Myachi in 2013. Stay tuned to the blog to keep up to date on all the new, exciting changes awaiting us in the new year.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Myachi Holiday Buying Guide
by Crazy Ivan
We're going to do something a little different on the blog today. Normally, I reserve this space for people who are already pretty Myachi-savvy; we talk about new series, new tricks, strategy for various Myachi games, new developments in the Myachi Movement, etc. But today I'm going to be writing for a different audience. Today I'll be talking to those people who aren't familiar with the game and are, perhaps, hearing about it for the first time.
We've been getting a ton of calls recently at HQ from parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents who want to buy Myachis for their kids, nieces, nephews or grandchildren, but they aren't sure what to buy. We figured we could help these enlightened shoppers quite a bit by addressing some of the most frequently asked questions we've been hearing on those calls.
If, after reading the buying guide below, you still have some unanswered questions, fear not. We have Myachi experts waiting to help you at HQ from 9-5 est at (516) 801-4949 so feel free to call us or email us at orders@myachi.com and we'll help you pick out the perfect gift for the Myachi lover in your life.
So without further ado, here are the eight most frequently asked questions:
What is the right age for Myachi?
When you see someone throwing down with a Myachi, it's logical to wonder if the if it might be too advanced for the young athlete in your life. But the beauty of Myachi is that there are challenges for all ages and all levels of coordination. There are tricks that the younger kids can learn and have fun with, but there are also plenty of tricks to challenge a veteran juggler.
Obviously, there is a lower age limit on the game. Children under the age of six generally lack the coordination to learn the tricks, but even an athletic five year old can have fun tossing and catching with an older sibling or mom and dad.
We recommend Myachi for anyone 6 and up. There is no upper limit here, as the game is popular with a lot of college kids and makes a great office game (and stress reliever) as well. It's a great gift for those hard to buy for ages that are too old for traditional toys but not too old to play.
Is it a game for boys and girls?
In a way, I hate this question, but I suppose I understand it. Most games and toys do seem to break down on a gender basis and even within the industry toys are often referred to as "Boy's toys" and "Girl's toys". I suppose this is appropriate for some toys, but I've always felt like fun is fun regardless of your gender.
That being said, Myachi is a great game for anyone who is active or in need of more coordination. While the game tends to be more popular with boys, there are thousands of female Myachi Maniacs out there as well. The best determination of whether someone will like Myachi is their existing hobbies. If they're athletic or enjoy skill toys like yo-yo, Fushigi and frisbee, odds are that they will really enjoy a Myachi in their stocking.
What should I buy for someone new to the game?
Many people are looking for the perfect gift for a Myachi fanatic, and we'll talk about some great gift ideas for them, but what about the person who hasn't seen the game before? Many a Myachi shopper is concerned that even if the game is awesomely fun (and it is), that doesn't matter if they don't know what it is. What if they open it and don't know how to have fun with it?
Luckily, between the Myachi website and the numerous instructional videos on You-Tube, it's remarkably easy to find good info on how to play the game. That being said, the easiest way to get into the game is through our official Myachi instructional DVD. It breaks the game down, shows you how to do dozens of tricks (starting easy and slowly upping the difficulty) and even shows a couple of the different Myachi "disciplines", ways to use the game to improve your sports-skills.
For people new to the game, we recommend the Myachi 2-pack, which includes the instructional DVD. It gives you everything you need to get started and includes a second Myachi so that you can get a friend into the game, work on complex doubles tricks or have a spare in case the first one winds up on the roof somewhere. The 2-pack retails for $9.99 and you can find them by clicking here.
What should I buy for someone who already has a Myachi?
The Myachi Movement has been going strong for over a decade now and many of the kids who got into the game early are now adults that are still into the game now. The never-ending series of challenges that Myachi provides makes it a game that you don't discard after a few days. Many Myachi Maniacs play for years. So what if you're looking for a gift for somebody who loves Myachi, but you don't want to just buy them another Myachi?
Luckily, this year we have the answer for you. Brand new in 2012, the Myachi Battle Paddles are the latest, greatest addition to the Myachi family. They take the game to the next level by allowing you to do long distance and big air catches that turn the game into more of a team sport. At the same time, they'll make some of the hardest tricks in the game far easier to master.
For people who are already fans of the game and already have one or more Myachis, we recommend the Myachi Battle Paddles. They're super adjustable and designed to fit hand big and small so the same pair can be used by a 16 year old, a 10 year old or a 6 year old. They come in packs of two so that two friends can play together and include an exclusive Myachi, available only in the Battle Paddle pack. The Battle Paddle Set retails for $19.99 and you can find them by clicking here.
What should I buy for a Myachi collector?
In many ways, this is the most difficult question to answer. Myachis make a great, inexpensive gift for anybody who doesn't have a Myachi, but what if you're buying for somebody who already has not just one Myachi, but a bunch of them? How can you be sure that you aren't buying them something they already have?
Well, obviously one way is to get a list of the Myachis they have and comb through the "Retired Sacks" section of our online store (which you can reach by clicking here) until you find one that they don't have. This is effective, but it's pretty time consuming and it requires an easily accessible list of all the Myachis in your collectors collection.
Another great option is to check out our new line of "Wacky Sacks". These limited edition sacks are must-haves for collectors and since there were only 150 of each design made, there's a pretty strong chance that your favorite Myachi Maniac doesn't have them yet and won't have many more opportunities to pick them up. So, for that reason, for Myachi collectors, we recommend the new Wacky Sack series. You can find all the choices by clicking here, and you can pick one up for only $10.
Where can I find a particular Rare Myachi?
Many Myachi Maniacs have their eyes on a particular rare Myachi and they can drive their parents, grandparents and various loved ones crazy looking for some of them. Unfortunately, many of the rare Myachis that every collector wants are all but impossible to buy at this point. Many of them were retired as much as a decade ago and they have long since sold out.
I recently received a desperate email from the mother of a Myachi Maniac who presented me with a list of incredibly rare sacks that I don't even have in my personal collection and I had to tell her that there was no way I was aware of to find any of them.
Sometimes rare Myachis show up on E-Bay and sometimes you can find them at locally owned toy stores that have them from years ago, but if your favorite Myachi player is looking for a really rare Myachi, there may be no way to satisfy that request. Feel free to contact Pinky at the Myachi home office at (516) 801-4949 to find out if the retired sack they want is still available for mail order, but be forewarned that of the several hundred Myachis that collectors are looking for at any time, only a handful will be available.
Can I get a discount if I buy several?
Myachis make great stocking stuffers and good office gifts for people trying to stretch their budget. At just $5, a Myachi is a perfect gift for almost anyone on almost any budget. But if you're trying to stretch those dollars a little further (and who isn't?), consider making a bulk purchase and crossing a bunch of names off the list at once.
Both the Myachi Original Handsack and the new Myachi Battle Paddles are available on the website with steep discounts for large orders. You can check out some of our deals by clicking here and if you'd like to buy more, feel free to call our Headquarters at (516) 801-4949 for a quote.
Is Myachi a good gift for an adult?
In the interest of full disclosure, I should remind everyone that I'm a paid employee of Myachi and one of the company's founding members, so I'm not exactly going to recommend against getting a Myachi for anyone, but the fact that I am an adult and speak from experience should also count for something.
Everybody wants something to play with on Christmas morning. When we outgrow toys, we start hoping for complex electronic gadgets or games. Sure, we all appreciate a practical gift like a new hat or a warm pair of gloves, but once all the presents are opened, it's nice to have something fun to goof around with amidst the rising tides of spent wrapping paper. And what better toy than something that the whole family can play together?
Remember, it's not the we quit playing with toys when we get old, it's that we get old when we quit playing with toys.
Happy Holidays from the whole Myachi team. May you find yourself warm and safe and surrounded by people that love you.
We're going to do something a little different on the blog today. Normally, I reserve this space for people who are already pretty Myachi-savvy; we talk about new series, new tricks, strategy for various Myachi games, new developments in the Myachi Movement, etc. But today I'm going to be writing for a different audience. Today I'll be talking to those people who aren't familiar with the game and are, perhaps, hearing about it for the first time.
We've been getting a ton of calls recently at HQ from parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents who want to buy Myachis for their kids, nieces, nephews or grandchildren, but they aren't sure what to buy. We figured we could help these enlightened shoppers quite a bit by addressing some of the most frequently asked questions we've been hearing on those calls.
If, after reading the buying guide below, you still have some unanswered questions, fear not. We have Myachi experts waiting to help you at HQ from 9-5 est at (516) 801-4949 so feel free to call us or email us at orders@myachi.com and we'll help you pick out the perfect gift for the Myachi lover in your life.
So without further ado, here are the eight most frequently asked questions:
What is the right age for Myachi?
When you see someone throwing down with a Myachi, it's logical to wonder if the if it might be too advanced for the young athlete in your life. But the beauty of Myachi is that there are challenges for all ages and all levels of coordination. There are tricks that the younger kids can learn and have fun with, but there are also plenty of tricks to challenge a veteran juggler.
Obviously, there is a lower age limit on the game. Children under the age of six generally lack the coordination to learn the tricks, but even an athletic five year old can have fun tossing and catching with an older sibling or mom and dad.
We recommend Myachi for anyone 6 and up. There is no upper limit here, as the game is popular with a lot of college kids and makes a great office game (and stress reliever) as well. It's a great gift for those hard to buy for ages that are too old for traditional toys but not too old to play.
Is it a game for boys and girls?
In a way, I hate this question, but I suppose I understand it. Most games and toys do seem to break down on a gender basis and even within the industry toys are often referred to as "Boy's toys" and "Girl's toys". I suppose this is appropriate for some toys, but I've always felt like fun is fun regardless of your gender.
That being said, Myachi is a great game for anyone who is active or in need of more coordination. While the game tends to be more popular with boys, there are thousands of female Myachi Maniacs out there as well. The best determination of whether someone will like Myachi is their existing hobbies. If they're athletic or enjoy skill toys like yo-yo, Fushigi and frisbee, odds are that they will really enjoy a Myachi in their stocking.
What should I buy for someone new to the game?
Many people are looking for the perfect gift for a Myachi fanatic, and we'll talk about some great gift ideas for them, but what about the person who hasn't seen the game before? Many a Myachi shopper is concerned that even if the game is awesomely fun (and it is), that doesn't matter if they don't know what it is. What if they open it and don't know how to have fun with it?
Luckily, between the Myachi website and the numerous instructional videos on You-Tube, it's remarkably easy to find good info on how to play the game. That being said, the easiest way to get into the game is through our official Myachi instructional DVD. It breaks the game down, shows you how to do dozens of tricks (starting easy and slowly upping the difficulty) and even shows a couple of the different Myachi "disciplines", ways to use the game to improve your sports-skills.
For people new to the game, we recommend the Myachi 2-pack, which includes the instructional DVD. It gives you everything you need to get started and includes a second Myachi so that you can get a friend into the game, work on complex doubles tricks or have a spare in case the first one winds up on the roof somewhere. The 2-pack retails for $9.99 and you can find them by clicking here.
What should I buy for someone who already has a Myachi?
The Myachi Movement has been going strong for over a decade now and many of the kids who got into the game early are now adults that are still into the game now. The never-ending series of challenges that Myachi provides makes it a game that you don't discard after a few days. Many Myachi Maniacs play for years. So what if you're looking for a gift for somebody who loves Myachi, but you don't want to just buy them another Myachi?
Luckily, this year we have the answer for you. Brand new in 2012, the Myachi Battle Paddles are the latest, greatest addition to the Myachi family. They take the game to the next level by allowing you to do long distance and big air catches that turn the game into more of a team sport. At the same time, they'll make some of the hardest tricks in the game far easier to master.
For people who are already fans of the game and already have one or more Myachis, we recommend the Myachi Battle Paddles. They're super adjustable and designed to fit hand big and small so the same pair can be used by a 16 year old, a 10 year old or a 6 year old. They come in packs of two so that two friends can play together and include an exclusive Myachi, available only in the Battle Paddle pack. The Battle Paddle Set retails for $19.99 and you can find them by clicking here.
What should I buy for a Myachi collector?
In many ways, this is the most difficult question to answer. Myachis make a great, inexpensive gift for anybody who doesn't have a Myachi, but what if you're buying for somebody who already has not just one Myachi, but a bunch of them? How can you be sure that you aren't buying them something they already have?
Well, obviously one way is to get a list of the Myachis they have and comb through the "Retired Sacks" section of our online store (which you can reach by clicking here) until you find one that they don't have. This is effective, but it's pretty time consuming and it requires an easily accessible list of all the Myachis in your collectors collection.
Another great option is to check out our new line of "Wacky Sacks". These limited edition sacks are must-haves for collectors and since there were only 150 of each design made, there's a pretty strong chance that your favorite Myachi Maniac doesn't have them yet and won't have many more opportunities to pick them up. So, for that reason, for Myachi collectors, we recommend the new Wacky Sack series. You can find all the choices by clicking here, and you can pick one up for only $10.
 |
| One of the many cool designs of the limited edition Myachi "Wacky Sacks" |
Where can I find a particular Rare Myachi?
Many Myachi Maniacs have their eyes on a particular rare Myachi and they can drive their parents, grandparents and various loved ones crazy looking for some of them. Unfortunately, many of the rare Myachis that every collector wants are all but impossible to buy at this point. Many of them were retired as much as a decade ago and they have long since sold out.
I recently received a desperate email from the mother of a Myachi Maniac who presented me with a list of incredibly rare sacks that I don't even have in my personal collection and I had to tell her that there was no way I was aware of to find any of them.
Sometimes rare Myachis show up on E-Bay and sometimes you can find them at locally owned toy stores that have them from years ago, but if your favorite Myachi player is looking for a really rare Myachi, there may be no way to satisfy that request. Feel free to contact Pinky at the Myachi home office at (516) 801-4949 to find out if the retired sack they want is still available for mail order, but be forewarned that of the several hundred Myachis that collectors are looking for at any time, only a handful will be available.
Can I get a discount if I buy several?
Myachis make great stocking stuffers and good office gifts for people trying to stretch their budget. At just $5, a Myachi is a perfect gift for almost anyone on almost any budget. But if you're trying to stretch those dollars a little further (and who isn't?), consider making a bulk purchase and crossing a bunch of names off the list at once.
Both the Myachi Original Handsack and the new Myachi Battle Paddles are available on the website with steep discounts for large orders. You can check out some of our deals by clicking here and if you'd like to buy more, feel free to call our Headquarters at (516) 801-4949 for a quote.
Is Myachi a good gift for an adult?
In the interest of full disclosure, I should remind everyone that I'm a paid employee of Myachi and one of the company's founding members, so I'm not exactly going to recommend against getting a Myachi for anyone, but the fact that I am an adult and speak from experience should also count for something.
Everybody wants something to play with on Christmas morning. When we outgrow toys, we start hoping for complex electronic gadgets or games. Sure, we all appreciate a practical gift like a new hat or a warm pair of gloves, but once all the presents are opened, it's nice to have something fun to goof around with amidst the rising tides of spent wrapping paper. And what better toy than something that the whole family can play together?
Remember, it's not the we quit playing with toys when we get old, it's that we get old when we quit playing with toys.
--------------
Happy Holidays from the whole Myachi team. May you find yourself warm and safe and surrounded by people that love you.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Series 5.4X Review (Part Two)
by Crazy Ivan
Yesterday, we covered the first six sacks in this series and even though we already dealt with my personal favorite Myachi in the series, I still feel like I saved the best for last. Today we'll cover the remaining three double packs, each of which has at least one Myachi that will have both collectors and enthusiasts all but drooling with anticipation.
So without further ado, here are the final six Myachis in series 5.4X:
This is one of those two packs where one Myachi clearly outshines the other. As excited as we all were about seeing the sister sack to the Shadow Box (Series 5.1X), we'd only been looking forward to that for a couple of series. We've been looking forward to a good Pink Cammo for years.
The Punk Pink Cammo does not disappoint. It's a solid jammer a la the Agent Orange or Hunter Cammo. For those that never jammed with these classics, I'll simply say that it breaks in quickly but it keeps breaking in for a long time afterwards as well. It's one of those Myachis you fall in love with when you think you've got it all the way broken in.
The Shadow Box Gray is no slouch in the series, either. A solid jammer that looks great in motion, this is a superb understated sack for a hobbyist jammer. It's got an eye-catching pattern and is an obvious double to any two sack routine using it's much heralded sister sack, but it's also a great solo jammer if you're not putting on a show for a big audience.
As a double pack, this has already been favored by the holiday shoppers as a brother/sister pack; a double pack you buy for a boy and a girl to share. While I think it's a great fit for that need, I think it's a mistake to consider the Punk Pink Cammo as a "girl's" Myachi. It's an eye-catcher and looks great in a shred regardless of who's shredding.
This is a different two-pack depending on whose looking at it. For people who aren't already immersed in Myachi Mania and historical Myachi lore, the Heart-Breaker is the real eye-catcher in this two pack. But for those of us that have been in the game for a while, this set is all about the return of the leopard.
Leopard print sacks have been a part of the game since its earliest days. Myachi Man had an affinity for the pattern early on and it shows when you look at the first several series. Leopards showed up again and again in the old paper-tag days and continued to be staples through the first run China sacks (the Old School Leopard and Leopard Shag), the early Blister-Card days (The Leopard Lime and Punk Pink Leopard) and even in to the 6 Master Series (The Blueberry Leopard).
But then the Leopards seemed to disappear. The last time we saw a leopard-print Myachi was in the 5B series (Blueberry Leopard re-release) and the last time we saw an original leopard was the same Myachi's first appearance in the 2.2! That marks a full 20 series between Leopard releases. What's more is that this marks the first ever corduroy leopard, making it a must own for any serious collector.
And let's not forget that it's also paired up with a black Myachi with a skull & crossbone pattern. This makes this one of the clear favorites in-stores from what we've seen so far. The fabric contrast between these two is phenomenal (a short shag versus a vertical corduroy) so for any new jammer who hasn't experimented with enough fabrics to pick a favorite, this is the logical 5.4X pick up.
There was never any question that this would be the top-selling two pack in the series. It was as much a no-brainer as any call we've ever made. Either of these two sacks could easily carry a double pack with a more mundane second Myachi, but by pairing them together, we've created what I consider to be the coolest looking two pack of all time. But this double isn't all about looks.
The Danger Zone has a unique fabric that I can't readily compare to anything else we've done before. It's similar in look to the 5.4 Checkerboard (and indeed that is considered its sister-sack), but the feel is completely different. It has a much better grip right off the bat and though it doesn't wideboard quite like the Checkerboard, it really rewards you for breaking it in.
The Artful Dodger is nearly a duplicate of the Jolly Rodger from series 5.4. The fabric and pattern is identical, though the Artful Dodger is a noticeably darker color. Like the Jolly Rodger, it's a spectacular denim and the two easily tie for the easiest to break-in denims of all time. That's not a hard title to take, of course, as denims in the past have been notoriously hard to break in all the way. Calvins, Deisels, Denim N Dymonds, Zoot Suit, Chili Pepper... all known as great jammers when (and if) you ever get them broken in.
The Artful Dodger is a different animal altogether. Though it "beards" in the same manner that the traditional denims did, it does so much faster and has a lot more give right away. It's a thinner denim fabric so in the long run that might cost it some durability, but even a sack half as durable as a Calvin will last you for years.
Both sacks are non-traditional fabrics with designs that are proven winners. It is already on pace to be the fastest selling double pack of all time and is the obvious first choice for anyone getting into the game for the first time. Of course, it's also an obvious choice for every veteran as well, so basically, if you're reading this, you should probably go ahead and place an order for one.
Yesterday, we covered the first six sacks in this series and even though we already dealt with my personal favorite Myachi in the series, I still feel like I saved the best for last. Today we'll cover the remaining three double packs, each of which has at least one Myachi that will have both collectors and enthusiasts all but drooling with anticipation.
So without further ado, here are the final six Myachis in series 5.4X:
THE PUNK PINK CAMMO &
THE SHADOW BOX GRAY
This is one of those two packs where one Myachi clearly outshines the other. As excited as we all were about seeing the sister sack to the Shadow Box (Series 5.1X), we'd only been looking forward to that for a couple of series. We've been looking forward to a good Pink Cammo for years.
The Punk Pink Cammo does not disappoint. It's a solid jammer a la the Agent Orange or Hunter Cammo. For those that never jammed with these classics, I'll simply say that it breaks in quickly but it keeps breaking in for a long time afterwards as well. It's one of those Myachis you fall in love with when you think you've got it all the way broken in.
The Shadow Box Gray is no slouch in the series, either. A solid jammer that looks great in motion, this is a superb understated sack for a hobbyist jammer. It's got an eye-catching pattern and is an obvious double to any two sack routine using it's much heralded sister sack, but it's also a great solo jammer if you're not putting on a show for a big audience.
As a double pack, this has already been favored by the holiday shoppers as a brother/sister pack; a double pack you buy for a boy and a girl to share. While I think it's a great fit for that need, I think it's a mistake to consider the Punk Pink Cammo as a "girl's" Myachi. It's an eye-catcher and looks great in a shred regardless of who's shredding.
THE HEART-BREAKER &
THE RED LEOPARD
This is a different two-pack depending on whose looking at it. For people who aren't already immersed in Myachi Mania and historical Myachi lore, the Heart-Breaker is the real eye-catcher in this two pack. But for those of us that have been in the game for a while, this set is all about the return of the leopard.
Leopard print sacks have been a part of the game since its earliest days. Myachi Man had an affinity for the pattern early on and it shows when you look at the first several series. Leopards showed up again and again in the old paper-tag days and continued to be staples through the first run China sacks (the Old School Leopard and Leopard Shag), the early Blister-Card days (The Leopard Lime and Punk Pink Leopard) and even in to the 6 Master Series (The Blueberry Leopard).
But then the Leopards seemed to disappear. The last time we saw a leopard-print Myachi was in the 5B series (Blueberry Leopard re-release) and the last time we saw an original leopard was the same Myachi's first appearance in the 2.2! That marks a full 20 series between Leopard releases. What's more is that this marks the first ever corduroy leopard, making it a must own for any serious collector.
And let's not forget that it's also paired up with a black Myachi with a skull & crossbone pattern. This makes this one of the clear favorites in-stores from what we've seen so far. The fabric contrast between these two is phenomenal (a short shag versus a vertical corduroy) so for any new jammer who hasn't experimented with enough fabrics to pick a favorite, this is the logical 5.4X pick up.
THE DANGER ZONE &
THE ARTFUL DODGER
There was never any question that this would be the top-selling two pack in the series. It was as much a no-brainer as any call we've ever made. Either of these two sacks could easily carry a double pack with a more mundane second Myachi, but by pairing them together, we've created what I consider to be the coolest looking two pack of all time. But this double isn't all about looks.
The Danger Zone has a unique fabric that I can't readily compare to anything else we've done before. It's similar in look to the 5.4 Checkerboard (and indeed that is considered its sister-sack), but the feel is completely different. It has a much better grip right off the bat and though it doesn't wideboard quite like the Checkerboard, it really rewards you for breaking it in.
The Artful Dodger is nearly a duplicate of the Jolly Rodger from series 5.4. The fabric and pattern is identical, though the Artful Dodger is a noticeably darker color. Like the Jolly Rodger, it's a spectacular denim and the two easily tie for the easiest to break-in denims of all time. That's not a hard title to take, of course, as denims in the past have been notoriously hard to break in all the way. Calvins, Deisels, Denim N Dymonds, Zoot Suit, Chili Pepper... all known as great jammers when (and if) you ever get them broken in.
The Artful Dodger is a different animal altogether. Though it "beards" in the same manner that the traditional denims did, it does so much faster and has a lot more give right away. It's a thinner denim fabric so in the long run that might cost it some durability, but even a sack half as durable as a Calvin will last you for years.
Both sacks are non-traditional fabrics with designs that are proven winners. It is already on pace to be the fastest selling double pack of all time and is the obvious first choice for anyone getting into the game for the first time. Of course, it's also an obvious choice for every veteran as well, so basically, if you're reading this, you should probably go ahead and place an order for one.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Series 5.4X Review (Part One)
by Crazy Ivan
Let me begin with a quick apology. I said this would be out last week, but as be batten down the hatches in preparation for the holiday season, I found myself pushing it back more and more. It did give me another week to jam with all the Myachis in question, so my hope is that what I sacrificed in punctuality, I'll make up for in specificity.
Because this series is offered in sets of two, I'll be reviewing them in pairs. I think it's important for people deciding which ones to pick up, it's best to look at how each set compliments one another rather than reviewing them individually.
And like the 5.4 review, I'll be splitting this one into a two day thing. Below are the reviews of the first six Myachis offered in the 5.4X:
Most Myachi collectors will look at this pairing of sacks and see two re-releases. The Bag Pipe Red, one of the best sellers from the previous series sits above what most people would think at a glance is a welcome re-release of the Patchwork Black.
While I can say with certainty that the HodgePodge Plaid is a unique Myachi, the differences between it and the Patchwork Black (series 4.2), the differences are subtle. It would take a trained eye to distinguish them without taking a quick look at the series number on the tag.
Those differences are all in the look, however, as the HodgePodge is every bit the jammer that the Patchwork Black was (and still is). Interestingly enough, the real jammability differences come from the direct re-release of the Bag Pipe Red. While this is the same Myachi that was offered in the 5.3 series, a subtle manufacturing change has made it a far superior jammer.
This pairing offers the best color contrast in the series, so it makes for a spectacular doubles routine. This is the pairing I would suggest for somebody who was a jammer and looking for two new Myachis to be their dominant jam-sacks. This would also be a great pick-up for somebody who was once a heavy jammer and is looking to get back in the game.
Two much awaited sister sacks are paired up in this phenomenal double pack. I've long believed that every good series should have at least one cammo sack (and sales seem to back me up on that). This will be only the second Blue camouflage and by an unfortunate error by as we went to press, they share a name. The "Blue Cammo" from series 4.4 was a significantly different sack with a shag fabric and a far darker set of tones.
Setting aside the name duplication, this sack is the latest in a long series of popular cammo cords that include the legendary Hunter Cammo and the Agent Orange. It's a phenomenal jammer with a quick break in time and the soft blue is easy to pick out in a quick jam in almost any environment.
Coupling a vertical corduroy like the Blue Cammo with a classic horizontal is something that Maverick has been pushing for more and more in the double packs and we wisely went his way this time. The Green Labyrinth is a great contrast to the Blue Cammo, but not just in terms of fabric orientation. A dark color contrasting with a light color, a loud pattern contrasting with a muted one and a flowing design contrasting with an angular one.
This pairing probably offers the best balance between the jammer and the collector. Both sacks are legit shred bags but their connection to such storied classic Myachi families make them must-owns for collectors.
This double pack may be the victim of an incredibly stunning series. In most two-pack series, this pairing would probably jump right off the shelf. The combination of the skull & crossbone design with a classic multi-colored horizontal cord would be a winner in 9 series out of 10. But in this series, this two pack looks almost bland in comparison to it's edgier cousins.
The Blue Horizon has already earned a valued spot in my collection of jammers. It's become my go-to sack from the 5.4X series and despite a relatively dull look, the horizontal contrast looks great mid-shred. Sistering with the Black Hole Sun from series 5.4, the Blue Horizon promises to be a long-term favorite among serious jammers.
The Cold Hearted is definitely more of a collector than a jammer. While the short-shag does break in with relative ease, most jammers shy away from white Myachis because of their propensity to show wear in a negative way. The pattern diffuses it somewhat (when compared to sacks like the White Belt or the CMC), but it's still far easier to imagine this Myachi earning a spot in a collection than it is to see it earning a spot in a 3 Myachi juggle.
As a pair, this is a great split for someone on the fence between being a jammer and a collector. Rather than a double pack like the Green Labyrinth and the Blue Cammo where both sacks are hybrids of jamming and collectability, this two pack offers a clear choice of one of each.
Check back with us tomorrow for the breakdown on the remaining 6 sacks from series 5.4X!
Let me begin with a quick apology. I said this would be out last week, but as be batten down the hatches in preparation for the holiday season, I found myself pushing it back more and more. It did give me another week to jam with all the Myachis in question, so my hope is that what I sacrificed in punctuality, I'll make up for in specificity.
Because this series is offered in sets of two, I'll be reviewing them in pairs. I think it's important for people deciding which ones to pick up, it's best to look at how each set compliments one another rather than reviewing them individually.
And like the 5.4 review, I'll be splitting this one into a two day thing. Below are the reviews of the first six Myachis offered in the 5.4X:
THE BAGPIPE RED &
THE HODGEPODGE PLAID
Most Myachi collectors will look at this pairing of sacks and see two re-releases. The Bag Pipe Red, one of the best sellers from the previous series sits above what most people would think at a glance is a welcome re-release of the Patchwork Black.
While I can say with certainty that the HodgePodge Plaid is a unique Myachi, the differences between it and the Patchwork Black (series 4.2), the differences are subtle. It would take a trained eye to distinguish them without taking a quick look at the series number on the tag.
Those differences are all in the look, however, as the HodgePodge is every bit the jammer that the Patchwork Black was (and still is). Interestingly enough, the real jammability differences come from the direct re-release of the Bag Pipe Red. While this is the same Myachi that was offered in the 5.3 series, a subtle manufacturing change has made it a far superior jammer.
This pairing offers the best color contrast in the series, so it makes for a spectacular doubles routine. This is the pairing I would suggest for somebody who was a jammer and looking for two new Myachis to be their dominant jam-sacks. This would also be a great pick-up for somebody who was once a heavy jammer and is looking to get back in the game.
THE BLUE CAMMO &
THE GREEN LABYRINTH
Two much awaited sister sacks are paired up in this phenomenal double pack. I've long believed that every good series should have at least one cammo sack (and sales seem to back me up on that). This will be only the second Blue camouflage and by an unfortunate error by as we went to press, they share a name. The "Blue Cammo" from series 4.4 was a significantly different sack with a shag fabric and a far darker set of tones.
Setting aside the name duplication, this sack is the latest in a long series of popular cammo cords that include the legendary Hunter Cammo and the Agent Orange. It's a phenomenal jammer with a quick break in time and the soft blue is easy to pick out in a quick jam in almost any environment.
Coupling a vertical corduroy like the Blue Cammo with a classic horizontal is something that Maverick has been pushing for more and more in the double packs and we wisely went his way this time. The Green Labyrinth is a great contrast to the Blue Cammo, but not just in terms of fabric orientation. A dark color contrasting with a light color, a loud pattern contrasting with a muted one and a flowing design contrasting with an angular one.
This pairing probably offers the best balance between the jammer and the collector. Both sacks are legit shred bags but their connection to such storied classic Myachi families make them must-owns for collectors.
THE BLUE HORIZON &
THE COLD HEARTED
This double pack may be the victim of an incredibly stunning series. In most two-pack series, this pairing would probably jump right off the shelf. The combination of the skull & crossbone design with a classic multi-colored horizontal cord would be a winner in 9 series out of 10. But in this series, this two pack looks almost bland in comparison to it's edgier cousins.
The Blue Horizon has already earned a valued spot in my collection of jammers. It's become my go-to sack from the 5.4X series and despite a relatively dull look, the horizontal contrast looks great mid-shred. Sistering with the Black Hole Sun from series 5.4, the Blue Horizon promises to be a long-term favorite among serious jammers.
The Cold Hearted is definitely more of a collector than a jammer. While the short-shag does break in with relative ease, most jammers shy away from white Myachis because of their propensity to show wear in a negative way. The pattern diffuses it somewhat (when compared to sacks like the White Belt or the CMC), but it's still far easier to imagine this Myachi earning a spot in a collection than it is to see it earning a spot in a 3 Myachi juggle.
As a pair, this is a great split for someone on the fence between being a jammer and a collector. Rather than a double pack like the Green Labyrinth and the Blue Cammo where both sacks are hybrids of jamming and collectability, this two pack offers a clear choice of one of each.
---
Monday, October 8, 2012
Games Myachi Masters Play
by Crazy Ivan
The other day, Lucky and I were playing a little Myachi in the living room at the House of Skills and, as often happens in such situations, a new Myachi game emerged. We started off just tossing back and forth and, because Lucky is still recovering from a broken leg, we had to do it seated. Before long we started playing a variation of a game Butter and I used to play. It's a simple back and forth game where I'm trying to land a Myachi on your seat and you're trying to land it on mine. A lot of fakes, high tosses and crazy spins.
Of course, when Myachi Masters play, games evolve pretty quickly and before long we were playing an entirely different game. We were having so much fun with it that I immediately thought "I should write about this on the blog". After all, that's what I usually do when a new game emerges.
But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if the game was really worth sharing. It's a game that Lucky and I had a bunch of fun with and Monk, Kid and I had a bunch of fun with it later in the evening, but it occurs to me that this game really might only be fun for a Myachi Master.
I debated with myself for a bit on whether the game was blog-worthy, and obviously I eventually decided that it was. It's a pretty simple game that requires two or more people and at least three Myachis. I should note that in our limited experience, the more Myachis you use, the better... though I have to assume that at a certain point you pass the optimum number.
Here's how the game works:
Each player stands in a circle (or across from one another in a two player game). One player starts with all 3 (or 4 or 5 or 6) Myachis. You select one of the Myachis to be the "Target Sack". It should be one that is brightly colored or at least one that looks a lot different than the others. You'll see why in the next paragraph.
The first player now throws all the Myachis to the next player. They can all be thrown at once or they can be thrown one at a time or they can be thrown in groups of two. The thrower can throw however they want. Now here's the twist: The player they're being thrown to doesn't have to catch all the Myachis. They only have to catch the target sack. In fact, they're only allowed to catch the Target Sack. If you catch any Myachi other than the Target Sack, your opponent gets a point. If you fail to catch the Target sack, the opponent gets a point.
Now this player gathers up the Myachis and tosses them back (or to the next player in the circle) and the game keeps going until one player has 7 points.
You can probably see how this gets challenging right away. If the Myachis are thrown in a cluster, it's often very difficult to catch one without accidentally catching another. We were allowing for a single strike before the catch to break up tightly clustered throws, but even then it can be really tough to pick out just the one we were supposed to catch.
But I had to wonder if this would be anywhere near as fun to the average Myachi player. It's not that the game is too difficult, but rather, it might be too easy. As a Myachi Master, you catch Myachis for at least 40 hours a week, but more often 50, 60 or more. It gets to the point where anything someone tosses to you winds up on the back of your hand. So for a Myachi Master, you have to really work not to catch all the Myachis that are coming your way. You have to consciously tell yourself that they all have to land on the ground. Even if you could make a really cool foot save that would allow you to catch all 3 (of 4 or 5 or 6). When Lucky and I played, I won because he eventually just accidentally caught one that was near his left hand (he was catching the Target Sack with his right). It's an instinct and it's tough to suppress.
So my hope is that a few Myachi Maniacs will read this, try the game out and report back to me. If you decide to help me in this experiment, please leave your results in the comment section below. Also, we're trying to think of a name for this one, so if you have any thoughts there, you can leave them in the comments section as well.
The other day, Lucky and I were playing a little Myachi in the living room at the House of Skills and, as often happens in such situations, a new Myachi game emerged. We started off just tossing back and forth and, because Lucky is still recovering from a broken leg, we had to do it seated. Before long we started playing a variation of a game Butter and I used to play. It's a simple back and forth game where I'm trying to land a Myachi on your seat and you're trying to land it on mine. A lot of fakes, high tosses and crazy spins.
Of course, when Myachi Masters play, games evolve pretty quickly and before long we were playing an entirely different game. We were having so much fun with it that I immediately thought "I should write about this on the blog". After all, that's what I usually do when a new game emerges.
But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if the game was really worth sharing. It's a game that Lucky and I had a bunch of fun with and Monk, Kid and I had a bunch of fun with it later in the evening, but it occurs to me that this game really might only be fun for a Myachi Master.
I debated with myself for a bit on whether the game was blog-worthy, and obviously I eventually decided that it was. It's a pretty simple game that requires two or more people and at least three Myachis. I should note that in our limited experience, the more Myachis you use, the better... though I have to assume that at a certain point you pass the optimum number.
Here's how the game works:
Each player stands in a circle (or across from one another in a two player game). One player starts with all 3 (or 4 or 5 or 6) Myachis. You select one of the Myachis to be the "Target Sack". It should be one that is brightly colored or at least one that looks a lot different than the others. You'll see why in the next paragraph.
The first player now throws all the Myachis to the next player. They can all be thrown at once or they can be thrown one at a time or they can be thrown in groups of two. The thrower can throw however they want. Now here's the twist: The player they're being thrown to doesn't have to catch all the Myachis. They only have to catch the target sack. In fact, they're only allowed to catch the Target Sack. If you catch any Myachi other than the Target Sack, your opponent gets a point. If you fail to catch the Target sack, the opponent gets a point.
Now this player gathers up the Myachis and tosses them back (or to the next player in the circle) and the game keeps going until one player has 7 points.
You can probably see how this gets challenging right away. If the Myachis are thrown in a cluster, it's often very difficult to catch one without accidentally catching another. We were allowing for a single strike before the catch to break up tightly clustered throws, but even then it can be really tough to pick out just the one we were supposed to catch.
But I had to wonder if this would be anywhere near as fun to the average Myachi player. It's not that the game is too difficult, but rather, it might be too easy. As a Myachi Master, you catch Myachis for at least 40 hours a week, but more often 50, 60 or more. It gets to the point where anything someone tosses to you winds up on the back of your hand. So for a Myachi Master, you have to really work not to catch all the Myachis that are coming your way. You have to consciously tell yourself that they all have to land on the ground. Even if you could make a really cool foot save that would allow you to catch all 3 (of 4 or 5 or 6). When Lucky and I played, I won because he eventually just accidentally caught one that was near his left hand (he was catching the Target Sack with his right). It's an instinct and it's tough to suppress.
So my hope is that a few Myachi Maniacs will read this, try the game out and report back to me. If you decide to help me in this experiment, please leave your results in the comment section below. Also, we're trying to think of a name for this one, so if you have any thoughts there, you can leave them in the comments section as well.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Series 5.4 Review, Part Two
by Crazy Ivan
Yesterday, I broke down the first six sacks in the 5.4 series. We saw some old favorites, some new takes on some old designs and some classic fabrics popping back up after long hiatuses. Today we're going to take all those themes to a higher level as we break down the remaining Myachis in the series. And, no offense to the Aztec Red, the Checkerboard, the Shadow Box Red, the Blackhole Sun, the Python Blue and the Bagpipe Blue, I think I saved the best for last.
We started with a rerelease yesterday, so I figured we'd do the same today. The most popular sack from the 4.5 series makes a triumphant return in the 5.4, reminding us all that nothing beats a brightly colored corduroy. Now complimenting the Labyrinth Green in the 5.4x series (see review coming next week), the understated pattern on this classic manages to hold its own even alongside the cornucopia of visual awesomeness that is the 5.4 series.
For those of you who never jammed with a broken in Labyrinth Blue, I feel confident in saying that I can't oversell it. In terms of jammability I would likely rank it as my all time favorite horizontal corduroy. But don't just take my word for it. The original release of this sack was recent enough that there are plenty of Manias that would be happy to back me up on that.
When the time comes to select the new series, Myachi Man sends up hundreds of fabric samples and everybody at the House of Skills looks over them, each of us selecting our favorites. In every batch, there are always a few patterns that we all agree on and a few that we debate. I'm sure it will come as no surprise that there was no debate when it came to the Jolly Roger.
You can already see that it's awesome so I don't have to tell you that. It's probably the coolest looking sack since the Hard Core Cammo. But what you can't see on the picture is what an incredible jammer it is as well. The fabric has no real parallel in the Myachi world, so the best I can do to describe it is to say that it's somewhere between a Boneyard Red and a Calvin. It's a denim, but a thin denim that breaks in like a late stage denim way quicker.
Like all denims (including the vaunted Calvin), it starts out a bit slick so it's probably not the best Myachi for a beginner. It's definitely more of a veteran Myachi, though I'm sure every collector will be rushing to add this one, regardless of their level of skill.
People often ask me why there aren't more orange Myachis. Sure, there's the Highlander Orange and the Juice and a few others (mostly promos and special event sacks), but most series come and go without any orange at all. Is it that Myachi Man doesn't like the color? Is it that Myachi Masters have a problem with colors that nothing rhymes with?
The sad truth is that we all dig orange as much as the next guy (or gal), but historically, orange Myachis don't sell very well. They tend to be the last ones lingering on the shelf after all the other Myachis sell out. The Wavy Gravy Orange, the Juice, the Candy Corn and even the Electric Orange Shag were the slowest sellers in their respective series.
That being said, we're confident in the Braveheart Orange for two reasons. First is that plaids are always winners (even the Highlander Orange and the Tartan Orange were strong sellers) and second is that the unique type of corduroy employed for this sack is going to intrigue jammers. It jams more like a shag when it's new and more like a suede when it's broken in so it's certainly not the same old corduroy experience. It certainly takes a bit more effort to break in than more traditional corduroys, but it's also far more jam-worthy before it's all the way broken in, so it makes for a pretty even trade off.
When we set out to make a great series, there are three pattern types we're always looking for; a good plaid, a good skull & crossbones variation and a good cammo. Considering that, I'd say we did a pretty solid job in series 5.4.
The Jungle Cammo is reminiscent (in both design and jammability) of the Agent Orange and the Hunter Cammo. It's a classic corduroy, which means that it breaks in easily and is jam-worthy right away. It's a bit more brightly colored than most green cammos (and actually a bit more brightly colored than it looks in the picture above) so it's actually a pretty good outdoor jammer, which is usually a huge drawback for camouflage patterns.
I must admit that of all the sacks in the 5.4 series, this is the one I've spent the least time with and thus I'm not 100% qualified to review it's jammability once broken in. I can say that it jams like you'd expect a solid vertical corduroy to jam and I'm quite sure that it's a good sack for both beginners and veterans, but I'm still not prepared to say that it breaks in to the legendary level that it's sister sacks (the aforementioned Hunter Cammo and Agent Orange) achieved. I do have my fingers crossed, though...
Finally, we get to my personal favorite in the series. Of course, anybody who knows my taste in Myachis will not be at all surprised that my favorite sack in the series is the denim one. I've long admitted that I can't really be trusted when it comes to reviewing denim sacks since I think all of them are incredible (with the possible exception of the Chili Pepper, which was way too hard to break in). So keep all that in mind as you read the next two paragraphs where I slobber on endlessly about my unabashed love for this Myachi.
This might be the best denim Myachi of all time. Obviously it's pretty early to say that and since I've had almost a decade to fall in love with the Calvin, it's going to take more than a couple weeks of jamming with one of these suckers to make that assessment. But as for "fresh from the package" jamming, I don't think any denim was ever so friendly. It's a thick, durable denim like a Calvin or a Diesel, but it gives much easier right away and is far less frustrating to break in than most denims.
Of course, the big question is whether it breaks in like a Calvin. After all, being the easiest denim to jam with new is like being the tallest person in an empty room. Not much competition. I can say that it breaks in quickly compared to many denims, and I can say that it is my go-to jammer from series 5.4, but it might take years before a realistic comparison can be made between this one and the consensus best jammer of all time. Still, the fact that I'm even suggesting that such a comparison might one day be made is a pretty good indicator of how awesome a Myachi this thing really is.
And now to the one that everybody is talking about. It's like the Iridescent rainbow meets the Cotton Candy. It's vivid, kaleidoscopic design is so eye-catching that many people look at pictures of the whole series and see nothing but the Starburst. The mottled design looks like the kind of Myachi that would give Mario superpowers and it gets even cooler once you start jamming with it.
There's not much to say about this Myachi except that (a) it is a classic shag with a feel similar to a Blueberry Leopard or a Cotton Candy and (b) just look at it.
Yesterday, I broke down the first six sacks in the 5.4 series. We saw some old favorites, some new takes on some old designs and some classic fabrics popping back up after long hiatuses. Today we're going to take all those themes to a higher level as we break down the remaining Myachis in the series. And, no offense to the Aztec Red, the Checkerboard, the Shadow Box Red, the Blackhole Sun, the Python Blue and the Bagpipe Blue, I think I saved the best for last.
BLUE LABYRINTH
We started with a rerelease yesterday, so I figured we'd do the same today. The most popular sack from the 4.5 series makes a triumphant return in the 5.4, reminding us all that nothing beats a brightly colored corduroy. Now complimenting the Labyrinth Green in the 5.4x series (see review coming next week), the understated pattern on this classic manages to hold its own even alongside the cornucopia of visual awesomeness that is the 5.4 series.
For those of you who never jammed with a broken in Labyrinth Blue, I feel confident in saying that I can't oversell it. In terms of jammability I would likely rank it as my all time favorite horizontal corduroy. But don't just take my word for it. The original release of this sack was recent enough that there are plenty of Manias that would be happy to back me up on that.
JOLLY ROGER
When the time comes to select the new series, Myachi Man sends up hundreds of fabric samples and everybody at the House of Skills looks over them, each of us selecting our favorites. In every batch, there are always a few patterns that we all agree on and a few that we debate. I'm sure it will come as no surprise that there was no debate when it came to the Jolly Roger.
You can already see that it's awesome so I don't have to tell you that. It's probably the coolest looking sack since the Hard Core Cammo. But what you can't see on the picture is what an incredible jammer it is as well. The fabric has no real parallel in the Myachi world, so the best I can do to describe it is to say that it's somewhere between a Boneyard Red and a Calvin. It's a denim, but a thin denim that breaks in like a late stage denim way quicker.
Like all denims (including the vaunted Calvin), it starts out a bit slick so it's probably not the best Myachi for a beginner. It's definitely more of a veteran Myachi, though I'm sure every collector will be rushing to add this one, regardless of their level of skill.
BRAVEHEART ORANGE
People often ask me why there aren't more orange Myachis. Sure, there's the Highlander Orange and the Juice and a few others (mostly promos and special event sacks), but most series come and go without any orange at all. Is it that Myachi Man doesn't like the color? Is it that Myachi Masters have a problem with colors that nothing rhymes with?
The sad truth is that we all dig orange as much as the next guy (or gal), but historically, orange Myachis don't sell very well. They tend to be the last ones lingering on the shelf after all the other Myachis sell out. The Wavy Gravy Orange, the Juice, the Candy Corn and even the Electric Orange Shag were the slowest sellers in their respective series.
That being said, we're confident in the Braveheart Orange for two reasons. First is that plaids are always winners (even the Highlander Orange and the Tartan Orange were strong sellers) and second is that the unique type of corduroy employed for this sack is going to intrigue jammers. It jams more like a shag when it's new and more like a suede when it's broken in so it's certainly not the same old corduroy experience. It certainly takes a bit more effort to break in than more traditional corduroys, but it's also far more jam-worthy before it's all the way broken in, so it makes for a pretty even trade off.
JUNGLE CAMMO
When we set out to make a great series, there are three pattern types we're always looking for; a good plaid, a good skull & crossbones variation and a good cammo. Considering that, I'd say we did a pretty solid job in series 5.4.
The Jungle Cammo is reminiscent (in both design and jammability) of the Agent Orange and the Hunter Cammo. It's a classic corduroy, which means that it breaks in easily and is jam-worthy right away. It's a bit more brightly colored than most green cammos (and actually a bit more brightly colored than it looks in the picture above) so it's actually a pretty good outdoor jammer, which is usually a huge drawback for camouflage patterns.
I must admit that of all the sacks in the 5.4 series, this is the one I've spent the least time with and thus I'm not 100% qualified to review it's jammability once broken in. I can say that it jams like you'd expect a solid vertical corduroy to jam and I'm quite sure that it's a good sack for both beginners and veterans, but I'm still not prepared to say that it breaks in to the legendary level that it's sister sacks (the aforementioned Hunter Cammo and Agent Orange) achieved. I do have my fingers crossed, though...
STONE AGE
Finally, we get to my personal favorite in the series. Of course, anybody who knows my taste in Myachis will not be at all surprised that my favorite sack in the series is the denim one. I've long admitted that I can't really be trusted when it comes to reviewing denim sacks since I think all of them are incredible (with the possible exception of the Chili Pepper, which was way too hard to break in). So keep all that in mind as you read the next two paragraphs where I slobber on endlessly about my unabashed love for this Myachi.
This might be the best denim Myachi of all time. Obviously it's pretty early to say that and since I've had almost a decade to fall in love with the Calvin, it's going to take more than a couple weeks of jamming with one of these suckers to make that assessment. But as for "fresh from the package" jamming, I don't think any denim was ever so friendly. It's a thick, durable denim like a Calvin or a Diesel, but it gives much easier right away and is far less frustrating to break in than most denims.
Of course, the big question is whether it breaks in like a Calvin. After all, being the easiest denim to jam with new is like being the tallest person in an empty room. Not much competition. I can say that it breaks in quickly compared to many denims, and I can say that it is my go-to jammer from series 5.4, but it might take years before a realistic comparison can be made between this one and the consensus best jammer of all time. Still, the fact that I'm even suggesting that such a comparison might one day be made is a pretty good indicator of how awesome a Myachi this thing really is.
STARBURST
And now to the one that everybody is talking about. It's like the Iridescent rainbow meets the Cotton Candy. It's vivid, kaleidoscopic design is so eye-catching that many people look at pictures of the whole series and see nothing but the Starburst. The mottled design looks like the kind of Myachi that would give Mario superpowers and it gets even cooler once you start jamming with it.
There's not much to say about this Myachi except that (a) it is a classic shag with a feel similar to a Blueberry Leopard or a Cotton Candy and (b) just look at it.
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That concludes my review of the 5.4 series, but, of course, that means that my job is only halfway done. There was another double pack release that went with this one, so be on the look out for my review of the Myachis in series 5.4x (which will also be a two-parter) coming next week.
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