I've been watching AniTube pretty much since it began along with listening to review podcasts and things because I didn't have offline friends who liked anime growing up to discuss it with but found that kind of content never really scratched the itch I wanted it to, though I couldn't put my finger on why. I was introduced to the video essay format via Super Eyepatch Wolf's Fall of Bleach video in 2016 -- I hadn't seen anything like it before and loved it. Down the line I found Under the Scope's channel and noticed the shift to that more analytical content on anime YouTube and the gears started turning in my brain. Writing has always been my main hobby and passion, but I didn't put two and two together until I got back into Higurashi and also couldn't find any Higurashi analytical content to read or watch. I started off writing small analyses and sharing them on Twitter and forums, then wrote the first draft of my first actual essay, which ultimately became Why Higurashi is My Favourite Series. I was setting up a blog to host it on with hundreds of accompanying screenshots and then got to thinking about how it would be nice to have accompanying music and at some point realised what I wanted to make was a video lol. I also knew it would reach more people that way. It was obviously daunting but I already had a microphone and (very) basic video and audio editing knowledge from a previous song cover channel I had as a teenager, plus that actual experience of having a public channel which helped me overcome the mental barrier (I was way past the self-consciousness everyone has about recording and hearing their voice). I also usually have one big creative project at a time and was looking for something to fill that void. I was torn between studying Psychology and English Literature at uni but ultimately went with Psychology and so didn't have that outlet there. I obviously had a lot to say about Higurashi, but also lots of other series. I got to work and had loads of fun making my first video, and here we are!