A Dash of Salt with AJ

A Dash of Salt with AJ

"A Dash of Salt with AJ" is a series where fiery author, poet, and proofreader Ahsoka Jackson shares her takes on a wide variety of topics, from punctuation and grammar, to what it's been like dealing with those in the creative sphere, to fun movies and great books, to the many things that make her blood boil. The "mini-cast" format of episodes with a standard length of ten minutes and under allows listeners to get intense, varied content that can easily be consumed in the quick breaks and stray minutes sprinkled throughout their day.

Episodes

March 14, 2021 10 mins
A grieving father considers the nightmarish world that betrayed his daughter’s hopeful send-off. But even in the darkness, Artur Braus [no, not a typo] reveals a striking ability to seize the light. And he definitely gets extra points for nonetheless scaring the daylights out of the Braun brat, haha. We also take time to consider the evolution—or is it devolution?—of the Scout Regiment’s core mission and role. ========= This is one...
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Hopefully it’s not going to become a running theme for Eren’s and Zeke’s acolytes to so gravely endanger Eren’s actual friends. It’s one of many reasons we need more folks like Mr. Braus and fewer like Floch Forster. We also need Gabi to finally get a clue. Maybe this time, with so many startling twists and turns, things will finally start to stick? ========= This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on Y...
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Whoo, final part! I’m properly caught up now with the coverage, my dear listeners. Which means I need to promptly begin the work for Episode 13, pfft. But for now:

  • The things I didn’t fancy about MAPPA’s rendering of the jacket/jailbreak scene (plus I'll share some counterarguments regarding those issues)
  • A couple of resources for those seeking to cosplay as Eren or “Ellen” Jaeger—or just borrow his slick style
  • And a small ...
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Eren’s screen time in this episode was brief, but once again there was plenty of impact achieved in just those short moments with him.

If I want to be humorous about it, “Hobo Eren” has completed his leg of the mission, and now “Chad Eren” has officially arrived.

In this episode of the podcast, I’ll highlight some favorite things regarding MAPPA’s adaptation of this fan-adored scene.

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This is one of those episodes where th...

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Topics for this installment:

  • Important themes from Season 1 make a reappearance
  • A familiar face shows up again
  • And Armin makes a case for ending up on Chris Hansen’s radar…

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This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off there! HOWEVER...if you're a manga reader, PLEASE make sure to properly mark off and hide from view any Season 4 spoilers you wish ...

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As though there aren’t enough external issues to reckon with, we see the storm clouds gather as Paradis’ internal dynamics begin to roil with discontentment once more. In this episode of the podcast, we’ll take a quick look at the different factions, plus address a particular claim made regarding Eren’s actions here.

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This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off...

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Topics for this episode of the podcast:

  • How King Fritz may have royally screwed over the innocent people on BOTH sides
  • The ironic attempts by Dhalis Zachary and others in the government to save face with both Hizuru and the people of Paradis
  • Red flags from the early days of the coup d'état on Paradis Island

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This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound...

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Familiar questions make a comeback, commentary from a friend provides a new lens in considering Gabi's hardheartedness, and topics raised in the argument between Gabi and Kaya connect with an issue I've noticed amongst the fandom when it comes to Season 4.

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This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off there! HOWEVER...if you're a manga reader, PLEASE make sure t...

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I’ve been able to grant Gabi a fair bit of leeway thus far. But now she’s quite thoroughly trampling on whatever positives she did have to offer. And as Gabi spirals downward, Falco is left to pick up the slack. Reiner’s thought process is making more and more sense—when it comes to this, at least! ========= This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off there! HOWEVER...i...
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Desperation can be lost in translation. Was what we witnessed less a matter of simple lashing out in anger…and more an image of a desperate young man searching for hope and making a final plea for alternative suggestions before the fates of so many people are finally sealed? I’m about to quote Lucy Liu again.… ========= This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off there!...
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I do not for a moment believe that Eren had any seedy intent in his move of grabbing Commander Hange Zoë. Nor do I believe she truly interpreted it that way herself. With that in mind, I discuss my theories as to why Hange actually reacted the way she did. ========= This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off there! HOWEVER...if you're a manga reader, PLEASE make sure t...
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Why wasn’t Armin considered as a potential successor to Eren’s legacy? We take time to ponder that question, and we finally begin discussing those tension-filled exchanges between Eren and Hange.

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This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off there! HOWEVER...if you're a manga reader, PLEASE make sure to properly mark off and hide from view any Season 4 spoilers ...

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The efforts to develop Paradis Island's infrastructure give us a rare glimpse of calm and normalcy, and one member of the team in particular seems right at home. Plus, some extra thoughts on the matter of Hizuru's oh-so-gracious offer.… ========= This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off there! HOWEVER...if you're a manga reader, PLEASE make sure to properly mark off ...
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Why did Eren put his team at the forefront of combat? Has he really changed as much as some folks think? And might those apparent changes actually be less surprising and unusual than they first appear?

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This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off there! HOWEVER...if you're a manga reader, PLEASE make sure to properly mark off and hide from view any Season 4 spo...

Mark as Played

Topics addressed in this episode:

  • Does our current story about a certain expectant mother really add up?
  • Might the timing and numbering of this episode have special symbolic value?
  • And why didn’t Mikasa do more to address a question she’s uniquely qualified to answer?

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This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off there! HOWEVER...if you're a manga...

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The good news? Paradis has some potential allies!

The bad news? Said potential allies suck!

Appropriate quote to describe my feelings towards both Hizuru and Zeke in this episode? “My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined.” No wonder Eren’s feeling so cynical.

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This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off there! HOWEVER...if you're a manga reader,...

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As we reach the final installment of the reaction, I wrap up my thoughts on MAPPA’s handling of the prison scenes thus far, address a final viewer complaint or two, and share a super-cool insight another user had regarding Onyankopon’s name. ========= This is one of those episodes where the comment section will be open on YouTube, so feel free to sound off there! HOWEVER...if you're a manga reader, PLEASE make sure to properly mark...
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In this next-to-last part of the reaction, I try to address the complaints folks have about the anime’s handling of that mirror scene.

…And as it turns out, MAPPA may have given us a neat little touch of symbolism in those gorgeous bonus frames they provided earlier on.

By the wayyy…does all this mean we’re gonna get what some folks have described as "ASMR breathing" in several languages eventually? Hmm.…

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This is one of t...

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Eren’s Kruger-inspired scene in the opening of the episode was pure fudging HYPE. And looking a little deeper, I think it also hints at his development as a Titan Shifter, soldier, and young man stepping into adulthood after having trodden such a difficult path.

We’ll also be exploring a couple of brief but powerful moments of revelation involving Mikasa and Armin, respectively. What might the narrative be telling us here?

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As our fallen soldier returns home and is laid to rest, we look at scenes from her life and death.

We also devote some time to other characters and moments highlighted in this episode. Fancy a cup of tea? Or maybe you’re exhausted and would like to skip straight to our most luxurious accommodations.…

Hey, at least THAT Jaeger is getting some fresh air and a little sunlight!

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This is one of those episodes where the comment ...

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