#something genuine

[beneaththetangles]

Something Genuine Season 2, Ep. 2: Ben Stegmair on Mentorship, a Manga Rushmore, and Living the Anime Dream

For the second episode of season two, I had the pleasure of sitting down with voice actor and ADR assistant director, Ben Stegmair (Daemons of the Shadow Realm, Kaiju No. 8).

What immediately stood out to me about Ben’s story wasn’t just the work he’s doing today—it was how intentional his journey has been from the beginning. While many actors discover voice acting later in their careers, Ben set his sights on the medium early, pursuing theater and performance with a clear goal in mind.

In our conversation, we discuss the voice actors who inspired him, including Eric Vale, and the mentors who helped shape his career, particularly Caitlin Glass and Shawn Gann. Ben speaks candidly about the opportunities they’ve provided, the lessons they’ve taught him, and the importance of having people who believe in you along the way.

We also dive into his role as Yuru in Daemons of the Shadow Realm, his behind-the-scenes work as an ADR assistant director, as well as his growing desire not only to perform stories, but to create them. Whether discussing anime, manga, directing, or his hopes of developing original comics in the future, Ben’s passion for storytelling comes through clearly. I even got the chance to ask for his Mt. Rushmore of manga!

More than anything, though, this episode is about gratitude, perseverance, and the value of mentorship. None of us reaches our goals alone, and Ben’s willingness to acknowledge the people who helped him along the way made for a thoughtful and encouraging conversation.

Watch the full episode below, and let us know: Who has been a mentor that helped shape your own journey?

[thechickendaddy]

Anyone else getting tired of social media? Anyone else getting tired of the constant bombardment of information and the opinions and thoughts of others? Anyone else getting tired of the complete lack of human connection?

[little--leaves]

this morning I had a weird feeling and I think that's adulthood. Laying on my sofa, the third day of having the house all to myself. Already unloaded the dishwasher, coffe warming my stomach, my dog laying on my feet. Isn't this what it's all about? Not the mean little tingle in my guts telling me that I have to clean the house, ignoring it, actually, and spending time with my dog, looking over at her, enjoying the sun. I wish this moment never ends.

[beneaththetangles]

Why We’re Bringing Something Genuine Back for Season Two

Last season, Something Genuine started with a simple idea: in an online world built around noise, outrage, performance, and endless scrolling, maybe people are still hungry for honest conversation.

Not “content.”

Not hot takes.

Not carefully manufactured internet personas.

Just people.

That idea led to “real” conversations I’ll genuinely never forget. Over the course of season one, guests opened up about anxiety, grief, loneliness, friendship, career uncertainty, social media pressure, creativity, fandom, and the communities that helped carry them through difficult seasons of life. We talked about anime and voice acting, of course—but we also talked about what it means to be human in spaces that sometimes make that easy to forget.

The response I received said that you all needed those conversations, too. Maybe all needed them more than we realized.

So I’m excited to share that Something Genuine returns this Wednesday with the launch of season two.

This season expands the scope of the series while keeping the heart exactly the same. We’ll be sitting down with guests from across anime and fandom for conversations that are reflective, funny, vulnerable, encouraging, and, hopefully, humanizing.Among this season’s guests are voice actors, a journalist, a sports figure, a cosplayer, and others whose stories surprised me in the best ways possible.

What continues to encourage me most about this series is how quickly walls tend to come down. Once the strems starts and the pressure to “perform” fades a little, people often become remarkably open about their fears, ambitions, failures, insecurities, and hopes. And in those moments, labels matter less. Follower counts matter less. Even fandom itself starts becoming secondary to something deeper.

We just start seeing each other as people again.

That’s what I hope Something Genuine can continue to be.

Thank you to everyone who supported season one, shared clips, watched interviews, encouraged guests, or simply spent time with us. Your support genuinely helped make a second season possible.

Please follow us YouTube, hit the notification button, watch our season one videos, and be anticipating the new season.

Episode one drops this Wednesday, and I truly think this season contains some of the best conversations we’ve had yet.

See you, then!

[beneaththetangles]

Introducing BtT’s New Anime Interview Series: Something Genuine

If you’ve spent any time at all on our blog, you’ve probably come to realize that Oregairu, the romcom anime featuring the self-sacrificial (and self-destructive) loner Hachiman Hikigaya, is one of our favorite anime. There’s a pivotal moment in season two of the series, when the friendships between the three main characters are in danger of breaking apart, and Hachiman approaches the two girls who have become his intimate friends and, through tears in his eyes, tells them that what he really wants out of their relationships is “something genuine.”

That scene is such a powerful explanation of what we want to do here on Beneath the Tangles. We don’t want fake or superficial relationships with you all; we want to tear down walls and show something genuine, while being authentic ourselves.

The next step for us in this journey is a new video series. Focused on interviews with people who are involved in the world of anime, the goal is have deep, genuine conversations with our guests. Naturally, the title of this series is “Something Genuine.” We launch next Wednesday on YouTube. Here are some more of my thoughts:

Our first guest is Adam MacArthur, the voice behind so many beloved characters, including Yuji Itadori, the protagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen, which is currently streaming a new season.

So come join us next Wednesday as we drop episode one with Adam. Please subscribe and join us in this new adventure.

[salamandernoise]

There are things I won’t get unless you tell me. Even if you told me, I may not get it. Expecting others understand without words is delusional. But, It’s not empty words I’m after. There was something else I desired all along. I don’t need to be understood, I need to understand. To Understand, to know, and rest easy in that knowledge, to gain that peace of mind.

Wanting to know someone completely and truly is an awfully self-indulgent, egoistic, and tyrannical wish. It’s downright despicable and disgusting. Having a desire like that makes me sick to the stomach.

But if it’s at all possible you share that desire– if it’s possible to have a relationship where you’re free to burden one another with that repulsive self-satisfaction. If we can allow that relationship to exist

I know that something like that is impossible. I know that it’s out of reach for someone like me.

And yet,

I find…

I really want something genuine.

[thevintagesky]

Oh boy how you treat me,

how you make me smile and laugh

how you behave sane only for me

how you keep me safe

how you make me feel..wish i could tell you!

[peace-and-light-poetry]

Only Confidante

She told him That he's her only confidante After a particular incident that day

She had people to talk to But she can't be vulnerable with them Nor confide as intimately

Thus, he's her only confidante After all, he's never betrayed her trust