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| {{ArticleIcons|ssbm=y|competitive=y}} | | {{ArticleIcons|competitive=y}} |
| [[File:The_Smash_Brothers_DVD.jpg|thumb|''The Smash Brothers'' DVD cover. Clockwise from the top: Ken, Isai, Azen, KoreanDJ, Mang0, PC Chris and Mew2King|300px]] | | [[File:TSBLogo.jpg|thumb|''The Smash Brothers'' logo.|400px]] |
| '''''The Smash Brothers''''' is a 9-episode documentary series produced by Travis "{{Sm|Samox}}" Beauchamp. The series was released in October 2013, shortly after what was then the largest ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee|Melee]]'' tournament of all time: [[EVO 2013]]. | | '''''The Smash Brothers''''' is a documentary series directed by {{Sm|Samox}}, released in October 2013, shortly after the largest Smash tournament of all time, [[EVO 2013]]. It is primarily about the competitive scene of ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', with nine episodes that detail the competitive scene of the game and its developments since its debut; in addition, the series covers multiple retired and active professional ''Melee'' players, as well as their effects on the ''Melee'' [[metagame]]. Since the documentary came out, competitive ''[[Melee]]'' has rose back into popularity. |
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| The series focuses on seven professional smashers who were active in the 2003-2013 period, labelled by the documentary as the greatest ''Melee'' players of all time: {{sm|Azen}}, {{sm|Isai}}, {{sm|Ken}}, {{sm|PC Chris}}, {{sm|KoreanDJ}}, {{sm|Mew2King}}, and {{sm|Mango}}. The documentary additionally describes the origins, growth and [[metagame]] of the ''Melee'' competitive scene, and community efforts to keep the scene thriving into later generations of video game consoles, beyond the discontinuation of the GameCube.
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| The series thus covers the "Golden Era of Smash" (2003-2008), which is told over seven episodes, with the remaining two episodes detailing the community's history in the lead-up to EVO 2013. This history is told through primary sources, particularly video footage and photographs from the period, as well as interviews of several members of the Smash community who were active at the time.
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| The entire series is available for free [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tgWH-qXpv8&list=PLoUHkRwnRH-KTCH3tJ9WvsWWPEgUu-y6d on YouTube], including a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSf2mgkRm7Q&list=PLoUHkRwnRH-IXbZfwlgiEN8eXmoj6DtKM remastered version] released in November 2013. It has been credited with a surge in ''Melee'''s popularity since its release, with some members of the community labeling the incoming generation of players as "Doc Kids".
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| ==Episodes== | | ==Episodes== |
| {| class="wikitable"
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tgWH-qXpv8 Episode 1: Show Me Your Moves] |
| |+ The Smash Brothers Episodes
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ-wgY3zdj4 Episode 2: No Johns] |
| |-
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXn9gY--W6A Episode 3: Don't Get Hit] |
| ! # !! Title !! Remastered !! Tagline !! Highlighted Smasher
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vR-kdKDZ6M Episode 4: The King of Smash] |
| |-
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebs5VQEERHU Episode 5: Revolution] |
| | 1 || '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tgWH-qXpv8 Show Me Your Moves]''' || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSf2mgkRm7Q Link] || The world of competitive Melee is introduced through a sting operation. || N/A
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnwezquMfyA Episode 6: Paper Cuts] |
| |-
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKZmZfiIsto Episode 7: The Robot] |
| | 2 || '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ-wgY3zdj4 No Johns]''' || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRlc4jEfwsc Link] || The Master of Diversity takes on the King of the West. || Azen
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZqiJgo7Nec Episode 8: The Natural] |
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| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaTpiP7CJKM Episode 9: Game!] |
| | 3 || '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXn9gY--W6A Don't Get Hit]''' || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEibecSOTvQ Link] || The showdown between Ken and Isai. || Isai
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSf2mgkRm7Q Episode 1: Show Me Your Moves (Remastered)] |
| |-
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRlc4jEfwsc Episode 2: No Johns (Remastered)] |
| | 4 || '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vR-kdKDZ6M The King of Smash]''' || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEdi-HslFuk Link] || The Era of Ken. || Ken
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEibecSOTvQ Episode 3: Don't Get Hit (Remastered)] |
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| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEdi-HslFuk Episode 4: The King of Smash (Remastered)] |
| | 5 || '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebs5VQEERHU Revolution]''' || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv3Db6CGfNQ Link] || A new challenger arises. || PC Chris
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv3Db6CGfNQ Episode 5: Revolution (Remastered)] |
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| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXB8yd4nxgs Episode 6: Paper Cuts (Remastered)] |
| | 6 || '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnwezquMfyA Paper Cuts]''' || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXB8yd4nxgs Link] || The master of overkill rockets to the biggest stage in Melee history. || KoreanDJ
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-1YfhUFtbY Episode 7: The Robot (Remastered)] |
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| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2mcEHjOrt8 Episode 8: The Natural (Remastered)] |
| | 7 || '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKZmZfiIsto The Robot]''' || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-1YfhUFtbY Link] || One thing above everything else: Perfection. || Mew2King
| | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKzYWqkga74 Episode 9: Game! (Remastered)] |
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| | 8 || '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZqiJgo7Nec The Natural]''' || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2mcEHjOrt8 Link] || The story of FC Legacy. || Mang0
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| | 9 || '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaTpiP7CJKM Game!]''' || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKzYWqkga74 Link] || Melee returns to its rightful place. || N/A
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| |}
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| ==Production==
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| [[File:TSBLogo.jpg|thumb|''The Smash Brothers'' logo. Left to right: Azen, Isai, Ken, PC Chris, KoreanDJ, Mew2King and Mango. Art by Jeffrey Beauchamp.|400px]] | |
| The documentary was produced over two years<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/smashbros/comments/1ssxjn/hello_all_samox_here_creator_of_the_smash/ce12k3i/?context=3</ref> for a total budget of $12,000. Around $7,000 was driven by community donations, including $4,000 through a [http://kck.st/mUfVqh Kickstarter campaign].<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/smashbros/comments/1ssxjn/hello_all_samox_here_creator_of_the_smash/ce11v84/?context=10000</ref>.
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| ===Smashers interviewed===
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| {|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
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| |{{Sm|Amsah}}
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| |{{Sm|Armada}}
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| |{{Sm|CAOTIC}}
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| |{{Sm|Chillin}}
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| |{{Sm|ChuDat}}
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| |{{Sm|DoH}}
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| |{{Sm|Drephen}}
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| |{{Sm|Eddie}}
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| |{{Sm|HugS}}
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| |{{Sm|Hungrybox}}
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| |{{Sm|Iggy}}
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| |{{Sm|Isai}}
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| |{{Sm|Jv3x3}}
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| |{{Sm|Ken}}
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| |{{Sm|KoreanDJ}}
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| |{{Sm|Lucky}}
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| |{{Sm|Mango}}
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| |{{Sm|Mew2King}}
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| |{{Sm|milktea}}
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| |{{Sm|Mofo}}
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| |{{Sm|Morgue}}
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| |{{Sm|OTG}}
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| |{{Sm|PC Chris}}
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| |{{Sm|PPMD}}
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| |{{Sm|Prog}}
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| |{{Sm|Sago}}
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| |{{Sm|SFAT}}
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| |{{Sm|Solid Jake}}
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| |{{Sm|UnknownForce}}
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| |{{Sm|Wes}}
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| |{{Sm|Wife}}
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| |{{Sm|Yeroc}}
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| |-
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| |}
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| ==Other Episodes==
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| *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS9TcXkF1II The Twitch Brothers] | |
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| ==Metagame==
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| {{Main|Metagame (documentary)}}
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| '''''Metagame''''' is a documentary series follow-up that covers the "Five Gods of Melee," funded with a Kickstarter of $34,583.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/eastpointpictures/the-smash-brothers-armada</ref> On November 23rd, 2020, a trailer released, along with the announcement that the series would premiere on Twitch on December 11th-13th, 2020.<ref>https://www.metagamedoc.com/</ref> Episodes 1-3 aired on December 11th at 2-5 p.m. PT, Episodes 4-6 aired on December 12th at 2-5 p.m. PT, and Episodes 7-8 aired on December 13th at 2-4 p.m. PT.
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| ==Reception and legacy==
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| The Smash Brothers is largely credited for growing what would become the modern ''Melee'' tournament scene. Since then, it's been credited as among the best esports documentaries of all time by news outlets, resulting in a spectator culture that has continued to grow well into the modern day.<ref>[https://youtu.be/LdnGOop6j-c?si=jPWUxNTL19X6b3y4 The Smash Brothers' might be the best eSports documentary of all time]</ref>
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| The Smash Brothers's representation of ''Brawl'' has received criticism over the years, being credited with doing irreversible damage to the game's reputation. Specifically, issues taken are with the use of low-level footage when representing Brawl's problems instead of high-level footage of the time, acting as though the game lacked a significant competitive scene, as well as the lack of opposing views. {{Sm|Samox}} covered this in an episode of Samox Talks,<ref>[https://youtu.be/LdnGOop6j-c?si=jPWUxNTL19X6b3y4 Samox Talks 1: Brawl's Depiction in "The Smash Brothers"]</ref> where he owns the original documentary's criticisms, saying that the points given were meant to fit with the narrative of the game and documentary, rather than praise Brawl and illustrate a community divide that had yet to become what is seen today.
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| ==='Doc Kids'===
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| '''''Doc Kids''''' are the new generation of players who, as {{Sm|Tafokints}} put it, [https://twitter.com/tafokints/status/798669118169722880 "basically represent people who got into the game after Aug 2013 in light of the Smash Documentary"]. With the end of the documentary based around EVO 2013, the tournament marked the dawn of a new age in Melee. The media interest in the event as well as the documentary helped draw in members to the Melee community almost exponentially. {{Sm|Fiction}} theorized that - given 3 years of directed effort - a player could reach [[SSBMRank|'top-100']] status. This has been proven by several players who began playing post-documentary, namely;
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| *{{Sm|Zain}} (Began playing in May 2014 - The first 'Doc Kid' to win a major tournament, doing so at {{Trn|Shine 2018}}, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, ''Melee'' player in the post-[[Netplay]] era)
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| *{{Sm|Cody Schwab}} (Began playing in September 2015 - Ranked as the best player in the world in [[SSBMRank 2023|2023]])
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| *{{Sm|Jmook}} (Began playing in October 2014 - One of the best players in the post-Netplay era, peaking at 3rd on the SSBMRank 2023)
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| *{{Sm|moky}} (Began playing in 2014 - Peaked at 4th on the SSBMRank 2023)
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| *{{Sm|Soonsay}} (Began playing in 2017 - Peaked at 9th on [[SSBMRank Summer 2024]])
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| *{{Sm|Spark|p=Melee}} (Began playing in January 2014 - Peaked at 12th on SSBMRank Summer 2024)
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| *{{Sm|KoDoRiN}} (Began playing in 2017 - Peaked at 11th on the SSBMRank 2023)
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| *{{Sm|Magi}} (Began playing in March 2015 - Peaked at 17th on the SSBMRank 2023)
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| ==References==
| | {{competitive-stub}} |
| {{reflist}} | |
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| {{Significant events}}
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| [[Category:Documentaries]] | | [[Category:Documentaries]] |
| [[Category:Competitive play]] | | [[Category:Tournaments]] |