TokuNet Anniversary Week: Staff Writer, Brian Dagley

From January 5th to 10th, the Tokusatsu Network celebrates its One Year Anniversary. Throughout the week, the members of Team TokuNet looks back on their first year together.

Resident staff toy writer and forum moderator, Brian Dagley, is better known in the tokusatsu fandom as YouTube reviewer and Riders, Rangers, and Rambles podcast host, ShukuenShinobi. Like most others on Team TokuNet, he also got into tokusatsu because of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. While never letting go of his passion for Power Rangers, Brian went onto tokusatsu when a friend introduced him to Kamen Rider Kiva.

In August of 2014, Brian joined the Tokusatsu Network as a forum moderator and moved on to become its main toy news writer.

How did you hear about the Tokusatsu Network?

I had been following most of the founding staff on Twitter before TokuNet came around from seeing them on other sites. I believe it was one of Tom’s tweets that brought me to the site. It quickly became the only site I trusted for accurate tokusatsu news.

The Riders, Rangers, and Rambles podcast, where Brian also co-hosts

What was it about contributing to TokuNet that appealed to you?

Having worked on a site previously, it was something I really missed. I have a passion for writing. However, being a YouTube Reviewer does not leave me with much of an outlet to write. I really enjoyed the professional atmosphere of the site, so I was really drawn with wanting to write for it.

Did you have an reservations or concerns about contributing to the site?

Between my YouTube videos and my job with CSToys, I am pretty busy everyday. I was really worried that I wouldn’t have time to actively contribute to the site. I am still a rather shy person at first, so I was also worried about how I would get along with the rest of the staff.

How would you describe working with the other staff members?

The staff is great. I was jettisoned into a staff meeting a few days after I was brought on, so I was really nervous to meet everyone. By the end of the meeting, I was feeling really comfortable and optimistic. Everyone is a wonderful mix of fun and professional.

Besides Tom, Paula was the first staff member to reach out to me after I was brought on as a forum moderator. She quickly brought me on as a news writer as well, and made the process really pleasant. I’ve also had the chance to work a lot and talk with Tom on the YouTube Channel. Tom’s almost always around to help, and is really supportive with ideas and constructive criticism on drafts. The Editor Pool as a whole is fantastic to work with. With such a variety of people from all over around, there’s always an editor willing to help out.

Has anything changed for you since starting the site?

Well, I have even more friends than I did before!