q & a
with
falco the naga blader
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Name?
Falco2762 (Robin Ward)
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Age?
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24 (I'm serious. Not a kid!)
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Occupation?
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Blader. Author. Illustrator. Series Developer.
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What is your Youtube Channel About?
Mostly Beyblade. Primary focus to grab an audience.
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How long have you been Youtubing?
12 years (ever since I got to know Metal Fight Beyblade in 2010.). Started my YT channel in 2012.
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How do you feel about your subscriber count?
Currently it's at 13k. Never thought that I could escalate so quickly throughout these 12 years.
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How did come up with your channel name?
Falco is named after my faviourite character from the Starfox series. Falco could be a latin form of Falcon, though I prefer Leafy Sea Dragons better. Though it sounds boyish (everyone on YT speculates I'm a boy, lol) the name just stuck, transforming into a personal channel brand. The number 276 and 2762 are my primary username codes for every website I use. It also has to do with a christian biblical story of that exact number of multitudes rescued from a terrible sailboat storm. The Naga Blader is a sub title reference to my admiration of leafy sea dragons and my very own 3D printed Bey, Nagariel. Some people may think the name is quite odd as if I'm referencing to the mythological snake from south asian mythology. But plainly in this context, my Naga refers to the Divine Dragon tribe from my very own game, Dragoma.
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Where do you get / buy your Beyblades from?
From 2015 - 2018, I primarily used ebay to buy authentic Takara Tomy and Hasbro MFB and Burst products. 2018 - current year, I use my local ebay marketplace to buy Beys. I no longer do unboxings on my channel except for the special ones: Hasbro Ultimate Tournament set and Takara Tomy MFB Burst Anniversary sets. And I spend them with $ earned from Google Adsense.
What were your best Youtube videos so far?
There are many old videos made between 2012 - 2015 that boosted views over 100k. My mediocre one that's second to the most viewed video (not made by me) was the L-Drago Destroy spin stealing video. Though as much I was not fond of how many hate comments I was receiving, I decided to upload a remake to it, the number of likes soaring over 4k. Not bad. Better than my recents, I guess.
Have you made any collaborations with other Youtubers?
Though Beyblade is not so popular as to where I used to live in both Florida and Switzerland, I did collaborate with one Beytuber who had a decent amount of subs more than me. In summer of 2017 and 2018, I visited Zera (TL14)'s house after my vacation to Holland and really had a blast of fun. Training with his friends, DraconicArt and Sagittariofan99, had an awesome Blackwater Guardians Beytournament, dinner, Beyhunting at the toy store and loads more. He even gifted me a plethora of beys 2 times for free! 2018 was when my life turned into awe aspiring moments. The official 2018 Beyblade Burst World Championships and the Beytuber challenge ran for two days (Nov. 2nd - 3rd) at the Kid Expo Hall 7. (See BWCS gallery) Prized 4th place with an red Achilles A4 while Zera was placed 1st with another copy of the Battle Tower set and a Luinor L4. Autograph from manga creator, Hiro Morita brightened my smile on the second day of the event. (see my recorded vlogs on the channel) I even made anniversary remakes to celebrate the memorable fire event and it even inspired me to create the Dragoma version of it! All in all, this was the only Youtuber collaboration I had. Am I still collaborating with Zera? Sadly not anymore but I hope to find new beytubers around my age for collaboration one day. :)
You're a Beytuber. What's the news about going big?
With popular Beytubers: BBG, Zankye, Cyprus, Illinuc, Kimbo, Jojo, Boltoms, LeftBurst, 1234Beyblade, Zera, DracoLight, Storm, Ryuk Shinigami - I feel as I don't exactly fit into the group. You must be thinking, "This set is already covered with, why are you revealing this to us now?" Because I'm mainly a laid back Beytuber who doesn't obtain up to date Beyblade products and I generally enjoy my hobby with topics already unboxed with and spiced in my own style. I don't have an up to date collection, and I mainly stick with both Takara Tomy and Hasbro (for MFB) and Hasbro (for Burst). I like my channel to excel organically. Not a fan of spreading the word but just growing in number of subscribers, views, and likes / dislikes. The main reason why I do this, is so that everyone has a fascination over me, that they begin to follow my content that I produce with my hard work and sweat. I used to have a huge engagement but then it drastically slowed down due to a 2019 change over Youtube.
What's the reason your channel is slowly decreasing in views, and audience?
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Oh the answer to this question is very simple.
COPPA.
COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) is a mandatory algorithm that monitors and censors comments on videos that include children, cartoons, advertisements targeted for kids, and other reasons. The algorithm falsely claims my channel and therefore removes my comments on my recently uploaded videos. It only affects channels with small subscriber count and therefore I hope it dismisses on my case. Because I really want friendly feedback from my audience and therefore I can never see the light of day. The system thinks I'm a kid (even though I'm 24.) My voice is like that (can't change it) and playing or reviewing with toys might also be a reason behind it on their end (Though Beyblade is also clearly for teens and adults too.) To top this up, that's COPPA and I wish for my channel to be released from it soon. 😃
Can you tell us anything about Beytube?
Ive been specifically thinking about this idea ever since my Youtube channel started going downhill again thanks to Youtube's lousy COPPA system. I'm mainly a laid back Beytuber who doesn't obtain up to date Beyblade (Metal Fight and Burst) products and I generally enjoy my hobby with topics already unboxed with and spiced up in my own style. I currently have 13k subs and used to have an average video range of 200 - 1000 views a day. Now it decreased to 50 - 100 a day. And I used to have really great subscriber engagement. I always able to reply to my fans on every video uploaded. Since Youtube's unfair COPPA system arrived in, the algorithm is now viewing me as kid (even though I'm a 24 year old girl with adult capabilities). Even without the face reveals, my comments are starting to disappear on my recent uploaded videos (see attached image) and I find it extremely unfair even though all of my videos are set to "Not made for kids". It's super frustrating and it penetrates my heart because I love Beyblading on Youtube and for 8 years straight, I have reached to potential over 13k subs and 7 million channel views.
By any chance, I was pondering about Beytube, an alternative video hosting platform site for Beybladers only. Has the same basic functions as Youtube except for the COPPA algorithms and other restrictions on the system. Where Beytubers are free to upload and share any type of Beyblade content including scenes and music videos from the anime. Copyrights still apply (no monetization on the Beyblade anime) but won't be blocked or removed by third party companies. Straight video statistics and uploads from Youtube can be imported to Beytube in a flash. Video duration bar colored blue instead of red. Like / Dislike rating, comments, notification button (shaped into the MFB WBBA logo), and a blue subscribe button.
To sum it up with a closing, I really am eager to see and hear what your thoughts are on Beytube. Though there are Youtube alternatives present on the web, I just find the concept and idea of Beytube a next stepping stone for the Beyblade Youtube community. It doesn't mean I'm against Youtube, I just don't like how they despise smaller channels who thrive organically in subscribers and views with comments removed from recent videos.
What about your audience?
I just feel as if Youtube and the COPPA system is just trying it's best to degrade smaller channels who review toys. Because the system thinks that Beyblade toys are diverted for a younger audience (aka kids or children in general) it tries it's best to assert all of it's restrictions on majority of videos or possibly the channel itself. To me, I just strongly believe that Beyblade should be made for teens and adults rather than kids. I'm not really against kids or children in general (Trust me, I'm 24, and I have taken care of kids in the past) but it brings out a really unsettling feeling for me when other groups of interest view Beyblade for kids and generally mock or make fun of. (I have also received some comments in the past regarding mockery against Beyblade by a non beytuber.)
All in all, I just believe that if Beyblade weren't aimed for kids, then smaller Beyblade channels could over ride the COPPA system and everything would back to normal. Or let's place it this way. I just strongly believe COPPA shouldn't exist at all.
Which is why I want Beytube to come true.
Also, people who watch my videos are mostly aged 14 - 27. So in simple words, teens and adults (which I really need because that's how I develop more knowledge about Beyblade and I can easily discuss with them. Kids? Nada. Not against them, I just have difficulty talking about Beyblade and other topics to them. Problem is, kids don't investigate the strategy and skill behind the game, they just choose the better spinning top and launch. Boom. That's it. And again, I really hate how the companies strongly market and target the game primarily for kids more than teens and adults. However, there were very few kids that I have talked to who were smart about the game and I could easily indulge a conversation. Such as Super Blader, Jonathan Robinson, Erin1234. No spelling mistakes, stupid phrases, or any likeliness of random uploaded videos with very low views and boring content.
Regarding COPPA, what's the future of your channel now?
Am I going to quit Youtube? Nope. Even if there are hardships and struggles throughout my channel, I will NEVER give up on Youtube. It's the only platform that I have developed 'mediocre' success and I will resume my upload drive. It had drastically slowed down due to inactive subs (a lot of them) and lack of new content. I had developed a list of new video ideas involving my Beys but I have to hold those ideas until I'm free from the restricting system. My recent uploaded videos have decent views (200 - 1k) overtime with 12 - 50 likes are slowly excelling. Some of my newest videos are not reaching the requirements I had expected. During this catastrophe, I am more active on Instagram (@robinward776), Dailymotion (BeybladeYlisse), Vlare TV (BeybladeYlisse ; still waiting for it's revival), and Utreon (Beyblade Ylisse). I also take frequent breaks off of Youtube because I am also working my original board / video game / novel series, Dragoma. Illustrating over 50 characters and their gomas is not that easy!
What else do you like to do besides Beyblading on Youtube?
Fellowship: Not part of any religious sect or church. I gather with my family and praise God and his wonderful word aka The Holy Bible. I'm woke to the truth and I love to converse to anyone who is willing to share and preach. Please PM me about this subject matter if you are totally into it! I would be really ushered to commute! :D
Must Read Novels by other authors: Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris D'Lacey, Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan, Warrior Cats by Erin Hunter.
NOTE!: If anyone knows how to 3D model Beyblades, please let me know! I have two designs that are in need of current and professional modeling. Thanks!
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Faviourite games: Dragoma, Beyblade, Super Smash Bros., Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy VII, Kingdom Hearts, etc.
Who I play as in Smash:
POWERHOUSES: Male Corrin and Roy
FOR FUN: Chrom, Joker (Persona 5), Marth, Ike, Pit, Dark Pit, Lucina, Reflet (Fem Robin), Shulk, Robin, Terry, Byleth, Cloud, Sephiroth
Other activities: Read, Write, Draw, Play games, have fun, smile, walk through the woods, spending time with family and friends, shopping, socializing, eating, drinking, thinking, laughing at Youtube's captions, random thoughts.
Any final thoughts?
To top this off, I have per say, solutions for my channel. I can link some of my special videos to the WBO until next week where I actually am going to contact Youtube about this situation. COPPA mainly targets creators who sound or look like kids or are kids! My sister once told me she watches a 17 year old girl youtuber who primarily focuses on fun challenges and make up with a whopping million subscribers. Her channel was mistaken under account from COPPA and took her active subs and a petition to free her channel. It worked. Am I going to do the same? Maybe. Step 2 if Step 1 does not work. Contacting them by phone. But first I have to revive my audience for a riot through the YT headquarters to take place. Kidding. Simple. Just spread the word. I pray that this is successful since I really need my Adsense back so that I can continue earning $ from my expensive hobby.
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I hope you had fun reading my Q & A! If you have any further questions regarding Beyblade or my original project, Dragoma, feel free to contact! :)
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Note! The Collection on Wix is discontinued. My collection is now active on SNUPPS!