I didn't like Ryan Neil too much. But then...

[stu929]

I have watched many videos online.
Most of the time Bjorn's personality (to me) came out as more calm, less emphatic, a bit more didactic than that of Ryan's. I am not comparing anything drastic here, as both are accomplished and successful bonsai professionals and I do respect both equally, but Ryan always seemed less human, in the sense his knowledge was always apparently absolute.
Usually he talks too fast, too much, too self aware of being the master.
But then, being at home worrying about social distancing and having nothing better to do, I've started to watch the new free series from Mirai where Ryan teaches and guides a new apprentice , Josh, and boy, he is fun! Totally changed my not so flattering impression about him being unreachable. He laughs!
So, I am ashamed to say we get wrong impressions online. Internet is dangerous.

I leave a link below to the last episode, very funny and true.
Enjoy!

I think at first I may have been in the same boat and watched a ton of peter chan and others but then I realized just hot good Ryan is. I had a thought that popped into my mind that helped me a lot when it came to Ryan (I haven't seen all of his videos but what I had seen at the time) he's usually talking at what I would say is a grad school level. He's done better recently to make the info more understandable and relatable but I had a professor that was the same way. Guy was a genius but sometimes struggled to make it simple for my thick brain. Now I can't get enough of Ryan. Badly want a subscription to Live but not sure I can justify it right now as much as I want. Yes he has some idiosyncrasies but I love his channel. Bjorn is good to watch as well.

Oh and when you mentioned how ryan talks I saw and felt that in the beginning as well. Even my wife or kids when they walked in and saw him would ask me why I was watching him. I discovered over time it's just the wealth of knowledge he's trying to share and his passion for the craft. I just have to back up the videos and listen a couple times but that's okay, great part of streaming video now!

 

[Shogun610]

I have watched many videos online.
Most of the time Bjorn's personality (to me) came out as more calm, less emphatic, a bit more didactic than that of Ryan's. I am not comparing anything drastic here, as both are accomplished and successful bonsai professionals and I do respect both equally, but Ryan always seemed less human, in the sense his knowledge was always apparently absolute.
Usually he talks too fast, too much, too self aware of being the master.
But then, being at home worrying about social distancing and having nothing better to do, I've started to watch the new free series from Mirai where Ryan teaches and guides a new apprentice , Josh, and boy, he is fun! Totally changed my not so flattering impression about him being unreachable. He laughs!
So, I am ashamed to say we get wrong impressions online. Internet is dangerous.

I leave a link below to the last episode, very funny and true.
Enjoy!

Funny you say that. I always thought the opposite but of Bjorn till I started reading and watching more of his videos. I think Ryan is a super chill typical west coast dude. Coming from a scientific background I appreciate the science he applies towards it, and is more rugged in his style/ nursery design. I use to think Bjorn was over produced content more like a YouTuber.But as I watch more I really like his videos, they’re free, he likes death metal like I do and is goofy. The other people he works with are cool too esp those European bros . I also enjoy Mauros vids too. I started loving Chan from the get go, but as I take more Mirai courses, listen and watch Bjorn, Neil and Mauro... I often think why is Chan doing that , his work in the past is great but now I think he’s focusing on the aspect of making Bonsai available so much he’s giving a lot of his viewers bad habits and wrong idea about how to do it. I don’t think those other guys are unapproachable in fact they make bonsai even more accessible because they show the proper way of doing things and show the esthetics of positioning wires and trimming to even deadwood. Yeah they have unreal trees but I don’t want a 200 year old Yamadori yet till I’m ready , I’d like to get material like they do but I’m happy to wait a couple years till I get to that level.

 

[Shogun610]

I thought this last video was hilarious! I enjoy his personality on all the Mirai videos.

That new guy is kinda a dweeb but still charming and fun to see him interacting with Ryan.

 

[Hoyonokuma]

Yeah I can only second those of you guys who didn't love him at first sight.
I still find his communication technique quite cringy, as if he was talking to a bunch of 6th graders rather than adult hobbyists ("what does your tree tell you? I HAVE ENOUGH TO SUBSTAIN, AND EVEN MORE TO ADD" kinda things, with the audience echoing him).
Or his super fast and simplified way of skatching on the board that makes it look more of a scientology meeting than a uni lecture.

But making just a little more experience with bonsai related sources it's easy to tell the quality of his product is absolitely top notch.
He's truly passionate about what he does and there's no reason in this world I'd ever lose one of his youtube uploads.

I think it's in the human nature, as social animals, to have a sort of feeling while interacting with others (I find Marco and Bjorn little more authentic persons, for example). But at the end of the day we don't have to marry him.. we're just the ones that are benefitting from his teachings, and personality shouldn't be confused with professionality when your goal is simply 'learning'.

 

[Clicio]

But at the end of the day we don't have to marry him..

Thanks God for that! hahahaha

 

[canoeguide]

Ryan's podcast, "Asymmetry," consists of unstructured conversations between bonsai people, and I've learned a lot from that format. The episodes with @Walter Pall and @MACH5 (Sergio Cuan) are recommended.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I enjoy reading these comments, because to me it comes down to - everyone is different. I enjoy Ryan, his format, his content. Some of the things people mention as weaknesses I view as strengths. I don't know what else to say... two students with the same professor might have vastly different opinions of his effectiveness.

 

[Hoyonokuma]

Ryan's podcast, "Asymmetry," consists of unstructured conversations between bonsai people, and I've learned a lot from that format. The episodes with @Walter Pall and @MACH5 (Sergio Cuan) are recommended.

Where do I find those?
I've only stumbled in the 1 hour conversation between Ryan and Bill at the US Nationals..
I loved every minute of it

 

[Starfox]

Where do I find those?
I've only stumbled in the 1 hour conversation between Ryan and Bill at the US Nationals..
I loved every minute of it

I use Spotify and just search for Asymmetry in the search bar.
That said you can find them direct from his website here https://bonsaimirai.com/node/858

 

[Hoyonokuma]

On his very own site.. Of course
Me genius

Thanks @Starfox !!

 

[clem]

I read in another forum that other student in Kimura's nursery said that Ryan was a genius. Anybody can see how Ryan's nursery has grown quickly & beautifully and his Mirai.Live videos library is a very good idea to give people a huge data & knowledge library. For me, Ryan's brain has a shape of a Bonsai ^^

In term of Bonsai, Ryan wants to represent the real wild trees of his country (wilder than the japanese yamadori).

 

[Cable]

Bjorn has done workshops for the Cleveland Bonsai Club and all of the older members are in love with him and think he's a bonsai god but I have yet to watch a video of his that I came away from thinking he was all that. The last one was his tokonoma building video. Boring. I liked Ryan from the very first video of his I watched. Different tastes for sure.