I’m excited about the app – it seems like a targeted way to engage with Mirai content. I do think that from an educational perspective, having shorter, targeted content could be really helpful on a daily basis. It is nice, however, to interact with Ryan and the team on the live stream, and maybe there will be a targeted way they’ll be engaging the community going forward. I do seem to remember Ryan saying the plan was to create opportunities for more personal interactions – but things were happening fast, so I easily could have missed the details about that. I suppose one education challenge to not having the live stream is that I’d often learn things I was not necessarily expecting to learn. Using the app instead will make the education more focused, but I could miss out on details or facts I didn’t realize I didn’t know that are unrelated to the work I am preforming via the app (that’s kind of a mouth full but hopefully makes sense). I do wish I would have asked a question about yamadori – I wonder if the app will provide details on aftercare by species coming out of collection. Could have missed that too.
It will certainly be interesting to see what the future holds here. I think it’s important to note that one of the things that Ryan mentioned was that the change to the content is at least partially related to enable him and his family have the life that he wants, and for that, I think we can all be thankful. It’s far too easy to burn yourself out pursuing something like that, especially for someone as driven and visionary as Ryan.
Totally - it’s hard for me to even attend a whole live stream as a parent. I can only imagine how all consuming the live stream would be to actually create (and do everything else on sight he does) AND be there for your kid.
You’re not alone. I agree, I’m not excited about any of it. I’m not into apps or any techy stuff.
Really hope they’ll still keep up the occasional technical deep dive streams! Also hoping the app has some free features and not all hidden behind a paywall
As “super Tuesday” occurs at 3 am local time I am not loosing anything. As a pro member I do have the option to submit questions in the forum Q&A, I understand this might not be for all. Also many questions asked during the live stream have already been answered and often distract from the message Ryan wants to deliver. I am looking forward to the new content.
The app has two levels one for the regular subscription and one unlocked with pro membership.
I would say it’s hard to know yet what we are losing/what is changing. From the communication so far, it seems that there will be less emphasis on new content creation, not just the elimination of streaming. I would guess a small minority watch the streams live, and most the value is from the archive. I would love to be wrong about diminished programming, however.
In the love stream Ryan mentioned bonsai TV not sure what that would look like but it was said in relation to work in the workshop or greenhouse. I think interesting times are ahead and there will be new content in different formats than we are used to.
When I decided to seriously dive into this wonderful world of bonsai, I didn’t know where to start. I was all over the place. So much different information, points of view and knowledge…videos, magazines, books, personal advice of established practicioners. It was just too much. No one could explain me this amazing endevour in a way, that would make sense. And then I came across Ryan and his team at Mirai. From the very first video, I could sense his passion, commitment and, most importantly, his love towards the trees. And further more, the desire to deliver the knowledge, which he gained through some hardcore experience as an apprentice in Japan. He studied with probably one of the most prominent figures in bonsai history, Mr. Masahiko Kimura! And then he decides to find his own path and carries on to become (at least in my opinion) one of the best teachers in the world. Every time I would ask myself a question, he delivered. Every time i had an internal wish for a specific content, the team would magically come up with a solution. Mirai is definitely the best thing, that happened to bonsai education. It’s all there and it keeps evolving. I could not express my gratitude, because my uderstanding of the art keeps growing every single day. Ryan and the crew are so embeded in this beautiful endeavour…all I can feel is love. And now we’re getting the App and Academy and probably more mind blowing new concepts…it’s just…I’m lost for words. All my respect goes to the whole team! And for all the doubters out there…think again about all the hard work and endless hours they’ve put into this. I mean, I’m getting goosebumps just writing about this. The unobtainable future is here…extend your hand and grab it.
Sending love and support,
Tilen Kozamernik, Slovenia
I think like with most changes some are going to like it and some not. I am in the former as trying to find video’s from the archives specific to me and my climate has been a challenge seeing as I’m not in the USA. I found a way but I feel the app is going make things so much simpler. With the explanation Ryan is also open to idea’s by the sounds of it. I get there’s a feeling of missing the interaction from some so maybe just give that as feedback these are super creative people and maybe there can be an asynchronous way of doing it?
I completely understand that Ryan has decided to dedicate more time to his family, he has every right to do so, but we have to be realistic from now on we are going to miss the best thing that Mirai Live had, which was seeing him work live and dealing with all the weeks interesting aspects and seasonal jobs. We have run out of that and in exchange they offer us a decaffeinated App where the main thing is a calendar, which, no matter how adapted and well made, is usually of little use, because each tree is a world and only with adequate knowledge and direct observation will you know which one it is. the next step to take with each tree. And the videos of the App, no matter how concise, will still be a light version of what was truly the soul of Bonsai Mirai on Super Tuesdays. It’s a shame and we lose a big part of what Ryan brought to subscribers. Now the question is if the services are going to be inferior and the bulk of Mirai Live that were on Super Tuesdays disappear, what will the subscription price be? And even better, those of us who paid in full for our Pro subscription a few months ago and are no longer going to have Super Tuesdays, who are going to compensate us with an app with a calendar and 4 videos extracted from the library that we have been paying for for years??? It’s a shame what I considered a big step backwards, but as I said at the beginning, Ryan has every right to decide about his work and family. But without a doubt the ones who lose the most are undoubtedly the subscribers. We will have to see if they last over time, because paying $300 for an App and a few questions in the Q&A with material of dubious quality, I don’t know if it’s worth it.
I hope that the entire library, complete with all the content that some of us have paid for more of 7 years, will continue to be available. It would be a shame not to have access in the future and only to the short videos of the App… I hope that Ryan and team consider if there is not going to be new live stream content, at least those of us who have been subscribing and supporting the Tuesdays for so many years We always have always access without having to pay more for all that content…
Ryan emphasized multiple times that the catalog is not going anywhere. I think it’s disingenuous to view the app as a replacement for the streams. It’s true that the streams are going away, and I agree with you that that is a loss. However, one is not a direct replacement for the other, it’s just a change in attention. Ryan has expressed his interest in continuing to make video content of some sort. I know that I’m looking forward to more artistic video efforts, a la the Mirai in the Wild videos.
For those of us who are a fan of Ryan Neil the bonsai artist, this is huge, and I think wholly positive. Perhaps it means less of Ryan Neil the (internet) educator, but I don’t think that part of him will ever be able to hide himself.
I also disagree that the app is just a simple calendar. If it delivers on the promise, it is more of a handbook of the Mirai system, something that has been only in bits and pieces for the past decade. Ryan often emphasizes that this system–the Vortex–only works if you do all of it, and this will enable his students to do that with a greater awareness. As he said on the video, you can’t know what you don’t know. I don’t believe the app will be cheap like the Bonsai Empire app, giving a simple date, but instead it appears that it will provide general time ranges, and signals to look for. There is no way that Ryan would put his name on something that says “repot your juniper on March 23”–no, it will tell us what to look for in our plants to know for ourselves when it’s time.
Since becoming a Mirai member about 6 months ago I have spent countless hours combing through the library to learn how to do Bonsai properly. I have learned so much more than I have in years prior via YouTube and books. I feel that the existing video archive has 90-95% of the information needed to become an expert/pro. It’s a matter of digesting it and putting it into practice. I am very hopeful that the app will make this MUCH easier. I too will miss the super Tuesday content but to be honest I get the most value from the lectures which Ryan said will continue. They are not rolling out the app and stopping content creation. They are just shifting it. I am excited for the future and have complete faith in Ryan and the team. Change can be hard but necessary to continue to grow and improve!
Dude, this is the most pathetic whining I’ve read on the internet in a long long time… The app that Ryan previewed is the most amazing interactive learning tool I’ve ever seen presented. As a former Software developer myself, I’m blown away by the features Ryan outlined and how useful they will be to students of bonsai. I currently teach basic bonsai courses to 1000’s of students a month (bonsaibar.com) and cannot wait share this with anyone interested in learning advanced bonsai techniques. If you can’t see the value of what Mirai has made here I very much doubt that you’ve every grasped what it takes the pratcie bonsai at the highest levels.
The Mirai App is a huge , huge gift for us. Tim wrote all i would, if my english would be better. I´m a professional gardener in germany and can imagine what immense content this app has got. Just from the side as a gardener. Developing an app for all this is just crazy. i love it. Ryan took being a bonsaimaster to a new level . He deserves an Oskar for that idea and for realizing it. It´s just amazing work on the highest level. I am so thankful.
I was so surprised to see the ‘hate’ about Mirai’s changes. Having been a pro member since almost the beginning, I feel like Ryan (and to a lesser extent the team) is like a family member. Maybe, this is why some people are reacting so negatively to change. I have literally watched Ryan grow older, and go through the trials and tribulations of life. Whilst at the same time, ‘myself’ going through the same. I have watched every stream (though rarely live), a lot if them many times. I have gained untold knowledge, not just about tiny trees.
For all those people who a reacting negatively to the change, I ask you one question. When has Ryan done anything that is poor quality? For most of us if we had 50% of Ryan’s dedication we would achieve far beyond what we could imagine.
Having tried all the apps I can ‘lay my hands on’. To try and deal with my trees. To me, Mirai Mobile looks nothing like any of them. And I imagine, Ryan, being Ryan, it will only improve ( like our trees) over time.
All I can say to Ryan and the team is ‘I LOVE YOU ALL’ and keep up the amazing work.
I look forward to the changes to come.
For me, the success of the app will hinge on which features are locked behind the pro-subscription. I have always been a regular member as the Q+As being in the middle of the night my time has always meant that a pro subscription just never made sense.
If everything but the most basic features/content is locked behind the pro subscription then I’m afraid it may not be very useful to me.
What I am really looking forward to though is the concise and structured pushing of content and instruction on which operations to perform at which time during the growing season. If Ryan pulls this off it will be a major game changer!!
I remain optimistic and have faith in Ryan and the team but would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous.
Mirai Live is currently down for maintenance for the next few hours. Sounds like it’s happening tomorrow!