Martin Cid Magazine — Culture, Entertainment & World News

Critical Role started as friends playing Dungeons & Dragons on a livestream and became one of geek culture’s most influential franchises. This is how the actual-play phenomenon built the world of Exandria, raised more than $11 million from fans to fund an animated adaptation, and turned that loyalty into a Prime Video hit, a tabletop publishing imprint and its own streaming platform.

Twenty-four members organized by fan vote, an ever-shifting sub-unit structure, a universe called ASSEMBLE26 — tripleS may be the most architecturally ambitious experiment in contemporary K-pop. The seven-track EP pt.1 uses all that scaffolding to deliver its most warmly direct statement yet.