If the name Great Big Story doesn’t make you immediately recall a short film or documentary that piqued your curiosity, you must not be familiar with the brand. In short, they like to describe their platform as “a playground for the curious and a home to the wonder that you’ve been missing.” Thousands of interesting stories about everything from the history of Italian super cars and video game heroes, to inspiration for iconic castles and tackling world issues are split into the Human Condition, Frontiers, Planet Earth, Flavors and Origins categories in order to make a world of wonder accessible to you in just a few clicks. Start your dive down the rabbit hole that is the world of Great Big Story.
How Mario Got His Mustache and His Name
Nintendo might have been founded in the late 1800’s, but they didn’t become a household name until Shigeru Miyamoto developed a certain mustachioed character that would ultimately become everyone’s favorite plumber. Even if you’ve never spent any time exploring the Mushroom Kingdom, you know the name Mario. He’s as much a part of the cultural lexicon as Scotch tape and Facebook. But did you know he was almost named Mr. Video and/or Jumpman? How about the fact he was named after a real person who also has his name on a street sign? Jump into the history of one of video games most iconic characters with this Great Big Story about Mario, his mustache, and his name. Watch
Addicted to Flame
You thought you were a pyromaniac? You don’t hold a candle to to Mithras Ljungberg. The professional pyrotechnic circus performer and producer is part of Europe’s biggest pyrotechnical fire circus, Burnt Out Punks (Why did no one tell us this was a thing?), where he regularly juggles three burning chainsaws at the same time. In addition to being the only person in the world that does it because it’s absolutely insane, the completely mesmerizing feat is something Ljungberg describes as life-saving on account of it helping him battle his drug addiction. That’s right, as the title implies, “Juggling Burning Chainsaws Saved This Man’s Life.” Bet you never thought you’d read that. Watch
This Chicken is Entirely Black, From Beak to Bone
Even though drumsticks and thighs are delicious, chicken is most commonly known as white meat. This is absolutely not the case with the Ayam Cemani, an Indonesian chicken with a gene that causes hyperpigmentation and turns the entire bird black. We’re not talking about some intentionally dyed animal that’s ultimately the same on the inside—the entire bird is black. Feathers. Beak. Bones. Internal organs. Black on black on black. It’s a chicken that, in addition to looking cool as hell, is said to bring peace of mind, good fortune and prosperity to the people that own them. The cost of entry for goth bird ownership is pretty steep because Ayam Cemani chickens can fetch anywhere from $700 – $1400 depending on their quality. Watch
How Lamborghini Began: A Story of Vehicular Vengeance
Whether your love of Italian sports cars comes from a love of speed and modern engineering, or a nostalgic recollection of one of the cool cars of the ’80s that hung on your wall as a kid, there are probably a few things you don’t know about how the raging bull and the eventual rivalry with the prancing came to be. That’s right, we’re talking about Lamborghini versus Ferrari. Long before you had to decide between the Countach and the Testarossa for your wall, there were tractors, insults and espionage. Watch
The Amazing Folk Musician Playing Violin Like a Cello
In all honesty, we don’t even know where to start with this video. In late 2017, Chris Funk of The Decemberists hooked up with Great Big Story for Funk Plus One, his “journey for the most surprising and extraordinary people in music.” Violinist Gaelynn Lea based out of Duluth, Minnesota was his first stop. It’s also easily the most epic. Lea is a classically trained folk singer and violinist that transforms Celtic and American fiddle traditions into something completely new, bewitching and all around gorgeous that will leave you changed for the better. Listening to her music will make you feel like you haven’t done enough with your life—and that’s before you consider the fact she had to invent a new way to play the violin because she was born with brittle bone disease and is confined to a wheelchair. If Gaelynn Lea’s story doesn’t move you, you’re not human. Watch
The Sibling Rivalry Behind Adidas Versus Puma
Stan Smith. Clyde. Samba. Cloudfoam. State. NMD. Even if you’re not a sneakerhead, you’re probably familiar with at least of those legendary sneakers from adidas and Puma. Want to brush up on your trivia knowledge? Learn more about how both brands came to be? Discover the details about one of the most storied sibling rivalries in modern history? This Great Big Story is essential viewing even if you don’t really care about sneakers… but we know you do. Watch
Korea’s Ultimate Hangover Cure
When it comes to imbibing, the fantastic conversations about whiskey notes and craft beer options from the night before always seem to pale in comparison to the tried-and-true hangover remedies that will be discussed the morning and/or day(s) after. With Korea’s ultimate hangover cure—aka haejangguk soup—you won’t even have to admit to yourself that you’re getting older because the family at Seoul’s Cheong Jin Ok restaurant has spent three generations figuring out how to make capable of tackling a day of spreadsheets, e-mails and absurd conference calls with their incredible soup. Watch
I Live in an Airplane
We spend a lot of time talking about alternative housing options. Want to live in a house made from shipping containers? Totally possible. Go full #vanlife and live down by the river? Also a thing. But what about jets? Why isn’t anyone talking about living in a converted Boeing 727? This Great Big Story introduces you to Bruce Campbell, a Portland-based aeronautics fan that took an old Greek aircraft and turned it into a place he could call home. Building a fire pit, a piece of plywood furniture or any other DIY project on your list will seem nowhere near as difficult when compared to the amount of work it takes to turn a plane into a living space. Watch
Man’s Last Walk on the Moon
Commercial space travel might not be something accessible to all of us within our lifetimes, but it’s happening. Will that ultimately result in more people taking a small step for man and a giant leap for mankind? We can only hope. Man’s Last Walk on the Moon is a film from Great Big Story (as in, one of their productions that’s significantly more in-depth than the usual) that chronicles the events of December 7, 1972. On that day in history, Apollo 17 launched from Cape Kennedy carrying astronauts Eugene Cernan, Ronald Evans and and Harrison Schmitt. This mission was also the last time man went to the moon. Watch the film to learn everything you never thought you needed to know about man’s adventure into the great unknown. Watch
Inside Japan’s Tricked-Out DIY Truck Culture
With the current popularity of vintage SUVs and modern iterations of classic throwback vehicles, there’s no shortage of options when it comes to owning a highly modified truck. Unless you live in Japan. In Japan, creativity is king—especially when it comes to the DIY semi truck culture referred to as “dekotora.” Part actual Transformer and part amusement park funnel cake stand, “dekotora” is all about “decorated trucks” that carry price tags that reach into house territory and build times in the decades. Step into the wild world of lights, ornamentation and big rigs that is Japan’s tricked-out DIY truck culture with this Great Big Story. Watch
