Asianometry – "Looking Back on 2025" (December 28, 2025)
Host: Jon Y
Theme: A reflective look back at the Asianometry channel’s major video releases, personal highlights, disappointments, travel experiences, and forward-looking thoughts as 2026 approaches.
Main Theme / Purpose
Jon Y uses this year-end episode to reflect on Asianometry’s journey through 2025—celebrating victories, dissecting failures, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, and connecting his personal growth to the evolution of the channel. He also offers a preview of upcoming topics and expresses candid personal sentiments about the channel’s future in a changing landscape.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Highlights from Top Videos of 2025
- Most Popular Videos
- "What Happened to the Capacitors in 2002?" [00:17]
- This March release topped the year’s views. Jon had long wanted to cover the infamous capacitor crisis, balancing viewer interest with the challenge of “having enough for a video.”
- “Lots of people had written in to ask me about it. I just was not sure whether or not I had enough for a video.” [00:30]
- Jon invites suggestions for other “capacitor-type situations.” [00:49]
- "Indomie in Nigeria" [00:52]
- Explores the popularity of Indonesian instant noodles in Nigeria. Jon humorously admits he’s never tasted Indomie due to being “on a long running and suffering diet.”
- “I did hear that it has a lot of MSG in it.” [01:06]
- "Compaq" Retrospective [01:15]
- Originally released in late 2024, saw major traction throughout 2025.
- Jon expresses surprise at the enduring interest: “It surprises me to think that so many people remember this company today.” [01:27]
- "The End of Nissan" [01:33]
- Covered during the real-time collapse of the Nissan-Honda deal.
- “Nissan is still shuffling around, but again, so do zombies.” [01:47]
- "Japanese Rice Price Crisis" [01:51]
- Inspired by Jon’s Japan trip—sparked interest in food prices and policy.
- Hints at more content on food systems for 2026 due to “how pricey things feel now in the US and European” and the policy complications of food cost and self-sufficiency. [02:06-02:40]
- “Cutting prices on food is nowhere near as easy as I generally have expected it to be.” [02:35]
- "What Happened to the Capacitors in 2002?" [00:17]
Favorite & Notable Videos from the Year
- "Mini Mill Video: Disrupting Big Steel" [02:42]
- Praised by a friend as “the quintessential Asianometry video.”
- Production grew in scope from covering a Nippon Steel/US Steel acquisition to a broader exploration of the mini mill model, which led to splitting it into parts.
- “The original plan had been to just profile Nippon Steel's acquisition of US Steel, but while doing research for that, I went down the rabbit hole… viewers would hate me if I produced an hour-plus long video and I split it in half.” [02:51, 03:02]
- "PowerPC and the RISC Wars Series" [03:18]
- Started as one video, but kept expanding before being split into three, with one focused on Power Computing as the "macOS Clone King."
- “So this single work session turned into three videos. Wow.” [03:44]
- "Picos" (Operating System profile) [03:47]
- Initially worried it was too obscure: “I just kept thinking to myself, nobody’s gonna watch this random video about a freaking operating system.” [03:56]
- Ended up popular, prompting thoughts of more OS profiles in 2026.
- "Toshiba’s Nuclear Annihilation" [04:05]
- Noted as one of the longest, most educational videos he’s made: “The story wasn’t just amazing, the whole thing was also super educational.” [04:09]
Surprising Misses & Disappointments
- “Chinese Hamster” (CHO Cells) Video [04:23]
- Covered the origin of key biomedical technology, complete with a dramatic historical narrative but flopped in views.
- “The story of how Dr. Robert Briggs Watson brought 20 Chinese hamsters…through… bandit infested territory and huge storms in the waning days of the Civil War was amazing.” [04:37]
- 45 Nanometer Node Video [04:53]
- Jon acknowledges the topic was “maybe a little too niche for the general public” but felt personally enriched by it: “I have no regrets.” [04:58]
Travel & Personal Growth
- Professional & Leisure Travel in 2025 [05:03]
- Work events: Semicon West, Silicon Valley, Semicon Korea, and data center tours in Malaysia and Singapore with Semianalysis.
- Personal destinations: Alsace (France), Saigon (Vietnam, for egg coffee), Phuket (Thailand).
- On Travel’s Personal Impact:
- “The experience of traveling with friends and good people was huge. Especially for this YouTuber who spends most of his time alone.” [05:26]
- Aims to continue travel in 2026, focusing on museums/exhibitions for inspiration and image library building.
- Plans for upcoming trips: ITF World 2026, possibly another Netherlands visit. Jon extends an open invitation to Dutch viewers. [05:48]
Reflections on the Channel & the Future
- Milestones
- “Can you believe that I’ve been posting since 2017? We’re coming up on 10 years.” [05:56]
- Channel has transformed from a hobby ("a way to kill time during lonely weekend mornings") into a career. [06:03]
- Personal Changes
- “I’m getting older, I have back pain, my eyes hurt when I work too long, I don’t have as much energy as I used to, and my voice has definitely changed over the years.” [06:13]
- Relates to the sentiment: “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” [06:19]
- Concerns about change: new creators, formats, AI’s rise.
- “All I can do is to try to keep doing this for as long as I can.” [06:35]
Looking Ahead: 2026 Content Teasers
- Upcoming topics:
- Tandem computers
- Nonstop systems
- Westinghouse antibiotics redux
- Space fabs
- Diamond transistors
- Sasol (South African energy/chemical company)
- Australia cochlear implant
- “There’s so many exciting ideas out there that I want to do.” [06:41]
Closing Sentiments
- Warm, personal message to viewers:
- “To all of you out there, I care for you and wish you the best. Life is short. Be good, everyone.” [06:50]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “The years keep coming and they don’t stop coming. I guess we have a bit of a tradition with 2026 looming ahead.” [00:05]
- “Nissan is still shuffling around, but again, so do zombies.” [01:47]
- “Cutting prices on food is nowhere near as easy as I generally have expected it to be.” [02:35]
- “A friend of mine reached out to me to say that [the mini mill video] was the quintessential Asianometry video. And for some reason that makes me feel really proud.” [02:49]
- “All I can do is to try to keep doing this for as long as I can.” [06:35]
- “Life is short. Be good, everyone.” [06:50]
Timeline of Important Segments
| Timestamp | Segment | Brief Description | |------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:02 | Opening Reflection | Yearly tradition, 2025 in review | | 00:17 | Top Videos of 2025 | Discussion of most popular videos | | 02:42 | Personal Favorite Videos | Behind-the-scenes on standout projects | | 04:23 | Disappointments & Surprises | “Sure-fire” videos that didn’t meet expectations | | 05:03 | Travel in 2025 | Work and leisure trips; their impact on Jon | | 05:56 | Milestone Reflections | Nearly 10 years of Asianometry | | 06:13 | Personal & Channel Longevity | Challenges of aging & changing digital landscape | | 06:41 | 2026 Video Teasers | Next year’s possible topics | | 06:50 | Closing Message | Gratitude and well wishes to the audience |
Tone & Style
Jon’s tone is informal, honest, and gently self-deprecating, often laced with dry humor and personal admissions (“I’ve never actually tried Indomie…,” “I have back pain, my eyes hurt…”). He strikes a balance between humble gratitude and a low-key, analytical approach to his content.
Summary Takeaway
Jon Y’s retrospective captures what makes Asianometry unique: deep, sometimes quirky dives into Asian history, economics, and technology—mixed with personal authenticity and a transparent creative process. Looking to 2026, Jon remains both hopeful and candidly uncertain, grounded by a commitment to curiosity and his audience.