So I've read N_man's tips, poured over the RTA wiki and gotten notes off the web, but this game is super intimidating, especially with superguarding and the glitches needing to be nigh-frame perfect, and having to remain in peril almost constantly? Holy crap might as well sign my death certificate now! XD I love this game a lot, but it's got a barrier to entry that seems huge! Any help in really getting into the meat of this crazy fun game?

Are you starting with the English version? If you're not, then you should start with English. I am currently learning TTYD too, as I played it through so much when it came out, and the tricks did seem daunting. The only one that still gives me trouble is bookcase jump. Fish glitch isn't that hard, as it's just pressing x then down. Goombella buffer can be tricky, but if you look on the english route almo gives a really good description on how to do it. There is a good bookcase jump tutorial by gamerob on youtube. Also, the wiki is awful, as it hasn't been updated in years, except for the routes portion. Also, superguarding iirc isn't required anywhere unless you screw up, it just saves time in some places. Good luck learning this great game!