Medium: Clip Studio Paint

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This series of digital artwork is a dedication to the first Japanese Animation, or anime, properties I was exposed to as a child. 

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Today, “anime” is a household name whereas when I grew up in the early 90s, the only Japanese Animation I had been exposed to was “Speed Racer” and “Voltron.” And also, of course, early Nintendo and Super Nintendo video games.  Yet, I wasn’t even aware of the genre until we had gotten a Satellite dish and discovered a channel called “Network One.”  On it, I happened upon the anime “3 X 3 Eyes.”  From that point on I was hooked.

 

What inspired this series was observing the craze of anime like “One Piece,” “Demon Slayer,” and “Attack on Titan.”  It brought me back to a humble time where discovering any Japanese Animation was like obtaining something precious and rare.

Working on this series brought me back to so many of those moments like the first time I saw 8-Man teleport behind a cyber-punk and break his arm with blood gushing everywhere.  Or when Vampire Hunter D’s severed left hand reattached itself to his wrist right before falling victim to a Mist Monster.

 

While I wouldn’t call my comic book illustration style “Black Anime” (I actually have issues with that term), I’d be lying if I said that Japanese Animation didn’t, and still doesn’t, influence me.  Had I not discovered these early Japanese Animation classics, my Art wouldn’t be where it is currently.