Feeling a lack of eminence, I made it my mission to find something else that I could relate to besides animals. At the age of 12 with nothing else to do , I grabbed a friend's book and took it home with me. It was the first time I had ever seen a "manga" book or Japanese comic book. The euphoria seemed endless. The well-balanced story and the visual effects were all so new to me. The characters had varying personalities that made American cartoons look insubstantial in comparison. Something compelled me to try to make my very own addition to the book. The overwhelming possibilities of what personas this character would be composed of arose my passion for art. Everyday I would draw this character over and over, each day becoming more and more satisfied. Though even with the final version complete, I was restless. Surely I can do better I thought to myself countless times, and so I