The actual nickname of Mangadragon came about while I was in high school. It was given to me by a fellow student while we were in art class. I drew my own original characters and designs, which were influenced by Japanese animation and video game characters. One of the most immediate influences coming from Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Killer Instinct, King of Fighters and a number of Capcom fighting franchises. Anime titles to name a few were Macross Plus, Ghost in the shell, Tekkaman Blade, Gundam Wing, Fist of The North Star, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Ninja Scroll. As a teenager, I would spend weekends in the arcade playing against other kids.
Comic books, Video Game Magazines, and Manga all were a huge part of my creative process. The days when Wizard magazine was a thing, also Electronic Gaming Monthly, Gamepro, and Playstation Magazine existed. There were strategy guidebooks with artwork in them that we tried so hard to draw from. Before the internet when playing a video game, I had only word of mouth and nerve to play and enjoy fully. When kids were all at one friend’s house playing together. We grew up in a media-rich environment that was fresh and new. Most of the franchises that were present in my younger years are still alive in some way, shape or form.
My main passion has always been to design clothing, toys and items in my own unique style. Up until recently, that was a fantasy. Modern tech has caught up with the creative people, and now we are able to fully realize the dreams we chase each day. It took me a while to come to the point where I can showcase work that I am proud of and that I wear when I leave my home. It is my desire that others are just as excited to receive my creations, and more importantly to let them fuel the fire in others. Just as a person aspires to be like Michael Jordan, or Usain Bolt…So do we artist live with that same hunger.