How do you feel about the overly sexualized anime play mats and card sleeves?

If you asked me a year ago, I would’ve had an entirely different opinion. Probably not the best answer either.

Back tracking a few months ago, I started going back to church for the first time in 5 years. We all have our reasons for going. God only knows how lucky I’ve been dodging charges and the reckless lifestyle I’ve had in California.

It wasn’t an easy transition (short attention span and all), so I started carrying my notebook before mass, just doodling whatever comes to mind. It could be silly sketches or sexy dark necromancers. I might have stopped going to church all together until a couple sat next to me with their daughter.

They looked over me and asked what I was drawing. In a panic, I flipped over my Liliana sketch like hiding a lit cigarette from my parents. I just smiled and nodded.

“Just sketching!”

Their daughter looked over and I noticed a little Anna doll from Frozen peeking from her little dress. Frizzled tipped pony-tails and all. Just another toy to an adult. For me, I loved the movie. I knew it represented the character. A carefree, naive princess with a love for chocolate… and a penchant for breaking out in musical scores. This little girl loves Anna so much, that she carries her doll everywhere.

As I slid back in the long bench, I pondered a bit. It hit me as I drew a toddler Anna. I handed the couple the drawing to give to their daughter. Nothing could’ve prepared me for her wide open eyes as she saw it. Her father did of course reminded his daughter to thank me, but it was the first time (in a very long time), it reminded me how even the simplest things can make someone happy.

A month passed by as I was attending different scheduled masses on Sunday. As I walked to the parking lot, I met the couple again with their daughter.

The daughter began tugging at her mother’s dress.

“Did you bring it? Did you bring it!?”

The mother pulled out a folded piece of paper from her purse and handed it to me.

“She’s been drawing a lot.” smiled the father.

I opened it up and found an Olaf done in markers and crayon. I kneeled down towards her and smiled.

The daughter’s name is Luciana and she loves warm hugs too.

Being an Adult

For those of you following me for a long time, you might have remembered the legal issues, DMCAs, etc from Hasbro & Wizards of the Coast. From nuking my Deviant art folder with DMCA take down notes, to further legal threats on my tumblr such as:

Hasbro’s E-mail - (Link)

WotC’s Mail - (Link)

The majority of the sketches you see are requested by my followers and fans without any form of compensation. As much as I resisted, I had to comply with their request in order to keep my Tumblr up for the community.

I felt completely alienated from a company and the people I admired. That’s where the depression seeps back into my life. Almost paralyzing to a point where I cannot draw or write. I would just slip into bed at 8PM and wish the next day would come.

Maybe it’ll go away.

I’m still struggling even today.

Had I met Luciana earlier in my life and came to the realization of the potential of a single child, things would be much different. The influences they learn from their parents, teachers or even silly bloggers like me.

The potential for all great things start as a child.

So when I see a grown-ass man in public with a slave bikini girl playmat and painted women being raped on land alters… he needs to be asked to leave. Immediately.

What if someone like Luciana saw that?

I’ve forgotten what it means to be a child and I have Luciana to thank for reminding me.

Have a magical day!