TERRANOVA

And here it is, my first poster rough design for Terranova.
Terranova it's a live action epic science fiction film I've been developing for the past 10 years on my free time.
I wrote the script's final draft with some help from Ben Chiang. I also penciled a story board action sequence and design all the characters for this epic film.
It's been very difficult finding time to invest on my own film since I'm always busy working for FOX or WB. So far I managed to finish my script (yes it's registered), do some boards, designs, a story treatment with a synopsis, a bible and a short quicktime slide show teaser with all of the above.
Most of the backgrounds I collected from the internet and of course the rights belong to their respective owners. Whenever the film goes into production they will be all re-design anyway.
Subsequently you must sign a non disclosure agreement before you are exposed to this original material. Terranova it's my baby, I'm not taking any chances.
Up until now a small elite had access to it. Ever since Paul Dini made a very positive comment about it, I know I got something real good in my hands. I like to think of Terranova as a franchise gold mine.
All I can tell you without giving anything away it's that my film has it all. A good story, interesting characters, lots of FX, robots, mutants, five dimensional aliens, alien animals, space ships, Agartheans, mutated animals, action, philosophy, spirituality and adventure. Did I leave anything out?
This Photoshop collage poster it's the result of a sleepless night. Some of the art it's copyright psxextreme.com, www.dragos.org, www.xurge3d.com and the space ships are by Sliver. The rest it's all by me.
I know it seems like a lot of celebrities for my casting choices, but hey...there is a multicast mega budget Sci Fi epic film for ya.
Not too bad for my first "none drawn art" post in my Blog.

Yamato Nadeshiko (The Wallflower)

Yamato Nadeshiko (The Wallflower) is a manga series written by Tomoko Hayakawa. Nippon Animation adapted part of the manga series into a twenty-five episode anime series. Yamato Nadeshiko is a common term used in Japan to describe the ideal beautiful woman. The story revolve around Sunako Nakahara, a girl called “ugly” by a boy, who happened to be the first and only person to whom she confessed her love because of this incident, she losses her sparks in life and change for the worst. She became reclusive and generally developed a fear of pretty boys of which she refers to as “dazzling creatures”. She became a lover of solitude, gore movies, anatomical dolls and objects that reflect the ugly side of life as she puts it. Sunako’s aunt who has a big concern to her and was the owner of a beautiful mansion ion where four very handsome students live, offers the guys free rent if they can transform niece, Sunako, into a “perfect lady” but if they fail, the rent goes triple. Due to these handsome boys confidence in knowing how to deal with women, they agree.

Before anything else I would like to introduce these four handsome guys. Kyouhei Takano, the most popular of the foursome. He is very loud and bossy when it comes to his needs. He was forced to leave home because all of the mobbing and harassment by his fans were taking a toll on his family. As the story goes he will have unsorted feelings for Sunako which he demonstrates by constantly provoking her rage. Next is Takenaga Oda comes from a very wealthy family and is quite serious in nature. He is the brain and logic of the group often trying out logical strategies to make Sunako become a lady. He has a love interest in “Noi” Kasahara, but his shyness gets in the way when he wants to express his feelings. Another is Yukinojo “Yuki” Toyama, he is shy but sweet and has a very loving nature. He is the most innocent of all the characters, often crying and becoming scared when he enters Sunako’s room. Last but not the least is Ranmaru Morii, the playboy of the group. Ranmaru comes from a wealthy family and is an only son. He is very extroverted and a lover of older women. He has a very sexy nature and extremely high self esteem.

Now that you know these four lovely men let’s back to the story. When the guys first meet Sunako, they begin to realize that their lovely living arrangements may soon be in jeopardy. Although the four are able to make Sunako physically attractive the difficult part is with her personality. Sunako has no intention in changing her tastes, her love for all things macabre (gruesome and horrifying content) is a difficult challenge that the boys must face. Eventually, Sunako will develop an especially mixed feelings about Kyouhei, and as the storyline progresses, their relationship becomes more solid and intimate. There’s a lot of adventure and funny moment in the story that the boys faced just to encourage Sunako to change but still they failed. The boys managed to convince Sunako’s aunt that her niece is indeed a lady befitting the mansion in which they live (and prevent the rent from skyrocketing to triple the required amount). However, in reality, Sunako has not changed considerably. In the last part of it you will see Sunako change her physical appearance in to a lovely lady and that is so exciting.

The story is a combination of comedy, drama and romance which can catch viewer’s different taste. It is composed of handsome boys, which I can say that this was made intended for male audiences. The series deals with the extravagant life of a group of bishounen characters who cause nose bleeds to girls where ever they go. It’s a shojo series with lots of sparkles and flowers that can be enjoyed by guys just as much as girls. The most interesting part is mixture of horror and comedy in the plot, it’s like Sadako meets the F4. The series is full of comical moments that will keep you laughing throughout the series, there are some jokes that require some knowledge of Japanese anime but I’m sure most of you will understand it. Hence it gives moral value and touching stories each episode despite its weird concept.

Girls with Guns

From an old sketch book named "Girls with Guns" that belongs to Chris Roman.
I found the sketch book in my library by accident when I was looking for something else.
I didn't even know I had it all this time since 1997. I guess I was the last one in doing a piece for the book...ooops...sorry Chris, my most sincere apologies. And yes, I did this in 1997 not recently.

Walking with Buddha

Here is a model I revised in 2005 from Walking with Buddha for the Ngong Ping 360 Buddhist Cultural Center.
Walking with Buddha is an immersive, multimedia attraction allowing visitors to follow the life of Siddhartha Gautama - the man who became Buddha - and his path to enlightenment.
It physically takes you on a journey through Siddhartha's life. From the opulence of Siddhartha's Palace to the harshness of the Forest, you will feel as if you are truly 'walking with Buddha'. Travelling through the various stages of Siddhartha's life, you will witness his transition from being a Prince at Court to reaching supreme awareness and becoming Buddha.
I'm very disappointed with the people in charge of the credits. They only gave me a character design "clean up" title, after I did some animation walk cycle as reference for TMS, the overseas studio. I also went over the main designs, revised them and of course clean them up. If you ask me that is more than just character design "clean up", specially after someone promised me a character design supervisor title for the credits. Just another schmoozing BS example of the low ethical values in Hollywood.
I have no doubt Karma will get those responsible for the unfairness.
At least I got to be part of this cool cartoon and got to work with Bill Sienkiewicz, one of my many heroes when I was a kid.

Princess Cinderella from Disney Princess

Princess Cinderella from Disney Princess

Princess Cinderella Famous Cartoons

Princess Cinderella Dancing with the Prince

Dr. Feelgood Comic Book

In 1997 I was called by Shaun McLaughlin (the producer from the New Batman and Superman Adventures at that time) He asked me if I wanted to do a comic book for Motley Crue, since he knew I was a Motley Fan. His friend also named Shaun was the art director for Motley Crue at the Generation Swine Tour and was looking for a fast comic book artist. They asked me to do a comic book from a script based on the Dr. Feelgood song in "four" days, since the band was already on tour. My comic images would be shown during the rest of the tour on the big screens on each side of the stage each time Motley played that song.
It was very difficult to complete my new assignment since I was already working full time for Warner Brothers designing characters for a Superman episode and doing some storyboards freelance for a Batman episode. It was also my first time doing storyboards for WB and I wanted to impress Bruce Timm by doing a good job, no pressure.
Later after I started, I got a call asking me to do it in "two" days. So I drank coffee like water, didn't sleep for two days and got everything done and shipped on time. I probably did 35 comic panels in 15 hours listening to the Dr. Fellgood song over and over.
The panels were in black and white due to the lack of time. I was inspired by my comic book artists heroes a that time, Jaime Hernandez and Jordi Bernet.
A week later I got a giant check from Motley Crue to me for $ 6,000 dollars. I think it was my best paid comic book work ever.
I wish I had a copy from that check, it was awesome. I spend everything on my drum kit the next day at Guitar Center in Hollywood.
Here are some of those panels.
Thanx Tommy, Nikki, Vince and Mick I would never forget it. I only wish I had a chance to meet you guys and do some more work for the band...maybe some day.

GetBackers

GetBackers is a manga series written by Yuya Aoki and illustrated by Rando Ayamine. The manga was adapted into an animated television series in 2002. The series tells the story of Ginji Amano and Ban Mido, a pair of super powered individuals known as the GetBackers. The duo operates a freelance repossession service, their job is to recover any lost or stolen item for a client with an “almost 100% success rate” for certain amount fee. The plot mostly revolves around their adventures, often complicated by the pair's convoluted, individual pasts and a mysterious place known as the Infinity Fortress.

Ban possesses two special powers, the “Snake Bite” (his hands have a gripping power of 200kg) and the “Evil Eye” (anyone who looks into his eyes will be locked into a powerful and nightmarish hallucination). Ginji, on the other hand, has the ability to generate thousands of volts of electricity from his body. He was once the fearsome “Lightning Emperor” and the leader of a gang called The VOLTS in the Infinity Fortress. He received the title “Raitei” (literally, Lightning Emperor or Thunder Emperor) because of his ability.

They have some colleague like Hevn, she is the negotiator for the Getbackers, providing them with new, often dangerous, jobs. Even more ironic is that with the GetBacker’s money luck, they often end up getting no pay for any of Hevn’s dangerous jobs. And Natsumi, she was the GetBacker’s first client in the series and because of that Paul was introduced. He is the owner of the Honky Tonk, which is where the GetBackers often loiter and build up their tab. These people share good bonding to Ban and Ginji in their adventures and fights. Also adds happiness and excitement in the story.

Ban and Ginji claim a 100 percent success rate in returning lost or stolen property to its original owner. Their claims are put to the test in the series' first five episodes, as a high-school girl hires them to reclaim her precious handmade stuffed cat; a homeless man requests they rescue his daughter, who’s fallen into yakuza hands; and a wealthy businessman sends them to retrieve a stolen strongbox. The story became more intense when they encounter and fight against some equally talented freelance “transporters” who have been hired to defend the lockbox from the likes of Ginji and Ban. Among their enemies are “Dr. Jackal”, a quick-moving sadist who can manifest razor-sharp weapons out of his bare hands, and “Lady Poison”, a girl with phenomenal chemical weapons and a secret connection with Ban.

Then the next episode would then mainly revolve around the Mugenjou (Infinite Castle) and the battles that Ginji and Ban went through inside it, trying to solve its puzzle and mystery while at the same time saving the friends Ginji had there. A lot of philosophy about existence would surface later.

GetBackers is a lively, colorful series, with a lot of intense, graphic action and nicely animated motion, but the clear sense is that Ginji and Ban are both deeply tragic figures with a great deal of history. Ginji was once a feared gang leader, which leads to oblique flashbacks in which shadowy figures describe him as an “invincible being” and “the emperor of this limitless fortress”. Ban’s connection to Lady Poison, aka Himiko, spawned a complicated grudge that seems to stem from an even more complicated promise. Even the first meeting between Ginji and Ban is briefly hinted at in an explosive-looking scene that sets the stage for intense drama to come.

This anime is a composition of action, drama, romance and comedy. Also it shows good moral value and the importance of friendship. The story has lots of twist and turn that add to its spice.