For my brother, his friends introduced him to anime such as Rurouni Kenshin, which follows the life of a former assassin, and Dragon Ball Z, which inspired a whole generation of boys to get really buff. I remember his desktop wallpapers of Trunks, his sketches of bulky figures, and trips to the VHS store for anime rentals. He loved the show—watching the movies and playing games like Budokai 1, 2, and 3. Back then, anime was considered nerdy and niche, so it wasn’t something Prince would openly boast about.

One of the first anime I remember watching was Gundam Wing. Heero would introduce the series with his hand over his face—oozing a cool, loner persona. The show followed pilots controlling massive, machine-like robots in epic battles. One of Prince’s best friends kept a Gunpla model on his work desk.

As for me, I realized I wanted to be an artist after accepting I wasn’t musically gifted or particularly rhythmic. My uncle got me a sketchbook, and I began practicing anime drawings I found online or from the shows I loved. My brother would torrent anime from afar—Naruto, Bleach, and other Shonen Jump series. I had a natural aptitude for drawing and begged to take art classes, but no one supported that dream. So I borrowed my neighbour’s copy of Shonen Jump and copied the sketches myself.

My brother also loved martial arts films. He watched many starring Bruce Lee and Jet Li—Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Drunken Master—classics. I mirrored him and went through a Jackie Chan phase. A friend at school lent me his entire collection of Jackie Chan films, and I binge-watched them all. I even took karate classes for a while and built strong thighs from all the squatting.

Much of the anime I watched then isn’t something I fully endorse now, and I find myself drawn more to faith-based content. But there’s no denying its pull. The animation felt superior to American shows—the shared storylines, exaggerated emotions, and sweeping emotional arcs kept me coming back week after week.

Having that shared world with my brother—through anime, through stories—was something I cherished. It was our own world.

thoughts on grief will delve more into Eastern lore. I’m currently editing it before it goes through final revisions, and I’m in the process of sourcing a book designer. Please continue to keep me in your prayers—I’m aiming for a summer release (June ideally).

You can find more information on my publishing site: Curious Monarch Press.

You are receiving this email because you have confirmed to receive marketing and news updates on thoughts on grief.