REACH OUT!
ONE-SHOT MANGA
Reach Out! A one-shot manga-inspired story that follows Renata, a black teenager, who once aspired from a young age to have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the world. As he grows up and learns more about the world around him, his mindset seems to shift overwhelmingly to the other side. After graduating from high school, he reaches his lowest point in terms of optimism and falls prey to passive nihilism after becoming aware of the truth behind much global suffering, leading to a hopeless shift in his mindset. Despite believing his existence holds little weight in changing the world, he’s still forced to enter college clinging to the minuscule optimism that lingers in his soul. Through new relationships, creative collaboration, and mentorship, Renata’s worldview expands, ultimately leading him to realize that his purpose is to lead and inspire younger generations through his artwork and writing. As a one-shot, it only focuses on the initial character of Renata, however the overall story, when serialized, would address types of nihilism, social isolation, the power of community, and artistic expression.
Since my sophomore year at PVAMU, I have been interested in exploring these themes, especially so after the theatrical release of Look Back, a one-shot by Tatsuki Fujimoto, a story that explores themes of bondage through manga creation. I have always wanted to create a series that similarly explores the lives of artists and how they interact with each other, navigating an unforgiving world and adulthood. That’s what Reach Out! and my works in the future look to explore.
In the technical aspect, this is the second official series that I have made under the manga medium. Through this experience, I made my creative process more efficient by integrating photography into my artwork, being more intentional with my paneling, and most importantly, setting reasonable quotas for my page creation.
This project perfectly encapsulates my passion for manga creation as well as my research on human connection through art.
Learn more about ReachOut! and follow for updates on the official release!
