Tuesday, November 7, 2006

   uh...
I figured I should post something since I haven't done so in... um... AGES!?!?

I have Flash now, so I started making flash animations... 8D too bad theotaku doesn't take anything but art in jpeg >< *cries in a corner* so much beautiful quality.... gone.... all gone!! *huggles PNG format*

Thanks to everyone who commented on my latest pic. Everyone seems to like it when I post something of Rock Lee. Since he's my inspiration and has changed my life for the better, I think I should post some more myself, and draw more of him.

And you're all probably looking at me like 'wtf'? I'm 19. I'm plenty old enoguh to know what's real and what's not. And an anime character 'changed' me? Maybe I shoudl type this out. 1 to explain to you guys that I'm not just some weird lewzer head over heals otaku, and two, I want to talk about it XP

When I first saw Rock Lee in Naruto, I was scared, quite honestly. He creeped me out. He looked odd, had a strange outlook on everything (or so it seemed) and was VERY close, almost frighteningly close to his sensei. To keep it simple, I pretty much clung to my liking for Sasuke.

Anyways, I had already read in shonen jump about Lee's fight with Gaara, even though I hadn't seen the anime before then. So as soon as the weights came off of Lee and he started opening gates within himself, I knew what was going to happen, and could only watch as Lee was defeated, stood up and tried to fight without conciousness. I felt bad for the guy, and admired his sub-concious will to finish, but never thoguh much else of it. The same with 'never be a shinobi again'. I felt bad, but again, never thought much else of it.

Until it showed him at the hosipital, out back, doing pushups to get back into his training. I could only stare as he determinedly forced himself to do these pushups, while the nurses tried to get him to stop.

Nurse: Lee-kun! *reaches for him*
Lee: *turning quickly* Please don't touch me!
Nurse: *stares*
Lee: Please... don't inturrupt my training. I... I am not through yet!
Gai: *in memory* There is no point in working hard if you don't beleive in yourself.
Lee: Just... just.... one more time! *referring to push ups* *yelps, and falls over, passed out*

I remember when I saw this, I just stared, and I don't remember when the tears started streaming down my face, but they did. I remember staring, un-able to beleive how much this kid tried... he was in IMMENCE pain, and he was still out there, doing what he could to acheive his goals, still saying that if he couldn't do it, he's try harder... still saying that if he failed, he would do something harder. I wanted so much to scream at the screen, hoping to God that he would hear my shout, but like I said, I'm old enoguh to know the difference between reality and immagination. I do remember whimpering and saying out loud while staring at the screen that it was hopeless for him... he should just stop pushing himself, and move on... but that moment changed me. It was his dedication and his will that shone through, anime character or no.

I had to leave the computer and stop watching at the time, and cry, think... alot of that stuff. After that, I told my friends my thoguht's on it, and since then. he's been my inspiration.

When I went to try out for the national anthem, I wrote his name in the palm of my hand, and looked at it just before I sang... I never sang as loud or nice I think, not that I had ever heard. I thoguht I had lost the fight, but was determined to better my voice for a bigger task later down the road. Again, because of Rock Lee. But I DID get the audition, and I did get the role.

This animation's story and pre-created will gave me the will power to change ME. I stopped not giving a damn about my life anymore. I Stopped getting depressed over little things. I stopped keeping my thoughts to myself in classes. I have so much more motivation, inspiration, will, and need for life than I did before, all because of a simple drawing that was animated on a computer frame by frame with a written outline and a voice actor.

It's changed me for the better, and I don't think I could ever let that go. Sure. Lee isn't a beautiful bishonen, he's not overly cool, and he can only perform Taijutsu skills, but to me, he's the best anime character I've ever seen. I look foreward to every episode, filler or not, that shows his face even in the slightest, because he continues to inspire me, continues to push me, continues to make me see how much my life is worth living.

I just wish I could tell Kishimoto that. I wonder how he would react, knowing that a simple animation from his immagination helped changed a person's life for the better, and probably saved her life?

Anyways, I'm done with the sappy weird stuff. Thanks again everyone.
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