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Description
Alright so my influence map is very.... cute(?).
So let me explain:

1. Paper Mario Series-- I love love LOVE Paper Mario. More specifically the first two. Paper Mario 64 was an excellent change to the series (although honestly the series was on such a high point they could've done a game about flesh-eating beetles and it would be considered groundbreaking by every one else). It was fun and unique. But the real reason that's the largest square is because of the masterpiece, Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door. It was absolutely excellent, had an amazing soundtrack, amazing story, lovable characters and unique experience with every time a start a new file.

And although the other two were okay, it was the second that profoundly influenced my style of writing, drawing, and belief that above all else, a story, a comic, or any other art form is at its best when it has the most soul.

2. Sonic the Hedgehog-- Man, what do I have to say about him. A lot. While Mario was more of a family oriented game franchise (albeit a great one), Sonic was more of the inventive one in the 90's. With a hit show, a comic that is still running as the longest video game comic of all time, and games that still intrigue to this day, it fostered my ideas for having an anarchic imagination, and strong determination even in the worst of times (which for sonic was 2006 to 2010). Sonic is effortlessly cool along with the old cast (Tails, Knuckles and Amy). It introduced a pretty wacky design in characters and abilities (think about it, a red echidna with dreadlocks and superstrength? You really can't make that stuff up) that influenced me on how to integrate abilities into a storyline that's very fun.

3. Bleach-- Bleach....bleach BLEACH! Bleach was amazing and my favorite manga of the Big 3, for a few reasons. It was well paced, the characters were well designed and the level of emotion in characters had was prevalent from the start. Tite Kubo, had emotion down to a fault. He didn't use a lot of visual gags to describe his characters emotions, but instead, he focused on the nuances of the face that struck fear into others, and sadness and shock from readers. This enhanced the action and events of the story up until the Aizen arc, due the quality of story going way WAY down after. From his work, I start focusing more on facial expression and expression and less on gags to push a story along.

4. Takashi Murakami-- I was introduced to him from Kanye West's Graduation album cover. It looked fun, crazy and a bit adult, and at the time I felt as if my style was too cute and light to write a darker story for it. Murakami's work, is a psycho type cute and happy, like at any second the very thing you said 'AW' to would come into your dreams and devour your psyche whole and leave brain damage when you wake up. His art was the introduction to having cute work that packs a weird punch.

5. Luigi's Mansion (the first one)-- My second favorite game of all time. It was an unsafe launch title for the gamecube, and had excellent core game mechanics. The story made for a game that challenged the classic Mario formula and gave more spotlight to Luigi. Also, to this day, I can't play that game at night and I'm damn near 19. Yes, the ghosts are ridiculous looking and not scary in the least...okay the crazy baby and Bogmire were kinda creepy...BUT! The way that Nintendo atmosphere, especially when they had a section when the lights are out and all the ghost come back 5 fold, will scare someone shitless. Or make them jump. Luigi's Mansion taught me how to make the least scary thing, terrifying, and how to make a very solid story arc.

6. Super Mario Sunshine--- THIS GAME! I have been using it as a reference since the age of six, but not as much as Paper Mario. Super Mario Sunshine had a solid overall storyline that honestly could've been used as one story arc. I love the fact that it took something that everyone can relate to being great (and island vacation) and turned it upside down. But that's not the reason why it's on my influence list. It's the many well designed locations that add an extra oomph the overall storyline, emphasizing the importance of having well-designed locations.

7. DOGS: Bullets and Carnage-- DOGS takes violence and gore to a level I haven't seen in a while. Half the cast is batshit crazy in one way or another, and all of them tormented by their pasts. This gave me the right kind of dark punch and insanity to have in my story.

8. Fiona Fox(?)...No. Sonic Archie Comics!-- Archie Sonic Comics (after #160) are incredible. Ian Flynn's writing mixed with Tracy Yardley style brought the Archie characters and main franchise characters to life in situations that were unbelievable by SEGA standards (Sonic having a cheating girlfriend, Sonic and Tails having fisticuffs, A huge hedgehog fight just to name a few.) The Archie comics challenges everything and still has a lot of soul.

Example: Scrouge the Hedgehog(Sonic's evil counterpart)--the dude conquered his home world, and is even hinted that he killed his own dad, even though he seems like the typical angry 90's teen with scars (literally). At one point he even said Damn (it was censored) when his fellow allies betrayed him. Originally he was just a plot device, and now he's juts plain bad, not in the typical bad, but the really a bad person. In fact he cheated on his girlfriend (who is second in command) with two other girls before breaking up with her. And not only that he flirted with other girls, and by other girls I mean Fiona, which led to her cheating on Sonic and joining dark side...for good. He just plain ol' bad.

9. Tales of Vesperia-- The second JRPG I was exposed to. I love the idea of camaraderie between characters in the party. It taught me about the power of teamwork and fighting spirit and that having a team that interacts with each other well can sometime be better than the story itself.

10. Ann-jey-- Favorite artist on DA. I learned about having better drawn eyes and effects from her work. It's absolutely beautiful and was definitely inspiring to my younger 12.9 year old self.

11. Final Fantasy 13-- A gorgeous game that introduced a strong female lead, who was kick ass from start to finish, including in both the sequels, and beautiful to boot. She can kick my ass in that brown mini skirt any day.

12. Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt: A crazy disgusting funny anime that doesn't take itself seriously and is balls to the wall fun. Taught me not to take my art so seriously. I mean look at my 2 biggest influences: crazy hedgehog, and crazy plumber.

13. Kamichama Karin-- this was the first manga I ever read. I loved the cuteness and used it as a basis of my anime style which is practically abusing the Rule of Cute.

14. (Honorable Mention) Evanstanley-- Top notch Sonic fan artist and her webcomic Ghost of the Future to date is very good. If haven't read it, GO READ IT!! I love her takes on the Sonic characters giving more personality than the game do. And I love artist to change things up.

15. Teen Titans-- Teen Titans came out when I was in the 5th grade and to this day I still count it as my favorite show ever. And it inspired me to create an experience just like that show did.

Description
Alright so my influence map is very.... cute(?).
So let me explain:

1. Paper Mario Series-- I love love LOVE Paper Mario. More specifically the first two. Paper Mario 64 was an excellent change to the series (although honestly the series was on such a high point they could've done a game about flesh-eating beetles and it would be considered groundbreaking by every one else). It was fun and unique. But the real reason that's the largest square is because of the masterpiece, Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door. It was absolutely excellent, had an amazing soundtrack, amazing story, lovable characters and unique experience with every time a start a new file.

And although the other two were okay, it was the second that profoundly influenced my style of writing, drawing, and belief that above all else, a story, a comic, or any other art form is at its best when it has the most soul.

2. Sonic the Hedgehog-- Man, what do I have to say about him. A lot. While Mario was more of a family oriented game franchise (albeit a great one), Sonic was more of the inventive one in the 90's. With a hit show, a comic that is still running as the longest video game comic of all time, and games that still intrigue to this day, it fostered my ideas for having an anarchic imagination, and strong determination even in the worst of times (which for sonic was 2006 to 2010). Sonic is effortlessly cool along with the old cast (Tails, Knuckles and Amy). It introduced a pretty wacky design in characters and abilities (think about it, a red echidna with dreadlocks and superstrength? You really can't make that stuff up) that influenced me on how to integrate abilities into a storyline that's very fun.

3. Bleach-- Bleach....bleach BLEACH! Bleach was amazing and my favorite manga of the Big 3, for a few reasons. It was well paced, the characters were well designed and the level of emotion in characters had was prevalent from the start. Tite Kubo, had emotion down to a fault. He didn't use a lot of visual gags to describe his characters emotions, but instead, he focused on the nuances of the face that struck fear into others, and sadness and shock from readers. This enhanced the action and events of the story up until the Aizen arc, due the quality of story going way WAY down after. From his work, I start focusing more on facial expression and expression and less on gags to push a story along.

4. Takashi Murakami-- I was introduced to him from Kanye West's Graduation album cover. It looked fun, crazy and a bit adult, and at the time I felt as if my style was too cute and light to write a darker story for it. Murakami's work, is a psycho type cute and happy, like at any second the very thing you said 'AW' to would come into your dreams and devour your psyche whole and leave brain damage when you wake up. His art was the introduction to having cute work that packs a weird punch.

5. Luigi's Mansion (the first one)-- My second favorite game of all time. It was an unsafe launch title for the gamecube, and had excellent core game mechanics. The story made for a game that challenged the classic Mario formula and gave more spotlight to Luigi. Also, to this day, I can't play that game at night and I'm damn near 19. Yes, the ghosts are ridiculous looking and not scary in the least...okay the crazy baby and Bogmire were kinda creepy...BUT! The way that Nintendo atmosphere, especially when they had a section when the lights are out and all the ghost come back 5 fold, will scare someone shitless. Or make them jump. Luigi's Mansion taught me how to make the least scary thing, terrifying, and how to make a very solid story arc.

6. Super Mario Sunshine--- THIS GAME! I have been using it as a reference since the age of six, but not as much as Paper Mario. Super Mario Sunshine had a solid overall storyline that honestly could've been used as one story arc. I love the fact that it took something that everyone can relate to being great (and island vacation) and turned it upside down. But that's not the reason why it's on my influence list. It's the many well designed locations that add an extra oomph the overall storyline, emphasizing the importance of having well-designed locations.

7. DOGS: Bullets and Carnage-- DOGS takes violence and gore to a level I haven't seen in a while. Half the cast is batshit crazy in one way or another, and all of them tormented by their pasts. This gave me the right kind of dark punch and insanity to have in my story.

8. Fiona Fox(?)...No. Sonic Archie Comics!-- Archie Sonic Comics (after #160) are incredible. Ian Flynn's writing mixed with Tracy Yardley style brought the Archie characters and main franchise characters to life in situations that were unbelievable by SEGA standards (Sonic having a cheating girlfriend, Sonic and Tails having fisticuffs, A huge hedgehog fight just to name a few.) The Archie comics challenges everything and still has a lot of soul.

Example: Scrouge the Hedgehog(Sonic's evil counterpart)--the dude conquered his home world, and is even hinted that he killed his own dad, even though he seems like the typical angry 90's teen with scars (literally). At one point he even said Damn (it was censored) when his fellow allies betrayed him. Originally he was just a plot device, and now he's juts plain bad, not in the typical bad, but the really a bad person. In fact he cheated on his girlfriend (who is second in command) with two other girls before breaking up with her. And not only that he flirted with other girls, and by other girls I mean Fiona, which led to her cheating on Sonic and joining dark side...for good. He just plain ol' bad.

9. Tales of Vesperia-- The second JRPG I was exposed to. I love the idea of camaraderie between characters in the party. It taught me about the power of teamwork and fighting spirit and that having a team that interacts with each other well can sometime be better than the story itself.

10. Ann-jey-- Favorite artist on DA. I learned about having better drawn eyes and effects from her work. It's absolutely beautiful and was definitely inspiring to my younger 12.9 year old self.

11. Final Fantasy 13-- A gorgeous game that introduced a strong female lead, who was kick ass from start to finish, including in both the sequels, and beautiful to boot. She can kick my ass in that brown mini skirt any day.

12. Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt: A crazy disgusting funny anime that doesn't take itself seriously and is balls to the wall fun. Taught me not to take my art so seriously. I mean look at my 2 biggest influences: crazy hedgehog, and crazy plumber.

13. Kamichama Karin-- this was the first manga I ever read. I loved the cuteness and used it as a basis of my anime style which is practically abusing the Rule of Cute.

14. (Honorable Mention) Evanstanley-- Top notch Sonic fan artist and her webcomic Ghost of the Future to date is very good. If haven't read it, GO READ IT!! I love her takes on the Sonic characters giving more personality than the game do. And I love artist to change things up.

15. Teen Titans-- Teen Titans came out when I was in the 5th grade and to this day I still count it as my favorite show ever. And it inspired me to create an experience just like that show did.