Have you ever listened to a song, and suddenly a whole scene plays out in your head like a movie? I do this all the time. It’s almost like those montage videos people make on YouTube, where anime or gaming clips are cut together to perfectly match a song. That’s basically how my brain works when I’m writing.

For me, anime had the biggest influence while growing up. It shaped the way I imagine scenes in my head, but it also shaped me as an artist. The flow of movement, the way emotions are exaggerated, the rhythm of fights, and even the subtle quiet moments all became a kind of mental language for me. When I write, I often see my characters and worlds in that same anime-like style, almost like I’m watching an episode play out. And when I draw, anime has just as much impact. The way I build expressions, poses, and even design characters all trace back to that early influence.

Music plays into this too. Sometimes I’ll already have a scene in my head, and a song comes on that fits so perfectly it shifts the direction of the scene entirely. Other times, I’ll purposely match a song to the scene I’m writing, almost like I’m soundtracking it for myself. And every once in a while, a song will just randomly play while I’m not even writing, and suddenly my brain starts running wild, creating a scene I hadn’t even thought of before. Those are some of my favorite moments, the unexpected bursts of inspiration that come from nowhere.

Anime and music have both been massive influences on my creative journey. They’ve taught me how to see my stories in motion, how to pace scenes with rhythm, and how to use emotion to guide the flow. They also shaped my art, giving me a foundation for the way I express characters visually.

But the truth is, creativity can be sparked by almost anything. Maybe you didn’t grow up with anime but instead watched endless soap operas, and now you naturally write with dramatic cliffhangers and tangled character relationships. Or maybe your imagination was built on a diet of Star Wars and other live-action sci-fi, so when you create, your mind leans toward epic space adventures. Some people might have been shaped by Asian dramas, with their mix of romance and revenge. Others might carry the humor and exaggeration of Western cartoons like Dexter’s Laboratory, Ren & Stimpy, or even Looney Tunes into their storytelling. Whatever you grew up on, it leaves a mark on how you write, draw, and imagine.

So my advice? Pay attention to the things that make your brain light up. Whether it’s music, anime, soap operas, sci-fi, dramas, or cartoons, don’t just enjoy them. Let them fuel you. You never know what kind of story or drawing they might inspire.