For The Love Of Anime

I thought I loved anime, but this man loved it so much he traveled across the globe in the pursuit of it. Now he'll go down in both anime and black history.

Back in 2016 a new anime studio, D'ART Shtajio, was founded. Have you heard of it? If not, you should have because this was the very first black-owned studio in Japan. It was founded by the Isom brothers, who simply had a passion for anime. Arthell Isom, Co-Founder/CEO/Art Director, traveled from America to Japan to study 15 years ago and never looked back. Instead he went on to create an American anime studio in Japan in the hopes of bringing Eastern and Western story telling together.

Using the traditional anime art style, D’ART Shtajio bridges the gap between Eastern and Western ideologies to create a truly unique and vibrant animation. -D'ART Shtajio

This isn't a small studio either. If you haven't heard of them maybe you've heard of some of the anime's they've worked on: Attack on Titan, Bleach, Castlevania, Naruto, One Piece, Tokyo Ghoul, and more. They've been busy, because aside from those projects, they've also been working on original animes while partnering with manga companies. Their originals include: Indigo Ignited, Tephlon Funk, Xogenasys, The Doll, and SOUND & FURY by Sturgill Simpson, which is available on Netflix.

Watching interviews with Arthell has been a wholesome experience because you can tell just by looking at him that he loves what he does. He exudes a passion for anime that is not easily met. Seeing his vision come to life and how it's providing a stronger impact on the anime community than he ever anticipating gives me a renewed sense of hope. Just scrolling down the D'ART Shtajio twitter page shows how thrilled people are to finally have black voices be heard in anime.

Looking through their portfolio gives me goosebumps because their art is so incredibly vibrant and diverse. I, for one, am extremely excited to watch The Doll because what I've already seen and read has captivated me. I encourage all of you to check out D'ART Shtajio's work if you're looking for a more refreshing anime experience. Congratulations to the Isom brothers for making their dreams come true, and for sharing their visions and passions with the world.

---

The word Shtajio is a play on words in both English and Japanese to reflect our commitment towards building a strong foundation centered on our artists and clients.下地が大事(Shtaji gadaiji): “The Foundation is Important” is the original phrase that we seek to build on while conveying that we are a スタジオ(Sutajio): The Japanese word for Studio. Alternatively, we spell it Shtajio because of the kanji (下地) Shtaji which is used by the background artists here in Japan to mean – the underpainting, or foundation of art.Shtaji+Sutajio = Shtajio. -D'ART Shtajio

---

Thank you so much for tuning in for this installment of Nerdom. There is a lot happening in the world, and I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you joining us. Keep up the good fight, stay safe, stay nerdy, and stay messy, otaku. We will see you Sunday!