“The human mind never stops thinking; it’s why we run upstairs after turning off the lights at night!”: Thej Yhome | Digital Manga Artist from Nagaland

A very few of us know the fact that our favorite ’90s cartoon series “The Jungle Book”, based on Rudyard Kipling’s book, was an anime. That was the start of our fascination with anime and we didn’t even know what it was! Eventually, Shinchan and Doraemon made their way to Indian TV sets, but the Japanese comic art form called ‘manga’ is yet to enjoy its fair share of popularity in the country. That’s why, Naga artist and manga illustrator, Thejakhrienuo Yhome’s work deserves more attention.

Photo : Thejakhrienuo Yhome Courtesy – NAJ CosFest

Tell us a little bit about yourself

My name is Thejakhrienuo Yhome, but I go by Thej Yhome. I’m 23 and work as a digital artist in Kohima, Nagaland. Right now, I’m enjoying the freedom of a gap year student and freelancing as an artist at home.

What got you started?

I enjoy telling stories and I love narrating them through comics and animation. But I also work on illustrations and other commissioned artwork.

What initially sparked your interest in this field?

I became fascinated with Japanese anime, especially Pokemon and Beyblade when I was around 13. I didn’t have much opportunity to watch the shows when I first discovered them, so I settled on recreating the characters myself. That was the first time I ever drew something I truly wanted to, and then I became obsessed with drawing.

Photo : From Thej’s Scrap-Book

What are your plans for the near future?

I just finished my Bachelor’s Degree in Animation and I’m waiting for my results right now. But I recently realized that I would like to rethink my career possibilities and that’s why I’m taking a gap year before I move on to my next pursuit. But I am hoping to bag a job in an international animation studio in the future.

Where do you draw your artistic inspiration from?

My philosophy in art is, ‘If you want to see it, but it doesn’t exist yet, make it’. Inspiration is everywhere, to be honest: in people and things around me, in good books and movies, in inexplicable things that happen in life, memories, and dreams.

Truthfully, the human mind just never shuts up, it never stops thinking up things; it’s why we run upstairs after turning off the lights at midnight!

What do you hope people take away from your art?

A sense of childish wonder and a sudden urge for adventure: because that is what made me fall in love with my favorite books, films and shows.

Can you tell us about a recent project of yours that you’re particularly proud of?

I call it ‘Superhero!’ : It’s a silent manga I made for a competition. There wasn’t much time to give the art a proper finish but the story is something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s very dear to
me.

Superhero by Thej Yhome

Are you involved in any art projects currently?

Right now, I’m working on “Server:Legacy”, a story about a guild of gamers, with a friend of mine who’s the writer. It’s a lighthearted action-adventure story about a bunch of gamers in a fantasy MMORPG game. We’re trying to make it the sort of story that will give us the same sense of ‘endless possibility’ that games like these tend to evoke in us. Chris, my writer friend, and I were disappointed by the stories in this genre so far, so we’re hoping to do something fresh and fun!