PROFILE
Pen Name / Name: Pearlyn M./  Cyrus “Tarotski” Romanes 
Country: United States/ The Philippines
Age: 25/35
Social media:
Pearlyn’s Instagram: @pearlyn.m
Cyrus Romanes’s Instagram: @tarotski
Favorite manga (Pearlyn M.): PandoraHearts, Kowloon Generic Romance
Favorite manga (Cyrus Romanes): Kyou Kara Ore Wa!!
Favorite movie (Pearlyn M.): Train to Busan, The Great Gatsby (2013), Ring (1998)
Favorite movie (Cyrus Romanes): The Hangover Trilogy
Favorite quote (Pearlyn M.): “All the bright, precious things fade so fast…and they don’t come back.” – Daisy Buchanan

Entry title: “GAME TO WIN!”
Round: SMA22: “Seized With Rage”
Award: Honorable Mention

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“Don’t be afraid to experiment and fail.”

About SMA

How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award?
Pearlyn: It feels amazing! I received the news at 3AM and couldn’t sleep after reading the results. It was especially shocking to find out both my entries received recognition from Japanese professionals. Winning the honorable mention keeps me motivated to continue to aim for higher awards, as I know I can do better in the next round.

Tarotski: It feels great! It was my first time winning an honorable mention (I won two editorial awards in past rounds). Hopefully the excellence award is next lol!

What was the inspiration behind your awarded work?
Pearlyn: My partner attends a venue located behind an art studio. It’s full of gaming cabinets and he and his friends play games like Street Fighter, Tekken and more. Sometimes they host tournaments. The environment and community inspired me to make a story based on my observations.

Tarotski: Pearlyn (writer) made the story. It was heavily inspired by fighting game tournament shenanigans. I just gave my own flavor to her wonderful writing! 

What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them?
Pearlyn: Admittedly, the hardest part is creating a successful twist, but without making the story “convenient” for the sake of convenience. It’s something I’m continuously working on and am hoping to improve as I practice.

Tarotski: Deadlines! You just have to do several all-nighters!

READ Pearlyn M. x Cyrus Romanes’ SMA22 ENTRY HERE!

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About Manga

How and when did you start making manga? What do you wish you knew as a beginner? What advice would you give to someone who wants to start drawing manga?
Pearlyn: When I was in high school, I created over 50 pages of traditional manga of an old fantasy story. I didn’t have any skills and knew nothing about writing techniques. For those who want to start drawing manga, my advice is to utilize the internet: study your favorite manga, learn anatomy to create dynamic poses, observe how dynamic panels are created, and keep drawing! Also, read Araki-sensei’s Manga in Theory and Practice.

Tarotski: I started making my own manga when I was in third grade. I stopped for a while, but I wish I hadn’t, and had instead just drawn consistently as I grew older. My advice is just to keep working on it, and eventually, if you put your heart fully into it, your hard work will pay off. 

Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools?
Pearlyn: As a writer, I don’t draw my manga. Instead, I collaborate with manga artists. However, I have drawn digitally on Adobe Photoshop, Paint Tool SAI and Clip Studio Paint.

Tarotski: I draw my manga digitally now. Medibangpaint is what I’m using. It’s ui- friendly!


What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live?
Pearlyn: Keroro Gunso! I was raised in Hong Kong and Cantonese manga was very accessible. Now, I live in a big city in the United States, so manga is still thankfully obtainable.

Tarotski: My first tankobon was Slamdunk Vol. 5! It’s not that easy to find manga where I live, and it wasn’t that popular back then.

Which manga changed your life?

Pearlyn: Pandora Hearts left a huge amount of emotional damage for a good few years after I finished it. I had a hyper fixation on Pandora Hearts during high school. I simply love Mochizuki-sensei’s style of storytelling; she “drip feeds” her information and the plot twists were unexpected. I am also obsessed with The Case Study of Vanitas.

Tarotski: Kyou Kara Ore Wa! It’s the manga that really inspired me to make my own manga seriously!

Which manga character do you most identify with? Why?
Pearlyn: Vanitas from the Case Study of Vanitas. His personality reminds me of myself. He loves to banter, tease, is never serious, but gets vulnerable and emotional during moments that trigger him. Dazai from Bungou Stray Dogs is a close second. Both characters also struggle with mental health. I have a history of knowing what that feels like, so their dark humor is relatable.

Tarotski: I’ll say Krillin. I’m not the best, but I can do things well enough lol.

What kind of manga do you want to make next?
Pearlyn: A horror or a tragic romance. In my country, a challenge I face is that being a mangaka outside of Japan is still a growing niche, but I’ve noticed more opportunities are slowly coming.

Tarotski: I really want to create an action manga series. The only challenge here in the Philippines is the lack of acknowledgement in the manga/webtoon industry. Also, there is still a heavy bias towards western culture in the community.


About You

What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax?
Pearlyn: I enjoy making reels on Instagram, writing short stories and watching anime. I also love being a Connect 4 champion, beating friends in UNO and sleeping.

Tarotski: I just spend quality time with my wife and my two cats.

What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)?
Pearlyn: I work as a full-time case manager at a mental health crisis unit.

Tarotski: I’m a full-fledged freelance manga artist.

Where do you see your manga career in five years time?
Pearlyn: I hope, in five years, I’ll have already debuted as a mangaka in Japan! I work with an agent, Fukunaga-san, from the Hivemind Literary Agency, which is a service under the Japanese entertainment agency, Qdopp Inc. The goal is to get a manga adaptation.

Tarotski: I’m just hoping to release my own work. I’ve been working on it slowly and steadily.


What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
Pearlyn: Study up on the KI-SHO-TEN-KETSU.

Tarotski: Stop procrastinating! Focus on your work and sit straight! You, stop slouching! Yes, I’m talking to you!

What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®?
Pearlyn: Focus on forming an emotional connection. While beautiful illustrations and a good story are important parts of making manga, creating emotional catharsis through body language, facial expressions and reactions readers feel will make your characters appealing and relatable.

Tarotski: Don’t be afraid to experiment and fail. Enjoy every page and panel you create! It’s a fun experience, no matter the results! 

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Thank you, Pearlyn M. x Cyrus Romanes! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!

The deadline to join SMA23 is October 1st. Enter for a chance to develop your potential as a manga creator with us in Japan!