Cover design for Guardian Lion, the first novel. I like cover designs that are simple yet effective. I don't think elaborate or complex art looks too good on book covers.
Foo, a protagonist of Guardian Lion. For some reason he does not have a human head and does not know who he is. He wanders the land as a traveling lion dancer.
Jiangyuu "Ren" Xiao, a protagonist of Guardian Lion. Born as a princess of Xianji, she spent thirteen years growing up in an Annamese peasant village. Unlike most foundlings, she's well aware of her heritage. Her journey lies in struggling to accept it. She befriends Foo and joins him on his quest to find out who he is.
Jochi, a protagonist of Guardian Lion. Raised in a Koryo monastery, Jochi detached himself from monastic duties to live alone in the mountains. He is cynical, anti-social, and cold. He is rarely seen without his faithful companion, a Koryo mastiff named Ulan.
Minh Vinh, a shy, bumbling scholar who is chosen by the Black Turtle as the unexpected next king to rule Annam. Ren and Foo accompany him on his quest to find Turtle Temple and prove himself worthy of kingship.
A drawing depicting the novel's three protagonists Ren, Foo, and Jochi, plus Ulan.
A map of Haan during the events of Guardian Lion. Haan is a fictional continent composed of four kingdoms based on real-world Asian and Pacific island nations.
Xianji=China
Annam=Vietnam, India, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia
Pangu=Japan, the Philippines, New Zealand
Koryo=Korea, Mongolia, Tibet
Xianji=China
Annam=Vietnam, India, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia
Pangu=Japan, the Philippines, New Zealand
Koryo=Korea, Mongolia, Tibet
Qilin, an antagonist of Guardian Lion. She is the leader of the Masked Nameless, a group of radicals who oppose the monarchy.
Wuji, the true antagonist in Guardian Lion. Appearing as a little black rabbit with a child's voice, Wuji is actually quite powerful and sinister. He is cunning and manipulative, adept at toying with people's emotions to achieve his own ends. His desire to destroy the world masks his true desire to have it all to himself.
Zeng, a supporting character in Guardian Lion. He is a high-ranking Xianjin soldier, reputed to be the best spearman in Xianji. He adhers to duty and is burdened by a terrible secret.
A dokkaebi, based on the Korean mythological creature of the same name. They love to wrestle and bang their clubs around. They live deep within the Ascending Dragon Mountains, curious about human culture.
Genji Kururugi, the king of Pangu. Born into a merchant family, Genji roamed the seas as a pirate before being chosen by the Red Phoenix to rule Pangu. At age 16, he was the youngest king to be crowned. He is friendly, charming and likable, rarely seen without his dwarf kappa Aiko.
A samjokgu, based on the Korean mythological creature of the same name. It's an ugly, three-eyed dog that lurks deep in the Ascending Dragon Mountains, waiting to ambush its prey from above.
A lakhey, based on the Nepalese mythological creature of the same name. They're red-haired, wild, and violent, feared for eating people. In Guardian Lion, the rattling of their teeth is a sign of the presence of negative feelings such as hatred or intent to harm.
An early drawing of Ren in her tiger form. This is one of the few drawings I did entirely in pen, no pencil.
