Kokoro: A Graphic Memoir

This book was originally created as a Kickstarter campaign!

Two years ago, I created my Instagram account, christinemaricomics, where I chronicle my experiences living in Tokyo, Japan in a series of simple hand-drawn comics.

Every comic tells a different story, tackling a wide range of subjects from reconciling with my mixed ‘Hafu’ (in Japanese Hafu means ‘half-Japanese’) identity to my everyday struggles with anxiety and depression, all in ten panels or less.

When I first started drawing these comics, I drew them for myself. I was alone and far away from home. My art was a personal form of therapy, a way to self-reflect and process my experiences.

I shared it on Instagram on a whim and I was amazed to see people from different countries and backgrounds come together over my stories, sharing their own experiences and making me realize I was not so alone after all.

In Japanese, the word ‘Kokoro’ means ‘heart, mind, and soul.’ I couldn’t think of a better word to describe my comics. Comics are the closest thing I have to expressing the depths of my heart and soul, and it is a privilege to be able to share a piece of my heart with the world.

Biografia, Autobiografia, Memórias