Passionate Devotion - Why I Create Everything By Hand in an Age of Instant Everything

“Nothing is worthy of man as man unless he can pursue it with passionate devotion.” — Max Weber

This line appears in Science as a Vocation by Max Weber, published in 1919.

He wrote it as part of an argument that academic work and vocations cannot exist without Leidenschaft—passion. But he wasn't talking about the emotional intensity artists often feel. He meant a sustained commitment, a devotional attitude toward long-term projects.

Yet more than a century later, I believe these words carry an especially heavy meaning in our current age.

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My Artistic Story

Before I explain what these words mean to me—before I talk about my book—allow me to share a little about myself.

I was born and raised in Japan. I was an ordinary child who preferred doodling in the margins of my notebook to listening in class. I didn't feel a strong sense of passion, nor did I know what I wanted to become. But I loved Disney and Pixar films more than anyone around me.

One day, I heard an interview with a Japanese artist working at Pixar Studios. For the first time, I thought: This is it.

From that point on, I drew constantly. I enrolled in an arts-focused high school, and later chose to attend a small college in Iowa. I wanted to work for Disney or Pixar. I wanted to create my own stories.

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When Dreams Begin to Shift

However, once I entered college, something began to feel different.

My skills were nowhere near the level of the artists who landed jobs at the big studios. My creative direction felt scattered.

And most painfully of all, I found myself unable to enjoy Disney and Pixar films the way I once had.

Toy Story 4, Incredibles 2, Cars 3, Ralph Breaks the Internet... I will speak plainly: I REALLY disliked these sequels. I rarely state openly that I "hate" something, but to me these continuations felt as though they undermined the integrity of the original stories and characters I had loved so deeply. The storytelling felt compromised and the emotional core felt altered, for the sake of making a sequel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMWwrRMjPvU

At the same time, news headlines celebrated their box office success. But I felt like not only Disney and Pixar, but a lot of big studios in general, made these soulless movies because they would earn money.

I remember thinking, very clearly: Did I really want to join Pixar? Did I truly love Disney? Should I really pursue this dream?

Then shortly afterward, the unprecedented pandemic arrived.

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Realization

In 2020, I returned to Japan and spent a semester away from school, drawing at home every day. And during that time, I realized something.

I prefer creating and sharing my own work over producing art handed to me as a job assignment.

When I work on my own projects, I can pour limitless passion into them. I can invest my time and money as I choose. Yes, it comes from my own pocket. But at least I am not required to execute a vision that feels entirely disconnected from my own.

That freedom changed everything. I let go of my original dream. I returned to Japan and started a new one: to pursue independent artistry seriously. To one day share my own work with the world and build a name as an artist on my own terms.

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In the Age of AI

And then, the wave of AI arrived.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zfN9wnPvU0

I still remember the news of this new and flashy "AI" tool. The anxiety of wondering what would happen to our work. It's been three or four years since when we were introduced to this technology.

There are many opinions, but I believe AI will likely not disappear.

For those of us who work on computers and smartphones, it feels deeply embedded into the infrastructure of modern life. Big tech companies are aggressively promoting it. Even those who do not wish to use it may find themselves compelled to. Many artists have spoken about being required to adopt AI tools within corporate environments, regardless of personal conviction.

Walk through a city and you will see large posters featuring AI-generated illustrations. Scroll on your phone and you encounter AI-written text, AI images, AI videos, and endless promotional emails inviting collaboration with AI services. (Seriously, Francis—please stop sending me emails!!!)

That is precisely why Weber's words resonate so much today:

"Nothing is worthy of man as man unless he can pursue it with passionate devotion."

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My Choice

Now, let me talk about my book.

After witnessing the rise of AI, and realizing that most of my social media followers were primarily interested in my Powerpuff Girls fan art, I became convinced that I needed to create something original. Something entirely my own.

And so I decided to tell the story of Charlotte and Hoche, characters I had naively dreamed up back when I still hoped to work for Disney.

There is so much I could say about their story, but I'll save that for another time. Today, I want to talk not about the story itself, but about the format I chose to tell it: a novel.

I created this project almost entirely on my own.

Of course, I received help with beta reading, logo design, editing, and proofreading. But beyond that, everything bears my direct involvement.

The entire manuscript. Two book cover designs. Over one hundred illustration files. The formatting. The website. The animations. My social media presence. All of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD6JbV70s_4

Some may think, Why include so many illustrations? Isn't that inefficient? Others may say, Why not outsource? Why not hire someone? Or reach out to the big publishing company?

And inevitably: Why not use AI?

But I chose not to.

This work is a project infused with my soul. I love writing novels, but I love drawing even more. I've always adored light novels and picture books, works where you can enjoy illustrations while reading the story. I've always wanted to create something like that.

That's why this project exists in the form it does. It contains fragments of my dreams.

This story is dedicated to my younger self. The version of me who believed she had no talent. The version who doubted she had any passion. And yet, here I am, able to deliver a complete work to readers around the world.

If even one person reads it and feels moved, I would consider myself fulfilled as an artist.

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To You

There is something I want to say to you directly.

Please, I mean please, spend your time on something you can pursue with passion.

If your days feel exhausting and overwhelming, if you find yourself scrolling endlessly or playing games you do not even truly enjoy, at some point you need to remember: your time and your passion matter now more than ever.

In a world overflowing with disposable "slop," what carries value is what is made with devotion.

Of course, I'm guilty of this too. I waste time scrolling on my phone. I spend aimless hours watching YouTube when I don't have the energy to draw.

But even so, I never stopped drawing. And I finished this work.

(I mean, I haven't finished the paperback formatting yet right now, but... I will eventually!)

It doesn't have to be a novel or an illustration. It could be volunteering, learning a craft, starting a small business, anything.

We live in an age where it advertised that everything is possible with one click. Precisely because of that, only what is infused with genuine passion stands out.

Please do not allow your passion to be buried beneath noise.

I am deeply fortunate to live this way. And because of that, I feel a responsibility to tell those who may have put their passion aside: life can be difficult, yes—but it can also be profoundly meaningful and joyful when you commit yourself to something you truly care about.

Thank you for reading this far and for taking the time to understand a part of my life and heart. If you enjoy my books, comics, or animations, I will be grateful. And even if you do not, I sincerely hope your life becomes richer and more meaningful in the pursuit of what you love.

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