Hey everyone. You know, I've used the name "ShinRyoga" for a pretty long time. It all started back in the days of the Nintendo64...I was playing Perfect Dark with my friends, and I needed a name for myself. I was a fan of the anime Ranma 1/2, and there was a character named Ryoga Hibiki that I particularly felt I had things in common with. He was really friendly yet could have a short fuse, a hopeless romantic, and had a poor sense of direction...all qualities I shared. So, I just took his name and slapped "Shin" on the front of it, which can mean "true form." It was a pretty silly name, but I kinda liked the sound of it.

Then, during my year battle with a herniated disk in my spine...I created SuperMario with my friend NeoAnkh, and with the highly positive response from the Mugen community, the name stuck. I became ShinRyoga to many awesome people online, both through Mugen and through XBox Live.


As I said in a previous journal entry, my desire to draw has finally returned again after several years of artistic drought. That dry spell was caused by a secret I carried within myself that I've tightly held onto for over 20 years. This secret was causing me anxiety and depression, and several people in my life could tell something was bothering me.


Finally, just a few months ago...after the stress and anxiety nearly destroyed me......I admitted to myself something I was denying most of my life. Something I didn't think anyone would understand. I finally told people what has been bothering me since I was about 12 years old, and thanks being all to GOD above.....EVERYONE has been so amazing to me!!! My family, my friends...and most importantly, my incredibly precious wife and best friend Elizabeth. I'm finally free now from that burden, and I feel like a fool to have lied to myself and so many others all this time. Elizabeth and I have never been closer, and my family as well! God has truly blessed me by surrounding me with the world's most amazing people! I love you all so very much, and I thank God every day for each and every one of you!


SO...back to my original reason for writing this journal entry. Today, for the most part...I am retiring the avatar name "ShinRyoga." I'll always still be ShinRyoga in some ways, but that part of my life is over now. I no longer create anything for Mugen, and haven't in 10 years. It's time for me to move on. I'm beginning a new artistic chapter in my life.


For professional reasons, I'm not going to just list my new name and account. If you REALLY must know, here is a simple puzzle to access my new avatar name. Just take every 4th letter and add them together to get the name. Also, if you have known me in life and don't know this secret, I'm sorry you had to find out this way. Just know that I'm happier than I've been in many years, and I've never felt closer to God in my whole life! Praise Jesus! ^__^



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Thanks again to everyone out there that has supported me and been such wonderful friends. Take care of yourselves, and I pray God blesses your lives with all the happiness and love you can dream of!
- Brad Moore ^_^