Emmanuel (Manny) Barrios

I’m a Business and Marketing student who works well in fast-paced environments and communicates naturally with people from all kinds of backgrounds. I’ve built my creativity through personal projects, like character illustration inspired by JRPG art styles and hands-on game modding, that taught me problem-solving, visual consistency, and attention to detail. I’ve gained real industry exposure through gaming events, developer meet-ups, and voice actor interactions, giving me a strong understanding of fan culture, character identity, and community engagement. I bring a mix of professionalism, creativity, and genuine passion for games, and I’m aiming to grow into roles in marketing, publishing, community, or creative support within the gaming industry.

• Attended The Game Awards (2024): Gained exposure to AAA marketing launches, industry announcements, and live event production.
• Met Square Enix creative staff including Naoki Hamaguchi, Yoshinori Kitase, and Masashi Hamauzu during official community events.
• Participated in professional meet-and-greets with voice talent including Cody Christian, John Eric Bentley, Suzie Yeung, Britt Baron, Briana White, and Ben Starr—strengthening understanding of character performance, narrative representation, and fan interaction.
• Active participant in Los Angeles gaming events, gaining firsthand insight into fan engagement, promotional strategy, and creative branding.

• Character illustration inspired by RPG and Nomura-style aesthetics
• Texture editing, model adjustments, and asset replacement for modding
• Understanding of visual consistency, silhouette clarity, and emotional expression
• Familiarity with game asset tools and file structures
• Experience giving and receiving feedback in creative communities

• Character Illustration – Final Fantasy–Inspired, 2024, Designed and illustrated an original JRPG-style character drawing influenced by Tetsuya Nomura’s art style., Focused on pose language, silhouette clarity, and emotional expression., Demonstrated ability to match established creative direction., Shared with Square Enix staff at an official event and received positive engagement.
• Game Modding & Asset Editing, 2023–2024, Customized in-game character models, textures, and visual assets for personal modding projects., Learned community tools, texture editing workflows, and file structures., Built problem-solving skills through trial-and-error debugging., Developed visual consistency and attention to detail.
• Academic Projects, Completed presentations, research papers, and analytical writing across marketing, psychology, sociology, and communication., Led group assignments and collaborated on multi-step academic projects., Applied audience-targeting and messaging strategy in marketing coursework.

I’m deeply inspired by Japanese street fashion and the creative direction behind brands like Black Honey Chili Cookie. I study game development history and the evolution of character design, especially the work of Tetsuya Nomura, whose style has heavily influenced my own creativity and the way I think about storytelling and design. I’m passionate about Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts, not just as games but as artistic worlds that shaped my interests. I enjoy drawing character-based art, hiking, staying active, and working on my personal growth. Understanding myself and the things I care about is a big part of who I am.