When Play Turns into Something Meaningful
- JP de la Rama
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Why Telling Our Own Stories Still Matters
“In a world where styles can be copied, your lived experience becomes your greatest advantage—and your culture becomes your superpower.”
Setting the Stage
Earlier this weekend, somewhere between deadlines, client messages, and parenting duties, I finally gave myself permission to breathe.
Not a big vacation.
Not a grand escape.
Just me, my Switch, and a few stolen hours with Shin Megami Tensei V.
For those unfamiliar, SMT is often described as “Pokémon, but you collect demons.” And honestly? That’s probably the best short explanation.
You explore a ruined world, negotiate with monsters, and build a party of mythological creatures from different cultures.
Which, as someone who grew up loving monsters, horror films, and weird folklore, instantly felt like home.
When I showed the game to my 5-year-old daughter and told her, “It’s kinda like Pokémon,” she squinted at the screen and immediately said:
“That is scary! I don’t like that!”
Fair enough.
What made me laugh is that she loves the Persona series—especially Nanako from Persona 4.
Same parent company.
Same DNA.
Completely different tone.
That contrast stuck with me.
And then something happened in the game that hit deeper than I expected.
The Real Problem Beneath the Pixels
As I progressed, I came across one of the recruitable demons:
The Manananggal.
A creature from Filipino folklore.
I paused.
Not because it was rare.
Not because it was powerful.
But because it felt… strange.
A Japanese game, developed by a Japanese studio, thought our local myth was interesting enough to include.
Meanwhile, back home?
Most kids today know K-pop idols.
They know anime characters.
They know Marvel heroes.
But many don’t know what a Manananggal is.
Or an Aswang.
Or a Tikbalang.
Or a Kapre.
And that realization hurt more than I expected.
We live in a time where other countries are fascinated by our myths…
Yet we barely celebrate them ourselves.
Instead, we keep imitating:
Western aesthetics.
Japanese storytelling.
Korean pop culture.
There’s nothing wrong with loving those things—I love them too.
But when imitation becomes the default, we slowly erase our own voice.
I’ve seen this same pattern in my professional life.
When working on comics or concept art, I’ve sometimes interpreted scripts through my personal lens—only to find out later that the writer imagined something completely different.
Not because anyone was wrong.
But because perspective shapes creation.
Culture shapes perspective.
Experience shapes interpretation.
If we grow up consuming only imported stories, eventually that becomes the only language we know how to speak creatively.
And that’s dangerous.
Not just for culture.
But for artists.
Because in an age where AI can replicate styles in seconds, the only thing that can’t be copied easily is:
Lived experience.
Cultural memory.
Personal perspective.
Turning Identity Into Creative Advantage
That moment with the Manananggal reminded me why I started creating my own IPs in the first place.
Not to chase trends.
Not to compete with algorithms.
Not to mimic what’s popular.
But to tell stories that only I can tell.
Here are a few lessons I’m carrying forward—and maybe they’ll help you too:
1. Your Culture Is Not Small
If Japanese folklore can sit beside Greek gods…
If Norse mythology can headline blockbuster movies…
Then Filipino mythology deserves the same respect.
So does yours, wherever you’re from.
Stop treating your roots like a limitation.
They’re an asset.
2. Stop Waiting for Permission
No studio is coming to save our culture.
No corporation is lining up to preserve our myths.
If we want these stories told…
We have to tell them ourselves.
Comics.
Short animations.
Webtoons.
Games.
Zines.
Start small. Start messy. Start imperfect.
But start.
3. Build Originals, Not Just Portfolios
Fan art gets likes.
Original IP builds legacy.
If you want long-term survival in this industry, you need something you own.
Something that can’t be taken away by platform changes or AI trends.
4. Teach the Next Generation Through Stories
One day, I want my daughter to recognize a Manananggal the same way she recognizes Pikachu.
Not out of nationalism.
But out of pride.
Because knowing where you come from gives you a stronger sense of who you are.
Closing Thoughts
That quiet weekend session with an SMT game turned into something bigger than entertainment.
It reminded me that:
Playing is not wasting time.
Rest is not laziness.
And personal stories still matter.
If we don’t preserve our culture through art…
We lose it.
And if we lose our stories…
We lose ourselves.
So I’m choosing, again, to keep creating.
Not because it’s easy.
Not because it’s profitable.
But because it’s necessary.
For me.
For my daughter.
And maybe, for someone out there who needs to see their own culture reflected in a story for the first time.
Subscribe to our newsletter:
Product Links:
#thescribblemedia #indiebasedstudio #animation #comics #webtoon #webcomics #services #platform #illustrationservices #computer #freelance #comicsandmanga #filipino #bisaya #bisdak #clipstudiopaint #clipstudio #clip #studio #ipadpro #tutorial #beginner #tips #videotips #newsletter #inspiration #art #creativedad #struggleofacreativedad #artistdad #smt #shinmegamitensei5 #persona #manananggal #zamora
Comments