Ninjatown Creator Shawn Smith [Interview]

Last week I had the pleasure of chatting with Shawn Smith, former video game journalist for EGM Magazine, and creator of the character design studio Shawnimals.

In the world of Shawnimals lies Ninjatown, featuring a wide selection of ninjas with their own unique story and design. Ninjatown has been everything from toys to videogames. You can even read about Ninjatown on your various Apple devices thanks to the Ninjatown: Adventures of Wee Ninja comic book App available in the iOS store.

I had the chance to talk to Shawn about his background, how Ninjatown came to be, and some of his favorite games from the past year.

For those not familiar with the world of Shawnimals or Ninjatown, could you tell me a little about its creation, as well as a little background information about yourself?

Shawn: Sure thing, Shawnimals is a character design studio that believes in the power of unbridled, astonishing, ridiculous joy. Each Shawnimal comes with its own story that starts in the Shawnimaland universe, but is then given over to you to continue each unique creature’s adventure in your own universe.

Our huggable friends appear as designer toys, lifestyle accessories, apparel, comic books, video games, and as anything that fosters companionship. We believe that the best artistic experiences are participatory and affordable, and that – with an open heart – friendship can happen between you and just about anything. Even facial hair.

We have a staff of four: Myself, my wife and biz partner Jen, Monte and Eric. And two rotating intern positions.

As for me: I’m the creative force behind Shawnimals, and started the company before I even knew it by watching cartoons, drawing pictures and playing video games as a kid.

Fast forward to my job at EGM magazine as a game reviewer (1996 – 2000), I made the difficult decision to leave and focus on my first love: Art and design. I had the opportunity to explore my various characters and the countless sketchbooks on my shelf filled with hundreds of unused characters. In a way, Shawnimals were born shortly after. Without a doubt I have pop culturally-inspired aesthetic: Simple, compelling character designs, strong narratives, and a healthy dose of humor. All of the stuff that makes great pop culture great.

With Ninjatown you have found success with an all ages title, a genre that seems to elude the bigger comics companies. Do you think it’s hard to find that balance of kid friendly entertainment that also appeals to an older audience?

Shawn: Yeah, it is definitely a balancing act. It’s cute and simple enough to appeal to kids, but not so simple and so cute to turn off adults. There’s also a level of inherent weirdness some of our characters have — or at least a level of absurdity — that I think a lot of adults can appreciate. We don’t necessarily want to be everything to everybody, but we are thankful that our characters seem to transcend the usual boundaries.

Piggybacking on the last question, what were the influences behind Ninjatown and Shawnimals in general?

Shawn: Anything and everything. Pop culture at large, for sure, but beyond that I love the idea of personifying things that would otherwise be common or even pointless. Objects, food, etc. Then there’s the character like Wee Ninja that obviously inspired by ninjas, or still other that are completely make believe.

Will Shawnimaland expand beyond the lands already discovered, or will you continue to populate the existing lands with new creations?

Shawn: Absolutely. Creating new characters, lands and stories is what we do. We love it. We’ll also continue populating our existing lands, too, because working creatively within parameters is as fun as it is challenging.

Working with Ninjatown as a digital comic, are you enjoying the new format and presentation?

Shawn: Absolutely. Apples devices (and really, smart phones in general) lend themselves incredibly well to reading. With regard to comics specifically, the displays handle the bright, saturated, detailed visuals so well.

Speaking of digital comics, have you been reading comics on the iPad or iPhone, or do you still pick up the physical copies? Also, do you have any favorite titles that you pick up regularly?

Shawn: Maybe it’s my background in publishing but there’s something really nice about picking up a physical copy of a comic or mag. Digital is a fantastic supplement, but shouldn’t be a replacement.

Finally, knowing your background in video games, what were some of your favorite games were from last year, and what games are you looking forward to this year?

Shawn: Rock Band 3. I’m a sucker for fake rocking. Outside of that, being limited to a Wii, I’ll go with Black Ops, GoldenEye and Epic Yarn. 2011 is going to be insane, though, and hopefully my wife will increase my allowance and I can finally get an Xbox and/or PS3. If not, I’ll stick to my other pastime: Drinking beer.

Thanks for the taking the time out to chat with us Shawn.

Shawn: My pleasure!

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