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Blogs > shiroiusagi
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shiroiusagi
Profile Blog Joined September 2011
SoCal, USA3888 Posts
Last Edited: 2020-01-31 15:46:43
January 30 2020 23:00 GMT
#1
I've been with Team Liquid for eight years, and over that time I had never initiated anything. I always did what I did best, supporting my fellow graphic designers and being clutch at last minute things. Presenting the idea of Blue to my bosses was the first thing I ever pitched and somehow I was entrusted in pursuing it.

In 2018 I was following this twitter account called Mondo Mascots, which is an account that posts photos of all the different Japanese (sometimes other countries) mascots out there. Seeing all those cute mascots everyday started to make me think Team Liquid should take a crack at it.

Sometime in October, I started to draw the first iterations of Blue. I showed my drawings to our graphics chat and the reception was instantly positive. From there, I started thinking that maybe this could be a pitch, and so I started to make a small presentation deck. At first, it was less than ten pages. But after showing it to some colleagues, I started to get suggestions. I added case studies, numbers, action plans, and such until the deck ended up expanding to thirty pages of cute.


After all that preparation, I was able to get an opportunity to finally present the deck to one of the CEOs in early 2019. To my surprise, it got approved instantly. It felt a little too easy, but I was reminded that I put in a lot of effort into it. Something that was just a passion project became so much bigger than I could have ever imagined.

Ever since then the journey has been a huge learning process. From working with the costume company to retrieving the shipment from the LAX with the help of a freight forwarder and getting it cleared through customs, to figuring out strategies, research, guidelines, and writing. There were so many things I never dealt with, so it was all new to me. I had great support from my colleagues who helped me with things they were stronger at than I was and they also kept me in check. I’m surrounded by the best team of people ever, this wouldn’t be possible without them.

After Blue’s reveal at LCS, a lot of anxiety about the initial reaction was gone. Even now I still don’t feel a sense of accomplishment, just relief. Not sure when or if I ever will feel accomplished. It’s all so surreal. Seeing people gasp at Blue the way I gasp at cute things, I saw myself in them. I know what I did, how much work I put into it and how big it was for Team Liquid. Debuting Blue isn’t even the hardest part. There are a lot of challenges and big things in the future that will continue to make me grow.

Thanks to everyone who helped me on this, without you guys it wouldn’t have gone nearly as well. You know who you are. I’m incredibly lucky to be a part of Team Liquid and be surrounded by the best, not sure where I would be if I wasn’t given that second chance eight years ago.


*****
Graphics@shiroiusagi_ | shiroiusagi.net
monk
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States8472 Posts
January 30 2020 23:22 GMT
#2
Blue's the best.
Moderator
FO-nTTaX
Profile Blog Joined January 2013
Johto3804 Posts
January 30 2020 23:36 GMT
#3
Yay Blue!
Administrator@FO_nTTaX | FO-nTTaX.de | liquipedia.space | Liquipedia Lead Developer
"Nimm es. Es ist nicht viel, aber es kommt von Herzen. Vergiss mich nicht!"
HawaiianPig
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
Canada5147 Posts
January 31 2020 00:00 GMT
#4
What an amazing experience. There’s nothing quite like creating a piece of TeamLiquid history. You may say you don’t feel accomplished now, but I guarantee you will always look back fondly on this project.

For what it’s worth, the idea of a mascot has bubbled up and around here from as far back as the early 2010s. No one has ever made it reality until you. Be proud!
AdministratorNot actually Hawaiian.
itsjustatank
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
Hong Kong9046 Posts
Last Edited: 2020-01-31 00:16:20
January 31 2020 00:16 GMT
#5
blue is the best
(now make a snom)
Photographer"im a fucking big fat dirty whale" -EternaLEnVy
BluemoonSC
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
SoCal732 Posts
January 31 2020 01:01 GMT
#6
SO awesome to see this! As soon as I saw the design, I instantly knew who made it. You may not feel accomplished yet, but this is truly incredible and unique!
LiquidDota Staff@BluemoonGG_ | The past is your lesson. The present, your gift. And the future.. your motivation.
nanook111
Profile Joined September 2010
United States32 Posts
January 31 2020 01:29 GMT
#7
Blue is great thanks for all your hard work.
Liquid`Nazgul
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
22105 Posts
January 31 2020 01:34 GMT
#8
Blue is best and so are you.

I'm so proud of your work on this and the journey we have been on these past eight years.
Administrator
MysteryMeat1
Profile Blog Joined June 2011
United States3230 Posts
January 31 2020 02:52 GMT
#9
Wow I had no clue Blue was your brainchild. Awesome work!!!
"Cause ya know, Style before victory." -The greatest mafia player alive
Qikz
Profile Blog Joined November 2009
United Kingdom11790 Posts
January 31 2020 08:17 GMT
#10
Blue is a cool mascot, reminds me of the old StarCraft 1 mascots :D
FanTaSy's #1 Fan | STPL Caster/Organiser | SKT BEST KT | https://twitch.tv/stpl
TL+ Member
Aeromi
Profile Blog Joined August 2012
France14215 Posts
January 31 2020 08:51 GMT
#11
Blue is super cute!
https://twitter.com/DrAeromi | Updates on live tournaments: @StarCrafteSport
TheOneAboveU
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
Germany3176 Posts
January 31 2020 09:13 GMT
#12
Blue is adorable, truly well done!
Moderatoralias TripleM | @TL_TripleM | Big Dark Energy!
fusefuse
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
Estonia4435 Posts
January 31 2020 10:15 GMT
#13
You've come an incredibly long way Stace, and this is just the beginning! Onwards and upwards <3
Adorbs is what you do best!
Liquipedia@jkursk
Ziggy
Profile Blog Joined June 2013
Poland1913 Posts
January 31 2020 10:26 GMT
#14
On January 31 2020 17:17 Qikz wrote:
Blue is a cool mascot, reminds me of the old StarCraft 1 mascots :D


sure does lol!
team Blue all the way
WriterDefeating a sandwich only makes it tastier.
tree.hugger
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
Philadelphia, PA10042 Posts
January 31 2020 13:03 GMT
#15
Congrats Shiro, it looked fantastic. Incredible work.
ModeratorEffOrt, Snow, GuMiho, and Team Liquid
Shock710
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
Australia5509 Posts
January 31 2020 14:36 GMT
#16
Your cute style of things has always been adorable and blue is no exception.

You're amazing!
dAPhREAk gives Shock a * | [23:55] <Shock710> that was out of context -_- [16:26] <@motbob> Good question, Shock!
Danglars
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States12079 Posts
January 31 2020 17:58 GMT
#17
Very cute mascot. I'm still partial to Elly the esports (ESPORTS) elephant, but for obvious reasons, that could not be the mascot. Maybe someone can cosplay her, complete with headband, and hug Blue.
Great armies come from happy zealots, and happy zealots come from California!
TL+ Member
GreenHorizons
Profile Blog Joined April 2011
United States20556 Posts
January 31 2020 21:58 GMT
#18
I lowkey want a Blue funko pop figure thing and I don't even have any of those
"People like to look at history and think 'If that was me back then, I would have...' We're living through history, and the truth is, whatever you are doing now is probably what you would have done then"// Socialism has markets. Markets ≠ capitalism.
FlaShFTW
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
United States9259 Posts
January 31 2020 23:50 GMT
#19
GO SHIRO!
Writer#1 KT and FlaSh Fanboy || Woo Jung Ho Never Forget || Teamliquid Political Decision Desk
TL+ Member
Trozz
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Canada3346 Posts
February 01 2020 17:16 GMT
#20
Awesome work, Shiro.
I’ve always been a big fan.
Blue is a charmer.
A build is not a guess, an estimation or a hunch, a feeling, or a foolish intuition. A build is a dependable, unwavering, unarguably accurate, portrayer of your ambition.
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