Here is another interview with a very interesting and unique member of our community, Ryusuta. She personally makes this community and what I do worth it every time we interact. She always brings a smile to my and everyone else when they are around and I figure it was high time for me to introduce you to her.
Who are you and could you tell us more about yourself? What do you enjoy gaming wise? What made you wanna join the Frosty Fight Club server and accept the invitation to join the staff?
My name is Katherine “Ryusuta” Klinghammer. I’m a digital artist and classic game enthusiast. I joined the Frosty Fight Club primarily as a commentator for the various fighting games I enjoy; primarily the Marvel vs. Capcom classic series, Street Fighter III, and the Capcom vs. SNK games. I believe I was invited after participating and running color commentary on an event, as well as through my livestreams.
Is there anything you work on outside of the Frosty Fight Club that you’d like to share? Hobbies, Creations, Special Skills, etc?
Though production on it has been somewhat slow lately, my primary project of interest is my fantasy adventure comic, Moonlight Angel. Moonlight Angel is a story about a world which has become overrun by demons known as the Istrala. One fateful night, a young man makes a choice that changes his life — and the entire world — forever.
I also enjoy doing musical projects, playing unusual instruments like the valve trombone and the bagpipe chanter.
And of course, I livestream random games I find interesting on my Twitch channel, Ryusutastreams.
Moonlight Angel.. Hmmm. How long have you been working on that and could you tell us more about this world, the art you work on, and anything else that might come to mind?
The world of Moonlight Angel… That is a very good question. It’s definitely the kind of fantasy setting you’d see in Tabletop games like D&D and Pathfinder. I’ve even made small allusions to non-human races apart from the Istrala that we’ve not seen yet, but to give the reader a little glimpse of potential things to come.
The way I see it, it’s the story of forces clashing using otherworldly powers. The paladins use magic granted to them from their deity, while the Istrala – the demons from the story – are batteries for their own demonic form of energy. Both types can do different things, so it’s a clash of the divine and the arcane.
Meanwhile, our main character finds himself stuck in between the two; idolizing the order of paladins, while finding himself forced to call upon the powers of the Istrala and give into his instincts in order to channel them effectively. Needless to say, this raises a lot of questions for him.
Ultimately, the world I want to convey is one that is very large and very open, whose foundations are being changed by an unexpected force, and everyone is trying to adapt and stake out their lives in safety, while living in an unsafe world. A few demons terrorizing people aren’t enough to change the world in and of itself, but the dominoes are beginning to fall.
When it comes to the art that I work on… There’s a lot to cover! I’ve loved digital art and comics for ages and I was always into drawing stuff to pass the time. But it wasn’t until 2011 when I began to really take art seriously and actively try to develop my own style and creations.
I originally used a Wacom Intuos, which is like… the baseline level drawing tablet you could get. I went through a number of upgrades since then. I used a Monoprice art tablet, which for my money is the best non-screen art tablet you can get, then I got a small tablet with a screen by a company called Parblo[sic]. Very recently, I made a big jump in technology, and now I used a Gaomon graphical drawing tablet.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a drawing desk, so I’m still working out a good position to have it sitting as I draw on it, heh.
I suppose that was a bit of a tangent. I just enjoy talking shop, I suppose. I could go on and on about the hardware and software I’ve used over the years, but suffice it to say that the tools being used are just window dressing when it comes to drawing. 99.9% of the quality is going to come from putting in the hard work, practice, and love into things.
Point is, art comes from the heart first and foremost. And regardless of what tools you use, what you get out of it is always going to depend on what you put into it.
What is your favorite memory so far of being part of the Frosty Fight Club? What would you say your toughest time/day was also?
Honestly, the times I think of most fondly are the times when I feel I’ve made a genuinely positive contribution to things. It has always meant the world to me to hear that people enjoy what I do and like having me around for it.
And of course, every time I’m able to turn some heads with my unusual character choices and strategies on games, it puts a smile on my face. When people tell me that I’ve made them rethink how they look at Servbot, for example, it truly gives me great pride and happiness.
If you could write an article or do a video on one topic, what would it be and why? What makes this so special that everyone needs to know about it?
I would love to one day do a series called “Worth a Second Look,” in which I talk about classic video games and other media that either have an undeserved bad reputation or are simply not well-known and have been overlooked or forgotten over the years.
Do you have any questions for me?
Yes. Where did you put my beef jerky? I remember putting it in the cupboard. I was saving it for later. >=(
Well, Ryusuta. I took it and swapped it for cheesy poofs. Respect my authoritah. <3
So, Where can people find you or Moonlight Angel if they wanted to give it a read or look?
Tapas: https://tapas.io/episode/1409475
DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/ryusuta
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RyusutaDraws
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Ryusuta
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/ryusutastreams
Discord: https://dsc.gg/frostyfightclub
Do you have any last words for the readers?
Yes. Whenever you’re unsure of how to proceed in life… When you’re at a crossroads or just want to be at your best… When the world seems at its darkest, most hopeless, most unfriendly… always remember these words: “Compassion above all.”
Treat all life as the finite and beautiful thing it is… Treat everyone you meet as thought you might not get to see them again. Treat people the way you would treat a friend on their deathbed. Don’t waste your time on hate. Don’t spend your energy holding grudges. Let it go.
Always remember: the way you treat your worst enemy will say more about you than the way you treat your best friend.
And the same goes for yourself. Have compassion for yourself and be understanding and kind toward your missteps.
Be good to one another, and be good to yourself. Because someone out there is truly glad that you’re alive.
Make sure to keep a eye out for Ryusuta’s contributions to the site here with her upcoming “Worth a Second Look” series! She’s got some very unique things to show you and some of them might even be featured in upcoming Crash Course episodes.
Last but not least, there will be a special interview with even more details and info on a upcoming episode of Crash Course. You’ll be able to get to know her even better and hear the worse dad jokes and puns imaginable.
Creators gonna create. The spark, once you are given it, demands its expression. Ryusuta is a living reminder that this creative spark can be yours to command. It is with great delight that we celebrate the discovery of a creative powerhouse such as her, and we acknowledge the work of this remarkable artist and writer. -ed.
