Japan

I’ve been fascinated by Japan and its culture for as long as I can remember. It feels so different from everyday life in the UK — though that might just be because we’re always more curious about what’s unfamiliar to us. Either way, Japan has been a constant interest of mine since childhood.

It all started with my mum’s pen pal, who she’d been writing to since she was nine. Christmas was always exciting because we’d receive gifts from Japan — things you’d never see in local shops. When the original Pokémon craze hit, I was lucky enough to get Japanese merch long before it reached my classmates. From there, my love for Japanese culture grew naturally.

Anime became, and still is, a big part of my life. I grew up watching Dragon Ball Z, Tenchi Muyo, and Yu-Gi-Oh on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block, and now I enjoy exploring everything from Frieren to Apothecary Diaries to Hunter x Hunter. I love how anime and manga have become more mainstream globally; they’ve been shaping stories and art in Japan for centuries.

Japan is also special to me personally — Jen and I got engaged there in 2016 on a swan boat of all places just outside Ueno Zoo. We can’t wait to take our son, Robin, when he’s old enough so he can experience what we have.

Games

Gaming has been a large part of my life after being introduced to it at a very young age. My first taste of the gaming world was on a NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) at a friend’s house, and I was hooked instantly. From there I have been through a raft of consoles over the years, from the SNES (the Super NES) and PlayStation eras through to the current generation. However, now my focus in general around PC gaming, having dabbled in building my own budget computers from time to time.

I love long stories, big character arcs, and worlds you can get lost in. I don’t have as much gaming time as I did as a kid, but it’s still a big part of who I am, and I always enjoy seeing how the industry evolves and discussing games with friends and family.

Lord of the Rings

Another big passion of mine is The Lord of the Rings. I’m always happy to talk Tolkien. Once a year (it used to be more!), the extended-edition Blu-rays come out, and we watch the whole trilogy — thankfully Jen is a fan too. And yes, I do have a full-scale replica of Anduril Flame of the West!

Closing

At the end of the day, I’m someone who loves good stories in any form: films, books, games, anime — anything with heart and imagination. And I think it’s important for clients to know who I am as an individual and not just an Adviser. Whether we share hobbies or not, what matters is that everyone feels comfortable being themselves.