SANTA CRUZ >> As far back as the early 20th century, Japan has had its own animation industry, which saw a rise in America in the ‘60s through series like “Astro Boy” and “Speed Racer.” This unmistakable style of animation, known as anime, has continued to have a fervent following in the U.S., especially with such hugely influential properties as “Pokemon” and “Dragon Ball.”

Over the course of several generations, many have been inspired to make their own styles of anime. Whether one wants to utilize the art style to create their own shows or comics, known as manga, Santa Cruz Public Libraries will be offering a pair of workshops at its downtown and Aptos libraries where people will learn step-by-step how to create their own anime characters.

And they will do so by learning from someone who has worked extensively in the animation industry: Carlos Nieto III.

According to his biography, Nieto was born to a Colombian family and grew up in the Silver Lake and Echo Park neighborhoods of Los Angeles, where he was inspired by the blend of Central American and South American cultures. He worked as a background layout artist for 14 episodes of “The Simpsons,” did background layouts for “King of the Hill” and worked as a visual consultant for Disney and Universal.

Additionally, Nieto also spends a lot of time inspiring creativity among youth. He is an artist in residence at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where he provides young patients with a venue to escape from the stress of being hospitalized, and he also hosts a series of “Anime Your Way” workshops at libraries throughout the country to teach kids the basics of drawing characters in an anime style.

Nieto will be bringing these workshops to two Santa Cruz public library branches for a pair of afternoon sessions. These workshops are part of the consortium’s 2025 Summer Reading Program “Color Our World,” which seeks to spark creativity among youth. In addition to the annual summer reading log, featuring such prizes as coupons for a free game at Boardwalk Bowl, a free scoop at Penny Ice Creamery or raffle tickets to score Santa Cruz Shakespeare tickets and Monterey Bay Aquarium family memberships, the program will have a variety of family events. These include fairytale retellings by Fratello Marionettes and bilingual interactive musical performances by MusicalMe.

The Sunday workshops are 12:30 p.m. at the Aptos Branch Library, 7695 Soquel Drive, Aptos; and 2 p.m. at the Downtown Branch Library, 224 Church St., Santa Cruz. Prior experience in drawing anime is not required. Registration is required, and a maximum of 30 registrants can participate. Register at Santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/14300847 for the Aptos Library and Santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/14331754 for the Downtown Branch Library.