Marcelo Cassaro

• 1. The Teenage Studio Assistant

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  Marcelo Cassaro began his professional life at age 15 in 1985. He worked as a design assistant and in-between artist for animated cartoons. The work took place inside the Maurício de Sousa studios in Brazil. This early job involved drawing frames that made characters move smoothly on screen. By 1989, he had moved into television production roles. Abril Jovem hired him to write scripts and create art for shows like Joe Carioca. He also contributed to Os Trapalhões and Jaspion during this period.

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• 2. A Manga That Read Left To Right

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  Cassaro created Holy Avenger with artist Erica Awano in 1999. The comic became the longest published non-child-oriented series in Brazil. It featured unique visual choices that differed from standard manga formats. The first three pages of each chapter appeared in color while remaining pages stayed black and white. Each issue included a two-page map showing character journeys alongside profiles of main figures. Unlike Japanese manga which read right-to-left, Holy Avenger printed left-to-right instead. This format choice helped it sell 30,000 copies every month. Forty issues ran from 1995 through 2004.

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• 3. The First Monthly RPG Magazine

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  In 1995 Cassaro launched Dragão Brasil as a monthly magazine dedicated to role-playing games. It was the first Brazilian publication of its kind to complete over 100 editions. After leaving that editorial position he wrote RPGs based on licensed video game properties. These titles included Street Fighter, Final Fight, Darkstalkers, and Megaman. He also co-authored Tormenta, recognized as the most successful role-playing game system in Brazil. Another project called 3D&T drew inspiration directly from manga and anime styles.

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• 4. Breaking Borders Into America

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  Cassaro achieved international milestones with his work Victory. Image Comics published this comic book featuring both Brazilian script and art. It became the first Brazilian manga-style title released in the United States. His team also produced Lua dos Dragões, one of the most awarded miniseries in Brazilian comics history. The Dragon Bride followed as another collaboration with artist Erica Awano. In 2009 he began writing for Turma da Mônica Jovem. That series went on to become the best-selling comic book across South America.

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• 5. Honors For A National Master

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  Industry groups recognized Cassaro's contributions through several major awards. He and Erica Awano reached the finals in the First International Manga Contest held in Japan during 2007. Their entry was Holy Avenger which received recognition in 2018. The Ângelo Agostini Award honored him as Mestre do Quadrinho Nacional that same year. These titles reflect his dual impact as both a writer and an artist within the industry. His career spans decades of creative output across multiple media formats.

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