Stanley L Chou

Biography of Stanley L. Chou

Stanley L. Chou was born in New York in 1976 as the third son of Taiwanese parents. He spent his early childhood in a single-family home in New Jersey, growing up and playing alongside his brothers. During his junior high school years, his family relocated to Taiwan, where he later graduated from Taipei American School. He went on to attend the University of Texas at Austin.
From a young age, Stanley developed strong communication skills and a deep sense of creativity-qualities that would become the foundation of his diverse career. It was also during this time that he began learning Japanese.

After graduating, Stanley came to Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program and taught English at Motosu High School in Gifu Prefecture. He married in 2004, and later worked as a translator at Ishida Taiseisya  a Toyota-related company in Nagoya, where he approached his work with sincerity and dedication.
In 2005, his first son was born, followed by his second son in 2007. When his children were young, Stanley cherished spending time with them-playing in the sand, making crafts, and taking walks in the park. During this period, he also founded his own English school in Gifu, beginning his journey as an entrepreneur.

In 2011, at the invitation of his childhood friend Harrison, Stanley moved to New York and was entrusted with managing several spas owned by Harrison. At the same time, living in New York allowed him to further deepen his passion for art. His family, too, began a new chapter filled with many first experiences-new schools, new jobs, and a new life together.

In 2013, Stanley founded ArtistStan Studio. He worked as a graphic designer, storyboard and content creator, and comic artist, and also led the art team at AWA. He devoted himself to sharing his work through social media and built a strong online presence across platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, where his creativity earned the admiration of many followers.

Stanley's interests were wide-ranging. He loved drawing Transformers, started to focus more on diet or cooking, playing games, and creating things with his hands. Above all else, however, his greatest joy was spending time with his two sons, Jay and Colin.
Known for his kindness and honesty, Stanley was a devoted and irreplaceable husband to his wife, Ryoko, a beloved son to his parents, Wayne and Jessica, and a curious, dependable, and caring younger brother to Glenn and Aric.

In March 2024, Stanley was diagnosed at MD Anderson Cancer Center with splenic marginal zone lymphoma, hemolytic anemia, and cold agglutinin disease. Even in the face of this difficult illness, he confronted his condition with courage-listening to his body, researching in his own way, and fighting with all his strength for the sake of his family.

What Stanley left behind is far more than stories, ideas, and works of art. He leaves us with a deep compassion for others, the joy of creation, and a life lived with honesty and sincerity-perhaps a little unpolished at times, but always true to himself.
Until the very end, his mind remained clear, and he held firmly to his own unique worldview.
Stanley lives on in the hearts of his family, friends, and countless fans around the world.

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