His first glimpse was mind-blowing.

Oudvin Cassell had never seen anything like Japanese anime or manga comic books when he traveled in 2003 from his native Liberia to attend Shorter University in Rome, Ga. Cassell had studied art for years and even enjoyed comic books such as Spider-Man, but anime and manga was completely new for the young art student.

“I said ‘I have got to learn this style.’ So I bought books on how to draw manga,” said Cassell, 26, of Rocky Mount.

While art teachers at college taught Cassell about the complexities of the art world, he taught himself how to draw anime and manga. Now, he is sharing his passion for the two styles in a free exhibit in the Civic Gallery at the Dunn Center for the Performing Arts. The show ends Oct. 2.

Everett Adelman, the gallery’s curator, was introduced to Cassell in 2009 and was impressed with the quiet, articulate young man. Though Adelman did not know anything about anime or manga, he said he took one look at Cassell’s drawings and saw an opportunity for an exhibit. The highly stylized form of cartooning probably would have more appeal for younger people, Adelman said, but he hopes people of all ages will appreciate it.

“An older person who is interested in art will appreciate the drawing and the design because they are well designed and they are beautifully drawn,” Adelman said.

The exhibit features about 60 drawings from “Forgotten Memories,” a manga Cassell created. After watching the movie “Tron” and seeing how many people spend so much of their lives online, the artist came up with his own Internet world, where the story takes place.

“In this Internet world, there is always chaos. There is always somebody who is trying to do something wrong and cause trouble. That is where the adventure comes in and that is where the heroes are created,” Cassell said.

After graduating from Shorter in 2009, Cassell had trouble finding a job. He moved to Rocky Mount to live with his mother while he looked for work and continued to build up his portfolio. When he is not doing manga, Cassell said he likes capturing people in watercolors and drawings. He hopes to turn his skills into work as a video game artist.

“Being an artist gives me a whole lot of peace. I can think better, I can concentrate better, I can express myself more. I’ve got tons of imagination. I have to bring it out somehow,” Cassell said.