Introducing Manga Mode: A Playful Twist on My Professional Portfolio

Professional by Default. Playful by Choice.

When I redesigned riazraza.me, I had a clear goal: create a portfolio that feels polished, minimalist, and focused on my work in AI, SaaS, and web development. No distractions. Just clean typography, thoughtful spacing, and fast performance.

But I also have hobbies. I love manga. I geek out over game UI design. And I believe professional doesn't have to mean personality-free.

So I built something different: a toggle.

By default, you see the professional site. But if you click the ๐ŸŽŒ "Manga Mode" button in the navigation? The site subtly transforms.

What Changes in Manga Mode?

Nothing breaks. Nothing gets loud. But if you look closely:

FeatureDefaultManga Mode
Page backgroundClean whiteSubtle two-layer screentone dot pattern (like manga paper)
Card cornersRounded borderPink L-bracket accent appears top-left of every card
Skill / tech badgesSlight lift on hoverBounces up with unlockPop + โœจ sparkle floats away
Quotes / blockquotesStandard border-leftManga speech bubble with ink tail pointing down
TypographySystem sans-serifHeadings swap to Bangers, a bold display font
Toggle buttonGrey pillRed glow + icon spins on activate
Easter EggNoneKonami code โ†‘โ†‘โ†“โ†“โ†โ†’โ†โ†’BA โ€” emojis burst up, then a secret panel appears

Important: Manga Mode is opt-in only. It never auto-activates. Your experience โ€” and your client's โ€” stays professional unless you choose otherwise.

The interactive canvas animation at the top of this post is also synced โ€” click it or use the nav toggle and watch them mirror each other in real time.

Why Build This?

  1. Delight without distraction: Visitors who share my interests get a fun layer; others see a crisp portfolio.
  2. Technical showcase: It demonstrates conditional UI, CSS variables, localStorage persistence, and performance-conscious animation โ€” all in a real project.
  3. Personal branding: It reflects who I am: serious about craft, but never too serious to have fun.

How It Works (The Short Version)

  • A toggle button in the nav adds ?theme=manga to the URL and saves preference to localStorage.
  • CSS variables scoped to body.manga-mode override colors, radii, and backgrounds.
  • Animations use CSS @keyframes (no heavy libraries) and respect prefers-reduced-motion.
  • The Konami code listener only activates when Manga Mode is ON.
/* Achievement-unlock animation for tech badges */
body.manga-mode .tech-badge {
  transition: transform 0.2s ease;
}
body.manga-mode .tech-badge:hover {
  animation: unlockPop 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.175, 0.885, 0.32, 1.275);
  box-shadow: 0 0 12px rgba(255, 105, 180, 0.3);
}
@keyframes unlockPop {
  0%   { transform: scale(1); }
  50%  { transform: scale(1.15) translateY(-4px); }
  100% { transform: scale(1); }
}
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Code licensed ISC Docs licensed CC-BY-4.0