Is my style of art right for the anime/manga catagory?

I have been drawing since I was a very little kid, I can't recall a time when I didn't draw. At first it was things I saw like grapes and tea cups and then I moved on to people and I would draw my family. By the time Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" came out I was drawing cartoons. I discovered anime at age 13 when I rented this movie called "Mermaid's Scar," I was mesmerized by its unique style that was so different from what I had ever seen. From that day onward I strived to mimic the anime style...and I got pretty good at it. However, in my 20s my art began to diverge from the classic anime look into something of my own. Today, in my opinion, it looks very different from what one would consider anime/manga style. Sure there are some similarites, but I feel that there are enough differences to cause me to think that I may not be submitting my art to the right catagory any more.

A lot of the comments I get from people comment on my style more than anything else. I get comments like, "I don't know what I am looking at, but I like it." Which suggests to me that I may not be in the right catagory to be really accepted. Perhaps more people would be open to my style if it was submitted to a more broad catagory, like fantasy?

So really the question is, does my art still bare enough resembalance to anime to be put it in the anime/manga section or should I find another place to stick my art? I ask you, my viewers, because I figure you must have a reason for watching me and I have noticed in the past that not all of you are die-hard anime fans, yet still watch me. Please, your honest oppinions would be very helpful!


Therese