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THE LEGEND Trickster...Warrior...Revolutionary. Sick of living under the yoke of the Jade Emperor, The Monkey King staged a coup against the Kingdom of Heaven using his wits, his cunning and a very big stick. Individuality in the face of conformity is his legacy. THE TOYS In his honor we built this temple, filling it with toys that embody his rebellious and creative spirit. Cast from the hearts and minds of independent artists from around the world, these "Designer Toys" or "Art Toys" are part of an ever-growing international phenomenon. In an age where mega-conglomerates churn out mass-produced hunks of cheap plastic, these limited production-run collectibles are revolutionizing the way people think about art and toys. MARI INUKAI was born in Nagoya, Japan. In 1995, Mari came to the US to pursue her studies in art. She first attended Santa Monica Community College (Mentor program), Santa Monica, California, then Associates in Art, Sherman Oaks, California, and finally California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, California, where she received her BFA in Character Animation in 2004. Her professional works include Sanrio Co., Ltd. Japan, Disney Consumer Products, Glendale, Cartoon Network, Burbank, Nickelodeon, New York, O entertainment, Los Angeles, Nylon Motion Inc., Los Angeles, Oishii Productions, Los Angeles and NGTV, Los Angeles. Her short animated film, Blue and Orange, has been an official selection at numerous national and international film festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival 2003, and was the Japanese Grand Prix winner at the Short Shorts Film Festival EXPO 2005. Besides her animation and production works, Mari regularly exhibits her paintings and drawings, and designs clothes, ceramic toy figures and other fun products. She lives in Beverly Hills with her daughter, Sena. Check out more about Mari and her work here: http://www.mariinukai.com