Hoshino Rene is a manga creator.

He came to Japan at age four following his Cameroonian mother's remarriage to his Japanese stepfather.

The change required him to take on an entirely different language and culture.

Using a humorous touch, he creates manga stories that portray the cultural differences and preconceived ideas he encountered growing up in Japan.

I was born in Africa and grew up in Japan.

There are people like me, but we tend to
be lumped up as foreigners.

There are all sorts of people in Japan,
And I want to share that in a positive way.

In this program, we follow Rene as he visits foreign children living in Japan.

Getting to know them, he puts their struggles and dreams into manga.

This time, Rene meets a high school student from Peru.

Soon to graduate, he wants to discuss his career path with Rene.

The two bond over shared interests.

- Then it ends with a three-pointer.
- You're changing the rules, aren't you?

What sort of manga will they produce?

"Rene Goes to School!"

Rene visits Nagoya City.

He came in response to a certain letter.

It read,

I have this dream.

After graduating high school, I want to get a job as a nursing care worker.

I want to make a difference in Japan like you are and encourage other foreigners living in Japan.

Rene makes his way to the sender's school.

This is it.
The school must be in here.

The Japanese language school is operated by the NAGOYA INTERNATIONAL CENTER.

I can already feel the energy.

The school is open every Sunday and has classes for every age group.

- Hello. What are you doing?
- A card game.

The classes are taught by volunteer teachers.

About 120 people from over 20 countries and regions attend the school.

Rene searches for the high schooler who sent him the letter.

There are so many nationalities.

Is Hideki here?

Hideki? Hi! Hideki!

Nice to meet you. You sent me the letter.

- Yes.
- You're a good-looking guy.

Heshike Hideki is eighteen and from Peru.

He enjoys reading Rene's manga.

- I have it here.
- You do? Let me see.

He shows Rene his favorite chapter.

It's the popular lunch box story.

Rene's lunch always attracted a good deal of attention from his classmates.

As a young teenager, Rene was self-conscious of the fact that his lunches were different.

This day's menu was African-style!

While everyone used chopsticks,

I was dipping banana in my soup and gobbling up chicken.

I liked this one. I can relate.

The two click right away.

At first glance, the beard makes you look
like an athlete and a bit intimidating.

- But then your smile lights it up.
- I get it from my mom.

- You have your mom's smile?
- I do.

Hideki came to Japan from Peru three years ago and currently attends a part-time high school.

He also studies at this Japanese language school once a week.

Rene hopes to make a manga with Hideki to cheer him on.

Let's hang out and put our ideas together.
We'll make a manga.

Something that will encourage others.

To learn more about Hideki, Rene visits his home.

- I'm home!
- Hello. Come in.

Hello.

I'm Hideki's dad. And that's his mom.

I'm manga creator Hoshino Rene. I was
born in Cameroon but grew up in Japan.

Thank you for having me.

His mother, Carla, is Peruvian.

His father, Augusto, is a Peruvian of Japanese descent.

With his younger brother Yoshio, they're a family of four.

Your mother has a very nice smile.

Thank you.

You're right. It's the same smile.

And mine?

The same.
You all have such great smiles.

The family welcomes Rene with a Peruvian dish.

It's pollo al horno, roast chicken seasoned with spices.

We do this in Peru.

The meal is a lively one.

Wow! That's good!

The family makes a point of eating together and sharing the day's events.

- You have a great family.
- Yes. I like to see my dad and mom smiling.

I mentioned your smile earlier,
but your whole family smiles a lot.

We do. Yes.

The family moved to Japan for his father's work at an automotive factory when Hideki was ten months old.

But at age seven, he returned to Peru with his mother and younger brother to care for his grandmother.

They rejoined his father in Japan three years ago when Hideki was fifteen.

Here are my grandparents.

In Peru, they lived with his grandparents.

And it was this experience that made Hideki want to become a nursing care worker.

Hideki was close to his grandmother.

He also bore a close resemblance to her.

A strong and kind woman, his grandmother had kept the family together through thick and thin, always with a smile on her face.

But she became disabled in her seventies, and the lack of quality nursing care in Peru took its toll.

Despite the family's best efforts, she passed away five years ago.

While caring for my grandma in Peru,
I kept thinking that if only I'd studied more

and gotten certified, I could have
done more to help her.

Hideki became determined to study nursing care.

But he also has concerns.

My Japanese isn't that good, so I'm worried
about how older people will see me.

That's what I'm most scared of.
What I worry about most.

The language barrier is the first challenge that most foreigners face when working in Japan.

Would you like a receipt?

No thanks.

Thank you.

During the day, Hideki works a part-time job.

He tries to absorb as much of the language and work culture as he can.

Rene also has a story about working in Japan.

While in high school, he applied for a part-time job.

I'm Hoshino. I'm here for the interview.

You're Mr. Hoshino?

While the interview went well, Rene didn't get the job.

Seeing you at the counter might startle our customers.

We haven't hired a foreigner before.

Twenty years have passed since then, and Rene now sees foreigners working in various stores.

He's happy to know that society is changing.

Rene returns to Tokyo.

He has a ritual that he performs before starting a new piece.

Before I start on a manga, I like to go
for a walk to collect my thoughts.

That's how I get started.

How could he best communicate Hideki's thoughts?

Rene finds it infinitely more challenging than working on his own stories.

I need to identify what they want society
and others to know the most.

I need to be attuned to their feelings.

And that stimulates my mind.
It gives me fresh ideas.

The two meet up online to discuss the manga's theme.

Since you'll be presenting it, I want to focus
on what is most important to you right now.

Probably family.
They mean the most to me.

My family helped me get from zero
to where I am now.

Little by little, Rene gains insight into Hideki's mind.

And he decides to dig deeper.

A week later, he revisits Hideki and invites him out to a certain place.

It's been too long!

They visit a gym.

Hideki is on the basketball team of his part-time high school.

Rene also used to play.

He hopes to bond with Hideki over their shared hobby.

And he discovers a hard worker who hates to lose.

Hideki returned to Japan while in junior-high third grade.

As the only foreigner in his school, he struggled with the language and cultural differences.

The loneliness caused him to lose his trademark smile for a time.

It was really tough at first.

It was hard to make friends,
and I was on my own.

What pulled him through was his parents' warm encouragement.

They told me, "Don't give up."

"You can do this, Hideki!"

You can! You can!

Giving up doesn't get you anywhere.
I decided to keep giving it my best shot.

Slowly but surely, he moved forward and began to smile again.

I'm home.
I'm home too.

His family has been his source of support and courage.

Rene decides to try his hand at Peruvian cooking.

He hopes to learn about the family's values and traditions.

- She's mothering you.
- Oh, thank you.

You got it!

The family cheers him on together.

You're all good at praising people.

They treat everyone they meet as family.

It's a trait passed down from their grandmother's generation.

And their smiles reflect their family values.

I tell my sons to always smile.

To not be discouraged.
To be thankful for everything.

And to keep going no matter
how difficult it is.

Spending time with Hideki's family brings Rene to a certain realization.

Your mom reminds me of my own.

When eating and even when leaving,
she makes you feel secure and loved.

Rene's mother, Dalina, has constantly supported him with her strength, warmth, and endless positivity.

At Rene's entrance ceremony, she showed up in a traditional garment.

Her actions taught him to be proud of his roots, and her teachings are embedded in his heart.

Stay positive!

Follow your heart and have courage!

I'm always praying for you, my children.

With just over half a year of high school left, Hideki goes to meet a friend.

Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too.

Hideki's friend Eloa is from Brazil.

She's worked as a care worker in Japan for the past four years.

Hideki wants to hear about the job and get her advice.

First, what would an uncertified person do?

Make tea, dry their hair, and help them
get changed-things like that.

Once I start this job, what should I do
if I want to level up?

Get certified. Take the training courses.
Become a care manager or something.

As a foreigner, what is the hardest part
of working in Japan?

Probably the language barrier.

It's this language barrier that Hideki worries about.

Eloa has some advice for him.

It's all about human relations.

So be cheerful and communicate
in a kind and gentle way.

- I'll do my best.
- Good luck!

Hideki is cheered by Eloa's advice and shows up to an appointment in a suit.

I'm here for a site visit,
so I have to look sharp.

Today, he's visiting a nursing home to observe its daily operations and learn about what the job entails.

This is his first time inside a nursing home in Japan.

Good morning.

- My name is Kimura. Welcome.
- Thank you.

This is...Excuse me!
Excuse me.

Everything is new to Hideki.

He reconfirms what sort of nursing care worker he wants to be.

To be supportive and compassionate.
I think that's the most important thing.

I'll do my best.

Rene begins turning Hideki's story into manga.

This is the final stretch.

He makes numerous changes to get it right.

What to do here...

The manga will be presented at an event hosted by the Japanese language school that Hideki attends.

A Peruvian father of Japanese descent...

Hideki will make the presentation in Japanese.

I'll put my heart into it.

If I can do this without giving up,
I'll be able to tackle other things.

Finally, the day of the event arrives.

Good morning.

Excuse me.

Hi! Let's do this!

I'll do my best.

The event is a meetup for foreigners living in Japan to discuss jobs and career paths.

A time slot has been allotted for the manga presentation.

Hideki's family is here to support him.

Twenty-five people from eight countries and regions are here.

It's time for Hideki to present the manga.

Will he be able to communicate his thoughts?

So this is it. The story starts with
"My smile is inherited."

The manga covers how Hideki's family is connected by smiles.

Have you lived in Japan long?

You have a very nice smile.

My smile is inherited.

Hello, I'm Heshike Hideki.

My mom is Peruvian. And my dad is
a Peruvian of Japanese descent.

I also have a younger brother Yoshio,
and we live in Aichi Prefecture.

Hideki grew up in Lima, the capital of Peru.

He has fond memories of his family gathering around the table and sharing stories of their day.

But when I was in junior high school, my grandma came to need care.

My mom took care of her while also holding a job.

My brother and I did our best to help out.

Thank you, Hideki.

We used a nursing care service, but it felt unprofessional and impersonal.

If only Grandma could receive better care.

The story then transitioned to his early days in Japan.

Interacting with older people at his part-time job reinforced his dream of becoming a care worker in Japan.

But at school, he struggled with loneliness.

I didn't understand Japanese, and I couldn't talk to anyone.

Will I always be on my own?

Unable to fit into my new environment,
there were days when I felt anxious.

But what helped me not give up was
the smiles that filled my home.

His family's presence reassured him and gave him the courage to move forward.

I kept attending school.

Since I didn't have any friends to chat with, I studied during breaks.

My teacher saw my efforts and supported me.

And I slowly began making friends.

He comes to the final page.

This is the last one.

I'm now studying to become a nursing care worker.

Although I'll probably run into difficulties down the road, I hope to keep trying.

Someday, I'll become a nursing care worker that people can rely on.

I want people to feel like they're being cared for by family.

I'll wear the smile I inherited
from my grandmother.

Thank you.

Hideki has made it through.

Thank you. I was so nervous.

I was very touched by it.

It was very meaningful.

It's a great manga! Thank you.

We're glad to hear it.

What I learned from this story is that you should never give up on your dreams no matter how harsh the path is.

Your experiences give me more inspiration because I came here only a month ago that's why.

I appreciate your work, brother.

Many new connections are made.

I really liked your manga.

Really? Thanks.

Thank you.

Good luck, everyone.
We can, we can. We can do anything.

It was very emotional for me.

I appreciate everyone's support. And I'm
touched by the response Hideki received.

The only way now is forward.

The manga helped me understand
Hideki better. Thank you.

- Te quiero!
- OK, thank you!

- That was great.
- Thank you, everyone.

Keep going, keep studying,
and I'll see you at work someday.

For sure!

The smile Hideki inherited from his family will continue to light the way.

Thank you so much.
I'll do my best.