Hoshino Rene is from Cameroon.

He's lived in Japan since age four.

A manga creator, he draws from his own experiences.

He turns the unusual situations, discoveries, and curiosity he encountered in Japan into humorous stories.

I'm able to illustrate these differences
because I think, "Hey, I'm awesome."

In this program, we follow Rene as he meets children with foreign roots and turns their thoughts into manga.

He goes wherever in Japan he is called.

And throws his all into each project.

This time, Rene meets a sixteen-year-old from the Philippines.

A model student, she worked hard and overcame the language barrier.

However...

I thought of going back to the Philippines.

Every day.

Making friends was another story.

She struggled to adapt to school life and lost her self-confidence.

But now, she now has a circle of close friends.

Thanks to all of you, everything is easier.
You all help me so much.

Hoping to communicate her thanks to everyone who supported her life in Japan, she enlists Rene's help in making a manga.

Eager to lend a drawing hand...

"Rene Goes to School."

Rene visits Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture.

Here, many international residents work in the automotive industry.

Learning that a high school student in this city wants to make a manga together, Rene is on his way to meet her.

Hello. I'm manga creator Hoshino Rene.

I'd like to meet one of your students.

One moment please.

Nice. He said, "Ah, yes," when I said,
"manga creator Hoshino Rene." That's cool.

This is Mito Aoba High School.

It proactively accepts students from various countries, including Brazil, Peru, and Bangladesh.

Rene visits a classroom during lunch period.

Hello.

Sorry to interrupt your meal.

Is France here?

Are you France?

Hello.

France Miguel is sixteen years old.

She came to Japan from the Philippines three years ago.

Hello. Please have a seat.

May I? Thanks.

- Hey, I've seen this book before.
- You have?

- Oh, it has my name on it.
- You're right.

Despite her nervousness, France has been looking forward to meeting Rene.

- You're fluent in Japanese, aren't you?
- Not at all.

- You came as a junior high student?
- Near the end of junior high first grade.

- And what grade are you now?
- Right now? Oh, high school first grade.

And you speak this much. Amazing.

- What is France like?
- She has insane Japanese learning skills.

- She's very thoughtful and kind.
- Stop it.

She seems to be popular with her classmates.

What could she want to make a manga about?

Rene heads to the gym after school hours to meet the people France wants to make the manga for.

There, he meets her teammates in the volleyball club.

They practice together five days a week.

- Gather around!
- They're all coming.

- Hello!
- Hello, everyone.

- Where are you all from?
- The Philippines!

- Japan.
- Peru.

It's a multinational team with a total of thirteen members.

- Could you teach me volleyball?
- Sure.

Thank you! You're my seniors.
And I'm a junior.

Now you have Cameroon.

The Philippines, Peru, Japan, and Cameroon.

- That was close!
- If you hit it here, it'll clear the net.

Higher up.

- Nice!
- Thank you!

The volleyball game brings out France's lively personality.

According to her, this time with her team is when she can fully be herself.

- What is France like?
- A mother.

Our therapist.

- She probably thinks so too.
- Do not.

- How do you see yourself?
- As a normal human being.

France wants to make a manga that communicates her appreciation for her teammates, something she usually can't express.

What does the volleyball club mean to France?

Rene visits her home to learn more.

- Excuse me.
- I'm home.

France lives with her mother.

However, her mother is often busy at work and doesn't come home until late.

A wall display catches Rene's eye.

- Whose are these?
- They're mine.

Yours? All of them?

- I was at the top of my grade.
- So you get one if you're in first place?

Rene learns that France was an honor student at her elementary school in the Philippines.

These medals reflect her efforts.

- What did your parents say?
- It was always, "I'm so proud of you!"

That's nice. Mine never said that
about my grades.

In the Philippines, France was confident and carefree.

That all changed when she moved to Japan.

- It was completely different.
- How was in junior high?

I was the lowest. I had the lowest grades
in my second junior high year.

- How did that drop from the top affect you?
- I was really sad.

France's mother began working in Japan to support the family when France was a young child.

Wanting to live with her mother, France came to Japan at age thirteen.

She entered a public junior high school but couldn't keep up with the class and struggled to fit in with her classmates.

I came to Japan and couldn't make any friends.
I was by myself the whole time.

I thought of going back to the Philippines.

Every day.

But I didn't tell my mom that
I wanted to go back.

- Why not?
- She'd be lonely.

I see. That's sweet of you.

Things took a turn for the better when she entered high school and joined the volleyball club.

Through their practice sessions, she began building friendships with her teammates.

Eventually, they started hanging out even on days without practice and celebrating birthdays together.

They're now her close friends and confidantes.

They're there for me when I'm feeling sad,
and I appreciate them so much.

I'm so thankful for them.

With the backing of her friends, she entered a regional high school speech contest and won second place.

This successful experience boosted her self-confidence.

Now, she hopes to make a manga to thank them for their gift of friendship.

Rene has some advice for her.

You should reflect on who helped you
back then and the ideas they gave you.

Then, we'll brainstorm ideas
and put them all together.

- Okay?
- Okay. I'll do my best.

Let's do this!

Rene returns to Tokyo.

Before starting a new project, he always takes a walk to collect his thoughts.

Today, he comes across an idea on how France can best express her feelings.

He contacts France right away.

- You've been in a speech contest, right?
- I have.

This tells me that you have the ability
to arrange your thoughts into a speech

that connects with a lot of people.

So, I'd like you to make a speech out of
what you want to say and give it to me.

Rene's idea is to draw a manga based on France's own words.

He will put what she's written directly onto the pages and use illustrations to convey the emotions behind them.

So please compile it into a speech.
You've got this.

France now has a major assignment.

It turned into a speech.

Can you do it?

A lot of things are coming to mind.

It seems she's already got a few ideas brewing.

One week later, Rene goes with France to meet some people that she wants to include in the manga.

It's this hallway!

This is Mirai Higashi, a Japanese class that France used to attend.

- Good evening.
- Wow! You've changed so much, France!

France introduces him to the teachers who taught her Japanese.

It's been two years since they last met.

You've blossomed!

France began coming to this class shortly after arriving in Japan.

She spoke zero Japanese at the time.

Has her Japanese improved since she left?

- I'm amazed that we're talking like this.
- I see.

The kindness and patience of her teachers motivated France to learn Japanese.

In junior high school, she'd spend three hours every day reviewing lessons.

Compiling key points from the textbook, she'd write out how to read unfamiliar kanji characters.

Her efforts paid off, and she caught up with her classmates in just one year.

- So this place helped you to keep going.
- Yes, I wouldn't have gotten far without it.

- Did you hear that?
- Thank you!

Caring for and watching over France is her mother, Rosabel, who works at a nearby transport company.

- How would you describe France?
- She's a go-getter. She works too hard.

She's a miracle baby.

Rosabel makes a point of attending every school event to cheer France on,

no matter how busy her work is.

I want to help France realize her dreams.

- Her dreams?
- I'll do what I can to make them come true.

Whatever France needs.

I want to be there for her.

France hopes to attend university.

And she's able to keep moving forward with the support of the people around her.

A week has passed since France started working on her speech.

After much reflection, she's completed her message for her volleyball teammates.

Thanks to all of you, everything is easier.
You all help me so much.

She'll be reading this message in front of everyone at the manga presentation.

I hope this communicates how I feel.

The speech also touches on the hardships she experienced in Japan.

All of my classmates were able to answer
the teacher's questions. But I couldn't.

Whenever I couldn't answer, everyone would
look at me, which was really embarrassing.

Receiving her message, Rene begins translating her thoughts into manga.

Here, he draws her surrounded by eyes.

When you feel alone, eyes are scary.

As a child, I was terrified of people
looking at me. It's probably instinctive.

Rene imagines what it was like for her.

Hoping to capture every detail and nuance accurately, he continues drawing late into the night.

The day of the presentation arrives.

Today, Rene will be showing France the manga for the first time.

Hi. It's been a while.

Here it is.

What are you looking at?

- It looks just like them!
- The photos helped.

Wow.

- What do you think?
- It's great.

- You like it?
- Yes!

I'm so relieved! I kept second-guessing
myself as I drew it.

The presentation will be held at France's school.

The teachers have prepared a space for the event.

France rehearses her lines until the last possible moment.

Let's take the front seats!

Her volleyball teammates arrive.

You're all in the manga!

It's time for the presentation.

The Philippines and Japan are so different.
I faced a lot of firsts and hardships.

The manga begins with France's early days in Japan.

In junior high second grade, all of my classmates were able to answer the teacher's questions.

But I couldn't.

Whenever I couldn't answer, everyone would look at me, which was really embarrassing.

I couldn't speak Japanese fluently and had
a hard time talking to Japanese people.

My everyday life was really draining.

She had difficulty adapting to life in Japan and would always be on her own when walking home from school.

She'd never had trouble studying before,

and her self-confidence was shattered by her inability to keep up with the others.

I can vividly remember the day that I
wanted to go back to the Philippines.

But I didn't go back.
I didn't want my mother to be sad.

So I kept everything to myself.

France was touched by how hard her mother worked for her sake.

She wanted to spend more time with her and make her happy.

So I didn't give up.

I did my best to understand my classes and even wrote English translations in my books.

I was always doing reviews to catch up with my classmates.

I faced all the battles that came rather than give up.

I chose to fight.

Because I knew that my mom, dad, and teachers were all supporting me.

They've always given me good advice and moral support.

Encouraged by their support, she advanced to high school.

The story then transitions to when she joined the volleyball club.

When I entered high school,
everything changed.

They taught me how to be braver.

And they showed me that family is
not only by blood but also by heart.

For France, each member of the volleyball club is now an irreplaceable part of her life.

And she wants them to know that.

I'm so thankful for how they've been
with me every time I need them.

They keep saying cheerful words like,
"We know you can do it."

I'm happy that I have people to talk to.

It's been helpful for me because I have
someone to lean on.

I'm so very thankful that I met
these amazing people!

France's message appears to have hit home.

It's a jumble of emotions.
It was funny and also sad.

It brought back a similar experience I had.

Which part?

The mom part. And staying in Japan
for her parent's sake.

I learned about what France went through.
It was moving.

Through the manga, France was able to put into words the feelings she normally couldn't express.

I felt like crying.

I was moved by how much people
cared about me.

- Thank you so much. For everything.
- I'm so glad!