Deep Dive into Anime and Manga with Rebecca Becerra
Asia Society at Home
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Discover your newest binge and get to know our staff a little better with the Asia Society Texas Center team's favorite ways to stay entertained indoors! With our Deep Dives each week, we take you on a journey into the obsessions of individual staff members for an in-depth look at a specific art form or cultural production.
Meet Rebecca
Rebecca Becerra is Asia Society Texas Center's Education, Outreach, and Data Coordinator. Prior to working at ASTC, she was a student at the University of St. Thomas for International Studies. During her studies, she dedicated herself to studying languages, such as Korean, Japanese, and Mandarin. In her free time, she enjoys art, reading, and finding new places to drink bubble tea with friends.
What I am currently enjoying
Recently, I've been closely following the manga updates for Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demonslayer) by Koyaharu Gotouge. The story is set in Taisho-era Japan, and follows the journey of a young boy as he tries to find a way to turn his demon-sister back into a human and find the demon that destroyed his family. Each chapter has kept me on the edge of my seat and hungry for more. I find the relationship between the characters, even the villains, to be quite moving. The series is beautifully animated, and I'm very excited for the movie coming out in October.
Find it on: Shonen Jump App (the manga) | Hulu (anime) | Funimation (anime) | Crunchyroll (anime)
What I find myself returning to again and again
Of the many titles that I've read, the one I particularly always go back to is Skip・Beat by Yoshiki Nakamura. The story follows a young girl named Kyoko Mogami, who after being slighted by the man she loved, joins the entertainment business to get revenge. Through the development of the story we see Kyoko grow immensely as a young woman while learning not only to love again, but to find her own self-worth and personal dreams.
Find it on: Viz.com (with links to purchase) | Crunchyroll (anime adaptation)
Projects that aren't yet available that I am looking forward to hearing
I am very excited to see the release of YURI!!! on ICE the movie: ICE ADOLESCENCE. It was originally set to release this year but has been postponed to scale up the content. The anime was stunning to watch, and I'm sure the movie will not disappoint. The story originally follows Yuri Katsuki, a figure skater whom after being miserably defeated in the Figure Skating Grand Prix, is brought back into the spotlight by the five-time consecutive world champion Viktor Nikiforov. I can't wait to see what the new movie will bring to the table and I will probably re-watch the series once an official release date has been set.
Find it on: Website for the series and movie | Crunchyroll (anime series) | Funimation (anime series)
An artist that excites me
I'm a big fan of Katsura Hoshino's work. I enjoy her subtly gritty and gothic style, especially looking at earlier releases of her famous D.Gray-man. I love the way her story pulled me in, and continues to do so as volumes continue to be released. I admire her attention to detail, not only in her diverse character designs but also in her illustrations. I'm looking forward to seeing what imaginative plot twists are in store for her characters.
Find it on: Katsura Hoshino's Instagram | Hulu (D.Gray-man) | Funimation (D.Gray-man) | Viz. com (manga)
My wildcard recommendation
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is currently one of the most well-known manga in Japan. I hesitated to suggest it as my wildcard, however, the peculiar narration sets it apart. It relies on retelling the thrilling story of the Joestar Bloodine family in their fight against their nemesis, Dio. The anime is divided into parts, each portraying a different Joestar hero. The author, Hirohiko Araki, consistently finds new ways to reinvent his story with a brilliant art style that is influenced by Greek sculpture, Italian painting, and modern fashion catalogs. I believe this manga and anime have a unique place in the landscape!
Find it on: Netflix | Hulu | Crunchyroll
Business and Policy programs are endowed by Huffington Foundation. We give special thanks to Bank of America, Muffet Blake, Anne and Albert Chao, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Nancy Pollok Guinee, United Airlines, and Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsors of Business and Policy programs; Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, and Leslie and Brad Bucher, Presenting Sponsors of Exhibitions; Dr. Ellen R. Gritz and Milton D. Rosenau and Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsors of Performing Arts and Culture; and Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Presenting Sponsor of the Japan Series. General support of programs and exhibitions is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Hearts Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, McKinsey & Company, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, Vinson & Elkins LLP, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as Friends of Asia Society.
About Asia Society at Home
Though Asia Society is temporarily closed, we are dedicated to continuing our mission of building cross-cultural understanding and uplifting human connectivity. Using digital tools, we bring you content for all ages and conversations that matter, in order to spark curiosity about Asia and to foster empathy.
About Asia Society Texas Center
With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.