You might not know her name. You probably wouldn’t recognize her face. But if Ikue Otani were to speak just one simple word, you’d immediately know who she is. “Pika-CHU!” That’s right; Otani is the voice of everyone’s favorite Pokemon character, Pikachu. As one of Japan’s most in-demand seiyuu, or voice actors, Otani has brought dozens of anime characters to life.

I’d been warned about the craziness that is the morning rush hour in Japan, but I definitely underestimated its severity. As a student in Boston, I’ve experienced the 5 o’clock rush to get home — everybody just wants to relax and fill their tummies with some warm dinner — so I thought I was well-prepared for the Japanese subways.

Hello! My name is Elle Chu, and I’m interning with Manga University for this fall semester. As a native Californian, seasonal Boston inhabitant and current Japanese expat, I’ve been doing a lot of traveling lately. Time and time again, I am reminded of how big the world actually is, and how there are so many different cultures living inside it of it!