Being unapologetically Black was the scariest concept in the world to me (quite frankly, being unapologetically Black in America can put your life in danger). I had robbed her of her identity for two decades. The 22-year-old Black woman on that bench that day was determined to be her full Black self. ' is like, This boy that I like doesn’t like me because he doesn’t like girls with dark skin! I was like, Ugh! She’s just like me for real.' 'I was 14, I lived in Florida,' said Leclerc. The series followed the life of Momo Adachi, a 15-year-old Japanese high school student who was mistreated by classmates because of her tanned complexion. 'The one that really changed me and made me into an anime fan was Peach Girl,' she revealed to me during a lively phone conversation. In terms of fashion, Nana Osaki is literally me.' Getting Animated podcast host and avid anime fan Destiny Leclerc shared a similar relationship to the art form. 'Fast-forward a few years and my favourite anime to this date remains Nana and Hunter x Hunter. Instead, she let the love from her fans outweigh the hate.

She refused to let the lack of Black characters in popular series and the aforementioned racism within the anime community limit her artistry.

'Anime is something that has stuck with me since I was literally a child,' Mimi, a longtime favourite Black cosplayer of mine, told Refinery29.

Japanese animation influenced other Black women’s lives as well.

Anime school girl with dragon