Schoolmates Beatrize Chee and Gio Franza from Manila's financial district of Makati are both self-confessed anime fans.
As such, it was only natural for them to decide to enroll in the Japanese language and culture course that Makati Science High School has been offering ninth- and 10th-graders over the past few years.
"My reason for joining the nihongo (Japanese-language) class was initially for anime. But halfway through, I realized I can use it to be able to experience going to Japan," 16-year-old Franza, who took the elective course for two years starting in 2015, said in a recent interview.