Takashi Yanase

• Name — Takashi Yanase • Native Name — 柳瀬 嵩 • Born — 6 February 1919 • Birthplace — Kochi, Empire of Japan • Died — 13 October 2013 • Place of death — Hongō, Tokyo, Japan • Known for — Anpanman • Occupation — Manga artist, illustrator, lyricist, poet

After graduating from the Tokyo School of Arts and Crafts in 1939, Yanase was hired by Tokyo Tanabe Pharmaceuticals where he worked in the marketing department. In 1941, he was drafted into the army under the 6th Field Heavy Artillery Reserve Company stationed in China. As an educated non-commissioned officer, he was assigned to senbu (psychological warfare) operations, presenting kamishibai (street theatre and storytelling) to Chinese civilians. His younger brother was killed in action during the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Post-war, alongside other veterans, Yanase made a living collecting garbage. To pursue his artistic career, he joined Kōchi Shimbun newspaper as an editor in 1946. Once he learned that his co-worker, Nobu Komatsu, was quitting and relocating to Tokyo, Yanase did the same. They got married in 1947. While working at Mitsukoshi department store as a graphic designer, Yanase would pick up drawing manga seriously, submitting his works to newspapers and magazines. Finding success, Yanase would quit to work on manga full-time in 1953. His income from manga was triple that of his department-store job.

The day after his death, an obituary in the October 16, 2013, edition of the Tokyo Shimbun reported that he was "a dandy Christian with a strong faith". However, a correction was later published in the November 20, 2013, edition of the same newspaper: "It was an error to refer to Takashi Yanase as a Christian". Further supporting this correction were Yanase's own words in Gekkan Omoshihan No. 57, Special Feature: "No Need for Religion!", and "I don't have any religious beliefs at all. I'll probably never turn to religion.", and "I'm not religious at all, even though I respect religion and worship God in my own way. I'm not religious at all." Photographs of his gravesite also show no evidence of him being a Christian. His gravesite lacks a cross, Bible verses, or other references to Jesus Christ and Christianity. He was cremated and buried at his father's former home, where he spent his early childhood. On his gravestone, a Japanese poem is engraved. Translated from Japanese, "I want to be a magnolia tree. In the season, bashful and shy, white flowers will bloom. I want to sway with the breeze."

• Anpanman's Testament • 1996 (Keibunsha), 2002 (Tachibana Shuppan) • Second Youth Is a Thrill! • Jinsei nante yume da kedo • Dare de mo shijin ni nareru hon • Jinsei, kyūjussai kara omoshiroi! • Watashi ga seigi ni tsuite kataru nara • Zetsubō no tonari wa kibō desu! – written in response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

• 1969 (serialized)/1975 (released); English translation by Shauna Rosgen, April 2008 • Little Jumbo • Goodbye Jumbo • Ringing Bell

• This series was created as a revision to the premise of his newspaper comic Hippity Hoppity Masked Savior, which ran in the Asahi Shimbun from 1996 to 2000 and had a rabbit protagonist. Three books were published concurrently with the anime of the same name, which was developed in tandem. • The Magic Backpack – A Hero Is Born • The Mysterious Adventure • Miiko's Transformation

• The first four books:In 2009, the anime Anpanman series entered the Guinness World Records for having the highest number of characters (over 1,700). • The original books in the Anpanman series were published during the 1970s. All except Go! Anpanman were run in the "Kinder Ohanashi Ehon" monthly anthology series before being subsequently republished for the mass market under the "Kinder Ohanashi Ehon Masterpiece Selection" imprint; however, the first book was not republished until 1976, making the second book technically the first canonical Anpanman story to be released. Of these, Anpanman and Gorillaman is out of print. • October 1973 (serialized) / May 1976 (released) • Go! Anpanman (Published under "Froebel-kan no Ehon" imprint) • June 1976 (serialized) / December 1976 (released) • May 1979 (serialized) / July 1979 (released) • Children's Fairytale Storybooks Masterpiece Selection series: • Several books originally serialized in the monthly Children's Fairytale Storybooks anthology series in the early 1980s. While they were also released to the mass market, they are now out of print. • June 1980 (serialized) / September 1981 (released) • July 1981 (serialized) / September 1982 (released) • May 1982 (serialized) / September 1985 (released) • February 1985 (serialized) / September 1985 (released) • Anpanman Mini-Books series: • A series of twenty-five storybooks published from 1983 to 1984 after the end of the monthly comic. These books were out of print for over a decade until 2010, when they were republished. • Anpanman and the Lost Alien • Anpanman and the Giant Monster Ankora • Anpanman and the Graffiti Kid • Anpanman and the Kabirunruns • Anpanman and the Ghost Forest • Anpanman and Lookalikepan • Anpanman and Lumpman • Anpanman and Butamanman • Anpanman and Kazekonkon • Anpanman and Currypanman/Omusubiman • Anpanman and the Yawn-Bird • Anpanman and Hedoroman • Anpanman and Nankahendaa • Anpanman and Ramen Angel • Anpanman and Thunder Pika-tan • Anpanman and Toothpasteman • Anpanman and Namekujira • Anpanman and Beroberoman • Anpanman and the Snifflebomb • Anpanman and Tendonman • Anpanman and the Fireball Kid • Anpanman and Apple-chan • Anpanman and the Lake Princess • Anpanman and Takoyakiman • Anpanman and Milk Boy • The Adventures of Anpanman series: • A fifteen-book series published between 1987 and 1989, which ended just prior to the start of the weekly newspaper comic strip. Some (but not all) of the series were published in picture-book anthologies prior to mass-market publication. The Soreike! Anpanman anime began during the release of this series, and the character Dokinchan (introduced in book six, Anpanman and Dokin) featured heavily there from the start, influencing Yanase's later Anpanman works. • September 1985 (serialized) / October 1987 (released) • May 1986 (serialized) / October 1987 (released) • May 1987 (serialized) / October 1987 (released) • Anpanman and Mogurin • May 1984 (serialized) / February 1988 (released) • Anpanman and Dokin • Anpanman and the Sea-Devil • Anpanman and Bonbon Island • May 1988 (serialized) / July 1988 (released) • Anpanman and Chikurin • Anpanman and Dodo • Anpanman and Tartan • Anpanman and Crescent-Moon Man • May 1989 (serialized) / October 1989 (released) • Anpanman and the Black Bird • Omusubiman series • A spinoff of the main Anpanman series, featuring the character Omusubiman and his younger companion Komusubiman. Published in the 1980s and early 1990s, all books in the series are now out of print. • Anpanman no Ohanashi Detekoi series: • A twelve-book series begun immediately after the end of the newspaper comic. • Anpanman and the Water Castle • Anpanman and Princess Greenleaf • Anpanman and the Magic Wooden Horse • Anpanman and Rollpanna • Anpanman and Toothpaste Mountain • Anpanman and Marimo-kun • Anpanman and the Land of Dreams • Anpanman and Marbleman • Anpanman and PunchPunchPuuunch • Anpanman and Balloonman • Anpanman and the Magic Brush • Anpanman and Chibizou-kun • Anpanman Lullabies series • A collection of bedtime stories for children. • The Sleepy Sleepy Uncle • The Night-Night Sleepy Tree • Shidoro and Modoro • The Dream Foal • Anpanman no Ohanashi Wakuwaku series: • Another twelve-book collection of original Anpanman stories following up the "Ohanashi Detekoi" series. • Anpanman's Secret • Anpanman and the Rainbow Ghost • Keep It Secret from Anpanman • Anpanman and Naganegiman • Anpanman and Dokinchan's Dream • Anpanman and the Desert Treasure • Anpanman and Snow Black • Anpanman and the Blue Tears • Anpanman and the Question-Mark Tower • Anpanman and the Flying Ume Fruit • Anpanman and Shabondaman • Anpanman and Horror Horrorko • "Anpanman no Runrun Ehon" series: • A series of small-format storybooks, published in 2003. • Anpanman and Friends • Dokinchan and Pillow Kid • Baikinman's Sudden Change • Melonpanna's Drink-drink-drink • Anpanman no Ohanashi Runrun series: • The latest, still-ongoing Anpanman picture-book series, with six books to date. • Anpanman and Bookman • Anpanman and the Twin Stars • Anpanman and the Artist Beret-chan • Anpanman and the Flower Castle • Anpanman and the Forest Treasure • Anpanman and Yawn-Boy • Anpanman and Shidoro & Modoro • Anpanman Christmas books: • Christmas-themed Anpanman books, published irregularly (roughly once a decade). • Anpanman's Santa Claus • Anpanman's Christmas • Merry Christmas! with Anpanman • Anpanman's Christmas Eve • Soreike! Anpanman theatrical movie series: • Official adaptations of the latest films in the Soreike! Anpanman anime series, published concurrently with the film release. In contrast to the official movie titles, the book titles are written without any kanji. • Nossy the Dinosaur's Great Adventure • Lyrical Magical Magic School • Defeat the Ghost Ship! • The Flying Picture-Book and the Glass Slippers • The Rainbow Pyramid • Palms to the Sun • When the Flower of Courage Blooms • Tears of the Mermaid Princess • Gomira's Star • Roll & Rolla: Secret of the Floating Cloud Castle • Ruby's Wish • Nyanii of Dream Cat Land • Hapii's Great Adventure • Dolly of the Star of Life • Purun the Soap-Bubble • Secret of the Fairy Rinrin • Dadandan and the Twin Stars • Black Nose and the Magic Song • Rescue them! Kokorin and the Miracle Star

• Little Bō • The heroic adventures of a small person wearing a hat that comes down over his eyes, run in Takashimaya department store's mail-order catalog. A prototype for the Anpanman character Butterko appears here with the same name, though the name pun is different (from dotabata, running around noisily). • Hot-Blooded Fairytale Masterpiece Anpanman • Published in the January 1975 to May 1976 issues of Monthly Poetry and Fairytales. This manga was a series of illustrated stories aimed at adults, and included the supporting characters "Nakasu Yaruse" (a cartoonist) and "Miruka Mite" (a female reporter). Never reprinted. • Anpanman • Serialized in the September 1976 to July 1982 issues of Monthly Ichigo Ehon, published by Sanrio. The series consisted of 71 two-page chapters of six or eight panels each. In January 1981, partway through the series, the title was changed to Anpanman (the same name, written in katakana instead of hiragana). Though never republished in collected form, it included several important elaborations of the Anpanman mythos, detailing the character's origin story and introducing the characters Butterko, Cheese, Shokupanman, Currypanman, and Baikinman. • Fly! Anpanman • A newspaper comic that ran in the Sunday issue of the Yomiuri Shimbun from 1 January 1990 to 29 May 1994, with a total of 227 strips. The series is partially reprinted in a three-volume collection that covers the first year and a half, with English translation (by Yuriko Tamaki) in the margins. Apart from its bilingual printing, it is also known for having Baikinman as its focus character, with a number of strips in which Anpanman does not appear at all. • (March 1991) • (November 1991) • (December 1991)

• The Gentle Lion • Little Jumbo • Ringing Bell • Let's Go! Anpanman • Mighty Cat Masked Niyandar • Laughing Hat Little Bō

• Metropolis (2001) – minor role as a tribute to his former colleague Osamu Tezuka • Let's Go! Anpanman Christmas special – "Dance! Sing! Christmas for Everyone" (2006): Special cameo as "Yanase Bunny"

• Norakuro (1970) – opening theme sung by Norakuro's voice actress Nobuyo Ōyama, known for being the voice of Doraemon in the 1979 series and the first voice of Katsuo Isono in Sazae-san. • Mighty Cat Masked Niyander (2000) • Tenohira wo Taiyou ni (1961)

Takashi Yanase is recorded as mangaka, illustrator, poet, graphic designer and lyricist.