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Sazae-san(サザエさん)is a Japaneseyonkomamangaseries written and illustrated byMachiko Hasegawa. It was first published in Hasegawa\'s local paper, theFukunichi Shinbun(フクニチ新聞), on April 22, 1946. When theAsahi Shimbunwished to have Hasegawa draw the four-panel comic for their paper, she moved to Tokyo in 1949 with the explanation that the main characters had moved fromKyūshūto Tokyo as well. The firstSazae-sanstrip run by theAsahi Shimbunwas published on November 30, 1949. The manga dealt with everyday life and contemporary situations in Tokyo until Hasegawa retired and ended the series, with the final comic published on February 21, 1974.
As of 1999, the manga had over 86 million copies in circulation, making it one of thebest-selling manga series of all time.[1]Ananimetelevision adaptation by TCJ (later renamedEiken) began airing in Japan in October 1969 and holds theGuinness World Recordfor the longest-running animated television series.[2]It has also been adapted into a radio show, theatrical plays and songs.[3]
Plot
In the beginning, Sazae was more interested in being with her horse than dressing up in a kimono and makeup to attract her future husband. Hasegawa was forward-thinking in that, in her words, the Isono/Fuguta clan would embody the image of the modern Japanese family afterWorld War II.
Sazae was a very liberated woman, and many of the early plotlines revolved around Sazae bossing around her husband, to the consternation of her neighbors, who believed that a man should be the head of his household. Later, Sazae became a feminist and was involved in many comical situations regarding her affiliation with her localwomen\'s libgroup.
Despite the topical nature of the series, the core of the stories revolved around the large family dynamic, and were presented in a lighthearted, easy fashion. In fact, the final comic, in 1974, revolved around Sazae\'s happiness that an egg she cracked for her husband\'s breakfast produced a doubleyolk, with Katsuo remarking about the happiness the \"little things\" in life can bring.
In current culture, the popularSazae-sananime is frequently viewed as a nostalgic representation of traditional Japanese society, since it represents a simpler time before many of the changes brought by modern technology. Its social themes, though very liberal at the time of its publication, are evocative of a bygone and nostalgic era.
