" Anpan " (NHK Asadora ) starring Mio Imada (General TV, Monday to Saturday 8:00am, etc.) is a popular morning drama series based on the life of the married couple Takashi Yanase Takashi (1919-2013) and Nobu (1918-1993), a manga artist and picture book author. The story follows how the couple came up with "Anpanman". As Yanase's work is gaining attention, we spoke with Kondo Kahoru, Koike Sachi, and Kazusa Itoe from the Froebel-kan editorial department about the history and appeal of the "Anpanman" picture books, which have sold a total of 90 million copies (as of April 2025).
◇The origin of the book that "no one knew about"
The origin of "Anpanman" as a picture book for children is "Anpanman" which appeared in the October issue of "Kinder Ohanashi Ehon", a monthly picture book published by the same company in 1973. At the time, the name was written in hiragana, and Anpanman had five fingers, a tattered cape, and a slimmer head than he does today. It's hard to imagine now, but there was also a scene where his entire face had been eaten and he was flying away with no face.
Regarding the reaction to the book when it was first published, Yanase said, "It received extremely negative reviews."
Koike reveals, "The book was heavily criticized by publishers and picture book critics, and my teacher said that it was a book that no one in the world knew about, with one kindergarten teacher even sending a letter saying, 'It's cruel to make a child eat a face,'" the book's creator said.
However, after a while, he began to hear from neighbors and nursery school and kindergarten teachers that "children love Anpanman."
"Mr. Yanase said, 'I didn't get very good reviews from adults, but children loved Anpanman.' As the voices of children spread, more and more Anpanman picture books were published."
After it was released, the title was changed to "Anpanman" written in katakana. Originally, it was written in hiragana because it was aimed at young children, but Yanase himself decided to use katakana instead. Anpanman's visual appearance as a hero was also gradually perfected, and he became closer to his current appearance, with rounder hands and a lower head, so that children readers would feel more familiar with him.
◇The thoughts that Yanase put into "Anpanman"
One of the messages that Yanase wanted to convey through "Anpanman" is "justice that cannot be reversed." In the afterword to the picture book "Anpanman," he wrote, "True justice is never something that looks good, and it always hurts you deeply. And justice cannot be carried out without that kind of self-sacrifice and dedication."
Yanase, who experienced hunger and the death of loved ones during the war, witnessed the pain of having nothing to eat and how easily justice can be reversed, and came to the conclusion that "justice that cannot be reversed is sharing food with hungry people even if it means sacrificing yourself."
Kondo explains, "The Anpanman picture books very directly embody Yanase sensei's feelings about wanting to tear off his own face to help others even if it meant hurting himself. He also writes about his feelings for his younger brother who died in the war in a collection of poems titled 'The Story of Takashi Yanase 's Brother,' and I think his experiences in the war and the death of his brother have had a strong influence on many of his works, including the Anpanman picture books."
◇ Editors talk about the appeal of "Anpanman"
When asked about the appeal of Anpanman, Kazusa said, "I remember one line that Anpanman said: 'If you're in trouble, always call me.' To children, Anpanman is a hero who will always help them and never let them down. Mr. Yanase himself is like Anpanman, and he was known as 'Mr. Yanase for times of trouble.' I think Anpanman's unwavering nature and his sense of security are the reasons he is loved by so many people."
Koike explained, "Originally, Baikinman didn't exist in Anpanman's world, but because it's a food product, the enemy is bacteria, and so Baikinman was born." He continued, "Bacteria are necessary for humans and are indispensable when making bread, so we'd be in trouble if they disappeared. That's why in the battle between Anpanman and Baikinman, even if one is defeated, they always come back. The teacher said that it's important that it continues forever while maintaining balance, and I thought that was really interesting. The teacher sometimes incorporates issues such as environmental destruction into his works, and when you read the afterword you can understand the story on a deeper level and realize, 'oh that's what it's all about,' and it's amazing how much thought he put into drawing it."
Finally, Kondo sent a message saying, "There is a bronze statue of Anpanman in front of the entrance to Froebel-kan, which was a gift from the teacher when the company was relocated. While I'm working, I hear the excited voices of children who see the statue and say, 'It's Anpanman!' and it makes me feel that he is truly loved. If you read an Anpanman picture book after getting to know the teacher, whether it's the Asadora' Anpan' or the teacher's biography, you will see it in a different way than before and you will be able to enjoy it in many different ways."
The world of the picture book "Anpanman" drawn by Yanase. By watching the Asadora"Anpan", you may be able to feel a deep charm that you have never noticed before.
