Sazae-san

Sazae-san (Japanese: サザエさん) is a Japanese yonkoma manga series written and illustrated by Machiko Hasegawa. It was first published in Hasegawa's local paper, the Fukunichi Shinbun (フクニチ新聞), on April 22, 1946. When the Asahi Shimbun wished 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 from Kyūshū to Tokyo as well. The manga dealt with contemporary situations in Tokyo until Hasegawa retired and ended the series on February 21, 1974.

Sazae-san
Cover of the eleventh volume of the manga, depicting the lead character, Sazae, riding a horse with her little sister, Wakame.
サザエさん
GenreComedy
Manga
Written byMachiko Hasegawa
Published byAsahi Shimbun
English publisherKodansha Bilingual Comics
MagazineFukunichi Shinbun
Asahi Shimbun, etc.
Original runApril 22, 1946 – February 21, 1974
Volumes45 (approx. 10,000 comic strips)
Anime television series
StudioEiken
Original networkFuji TV
Original run October 5, 1969 – present
Episodes2,500+ episodes
(7,500+ segments)[1][2]

Sazae-san won the 8th Bungeishunjū Manga Award in 1962.[3] An anime television adaptation by TCJ (later renamed Eiken) began airing in Japan in October 1969 and holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running animated television series.[4] It has also been adapted into a radio show, theatrical plays and songs.[5]

Plot

In the beginning, Sazae was more interested in being with her horse than dressing up in 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 after World 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 local women's lib group.

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 double yolk, with Katsuo remarking about the happiness the "little things" in life can bring.

As of now, the popular Sazae-san anime is frequently taken as nostalgia for traditional Japanese society, since it alludes to a simpler time before modern technology, despite the fact that it was leftist to the point of controversy when it originally ran in Japanese newspapers.

Characters
A typical Sazae-san strip

Isono and Fuguta family
  • Sazae Fuguta (フグ田 サザエ, Fuguta Sazae) (née Isono (磯野))
The main character. Age 24 (27 in the manga), born on November 22 in Fukuoka. In the beginning Sazae's mother was worried that Sazae wasn't ladylike enough to ever attract a husband, but she ended up marrying Masuo. She is very cheerful but always quarrels with Katsuo.
Voiced by: Midori Katō
  • Namihei Isono (磯野 波平, Isono Namihei)
Sazae's father and patriarch of the family. Aged 54. Born on September 14. He is very stubborn. He always scolds Sazae and Katsuo.
Voiced by: Ichirō Nagai (1969–2014), Chafurin (2014–)
  • Fune Isono (磯野 フネ, Isono Fune) (née Ishida (石田))
Sazae's mother. Age 52 (48 in the manga); born on January 11 in Shizuoka. She is calm and trusted by all of her family.
Voiced by: Miyoko Asō (1969–2015), Yorie Terauchi (2015–)
  • Masuo Fuguta (フグ田 マスオ, Fuguta Masuo)
Sazae's salaryman husband. 28 years old (32 in the manga). Born on April 3 in Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka. After marrying Sazae, he moved in with her family. He is a very earnest and calm person.
Voiced by: Shinsuke Chikaishi (1969–1978), Hiroshi Masuoka (1978–2019), Hideyuki Tanaka (2019—)
  • Katsuo Isono (磯野 カツオ, Isono Katsuo)
Sazae's mischievous little brother who is an 11 year old fifth grader and often suffers under the wrath of his older sister Sazae, when he refuses to do his homework or accidentally insults other guests in the manner of faux-pas. The same thing occurs when Namihei, his father, usually finds out about Katsuo's low test grades and lectures him through scolding. His main activity consists of playing baseball with his friends.
Voiced by: Nobuyo Ōyama (1969-1970), Kazue Takahashi (1970–1998), Miina Tominaga (1998–)
  • Wakame Isono (磯野 ワカメ, Isono Wakame)
Sazae's little sister. Age 9 (7 in the manga). She is a kind honor student. Her main hobbies are reading and fashion.
Voiced by: Yoshiko Yamamoto (1969–1976), Michiko Nomura (1976–2005), Makoto Tsumura (2005-)
  • Tarao Fuguta (フグ田 タラオ, Fuguta Tarao)
Sazae and Masuo's 3-year old son. Usually called Tara-chan (タラ ちゃん). While a mostly well behaved toddler, he can be a bit stubborn. He was born on March 18.
Voiced by: Takako Sasuga
  • Tama (タマ)
The Isono family's pet cat. He hates mice.
Voiced by: ? (The meaning of this "?" credit has been a topic of debate amongst viewers for years.)

Isono and Fuguta family's kin
  • Nagie Namino (波野 なぎえ, Namino Nagie)
A little sister of Namihei and Umihei. Norisuke's mother.
Voiced by: Kamina Hamano, Reiko Yamada (2009–)
  • Norisuke Namino (波野 ノリスケ, Namino Norisuke)
Nagie's son and Sazae's cousin who works for a newspaper publisher.
Voiced by: Ichirō Murakoshi (1969–1998), Tarō Arakawa (1998–2000), Yasunori Matsumoto (2000–)
  • Taiko Namino (波野 タイ子, Namino Taiko)
Norisuke's wife.
Voiced by: Ryoko Aikawa, Masako Ebisu (1969–1979), Emiko Tsukada (1979–2013), Sayaka Kobayashi (2013–)
  • Ikura Namino (波野 イクラ, Namino Ikura)
Norisuke and Taiko's son. he is Tarao's friend and he just say Chan, Hai and Babuu.
Voiced by: Reiko Katsura
  • Isono Mokuzu Minamoto no Sutamina (磯野藻屑源素太皆)
Namihei's Meiji Revolution samurai ancestor. Around the time of the Bon Festival, he haunts Namihei's (or sometimes Katsuo's) dreams.
Voiced by: Ichirō Nagai (?–2013), Chafurin (2014–)
  • Umihei Isono (磯野 海平, Isono Umihei)
Namihei's twin older brother.
Voiced by: Ichirō Nagai (1970–2013), Chafurin (2014–)
  • Sakeo Fuguta (フグ田 サケオ, Fuguta Sakeoo)
Masuo's big brother.
Voiced by: Hiroshi Masuoka (?), Ikuya Sawaki (2002)
  • Norio Fuguta (フグ田 ノリオ, Fuguta Norio)
Masuo's nephew.
Voiced by: Fujiko Takimoto
  • Taizō Ishida (石田 鯛造, Ishida Taizō)
Fune's big brother.
Voiced by: Norio Wakamoto

Isasaka family
  • Nanbutsu Isasaka (伊佐坂 難物, Isasaka Nanbutsu)
A novelist who lives in the next house of Isono family's house.
Voiced by: Eken Mine (1985–2002), Atsushi Ii (2002), Yasuo Iwata (2002–2009), Kōtarō Nakamura (2009–)
  • Karu Isasaka (伊佐坂 軽, Isasaka Karu)
Nanbutsu's wife. Fune's childhood friend.
Voiced by: Reiko Yamada
  • Ukie Isasaka (伊佐坂 浮江, Isasaka Ukie)
Nanbutsu's daughter.
Voiced by: Keiko Han (1985–1990), Miina Tominaga (1990–1998), Eriko Kawasaki (1998–)
  • Jinroku Isasaka (伊佐坂 甚六, Isasaka Jinroku)
Nanbutsu's son.
Voiced by: Hiroshi Takemura
  • Hachi (ハチ, Hachi)
Isasaka family's pet dog.

Hama family

A next-door neighbor of the Isono family.

  • Onii-san (浜さん)
An art painter. His given name is unknown.
Voiced by: Eken Mine
  • Mitsuko Hama (浜 ミツコ, Hama Mitsuko)
Hama's daughter. A high school student.
Voiced by: Keiko Han
  • Jurry (ジュリー, Jurī)
The Hama family's pet dog.

Other characters
  • Grandpa Ura-no (裏のおじいちゃん, Ura-no Ojīchan)
An old man who lives in a house in back of (ura-no) Isono family's house.
Voiced by: Eken Mine (1985–2002), Atsushi Ii (2002–2013), Mitsuru Takakuwa (2013–),
  • Grandma Ura-no (裏のおばあちゃん, Ura-no Obāchan)
Ura-no Grandpa's wife.
Voiced by: Sumiko Shirakawa , Keiko Yamamoto , Reiko Yamada
  • Saburo (三郎, Saburō)
The employee of Mikawaya who makes house calls for food orders.
Voiced by: Issei Futamata
  • Rika Nozawa (野沢 リカ, Nozawa Rika)
One of Tarao's friends.
Voiced by: Reiko Katsura
  • Takeo (タケオ, Takeo)
One of Tarao's friends.
Voiced by: Reiko Yamada
  • Hiroshi Nakajima (中島 博, Nakajima Hiroshi)
Katsuo's best friend and his classmate.
Voiced by: Sumiko Shirakawa (1969–2015), Rumi Ochiai (2015–)
  • Kaori Ozora (大空 カオリ, Ōzora Kaori)
One of Katsuo's classmates.
Voiced by: Reiko Katsura
  • Hayakawa (早川, Hayakawa)
One of Katsuo's classmates.
Voiced by: Keiko Han (1985–1990), Miina Tominaga (1990–1998), Eriko Kawasaki (1998–),
  • Hanako Hanazawa (花沢 花子, Hanazawa Hanako)
One of Katsuo's classmates, who has a crush on him.
Voiced by: Tikako Akimoto (1969–?), Tarako, Keiko Yamamoto (?–)
  • Hashimoto (橋本, Hashimoto)
One of Katsuo's classmates.
Voiced by: Reiko Yamada
  • Takuma Nishihara (西原 卓磨, Nishihara Takuma)
One of Katsuo's classmates.
Voiced by: Emiko Tsukada (?–2013), Sayaka Kobayashi (2014–)
  • Teacher (先生, Sensei)
Katsuo's teacher.
Voiced by: Eken Mine (?–2002), Sanji Hase (?), Ikuya Sawaki (2002–)
  • Horikawa (堀川, Horikawa)
One of Wakame's classmates.
Voiced by: Emiko Tsukada (?–2013), Sayaka Kobayashi (2014–)
  • Suzuko Siota (塩田 スズ子, Siota Suzuko)
One of Wakame's classmates.
Voiced by: Reiko Katsura
  • Miyuki (ミユキ, Miyuki)
One of Wakame's classmates.
Voiced by: Reiko Katsura (?–1990), Miina Tominaga (1990–1998), Eriko Kawasaki (1998–),
  • Anago (穴子)
One of Masuo's co-workers.
Voiced by: Kazuya Tatekabe(–197?), Norio Wakamoto(197?–)
  • Okajima (岡島, Okajima)
One of Namihei's co-workers.
Voiced by: Eken Mine (?–?), Atsushi Ii (?–2002), ? (2013–?)
  • Aramaki (新巻)
One of Namihei's co-workers.
Voiced by: Norio Wakamoto , Hiroshi Takemura
  • Kinzō Yumizu (湯水 金蔵, Yumizu Kinzō)
Voiced by: Norio Wakamoto
  • Daihachi (大八)
Voiced by: Ikuya Sawaki
  • Mikawaya (三河屋, Mikawaya)
The shopkeeper of Mikawaya, a sake shop.
Voiced by: Norio Wakamoto (?–?), Ikuya Sawaki (?–)
  • Sanpei (三平)
Voiced by: Кiyoshi Кomiyama (?–1985)
  • Kintarō Hanazawa (花沢 金太郎, Hanazawa Kintarō)
Hanako's father. Boss of the Hanazawa Real Estate Agency.
Voiced by: ?, Norio Wakamoto (?–)
  • Nakajima's Grandfather (中島のお祖父さん, Nakajima-no Ojīsan)
Voiced by: Eken Mine (?–2002), Atsushi Ii (2002–2013), Mitsuru Takakuwa (2013–),
  • Ikako (イカコ)
  • Urashima-san (ウラシマさん)
  • Makure (間暮 當)
  • Yōjin Hino (火野 要人, Hino Yōjin)
  • Jon (ジョン)
  • Fuguta Hitode (フグ田 ヒトデ)
  • Machiko Hasegawa (長谷川 町子, Hasegawa Machiko)

Meanings of the names

The names of many of the characters are derived from marine animals and things relating to the sea, although they have the form of regular Japanese names. For example, Katsuo is a fairly common name that could be written 勝男, 勝夫, 勝雄 or 嘉葎雄); Sazae is not a common name, but ends with "-e", so it has one moderately common form of a feminine name.

The inspiration for the characters is said to have come to Hasegawa as she was strolling along the beach one day.

Although the comic ran for twenty-eight years, the characters never aged: Sazae was always 27 years old, her husband 28, her father and mother were always 54 and 48, and Sazae's siblings were around eleven and seven years of age, respectively. She also had unnamed father-in-law and mother-in-law. They were 62 and 59 years old respectively.

Publishing of the manga

The comic strip was published in book form by Shimaisha (姉妹社), which Machiko ran with her sister, Mariko. In April 1993, this publishing company went out of business and the comic books went out of print. The same year, Asahi Shimbun purchased the right to publish the forty-five paperback volumes. Twelve bilingual (Japanese-English) manga volumes were published by Kodansha between 1997 and 1999 as The Wonderful World of Sazae-San.[6] The volumes were re-released in 2004,[7] and in 2015 another three bilingual manga volumes were released as The Best of Sazae-san.[8][9][10]

Sazae-san on television

Anime series

In October 1969, Fuji Television started an anime comedy series, which is still on the air today and currently in production, making it one of the longest-running scripted TV series in history and the longest running animated show. It has been broadcast every Sunday from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. and contains three vignettes. The anime series has some characters, like Katsuo's classmates, who have not appeared in Hasegawa's original works.

The end credits for each episode include brief animations of the original comic strips, with dialogue appearing in word balloons. Since November 1991, after the closing credits and the next episode previews, each show has ended with a janken match between Sazae and the viewers at home, in which Sazae holds up a sign representing one of the appropriate hand gestures.[11] From 1969 until October 1991, Sazae ended each episode by tossing a bean or rice cake in the air and catching it in her mouth. Fuji Television switched to the janken match after doctors at Tohoku University Hospital and the National Center for Child Health and Development raised concerns that children may try to imitate Sazae and potentially choke on food.

On November 16, 2008, the series' 2000th 30-minute broadcast was aired in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the anime series; this special episode also featured Sazae-san wearing five costumes based on submissions from viewers.

The anime series was originally sponsored solely by Toshiba—including placement of its products within the show—but later expanded to other sponsors.

Sazae-san was the last animated television series to use traditional cel animation, although as of April 2009, the opening credits were digital;[12] the series finally switched to fully digital animation in 2013. Despite the series being a hit, Hasegawa stated that she never wanted any merchandise to be made for it, including home video rights, making availability of past episodes, especially those prior to the introduction of the VCR, very rare. Following her death, her request to prohibit older episodes from being released in home media was honored.[13] Despite this however, Fuji TV made an agreement with Amazon Prime Video in December 2018 to release the 1969 and early-to-mid 1970s episodes available on their streaming service. The episodes from the mid 2000s happened to also be on the service.

On September 5, 2013, Sazae-san was awarded the Guinness World Record for the longest running animated television series in the world.[4] As of November 2015, there have been 7332 episodes aired.[1][n 1]

  • Opening Song: "Sazae-san" by Yuko Uno
  • Ending Song: "Sazae-san Ikka" by Yuko Uno

On January 27, 2014, while recording narration for a program in Hiroshima, Nagai suffered a bout of myocardial infarction and was found by a hotel employee. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead; Nagai was 82 years old at the time of his death.[14] The Daily Sports newspaper reported that the role of Sazae's father Namihei in Sazae-san, which was previously voiced by Ichirō Nagai, will now be filled by the show's staff. The first Sazae-san episode after Nagai's passing was recorded on January 30, 2014.[15] On February 10, 2014, Fuji Television announced that Chafurin was succeeded Ichirō Nagai as the voice of Sazae-san's father Namihei Isono.[16]

On April 4, 2020, Midori Kato stated that voice recordings have been halted due to COVID-19 concerns.[17]

On May 9, 2020, it was announced that the anime will be put on hiatus for the first time since 1975 because of COVID-19.[18] On June 14, 2020, it was announced that the anime would resume on June 21, 2020.[19]

Live-action series

In 1955, a radio station aired a serial drama based on the comic strip.

The same year, a short-lived live-action television series was started, and was aired on what is now TBS.

In November 1965, TBS started a dramatic television series modeled after the comic strip. It aired until September 1967.

In 1979, NHK made a dramatic serial which ran for six months, focusing on the creation of Sazae-san and Machiko Hasegawa in her younger days.

In 2010, Fuji Television debuted a live-action situation comedy series, Sazae-san 2 (サザエさん2), followed the following year with Sazae-san 3 (サザエさん3). The series is patterned after the anime series and uses the same elements, including the theme music and the closing janken match.

Other

In 2008, Glico showed the family in the "25 years later"[20] commercials, as adults, for the firms "Otona Glico" chocolates. The characters were portrayed by Eita (as Fuguta Tarao), Asano Tadanobu (as Isono Katsuo), Rie Miyazawa (as Isono Wakame) and Shun Oguri (as Namino Ikura).[21] In 2017, the characters Sazae and Masao were depicted in a Cup Noodles commercial drawn by Katsuya Kondō.[22]

See also

Notes
  1. Each weekly airing of Sazae-san consists of three separate seven-minute segments. The episode count includes specials.

References
  1. "Animation World 10月11日〜11月10日". Animage (in Japanese). USA, Japan: Tokuma Shoten. 449: 157–168. 10 November 2015.
  2. "Sazae-san" – via www.filmweb.pl.
  3. 文藝春秋漫画賞 (in Japanese). Comic Lab. Archived from the original on October 20, 2009. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  4. "Guinness Certifies Sazae-san as Longest Running Animated Show - News". Anime News Network. 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  5. "Machiko Hasegawa". lambiek.net.
  6. "Amazon listing". www.amazon.com. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  7. 長谷川, 町子. "サザエさん―対訳 (12)【講談社英語文庫】" – via Amazon.
  8. 長谷川, 町子. "ベスト・オブ対訳サザエさん 白版 オーモーレツの時代 The Best of Sazae-san" – via Amazon.
  9. 長谷川, 町子. "ベスト・オブ対訳サザエさん 赤版 ベビーブームの時代 The Best of Sazae-san" – via Amazon.
  10. 長谷川, 町子. "ベスト・オブ対訳サザエさん 青版 オリンピックの時代 The Best of Sazae-san" – via Amazon.
  11. Sazae's Past Jankens (via archive.org; updated through 2008)
  12. "Sazae-san is Last TV Anime Using Cels, Not Computers". Anime News Network.
  13. "The Longest Running TV Cartoon, Ever -". cartoonresearch.com. April 9, 2013.
  14. "Ranma 1/2's Happōsai Voice Actor Ichirô Nagai Passes Away". Anime News Network. January 27, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  15. "Paper: Sazae-san's Father to Be Played by Staff After Voice Actor's Passing". Anime News Network. February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  16. "Voice Actor Chafurin to Replace Ichirô Nagai as Sazae-san's Father". Anime News Network. February 9, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  17. "Sazae-san Voice Actress: Dialogue Recording Put on Hold Until Further Notice". Anime News Network.
  18. "Sazae-san Anime Delays New Episodes For 1st Time in 45 Years Due to COVID-19". Anime News Network.
  19. "Sazae-san Anime Resumes New Episodes After COVID-19 Delay". Anime News Network.
  20. "大人グリコ 25年後の磯野家". YouTube, Sazae san Otona Glico CM playlist. April 4, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  21. "「サザエさん25年後CM」の第2弾が既にネットで公開中". gigazine.net (in Japanese). November 18, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  22. Baseel, Casey (22 November 2017). "Stars of Japan's longest-running anime get gorgeous modern makeover in new video【Video】". Sora News 24. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
    McGee, Oona (9 January 2018). "It's Japanese commercial time! Watch the best ads from 2017 in one glossy 4K video". Japan Today. Sora News 24. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
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