Sazae-san

	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
Genre	Comedy
	Manga
Written by	Machiko Hasegawa
Published by	Asahi Shinbun
English publisher	Kodansha Bilingual Comics
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Fukunichi Shinbun; Asahi Shinbun, etc.
Original run	April 22, 1946 – February 21, 1974
Volumes	45 (approx. 10,000 comic strips)
	Anime television series
Studio	TCJ (later Eiken)
Original network	Fuji TV
Original run	October 5, 1969 – present
Episodes	2,500+ episodes; (7,500+ segments)
	Anime and Manga portal

Sazae-san (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 Shinbun 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 won the 8th Bungeishunjū Manga Award in 1962.^[3] An anime television adaptation by TCJ, and later Eiken, began airing in Japan in October 1969 and holds the Guinness World Record for the longest running animated television series.^[4]

Plots[edit]

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[edit]

A typical Sazae-san strip

Isono and Fuguta family[edit]

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–)

Katsuo Isono (磯野カツオ, Isono Katsuo)

Sazae's mischievous little brother. Aged 11. He 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 for Namihei, his father, when he usually finds out about Katsuo's low grades on his tests 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.

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). 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.)^{[citation needed]}

Isono and Fuguta family's kinship[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

A next-door neighbor of the Isono family.

Hama-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[edit]

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)

The names of the characters are derived from marine animals and things relating to the sea:

the Japanese family names Isono, Fuguta, and Namino: iso means beach, fugu means blowfish, and nami means wave
Masuo: masu means trout
Fune: ship
Sazae: horned turban shell—a kind of sea snail
Tara: codfish
Namihei: nami means wave
Katsuo: skipjack tuna, a type of fish
Wakame: means seaweed, a green plant that lives underwater.
Norisuke: nori, dried seaweed used to wrap sushi
Taiko: tai is sea bream
Ikura: salmon roe

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.

Publishing of the manga[edit]

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 Shinbun purchased the right to publish the forty-five paperback volumes. 12 bilingual (Japanese-English) manga volumes have been published by Kodansha between 1997 and 1999 as The Wonderful World of Sazae-San.^[5] The volumes were re-released in 2004.^[6] And in 2015 another three bilingual manga volumes were released as The Best of Sazae-san.^[7]^[8]^[9]

Sazae-san on television[edit]

Anime series[edit]

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.^[10] From 1969 to 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;^[11] the series finally switched to fully digital animation in 2015. 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 continues to be honored.^[12]

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

Live-action series[edit]

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[edit]

In 2008, Glico showed the family in the "25 years later"^[13] 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).^[14]