The anime adaptation of Machiko Hasegawa's "Sazae-san" manga has been recognized by the Guinness World Records committee as the world's "longest-running animated television series," surpassing "The Simpsons."
Actress Midori Kato, 73, who voices the titular Sazae, accepted the award at a ceremony which took place in Tokyo on Thursday, Sports Nippon reported. Kato has been voicing Sazae-san since the show began in 1969.
Upon receiving the award on behalf of the show, Kato said, “This award is a reflection of the fact that Japan has been watching and supporting our show the whole time. I'm overwhelmed. I hope to be able to continue working on the show, taking great care with each and every episode.”
The anime adaptation of "Sazae-san" manga began airing on Oct 5 1969, and celebrated its 45th anniversary this year. Over 2,250 episodes of the family-friendly cartoon had been screened in Japan as of Sept 1.
© Japan Today
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toshiko
In 1946, Yukan Fukunichi began SazayeSan Manga and a few years later, Asahi had Sazayesan, ///then Ms Hasegawa had Sunday Mainichi made Japanese enjoy ijiwaeu Baasan by her. People loved her manga in Japan. especially, gitrls. TV was not in Japan yet. Before Sazayesan, she had Apron Obasan. Hope this Anime will be in USA channels.
Speed
I don't understand how it "surpassed The Simpsons".
The Simpsons began airing in the mid-late 80s while Sazaesan's been on since the late 60s.
Shouldn't Sazaesan have been recorded as the longest running series a long time ago?
GalapagosnoGairaishu
Sazae-san is utterly boring to watch and its appeal is completely incomprehensible to me. Naming the characters after fish is about all it had going for it. Not that the offerings on the other TV channels were any better...
toshiko
Galapago: Because Sazaye-san was first written in 1946 when Japanese wives were just maid wife. Way before TV era. Radios were there. Later, when she was trying to abandon Sazaye-san, Tadashi Miki of Sunday Mainochi suggested Ijiwaru Baasan and she changed to older mean Japanese women, Revibal of old mangas must be boring to people who are not familiar of late 1940's Japanese culture.
lucabrasi
I love this show. It makes me nostalgic for a time and place I never lived in.
TokyoGas
Very fun show.
BluesRee
Very poor show. Watching this is a painful Sunday tradition in my family.
NeoJamal
It was never implied whether the titular character caught that stray cat who took her fish.
JeffLee
It's sponsored by Toshiba, isn't it. Maybe that explains why it's been on the air so long.
Daijoboots
I much prefer Chibi Maruko chan which precedes Sazae-san. Maruko is hilarious. Have tried to watch Sazae-san but it's not long before I'm looking away or for the remote.
Kurobune
I learned a lot about the Japanese people and how to speak the Japanese language watching this program when I arrived in Japan more than thirty years ago ! An absolute classic !
BurakuminDes
Whilst I agree with other posters about Sazae-san being a yawn-fest - it is still a level up from that other Sunday evening TV "classic" - that Rakugo show. Seriously, a few of those performers resemble exhumed corpses sitting in the seiza position. Hell - maybe they are...
smithinjapan
Congrats, Sazae-san! I don't watch and don't really like the show, but the theme song brings back a lot of good memories if and when I hear it. Like it or not, you have to give the show credit.
Raymond Chuang
I believe Sazae-san is famous because many people remember the original yonkoma (four-panel comic) that was published between 1946 and 1974, mostly in the Asahi Shimbun. And the anime TV series has kept the "feel" of the original yonkoma releases.
cloa513
I like Sazae-san- much better than Evangelion and other ridiculous giant robot anime, not as good as early Naruto or One Piece.
toshiko
Sazaye-san brightened female in Japan after/ wwII when females were still ranked below dog and cat in Japan. Maybe females in Japan are still not equal to human being? Japanese female watcher numbers make it popular in Japan? Jusr my guess.
jojo_in_japan
Saze san makes me feel sad .... makes me think of Monday.
Michael Coolidge
Surpassed Simpsons. Statement was wrong. It was always ahead of Simpsons. One piece has more episodes than Simpsons Naruto I bet is close