Photo: 長谷川町子美術館
entertainment

Turning Japan’s longest running anime into realistic art

6 Comments
By Big Neko, grape Japan

What may come as a surprise to even the most dedicated anime fans is that if there is one anime in Japan that nearly everyone knows, it's "Sazae-san," which debuted in 1969 and holds the Guinness World Record for longest running animated television series. The series--which focuses on the 24-year-old Sazae who lives with her husband, child, siblings, and parents--has become an iconic punctuation to Japanese television weekends.

sazaeikka_2.jpg
Photo: 長谷川町子美術館

No matter how accustomed fans are to Sazae-san, however, they are in for a shock to the system as a new exhibit celebrating the 50th anniversary of the popular anime will be showcasing life-size and realistic reproductions of Sazae-san's family in sculptures brought to life with special makeup techniques. Here is what Sazae's stubborn household father Namihei looks like in reproduction:

a-40.jpg
Photo: 長谷川町子美術館

Namihei normally looks like this, so you can decide for yourself if you'd prefer he stay in the world of anime. Either way, the impressive recreations by makeup artist Amazing JIRO will have guests feeling as if they've stepped into the world of Sazae-san.

namihei.jpg
Photo: 長谷川町子美術館

In addition the exhibition will feature a corner where you can experience recording voices for the show as a way to get a feel for the post production process. There will also be a number of Sazae-san goods on sale as well as games themed after scenes in the anime.

Titled "Sazae-san Exhibition THE REAL", the exhibition will run from Saturday, July 2 to Sunday, Sept 1s as a traveling gallery, with the initial Tokyo location set for Fuji TV Headquarters Store 25th floor Sphere Observatory Hachitama.

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© grape Japan

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

6 Comments
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When my kids were growing up they used to watch Sazae-san every Sunday PM at 6:30PM. Watching it was kind of like putting a period at the end of the weekend and letting everyone know that tomorrow was Monday!

I would say we probably watched at least 20 years of Sazae-san together, and the names and characters, and story lines, often brought a smile to all of our faces! Plus the "jan-ken-po" at the end and then guessing who would be the "voice" to introduce the "next" week's Sazae.

This is one exhibit, if I get the chance, that I would visit! It's pretty nostalgic for me personally!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Sazae playing every Sunday evening has inadvertently caused an anxiety disorder called “Sazae syndrome.” Sufferers of Sazae-syndrome feel deep depression, lack of motivation, lethargy, and anxiety attacks when Sazae plays.

I wish I was, but I’m not joking.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Please just leave it as an anime.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Namihei is 54 years old. But he looks like 75.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Okay. That's a little disturbing..

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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