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Japanese media franchise From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anpanman (アンパンマン) is a Japanese children's superhero picture book series written by Takashi Yanase, running from 1973 until the author's death in 2013. The series has been adapted into an anime entitled Soreike! Anpanman (それいけ!アンパンマン, Let's Go! Anpanman), which is one of the most popular anime series among young children in Japan. The series follows the adventures of Anpanman, a superhero with an anpan (a red bean paste filled pastry) for a head, who protects the world from an evil anthropomorphic germ named Baikinman.
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| Anpanman | |
Cover of the first book, released under the "Kinder Ohanashi Ehon Masterpiece Selection" imprint | |
| アンパンマン | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy, superhero[1] |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Takashi Yanase |
| Published by | Froebel-kan |
| Demographic | Kodomo |
| Original run | 1973 – 2013 |
| Anime television series | |
| Soreike! Anpanman | |
| Directed by | Akinori Nagaoka Shunji Ōga |
| Produced by | Hinta Fyumi |
| Written by | Sakura Uzamacki |
| Music by | Hiroaki Kondo Taku Izumi |
| Studio | TMS Entertainment[a] |
| Original network | NNS (NTV) |
| English network | |
| Original run | October 3, 1988 – present |
| Episodes | 1,640 (3,450 segments) |
Heavily merchandised, the Anpanman characters appear on virtually every imaginable children's product in Japan, ranging from clothes[2] and video games to toys[3] and snack foods.[4] The series spawned a short-lived spin-off show featuring one of the popular recurring characters on the show, Omusubiman. Anpanman overtook Hello Kitty as Japan's top-grossing character in 2002,[5] and has remained the country's top-grossing character as of 2019[update].[6][7] Anpanman has sold over 80 million books as of February 2019, and the franchise generated ¥4.5 trillion in total retail sales revenue by 2013. Works inspired by Anpanman include the manga and anime series One-Punch Man, and the K-pop song "Anpanman" by BTS.
An English dub, produced for Turner International aired on Pogo in India alongside a Hindi dub.[8]
During the Second World War, Takashi Yanase faced starvation countless times, which made him dream about eating an anpan. This inspired the creation of Anpanman.[9]
In each episode, Anpanman fights with Baikinman and saves the day. He goes on daily patrols around the house of Uncle Jam. He is a symbol of justice, fighting for good every day. Anpanman has a long history, and new characters are frequently introduced, keeping the series fresh. In 2009, Anpanman was verified as a Guinness World Record Holder for the highest number of characters in an animated franchise, with a total of 1,768 characters appearing in the first 980 episodes of the TV series and the first 20 films.[1]
The Anpanman picture book series debuted in October 1973.[14] Froebel-kan has published over 150 picture books under different series labels consisting of a varying amount of picture books. Takashi Yanase wrote and illustrated the picture books until 2013, following his retirement from his career and eventual death.
Takashi Yanase created three different manga series based on the character.
The first anime adaptation of Anpanman, consisting of a single episode, aired during Spring Break Children's Hiroba - Picture Book on NHK General TV on March 13, 1979. Like the early picture books, Anpanman's name in the title was written in hiragana (あんぱんまん) instead of katakana. The anime was narrated by Meiko Nakamura. Although the character designs were closer to the picture books released under the Kinder Picture Books label, the story and the worldview were almost the same as the second anime adaptation.
The second anime adaptation of Anpanman, entitled Soreike! Anpanman (それいけ!アンパンマン, Let's Go! Anpanman), is produced by TMS Entertainment. Over 1300 episodes have aired on NTV since October 3, 1988. In April 2020, it was reported the voice recordings have had been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] On October 2, 2020, it was announced that the voice actors will now be recording lines in separate booths in order to minimize the spread of COVID-19. They will also be taking shifts.[17]
The anime series received at least 3 English dubs, the first one is obscure and doesn't have much known information about it other than that it allegedly premiered in 1998 on Animax Asia and was dubbed into Thai, Uzbek and Sinhala, and the only surviving audio of the dub are the English-dubbed versions of the opening and ending songs that were used in the Thai dub and the only surving footage exclusive to the English dub are the opening and ending songs used in the Uzbek dub, which includes the English lyrics and credits, it is evident that the character Baikinman, was referred to both as Baikinman and Meany-Man in this dub, because in the English-dubbed ending song he is referred to as Baikinman, but in the subtitled lyrics, he is referred to as Meany-Man.
Anpanman also received an English dub in India (along with other regional languages) which was aired on Pogo TV in 2009.[18]
There are currently a total of 33 full-length films based on the Soreike! Anpanman anime series. The films are also produced by TMS Entertainment and have been released in Japanese theaters every year since 1989. Since at least 1993, the films have been released concurrently with storybook versions written and illustrated by Takashi Yanase himself. Each movie has the same general plot - A person (usually a princess) comes from a foreign land. Baikinman unlocks some dark secret and controls a weapon or monster able to polymorph people. And with the help of the aforementioned person, Anpanman defeats the said weapon or monster. Sometimes the person dies but is brought back to life by a tearful song from the characters.
In May 2020, it was announced that production on the thirty-first Anpanman film Soreike! Anpanman: Fuwafuwa Fuwari to Kumo no Kuni (それいけ! アンパンマン ふわふわフワリーと雲の国, Let's Go! Anpanman: Fluffy Fuwari and the Cloud Country) had also been delayed due to the pandemic. The film was slated to be released on June 26, 2020.[19] In June 2020, the film was delayed to 2021.
In 2021, TMS Entertainment dubbed ten Anpanman movies into English and Spanish exclusively for Tubi.[20][21] The first movie, Apple Boy and Everyone's Hope, was released on April 15, 2021 (which was the first Takashi Yanase anime production since Ringing Bell to be presented in an English dub).[10][11][22] The second movie Anpanman: Purun, the Soap Bubble was released on July 23, 2021. Seven other films were released on September 10, 2021. The tenth movie Anpanman: Twinkle! Princess Vanilla of Ice Cream Land was released on November 12, 2021. It was also announced on January 19, 2024, that two new Anpanman films would be dubbed and released on Tubi in February of the same year. But these films got delayed until May.
In 1990, Tokyo Movie Shinsha started producing short subject Anpanman movies. These are around 24 minutes (except the second which is a double-length short) that were shown in conjunction with the full-length movies seen above. The shorts made in 1989 and 1993 are not included as they do not involve the world of Anpanman.
In December 1988, Tokyo Movie Shinsha started making Anpanman Christmas specials. A total of 32 Christmas Specials have been made.
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There are currently a total of 42 video games on this list based on the Soreike! Anpanman anime series, ranging from adventure games to educational games. With the exception of Soreike! Anpanman Eigo to Nakayoshi 2 Tanoshii Carnival, the video games were released only in Japan.
In 2011, research by Bandai found Anpanman to be the most popular fictional character among people aged 0 to 12 in Japan for 10 consecutive years.[26] Anpanman overtook Hello Kitty as Japan's top-grossing character in 2002,[5] and was Japan's top-grossing character as of 2019[update].[6]
By 2006, the Anpanman books had sold over 50 million copies in Japan.[27] By the time Takashi Yanase passed away in 2013, the Anpanman picture books had sold 68 million copies.[28] As of February 2019, Anpanman has sold more than 80 million books.[29] As of March 2021[update], Bandai Namco has sold 2.39 million Anpanman PC units since 1999, including tablet computers.[30]
Retail sales of Anpanman related products grossed an annual revenue of at least ¥150 billion consecutively for nearly 30 years.[31]
| Film | Year | Distributor rentals | Gross receipts | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirakira Boshi no Namida | 1989 | ¥250,000,000[32] | ¥461,940,000[33] | |
| Baikinman no Gyakushū | 1990 | ¥350,000,000[34] | ¥664,000,000[33][35] | |
| Fly! Fly! Chibigon | 1991 | ¥180,000,000[36] | ¥180,000,000+ | |
| The Secret of Building Block Castle | 1992 | ¥200,000,000[37] | ¥200,000,000+ | |
| Shabondama no Purun | 2007 | — | ¥50,000,000 | [38] |
| Yōsei Rinrin no Himitsu | 2008 | — | ¥350,000,000 | [39] |
| Dadandan to Futago no Hoshi | 2009 | — | ¥180,000,000 | [40] |
| Burakku Nōzu to Mahō no Uta | 2010 | — | ¥230,000,000 | [40] |
| Sukue! Kokorin to Kiseki no Hoshi | 2011 | — | $4,080,957 | [41] |
| Yomigaere Bananajima | 2012 | — | ¥510,000,000 | [42] |
| Tobase! Kibou no Handkerchief | 2013 | — | ¥424,000,000 | [43] |
| Ringo Bōya to Minna no Negai | 2014 | — | ¥400,000,000 | [44] |
| Mija to Mahō no Lamp | 2015 | — | ¥540,000,000 | [45] |
| Omocha no Hoshi no Nanda to Runda | 2016 | — | ¥555,000,000 | [46] |
| Buruburu no Takarasagashi Daibouken! | 2017 | — | ¥540,000,000 | [47] |
| Kagayake! Kurun to Inochi no Hoshi | 2018 | — | ¥649,000,000 | [35] |
There are five museums across Japan that are dedicated to Anpanman, such as the Yokohama Anpanman Children's Museum & Mall. There is also the Yanase Takashi Memorial Hall, a museum dedicated to Takashi Yanase himself.
Anpanman train livery is featured on some of JR Shikoku trains, such as the JR Shikoku 2000 series DMU and the JR Shikoku 8000 series[48] EMU.
The Anpanman Official Shop Taipei, the first overseas Anpanman shop specializing in products related to the series, opened at the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi shopping mall in Taipei on September 10, 2015.[49]
Anpanman inspired the manga and anime series One-Punch Man (ワンパンマン, Wanpanman).[50] It is a webcomic/manga series created by One, with the title a play on the titular character.
The K-pop group BTS released a song in their hit album Love Yourself: Tear under the name "Anpanman" with many references to the series.[51]
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