＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49) on X
<Added 12/28/2020> “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” the Movie is the Highest Grossing Movie of All Time!
The box office revenue for the movie “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” has surpassed 32.4 billion yen, making it the highest grossing movie of all time. It surpasses the previous record of “Spirited Away” with 31.68 billion yen, marking the first time in 19 years that a movie has taken the top spot.
1. The “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” anime movie is hugely popular
The anime film “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train” has surpassed 10 billion yen in box office revenue just 10 days after its release, continuing its unstoppable success. At this pace, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that it could surpass the all-time highest-grossing anime film, “Spirited Away” (30.8 billion yen), or even the second-placed “Your Name” (25 billion yen).
The original work, by 31-year-old female manga artist Koyoharu Gotouge, was serialized in “Weekly Shonen Jump” (Shueisha) from 2016 to 2020.
Set in Taisho-era Japan, the story follows a world inhabited by human-eating demons, where a group of exceptionally powerful “Demon Slayer Corps” engages in fierce battles against them. Demons can only be killed by being decapitated or exposed to sunlight, and humans who ingest demon blood are transformed into demons.
The protagonist, Tanjiro Kamado, loses his family to demons, and his surviving sister, Nezuko, becomes a demon herself. After undergoing rigorous training, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps and fights demons.
The depictions of battle scenes are sometimes extreme, but also humorous, making it both a tale of revenge and Tanjiro’s coming-of-age.
Anime critic Ryota Fujitsu offers the following analysis of the story’s appeal to a wide audience, from children to adults:
Tanjiro is forced to carry a heavy burden, but rather than lament it, he accepts it himself. His determination and hard work in overcoming the absurdities of life may be a source of encouragement for modern audiences. There’s also drama on the side of the villainous demon, making this a heartwarming yet tear-jerking story.
2. The History of Japanese Manga (Anime)
From the Taisho era until before the war, there was a magazine called “Shonen Club.” It featured Tagawa Suiho’s “Norakuro.”
When I was a child, there was a manga magazine called “Shonen Gaho.” “Akadō Suzunosuke” and “Maboroshi Tantei” were particularly popular. I was an avid reader of this magazine during my elementary school years.
After that, “Shonen Magazine” came out. I remember seeing this magazine briefly, but I guess I had already outgrown manga by then.
Taro Asō, Minister of Finance (and former Prime Minister), still seems to be an avid anime reader, proudly stating, “Anime is a subculture that Japan is proud of.”
3. Japanese Anime’s Popularity Overseas
The overseas popularity ranking of Japanese anime is as follows:
1st: Fullmetal Alchemist
2nd: Death Note
3rd: Cowboy Bebop
4th: Spirited Away
5th: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
6th: Princess Mononoke
7th: Elfen Lied
8th: Neon Genesis Evangelion
9th: Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
10th: Bleach
I’m only familiar with “Spirited Away” and “Princess Mononoke,” but they seem to be incredibly popular.
4. Why Japanese Anime is So Popular Overseas
The following reasons are cited for the popularity of Japanese anime overseas. These reasons also apply to the currently hugely popular “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.”
(1) Enjoyable for Adults
Anime produced overseas is typically aimed at children under elementary school age. The stories and illustrations are often too simple for adults to appreciate. Complex storylines also appeal to overseas fans.
(2) Wide Range of Genres
A diverse range of genres are available, including romance, school/youth, action/battle, robots, fantasy, suspense, near-future, comedy, science fiction, psychic powers, monsters, horror, history, and idols.
(3) High Quality
Overseas, especially in Hollywood, many works are produced with huge budgets, pursuing realism and extravagance.
The animated film “Tangled” reportedly cost 30.9 billion yen to produce.
In comparison, Japanese anime production costs are low, costing around 300 million yen for a 13-episode season. Japanese anime has long pursued the goal of “creating high-quality works with minimal production costs.”
5. How Japanese Anime Became Popular Overseas
In 1963, Osamu Tezuka’s “Astro Boy” was broadcast in the United States under the title “ASTRO BOY.” Because “Atom” evokes the atomic bomb, the title was changed to “Astro Boy.”
In addition, many Studio Ghibli works can be credited with making Japanese anime famous.