Takashi Yanase

Takashi Yanase (やなせ たかし,Yanase Takashi,February 6, 1919 – October 13, 2013) was a Japanese writer, poet, illustrator and lyricist. He was best known as the creator of the picture book and animated series Anpanman. Yanase was chairman of the Japan Cartoonists Association from May 2000 to 2012.

Early life, Military service
After graduating from the Tokyo School of Arts and Crafts in 1939 he entered Tokyo Tanabe Pharmaceuticals in the marketing department. In 1941 he was drafted into the army under the 6th Field Heavy Artillery Reserve Company stationed in China. As an educated non-commissioned officer he was assigned to senbu operations, presenting kamishibai to Chinese civilians. His younger brother was killed in action during the Pacific Campaign.

Post-war alongside other veterans Yanase made a living collecting garbage. To pursue his artistic embarkations he entered Kochi Shimbun in 1956, working as an editor. Hearing that his co-worker Nobu Komatsu was quitting and relocating to Tokyo, Yanase did the same. They would marry in 1947. While working at Mitsukoshi as a graphic designer he would pick up drawing manga seriously, submitting his works to newspapers and magazines. Finding success, Yanase would quit to work on manga full-time in 1953. His income from manga was triple that of his department store job.

Religion
The day after his death, an obituary in the October 16, 2013 edition of the Tokyo Shimbun reported that he was "a dandy Christian with a strong faith." However, a correction was later published in the November 20, 2013 edition of the Tokyo Shimbun: "It was an error to refer to Takashi Yanase as a Christian.” Yanase himself wrote in "Gekkan Omoshihan No. 57, Special Feature: No Need for Religion!” in the March 1976 issue of Gekkan Omoshiban No. 57, "I don't have any religious beliefs at all. I’ll probably never turn to religion.” and “I’m not religious at all, even though I respect religion and worship God in my own way. I’m not religious at all.”

Photos of his gravesite also show no evidence of him being a Christian. His gravesite lacks crosses and references to Jesus Christ. He was cremated and buried at his father’s former home, where he spent his early childhood. On his gravestone is this poem translated from Japanese, “I want to be a magnolia tree. In the season, bashful and shy, white flowers will bloom. I want to sway with the breeze.”

Prose nonfiction

 * Anpanman's Testament (アンパンマンの遺書)
 * Life is Strange: Words to Live by (人生なんておかしいね　人生の言葉)
 * Second Youth Is a Thrill! (痛快！第二の青春)
 * Life Is But a Dream (人生なんて夢だけど)
 * Anyone Can Be a Poet (だれでも詩人になれる本)
 * Life Gets Interesting at 90! (人生、90歳からおもしろい!)
 * If I Were to Talk About Justice (わたしが正義について語るなら)
 * Next to Despair Lies Hope! (絶望の隣は希望です!) — written in response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

Standalone works

 * The Gentle Lion (やさしいライオン)
 * Little Jumbo (ちいさなジャンボ)
 * Goodbye Jumbo (さよならジャンボ)
 * Ringing Bell (チリンのすず)

Mighty Cat Masked Niyandar series

 * This series was created as a revision to the premise of his newspaper comic Hippity Hoppity Masked Savior (ピョンピョンおたすけかめん), which ran in the Asahi Shimbun from 1996 to 2000 and had a rabbit protagonist. Three books were published concurrently with the anime of the same name, which was developed in tandem.


 * 1) The Magic Backpack — A Hero is Born (まほうのランドセル　たんじょうへん)
 * 2) The Mysterious Adventure (ふしぎなぼうけん)
 * 3) Miiko's Transformation (ミーコのへんしん)

Anpanman series

 * The first four books:In 2009, the anime series Anpanman entered the Guinness World Records for having the highest number of characters (over 1,700).
 * The original books in the Anpanman series, published during the 1970s. All except Go! Anpanman were run in the "Kinder Ohanashi Ehon" (キンダーおはなしえほん) monthly anthology series before being subsequently republished for the mass market under the "Kinder Ohanashi Ehon Masterpiece Selection" (キンダーおはなしえほん傑作選) imprint; however, the first book was not republished until 1976, making the second book technically the first canonical Anpanman story to be released. Of these, Anpanman and Gorillaman is currently out of print.


 * 1) Anpanman (あんぱんまん)
 * 2) Go! Anpanman (それいけ！アンパンマン) (Published under "Froebel-kan no Ehon" imprint)
 * 3) Anpanman and Gorillaman (あんぱんまんとごりらまん)
 * 4) Anpanman and Baikinman (あんぱんまんとばいきんまん)


 * "Children's Fairytale Storybooks Masterpiece Selection" series (キンダーメルヘンえほん傑作選):
 * Several books originally serialized in the monthly Children's Fairytale Storybooks (キンダーメルヘンえほん) anthology series in the early 1980s. While they were also released to the mass market, they are now out of print.


 * 1) Anpanman and Shokupanman (あんぱんまんとしょくぱんまん)
 * 2) Shokupanman (しょくぱんまん)
 * 3) Akachanman (あかちゃんまん)
 * 4) Anpanman and Currypanman (アンパンマンとカレーパンマン)


 * "Anpanman Mini-Books" series (アンパンマンミニえほん):
 * A series of 25 storybooks published from 1983 to 1984 after the end of the monthly comic. These books were out of print for over a decade until 2010, when they were republished.


 * 1) Anpanman and the Lost Alien (アンパンマンとまいごのうちゅうじん)
 * 2) Anpanman and the Giant Monster Ankora (アンパンマンとかいじゅうアンコラ)
 * 3) Anpanman and the Graffiti Kid (アンパンマンとらくがきこぞう)
 * 4) Anpanman and the Kabirunruns (アンパンマンとかびるんるん)
 * 5) Anpanman and the Ghost Forest (アンパンマンとおばけのもり)
 * 6) Anpanman and Lookalikepan (アンパンマンとそっくりぱん)
 * 7) Anpanman and Lumpman (アンパンマンとたんこぶまん)
 * 8) Anpanman and Butamanman (アンパンマンとぶたまんまん)
 * 9) Anpanman and Kazekonkon (アンパンマンとかぜこんこん)
 * 10) Anpanman and Currypanman/Omusubiman (アンパンマンとカレーパンマン・おむすびまん)
 * 11) Anpanman and the Yawn-Bird (アンパンマンとあくびどり)
 * 12) Anpanman and Hedoroman (アンパンマンとへどろまん)
 * 13) Anpanman and Nankahendaa (アンパンマンとナンカヘンダー)
 * 14) Anpanman and Ramen Angel (アンパンマンとらーめんてんし)
 * 15) Anpanman and Thunder Pika-tan (アンパンマンとかみなりぴかたん)
 * 16) Anpanman and Toothpasteman (アンパンマンとはみがきまん)
 * 17) Anpanman and Namekujira (アンパンマンとなめくじら)
 * 18) Anpanman and Beroberoman (アンパンマンとべろべろまん)
 * 19) Anpanman and the Snifflebomb (アンパンマンとしくしくばくだん)
 * 20) Anpanman and Tendonman (アンパンマンとてんどんまん)
 * 21) Anpanman and the Fireball Kid (アンパンマンとひのたまこぞう)
 * 22) Anpanman and Apple-chan (アンパンマンとりんごちゃん)
 * 23) Anpanman and the Lake Princess (アンパンマンとみずうみひめ)
 * 24) Anpanman and Takoyakiman (アンパンマンとたこやきまん)
 * 25) Anpanman and Milk Boy (アンパンマンとみるくぼうや)


 * "The Adventures of Anpanman" series (アンパンマンのぼうけん):
 * A 15-book series published between 1987 and 1989, which ended just prior to the start of the weekly newspaper comic strip. Some (but not all) of the series were published in picture-book anthologies prior to mass-market publication. The Soreike! Anpanman anime began during the release of this series, and the character Dokinchan (introduced in book six, Anpanman and Dokin) featured heavily there from the start, influencing Yanase's later Anpanman works.


 * 1) Anpanman and Pot-chan (アンパンマンとポットちゃん)
 * 2) Anpanman and Piichiku Forest (アンパンマンとぴいちくもり)
 * 3) Anpanman and Dadandan (アンパンマンとだだんだん)
 * 4) Anpanman and Mogurin (アンパンマンともぐりん)
 * 5) Anpanman and The Building-Block Castle (アンパンマンとつみきのしろ)
 * 6) Anpanman and Dokin (アンパンマンとドキン)
 * 7) Anpanman and the Sea-Devil (アンパンマンとうみのあくま)
 * 8) Anpanman and Bonbon Island (アンパンマンとぼんぼんじま)
 * 9) Anpanman and Invisibleman (アンパンマンとみえないまん)
 * 10) Anpanman and Chikurin (アンパンマンとちくりん)
 * 11) Anpanman and Dodo (アンパンマンとドド)
 * 12) Anpanman and Tartan (アンパンマンとタータン)
 * 13) Anpanman and Crescent-Moon Man (アンパンマンとみかづきまん)
 * 14) Anpanman and Karen's Forest (アンパンマンとカレンのもり)
 * 15) Anpanman and the Black Bird (アンパンマンとくろいとり)


 * Omusubiman series
 * A spinoff of the main Anpanman series, featuring the character Omusubiman and his younger companion Komusubiman. Published in the 1980s and early 1990s, all books in the series are now out of print.


 * "Anpanman no Ohanashi Detekoi" series (アンパンマンのおはなしでてこい):
 * A 12-book series begun immediately after the end of the newspaper comic.


 * 1) Anpanman and the Water Castle (アンパンマンとみずのしろ)
 * 2) Anpanman and Princess Greenleaf (アンパンマンとあおばひめ)
 * 3) Anpanman and the Magic Wooden Horse (アンパンマンとまほうのもくば)
 * 4) Anpanman and Rollpanna (アンパンマンとロールパンナ)
 * 5) Anpanman and Toothpaste Mountain (アンパンマンとはみがきやま)
 * 6) Anpanman and Marimo-kun (アンパンマンとまりもくん)
 * 7) Anpanman and the Land of Dreams (アンパンマンとゆめのくに)
 * 8) Anpanman and Marbleman (アンパンマンとびいだまん)
 * 9) Anpanman and PunchPunchPuuunch (アンパンマンとぱしぱしぱしーん)
 * 10) Anpanman and Balloonman (アンパンマンとふうせんまん)
 * 11) Anpanman and the Magic Brush (アンパンマンとまほうのふで)
 * 12) Anpanman and Chibizou-kun (アンパンマンとちびぞうくん)


 * "Anpanman Lullabies" (アンパンマンのこもりうた) series:
 * A collection of bedtime stories for children.


 * 1) The Sleepy Sleepy Uncle (ねむねむおじさん)
 * 2) The Night-Night Sleepy Tree (ねんねんねむのき)
 * 3) Shidoro and Modoro (シドロとモドロ)
 * 4) The Dream Foal (ゆめのこうま)


 * "Anpanman no Ohanashi Wakuwaku" (アンパンマンのおはなしわくわく) series:
 * Another 12-book collection of original Anpanman stories following up the "Ohanashi Detekoi" series.


 * 1) Anpanman's Secret (アンパンマンのひみつ)
 * 2) Anpanman and the Rainbow Ghost (アンパンマンとにじおばけ)
 * 3) Keep It Secret from Anpanman (アンパンマンにはないしょ)
 * 4) Anpanman and Naganegiman (アンパンマンとナガネギマン)
 * 5) Anpanman and Dokinchan's Dream (アンパンマンとドキンちゃんのゆめ)
 * 6) Anpanman and the Desert Treasure (アンパンマンとさばくのたから)
 * 7) Anpanman and Snow Black (アンパンマンとくろゆきひめ)
 * 8) Anpanman and the Blue Tears (アンパンマンとあおいなみだ)
 * 9) Anpanman and the Question-Mark Tower (アンパンマンとハテナのとう)
 * 10) Anpanman and the Flying Ume Fruit (アンパンマンとそらとぶうめのみ)
 * 11) Anpanman and Shabondaman (アンパンマンとシャボンダマン)
 * 12) Anpanman and Horror Horrorko (アンパンマンとホラ・ホラコ)


 * "Anpanman no Runrun Ehon" series (アンパンマンのるんるんえほん):
 * A series of small-format storybooks, published in 2003.


 * 1) Anpanman and Friends (アンパンマンとなかまたち)
 * 2) Dokinchan and Pillow Kid (アンパンマンとまくらこぞう)
 * 3) Baikinman's Sudden Change (ばいきんまんのはやがわり)
 * 4) Melonpanna's Drink-drink-drink (メロンパンナのぐーぐーぐー)


 * "Anpanman no Ohanashi Runrun" series (アンパンマンのおはなしるんるん):
 * The latest, still-ongoing Anpanman picture-book series, with six books to date.


 * 1) Anpanman and Bookman (アンパンマンとブックマン)
 * 2) Anpanman and the Twin Stars (アンパンマンとふたごのほし)
 * 3) Anpanman and the Artist Beret-chan (アンパンマンとおえかきベレちゃん)
 * 4) Anpanman and the Flower Castle (アンパンマンとはなのしろ)
 * 5) Anpanman and the Forest Treasure (アンパンマンともりのたから)
 * 6) Anpanman and Yawn-Boy (アンパンマンとアクビぼうや)
 * 7) Anpanman and Shidoro & Modoro (アンパンマンとシドロアンドモドロ)


 * Anpanman Christmas books:
 * Christmas-themed Anpanman books, published irregularly (roughly once a decade).


 * 1) Anpanman's Santa Claus (アンパンマンのサンタクロース)
 * 2) Anpanman's Christmas (アンパンマンのクリスマス)
 * 3) Merry Christmas! with Anpanman (アンパンマンとメリークリスマス！)
 * 4) Anpanman's Christmas Eve (アンパンマンのクリスマス・イブ)


 * Soreike! Anpanman theatrical movie series:
 * Official adaptations of the latest films in the Soreike! Anpanman anime series, published concurrently with the film release. In contrast to the official movie titles, the book titles are written without any kanji.


 * 1) Nossy the Dinosaur's Great Adventure (きょうりゅうノッシーのだいぼうけん)
 * 2) Lyrical Magical Magic School (リリカルマジカルまほうのがっこう)
 * 3) Defeat the Ghost Ship! (ゆうれいせんをやっつけろ！)
 * 4) The Flying Picture-Book and the Glass Slippers (そらとぶえほんとガラスのくつ)
 * 5) The Rainbow Pyramid (にじのピラミッド)
 * 6) Palms to the Sun (てのひらをたいように)
 * 7) When the Flower of Courage Blooms (ゆうきのはながひらくとき)
 * 8) Tears of the Mermaid Princess (にんぎょひめのなみだ)
 * 9) Gomira's Star (ゴミラのほし)
 * 10) Roll & Rolla: Secret of the Floating Cloud Castle (ロールとローラ　うきぐもじょうのひみつ)
 * 11) Ruby's Wish (ルビーのねがい)
 * 12) Nyanii of Dream Cat Land (ゆめねこのくにのニャニイ)
 * 13) Hapii's Great Adventure (ハピーのだいぼうけん)
 * 14) Dolly of the Star of Life (いのちのほしのドーリィ)
 * 15) Purun the Soap-Bubble (シャボンだまのプルン)
 * 16) Secret of the Fairy Rinrin (ようせいリンリンのひみつ)
 * 17) Dadandan and the Twin Stars (だだんだんとふたごのほし)
 * 18) Black Nose and the Magic Song (ブラックノーズとまほうのうた)
 * 19) Rescue them! Kokorin and the Miracle Star (すくえ！ココリンときせきのほし)

Comics

 * Little Bō (リトル・ボオ)
 * The heroic adventures of a small person wearing a hat that comes down over his eyes, run in Takashimaya department store's mail-order catalog.　A prototype for the Anpanman character Butterko appears here with the same name, though the name pun is different (from dotabata, running around noisily).


 * Hot-Blooded Fairytale Masterpiece Anpanman (熱血メルヘン傑作アンパンマン)
 * Published in the January 1975 to May 1976 issues of Monthly Poetry and Fairytales (月刊詩とメルヘン). This manga was a series of illustrated stories aimed at adults, and included the supporting characters "Nakasu Yaruse" (a cartoonist) and "Miruka Mite" (a female reporter). Never reprinted.


 * Anpanman (あんぱんまん)
 * Serialized in the September 1976 to July 1982 issues of Monthly Ichigo Ehon (月刊いちごえほん), published by Sanrio. The series consisted of 71 two-page chapters of six or eight panels each. In January 1981, partway through the series, the title was changed to Anpanman (アンパンマン) (the same name, written in katakana instead of hiragana). Though never republished in collected form, it included several important elaborations of the Anpanman mythos, detailing the character's origin story and introducing the characters Butterko, Cheese, Shokupanman, Currypanman, and Baikinman.


 * Fly! Anpanman (とべ！アンパンマン)
 * A newspaper comic that ran in the Sunday issue of the Yomiuri Shimbun from 1 January 1990 to 29 May 1994, with a total of 227 strips. The series is partially reprinted in a three-volume collection that covers the first year and a half, with English translation　(by Yuriko Tamaki) in the margins. Apart from its bilingual printing, it is also known for having Baikinman as its focus character, with a number strips in which Anpanman does not appear at all.


 * 1) (March 1991)
 * 2) (November 1991)
 * 3) (December 1991)

Creator

 * The Gentle Lion
 * Little Jumbo
 * Ringing Bell (チリンの鈴)
 * Go! Anpanman (それいけ！アンパンマン)
 * Mighty Cat Masked Niyandar (ニャニがニャンだー ニャンダーかめん)
 * Laughing Hat Little Bō (わらうぼうし　リトル・ボオ)

Vocal performance

 * Metropolis (2001): Minor role as a tribute to his former colleague, Osamu Tezuka
 * Soreike! Anpanman Christmas Special — "Dance! Sing! Christmas for Everyone" (2006): Special cameo as "Yanase Bunny"

Lyrics

 * Norakuro (1970) - Opening theme who was sung by Norakuro's voice actor, Nobuyo Oyama, who was known for dubbing Doraemon in Doraemon's 1979 series and being the first voice actor of Katsuo Isono from Sazae-san.
 * Mighty Cat Masked Niyander (2000)
 * Tenohira wo Taiyou ni(Japanese wiki page) (1961)