Kinkon Tosanikki ⑧

A series of four-panel comics called Kinkon Tosanikki appears in the evening edition of the local Kochi Shimbun newspaper.

At Makino Botanical Garden
Takumi: Whoa~.
(Sign: Sakamoto Ryoma)

Takumi : Those plant humans were so cool.
Grandma: You mean chrysanthemum dolls!


Takumi : I want to be like them…
Grandma: Oi! You’re walking toward the bushes.


Takumi : Look! I’m like them!!
Grandma: A very dull cocklebur human.

Yokoyama Memorial Manga Museum

   This museum was completed in the Kochi City Bunka Plaza “Culport” in 2002 in order to commemorate the achievements of Ryuichi Yokoyama (1909-2001). It exhibits a variety of his works including one of his best known characters, “Fuku-chan”.

Open: 9:00am-6:00pm
Closed: Mondays (unless Mon is a national or substitute holiday), Dec.28-Jan. 4
Access: Get off at Saenba tramcar station, and then walk 3min.
Fee: Adults 400yen, 65 years and over 200yen, SHS and under free
Inquiries: TEL088-883-5029
HP: http://www.bunkaplaza.or.jp/mangakan/english/index.html (English)

Taken from vol.30 PDF

Koshin Manga Dojo & Kuroshio Manga Taisho

   Do you regularly read the Kochi Newspaper? Each month, they have a manga column, called “Koshin Manga Dojo,” to which readers can contribute their own manga. This special column was started in February 1987 for amateur manga writers who wanted to put their skills to the test.

Manga characters for railway stations

Noichindonman

   Did you know that each station along the Gomen-Nahari line has its own manga character? Each character was designed byYanase Takashi – who is famous as the creator of Anpan-Man – and reflects something of the culture or produce of the area around the station. Let’s take a look at two characters that I find interesting. First is ‘Noichindonman’ at Noichi Station.

 

 

Yanase Takashi & Anpan-Man Museum

   Anybody living in Japan is bound to run into Anpan-Man sooner or later. As his name would suggest, this superhero is made out of Anpan: bean-jam-filled bread.

 

   First appearing in a picture book in 1973, he was made into a television cartoon in 1988, and has been loved by all Japan for nearly 40 years. He is a kind, strong warrior for justice who flies through the sky, battles the evil bacteria Baikin Man, and gives pieces of his own delicious body to the hungry.

 

Yuko Yamaguchi (Kitty’s third generation designer)

   Originating in Japan, “Hello Kitty” is Sanrio’s most famous international character. Kitty was first seen printed on a Sanrio plastic coin purse that went on sale in 1974. Since then, she has been appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and has also been co-opted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as a Goodwill Tourism Ambassador for China and HongKong.

 

Kuroshio Kun (the mascot of Kochi)

   I am Kuroshio Kun, the mascot of Kochi Prefecture. I am a wave of the Black Current (Kuroshio). You must have seen me somewhere else before.

 

   My charming points are a cute pair of eyes and a smiling face. I will make you happy by my relaxing atmosphere. In 1997, Kochi Prefecture held a public competition to design a mascot. A lady from Aichi Prefecture drew me and won the prize. I guess you could call her my mother.

 

The 9th Annual MANSAI – Kochi Manga Festival 2011

Copyright © 2010 まんさい

   If you like manga, you may already know that Kochi is known as the Kingdom of Manga. Many famous manga artists sprouted from Kochi, the most well-known being Ryuichi Yokoyama, creator of Fuku-chan, and Takashi Yanase, creator of beloved Anpanman. Besides being home to a few museums inspired by these two manga artists (the Yokoyama Memorial Manga Museum, Anpanman Museum, and Poem & Märchen Gallery) Kochi also hosts a national high school manga championship called the Manga Koshien every year.

  

Kochi’s Manga Culture

Yusuke Aoyagi, cartoonist

   Kochi has produced many famous manga (comic) writers and is sometimes called the “Manga Kingdom”. No sooner than you set foot in this “Manga Kingdom” than you will come across some sort of manga-related sight. For example, Manga Koshien (Inter High School Manga Championship), the Anpanman Museum, the Koshin Manga Dojo (Kochi Newspaper Co. Manga Gym), Manga Railway, Ryuichi Yokoyama Memorial Manga Museum etc.

Manga Koshien

   Koshien is a baseball stadium situated in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Pref, and is holy ground for all Japan’s high school baseball players. Schools compete twice annually at regional preliminary games for the privilege to play at this hallowed stadium. The word has been co-opted by Kochi for the Manga Koshien – which is a competition for high school cartoonists. Teams compete for the national manga championship once a year. 

Kinkon Tosanikki ②

A series of four-panel comics appears in the evening edition of the local Kochi Shimbun newspaper.

Kinkon Tosanikki

A series of four-panel comics called Kinkon Tosanikki appears in the evening edition of the local Kochi Shimbun newspaper.