Sazae-san is a manga series created by Machiko Hasegawa.
It illustrates typical Japanese lives in Showa era.
Sazae-san is a main character, 24 year-old housewife and
her family lead their happy, but casual lives.
In 1969, Fuji Television started anime version and has broadcasted for about 50 years.
Any Japanese didn’t have dinner without watching sazaesan every Sunday from 6:30 pm.
(Am I saying too much? but it’s kind of true.)
In 2013, Sazae-san was awarded the Guinness World Record for the longest series anime in the world. So, Sazae-san should be much more famous than Naruto or One piece. (I believe)
Anyway, by reading Sazae-san, you will understand:
1. How have our ancestors lived in Showa era, especially after the WWII?
2. How was women’s rights movement going?
3. Japanese language (Some are so old that we no longer use them.)
Before introducing this manga, I would like to explain main characters.
The name of the characters are very interesting because they are derived from marine animals.
Hence, if you remember all character’s name, you also remember marine animals in Japanese.
This is Sazae-san, a main character in this manga.
Sazae is called “horned turban” or “turban shell” in English.
She is 24 year-old-housewife.
She loves reading books, especially detective novels.
Sazae-san has one younger brother, Katsuo and one younger sister, Wakame.
Her husband is Masuo and they have a son, whose name is Tarao.
His name is Namihei, which means waves in English,
He is 54 years old and Sazae’s father.
Namihei is a typical Japanese man in Showa era.
(He usually doesn’t do any houseworks such as dishwashing and cooking)
He is sometimes strict to his children, but usually very generous.
His hobbies are making haiku, growing bonsai, and playing shogi.
Her name is Fune, which means a ship in English.
She wears casual kimono and and apron.
She is in 50’s and a typical Japanese woman in Showa era.
(She works hard for her family all the time.)
I think 良妻賢母 (ryo-sai-ken-bo) is the word for her.
( a good wife and a devoted mother )
His name is Masuo.
Masu is a trout in English. “O” stands for “a man” (男),
which is generally used for men’s names.
Masuo is Sazae-san’s husband.
He is very generous and a good father.
He likes to drink beer with Namihei, his father-in law.
He works for a trading company.
His name is Katsuo, which means a bonito in English.
He is in the fifth grade in an elementary school
He loves playing soccer baseball and “planks”
Katsuo doesn’t like studying so usually gets bad scores on exams.
Namihei, his father scolds him and tells him to study hard.
He is such a naughty but a very nice guy.
Her name is Wakame, which means seaweed in English.
She is in the third grade in an elementary school
She is very smart and kind.
Her hobbies are reading books and writing poems and pictures.
She really respects her mother, Fune and wish to be like her in the future.
His name is Tarao.
Tara means cod fish and O means 男 used for man’s name.
He is three years old and a child of Masuo and Sazae.
He has a pure heart, but is sometimes stubborn.
He really loves Katsuo and Wakame.
(Katsuo is an uncle and Wakame is an aunt for him)
Tama is a white male cat.
Tama is a typical name for cats in a few decades ago.
(A typical name for Dogs was Pochi, you might know)
These are all members of Sazae-san’s family.
Their neighbors are very nice and friendly as well.
Finally, I am going to show you a four panel cartoon.
cited from Sazae-san
Sazae-san is using a pedal sewing machine.
Sewing machine is ミシン (Mishin) in Japanese.
Mishin is a sound that people misheard the word “machine”
Isn’ it interesting?
