The Flip-Side of WWII: Comics as a Means for Reconciliation in Allied Occupied Japan
For many comic enthusiasts, myself included, World War II comics have proven to be some of the most iconic treasures one can ever behold. In a time of great uncertainty, the Greatest Generation stood up to the Nazi regime, and comics reminded them that the soul of America, personified in its comic book heroes, fought alongside them. With Superman, Captain America, and the Black Terror facing down Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo, Axis forces didn’t have a chance!
However, as the Allies celebrated the victory and most of the world breathed a sigh of relief, at least one group must have faced great fear and uncertainty: the population of Allied Occupied Japan. Many Japanese civilians had lost their loved ones and the providers for their families in the war. Many also worried how they might be treated under Allied Occupation. Would they not worry about their own lives and well-being? More importantly, would they not fear for the lives of their children?
With this background in mind, a little-known comic makes a brief appearance, an appeal to the Allied Occupation Forces: “Fuku-Chan: Japanese Children in Comics” by Ryuichi Yokoyama (1946), edited by Takako Shibusawa and published by the Takara Club.
The address from the first page from editor Takako Shibusawa tells all we need to know.
“To the Allied Occupation Forces… To your eyes the average Japanese children might not be anything more than a mere nuisance along the roadside… [but] They too have the many lovely qualities common to the children everywhere… Fuku-Chan represents the average children of Japan, being born among the lower class of people holding the greatest majority of the population. If Fuku-chan and the like could only grow up amidst the loving kindness of the world, and be given the opportunity to receive proper education, the nation which he and his friends will construct would just inevitably be one beloved by the whole world.”
This comic makes the plea: Please think about our children. They’re no different from your own.
The comic is a collection of Fuku-Chan comic strips, most just 4 panels long, that show Fuku-Chan going about his daily mis-adventures with his friends and family. The comic is designed for Western audiences, with English text, with small Japanese translations on the side of each panel. In stark contrast with traditional Japanese comics and literature, the panels are printed from left to right, and pages are presented front to back.
The comic has no price and there is no 2nd issue. As mentioned previously, the publisher is the Takara Club (Ladies Club). Editor Takako Shibusawa demonstrates outstanding English skills in being able to write such a poignant and beautiful address, as well as achieve a faithful translation of the comic strips from Japanese to English.
Here the “facts” end and my own speculations begin.
First, this may be the first comic book in Japan published in English specifically for an English-speaking audience. Even the panels are rearranged to match the Western style of reading. For this reason, I think it would be of great interest to collectors of comics, manga, and anime in the US.
Second, I think this comic appeals to the universal hope that our children’s lives and opportunities will be better than our own. Even though Japan had just lost the war and was occupied, the address to Allied Occupied Forces makes the heart-wrenching plea that mercy and not vengeance will be given to the future generations.
Finally, I think there is a great interest in WWII comics with additional historical value, e.g. Okajima pedigree, and I believe this comic would be of great interest to this group of collectors as well.
Of note, this comic may be quite rare. I have had personal difficulties locating copies, which I have promptly purchased as soon as I knew of them. However, I would also be very happy to be corrected on this speculation as well. I believe that this comic should make it to the home of every collector that wants one, because it has a universal appeal that we all share as humans.
On a related note, given its lack of cover price, I suspect this comic was a giveaway. Consequently, I suspect this comic will be even more difficult to find in high grade. I will make an appeal, however, to future owners of this comic, to NOT have it encapsulated. I feel that the most important part of this comic is truly its contents, not the cover. Encasing the contents in plastic seems like a sin of some sort.
Fortunately for me and the readers of this article, I think the vast majority of US collectors do not know about this comic. Consequently, it’s one of the few comics that, if found, may not be very expensive.
And of course, just a few of the many questions that remain…
Were any of these comic strips created specifically for this comic by Ryuichi Yokoyama, the creator of Fuku-Chan?
Alternatively, were these actually reprints that were rearranged by the editor, Takako Shibusawa and the publisher, the Takara Ladies Club?
Speaking of which, who is Takako Shibusawa? What happened to the Takara Ladies Club?
Are there more comics like Fuku-Chan, or did Fuku-Chan stand alone in his plea for peace and reconciliation?
In the comic book world, we all know about the US comics that helped motivate the US to win WWII. Now we have a Japanese comic that appealed to the US for peace and reconciliation. Thank you to Ryuichi Yokoyama, Takako Shibusawa, and the Takara Ladies Club for Fuku-Chan!
Andy de Luna’s foray into the world of comics began at age five, when a single Adventure Comics digest from a supermarket stand captured his imagination. Over the past forty years, this early fascination blossomed into a lifelong passion, leading him to explore and collect a vast array of comic book worlds and stories. Today, he is a respected figure in the comic collecting community, known for his extensive knowledge and enduring enthusiasm for the medium.
©2023 Andres de Luna ARR for text
Images © Their respective copyright owners
"Kama ""Flip-Side ya WWII: Comics kama Njia ya Upatanisho katika Allied Occupied Japan"" kwa mashabiki wengi wa vichekesho, mimi mwenyewe ni pamoja na, Vita Kuu ya Pili ya Dunia vichekesho wamethibitika kuwa baadhi ya hazina iconic mtu anaweza milele kuona." Katika wakati wa kutokuwa na uhakika mkubwa, kizazi kikubwa zaidi kilisimama dhidi ya utawala wa Nazi, na vichekesho vilikumbusha kwamba roho ya Amerika, iliyoonyeshwa katika mashujaa wake wa vitabu vya vichekesho, ilipigana pamoja nao. Pamoja na Superman, Kapteni Amerika, na Ugaidi Mweusi wakikabiliwa na Hitler, Mussolini, na Tojo, majeshi ya Axis hayakuwa na nafasi! Hata hivyo, wakati Muungano uliposherehekea ushindi na sehemu kubwa ya ulimwengu ikitoa pumzi ya kitulizo, angalau kikundi kimoja kililazimika kukabili hofu kubwa na kutokuwa na uhakika: idadi ya watu wa Japani iliyokuwa chini ya utawala wa Muungano. Raia wengi Wajapani walikuwa wamepoteza wapendwa wao na wale waliowaandalia familia zao chakula katika vita hivyo. Wengi pia walihangaikia jinsi wangeweza kutendewa chini ya Utawala wa Muungano. Je, hawangehangaikia maisha yao na hali yao ya afya? Jambo la maana zaidi ni kwamba, je, hawangeogopa kwa ajili ya uhai wa watoto wao? "Kutokana na hali hii, katuni isiyojulikana sana inaonekana kwa ufupi, wito kwa vikosi vya uvamizi vya Muungano: ""Fuku-chan: Watoto wa Kijapani katika Katuni"" na Ryuichi Yokoyama (1946), iliyohaririwa na Takako Shibusawa na kuchapishwa na Klabu ya Takara." Anwani kutoka ukurasa wa kwanza kutoka kwa mhariri Takako Shibusawa inatuambia yote tunahitaji kujua. "Kwa macho yako, watoto wa kawaida wa Kijapani wanaweza kuwa kitu zaidi ya usumbufu tu kando ya barabara... lakini wao pia wana sifa nyingi nzuri za kawaida kwa watoto kila mahali... Fuku-Chan inawakilisha watoto wa kawaida wa Japani, kuzaliwa kati ya watu wa tabaka la chini wanaoshikilia idadi kubwa ya watu. """ Kama Fuku-chan na wengine kama yeye wangeweza kukua katika upendo wa ulimwengu, na kupewa fursa ya kupata elimu sahihi, taifa ambalo yeye na marafiki zake watajenga bila shaka litakuwa la kupendwa na ulimwengu wote. Wao si tofauti na wako mwenyewe. Fuku-chan ni mkusanyiko wa vichekesho vya Fuku-chan, zaidi ya paneli nne tu, ambazo zinaonyesha Fuku-chan akifanya vituko vyake vya kila siku na marafiki na familia yake. Mchoro huo umebuniwa kwa ajili ya watazamaji wa Magharibi, ukiwa na maandishi ya Kiingereza, na tafsiri ndogo za Kijapani upande wa kila jopo. Tofauti kabisa na vichekesho na fasihi ya kitamaduni ya Kijapani, paneli hizo huchapishwa kutoka kushoto hadi kulia, na kurasa zinaonyeshwa mbele hadi nyuma. Comic hii haijulikani na hakuna toleo la pili. Kama ilivyotajwa hapo awali, mchapishaji ni Klabu ya Takara (Klabu ya Wanawake). Mhariri Takako Shibusawa anaonyesha ustadi wa Kiingereza wa kipekee katika kuweza kuandika anwani kama hiyo yenye kuumiza na nzuri, na pia kufikia tafsiri ya uaminifu ya vichekesho kutoka Kijapani hadi Kiingereza. Hapa "habari" huisha na uvumi wangu mwenyewe huanza. Kwanza, huenda hii ikawa kitabu cha kwanza cha vichekesho nchini Japani kuchapishwa katika Kiingereza hasa kwa ajili ya wasikilizaji wanaozungumza Kiingereza. Hata mabamba yamepangwa upya ili yapatane na mtindo wa kusoma wa Magharibi. Kwa sababu hii, nadhani itakuwa ya kuvutia sana kwa wakusanyaji wa vichekesho, manga, na anime nchini Marekani. Pili, nadhani katuni hii inahusu matumaini ya ulimwengu kwamba maisha na fursa za watoto wetu zitakuwa bora kuliko zetu. Hata ingawa Japani ilikuwa imeshindwa vita na ilikuwa imeshambuliwa, ujumbe huo kwa majeshi ya Allied Occupation Forces unaomba kwa uchungu kwamba huruma na si kisasi itapewa vizazi vijavyo. Kwa hivyo, kwa kweli, kuna uwezekano mkubwa wa kuwa na picha za WWII za kuchekesha na za kuvutia, na kwa hivyo, kwa kweli, kuna uwezekano wa kuwa na picha za WWII za kuchekesha. Okajima pedigree, na naamini hii comic itakuwa ya maslahi makubwa kwa kundi hili la wakusanyaji pia. Kumbuka, hii comic inaweza kuwa nadra sana. Nimekuwa na matatizo ya kibinafsi ya kupata nakala, ambazo nimenunua mara tu nilipopata habari juu yao. Hata hivyo, ningependa pia kurekebishwa juu ya uvumi huu pia. "Ninaamini kwamba katuni hii inapaswa kufika nyumbani kwa kila mkusanyaji anayetaka moja, kwa sababu ina rufaa ya ulimwengu ambayo sisi sote tunashiriki kama wanadamu. """ Kwa maelezo yanayohusiana, kwa kuzingatia ukosefu wake wa bei ya jalada, ninashuku kwamba katuni hii ilikuwa ya kutoa. Kwa hiyo, ninashuku kwamba kitabu hiki cha vichekesho kitakuwa vigumu zaidi kukipata katika darasa la juu. Hata hivyo, nitawaomba wamiliki wa baadaye wa katuni hii, wasiiweke ndani ya vifungo. Ninahisi kwamba sehemu muhimu zaidi ya kitabu hiki cha vichekesho ni yaliyomo ndani yake, si jalada. Kufunga yaliyomo katika plastiki huonekana kuwa dhambi ya aina fulani. Kwa bahati nzuri kwa ajili yangu na wasomaji wa makala hii, nadhani wengi wa wakusanyaji wa Marekani hawajui kuhusu comic hii. Kwa hiyo, ni mojawapo ya vichekesho vichache ambavyo, ikiwa vitatolewa, huenda visikuwa vya bei ghali sana. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, kuna baadhi ya vichekesho vya ""Fukuoka"" ambavyo vimeundwa na Ryuichi Yokoyama, mtengenezaji wa Fukuoka." "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Mapeperushi"" haya ni ya kawaida, lakini ni ya kawaida kwa sababu ya kuundwa kwa Takayuki Shigure na Takayuki Shigure, na kwa sababu ya kuundwa kwa Takayuki Shigure na Takayuki Shigure." Kwa nini Takako Shibusawa? Ni nini kilichotokea kwa Klabu ya Wanawake ya Takara? Je, kuna wachekeshaji wengi kama Fuku-Chan, au Fuku-Chan alisimama peke yake katika ombi lake la amani na upatanisho? Katika ulimwengu wa vitabu vya vichekesho, kila mtu anajua kuhusu vichekesho vya Marekani ambavyo vilisaidia kuchochea Marekani kushinda Vita Kuu ya Pili ya Ulimwengu. "Mchoro wa kuchekesha wa Kijapani unaitwa ""Usalama na Upatanisho.""" Asanteni Ryuichi Yokoyama, Takako Shibusawa, na Klabu ya Wanawake ya Takara kwa Fuku-Chan! Andy de Luna's foray katika ulimwengu wa vichekesho ilianza katika umri wa miaka mitano, wakati moja Adventure Comics digest kutoka duka kubwa kusimama kukamatwa mawazo yake. Katika miaka 40 iliyopita, shauku hii ya mapema ilikua kuwa shauku ya maisha yote, ikimwongoza kuchunguza na kukusanya safu kubwa ya ulimwengu na hadithi za vitabu vya vichekesho. Leo, yeye ni mtu anayeheshimiwa katika jamii ya kukusanya vichekesho, anayejulikana kwa maarifa yake makubwa na shauku ya kudumu kwa njia hiyo. "203 Andres de Luna ""Reflections"" kwa ajili ya maandishi, picha na wamiliki wao wa haki za uchapaji"