The Asahi Shimbun Company – August 15, 2016 – KUMAMOTO–A nonprofit group here is generating smiles from all ages in quake-ravaged areas of the prefecture by using the power of manga.
On July 16, the Kumamoto Manga Museum Project (Kumaman) began touring the areas rocked by the devastating series of earthquakes in April to provide manga to evacuees and display a special message board of encouragement signed and drawn by award-winning manga artists.
“It is rare for so many popular manga creators to write comments and draw illustrations on a single panel,” said Hiroshi Hashimoto, head of the local nonprofit.
After the temblors rocked the prefecture, officials involved in the 20th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize proposed creating a message panel for the evacuees. The board with many encouraging comments was developed at the awards ceremony and memorial event in late May, according to the officials.
Kei Ichinoseki, the creator of “Hanagami Sharaku,” a manga about an ukiyo-e woodblock print artist, and Kiyohiko Azuma, who writes and illustrates humorous manga “Yotsuba&!” shared the Manga Grand Prix.
Twelve individuals, including Ichinoseki, Azuma, Naoki Urasawa, Rieko Saibara, Kotobuki Shiriagari, Takeshi Yoro, Shigesato Itoi as well as other screening committee members and attendees of the memorial event, wrote their signatures and messages around an illustration of Tezuka’s famous Astro Boy to provide encouragement for “the people in Kumamoto Prefecture.”
The message panel was donated to Kumaman in June.
Kumaman’s manga warehouse was damaged by the quakes. The Kyoto International Manga Museum, which won the special award in the 20th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, donated the 1 million yen ($9,400) it received as prize money to Kumaman.
Although Kumaman is still struggling to recover after the disaster, it has begun sending manga to quake victims with a traveling library. The group says that manga can provide joy and pleasure for people of all ages and help them as they proceed with reconstruction efforts.
Kumaman has teamed with the Koshi city government to visit the quake-hit areas. A manga museum is planned by the end of fiscal 2017 in the city.
Using a city-owned minivan, Kumaman is touring the areas with 700 manga books, including volumes of “Onihei Hankacho,” “One Piece” and “Doraemon,” as well as picture books for little children.
The message panel accompanies the traveling library.
The minivan visited a school in the Namino district in Aso on July 16, and reached a day-care nursery in Nishihara on July 24. The library will also tour Minami-Aso, Kumamoto city and elsewhere.
“I believe many people will be able to forget their troubles and hardships, even for just a short period of time, and feel relaxed if they read manga,” Hashimoto said. “The panel has the power to excite viewers and encourage them to work hard. I will be happy if people feel positive and start working toward reconstruction.”