To commemorate the 120th anniversary of the birth of manga artist Tagawa Suiho, the Kawasaki City Museum will be holding an exhibition titled "It's Norakuro! Tagawa Suiho and the Children's Manga Wonderland" from September 18th to November 24th.


Tagawa Suiho's masterpiece, "Norakuro," first began serialization in the January 1931 issue of "Shonen Club" (published by Dai Nippon Yubenkai Kodansha) and quickly became a huge hit. Its success extended beyond manga to include plays, animated films, records, dolls, and even free gifts with sweets, making "Norakuro" a cultural icon of the era.

Tagawa attracted talented apprentices, including Sugiura Shigeru and Hasegawa Machiko, who aspired to become manga artists. As other publishers began to enter the manga field, a number of up-and-coming artists emerged, and a flood of children's manga appeared on the market. This fostered a rich trend of children's story manga, which continued unabated even during the war and, after the war, became a breeding ground for new talent such as Tezuka Osamu, driving the rapid advancement of manga culture.

Based on the history of children's manga, which began in the Meiji era, this exhibition focuses on the footprint and influence that Tagawa Suiho left on prewar manga and other fields, rediscovering the unknown, rich world of "children's manga," which flourished in the prewar Showa era alongside "Norakuro," through approximately 180 precious original drawings from the period and books.

Original drawing from Tagawa Suiho's "Norakuro Buyudan" (included in "Norakuro Buyudan," 1938) Kodansha Collection
(C) Tagawa Suiho/Kodansha, provided by Kodansha Ltd.
Tagawa Suiho and "Norakuro" played a major role in the creation of so-called "story manga," the long narrative manga that we read and enjoy every day today. What exactly did Tagawa Suiho express in his manga, and what influence did they have on later generations? We take a closer look at the revolution that Tagawa Suiho brought about in manga expression.

Then came the picture book series "Kodansha's Picture Books," which began publication in December 1936. Each month's lineup included an issue featuring manga, and the magazine's pages were filled with beautiful, multicolored manga that captivated children at the time. This exhibition features a large number of original drawings by select artists such as Shinseki Kennosuke and Hasegawa Machiko.

In addition to "Norakuro," we will also be showcasing the fascinating characters created by Tagawa Suiho, a popular author whose works were serialized in numerous magazines. "Norakuro Goods and the Tagawa Couple" (1934) Private Collection (C) Tagawa Suiho A number of related events are also being held. The "Norakuro Animation Maniacs Lecture," to be held from 2pm on September 22nd, will showcase not only the Norakuro animations produced by top animation artists Yasuji Murata and Mitsuyo Seo, but also the numerous pirated versions produced by unknown artists. The curator in charge will guide visitors through the deep world of pre-war animation. Additionally, a new rakugo performance by Takazawa Jitei, "Cats and Goldfish," will be held from 2pm on October 13th. Yanagiya Kyonosuke and Yanagiya Kohaze will perform another lesser-known work by Tagawa Suiho, "Cat and Goldfish," a work by new rakugo writer Takazawa Jitei, and other pieces. A stroller tour will be held from 11:45 AM on October 17th, and gallery tours will be held on the first and third Saturdays of each month from 2 PM.

Kawasaki City Museum was established in 1988 as Japan's first public art museum to collect, research, and preserve manga materials, and has since hosted special exhibitions delving into the history of various manga. This will be Kawasaki City Museum's long-awaited large-scale exhibition.