Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz was born on November 26, 1922, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. His father, a barber and a huge comic book fan, sparked his own interest, and he aspired to become a cartoonist from elementary school onward. His shy personality led him to be teased by his classmates, but this experience inspired the creation of "Charlie Brown." His beagle, Spike, whom he adopted at age 13, later became the inspiration for Snoopy. After graduating from high school, he submitted cartoons to magazines but was unsuccessful. In 1945, he began working at his alma mater, the Art Instruction School. He named his colleague there, Charlie Brown, after the main character in "Peanuts." He continued submitting cartoons while working at the school, and in 1947, his first cartoon, "Lil' Folks," the prototype for "Peanuts," was published in a local newspaper. In 1950, "Peanuts" began serialization in eight magazines across the United States. Its popularity grew, leading to its use as a marketing ambassador for major corporations. It was adapted into a television cartoon and won an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award. Schulz himself received the highest honor for a cartoonist, the Reuben Award. In 1968, Snoopy became the mascot for the NASA manned spaceflight program, and a Snoopy plush toy flew to the moon aboard Apollo 10. In 1984, "Peanuts" reached its 2,000th magazine, earning recognition in the Guinness Book of World Records. In 1986, he was inducted into the Cartoonists Hall of Fame, and in 1996, his name was added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. However, in December 1999, he retired from cartooning due to cancer. He passed away three months later. The Mori Arts Center Gallery is currently hosting the "Snoopy Exhibition: Happiness Comes from Knowing You More." This exhibition displays valuable materials, including approximately 100 original drawings that will be shown in Japan for the first time, as well as Schulz's sketches and the original drawing of "Lil' Folks."