20 movies, 800 series episodes and 50 million books sold. Other superheroes can only dream of this. The Japanese hero made of yeast dough is called Anpanman and is a welcome change from Iron Man, Batman & Co. His greatest weakness is dirt. Its greatest strength is a head filled with bean paste.
The comparatively vulnerable superhero leaves the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe behind financially. This is particularly touching because the character was created in dire need.
In this article you will learn:
Anpanman: Who is the successful superhero that nobody in this country knows?
Originally Anpanman was one picture book series by Japanese publisher Froebel-kan by creator Takashi Yanase. The first edition appeared in 1973, the first sketches much earlier. The first manga, a series, movies, spin-offs and countless merchandise soon followed. Today Anpanman is felt on every second lunch box * in Japanese kindergartens.
Anpanman is unique compared to other successful superheroes. It exists to be eaten. It got its name from the so-called Anpan, a yeast dough pastry with a bean paste filling.
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Soreike! anpanman
Like any good crime fighter, he flies around and confronts evil. He has to be careful though his head doesn’t get dirty and inedible. It is there to be eaten by starving people. When the happy face has been completely devoured, its creator, the baker Jam-ojisan, simply bakes a new head. The fresher the head, the stronger the superpowers.
Although Anpanman has not achieved worldwide fame for 50 years, the cash registers are ringing non-stop.
28 billion euros: Anpanman beats the MCU, Harry Potter and Super Mario
28 billion euros is an unimaginably high sum. That would be enough to shoot Avengers 4: Endgame 76 times or buy 140,000 new Ferraris. The Anpanman franchise brought in 28 billion euros from 1973 until the death of its creator in 2013. In the last ten years, the total profit from books, anime and merchandise has certainly increased a lot.
In Japan, nothing and nobody comes close to Anpanman’s success in film and television. Even the international leaders Pokémon and Hello Kitty are left behind there. In the worldwide comparison of the most successful media franchises Anpanman was ranked 7th according to Statista in 2021:
It is amazing that, with the exception of Anpanman, everyone in the international top 10 is also known in Germany. Maybe it’s because hardly anyone here knows the Anpan on which it is based. The tragic emergence of the hero is understandable worldwide.
Dark origin story: The idea for Anpanman originated in the Second World War
There are two museums in Japan that tell the story of Anpanman creator Takashi Yanase. We get an insight thanks to a processing by Google Arts & Culture. It becomes clear that Anpanman born out of bitter need and disappointment.
Yanase was drafted into World War II at just 22 years old and endured long periods of agonizing starvation at the front. He dreamed of eating anpan, which is what anpanman is made of. It takes on a whole new meaning that the superhero sacrifices himself by feeding parts of himself to starving people.
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Soreike! anpanman
In times of war, Yanase was taught to fight for justice. When World War II was over, the facts turned in the opposite direction. After this bitter disappointment, he tried to find his own understanding of justice. The sacrifice of Anpanman for the benefit of those around him was his response.
The anime Soreike is available to stream! Unfortunately, Anpanman and the numerous cinema films in Germany do not. At Amazon, however, you will find what you are looking for in the DVD department and can browse through numerous Anpanman episodes *.
More insider tips in the podcast: 15 good series that you can stream for free
Far away from Netflix and Co., there are numerous series that you can stream completely free of charge without a subscription. In the new episode of our podcast Streamgeurious, we present 15 insider tips.
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We have selected 15 fantastic series tips for you from the free streaming programs from Amazon’s Freeve to the ZDF media library. Whether it’s funny comedy, harrowing drama, weird fantasy adventure or a forgotten sci-fi masterpiece: there’s something for every taste.
*The links to the Amazon offer are so-called affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we will receive a commission.