History Creator / TakashiYanase

Takashi Yanase (やなせたかし, ''Yanase Takashi'') (February 6, 1919 – October 13, 2013) was a prolific Japanese children's book author and illustrator. He was best known as the creator of the [[{{LongRunners}} long running]] [[{{Kodomomuke}} preschool series]] ''Literature/{{Anpanman}}'' and the children's book ''[[Anime/RingingBell Chirin No Suzu]]'' (''Chirin's Bell'') and ''Yasashii Lion'' (''The Kindly Lion''). Some of his works (such as ''The Kindly Lion'' and ''Chirin's Bell'') are notable for [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids touching on heavy]] and depressing subject matter (the latter being his most popular work). He was also a lyricist and poet writer with some of his poems getting published in a couple Japanese children's books.

* DeathByChildBirth: In ''The Kindly Lion'', it's mentioned that Buru-Buru's mother must had died sometime after he was born. Implying that his mother quickly passed away before he got to know her. While she doesn't show up in the animated short, she is depicted in some of Yanase's illustrations alongside his deceased father.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: ''Chirin's Bell'' is loosely based on Takashi's experiences in WWII. Woe the Wolf is seen as an allegory for war, Chirin for children and orphans effected by war, and Chirin's Mother for deceased parents and love ones who died during the war.

* ''Literature/RingingBell'' (チリンの鈴, ''Chirin no Suzu'', literally "Chirin's Bell"): [[https://makyun.tumblr.com/post/156148050207/chirin-no-suzu An English translation can be read here.]] [[note]]An early version of the story was first published in 1969 as part of Takashi Yanase's ''Twelve Pearls'' anthology book. [[/note]]

* ''Literature/TheRoseFlowerAndJoe'' (バラの花とジョー, ''Bara no Hana to Joe'') [[note]]An early version of the story was featured in Takashi Yanase's ''Twelve Pearls'' from 1969. [[/note]]

Takashi Yanase (やなせたかし, ''Yanase Takashi'') was a prolific Japanese children's book author and illustrator. He was best known as the creator of the [[{{LongRunners}} long running]] [[{{Kodomomuke}} preschool series]] ''Literature/{{Anpanman}}'' and the children's book ''[[Anime/RingingBell Chirin No Suzu]]'' (''Chirin's Bell'') and ''Yasashii Lion'' (''The Kindly Lion''). Some of his works (such as ''The Kindly Lion'' and ''Chirin's Bell'') are notable for [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids touching on heavy]] and depressing subject matter (the latter being his most popular work). He was also a lyricist and poet writer with some of his poems getting published in a couple Japanese children's books.

Yanase passed away in 2014 after a long period of sickness. After news broke of his passing, fans across Japan held public memorials, made tribute artwork, and other tributes to him and his works. After his death, a special museum was opened in Kōchi Prefecture, Japan in his memory called "Kami City Takashi Yanase Memorial Hall & Anpanman Museum" [[https://anpanman-museum.net/en/yanase which was dedicated to him]] [[https://www.tvkanazawa.co.jp/eventinfo/img/YNST_logo_ol-05_0.png and his work]]. In 2015 ([[EasternZodiac which was "Year of The Sheep"]] and the 70th anniversary of the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWar2), the museum held a special exhibit dedicated to ''Chirin's Bell'' [[https://imgur.com/a/1EBUMBx featuring artwork]], [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ETv-I3OX0AUoSVF?format=png&name=360x360 sketches]] [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ESYP4GKWkAQLrW0?format=jpg&name=small of Chirin]], and [[https://imgur.com/a/53hVp0a some animations cells from the 1978 movie]] [[https://japan-attractions.jp/wpxxxxx/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/chirinnosuzu_ex_2015.jpg which ran from February 11, 2015 till May 11, 2015.]]

* ''Twelve Pearls'' (十ニの真珠): A 1969 anthology series which features older versions of ''Chirin no Suzu'' and ''Bara no Hana to Joe'' before becoming standalone books.

* ''Literature/RingingBell'' (チリンの鈴, ''Chirin no Suzu'', literally "Chirin's Bell"): [[https://makyun.tumblr.com/post/156148050207/chirin-no-suzu An English translation can be read here.]]

* ''Literature/TheRoseFlowerAndJoe'' (バラの花とジョー, ''Bara no Hana to Joe'')

** ''The Kindly Lion'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UfpDaqTb7A received an animated short in 1970]] that was 26 minutes long. Creator/OsamuTezuka was [[https://malkavanimes.fansubs.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Yasashii-Lion-00.jpg executive producer for this adaptation]] and animated by Creator/MushiProductions.

** His children's story ''The Rose Flower and Joe'' (''Bara no Hana to Joe'') gained an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6wvqKpxpXQ animated short by Sanrio Animation in 1977]], the same year as ''Little Jumbo''.
** ''Chirin no Suzu'' was turned into a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aavgpyTBof8&t=127s 46 minute]] [[ShortFilm feature film]] by [[Creator/{{Sanrio}} Sanrio Animation]] which later gained an English Dub in 1983 with Creator/BarbaraGoodson voicing the titular character.

* ''Anime/RingingBell'' (チリンの鈴, ''Chirin no Suzu'', literally "Chirin's Bell"): [[https://makyun.tumblr.com/post/156148050207/chirin-no-suzu An English translation can be read here.]]

* ''Anime/TheRoseFlowerAndJoe'' (バラの花とジョー, ''Bara no Hana to Joe'')

[[Literature/{{Anpanman}} More information on the Anpanman franchise can be seen here.]]

* ''[[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6b/AnpanMasterpieceBook1.jpg Anpanman]]'' (アンパンマン)

** Cheese the Dog and Rare Cheese from the Anpanman franchise.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Most of his works are focused on the idealistic side of life (such as the aforementioned Anpanman series). However ''Su Ginoki To No Giku'', ''Bara no Hana to Joe'', and ''Yasashii Lion'' mixes in a small dose of cynicism due to those stories carrying a melancholy tone, while ''Chirin no Suzu'' is full on cynical after the death of his mother.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to ''The Kindly Lion'' and ''The Rose Flower And Joe'', ''Chirin no Suzu'' is Yanase's darkest and most somber work. The story involves Chirin seeking revenge after the death of his mother (and the entire flock getting eaten) by a wolf and quickly becomes very antagonistic in the process.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: ''Chirin's Bell'' is loosely based on Takashi's experiences in WWII. Woe the Wolf is seen as an allegory for war, Chirin for children and orphans effected by war, and Chirin's Mother for deceased parents and love ones who died during the war.

** Chirin's father is never seen or mentioned in book and 1978 animated film. He does show up in other adaptations such as the Lyrica comic adaptation from 1977.

* AnimatedAdaptation: Four of his children's books would be adapted into animation."

* Crossover: He once made a crossover illustration of Chirin (without his bell) from ''Chirin's Bell'' with the dog characters from his other book ''Sentobānādo to tabi bito ― anī to kora'' [[https://imgur.com/a/KxUocTc in 2006.]]

Takashi Yanase (やなせたかし, ''Yanase Takashi'') was a prolific Japanese children's book author and illustrator. He was best known as the creator of the [[{{LongRunners}} long running]] [[{{Kodomomuke}} preschool series]] ''Literature/{{Anpanman}}'' and the children's book ''[[Anime/RingingBell Chirin No Suzu]]'' (''Chirin's Bell'') and ''Yasashii Lion'' (''The Kindly Lion''). Some of his works (such as ''The Kindly Lion'' and ''Chirin's Bell'') are notable for [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids touching on heavy]] and depressing subject matter (the latter being his most popular work).