Japanese

Japan is an island nation located in East Asia, consisting of four main islands and numerous smaller ones, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea in the south. Its recorded history spans millennia, beginning with ancient Jōmon and Yayoi cultures and progressing through influential periods such as the Heian, Kamakura, and Edo eras, each leaving profound cultural legacies. Japanese society traditionally values harmony, respect, and community, and these principles are reflected in its social norms, arts, and governance. Today, Japan is known for its technological innovation, cultural exports such as anime and cuisine, and a deeply rooted respect for tradition coexisting with modernity. From Zen gardens and shrines to cutting-edge robotics, Japan embodies a balance between past and future. Its people are often characterized by politeness, diligence, and a strong sense of national identity.

The Japanese Language

Japanese (日本語, Nihongo) is a Japonic language spoken by over 125 million people, primarily in Japan. It has a unique writing system that combines three scripts: kanji (logographic characters of Chinese origin), hiragana (a phonetic syllabary used for native words and grammar), and katakana (another syllabary used mainly for foreign words and emphasis). Kanji was introduced from China around the 5th century, while hiragana and katakana developed domestically from simplified kanji forms. Japanese grammar follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) structure, features topic-marking particles (like は and が), and uses levels of politeness that vary by context and relationship. The vocabulary contains a mix of native Japanese words, Sino-Japanese compounds, and modern loanwords, especially from English. Despite the complexity of its writing system, Japanese is phonetically regular, and its grammar—though different from Indo-European languages—is highly systematic.

Asterix Comics in 1970s Japan

The Asterix comics were introduced to Japan in the 1970s when the first three volumes were translated and published by Kinbara Shuppan (金原出版). These editions—『アステリックス ガリア人』(Asterix the Gaul), 『アステリックスと金の大鎌』(Asterix and the Golden Sickle), and 『アステリックスとゴート人』(Asterix and the Goths)—were part of a rare effort to bring European bandes dessinées to Japanese readers. Each edition included not only the comic and the complete French text in the back but also a preface and commentary by prominent Japanese literary and cultural figures, such as manga legends Osamu Tezuka (手塚治虫) and Tetsuya Chiba (ちばてつや). These publications are now considered collector’s items and are extremely difficult to find, often sought after by both Asterix enthusiasts and rare book collectors. Interested individuals may try searching Japanese online auction sites such as Yahoo! Auctions Japan (ヤフオク) or Mercari Japan (メルカリ). However, the language barrier and the rarity of the items make the search challenging for non-Japanese speakers.

It seems there were plans to publish album 4 to 8 as well, but these plans never came to fruition.

Contributors in the Japanese Edition

The Japanese editions of Asterix featured both editorial forewords and endorsements from respected intellectuals and manga artists. The editorial preface titled 「監修のことば」was written by Kazuo Watanabe (渡辺一夫), a renowned scholar of French literature and cultural history, emphasizing the connection between the Gauls and the French identity. Among the endorsers were:

• Tatsuo Kita (北杜夫), a novelist and essayist known for his humor and deep interest in Western literature.
• Osamu Tezuka (手塚治虫), often referred to as the “god of manga,” praised Asterix’s narrative depth and satirical quality.
• Yoshitaka Fujimoto (藤本義一), a writer and television personality, highlighted the universality and human warmth in Asterix.
• Tetsuya Chiba (ちばてつや), a celebrated manga artist famous for Ashita no Joe, admired the comic’s rich characters and humor.

These endorsements were instrumental in framing Asterix not merely as foreign entertainment, but as a sophisticated, literary comic with universal appeal.