2026 Marks the 80th Anniversary of 'Sazae-san'! Machiko Hasegawa's Masterpieces 'Sazae-san' and 'Ijiwaru Baasan' to be Released as E-books!
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of 'Sazae-san', all 68 volumes and 6 volumes of 'Ijiwaru Baasan' will be digitized for the first time starting April 22, 2026. This project aims to bring the charm of post-war Showa era daily life to new generations.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 21:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 00:02 (3h 2m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 02:40 (2h 37m after Collected)
On April 22, 2026, marking 80 years since the serialization of 'Sazae-san' began, all 68 volumes of Machiko Hasegawa's 'Sazae-san' and all 6 volumes of 'Ijiwaru Baasan' will be released as e-books for the first time. They will be available at major domestic e-bookstores for smartphones, tablets, and PCs. We aim to deliver the charm of the original work, which vividly depicts family life and social customs in post-war Showa Japan, to a wide range of generations.
Counting from the first publication in 'Evening Fukunichi' (Fukunichi Shimbun) on April 22, 1946, 'Sazae-san' celebrates its 80th anniversary on April 22, 2026. Taking this milestone as an opportunity, these masterpieces, which had not been digitized until now, will finally be made available to readers of all ages.
While 'Sazae-san' is widely known through its TV anime and 'Ijiwaru Baasan' was famously adapted into a drama starring the late Yukio Aoshima, the original manga offers a different taste, filled with humor and a sense of the times that sharply captures daily life. It vividly portrays lifestyle, family dynamics, and community spirit during the post-war Showa period. Furthermore, this digital release is based on the original editions published by 'Shimaisa,' the publishing house Machiko Hasegawa co-founded with her sister Mariko. In addition, 'Sazae-san' now features newspaper publication dates and historical term explanations not found in the original editions, giving it high cultural value as a historical record of the era.
With this digitalization, long-time fans as well as younger generations who haven't experienced the original work can easily enjoy the 'origin of Sazae-san' anytime, anywhere.
Moreover, the author Machiko Hasegawa was a pioneer among professional women, active at the forefront as a manga artist during the Showa era. Her creative stance, depicting the reality of people wavering between home and society with a light touch while balancing humor and dignity, remains timeless even today.
This digitalization is an attempt to rediscover the brilliance of the works themselves and to shine a light again on Machiko Hasegawa's creative spirit and her footprint in pioneering a new era.
We invite you to experience these stories of family and daily life, which still resonate after 80 years, in their original manga form.
'Sazae-san' (All 68 volumes)
Author: Machiko Hasegawa
Suggested Retail Price: 990 yen (900 yen + 10% tax)
Release Date: April 22, 2026 (Up to Vol. 16 released, followed by one volume every Wednesday)
'Ijiwaru Baasan' (All 6 volumes)
Author: Machiko Hasegawa
Suggested Retail Price: 1,100 yen (1,000 yen + 10% tax)
Release Date: April 22, 2026
Counting from the first publication in 'Evening Fukunichi' (Fukunichi Shimbun) on April 22, 1946, 'Sazae-san' celebrates its 80th anniversary on April 22, 2026. Taking this milestone as an opportunity, these masterpieces, which had not been digitized until now, will finally be made available to readers of all ages.
While 'Sazae-san' is widely known through its TV anime and 'Ijiwaru Baasan' was famously adapted into a drama starring the late Yukio Aoshima, the original manga offers a different taste, filled with humor and a sense of the times that sharply captures daily life. It vividly portrays lifestyle, family dynamics, and community spirit during the post-war Showa period. Furthermore, this digital release is based on the original editions published by 'Shimaisa,' the publishing house Machiko Hasegawa co-founded with her sister Mariko. In addition, 'Sazae-san' now features newspaper publication dates and historical term explanations not found in the original editions, giving it high cultural value as a historical record of the era.
With this digitalization, long-time fans as well as younger generations who haven't experienced the original work can easily enjoy the 'origin of Sazae-san' anytime, anywhere.
Moreover, the author Machiko Hasegawa was a pioneer among professional women, active at the forefront as a manga artist during the Showa era. Her creative stance, depicting the reality of people wavering between home and society with a light touch while balancing humor and dignity, remains timeless even today.
This digitalization is an attempt to rediscover the brilliance of the works themselves and to shine a light again on Machiko Hasegawa's creative spirit and her footprint in pioneering a new era.
We invite you to experience these stories of family and daily life, which still resonate after 80 years, in their original manga form.
'Sazae-san' (All 68 volumes)
Author: Machiko Hasegawa
Suggested Retail Price: 990 yen (900 yen + 10% tax)
Release Date: April 22, 2026 (Up to Vol. 16 released, followed by one volume every Wednesday)
'Ijiwaru Baasan' (All 6 volumes)
Author: Machiko Hasegawa
Suggested Retail Price: 1,100 yen (1,000 yen + 10% tax)
Release Date: April 22, 2026