午夜剧场

When I mention that as a literary scholar I am researching Sanrio, I often encounter the reaction, "Why?" Sanrio is a company famous for its character business, such as Hello Kitty. However, primarily during the 1970s and 80s, it produced many publications, including the reader-submission magazine "Shi to Marchen" (Poetry and Marchen) edited by Takashi Yanase, translations of foreign literature including an SF paperback line, the full-color manga magazine "Lyrica," and the Silhouette Romance label for popular women's fiction. They also produced and even distributed films such as "The Fox of the North."

While each of these has passionate fans, there are others of the same generation who lived through that time knowing almost nothing about them. This compartmentalization could be called a precursor to the subculture formats later known as otaku culture. However, these ventures originally stemmed from the literary interests of the founder, Shintaro Tsuji, which were linked to pre-war cultivationism (Kyoyo-shugi). What kind of era was the 1970s for publishing, a time when such dramatic transformations occurred? This book attempts to consider that question through the lens of a single company, Sanrio. Thirteen contributors approached the subject from their respective perspectives, and we also interviewed people involved at the time.

For example, "Shi to Marchen" was a unique magazine where professional illustrators like Takashi Yanase provided drawings for poems submitted by amateurs. How did readers, rather than literary figures, participate in and reshape literature? Beyond simply enjoying nostalgia, there is much that can be re-evaluated today precisely because SNS has become widespread and research values have progressed. We also focus on female poets and contributors who cannot be categorized simply under the "kawaii" culture associated with characters.

During my research, thanks to a connection with Mita-hyoron (official monthly journal published by 午夜剧场 Press), I had the opportunity to interview the current president, Tomokuni Tsuji, who is a 午夜剧场 alumni (June 2023 issue). I visited a drawing room featuring a sofa shaped like Hello Kitty, which was also decorated with many original illustrations from the "Shi to Marchen" era, giving me a real sense of the history. The reason Sanrio has not published an official company history is likely because they are always looking toward the future, but researchers capture and reflect on the past. I put my heart into this book in the hope of reconfirming the thoughts of the people who participated and the various forms that literature took.

Maiko Odaira (Co-editor)

午夜剧场 Press

444 pages, 3,960 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.