Kaiji Kawaguchi is a Japanese manga author whose works include Eagle and Zipang. Generally, his stories involve Japan and examine the moral choices that people make in extreme situations. He received the Kodansha Manga Award three times, for Actor in 1987, for The Silent Service in 1990, and for Zipang in 2002. He has also received the Shogakukan Manga Award, for A Spirit of the Sun in 2006 and Kuubo Ibuki in 2014.
Urusei Yatsura (うる星やつら) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi and serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday from 1978 to 1987. Its 374 individual chapters were published in 34 tankōbon volumes. It tells the story of Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien Lum, who believes she is Ataru's wife after he accidentally proposes to her. The series makes heavy use of Japanese mythology, culture and puns. It was adapted into an anime television series produced by Kitty Films and broadcast on Fuji Television affiliates from 1981 to 1986 with 195 episodes. Twelve OVAs and six theatrical movies followed, and the series was released on VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc in Japan.
Lum Invader, known in Japan as simply Lum, is a fictional character and the female protagonist of Rumiko Takahashi's manga series Urusei Yatsura. She is often believed to be the main protagonist of the series due to her iconic status. However, Takahashi has stated that Ataru Moroboshi is the main character. She is named Lamu in Animax's English-language dub of the series, and in the Italian and French anime dubs as well; however she is still called "Lum" in the Spanish anime dub. Her name is thought to come from popular 1970s swimsuit model Agnes Lum, as well as Rumiko Takahashi's nickname of "Rum" or "Lum".
Renhō Murata, commonly called just Renhō (蓮舫), is a Japanese politician and former journalist who is a current member of House of Councillors. She was the leader of the major Japanese opposition party, the Democratic Party.
Licca-chan, full name Licca Kayama, is a dress-up doll series introduced in Japan on July 4, 1967 by Takara, enjoying the same kind of popularity in Japan as the Barbie series does in the United States. Takara had sold over 48 million Licca-chan dolls as of 2002, and over 53 million as of 2007. Licca-chan was created by former shōjo manga artist, Miyako Maki, who is also the wife of Leiji Matsumoto.
Clarion Co., Ltd. is a Japanese manufacturer of car audio, automotive navigation systems, AutoPCs, visual equipment, bus equipment, and communication equipment. It is since 2019 fully owned by Faurecia Clarion Electronics.
Agnes Nalani Lum is an American gravure idol, singer, actress, and bikini model popular in Japan in the late 1970s and early 1980s. At that time, she was nicknamed "Lum-chan" in Japan, though now that nickname can be confused with that of the fictional character Lum Invader from Urusei Yatsura. Lum was the inspiration for the name of this character as she was well-known at the time the manga was first released (1977). In order to avoid confusion with Agnes Chan, another popular idol at the time, "Lum-chan" was used, though many fans called both "Agnes". Lum has appeared in numerous calendars, on posters, and magazine spreads, and these items regularly fetch high prices in the collectors market.
Setsuko Karasuma is an actress and model born on 3 February 1955 in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. She attended Chukyo University, but left before finishing. She is employed by the From First Production talent agency. Karasuma made her debut as a Clarion Girl in 1980, moving quickly into the gravure idol scene. Her debut as a film actress came as she got the lead role in the 1980 adaptation of the Hiroyuki Itsuki novel Four Seasons・Natsuko.
Masumi Miyazaki, is an actress and model. She graduated from the private Horikoshi High School, and made her film debut in the 1983 release Aiko 16-sai, and was selected as the 11th Clarion Girl in 1985. Miyazaki has appeared nude in multiple films, including XX Utsukushiki Kyōki (ＸＸ美しき凶器) and Yaneura no Sanposha (屋根裏の散歩者). She has also released nude photo books and appeared in the Japanese edition of Playboy.
Miki Sugimoto is a Japanese actress best known for her roles in the sukeban subgenre of Toei's action/erotic form of "pink film" known as Pinky Violence.
Kimiko Uehara is a prominent Japanese shōjo and josei manga artist. She is best known for shōjo series such as Maiko no Uta, Lovely Mari-chan, Marybell, Honoo no Romance, Lolly no Seishun, and Yumedokei. She received the 1990 Shogakukan Manga Award for children's manga for Lovely Mari-chan. Uehara is cited by Naoko Takeuchi, author of Sailor Moon, as an influence, especially her dialog in Lolly no Seishun and Honoo no Romance.
Person of Cultural Merit is an official Japanese recognition and honor which is awarded annually to select people who have made outstanding cultural contributions. This distinction is intended to play a role as a part of a system of support measures for the promotion of creative activities in Japan. By 1999, 576 people had been selected as Persons of Cultural Merit.
Jarinko Chie is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Etsumi Haruki. It was serialized by Futabasha in Manga Action between 1978 and 1997 and collected in 67 bound volumes, making it the 45th longest manga released. Jarinko Chie received the 1981 Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga.
Miho Miyazaki is a singer, actress and member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48 where she is a part of Team A .She also participated in the Korean-Japanese show Produce 48.
"Sakura no Shiori" is the 15th single by Japanese idol girl group AKB48; it was released on February 17, 2010. The title track is a school graduation song. The song was used as the theme song to the AKB48-related drama Majisuka Gakuen, which stars Atsuko Maeda and many members from AKB48 and its sister groups.
"Kaze wa Fuite Iru", or "Kaze wa Fuiteiru", is the 23rd single by the Japanese girl idol group AKB48, released on October 26, 2011.
Kōji Tanigawa is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is the 17th Lifetime Meijin and also a former president of the Japan Shogi Association (JSA).
Ryūma Tonari is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 6-dan.
Setsuko Shinoda is a Japanese writer of genre fiction. She has won the Shōsetsu Subaru Literary Prize for Newcomers, the Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize, the Naoki Prize, the Shibata Renzaburo Prize, a MEXT Award, and the Chuo Koron Literary Prize. Several of her works have been adapted for television.
