Manga and Anime in Toshima City

Toshima City, located northwest of Tokyo’s city center, is one of the metropolis’ most densely populated wards and is home to parks, temples, shrines, and shopping—namely the renowned Sunshine City. This multi-building mall features shops, restaurants, an observation deck, an aquarium, a museum, and even an indoor amusement park. Another popular spot—primarily among the anime and manga community—is the district, Ikebukuro.

When it comes to Japanese pop culture, anime and manga are some of the most recognizable forms of entertainment among foreigners. Anime itself spins tales of fantasy, action, comedy, romance, and more in a vibrantly animated and unique manner—making it a popular pastime for a wide range of audiences. “Some things are just better conveyed through pictures rather than words,” Takayuki Kumagai, the Director of Manga and Anime Utilization in Toshima City, shared. Toshima has long been intertwined in the anime and manga industry and offers a variety of opportunities for visitors to learn about the origins of famous modern manga artists. In order to maintain and promote the anime and manga industries in Toshima, the ward has launched the Minami Nagasaki Manga Land Project, which is a collaboration between multiple facilities in the area.

At the heart of this project is the Tokiwa-so Manga Museum, located in Minami-Nagasaki Park. This museum is a faithful recreation of the Tokiwa-so apartment building where numerous modern day manga artists, including the Fujiko Fujio duo, worked and collaborated during their youth. Today, visitors can walk through the painstakingly recreated rooms and observe manuscripts, desks, pens, empty bottles, and discarded dishes, as if the artists themselves were in the rooms just moments before. “I believe it is important for people to know not only current anime and manga, but also their origins,” Kumagai said, “These initial artists started drawing manga because they wanted to convey messages and dreams to children. It is my hope that their messages will continue to be passed onto future generations.” In line with this focus, the museum holds exhibitions related to both old and new content to facilitate interactions between people of different ages.

In addition to the museum, which opened in 2020, Toshima has launched numerous initiatives to further attract visitors and advocate itself as a hub for anime and manga. In collaboration with its neighboring wards, Suginami and Nakano, Toshima created an anime pilgrimage map to help guide visitors through locations that appeared in anime. “It is very exciting for fans to visit places where their favorite characters stood,” Kumagai said with a smile.

Aside from the ward as a whole, Toshima also aims to promote Ikebukuro as a sacred place for animation. The district’s Otome Road is home to a number of manga and anime related facilities and hosts a variety of events throughout the year. On a monthly basis, the district holds a cosplaying event that anyone can join, even families. “During these events, we want everyone to feel like a protagonist,” Kumagai shared. Since cosplaying is enjoyed by people all over the world, Toshima aims to use the event to promote diversity and inclusivity. In 2019, Toshima Ward even worked with Animate Co., Ltd. and co-produced a short anime film about Ikebukuro to promote its importance in the anime and manga scene. The beautifully animated, brightly colored video follows a boy and girl as they fly through Ikebukuro’s skyline and discover the vibrancy of the district. Despite the minimal dialogue, the film effortlessly conveys the mystical charm of the anime-influenced area.

Toshima’s efforts to maintain, promote, and revitalize its anime and manga industries support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to decent work and economic growth, as well as cultural sustainability. “With SDGs, most people think of the environment. However, it is heavily linked to culture as well,” Kumagai shared. By utilizing pop culture, the ward can effectively spread its message about anime and manga to Japan and abroad and create an enduring culture for generations to come.

In July 2020, Toshima Ward was selected as an SDGs Future City for its outstanding commitment to SDGs. In tandem with its sustainability goals, Toshima also aspires to become an International City of Arts & Culture. Through these interrelated goals, the ward wants to create a safe and secure space that attracts industries through art and culture. By combining the philosophies of SDGs with its future goals, Toshima can become a beacon of sustainability where everyone is welcomed and accepted.

Sing about SDGs with CoCoLo♡RiPPLe

Situated southwest of central Tokyo, Meguro Ward is known for its trendy shopping areas and cherry blossom viewing spots along the Meguro River. In northern Meguro, Chiyoda Raft, a company that specializes in video-related content, devised a unique way to spread awareness about SDGs: idols! After all, what is more memorable than a catchy tune?

Formed in 2021, CoCoLo♡RiPPLe is a Japanese idol group that aims to disseminate information about sustainability and SDGs through songs and promotional content. As the name suggests, the company hopes to send “ripples” of change through communities and touch listeners’ “hearts” (kokoro in Japanese) by integrating meaningful messages into the group’s lyrics. By combining the cheerful energy of the idol group with the more serious messages of SDGs, the company can convey sustainability in an easy to understand and memorable way. Also, since idol groups tend to be more popular with younger audiences, CoCoLo♡RiPPLe is a perfect way to introduce future generations to SDGs.

Thus far, the idol group has released ten singles related to a variety of SDGs, including climate action (#13), nature preservation (#14 & 15), and reduced inequalities (#10). Many of the group’s music videos are filmed in natural settings, such as beaches and forests, to further convey the theme of sustainability. Aside from their songs and music videos, the group also performs live at events related to sustainability. Fans can even sign up to be “receivers” and receive SDG information through email or SMS to help spread awareness.

With the rising popularity of idols worldwide, CoCoLo♡RiPPLe has the advantage of an existing market and thus can more easily connect with listeners through their sustainability-related lyrics. As CoCoLo♡RiPPLe says “Save the Earth with the power of idols!!”

Earth Day Tokyo: a Venue of Change

Just west of central Tokyo is Shibuya City, one of the most popular entertainment wards in the city. Home to the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing, the bustling ward is home to shops, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and more. On any given day, thousands of people congregate beside the highrise buildings emblazoned with neon lights and promotional content. Thanks to its location and popularity, Shibuya is one of Japan’s pop culture epicenters and is home to a yearly eco-friendly celebration—Earth Day Tokyo!

Held in Shibuya’s Yoyogi and Miyashita Park on the Saturday and Sunday closest to April 22nd, Earth Day Tokyo is a massive festival that features eco-friendly food stalls, events, and workshops, as well as information about sustainable initiatives. The festival is typically held on the Saturday and Sunday closest to April 22nd in Shibuya’s Yoyogi and Miyashita parks, as well as other venues. Visitors can learn about issues related to climate change, biodiversity, cultural diversity, and more. In 2022, Earth Day Tokyo held a Sustainable Fashion Week in Miyashita Park, which focused on three themes—sustainable fashion, ethical beauty & healthcare, and veganism & eco-friendly alternatives. With the fashion-focused activities, Earth Day Tokyo aimed to raise awareness about society’s dependence on mass production and consumption and offered eco-friendly alternatives for a more balanced future. In 2023, the festival will focus on diversity as its main theme and will hold its Sustainable Fashion Week in Yoyogi Park on April 15th and 16th and Miyashita Park on April 22nd and 23rd.

Apart from the main festival in April, Earth Day Tokyo also organizes events and projects throughout the year related to SDGs and sustainability.

Everyone is connected to the Earth. By providing insight and small lifestyle changes that everyone can achieve, Earth Day Tokyo serves as an effective venue to spark change. This event is not only held in one of Tokyo’s pop culture hubs, but also helps integrate sustainability into mainstream society through events and workshops.

The Power of Pop Culture

Tokyo has long served as a catalyst for pop culture trends in Japan, as well as the world. By utilizing its mainstream media to spread awareness about sustainability, Tokyo is creating a culture where future generations are taught from a young age to respect the environment and each other. Pop culture also serves as an effective venue for Tokyo to introduce people in Japan and abroad to global issues and encourage them to take action. Aside from its communicative power, pop culture also acts as an influential outlet for Tokyo to promote its cultural offerings and maintain its diversity for generations to come. By incorporating sustainable ideologies into its pop culture and utilizing pop culture to support its own sustainability, Tokyo exemplifies how effectively using mainstream media can help support a better future.