International Manga Expo in Tottori to Feature...Disney's Stitch!?

Hometown for Kitaro and Detective Conan's creators

Mikikazu Komatsu
January 23, 2012 9:14pm PST (1/23/12)

Tottori Prefecture announced on January 20 that they will hold several shows featuring a Disney character Stitch as the main events of International Manga Expo in August-November of 2012. The shows are: Lilo & Stitch film festival, Stitch amusement park with equipment for children, Disney goods speciality stores, and such. 

 

But why Stitch? Does the American cartoon character really represent "manga" and the local city of Japan Tottori? Especially, Tottori is well known as the hometown for famous Japanese manga artists such as Shigeru Mizuki (Gegege no Kitaro), Gosho Aoyama(Detective Conan), and Jiro Taniguchi (Distant Neighborhood). The governor Shinji Hirai answered to the question from the reporters at the press conference, "Stitch can appeal to more people. They will be very interesting events fusing with manga culture in the prefecture." 

 

What's your opinion?  Do you think it is a good idea to use Stitch as a symbol of Manga Expo in Japan?

 

Source: Yomiuri, Mainichi, Asahi

 

Stitch image © Walt Disney

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16 Comments

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1/23/12 by sillysia63377
I would not consider that to be manga for many reasons. x-x
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1/23/12 by jusduckie23
Um, I lik eDisney and all, but no. Just plain no to Stitch for this event.
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1/23/12 by Ushiox75
Would spongebob be a good symbol of anime. I think not......
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1/23/12 by Duck_Waters
Stich IS really popular in Japan... Check out the promo for the DVDs of the third season of the anime TV series (aired last year on TV Asahi): http://video.disney.co.jp/604.html
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1/23/12 by custardmouse
Sounds like Disney is doing these folks a business favor: No Stitch, no funding. Gotta support your industry somehow...
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1/23/12 by cerisepanda
Stitch is HUGELY popular in Asia, more than in the US. If you go to Japan, or Hong Kong or China, you will see Stitch on all kinds of merchandise. My sister really likes Stitch so I've bought her Stitch-themed stuff from cellphone covers to oven mitts. That's why the Japanese made 'Stitch!' the animation (the one without Lilo) to sell more products
I think that the manga exhibition using Stitch is less about celebrating fusion, or disney funding them, but an attempt to appeal to Japanese people who normally might not read manga, but who love Stitch. And after seeing so many stitch products, I think it's a smart marketing move for them.
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1/23/12 by dokudokugwo
I agree with your post, along with Duck_Waters more than anyone else. From the perspective of someone in the states it might seem like Disney is just paying them off, but if the character is that popular in Japan then why not use it as a marketing tool to attract a new audience.

I'm sure there is going to be plenty of manga there and getting people in the door may be all some of these companies and artists need to get customers into a place they might not normally go.
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1/23/12 by KustomElvis
Stitch loves Elvis and I love Stitch, let the good times roll!
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1/23/12 by DJ72
Why not? And since "Ohana' means family, he should have shown up in Hanasaku Iroha (imagine her grandmother's reaction).
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1/24/12 by CodyM2
Stitch is very popular in Asia. Gotta love him. :)
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1/24/12 by geronash
Stitch is NOT anime in any way so DEFINITELY not
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1/24/12 by SactoMan201
I think people forget the original "Lilo and Stitch" movie was a HUGE hit in Japan and they even produced 96 episodes (in three anime series!) based on the a Japanese version of the Lilo and Stitch storyline for the Japanese market.
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1/24/12 by MiosStory
I'm a big fan of Stitch too. I understand why they would use him. There was also that anime series that came out, so it's not that far-fetching.
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1/24/12 by lolloloko
stitch isnt really consider manga its just popular with some people
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1/24/12 by JelloBear
I love Stitch but...it doesn't really match IMO.
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