What campaign promises might Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi make, if she throws her hat into the political ring?
Rumours have been flying around the Japanese Internet for the last few days that Naoko Takeuchi, the popular manga artist responsible for Sailor Moon (which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year), may be running as an independent candidate for Yamanashi Prefecture’s second ward seat in the House of Representatives.
Some Twitter users, like the one below, attributed the story that sparked the rumours to a post by the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, although if that was the case it can’t be confirmed as the post has allegedly been taken down.
“The Yomiuri Shimbun [newspaper] posted an article with the headline ‘Party of Hope discusses supporting Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi as a candidate’ and wrapped it up with, ‘On the evening of the 2nd, in response to the Yomiuri Shimbun’s investigation, Naoko Takeuchi through her office asserted that she categorically ‘would not be a candidate”.
A separate article in the local Yamanashi Nichinichi Shimbun newspaper would seem to support the gossip, though, saying that rather than backing the Democratic Party candidate Hiroyuki Kobayashi, the Party of Hope were instead considering supporting an independent candidate, a 50 year-old female manga artist who was born in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, and whose name was not released, in the upcoming House of Representatives election. This information would square perfectly with the 50 year-old, Kofu-born Naoko Takeuchi, despite her protestations. It also wouldn’t be the first time Takeuchi has helped strive for change, after her part in a government campaign to fight the spread of sexually transmitted infections.
Takeuchi is married to fellow manga artist Yoshihiro Togashi, most famous for the YuYu Hakusho and Hunter x Hunter manga series, so fans were imagining the laws she might pass, with many alluding to her husband’s many and protracted breaks from writing and publishing Hunter x Hunter.
“‘On behalf of Abe, we’ll punish you’?”
“Her husband will just have yet another excuse not to publish any more Hunter x Hunter, ‘I’m supporting my wife’s political career’.”
“Don’t run, this is just a farce.”
“It seems the story’s a fake, but if she promised to make her husband draw more Hunter x Hunter I reckon she’d win with a landslide.”
“Will there be a law banning breaks from publishing?”
The story, even if proved false, got us to thinking, what manga artists or characters would make good politicians? Surely a front runner would be One Punch Man‘s Saitama, although his awesome strength would be less helpful during interminable legislative meetings and in fighting not giant monsters, but creeping deflation and decreasing childbirth rates. Any suggestions?
Source: My Game News Flash
Featured image: Sailor Moon 25th Anniversary website