5 Anime & Manga Set in Saitama


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If you're looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, but still would like to cross off visiting anime-inspired spots on your bucket list, then look no further thank Saitama Prefecture for these six manga/anime were all inspired by the Greater Tokyo Area.

5. Crayon Shin-chan

Considered the Bart Simpson of Japan, Crayon Shin-chan causes nothing but trouble for his parents and friends. In addition to running around with his kindergarten gang, Bo, Nene and Kazuma, Shin-chan also frequently runs into the high school gal-pal group the Saitma Crimson Scorpions, whom Shin-chan firmly believes are an aspiring comedian group.

The Saitama Crimson Scorpions aren't the only indicator that the series takes place in Saitama: As the creator of Crayon Shin-chan lived in Kasukabake City, it would only be natural for the series to be set in the same place.

- www.animenewsnetwork.com

4. Bakuman


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Enter the fast-paced manga publishing world with Bakuman—a story about two ninth grade boys, Moritaka Mashiro, the artist, and Akito Takagi, the writer, who through their combined talents aspire to create a popular manga series. While Bakuman does take place in the fictional city of Tanikusa (谷草), readers suspect that the name was made by combining the first two characters of Yatsuka (谷塚) and Soka (草加) Stations in Soka City, eastern Saitama, which can be read tanikusa, or "valley grass," when combined together. There are also many hints throughout the series that it takes place in Koshigaya City, which lies just to the north of Soka.

- www.animenewsnetwork.com

3. Initial D


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Before Fast & Furious there was Initial D. This manga series, which deals with illegal street racing in Japan's mountain passes, is told through the eyes of Takumi Fujiwara, a gas station attendant. The manga became such a huge success that it spun off into an anime series and even a racing video game, where in the final stage you face off against Bunta—the protagonist's father. While all the names of the locations where the races take place are completely fictionalized, they draw inspiration from Japan's mountainous scenery—such as the dangerous curve, Sadaminetoge Pass, in the western Chichibu district of Saitama.

- www.animenewsnetwork.com

2. 20th Century Boys


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With a live-action movie trilogy and 22 tankobon manga volumes, 20th Century Boys tells the story of four childhood friends who transcribed a scenario in which villains would destroy the world in the "Book of Prophecy." Years later when the boys are adults, they begin to notice that a cult leader known only as "Friend" is out to destroy the world. Parts one and two of the movie trilogy feature popular sightseeing spots in Saitama, including Kumagaya City's Sports and Culture Park, where 900 extras were needed to film the scene.

- www.animenewsnetwork.com

1. My Neighbor Totoro


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What better way to finish off our list than with the classic Ghibili film,*My Neighbor Totoro*? While you can hop on a train to visit the full-scale replica of Satsuki and Mei's house in Aichi Prefecture, if you're in Saitama or Tokyo, head to the border of both prefectures to explore the Sayama Hills, whose whimsical forests were captured beautifully in Totoro's forest scenes.

- www.animenewsnetwork.com

Source: All About Japan
Source article written by Bua Loy

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