Sanma Issue 40: OSAMU GOODS - Adult Cuteness. Randomly shipped with one of two covers.

All Joys and Sorrows Are Inspiration in Life Our preferences are a journey of self-discovery. As children, we collected cartoon characters we loved, whether from animated shows or illustrations. Looking back, we can recall moments of finding comfort in cute things: Hello Kitty, Crayon Shin-chan, Astro Boy. A sticker on a pencil case or a plush toy won at a night market might have accompanied our childhood. Pop culture, like ocean waves, returns every few years. Toys temporarily stored in memory boxes have now become retro trends for the Y2K generation. Snoopy and Badtz-Maru have reappeared, with collaborations seen everywhere from convenience stores to airlines. Toys that were unaffordable with childhood allowances are now collected with adult salaries. Decades later, we still can't resist the cute things that once made us smile. What is "retro" now was once "trendy." OSAMU GOODS, a brand spanning the Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa eras, embodies "fashionably storing retro for later," and is a significant seed for cross-media commercial collaborations of Japanese illustration IP. This brand, born from a desire to give a tasteful gift to a daughter, has transformed the illustration world. For years, it has attracted many like-minded enthusiasts. Its product-oriented approach avoids a commercial distance. It wasn't until I interviewed Ayumi Nishikibe, a former brand designer, who said, "It's a brand full of humanity, one that can smile and cry," that I understood. Unlike eternally smiling dolls, the characters of OSAMU GOODS are more like siblings or even ourselves. They are not just cute; they are reflections of our inner state. With illustrations that depict life in such a way, it's no wonder that after nearly 50 years, new admirers still feel an instant connection. This issue, themed "Adult Cuteness," features in-depth interviews with the founding members of OSAMU GOODS' brand planning and the curatorial team behind its ongoing national exhibitions. We explore how designers, illustrators, and picture book artists, across the span from the 1970s to the present, have followed creator Osamu Harada in nurturing the origin of cuteness. Though Osamu Harada passed away in 2017, he left behind his illustration school, "PALETTE CLUB SCHOOL," within the Tsukiji Fish Market, continuing to cultivate the next generation of artists who will shape Japan's illustration landscape. Adult cuteness also encompasses personal taste. The latter half, "Adult Cuteness Clubs," showcases the "club activities" of dedicated enthusiasts: miniature potted plants, puddings, natural wines—a kawaii with a hint of bitterness, a healing power of mature flavor. We also invite illustrators Sosososos and Kurebayashi for a creator dialogue, reminiscing about Taiwanese and Japanese illustrations, from the stationery titan Cathy to the viral sensation Lazy貘. A small Easter egg in this special feature: we asked our interviewees for their "definition of cute." Some suggested weeds in a corner, genuine expressions, or the pursuit of one's ideal self, echoing Harada's famous quote, "There's only a fine line between pitiful and cute." Sometimes, even a bad mood can be cute, like BETTY, the tearful character from OSAMU GOODS, who lost a shoe but was fine after finding it. May all our experiences, good and bad, become a source of some lovely inspiration in our lives.