by No one does not know Arab! ? Maruko’s great popularity.
“Chibi Maruko-chan” is supported by a wide range of generations, and in 2023, it will be the 34th anniversary of the anime broadcast. This work, which depicts a heartwarming daily life centering on Maruko, seems very popular in the Middle East, and the animation was broadcast in Arabic. Why is “Chibi Maruko-chan” loved in the faraway Middle East?
“Chibi Maruko-chan” was broadcast in the Middle East in the early 1990s. In the Middle East, where broadcasts are published in Arabic, Maru-chan is known as “Marco Sagheera” and seems particularly popular among those born in the ’90s. From the 1970s to the 1980s, the Middle East positively viewed Japanese animation. At that time, there were no production companies for children’s programs in the Middle East, so most were news and TV dramas.
Japan has been successfully exporting animation works to Europe and the United States, and Arab countries have also started importing them, and animation quickly became popular. It is said that children playing outside would disappear immediately when the broadcast time came. “Chibi Maruko-chan” includes MarukoIt may be that the Sakura family’s close family relationship is universally accepted.
In addition, regarding Maruko’s ordinary life in Japan, there was a comment on the Internet that “At that time, I admired the peaceful daily life of Japan.” Other cultural and religious reasons may also play a part in its popularity. In the Middle East, restrictions on religious broadcasting are strict, and entertainment is often restricted. “Chibi Maruko-chan” basically depicts casual everyday events, so it’s an anime that you can watch with peace of mind. In 2021, the second series of Chibi Maruko-chan will air on Majid Kids TV in the United Arab Emirates.
The voice actors from the Middle East who were in charge of each character in the first series have reunited, and Maruko is back with almost the same cast as back then. This work continues to be loved by fans of the first series and modern children. Japanese anime culture is loved around the world.
In the Middle East, “UFO Robo Grendizer” has been rebroadcast many times and is popular enough to sell good merchandise, and “ONE PIECE” and “Attack on Titan” are also popular in Japan. I want to keep an eye on what kind of work will liven up the Middle East region in the future.
