In Translation | Little Tama's an Angel by Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko
The obscure newspaper debut from the duo that would bring the world Doraemon.
For most, even for ardent manga fans, the names Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko won't ring the slightest bell. But they are anything but forgotten, unknown artists.
And that's because you might know them by a different name: Fujiko Fujio. The name behind the absolute titan of Japanese pop culture, Doraemon. Together (and separate, the who made what of these two while sharing a single name is confusing and would overwhelm this entire post if I got into it) Fujiko Fujio stands as one of the most enduring, successful, and perennially profitable names in manga history.
It's not just their lovable robot Doraemon, either. The name Fujiko Fujio is attached to an absolute metric ton of classics, including, but not limited to, Q-Taro, Ninja Hattori, Time Patrol Bon, The Laughing Salesman, and one of my favorite series of all time, Mojacko. Go into a manga store and you'll find a Fujio section every bit as expansive as an Osamu Tezuka shelf.
They weren't always titans of the industry, though, which is where today's translation comes in. Here is Little Tama's an Angel (Tenshi no Tama-chan), the obscure--and for a and--debut work from the two for the Mainichi Shougakusei kids newspaper, published from December 16, 1951 through April 4, 1952, when Fujimoto and Abiko were still in high school.
It's a real charmer, a delightful little comedy adventure showing off their manga chops and hinting at where they'd eventually go with their work. Tragically, it was cut short, ending suddenly just as it was starting to build up to something bigger, but the twenty-six comic strips we got are a joy either way.
Enjoy this oft-forgotten piece of manga history, finally in English!
(ps I originally put these up one day at a time throughout October over on my Bluesky)
