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Manga creator/politician Ken Akamatsu opens political office/art gallery in Akihabara【Photos】

Casey Baseel Apr 1, 2022
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Creator of Love Hina is gearing up for a run at Japan’s upper parliament house to protect freedom of expression.

A few months ago Ken Akamatsu, creator of manga hits Love Hina and Negima, said that he’s planning to run for election to the House of Councilors, the upper house of Japan’s Diet, as the country’s parliament is called. This wasn’t just some idle Twitter musing on Akamatsu’s part either, as he’s now opened a campaign office in Tokyo…though it’s one that doesn’t look like any other aspiring politician’s.

赤松健アキバ事務所の１Ｆ＆２Ｆ、本日は所用により１２時〜１５時までとさせて下さい。
（告知専用アカウントを明日から運用します） pic.twitter.com/5Rh6jSszAK

— 赤松健 ⋈（参議院議員・全国比例） (@KenAkamatsu) March 28, 2022

As you might guess, Akamatsu’s office, which opened last week, is in Akihabara, Tokyo’s otaku district. At first glance, the signage makes it look like the place is a specialty shop selling merch or dojinshi for Love Hina or one of Akamatsu’s other series, but there’s a bit of a tipoff in that the sign’s sole text says “honnin” (本人 in kanji), meaning “the person himself,” and sure enough Akamatsu is indeed waiting in side the office for several hours a day to talk with visitors.

▼ Akamatsu can be seen on the left in the lower-left photo here.

秋葉原の赤松健事務所の１階＆２階は、本日１２時～１８時オープンしています。私の５つの政策や原画展示の意義がパネルで分かります。
２階は赤松健サポーター（無料）登録が必要です。名前・メアド・郵便番号・都道府県のみ入力。場所は秋葉原中央通りのど真ん中！https://t.co/dQiaS59JTZ pic.twitter.com/jDihA5cnqg

— 赤松健 ⋈（参議院議員・全国比例） (@KenAkamatsu) March 26, 2022

▼ The office is located just a short walk from Akihabara Station on the main Chuo-dori road.

In addition to being a campaign center, the office is also serving as a manga art archive. Akamatsu says he was inspired to do so by what’s happened with ukiyo-e, Japanese woodblock print paintings which were considered cheap, disposable entertainment media for the masses in their heyday but are now considered cultural treasures, with many historians lamenting that the once-plentiful examples weren’t better preserved.

▼ No word on whether or not the Love Hina opening theme plays on an endless loop.

Akamatsu says he hopes to archive other artists’ work in the space as well, but currently it’s his own illustrations on display, with art from Love Hina and Negima making up the majority. Visitors will also find illustrated panels outlining Akamatsu’s intended policies should he get elected, such as protecting freedom of expression by shielding anime and manga from unnecessary content regulations and foreign pressures and preserving dojinshi culture, as well as fostering economic development and international goodwill through exporting and overseas promotion of manga, anime, and video games.

Source: Twitter/@KenAkamatsu via Otakomu
Top image: YouTube/「KING AMUSEMENT CREATIVE」公式チャンネル
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