The first shows a robot named ‘Astro BoyÂ’, the eponymous hero of a series originally created in manga form in 1952 by Osuma Tezuka – a man revered in Japan as the 'God of Manga'. Doraemon is a Japanese manga series created by Fujiko F. Fujio which later became an anime series and an Asian franchise. The series is about an earless robotic cat named Doraemon, who travels back in time from the 22nd century to aid a schoolboy, Nobita Nobi. A majority of Doraemon episodes are comedies with lessons regarding values such as integrity, perseverance, courage, family and respect for elders, while several noteworthy environmental issues are also often visited, including animal homelessness, global warming, and deforestation. In March 2008, Japan's Foreign Ministry appointed Doraemon as the nation's first 'anime ambassador'. A ministry spokesman explained the novel decision as an attempt to help people in other countries to understand Japanese anime better and to deepen their interest in Japanese culture. This acquisition was presented by the Art Fund and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Provenance

Private collection.