Go Nagai Shares Encouragement After Earthquake Results in His Museum Being Destroyed

Danica Davidson January 15, 2024

Japan experienced a major 7.6 earthquake on the first day of the year, followed by fires and other problems, and one of the buildings damaged was the Go Nagai Wonderland Museum, which honors the work of mangaka Go Nagai, whose creations include Mazinger Z, Devilman, Cutie Honey and Grendizer.

Go Nagai, who no longer lives in the area of the museum (though it’s where he’s from) has shared a note saying that his real concern is for the people there, not what was lost at the museum. He also shared words of encouragement.

He wrote,

Hearing reports and looking at images of Wajima, my hometown, and seeing how shockingly different it looks now from how I remember it, fills my heart with sadness.

I have been receiving kind messages every day from people expressing their concern after learning that the city of Wajima, and the Go Nagai Wonderland Museum, were so severely damaged in the disaster. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to you all. Thank you so much.

Regarding the museum, I believe that many of the items on display have been damaged. However, because I am a currently active manga artist, so no matter how much artwork has been lost, I can draw more. It’s really not a big deal.

What is important is for the people of Wajima, and elsewhere in the afflicted region, to be able to get back to their ordinary lives as soon as possible, and I would like to help them if I can.

With aftershocks and unpredictable days ahead, it may still be difficult to think of better times, but let’s all hang in there and get through this!

The Japanese news outlet Yomiuri Shimbun reported that a member of the local tourist board said, “Communications were cut off following the quake, so we had no way to get information about the devastation of Asaichi-dori. The Go Nagai Wonderland Museum and many other tourist attractions in Wajima were all lost.”

Source: SoraNews24

____

Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.