Doraemon manga becomes popular again in Japan during pandemic

The Japan Times announced that the famous Doraemon manga, which began as far back as 1969, has become a big success in readership during the Covid19 pandemic:

Pandemic-induced school closures helped children nationwide discover the charm of the 50-year-old comic series Doraemon, according to its publisher.

More than 5 million comic books and other publications featuring the robotic cat were printed in the 12 months to November, Shogakukan Inc. said Friday. Of the 45 volumes of the comic books, Volume 1 logged sales of more than 11,000 copies in March alone, a single-month record in the 21st century.

Most elementary, junior high and high schools were closed between March and May due to a surge in coronavirus cases.

During this period, the country’s publishing industry saw brisk sales of children’s books and comics, with Doraemon being a particular favorite, the Tokyo-based publisher said in a press release.

Now isn't that awesome. The robo-cat's been around for over 5 decades, and if there was something good that occurred during the pandemic, it's that many children were able to rediscover what's considered a classic icon in all this time. Yes, that's impressive.