The Go Nagai Wonderland Museum, located in the mangaka’s hometown of Wajima City, Ishikawa, has been destroyed in a fire following the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that rocked Japan on New Year’s Day.
Nagai’s studio, Dynamic Productions, issued a public statement. It said that Nagai, who is based in Tokyo, is deeply saddened and concerned about the situation in his hometown. They also expressed that the safety and well-being of the city’s residents should take priority. So the studio is refraining from making direct contact with local officials until a later time.
An Anime Legacy Lost
The Go Nagai Wonderland Museum, which opened in 2009, housed hand-drawn artwork from classic series such as Mazinger Z, Getter Robo, Devilman, and Cutie Honey. The collection included a variety of exhibits related to Nagai and to manga in general. The museum also featured a huge Mazinger Z statue. The Mazinger Z mecha series is seen by commentators as the foundation for the mecha genre as a whole. Tellingly, Pacific Rim director Guillermo del Toro remarked on Twitter that “We all steal from Go Nagai!”
The impact of Devilman on gothic and horror manga and anime can’t be overstated. While Netflix’s 2018 reimagining of Devilman Crybaby centered around the later Devilman stories, the influence of the series is far reaching. Everything from Neon Genesis Evangelion to Berserk and Chainsaw Man owes something to that legacy. Even Rei from Sailor Moon mentions loving the comic.
Cutie Honey is racier than most magical girl fare, but this transforming heroine is also one of the earliest examples of the magical girl archetype. The franchise contributed heavily to the magical girl genre’s evolution throughout the years.
In short, losing the Go Nagai Wonderland Museum is devastating. It is a loss to manga and anime history as a whole. We have lost irreplaceable artwork and memorobelia, and a much-deserved celebration of a man who set the course of manga and anime.
Have you ever been lucky enough to visit the Go Nagai Wonderland Museum? Do you have a favorite Nagai character? Tell us in the comments or on Twitter/X, Facebook, or Discord.
2024 will be a year of rebuilding for many in Japan. Show your solidarity for Japan and the anime industry with a 2024 anime calendar. They’re on sale now, and buying official merchandise is a good way to support the creators we love.
