In a recent manga review by Kumi Matsumaru, Kumi writes about “Himitsu no Akko-chan”. Here is an excerpt from her review:
Mangaka Fujio Akatsuka, who died last year at the age of 72, is known for his many manga hits such as Tensai-Bakabon (Genius Bakabon), Osomatsu-kun and Himitsu no Akko-chan (Akko-chan’s Secret). Himitsu no Akko-chan Kanzen-ban (Akko-chan’s Secret, unabridged version) is the first-ever collection of all the episodes of Himitsu no Akko-chan originally published in Shueisha Inc.’s monthly comic magazine Ribon in 1962-69.
According to Kawade Shobo Shinsha, Publishers, which put out the four-volume collection, it compiled the works to express the original flavor of the manga. The book is based on vintage copies of Ribon magazine, as the original artwork for these episodes was lost when massive alterations were made to the manga’s story setting, character designs and other aspects beginning when Himitsu no Akko-chan was adapted into a TV animation in 1969.
The manga revolves around Atsuko “Akko-chan” Kagami, a mischievous primary school girl. She tries to solve various problems, often trivial, for herself and her friends by using a magical mirror that can transform her into anything she wishes.
In the TV animation, Akko-chan is transformed when she says the magic words, “Tekumaku mayakon tekumaku mayakon” to the mirror, which were given to her by the spirit of the mirror in return for her always cherishing it. The phrase became popular among girls.
But in most of the four-book collection, Akko-chan tells the mirror the name of what she wants to become in reverse to transform herself. When she wants to change herself into Suzuki-san, for example, she says, “N-sa-ki-zu-su ni nare” (Let me be Suzuki-san). The mirror is a lot larger in the early works, although Akko-chan in the anime carries it in a compact.
Going through the slapstick manga, readers will easily recognize it as a work from 40 years ago, and not just because of the relaxed touch of the drawings. For example, Akko-chan carries the large mirror around by wrapping it up in a furoshiki cloth. Among evils she fights against using the magical power is an oshiuri, or door-to-door huckster, which was more common in those days.
The manga also reminds us that Japan was not generally well-off until around 1970, as poverty forms part of the background. Some episodes involve a poor girl who becomes desperate to get medicine for her ailing mother, an abandoned child found in an akichi vacant lot or an elderly man who is sad about being unable to afford a Christmas gift for his granddaughter.