Shin Chan fans in India are in for a treat as director Masakazu Hashimoto prepares to bring the popular animated character to the country in his next film. The filmmaker, who has directed several Shin Chan movies including The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers, said he had long dreamed of setting a story in India. The inspiration struck when he watched Rajinikanth’s 1995 film Muthu: The Dancing Maharaja, which became popular in Japan.
During his recent Delhi visit, Hashimoto spoke to Hindustan Times and shared why he thought India would be a perfect fit. “The first Indian film that I saw was Muthu: The Dancing Maharaja. Since then I thought India would be a good fit for Shin Chan. I knew if I made him come to India, I would be able to come here for location hunting too!”
Hashimoto, who knows the character inside out, also spoke about the evolution of Shin Chan in response to criticism. “I wasn’t aware of the censorship issues in india, but Shin Chan has changed over the years. In Japan, it is not censorship, but there is regulation on what is fit for children. That is not bad because it is protecting them. For example, I am now blessed with children, and I ask them to not show their butts. Because Shin Chan is the children’s hero, everything he does is copied, mimicked by them. I feel these changes are for the good.”
The director also shared his thoughts on why anime has performed so well in India compared to homegrown animation. “There are several reasons. For example, in Japanese animation, the producers are well aware that it is going to be shown to a global audience so it’s very high quality. In India, it’s not just Japanese content but also other international content available too, which Indian audiences are ready to accept.”
With Shin Chan’s next adventure heading to India, fans can look forward to seeing the quirky character explore new cultural settings while retaining his trademark humor.