Dick Bruna, the creator of the Miffy rabbit children's book character that has many fans in Japan, has drawn a special illustration especially to comfort children who have been frightened by the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant accidents.
Dick Bruna, the creator of the Miffy rabbit children's book character that has many fans in Japan, has drawn a special illustration especially to comfort children who have been frightened by the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant accidents.
In the image, Miffy the child-rabbit weeps two big teardrops.
The Netherlands-based author, illustrator and graphic designer sent a copy of the illustration, which he signed in pencil, in an e-mail message to The Asahi Shimbun on March 26.
Bruna said he purposely created the image in black and white. His handwritten message reads, "My best wishes to Japan, Dick Bruna."
The simple illustration shows the illustrator's feeling of deep sadness and kindness.
Bruna's children's books, mainly featuring Miffy, have been translated into more than 50 languages. His relationship with Japan goes back a long way. The Japanese-language versions of his books were published in 1964, the earliest among all the translations of his works.
Bruna first visited Japan in 1978 and has returned repeatedly.
In 1996, he published "Dear Grandma Bunny," a book with the theme of Miffy facing her grandmother's death. In that book, Miffy also weeps two teardrops.
At the time, Bruna said, "I wanted to convey (to my readers), 'Your lives will continue from now on, too.'"
In the new illustration, Miffy's two teardrops showed his support for Japanese children.
A charity concert will be held in Amsterdam on April 1 to raise funds for the survivors of the March 11 earthquake. Bruna also drew the illustration used in the poster promoting the event.