Hohokekyo Tonari no Yamada-kun (My Neighbors the Yamadas)

"Tonari no Yamada-Kun" is a comic strip by Hisaichi ISHII. It has been serialized in Asahi Newspaper, one of the major newspapers in Japan, since 1991 (currently, it is retitled as "Nono-Chan").

"Yamda-Kun" is a story about the Yamada family; Takashi (father), Matsuko (mother), Sige (grandma), Noboru (son), Nonoko (daughter), and Pochi (family dog). They speak Kansai dialect (the dialect spoken in the Western part of Japan). Generally, Japanese find the words spoken in Kansai dialect very funny.

Each strip consists of 4 cels. Since it is serialized in a newspaper, it often deals with hot topics. One such topic in 1997 was the monster hit Mononoke Hime.

		From Asahi Newspaper, July 21, 1997
		Sige (grandma): I'm Home! I saw it! You know, that anime movie... Matsuko (mother): You mean, Monogoi Hime (Princess Begger)? Noboru (son): No, it's Momonoki Hime (Princess Peach Tree)
		Nonoko: It's Mononoko Hime (Princess Child of Things), isn't it?
		Shige: Yes! it's a story of Mononoko Hime who got lost in the forest, and she eats the house made of sweet in three days..No, No!
		Shige: It was a really long line, and I couldn't get through, Sokonoke Hime (Princess Out of the Way) Matsuko: Oh, so you just saw the line.

Publication Information

• "Tonari no Yamada-Kun"
  by Hisaichi ISHII
  Published by Asahi Shinbun-sha
  vol 1: ISBN 4022564644, 485 yen
  vol 2: ISBN 4022565934, 485 yen
  vol 3: ISBN 4022565942, 485 yen
  vol 4: ISBN 4022565950, 534 yen
  vol 5: ISBN 4022568208, 534 yen
  vol 6: ISBN 4022568747, 583 yen