Southern All Stars vocalist Keisuke Kuwata sang a former closing song for the anime "Chibi Maruko-Chan" as part of a tribute to Momoko Sakura, the recently deceased author of the nationally popular anime and manga series, at a memorial service held Friday in Tokyo.
Kuwata sang "100 Man-nen no Shiawase!!" (Happiness of 1 million years), a song composed by Kuwata and with lyrics by Sakura, in front of an altar decorated with balloons and 30,000 flowers.
Sakura died on Aug. 15 at the age of 53. Instead of her photograph, a brightly colored illustration she did of herself was placed on the altar. Behind the alter was a depiction of Mt. Fuji, a mountain Sakura loved.
"Our mission is to pass on Momoko-sensei's world to posterity," voice actress Tarako, who plays the main character Maruko in the anime, said in a speech at the memorial.
"This work, which has called for the appreciation of being happy and the importance of the things that surround us, will last forever," actress Chikako Kaku said.
Writer Banana Yoshimoto recalled Sakura's personality, saying: "Momo-chan was thoroughly dynamic and charming. She was shrewd, but at the same time as pure as a small child. She stormed through life as if it was a huge entertainment for her."
About 1,000 participants offered flowers at the end of the ceremony, which was held at the Aoyama Funeral Hall in Minato Ward, Tokyo. As Sakura hailed from Shizuoka Prefecture, that area's version of oden hot pot was served to the participants.
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