A group of craftsmen working in a more than 400-year-old metalworking tradition in central Japan have dived into the world of anime as a way to survive the decline of their industry and boost their own sense of fulfillment as artisans.
At an event for anime and cartoon aficionados in Oyabe, Toyama Prefecture, in March, what at first glance looked like the helmet of a medieval samurai warrior with a face cover of burnished copper drew a crowd of picture-taking fans.
Although it was meant for the boys' festival in May, when families set up altars decorated with items such as warrior dolls, the helmet was actually modeled on a robot that appears in the popular Japanese fantasy anime "Gurren Lagann."