The TV cartoon "Sazae-san," which began airing in 1969, has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest-running animated series in the world, beating the U.S. show "The Simpsons."

"I am full of emotions. It is a testament to the fact that people of Japan have been watching the show," Midori Kato, 73, the voice actress who has been playing the title character since the beginning, said Thursday during a ceremony at a studio in Tokyo.

The recognition by Guinness was announced Thursday by Fuji TV, which has been broadcasting the cartoon since Oct. 5, 1969.

The TV show is an adaptation of the four-panel comic strip written by Machiko Hasegawa (1920-1992) that took off among readers of all ages for its heart-warming stories involving Sazae-san and her family. The series aired its 2,250th episode last Sunday.

Guinness World Records had previously recognized "The Simpsons" as the longest-running animated TV series, although it started airing in late 1989.