More than 70 child welfare centers and orphanages across the nation have reported anonymous donations of backpacks for schoolchildren and other items since the Christmas season — all under the names of cartoon heroes.
Among the names used by donors is "Date Naoto," a cartoon character and himself an orphan, who becomes the pro wrestler "Tiger Mask" and supports other orphans in a cartoon series from the 1960s.
Other pseudonyms include "Unfortunately, I am not a Tiger Mask," "Jo Yabuki," an old-time animation character who is a boxer and friend to impoverished children, or "Momotaro," a nursery tale hero.