THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
JAPAN---Local businesses could have turned to Buddhism or Christianity to boost the profile of the western Tokyo city of Tachikawa, but instead they have taken a more demonic approach. An animated adaptation of "
Saint Young Men," a popular manga series about
Gautama Buddha and
Jesus Christ living together as roommates in a cheap apartment in Tachikawa, hit cinemas nationwide in May. Hoping to cash in on the opportunity, a Japanese confectionery shop is offering sweet pancakes branded with an "oni" demon character, which is based on the design of a playground slide in a city park that is featured in the manga. An oni-themed cellphone charm produced five years ago is also proving a consistent seller. [
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