Anpanman and a Utopian Socialist Society – What If Communism Were Real?

Today, we are going to talk about “What is Communism?” The best example of this can be found in the world of “Go! Anpanman,” created by the manga artist Takashi Yanase. This world perfectly reflects the vision of a communist society I had during my time as an activist.

For example, Uncle Jam bakes bread, Curry Bread Man makes curry, and Ramen Angel prepares ramen. However, they do not do this as a “business”—they create these foods purely to bring joy to others.

In other words, their labor is not “alienated labor” for the sake of profit, but rather, labor for self-fulfillment. The ingredients they use are also provided for free by those who grow the crops. This means that while Uncle Jam is a “bread maker,” he is never a “bakery owner.”

Human ambition in this society is not directed toward selfish wealth accumulation but toward social well-being—”Let’s make even more delicious bread and share it with more people.” No matter how much Uncle Jam’s bread is praised, he only feels the joy and motivation to continue his work. He never thinks about making a profit, hiring others to exploit their labor, or expanding his bakery into a massive bread factory.

If this were a capitalist society, Uncle Jam’s kind face would quickly turn into the furrowed brow of a capitalist, anxiously calculating profits, cutting ingredient costs, and berating his hardworking assistant, Batako, as if she weren’t working hard enough. Or perhaps, a kind-hearted Uncle Jam would have gone bankrupt long ago—after all, no one would sell him ingredients at a fair price.

Shokupanman, for instance, delivers bread to schools every day for free, suggesting that education itself is also free. While only an elementary school-like setting appears in the story, it is highly likely that those who wish to study further for the good of society receive free education. Land is also likely under a communal ownership system, where people have usage rights rather than private ownership.

Artists who create beautiful paintings or calendars and actors like Daikon Yakusha also exist. However, their work is not for money, fame, or self-satisfaction but rather for the joy of the people, portraying them as people’s artists. Religion also exists, as seen with figures like Konnyaku Oshō, but it is a gentle, non-oppressive, and non-authoritarian belief system. When an evil force attacks, Anpanman becomes the “vanguard”, leading a “popular uprising” where even Baikinman and Dokin-chan unite in resistance—proving that no military exists.

In short, the two defining features of capitalism—”money” and “the exploitation of others’ labor”—are completely absent. As a result, there is no capitalist “ruling class,” and society is equal, free from discrimination, poverty, war, or even the need for a government. In fact, I have never seen the concept of “money” appear in Anpanman’s world (←this is crucial).

Consequently, all goods in this world have only “use value” and lack any “exchange value” (i.e., commodity value).

Even Baikinman, the story’s villain, does not have the mindset of a capitalist ruler who seeks to “conquer the world” (i.e., establish a ruling class and exploit others). He steals food only to eat it himself, never to resell it for profit. His wrongdoing lies in stealing “use value,” not in exploiting “exchange value” as a capitalist thief would.

We, born into a capitalist society, are capitalists by default, making it difficult to sustain a communist perspective. Likewise, Baikinman and Anpanman, raised in a communist world, are inherently communist and cannot grasp capitalist ideology.

Some might ask, “But what about Batako? She works at the bakery!” However, she is not laboring out of necessity or for a “salary”; rather, she deeply respects Uncle Jam and aspires to be like him. Because there is no money, there is no wage labor, and therefore, Uncle Jam and Batako do not share a capitalist “boss-worker” relationship—they are socially and humanly equal.

As we can see:

This is precisely the vision of “the higher stage of communism.”

A communist society is the most beautifully designed and idealistic social system ever conceived. Even those who oppose real-world communist movements admit this. No fairy tale has ever described such a beautiful world—because even fairy tale authors are shaped by capitalism. To imagine a better society, one must study the scientific principles of today’s world.

As people raised in capitalism, we are unconsciously trapped by capitalist ideology. While we don’t need to become communists, we should allow ourselves to dream more freely.

But how was Yanase able to create “Anpanman”?
I have never heard that he was a socialist. In fact, from his essays, he seems more influenced by Buddhism. However, one thing is clear: Yanase had a deep, boundless compassion for humanity and a strong aversion to commercialism.

A deep-rooted humanism and a strong anti-commercialist stance
These values align with communism. Perhaps, as he nurtured these beliefs over decades and sought to create a hopeful story for children, he unintentionally painted a world that mirrors the ideals of communism.