18 | Wednesday, March 31, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY YOUTH Hero inspires real bravery Ultraman takes on a special mission to spread hope and deliver a message of love to disaster survivors and young hospital patients, Xu Haoyu reports.

here are three toy stores near The Children’s Hos­ pital in Hangzhou. Per­ We believe that for haps not surprisingly, the Tstores get crowded. many children, Stacks of toys are piled up and Ultraman is their cover the walls and the store own­ ers sit on their small bench polite­ first encounter of ly answering queries or hope and happiness, concluding another sale. Girls normally want Barbie, and and the experience most boys go for the toy car, or will last forever.” Ultraman, the sliver and red action figure. Kei Minamitani, head of Tsu­ Ultraman was created by Tokyo buraya Productions’ overseas business department Broadcasting System and Tsubu­ raya Productions 55 years ago. The TV series premiered in Japan on cancer. He made a long wish list July 10, 1966, and was introduced and seeing Ultraman in real life to China in 1993. was on it. A superhero, who protects UItraman Zero flew to Jinan, peace on Earth, Ultraman has Shandong province, to meet him become an inspiring icon beloved on Jan 15. by children and fans in Japan and Wearing a blue cloak, Zero got the world over. down on one knee to wrap the Last December, Ultraman was boy’s small hand in his own. These recognized as a fashion icon by two brave comrades made a one of China’s biggest online shop­ thumb seal and agreed that giving ping retailers. Elements of Ultra­ up is not an option when facing man’s look, including tights, difficulties in life. metallic fabric, and a mixture of The actors jet around the coun­ red and blue, were among the try to bring hope to many children fashion trends of the past year. suffering from serious illness. The Ultraman Foundation was Children like Hao (pseudonym as founded by Eiji Tsuburaya and requested), from Shanghai. other supporting companies in “Ultraman looks smaller than March 2011, straight after the on television,” Hao notes. “I’m so Great East Japan Earthquake. happy that he touched my head.” The primary goal was to sup­ “I like Ultra heroes because they port people who lost their homes are so cool and so powerful,” says in the disaster by visiting the shel­ 9­year­old Le from Hefei city, ters they had to live in. Anhui province. “I felt nervous but Kei Minamitani, head of Tsubu­ thrilled meeting Ultraman.” raya Productions’ overseas busi­ “Ultra heroes are very hand­ ness department, claims that, at some and very tall; they can pro­ the beginning, some team mem­ tect me. With Ultraman by my bers felt reluctant to present an side, I felt so secure. Also, I want to Ultraman show at such a difficult learn from the Ultraman spirit: To time, when entertainment was never give up. I will beat the mon­ not exactly the top priority. ster in my body just like Ultra­ “To spark viewer imagination, man,” says Jing, a 5­year­old from provide hope for the future, and Zhejiang province, “I want to see cultivate kindness in young him again.” hearts” was the wish of the compa­ Sun Jian, the general manager ny’s founder, Eiji Tsuburaya. of SCLA, says that the company Minamitani recalls that as the wants to help children to realize team started the show, they could their dreams, deliver care and see in people’s eyes that they had love, inspire people with the Ultra­ more pressing concerns, but, as man spirit, pass on a positive atti­ the show went on, children start­ tude toward life, and bring hope. ed to gather around. At the climax He believes that, over the past dec­ of the show, children were cheer­ ade, the company has achieved ing and shouting for Ultraman so Clockwise from top: Ultraman Tiga visits a sick child during his treatment in Shanghai. Since 2017, 25 such charity activities have this goal. loudly and were overcome with been organized in seven Chinese cities. In 2010, the domestic licensee of Ultraman sent gifts to children in Zhouqu, Gansu province. SCLA is no longer satisfied with excitement when Ultraman Actors playing Ultra heroes in Shanghai fulfill the wishes of sick children. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY just providing birthday surprises defeated the enemy. It was even or visits to sick kids in hospitals. more touching to see that parents It recently partnered with a and adults began to smile together aster, as well as children’s hospi­ On March 10, a missive was License Administrative Company, Ultraman Tiga­themed supplies, public hospital to set up an Ultra­ with their children, some with tals. uploaded to the official website of is the exclusive licensing agent of including backpacks, notebooks man­themed injection room. tears in their eyes. It has carried out 13 major activ­ the Ultraman Foundation, mark­ characters such as the Ultraman and pencils, to young people who “Ultraman is fighting for man­ “We believe that for many chil­ ities up to now. The latest project, ing the 10th anniversary of its Series, Detective Conan, Hatsune were affected by the flash flood kind out of love, and people’s dren, Ultraman is their first Stay at Home With Ultraman, was establishment. Miku and Evangelion. and mudslide in Zhouqu, Gannan dependence on Ultraman is also encounter of hope and happiness, conducted during the 2020 COV­ The message says clearly: “We In 2010, SCLA started to carry Tibet autonomous prefecture in love. Love is an interaction effect,” and the experience will last forev­ ID­19 outbreak. The Ultraman believe that these children’s smiles out charity activities in the name Gansu province. Sun says. “In the future, we will er,” Minamitani says. Foundation released the best epi­ are not only our irreplaceable of Ultraman. As its first move, it From 2017 to February this year, work even harder to pass on the Since then, the foundation has sodes from the series and created hope for the future, but the future participated in a campaign, which SCLA organized 25 charity activi­ spirit of love and justice that Ultra been sending Ultra Heroes to visit original videos, including content itself’’. was initiated by the Shanghai ties and sent actors to play Ultra heroes represent.” children in need at nursery to help children during the stay­ Heroes belong to the world, not Committee of the Chinese Com­ heroes in seven cities in China. schools, kindergartens, and at­home period and messages just a single country. munist Youth League, and donat­ Mu Yi, 5, has been suffering Contact the writer at orphanages in areas struck by dis­ from their heroes. The Shanghai Character ed a large number of genuine from neuroblastoma, a form of [email protected] A bookstore making its own stories takes leading stage role

By CHEN NAN Instead of portraying Cui’s entre­ [email protected] preneurial story about the launch and subsequent running of the Guan Bo has been a frequent visi­ Zhengyang Bookstore, Guan wrote tor to Zhengyang Bookstore, in Zhu­ stories about the people who fre­ anta Hutong, Xicheng district, quent the place. They are connected downtown Beijing. The hutong, a by the bookstore and their lives are type of narrow alley, is reputedly one depicted against the background of of the oldest in the city. The court­ the shop. yards hidden among the capital’s For example, actor Xu Shaoying, hutong symbolize the city. who graduated from the Central The bookstore is situated in one Academy of Drama as an actor in such courtyard, which is also home 2014, plays the role of Cui Xiaoshan, to a small pagoda that was built in owner of the bookstore. Like his the Yuan Dynasty (1271­1368), and father, Cui loves reading but his named after a monk called Wan­ bookstore faces financial challen­ song Xingxiu (1166—1246). ges since many people have For Guan, a Beijing native, each switched to digital books or even visit to the bookstore gives him Zhengyang Bookstore, an original play inspired by the store of the same name, premieres in Beijing on Wednesday. Scriptwriter Guan Bo given up the habit of reading. Actor pleasure and a sense of peace, not gathers both veteran and young actors to relay stories set against the backdrop of the shop. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Liu Xiaoye, who is known for play­ only from reading and buying books ing one of the leading roles in pio­ but also from experiencing the city’s neering director Meng Jinghui’s most traditional lifestyle. surprisingly titled Zhengyang Book­ either buy some books or stay bookstore intrigued me.” Gate. In 2014, Zhengyang Bookstore play, The Life Attitude of Two Dogs, Since 2017, Guan, a veteran script­ store, will premiere at Tianqiao Per­ there for a while. What people at Guan also made friends with Cui moved to its current location. plays a civil servant, whose favorite writer, director and producer who, forming Arts Center in Beijing from the bookstore have in common is Yong, the founder and owner of “I would like to compare the pastime is to visit the bookstore. in 2014, graduated from the direct­ March 31 to April 4. Directed by Li that they slow down, which is very Zhengyang Bookstore. Cui opened bookstore to the streetlights in Bei­ Actor Zhang Qiuge plays Cui Daxue, ing department of the Central Acad­ Bonan, the play features veteran important for people living in a the bookstore in 2009, which was jing’s hutong. They are not shining father of Cui Xiaoshan, an old man emy of Drama with a master’s actors Zhang Qiuge and Liu Xiaoye fast­paced city,” says Guan, who originally located in nearby Qian­ but they are there every night to who has Alzheimer’s disease. In the degree, has been writing a script for alongside young performers Xu now works as the head of the act­ men, a bustling commercial area light up your way,” says Cui, 38, a bookstore, these people find their a Chinese play inspired by the book­ Shaoying and Zhang Keying. ing team of the National Center for close to Tian’anmen Square. Cui Beijing native, who has been devot­ own happiness, as well as opening store. Supported by the Beijing Cul­ Guan says he keenly observes the Performing Arts. “Somehow, named the bookstore Zhengyang aft­ ed to promoting and preserving the up to one another and sharing their ture and Arts Fund, the play, not visitors to the bookstore. “They the world inside and outside the er the area’s old name, the Zhengyang traditional culture of Beijing. stories.