Last year, on January 1, the Noto Peninsula earthquake (also known as the Ishikawa earthquake) struck Japan. To this day, many residents' homes are still being rebuilt, and numerous industries are recovering with support from both private and government channels, all working to help Ishikawa Prefecture regain a healthy way of life.
Now, Kodansha, Shogakukan, and Shueisha are joining forces to support a brand-new initiative for Ishikawa-grown rice: the "Ishikawa Genki Rice PROJECT," which officially launched today (January 27). The special charity rice features iconic manga scenes of characters enjoying rice printed directly onto the rice bags, and it's available for a limited time on JA Town, JA Zen-Noh's official online store.
Under JA Group Ishikawa's motto, "Restore one more rice paddy, help one more rice farmer," the "Ishikawa Genki Rice PROJECT" has officially kicked off as a charity event supporting the Noto Peninsula earthquake relief efforts. This project sells Ishikawa-grown rice varieties like "Yumemizuho," "Koshihikari," and "Hyakumangoku." Super popular manga artists from all three publishers are crossing industry lines to boost Ishikawa's local rice. A portion of the sales will be returned to rice farmers and used for activities related to restoring rice paddies in the Noto region.
The heartwarming slogan, "Eat Rice, Become a Hero!," is printed on all the charity rice bags. The packaging design features manga protagonists heartily enjoying white rice, which not only conveys the importance of rice but also reminds us of its everyday value. The slogan aims to transform buyers from mere "consumers" into "heroes" who participate in charity and support rice farmers.
Participating titles include:
Kodansha: "Blue Lock," "Skip and Loafer," and "WIND BREAKER"
Shogakukan: "Detective Conan," "BLUE GIANT MOMENTUM," and "Silver Spoon"
Shueisha: "ONE PIECE," "Haikyuu!!," and "My Hero Academia"
The message is clear: by purchasing and enjoying this rice, you're directly supporting rice farmers and becoming a part of the reconstruction efforts. This charity rice is sold in 1kg x 3-bag sets, available in three main themed designs:
"Ishikawa Genki Rice Kodansha Design Set"
"Ishikawa Genki Rice Shogakukan Design Set"
"Ishikawa Genki Rice Shueisha Design Set"
Each set of charity rice is priced at 4,350 JPY (tax included). Beyond online sales, it will also be available at "Ishikawa Terrace" in Tokyo's Yaesu and "HOKURIKU+" in Osaka starting early February, with a full rollout to JA Town's physical stores from late February.
This kind of cross-industry collaboration, leveraging manga for charity and local reconstruction, has garnered significant praise from netizens. It's truly a testament to Japan's soft power in the ACG (Anime, Comics, Games) world.
via： PR TIMES