He has a big red nose, two rosy cheeks and an edible head that is regularly rebaked in his uncle¡¯s oven.

Yes, it¡¯s Anpanman, one of Japan¡¯s most iconic anime characters, whose heroic antics have seduced generations of children over the past three decades.

Originally unveiled in the form of a 1970s picture-book series by Takashi Yanase, Anpanman was first aired on Japanese TV in 1988, and more than 1,000 episodes have since been unleashed on the public.