TOKYO – Japan’s Broadcasting Industry does not allow programs with religious themes, so it’s a miracle that the animated Bible series, Superbook, has aired on national television, first in the 80s and then for another 6 years since 2017. The program not only plants God’s Word in the hearts of Japanese viewers, it’s also used by Christian churches there to raise a generation who knows and loves God.
Kids enjoying Sunday School is a rare sight in Japan. According to Pastor Makoto Kohatsu of the Kawasaki Church in Tokyo, this is because only half of the churches here have Sunday School. He said, “Out of the 1% Christian population in Japan, including Catholics, only 0.2% go to church. It is very difficult for Japanese people to touch Gospel, watch Gospel, listen to the Gospel. They are not coming to church. No kids are coming to church.”
Pastor Kohatsu believes broadcasting Superbook episodes helped because children who don’t attend Sunday School still heard the Gospel by watching the show on TV. As a church partner of the Superbook program, some of these viewers and their parents now attend the church. Pastor Kohatsu shared how watching the “Flying House” program and the original “Superbook” in the 80s made an impact on his life.
“This is how I came to know about the Bible and came to know Jesus. Those stories were kind of foundation in my life. So when I knew Superbook is coming to this generation, I was so excited. The children will know the message of the Bible,” Pastor Kohatsu said.
Thirteen-year-old Kiho Nagao watches Superbook regularly in Sunday School. She commented, “I love the way Superbook is presented. Watching Jesus resurrecting on Superbook is made more real than just reading it from the Bible. It made more impact in my life. When I am in trouble, I know God, who has the power to resurrect Jesus from the dead, can also help me.”
Another Sunday School kid, 12-year-old Aika Hayashida, says that through Superbook, she learned that Jesus can perform miracles. “I like watching the story about miracles, Jesus changing water into wine, and healing people. I believe He can also do miracles in my life, like saving my classmates who are bad to me so they can be my very good friends.”
A Superbook team from the Philippines visited Pastor Kohatsu’s church and other church partners to minister to children and provide further training on its curriculum to volunteers. The team also promoted Superbook at Japan’s biggest evangelistic outreach for the first time since 2018, when they promoted the first season. It was their way of celebrating the completion of the five seasons of Superbook that was aired in Japan.
Noel Wilson of the Pacific Broadcasting Association was in charge of marketing Superbook to the networks. She shared feedback she received from its viewers. “Some viewers watch with their grandparents who used to watch the old version of Superbook. Different generations know about Superbook and receive the gospel through the animation. And that is fulfilling for me,” Wilson said.
Through the leadership of Niimi Sachiko of the Word of Life Press Ministries, the Superbook ministry in Japan continues. She shared, “Superbook animation is key to reach the young people in Japan and this is why we are happy to work with CBN. Japanese people are very kind persons. They don’t feel that they are sinners. And that is why they are very hard to reach and share Christ to them. But through Superbook, they get to know the story in the Bible, and through those stories, people’s hearts are being touched.
Icko Gonzalez, Special Projects Head of CBN Asia, shared, “Even though Season 5 is the last season of Superbook, Superbook is here to stay. We have so many plans to air it in other prefectures in Japan and in the local channels here so that through Superbook, many more will hear the gospel. Japan is known as the Land of the Rising Sun, but we declare that Japan is going to be the Land of the Risen Son, Jesus.”
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