This show has become famous among animation-buffs for being, until 2013, the last traditionally-animated (hand-drawn on acetate cels and shot on film) cartoon in the world, though as of April 2009, the Opening Credits had already switched mediums. Literally every other piece of "commercial" animation on the planet, if it's not already an All-CGI Cartoon, is at least composited and coloured digitallynote For reference, the last traditionally-animated anime film was Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea in 2006; the last traditionally-animated major film not tied to a preexisting franchise was Millennium Actress in 2001; the last traditionally animated American film was Doug's First Movie in 1999; the last new American TV cartoon to use traditional animation was Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? in 2002; the last American TV cartoon to switch to digital production during its run was Ed, Edd n Eddy in 2004; Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown was drawn by hand, uniquely for a 2011 film, though it was a Direct to Video release.
It's also the only still-running Japanese animated program that predates Anime as a distinct style, and thus avoids most of the visual shorthand associated with it.
General Tropes
Character Outlives Actor: Namihei's original voice actor Ichirō Nagai died of a heart attack on January 27, 2014 while working on the anime after 44 years.
Executive Meddling: From its premiere episode in 1969 until October 1991, Sazae used to end every episode by throwing a bean or a rice cake in the air and catching it in her mouth and swallowing it. After doctors at Tohoku University Hospital and the National Center for Child Health and Development raised concerns that children may try to imitate her and potentially choke on food note there actually exists a story in which a kid tried to do this stunt and choked to death, but its veracity is still disputed, this was changed in November 1991; she now ends every episode by challenging the viewer to jan-ken-pon (rock/paper/scissors).
Keep Circulating the Tapes: Due to series creator Machiko Hasegawa's wish that the series never have any merchandise sold for it, which includes any kind of home release, the show was this for a long time, but in December 2018 they announced that they're digitally restoring old episodes and making it available through Amazon Prime Japan streaming service (likely part of the deal when Amazon took over as the show's main sponsor after Toshiba dropped out). As of 2020, episodes from 1969 to 1978 and 2005 to 2008 are now available. There are so far no words on other episodes, however.
Long-Runners: THE Animation example, running since 1969 (55 years). Its manga wasn't too shabby either, running for 28 years from 1946 to 1974.
Missing Episode: Of the first 53 episodes, three are not included in the Amazon Prime package.
Despite the fact that the series is tremendously popular in Japan, surpassing in ratings to practically all the animated series that are broadcasting in that country (being the only legal way to know the anime exists), the series has never been exported outside of Japan. Due to how extremely long the series is, its content that couldn't be liked by people outside of Japan (series like Crayon Shin-chan and Chibi Maruko-chan have suffered similar fates when distributed overseas, specially in North America and Europe) and the request of its author, Machiko Hasegawa, before dying that no merchandise would be done for the series whatsoever (up until before the agreement between Fuji TV and Amazon in 2018), the series will hardly put a feet outside Japan and even if foreign licensors would ever want to license the series, they probably couldn't.
The manga is not different from the anime, because all the 45 volumes of the manga series has never been exported outside of a few selected comic strips that were compiled in 12 bilingual volumes released by Kodansha from 1997 to 1999.
The Other Darrin: Despite its long run this trope is averted with Sazae who is the only main character whose voice is still performed by the same actress around 50 years. However, there have been changes with voice actors for Masuo (3 actors), Tarao (2) Katsuo (3), Wakame (3), Namihei (2), and Fune (2)note Before that, one 2009 episode had someone else perform her, only because her original voice actress was sick that day.
Out of Order: This series is transmitted in this way. Although each title of the episode indicates the short number, Fuji TV does not transmit them in an orderly manner, but according to what the station decides to transmit for that day. So a broadcast episode can start, for example, with the short #7833 to then skip to the short #7847 to finally jump back to the short #7838. Anyway, because the shorts are self-conclusive, anyone can watch the episode of any day, in any short.
Outlived Its Creator: Machiko Hasegawa died on May 27, 1992, during the anime's 23rd year on television.
Recycled Script: Most of the stories are based on the original run of the comic strip, and are rotated through every few years, only slightly updated with current clothing and technology. New stories based on current events are a rare treat.
In The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today, Saku dreads seeing Sazae-san airing in its usual Sunday evening timeslot since it reminds her that she has to go to work the next day.
