UK newspaper The Times spotlights Hataraki Man

UK newspaper The Times (via their online outlet Times Online) have recently published an article looking at how women in Japan are gradually establishing themselves in the country’s traditionally male-dominated work place, many of whom have been inspired by “Hataraki Man” – the Moyoco Anno (wife of Neon Genesis Evangelion’s Hideki Anno) penned manga that depicts a Japanese twenty-something female moving and shaking stories as a hard-working journalist for a popular magazine.

“Absolutely, women need a Man Switch,” Moyoco Anno, the 36-year-old creator of the comic, says. “It doesn’t imply that men are superior to women, but that people need to understand better the differences of how men and women behave in the workplace and use that.” [Read more]

Hataraki Man (which ironically translates to “working man”) has already been adapted into an acclaimed 11 episode anime TV series which appeared during the autumn of 2006. A live action TV drama is also currently airing on Japanese TV. It’s unlikely that such an unconvential anime series will be released outside of Japan, but you can stream the subtitled trailer and opening theme over at YouTube.