Shigesato Itoi Turns 61

Did he ever acknowledge that big box of stuff we sent him? I don’t remember seeing anything about it.

Not that I know of. It’s possible he said something about it in his daily thoughts, but they aren’t archived. If he was going to say something about it, that’s where it would’ve been.

Hey, look who’s on Itoi’s shirt in panel 8! It’s our old friend Oswald the Lucky Rabbit!

Oh, that’s great! My birthday was yesterday. I’m 41 years younger than him, though.

Wow, Itoi has got to be the most interesting guy I have ever seen. Seeing after him doing a lot of silly yet bizarre stuff. =3

So.. can we still send birthday wishes (in super easy english) to him via: postman@1101.com ?

Sure, I don’t see why not.

He’s 61? I thought he was in his 40s, he’s aging well, haha.

What a coincidence, my birthday is today too! Surprise, surprise.

Happeh burthdey Shigesato Itoi!

That just made me realize, in like 20 years, the videogame industry is going to screwed Japan-wise, no more Miyamoto, no more Itoi, it’s gonna suck.

Happy Birthday, Itoi.
I hope this one is good and many more come.

lol yeah, that Oswald cameo in the 8th photo is awesome!

Itoi looks miraculously young, at least IMO, for age 61. And hopefully, he’ll live 61 years longer…

3 more years until he can sing when I’m 64

I spy a Mr. Saturn.

And finally a picture where his dog isn’t all ghosty.

Haha what are the odds he’d be wearing an Oswald shirt? Ever since Epic Mickey has been announced Oswald has been showing up everywhere.

well happy b day sir. Shigesato Itoi b day

@Chimera: But that wouldn’t make sense. “When” is referring to future tense, so he can’t say “When I’m 64″ if he’s actually 64.

He’s that old?

Well, he’s older than my parents… but younger than my uncle. (my OLDEST uncle)

Yeah! I got a response back from my email. Unfortunately, I don’t speak Japanese. =(
Could it be from “that guy” ?!
I would like to think so.

Haha, I sent him a (very tiny) something, too. (I used my very simple Japanese, if that helps.) Got this:

ほぼ日刊イトイ新聞の糸井重里です。
このメールは、11月10日の、
ぼくの61回目の誕生日に
お祝いのメールをくださった方に、出しています。

ほとんど同じ文面になってしまうのですが、
どうぞお許しください。

生まれてこのかた、
毎年毎年、一年に一度ずつ誕生日を迎えてきましたが、
今年もその日を無事に過ごすことができました。
こどものころや、若いころならともかく、
年齢が重なっていくと、
「育つ」とか「進歩」するということは
なくなるように思っていましたが、
ほんのちょっとずつでも、
そういうことはあるのだと、
思えるようになってきました。

この、「ほんのちょっと」というやつは、
なかなか素敵なごほうびです。
このごほうびをたしかめるのがうれしくて、
誕生日にだけは、すこし過去を振り返ったりします。

お祝いのことばをくださって、
ほんとうにありがとうございました。
ぼくを祝ってくれたのよりも、
「ほんのちょっと」多めに、
あなたにいいことがありますように、
お祈りさせていただきます。

おげんきで。

From what very little I can scrape together from this, it seems like a sort of auto-reply mail, but it talks about having another birthday pass by, getting a lot of happy e-mails, possibly something about his kids (? someone correct me on this). Nice little thing to get :>

That’s the same one that I got! Still very nice. I will keep it forever (..in my email ‘Bullshiz’ folder.) <3

I don’t think there’s anything it there about his kids, but I think he’s talking about HIS birth instead.

Who here’s good at Japanese? *coughmatocough*

Happy belated birthday, you crazy old coot!

I used Yahoo Babel Fish and got:

[Almost the thread well of the daily [itoi] newspaper heavily it is the village. As for this mail, the mail which you celebrate, in my 61st birthday November 10th is put out to the one. Almost, it is to become the same contents, but please permit please. Being born, this one, every year every year, it received birthday one time by in one year, but this year it could pass that day safely. Though it is dense, if time and, young time when anyhow, age keeps being piled up, “you are brought up”, that “it progresses”, it thought in order to be gone, but just a little just even each, as for such, when it is certain, it reached the point where you can think. This, “just just a little” the person who is said is very the cute one [bi]. Being delightful to verify this one [bi], looks back at the filter past which is done to just birthday. The word which you celebrate, thank you truly. You celebrated me compared to, in order “just just a little” more than usual, for there to be times when it is good to you, praying you can point. The [ge] with going back and forth]

Itoi is immortal!

i spot a mr.saturn plushie in pic 5 :3

I wonder what’s that book.

Itoi’s birthday is……… 5 days after mine??!?!

ITOI IS AWESOME

My birthday = November 7