Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. Keiko Sena’s picture book “The Glasses Rabbit” celebrates its 50th anniversary! A nationwide bookstore fair and a social media campaign are being held.

[Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd.] Sena Keiko’s picture book “The Glasses Rabbit” celebrates its 50th anniversary! A nationwide bookstore fair and a social media campaign are being held. ​
Poplar Co., Ltd. Press release: October 3, 2025 To Members of the Press Sena Keiko’s picture book “The Glasses Rabbit” celebrates its 50th anniversary! A nationwide bookstore fair and a social media campaign are being held. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the picture book “The Rabbit with Glasses” (1975), published by Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. The series has sold over 2.6 million copies and is beloved by people of all ages, from children to adults. “Megane Usagi” is a heartwarming, humorous story about a laid-back, laid-back girl named Usako who wears black-rimmed glasses, and a somewhat lovable ghost who always fails to scare her. The 50th anniversary art features the tagline “Take it easy, have fun, and take it easy” along with the cover art of “Megane Usagi.”
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A picture book born from a mother’s love for her son “Glasses Rabbit,” first created in 1975, was inspired by Sena’s eldest son, who was an elementary school student at the time, who decided to wear glasses. Not many children in his class wore glasses, so she wanted to convey the message that “glasses are fun” to her son so that he wouldn’t feel down. The ghosts in the “Glasses Rabbit” series are not scary, and are always at the mercy of the laid-back Usako. During her lifetime, Sena Keiko said, “Since these are for children to see, they shouldn’t be really scary. I draw them with the intention of creating fun ghosts.” What is the “Megane Usagi” series? Picture book author Sena Keiko’s collage illustrations are so distinctive that anyone would recognize them as “Sena Keiko’s Ghosts.” The “Glasses Rabbit” series, featuring a bespectacled rabbit named Usako and a ghost as main characters, continues to captivate children today as it did in the past. My picture books often feature rabbits and ghosts because I love them. When I was a child, I even took turns being the rabbit at school. I’ve never kept a ghost, but that was for my son. When my son was about three years old, he became obsessed with “GeGeGe no Kitaro” on TV and watched it every day. (Omitted) My passion for Japanese ghosts was influenced by my children. “Glasses Rabbit” is the first book in a popular series that continues with “Ghost Tempura,” “Glasses Rabbit’s Christmas Is Christmas,” and “Glasses Rabbit’s Sea Pig Appears!!,” and has sold over 2.6 million copies in total. Glasses Rabbit and Sena Keiko’s Picture Book >> https://www.poplar.co.jp/pr/senakeiko/
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/31579/1098/31579-1098-a39506ad876b07efda7c92f4c99703d8-3900×1048.png Keiko Sena (1931-2024) Born in Tokyo. Entered the world of picture books after studying under Takeo Takei, an artist known for his modern style. In 1970, she won the Sankei Children’s Publishing Culture Award for “Iyadai Iyadai no Ehon” (Fukuinkan Shoten). She established her own unique style as a picture book author. Her works include “Glasses Rabbit,” “Ghost Tempura,” and the “Sena Keiko Picture Book” series, as well as “The Fight Between the Sun and the Moon,” a war story, and “Sena Keiko Poetry and Art Collection: A Small World,” a collection of poems she compiled alongside her creative work (all published by Poplar Publishing). In 2011, she received the 50th Children’s Cultural Merit Award. Her humorous and original style, created using collage techniques, features ghosts, monsters, rabbits, and other motifs. Her works are popular with a wide audience, from adults to children, and have become bestsellers that have been read by generations. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/31579/1098/31579-1098-57fd86fa927e4606b0dcda5901488914-2025×2700.jpg Keiko Sena holding “Glasses Rabbit”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/31579/1098/31579-1098-4b50d7706c65baf1337364d75fd057f7-1224×1632.jpg “Usako”‘s clothes were made from wrapping paper sold at stationery stores. Anniversary fairs and original merchandise sales at bookstores Bookstores nationwide are holding a “Megane Usagi 50th Anniversary Fair.” Some bookstores are also hosting a “Usako’s Glasses Hunt” event, inspired by the stories in the “Megane Usagi” series. Participants will receive an original sticker as a gift.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/31579/1098/31579-1098-6d5edb9d5c1393dad2b61bc868eef38e-2349×2361.jpg *The timing and duration of the fair/event may vary by bookstore. Also, stickers are limited in quantity and will be available while supplies last. We also plan to release merchandise from the “Glasses Rabbit” series. These will be released one after another on Poplar Publishing’s official online store (kodo-mall) in the future. kodo-mall>>> https://www.kodo-mall.jp/view/category/senakeiko 50th Anniversary Campaign on Social Media ■X Gift Campaign Held From October 7th to October 28th, we will be holding the “Megane Usagi 50th Anniversary X Gift Campaign.” This campaign involves guessing the actions Usako would have taken in “Megane Usagi.” 50 lucky winners will receive a commemorative clear file featuring Megane Usagi’s 50th anniversary art.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/31579/1098/31579-1098-685c6d2cbb204531a67d7b57fb87b256-1600×900.png ■The full text of “Megane Usagi” is now available on note In conjunction with the X campaign, note will be opening a page where you can preview the entire “Megane Usagi” for a limited time. Why not relax and read “Megane Usagi” for the first time in a while? In addition, five people who submit a message or memories of the “Megane Usagi” series in the form will receive either a Megane Usagi eyeglass case or pouch.
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