@1northcoin said:

And here pictured on the pajamas of some my own progeny back in the 1980s is a related superhero who apparently went by the name Pa-Man.

The story of Anpanman:

Created by Takashi Yanase whose family originated from Japan's Kochi Prefecture, Anpanman first appeared as a children's superhero character in 1973 in his first of 150 Picture Books featuring the character. In 2002 it took over Hello Kitty as the top grossing character and it and the products featuring it have generated over 4.5 trillion in gross retail sales.

Takashi Yanase had attempted to retire in 2011 but was motivated to return to work as a consequence of events surrounding the Great East Japan Earthquake. He was heartened to hear children who had lost everything finding solace in singing the Anpanman March which became the theme song for reconstruction. He created posters for those in the devastated communities as well as a CD that focused on a pine tree that miraculously survived the earthquake's accompanying tsunami.

The Anpanman character is unique as a superhero. While his superhero powers of a mastered an-punch and an an-kick may be conventional, it is what he can do with his bean filled bread head that sets him apart. He can allow starving creatures or people in distress to eat some of his head and it can then be replaced by a new one baked by Uncle Jam who first introduced the world to Anpanman when a shooting star exploded in his kitchen while he was baking an anpan which is a Japanese confectionary consisting of a sweet bean paste filled roll.

The Kochi Prefecture today claims Takashi Yanase as a favorite son and as evident in the above photos even has trains that cross Shikoku Island, where Kochi is situated, designated and decorated as Anpanman Trains. In addition there is an Anpanman Museum in Kochi's Kami town as well as a Memorial Hall dedicated the creator Takashi Yanase where some of his earlier works are displayed.

OK, for this Friday Eve here are photos of the actual Anpanman train and scenes in Kochi itself:

When one arrives at the Kochi train station there is a bakery shop featuring Anpanman faced anpan along with Kochi's unique Boshipan ("hat bread") and then it up the steps to the Anpanman Plaza. There an Anpanman model railroad operates among other Anpanman centric items:

And then when exits the train station to take in the view of the three famous statues of Takechi Hanpeita, Sakamoto Ryoma, and Nakaoka Shintaro - "The Three Patriotic Warriors ofvTosa," it is but a block further that one comes upon a statue of Anpanman:

Then venturing a bit further to take in Kochi's famous Harimaya Bridge known for its story of forbidden love that is incorporated into Kochi's equally famous annual festival, the Yasakoi Matsuri. Anpanman has his claim here too as he overlooks a replica of the bridge in a nearby shop:

As one continues on to additional Kochi attractions to include the Kochi Castle, its shonen (covered shopping mall) and market where one can sample Kochi's famous fire seared Bonito sashimi one encounters Anpanman gift items enroute:

Then along with encountering the Yasukoi Festival Dancers statue, we head back though the shoten covered walkway. There Anpanman again greets us as we pass by a confectionary shops with their irresistible cake offerings: