The historical manga (comic) Princess Anio was released as one of the activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Vietnam.

The Japanese Organizing Committee of the 50th Anniversary Celebration collaborated with Kim Dong Publishing House to realize this project, with the aim of educating Japanese and Vietnamese people about the long history of cultural exchange and friendship between the two countries.

The two-volume manga Princess Anio reveals the love story of a Vietnamese princess and a Japanese merchant. Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Japan

As both Vietnamese and Japanese people like manga, this project will bring the relationship and the historical and cultural ties between the two countries closer to many people.

This work was created by famous manga artist Higashimura Akiko based on the script of the opera Princess Anio, which will be premiered in Hanoi in September this year.

The print version of the book will not be for sale on the market but will be distributed free of charge to localities and educational institutions in Japan and Vietnam.

The opera is based on the true story of the love between Japanese merchant Araki Sotaro and Princess Ngoc Hoa in the early 17th century, according to Yamada Takio, Japanese ambassador to Việt Nam.

Princess Ngoc Hoa was the daughter of Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen, who ruled central and southern Vietnam from 1613 to 1635.

In the story, Araki went to Hoi An for trading and met the princess. She called her husband "anh oi" (my dear) in Vietnamese, so the locals nicknamed her Princess Anio, with Anio sounding similar to "anh oi".

Today, locals still stage a palanquin procession ceremony to welcome Princess Anio at the Nagasaki Kunchi Festival in Nagasaki.