Kochi: Lovable baddie Baikinman gets his left horn back

Yomiuri Shimbun photos
The stone statue of Baikinman with his horn broken, left, is restored in Kochi City.

KOCHI — A stone statue of Baikinman, a character from the popular manga Anpanman, had its horn broken in Kochi City.

Four stone statues based on characters from Anpanman have been installed in the city, as the creator Takashi Yanase (1919-2013) is from Kochi Prefecture. The 45-centimeter-tall Baikinman statue is one of them. Its left horn was found broken in June, so the city government dispatched a contractor for repairs, which were completed in July.

According to the city government, the repairs cost ¥223,300, including labor costs for traffic control and polishing the aged parts. A man who has been arrested for allegedly kicking over and breaking the statue may also be required to cover a portion of the cost for the damage.