The long-running anime series Sazae-san has won the 28th Hashida Prize. This makes it the first anime series to have ever done so in the award’s 28 year history. The news comes via Mantan Web (1, 2, 3, via Anime News Network).

The Hashida Prize is a yearly prize awarded to programs, actors, and screenwriters that have contributed significantly to Japan’s broadcast culture. The award was begun by the Hashida Cultural Foundation in 1993, and has typically been awarded to live-action dramas in the past. As such, Sazae-san is the first anime to ever receive the prize.

Sazae-san began as a newspaper four-panel (yonkoma) comic strip in 1946, by Machiko Hasegawa. The series follows the titular Sazae, an outgoing woman who lives with her parents, siblings, husband, and son, as they enjoy the little things in their day to day life. The manga officially ended in 1974 with Hasegawa’s retirement.

An anime was created based on the comics strips in 1969 by Studio Eiken. The series now has over seven thousand episodes, and was awarded the Guinness World Record for being the Longest Running Animated Show in 2013.

Image: Guinness World Records