About: Babysan

Babysan was a comic created by American artist Bill Hume while he was stationed in Japan in the 1950s. The comic depicts American sailors interacting with a pin-up style Japanese woman named Babysan. The title comes from the word "baby" an affectionate term Americans use and "san" which is an honorary term used by the Japanese. It translates literally to Miss Baby. The comic became incredibly popular with United States service members in Japan by mixing good humor with culture, language, and sex. Babysan attempted to show some of the give and take between American and Japanese cultures during the occupational era. The comic plays on misunderstanding and sexuality. Although controversial for its fetishization of Asian women, Hume defended his work saying "I didn't invent Babysan, I just rep