Ever wondered what Japanese cartoons and comics were popular in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s?

There's Astro Boy, Ultraman, Chibi Maruko Chan, Pokemon and Hello Kitty, but if you want to know more, a recently opened exhibit in the Metropolitan Museum of Manila at Roxas Boulevard can give you all the answers.

"Japan: Kingdom of Characters," a project of the Japan Foundation in Manila and the Embassy of Japan, has almost all well-known characters in the history of manga and anime, even those "found on bank passbooks and train passes, in supermarkets and vending machines."

It was opened to the public on July 8 and will run until August 20 at the museum's Tall Galleries.

The exhibit has 3 sections, each having a different theme. The first and second parts feature anime and manga trends that have emerged in each decade and Japan's bond with the characters, respectively.

The final section, called "The Future of Characters," examines how advanced computer software and the Internet play a vital role in developing manga and anime.

"We hope that through this exhibition, the viewer might come to better understand the close and extremely futuristic relationship that the Japanese people have with characters," Aihara Hiroyuki, president of Japan's Character Research Institute Co. Ltd., said in a statement.

"Japan: Kingdom of Characters" is part of the celebration of the Philippines-Japan Friendship Month this July.

Other activities include Japanese festival Eiga Sai and free concerts and workshops.

Museum hours are from Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information about the exhibit, call (632) 523-0613 or visit www.metmuseum.ph and www.facebook.com/met.museum.manila.

For more information about the Philippine-Japan Friendship Month activities, call (632) 811-6155 or visit www.jfmo.org.ph.