Patrick Harlan Guest Stars On Sazae-san Anime's New Year's Special On January 7

The official website for the anime adaptation of Machiko Hasegawa's family life manga Sazae-san revealed on Friday that American comedian Patrick Harlan will guest star as the foreigner character Michael on the Sazae-san anime's New Year's Special on Sunday in Japan. In the episode titled "Nanakusa to Gaikou Mondai" (The Festival of Seven Herbs and Diplomatic Problems), Namihei brings an unfamiliar foreigner named Michael home from a New Year's party, but they are both very drunk. The next day, Namihei reveals that he does not know who he is nor remembers bringing him home. Now, a nervous Masuo must wake the unknown foreigner up.

Patrick Harlan is a member of the comedy duo Pakkun Makkun alongside Makoto Yoshida. He is often referred to by his stage name Pakkun. He has also voiced characters in the Detective Conan: Dimensional Sniper and Doraemon: Nobita's South Sea Adventure anime films.

The anime adaptation of Machiko Hasegawa's family life manga Sazae-san began airing in October 1969.

Sazae-san is usually the highest ranked animated series in Japan each week. In 2013, the show was awarded the Guinness World Record for longest-running animated television series.