On Wednesday, he Headquarters of the United States Armed Forces in Japan has posted the first manga issue that it developed with the Maritan manga creators to celebrate the 50-year alliance between America and Japan. Our Alliance — A Lasting Partnership (Watashi-tachi no Dōmei — Eizoku-teki Partnership) features the work of artist Yukio Hirai, Hobby Japan magazine writer "Col. Ayabe," and other creators who worked on Maritan. The manga revoles around a Japanese girl named Anzu Arai and Usa-kun, an American boy who is staying with Anzu's family while he visits Japan. (The character names are wordplays on "USA" and the Japanese pronunciation of "alliance" or "arai-ansu.") Also featured are characters representing the U.S. Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

The Maritan franchise was launched by Mahō no Kaiheitai Pixel☆Maritan (Magical Marine Pixel*Maritan), a manga/CD set that teaches Japanese people how to talk like a U.S. Marine — with profanity. The official Maritan web diary announced on Tuesday that the U.S. Armed Forces will host a booth with the Maritan staff and the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) in the Chara-Hobby 2010 convention during the August 28-29 weekend. The Maritan staff and the JSDF have already been jointly hosting a booth at the same convention every year.