Since 1980, I've been drawing nengajou (Japanese New Year's cards, or 年賀状) and sending them to friends. It's traditional to create them based on the animals of the Chinese zodiac, but I also draw them as little cartoons. I rarely get my cards done on time (they're supposed to be received on New Year's day), but I've drawn them over twenty years, so it's now a personal tradition that I enjoy continuing. The zodiac is based on a twelve year cycle, and each year is assigned a specific animal with various good and bad qualities. I was born in the year of the tiger, which has nothing but good qualities, of course! What year were you born in? Knowing that it's a twelve year cycle, with a little math you should be able to figure out your sign from the list below...


Have fun looking at my cards...

Year of the....

1980 MONKEY
1981 ROOSTER
1982 DOG
1983 BOAR
1984 RAT
1985 OX
1986 TIGER
1987 RABBIT
1988 DRAGON
1989 SERPENT
1990 HORSE
1991 SHEEP
1992 MONKEY
1993 ROOSTER
1994 DOG
1995 BOAR
1996 RAT
1997 OX
1998 TIGER
1999 RABBIT
2000 DRAGON
2001 SERPENT
2002 HORSE
2003 SHEEP (Slightly delayed!)
2004 MONKEY
2005 ROOSTER
2006 DOG
2007 BOAR
2008 RAT

For more information on the Chinese zodiac, click HERE and you'll reach a site dedicated to it.

Copyright 2008, Frederik L. Schodt
Revised -- 01/01/2008