Loveable character lives on
谢谢你，小丸子；再见了，樱桃子
The unforgettable characters are often the ones that we can identify with.
令人难忘的角色往往能引发我们的共鸣。
Chibi Maruko-chan, the main character from the Japanese anime series of the same name, is one of them. Maruko-chan is a primary school girl who often makes mistakes and puts herself in difficult situations. Yet, for those who were born in the 1980s and 1990s, Chibi Maruko-chan helped them to feel better about themselves as a kid.
日本动画《樱桃小丸子》中的主角小丸子便是这样的一个角色。小丸子是个总让自己陷入麻烦的迷糊小学生。但对于80后、90后的这一代人而言，小丸子温暖了童年时的自己。
But as these young people grew up, Maruko-chan, did not. Last month, however, Momoko Sakura, the creator of the popular cartoon series, passed away at the age of 53.
这代年轻人慢慢地长大了，但小丸子却还是和原来一样。然而，这部热门动画的作者樱桃子却于上月去世，享年53岁。

"I feel so sad about her [death], which came too early," wrote Soichi Aida, editor-in-chief of Ribbon magazine, which first published Chibi Maruko-chan in 1986. "But the bright smiles of Maruko-chan and her friends will keep shining in the minds of readers."
“我为她的早逝感到十分难过，”《Ribbon》杂志主编相田聡一写道，该杂志1986年首度刊载《樱桃小丸子》漫画。“但小丸子和她朋友们的灿烂笑容，会继续在读者们的心中闪闪发光。”
Unlike many popular characters, Maruko-chan isn't pretty, nor does she have any kind of special ability. In fact, she's lazy and hates to do chores. But this is what makes her so popular among so many people, young and old. "Maruko is not perfect and owns all the qualities of a 9-year-old girl – she's naughty, funny, and occasionally depressed. She is afraid of exams and leaves her homework until the last day of the holiday," reported Chinese website Huxiu.com.
和许多人气角色不同的是，小丸子并不漂亮，也没有什么特殊能力。事实上，她很爱偷懒，也不喜欢做家务。但这也正是老老少少这么多人都喜欢她的原因。“小丸子并不完美，她有着一个 9 岁小女孩所有的特质 —— 有些调皮，有点逗比，偶尔还有些废柴。害怕考试，假期最后一天才写作业，”虎嗅网报道称。
Later, as Maruko-chan gradually learns the ways of the world, she comes across a lot of problems, but her intelligence helps her out. The carefree girl is known for her funny yet wise sayings, such as, "Leave happiness to the last in a bittersweet life," and "Self-reliance is the secret to consistent happiness."
后来，小丸子渐渐学会了处世之道，也遇上了一堆麻烦事，但她的聪明帮她化解了难题。这个无忧无虑的小女孩还说了不少好玩又富有哲理的金句，如：“人生就是这样有苦有乐，所以快乐的要留到最后”、“自立是一直幸福下去的秘诀”等等。
Maruko-chan's facial expressions are also what stay in viewers' minds. Whenever she feels awkward, lines suddenly appear on her face, or sometimes an unexpected gust of wind will blow above her head. These expressions show her real feelings when she's in an uncomfortable environment, which most young people can relate to.
小丸子的表情包同样深刻地印在了观众们的脑海中。当她感到尴尬时，脸上就会出现黑线，或者头上刮过一阵莫名奇妙的风。这些小表情展现了她身处尴尬境地的真实想法，让大多数年轻人感同身受。
Though Maruko-chan has always been a grade-three student, her idea of being true to herself teaches us a lot. Her creator may be gone, but Maruko-chan's spirit and attitude will live on for many more years.
尽管小丸子一直都只是个上三年级的小学生，但她做自己的想法却教会了我们不少东西。她的作者虽然离世，但小丸子的精神和心态将会长存。