A handsome Japanese cartoon character has sent sales of wine soaring in Tokyo as fans endeavour to mirror their hero's quest to discover the world's finest vintages.

Shizuku Kanzaki's adventures in the comic Kami no Shizuku lead him to sample different bottles in every copy and the featured wines regularly become overnight hits, in some cases tripling sales.

The character was sent on his mission by a request in his father's will. Once he tracks down the "Twelve Apostles" he will be rewarded with keys to his father's wine cellar, which because the man was a great wine critic, is a valuable prize.

The comic is read by 500,000 Japanese each week and his sway over the wine market is spreading throughout Asia. Some wine importers say they have never seen such a powerful single influence on their business.

In Taiwan a single reference to a relatively obscure French terroir led to dozens of cases of the wine being sold within a few days.

He has also influenced the South Korean market, where translations of the comic have boosted sales of wine from less than a third of the market to around 70 per cent of alcohol sales.

The cartoon is the creation of a brother and sister team in Japan, who use the pseudonym Tadshi Agi. South Korean film star Bae Yong Joon is considering playing the lead in a film about Shizuku's adventures.