Japan’s cutest character! As designed by committee
At the weekend トリビアの泉, Trivia no Izumi, Fount of Trivia looked at that most vital of questions, what is cuteness. They gathered together five top researchers in the field who spent seven hours designing the ultimate in cuteness. This character was passed on to the chief Hello Kitty designer for final touch up and presentation to the world.
But before we get to that, they also surveyed the public to find out what they thought Japan’s cutest character was.
5. DoCoMoDaKe
The main character for NTT DoCoMo’s mobile phones, which I personally don’t particularly like, although I do have a mobile phone strap somewhere that I got free from DoCoMo.
4. Rilakkuma
A San-X character, Sanrio for “adults”. I think he’s extremely cute myself, and in fact my mobile phone wallpaper is him in the bath with his friend and a couple of birds.
3. Hello Kitty
The cutest kitten in Japan and she can only make number three?
2. Mickey Mouse
Can’t stand the rat myself.
1. Pooh Bear
Or Winnie the Pooh, if like me you grew up on the A.A. Milne tales illustrated by Ernest H. Shepherd long before I ever saw the Disney makeover. It was the Disney image that was selected, but I’m a traditionalist so you’ll have to make do with real bear of very little brain.
So, back to the cutest character by committee: the result of the research was this wee sparrow desperate to be hugged:
After me everybody: “Kawai-i-i-i-i-i…!”
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Overoften said,
May 15, 2007 @ 14:23
“Japan’s” cutest character? (Mickey Mouse? Winnie the Pooh?)
Is that your wording or the TV programme’s?
(Yes, I’m a little old to be getting possessive over the Winnie the Pooh, but still…)
Ken Y-N said,
May 15, 2007 @ 15:33
Well, it’s the cutest character in the Japanese public’s view, rather than the cutest Japanese character.
Good point, though, that the top two are American Disney inventions!
Overoften said,
May 15, 2007 @ 15:39
For all of Mr Ishihara protestations that Mickey Mouse “has nothing like the unique sensibility that Japan has”, it doesn’t seem to have stifled his popularity here any.
And the Cutest Character in Japan is…. » Japan Probe said,
May 15, 2007 @ 16:44
[…] At least that’s what a national cuteness poll conducted by Trivia Izumi found. The full top five can be viewed at What Japan Thinks! […]
Kadenmaya said,
May 15, 2007 @ 23:55
Sorry but Winnie the pooh is not an invention of disney, but pary of Canadian history, (search “winnie the pooh history” and you can see actual pics of him. During the first World War, troops from Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada) were being transported to eastern Canada, on their way to Europe, where they were to join the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade. When the train stopped at White River, Ontario, a lieutenant called Harry Colebourn bought a small female black bear cub for $20 from a hunter who had killed its mother. He named her ‘Winnipeg’, after his hometown of Winnipeg, or ‘Winnie’ for short (Circa. August 1914)
Walt Disney World Vacation Info » Pooh, Mickey Japan’s Cutest Characters said,
May 16, 2007 @ 00:25
[…] The What Japan Thinks blog found a recent television poll on the show Trivia no Izumi, Fount of Trivia, that asked which character Japan’s residents found to be the cutest. The answer was Mickey Mouse and Winnie The Pooh. Those American and British creations beat out Hello Kitty, Rilakkuma (a San-X character), and DoCoMoDaKe (the mobile phone mascot). (Link) […]
Ranking de personajes kawaii said,
May 16, 2007 @ 02:32
[…] en What Japan Thinks Entradas Relacionadas: -Inuyasha Demon Tournament-Trailer del anime de Devil May Cry-A AstroBoy le […]
Ken Y-N said,
May 17, 2007 @ 07:50
Kadenmaya, thanks for the history on how Winnie the Pooh came about, but the Japanese are most familiar with the Disney creation, not the “real” Pooh, sadly!
Diane said,
April 14, 2008 @ 04:33
Winnie the Pooh is not an “American” Disney invention, as previously stated. He was created by AA Milne and named after his hometown, Winnipeg.
claytonian said,
June 17, 2008 @ 01:05
I don’t think these commenters have it quite right. It’s an English thing. Check Wikipedia.