世論 What Japan Thinks

As well as being suitably silly for your Sunday entertainment, this recent survey from goo Ranking into Japan’s cutest corporate mascot is also an excuse to introduce a new blog, Japanese mascots, which does just what it says on the tin.

Demographics

Over the 21st and 22nd of March 2008 1,036 people from the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 50.7% were male, 7.0% in their teens, 14.7% in their twenties, 30.1% in their thirties, 27.0% in their forties, 10.9% in their fifties, and 10.2% aged sixty or over. Note that the score in the results refers to the relative number of votes for each option, not a percentage of the total sample.

My favourite character is Liyon-chan, but he doesn’t make the list as he’s a Kansai-only character, I think, or perhaps he was wrongly-counted as the Lion Lion-chan? From the list, it would have to be Pinky then Koala no March kun.

Note that characters from companies like Sanrio, Disney, and San-X who are sold as characters in their own right were excluded from this survey.

Oh, and click the character photos to see a video of the animal in action.

Research results

Q: Who do you think is the cutest corporate mascot animal? (Sample size=1,036)

Rank	Character		Product	Score
1	Kyoro chan		Morinaga Chocoballs	100
2	Lismo kun		KDDI LISMO	85.8
3	Namacha Panda		Kirin Beverage Namacha	81.7
4	Pon De Lion		Mister Donuts	81.3
5	Hiko-nyan		Hikone Castle 400 Year Anniversary	80.6
6	Gachapin		Fuji Television Hirake! Ponkikki	73.5
7	Bazar Degoza-ru		NEC	73.5
8	Koala no March kun, Koala no Waltz chan		Lotte Koala no March	72.8
9	Aflac Duck		Aflac	69.8
10	Hiyoko chan		Nissin Chicken Ramen	67.5
11	Mook		Fuji Television Hirake! Ponkikki	53.7
12	Shimajirou		Benesse Kodomo Challenge	51.1
13	Kikkoro		Aichi World Exposition	48.9
14	Manma chan		Kansai Television Sanma no Manma	46.6
15	Suippi		JR East Suica	45.1
16	Morizo		Aichi World Exposition	38.1
17	Domo kun		NHK	37.7
18	Yonda?		Shinchosha, Shincho Bunko	37.3
19	Pinky		Frente Pinky	34.0
20	Fa-fa		Nissan Soap Fa-fa	32.8
21	Kero chan, Koro chan		Kowa Colgen Kowa	32.5
22	Hana Koala		Sompo24 Accident Insurance	30.2
23	Pi-po kun		Tokyo Metropolitan Police	27.2
24	Sato chan, Satoko chan		Sato Pharmacuticals	26.5
25	Torakki		Hanshin Tigers	25.7
26	Wan-wan		NHK Inai-Inai-Paa!	23.5
27	Spoo		NHK Together with Mother	21.6
28=	Lion chan		Lion	21.3
28=	Nyan-mage		Jidai-mura	21.3
30	Zu-min, Cha-min, Satabo		Nippon Television Zoom In!! Super	20.1