The Kings of Kawaii: How Mascots Became Japan's Greatest Marketing Stunt

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Also known as Yuru-chara, roughly translating to “loose characters”, this keyword is used for the thousands of mascots found in Japan. Ranging from dinky to gigantic, from fuzzy to ugly, but mostly, unquestionably cute, these mascots spread across the country and are used to promote a region, a governmental institution, companies, and events. Believe it or not, even some jails in Japan have mascots, too, just highlighting how vast these furry little friends can wander.

Yuru-chara consists of three rules. According to illustrator and cultural critic Jun Miura, they should “convey a strong message of love for one's hometown or local region, [have] movements or behavior [that] should be unique and unstable or awkward [and] the character should be unsophisticated or laid-back [yurui] and lovable.” Ranging from the whimsical and bizarre to the sometimes creepy and unsettling, these mascots are diverse, but all have a looming sense of friendliness regardless that we can’t help but love, and so can’t the rest of the world.

Design-wise, Yura-chara are undeniably Japanese for better or for worse. With manga-like aesthetics, the mascots, often inspired by real-life things or objects, undergo cute and trendy transformations. Some come in the form of animals, such as dogs or fish, others fruit, vegetables and other consumables. Yura-chara also take inspiration from yokai [Japanese folklore monsters], as well as some being a mesh of various muses. Each mascot has a distinct personality, likes and dislikes, and it's this personification that adds a certain element of magnetism to the creatures.

No, these mascots are not the same as what we may think of them, promoting a local sports team or being an iconic video-game hero. Their whole purpose is still to advertise; to make their cause stand out and attract positive attention, but, believe it or not, these mascots are there to promote cities and prefectures, political and non-political movements, and even government parties utilise the furry friends as weapons of mass tantalisation. If you think this bizarre method of marketing is just a gimmick, the most successful Yuru-charas can generate immense revenue, and, in 2012, this industry was worth around 16 billion USD. It’s clear that these things work, despite some being menacingly unsettling.

Where the real fun begins is when these mascots start to go off the rails slightly. Sure, a cute bunny is always bound to turn some heads and attract a few people, but it’s when the designs start to go more creepy is where Yura-chara culture truly starts to come into its own. Ranging from a horrifying walking psychedelic trip to a bloodthirsty-looking bear with a melon as a head, some of the Yura-chara are nightmare fuel but still nationwide beloved. There is even one, Tama-chan of the Hyogo prefecture, who is a crying onion. The reason he is crying? Because he is always cooking onions. This cannibalistic onion is just another reminder of how wild and wacky this culture goes, but how undoubtfully enticing some of the back stories behind these cute creatures can be.

Not only do official mascots exist, but also fan-made mascots can gain nationwide stardom too; for good or bad reasons. These mascots, often made to still represent a cause of movement, have less strict rules behind their actions due to them not being governed. This subsequently can breed some unlawful mascots, causing more mischief than their do-gooder counterparts. One most notable is Chiitan, a mascot of Susaki, who although having gained a mass following on YouTube, did so for all the wrong reasons. Having been described as violent, creepy and dangerous, Chiitan has been spotted doing rather questionable stunts branding him as a rogue mascot.

The mascot phenonium in Japan runs so rampant that sometimes mania can get a bit out of hand. In Osaka, they once had a mascot per 6 000 residents, which caused quite a concern within the local government. Additionally, every year, there is a Yuru-Chara Grand Prix, a festival for these mascots which gives them a chance to be “mascot of the year” through the votes of the attendees and, in 2015, over 1 700 Yuru-charas applied for an entry. The boom was so ferocious in fact, that the government would put a cap on the spending of these mascots resulting in the astonishing 92 mascots in Osaka losing 20 of their furry friends.

There are even mascot training schools where people learn to become professional mascots. Choko Group Mascot Actor’s School, the school founded by teacher Choko Ohira in 2005, is located in a small alleyway in the west of Tokyo. It is here that people come and learn the ins and outs of being a mascot, from dances to behavioural practice, and yes, costumes are provided.

But what is it about these mascots that make such waves through Japan, to the point of global recognition? Many signs point towards its success, both in and out of the country. Many people speculate that due to Japan as a nation not being very personal when it comes to the likes of handshakes and hugging, these mascots offer a physical touch that can only be found in a pet. Both children and adults alike can break their proverbial chains, stretch their arms and feel the warm embrace of a giant humanoid-like cartoon character without the chance of looking disrespectful or out of character. It’s the same feeling you get from cats or dogs, and that’s not to say the Japanese are constantly longing for a hug, it’s just the lack of that may indicate some reason why these mascots gained such popularity in respect to public appearances.

Another reason may be the Japanese close ties to animals and folklore. With great history linked to nature, its habitats, and wonderful tales that are included in many of these mascots’ backstories, the use of these bizarre but charming-looking characters is likely a form of all of the above put together. As they take great respect for their animals and folklore, much like Yokai parades, it’s only natural that their mascots are heavily inspired by them and therefore beloved in the same way.

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