Japanese Love Mascot Characters!

If you are in Japan, it is very hard to avoid finding mascot characters. You see many cute and comical characters everywhere.  Many Japanese companies own an original company character.  Even each prefecture has its own character!  The mascot characters are used as representatives for organizations at product events, community events and in advertisements.  The mascot helps bridge ideas of products or events quickly in the minds of public and the mascots also soften the formal image of a company.  Here are the results of “Yuru Character Grand Prix”.  (Yuru(Yurui) means slack, loose, and mild)

Sanomaru – Ibaragi Prefecture : No 1 in Popularity for the Prefecture Character Category, 2013

>> You can see more characters here.  1~100
>> 101 ~ 200
>> 201 ~ 300
>> 301 ~ 400
>> 401 ~ 500

Co-suke – Co-op in Chiba Prefecture : No 1 in Popularity for the Company and etc Character Category, 2013

>> 1 ~ 100
>> 101 ~ 200
>> 201~ 300
>> 301~ 335

Bary-san – Ahime Prefecture : No 1 in Popularity for the Prefecture Character Category, 2012
>> 1 ~ 30


Kumamon – Kumamoto Prefecture : No 1 in Popularity for the Prefecture Character Category, 2011
Source

Kumamon Exercise!