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Yuru- chara - Wikipedia. Yuru- chara(Japanese: ゆるキャラ,Hepburn: yuru kyara) is a Japanese term for a category of mascot characters; usually created to promote a place or region, event, organisation or business. They are characterized by their kawaii (cute) and unsophisticated designs, often incorporating motifs that represent local culture, history or produce. They may be created by local government or other organizations to stimulate tourism and economic development, or created by a company to build on their corporate identity. They may appear as costumed characters (or kigurumi) at promotional events and festivals. Yuru- chara has become a popular and lucrative business, with character- driven sales reaching nearly $1. Japan in 2. 01. 2.[1]Popular yuru- chara include Kumamon and Funassyi, who have gained international recognition and have reached celebrity status in Japan.[1][2]Etymology[edit]The name yuru- chara is a contraction of yurui mascot character(ゆるいマスコットキャラクター,yurui masukotto kyarakutā).

The adjective yurui(緩い) generally means "loose", but in this application it has a number of connotations including "gentle" or "weak",[3] "laid- back",[1] light- hearted or "unimportant".[4]The term gotōchi- kyara(ご当地キャラ,local character) has also become popular in reference specifically to local mascots,[5] which is the large majority of yuru- kyara. Concept[edit]The term was coined by illustrator and cultural critic Jun Miura (ja) in the early 2. Miura has stated that there are three main requirements that make a yuru- chara: [6]It must convey a strong message of love for one's hometown or local region.

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The character's movements or behaviour should be unique and unstable or awkward. The character should be unsophisticated or laid- back (yurui) and lovable. Some of these imply that the mascot must exist in kigurumi form. Yuru- chara are often designed by amateur artists, and many designs are seen as naive or poorly executed,[7] or can appear to oversimplify what they represent.[8] These characteristics generally add to their appeal,[4] but occasionally can cause the opposite reaction: The unveiling of Sento- kun in 2.

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These "amateurish" or flawed aspects are what set yuru- chara apart from professionally created corporate mascots (e. Domo- kun), professional sports mascots (such as those of Nippon Professional Baseball teams), and commercially oriented characters such as Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma - all of which are also commonplace in Japan. Popularity[edit]The popularity of mascots like yuru- chara in Japan has been linked to historical emotional bonds to non- human characters, such as in ancient polytheism.[2] There are also many different yōkai in Japanese folklore, and certain types of yōkai such as kappa and tanuki have been the basis for several yuru- chara designs. Although the concept had been around for some time, the start of the "yuru- chara boom" is accredited to Hikonyan,[4] who was created in 2. Hikone Castle and created a significant increase in tourism and merchandise sales for castle and the city. Since then, the number of yuru- chara increased throughout the country.

Festivals and other events dedicated to these mascots were created, such as the Yuru- chara Matsuri(ゆるキャラまつり) held in various locations since 2. Some mascots have also appeared in international conventions, such as Funassyi and Kumamon in the 2. Japan Expo in Paris, France; and a small group in the 2. Japan Matsuri in London.[1.

Gotōchi- chara Catalogue(ご当地キャラカタログ,gotōchi kyara katarogu) is an online database which collects information about gotōchi- chara, yuru- chara and local heroes from user submissions. On October 2. 01. The proliferation of yuru- chara by has become problematic in some regions. In 2. 01. 4, the Osaka government expressed concern that there were too many local mascots, and it was diluting brand identity.[2]Yuru- chara Grand Prix[edit]2. Yuru- chara Grand Prix (ゆるキャラグランプリ,yuru kyara guranpuri), an annual event where the most popular mascot is determined by public voting. Previous winners include Hikonyan and Kumamon. There were 1,7. 27 entrants in the 2.

Grand Prix, over ten times the amount in the first contest. Results were announced on 2. November with 5. 0. Shusse Daimyō Ieyasu- kun.

Around 7. 7,0. 00 people attended the awards event in Hamamatsu.[1. Year. Entrants. Winner. Hikonyan (Hikone, Shiga)2. Kumamon (Kumamoto Prefecture)2. Barysan (ja) (Imabari, Ehime)2. Sanomaru (ja) (Sano, Tochigi)2.

Gunma- chan (ja) (Gunma Prefecture)2. Shusse Daimyō Ieyasu- kun (ja) (Hamamatsu, Shizuoka)2. Shinjou- kun (ja) (Susaki, Kōchi)Records[edit]Yuru- chara gatherings have been involved in creating two Guinness World Records: Features[edit]Yuru- chara try to portray some aspect of the place they are representing, be it local produce, a historical figure or legend, local wildlife, architecture or geography. This is often incorporated into their physical appearance in an amusing or unusual way, e. Nothing Left To Fear Movie Watch Online. Fukkachan (ふっかちゃん), mascot of Fukaya has two green onions sprouting out of its head (green onions being a popular product of Fukaya). Their name may also be a play on words, such as with Kumamon. In public appearances, most yuru- chara are silent, and usually act in a playful or childish manner.

Some exceptions include Funassyi[1] and Chicchai Ossan(ちっちゃいおっさん, small middle- aged man) who do talk in character,[1. Merchandise[edit]Many yuru- chara have various associated merchandise as an alternative source of income. These typically include stuffed toys, keychains, sticker sets for Line (a popular instant messaging system in Japan) and stationery.[1. As an acknowledgement of the large adult fanbase of yuru- chara, there are also some more adult- oriented products such as sake[1. Yuru- chara often have a theme song with related dance routine, such as Kumamon's Kumamon Taisō(くまモン体操) which has seen over 2. You. Tube.[2. 0]Funassyi has also released two novelty singles in 2. A band also formed in 2.

GCB4. 7 (ja)(ご当地キャラクター・バンド・よんじゅうなな,gotōchi character band yonjū- nana) - the name being a play on the group AKB4. Japan - which consists of six yuru- chara who play instruments live in costume and singer/guitarist Yohsuke Ishida. They have also released a single,[2. Video games[edit]In 2. Bandai Namco Games released the video game.

Gotōchi Testsudō: Gotōchi- chara to Nipponzenkoku no Tabi(ご当地鉄道 ～ご当地キャラと日本全国の旅～,Local Railway: A journey through Japan with gotōchi- chara) on Nintendo 3. DS and Wii U.[2. 4] It is a sugoroku- style party game where players travel around Japan and encounter gotōchi- chara (1. The character Ojapon(おじゃポン) was created to promote the game, and was entered into the 2. Yuru- chara Grand Prix. Funassyi and Kumamon have made appearances in 2. Taiko no Tatsujin video games. Kumamon also featured in the 2.

DS game Yo- Kai Watch 2. See also[edit]References[edit]Further reading[edit]Alt, Matt; Yoda, Hiroko (2. Hello please : helpful and kawaii characters from Japan. San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle. ISBN 0. 81. 18. 56.

Harrison, Edward & John (2. Fuzz & fur : Japan's costumed characters (1st ed.). New York: Mark Batty.

ISBN 1. 93. 56. 13. X. External links[edit].

Massachusetts lawmakers debate bill that would ban Native American mascots in schools. During a public hearing on Tuesday, Massachusetts lawmakers debated a bill that would ban the use of Native American mascots in public schools. The bill, which was filed by State Sen.

Barbara A. L'Italien, seeks to "prohibit the use of Native American mascots by public schools in the Commonwealth," and comes after the town of Tewksbury refused to change the name of its high school mascot, the Redmen. The bill defines the issue as "a name, symbol, or image that depicts or refers to an American Indian tribe, individual, custom, or tradition that is used by a public school as a mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead, or team name.". The bill also outlines a list of banned team names, including "Redskins," "Savages," "Indians," "Indianettes," "Chiefs," "Chieftains," "Braves," and "Redmen.".

According to the New England Mascot Coalition, 4. Massachusetts use Native American mascots, nicknames and logos. A Tunica- Biloxi tribe member originally from Louisiana told ABC affiliate WCVB that imagery like the Tewksbury logo is racist and offensive to Native Americans' identity. They minimize our culture and our contributions," the unnamed resident told WCVB.

Linda Thomas, another local resident, told WCVB: "We'd like to see names in Massachusetts that are not discriminatory.". WCVB reported that State Rep. James Miceli, who represents Tewksbury, was among those urging lawmakers to reject the bill, saying that people in the town overwhelmingly support sticking with the Redmen name.

The Massachusetts bill follows similar ones in states like Minnesota and Wisconsin, who, according to WCVB, already ban Native American mascots in school districts. In Oregon, school districts have been asked to do away with tribal mascots by July 1, unless the schools secure approval from the tribe. The use of Native American mascots is also being discussed in the realm of professional sports, with the NFL's Washington Redskins and the MLB's Cleveland Indians facing criticism for their team names and logos. In 2. 01. 4, the U. S. Patent and Trademark office declined to register several trademarks for the Redskins, citing federal regulations against protecting words and images that are disparaging or offensive. The team, however, argued that the rule violated the First Amendment.

Residents of Massachusetts are still waiting for a decision to be made as a verdict was not finalized in Tuesday's hearing.