Himouto! Umaru-chan X Marumofubiyori Coincidence?

Marumofubiyori  Also know by his nickname, as Mopu is a one of Sanrio’s latest creations.  He is a young anthropomorphic   Polar Bear living at one of the Zoo Keepers home. He is known for his laziness wanting to just to chill out and sleep in.  While Marumofubiyori has been released in Japan recently Sanrio released subs of the first few videos, in a promotion to release Marumofubiyori items in the US. Like Umaru, both wear hoods or blankets and both are lazy at home, and often scolded by their caretakers for being too lazy.  In one video, Marumofubiyori was tasked to go out to buy a can of curry powder for dinner; instead, he orders it on Amazon.

In other news Aggretsuko, our favorite 20 something death metal singing Red Panda has been picked up by Netflix for a series of 15 Anime epodes. I  Hope they will be good and wonder will this Sanrio X Netflix corroboration mean Netflix will pick Hello Kitty, Friends, and other shows.

Aggretsuko is Not is a Boozer

Aggretsuko is one of Sanrio latest Furry characters.  She is a cute Red Panda, 25 years old, and a worker at a respected trading firm in Tokyo.   She has to deal with a lot of office politics, a condescending boss, and backstabbing and annoying coworkers.  When she reaches her limit, she lets off steam via death metal singing and karaoke. She is cute but definably not like Hello Kitty.   A Little misinformation if in the media that Aggretsuko is a boozer.   This misinformation came from a screen shot from episode five of Aggretsuko shorts shown on YouTube.   While no English sub existed, I could still get the gist.  In this episode Aggretsuko was at the bosses after work party know in Japanese culture as a Nomikai.  At the party, food and a communal bottle of beer are offered. Nomikai etiquette dictates no glass left empty and you do not fill your glass but you fill the glasses of others also, the lower rank worker serves the upper rank. In this case, the boss set off Aggretsuko by criticizing her for filling his glass with the beer label down. She fantasies insulting and defying the boss   by guzzling the beer in front of him.

I think it is interesting how Sanrio is marketing Aggretsuko in Japan and the US. Most Sanrio characters start out like Hello Kitty;  first   being marked to the little  Girls, then evolving the market to  include Women and now for Hello Kitty to Men.   In Aggretsuko case, she is marketed straight to adults.  I feel she has a lot of potential worldwide represent the feelings of many over worked individuals and dealing with work place politics.

I spoke to soon  in Episode  50 Aggretsuko get a little tipsy during  a Cherry Blossom outing.

News Dump Time

First up

Hello Kitty’s Superhero Alter Ego Ichigoman Gets Web Manga.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-03-15/hello-kitty-superhero-alter-ego-ichigoman-gets-web-manga/.99807

The first  episode is live here

http://comip.jp/15/manga/comics/?title=ichigoman-01

It is interesting  that Sanrio is bring back Ichigoman  and combining with the  Chogokin  (think giant robot line.  Sanrio also will bring back  Dark Grapeman (I missed out getting the plush) and Hony Momo

By the way  I do have an Ichigoman plush in my collection.

Next up She is not your typical cute and cuddly Red Panda

 

Sanrio Debuts Aggressive Retsuko TV Anime Shorts on April 2

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-03-18/sanrio-debuts-aggressive-retsuko-tv-anime-shorts-on-april-2/.99949

What not to like a cute  Red Panda that works in accounting office, has to put up with a load of crap and  blows  off  steam  with a little Death Metal karaoke.   The first episode is  upon Youtube.

 

Finally

Sanrio Boys Get Their Own Line of Merchandise

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2016-04-06/sanrio-boys-get-their-own-line-of-merchandise/.100740

Sanrio has announced  in the past  the  Sanrio Danshi” (Sanrio Boys). The main plot is :

“The story is simple. It introduces Kōta Hasegawa, a high school boy that loves the yellow Pom Pom Purin dog. By mere coincidence, he ends up attending the same school as Yū Mizuno, a boy who likes the bunny My Melody. Yū tells Kōta that there’s nothing to be ashamed of for liking Sanrio’s cute  characters. Together, Kōta, Yū, Shunsuke Yoshino, Ryō Nishimiya, and Seiichiro Minamoto learn to accept their love of the characters instead of feeling embarrassed.”

My question is what  is the message  is this just Bishōnen /Yaoi  bait aimed  at a female audience or a positive reinforcement  of hey guys it OK to like cute Sanrio characters.   If it was me,  one of the boys will send a strong message I can be masculine  and like Sanrio characters.

 

Goodbye Kitty

Donald Trump at campaign stop in New York promises to deport Hello Kitty if he becomes president. He said “she is an illegal Asian immigrant from Japan. That the Japanese demon cat takes millions of American dollars, attention and jobs and ship back to her master in Japan taking , attention and profit from Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny, both  true American Icons. Americans should only support American cartoon characters.”

Mr. Trump had back down a bit when it was pointed Hello Kitty is not a cat and identifies herself as a little girl born and raised outside of London.

Hello Kitty fans around the world expressed outrage at Trumps Comments. The Hillary campaign sent out a press release decrying Trumps bigotry and insensitivity. Hillary supports Hello Kitty as a world icon and role model. No word from the Cruz Campaign.