2004aug02.
Toys in Japan (continued).
Derby Rody VI. (Harajuku)
This is Rody, the horse fattened up for maximum cuteness. Rody doesn't do anything for me. I don't know that you can make a plausible cute horse. Savage bears and penguins, sure. A horse? I'm trying to think of a cute horse from the pages of history. I'm drawing a blank. It's either impossible or the world just isn't trying hard enough.
Gloomy The Product. (Harajuku)
Of course there are Gloomy Bear products.
"Gloomy! Gloomy! Can I get your autograph??"
"Sure kid ... HOO-CHA!"
Gloomy would devour Rody for breakfast. For lunch: leftover Rody patties.
More Gloomy Product. (Harajuku)
Of course there are ancillary products. I like the pose Gloomy has adopted bottom center -- looks like he's throwin' gang signs again.
Gloomy Product Wall. (Harajuku)
So much Gloomy. The white Gloomy bear is for Christmas-related rampages.
Digger Dog. (Harajuku)
James Brown pretends there isn't a headless pup with its ass in the air behind him. When I got back to the US, there was a junk catalog like FingerHut waiting in the mail that was offering Digger Dog. I went to the listed address and burned the place down, not because I'm a pyromaniac, but because I care. Also because I'm a pyromaniac. But it's not really a "mania" as such, I'm very methodical, you don't just manically set buildings on fire. Draws too much attention. No, the guy who's dressed completely normally and calmly goes about his day -- those are the real powder kegs in society.
Japanese Jumping Beans? (Harajuku)
What if all your favorite Sanrio characters were available in easy-to-swallow pill form? Would that make your LifeStyle® BetterComplete™? Well, don't ask that question anymore, ask me why Tuxedo Sam appears in the top center position. They ignore him, hoping he'll go away, but once every ten years they put out one more Tuxedo Sam product. A sad state of affairs.
NOVA products. (Harajuku)
NOVA is the largest TESOL school in Japan. Their mascot is a malformed rabbit-bird/chicken hybrid.
Onsen Dog. (Harajuku)
Here is a diorama of a dog at an onsen (bath). His head bobs side to side, water flows from the rocks, he has a towel on his head and cloth to wipe his face. His ears look like leaves.
next page (pg 4)