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INTEREST: Doraemon Named Ambassador for Tokyo's Olympic Bid


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mewpudding101
Industry Insider


Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 2206
Location: Tokyo, Japan
PostPosted: Sat Apr 06, 2013 10:26 pm Reply with quote
That's awesome, and I want the Olympics to come to Tokyo, but I feel like this choice of ambassador might ruin their chances... Although it's a very well-known icon here in Japan, not very much around the world, except the places that it actually aired.
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bhl88



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 255
PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 2:45 am Reply with quote
... Should be Magikarp... At least everyone knows it can transform to Gyarados...
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HyugaHinata



Joined: 25 Jun 2005
Posts: 3505
PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 3:19 am Reply with quote
Doraemon's a completely gullible doormat. He should be the patron saint of dole bludgers.
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Tenbyakugon



Joined: 11 Jan 2012
Posts: 791
Location: Ohio, United States
PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 3:40 am Reply with quote
...Naturally. Anime catgrin
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machetecat



Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Posts: 396
PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:02 am Reply with quote
I have never understood this whole Doraemon thing. I get that it's a popular kid's show in Japan, but I wouldn't even know that if I didn't see random news on this site about the Japanese using Doraemon as another ambassador for something.

I'd get it if I heard anyone else talk about this show and be like "OMG nostalgia!!", but I literally hear nothing else about this cat outside of the news. I can only assume the character's like Mickey Mouse for Japan, but even then if the U.S. wanted to use Mickey Mouse as a mascot, EVERYONE would know who Mickey Mouse is.

...should have gone with Hello Kitty or something....or maybe a human being.
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Kutsu



Joined: 23 Apr 2011
Posts: 570
PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:08 am Reply with quote
Should have gone with Pikachu or Ash/Satoshi. They might not have the same cult status as Doraemon in Japan (yet) but surely their worldwide popularity is much more significant. Plus, they could just as well represent the values of friendship and the fact that you should never give up on your dreams etc.
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MiwaSatoshi
Old Regular


Joined: 14 Aug 2003
Posts: 81
Location: Austin, Texas, USA
PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:25 am Reply with quote
mewpudding101 wrote:
That's awesome, and I want the Olympics to come to Tokyo, but I feel like this choice of ambassador might ruin their chances... Although it's a very well-known icon here in Japan, not very much around the world, except the places that it actually aired.


This feels like pretty much a reflection of the insularity of the Japanese business world. Their executives essentially don't know (and don't care) what is popular globally, preferring to extrapolate based on domestic data.

Note: this post is pure conjecture.
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Kikaioh



Joined: 01 Jun 2009
Posts: 1205
Location: Antarctica
PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 11:59 am Reply with quote
My understanding has been that Doraemon is a fairly significant icon throughout Asia, to the point that Time Magazine selected him as one of Asia's most significant heroes. As a reflection of mainstream Japanese culture I think Doraemon makes for a better fit than Hello Kitty, who's more of an icon for commercial cuteness.

I really like the Doraemon manga, as it's a fairly sincere/humorous portrayal of childhood antics. Amongst blue-and-red colored Olympic mascots, I think Japan could have fared worse. Laughing
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Melicans



Joined: 01 Feb 2012
Posts: 620
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 1:40 pm Reply with quote
Article wrote:
The Olympics were last held in Japan in 1964


I think you forgot Sapporo (1972) and Nagano (1998), unless you were referring exclusively to the summer edition (which the sentence does not).
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yotsubafanfan



Joined: 28 May 2011
Posts: 653
PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 3:58 pm Reply with quote
I hope to see the 2020 Olympics go to Japan, the only other years they got the Olympics were years when I was either not born yet or I was too small to understand the Olympics, not to menchion I could see Japan putting on an Incredible Opening ceremony!!! But maybe they should have picked a different Mascot, ( it's not that I don't like Doreamon in fact I think he's adorable, I just think they should have gone with Pikachu or Totoro, someone who's more well known in other parts of the world) but anyway, if any country in the world outside my home country gets the Olympics I hope its Japan, because that is just going to be sooo cool!!! Very Happy
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TitanXL



Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 4036
PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 5:35 pm Reply with quote
How many people even know Hello Kitty is Japanese? A lot of girls I see just get it because they think its cute and don't know what it's origins are. It's more of an icon than a cultural thing.

Kikaioh wrote:
My understanding has been that Doraemon is a fairly significant icon throughout Asia, to the point that Time Magazine selected him as one of Asia's most significant heroes. As a reflection of mainstream Japanese culture I think Doraemon makes for a better fit than Hello Kitty, who's more of an icon for commercial cuteness.


Doraemon is pretty big outside of Japan in other Eastern countries, just not so much the Western world. And I don't see why Japan should care if those countries know what they choose to represent them is or not, it's what they want to identify as and if that's not good enough for other people, too bad.

machetecat wrote:
I'd get it if I heard anyone else talk about this show and be like "OMG nostalgia!!", but I literally hear nothing else about this cat outside of the news. I can only assume the character's like Mickey Mouse for Japan, but even then if the U.S. wanted to use Mickey Mouse as a mascot, EVERYONE would know who Mickey Mouse is.

Not exactly; Doraemon is actually still relevant to the current industry because he has a currently airing series that is one of the top rated anime in Japan in addition to new movies every year. Mickey relies far more "nostalgia" since he hasn't really done animation in forever. I think the last thing he was in was some throwaway preschool show. A better comparison would be Spongebob, I'd say, who is actually relevant to American animation.
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TnAdct1



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 117
PostPosted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 7:31 pm Reply with quote
When it comes to the 2020 Olympics, I can think of two better Ambassadors for the bid:

KANEDA!!!
TETSOU!!!
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enurtsol



Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14763
PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 4:39 am Reply with quote
Don't worry guys, Tokyo's not gonna get the Olympics. They haven't been good at selling their bids to the corrupt IOC.
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kgw



Joined: 22 Jul 2004
Posts: 1066
Location: Spain, EU
PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 4:26 pm Reply with quote
TitanXL wrote:
Doraemon is pretty big outside of Japan in other Eastern countries, just not so much the Western world. And I don't see why Japan should care if those countries know what they choose to represent them is or not, it's what they want to identify as and if that's not good enough for other people, too bad.

I agree. Doraemon movies are released regularly and its serie is quite popular over here.

It's a pity, because Tokyo bids against my city (and Istambul), and I think using Doraemon is quite unfair... :p
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RedSwirl



Joined: 08 Feb 2006
Posts: 344
PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:47 am Reply with quote
It'd be nice... if for no other reason than to bury Akira underneath the stadium.
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