Interest
Japanese Marine Park Has Intersexed Sea Slug Moe Mascot
posted on by Eric Stimson
Umine Awashima is one of Japan's more unique new moe mascot characters: Not only does she represent the very un-moe sea slug, but she's technically intersexed.
Umine is the mascot for Awashima Marine Park, an island off the coast of the Izu Peninsula that hosts an aquarium and a variety of marine biology programs. She was designed after a public survey conducted from January to March and unveiled in mid-July. According to her profile, "Biologically I'm intersexed but normally, I'm definitely a girl." Her interests are studying sea slugs, collecting cute ocean-related things, and Twitter (her account is @awashimaumine). The mascot is specifically modeled after hypselodoris festiva, a colorful sea slug found around Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong.
She has a competitor and senpai: Shimatarō, an older mascot who represents the whole island.
Shimatarō
Her profile also notes that her favorite foods are soft ice cream (but actually sponge and coral) and her favorite colors are marine blue and lemon yellow.
Awashima Marine Park is using Umine to promote upcoming events, including a cosplay gathering from September 19 to 23. Umine-related merchandise can also be purchased at the gift shop. The park will even offer salty ramen named after her.
Sea slugs and many snails carry sexual attributes of both sexes to foster easier reproduction.
[Via Otaku.com, Netlab and Togetter; Images from Awashima Marine Park official site, Umiushi no Heya]
