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Shokotan to Help Select 2020 Tokyo Olympics' Mascot

posted on by Lynzee Loveridge

31-year-old Shoko "Shokotan" Nakagawa, one of the hosts of the Meet Up at the Pokémon House? and fan of exoskeletons is signing on as an official member of the Mascot Selection Review Conference for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020.

The committee explained that Nakagawa was chosen for her deep understanding of Japanese subcultures, like anime, and what's popular in the eyes of young people.

The mascot selection committee is made up of five people including Nakagawa and Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, Tokyo University of the Arts president, and metal artist Ryōhei Miyata. Miyata previously served on the Emblems Selection Committee for the event. That committee was formed when the event's originally selected emblem's creator was accused of plagiarizing a logo designed by Belgian graphics designer Olivier Debie for the Théâtre de Liège. The committee denied the accusation and Debie filed suit. Further investigation showed that the Olympic logo's designer, Kenjirō Sano, had earlier drafts that didn't resemble Debie's design but Sano also had previous run-ins with plagiarizing work.

The issues surrounding the emblem selection has lead to new rules going forward for the mascot selection. The members will use their expertise while maintaining transparency of the selection process and cultivate satisfaction through public participation. There is some time constraints going forward since once the mascot is selected, there are hurdles like licensing fees and related goods manufacturing. The final announcement revealing the mascot is expected to take place next year.

Source: Nikkan Sports


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