Tarepanda

Tarepanda (たれぱんだ) is a cute panda character owned by the company San-X サンエックス (San Ekkusu). The term "tare" (垂れ) means "droopy" in Japanese.[1]

Tarepanda

History

Creation

Tarepanda is licensed by San-X, the company that introduced Tarepanda stickers in 1995. It was designed by Hikaru Suemasa (ja:末政ひかる) and was inspired when she was being tired.

Characteristics

Tarepanda is a character that moves by rolling over, with a record speed of 2.75 m/h.[1][2] Tarepanda's favorite food is mochi (餅), especially suama (寿甘).[1][3]

Popularity

In February 1998, San-X launched Tarepanda erasers and letter pads, which proved enormous hits. San-X believed these products were successful because they were released shortly after the Asian financial crisis of autumn 1997, a time when many people in Japan were facing layoffs and, consequently, were sympathetic toward a "worn-out" panda character.[4] Sales of Tarepanda goods exceeded ¥30 billion ($291 million) in the first few months of its release.[5][4] It became Japan's seventh top-grossing character of 1999, generating ¥66.36 billion ($583 million) in merchandise sales that year,[6][7] adding up to ¥96.36 billion ($874 million) merchandise sales in Japan by 1999.

Tarepanda was a major hit in Japan. It has appeared on annual retail sales charts published by Character Databank, a Japanese character sales monitoring firm, as of 2010.[8] It was rated one of the most popular characters in Japan for its cuteness.

Merchandise

Picture books
  • Tarepanda: Kyou mo Yoku Tareteimasu. (Hikaru Suemasa, June 1999, ISBN 4-09-681211-0)
  • Taregoyomi: Nengara Nenju Tareteimasu. (Hikaru Suemasa, September 1999, ISBN 4-09-681212-9)
  • Taredzukushi: Tarepanda Fuanbukku (Hikaru Suemasa, March 2000, ISBN 4-09-681213-7)
  • Tareyukumamani: Kigatsuku to Sobani iru (Hikaru Suemasa, April 2001, ISBN 4-09-681214-5)

Sticker books
  • Tarepanda Shiiru (Hikaru Suemasa, March 2000, ISBN 4-09-734351-3)

Videos

Games

Computer
  • Tarepanda (Interchannel, 2001/6/29, typing-tutor software)
  • Tare Tsuzuri (Interchannel, 2001/11/22, card-creation software)
  • Tarepanda Toissho (Fortyfive, 1999/4/16, desktop accessories)
  • Tarepanda Toissho 2 (Fortyfive, 1999/8/10, desktop accessories)
  • Tarepanda Toissho 3 (Fortyfive, 2000/4/28, desktop accessories)
  • Tarepanda Toissho Tsume Awa Se (Fortyfive, 2002/2/8, desktop accessories)

References
  1. San-X.net. (2011). Tarepanda. Retrieved May 29, 2011, from http://www.san-x.jp/characters/tarepanda.html Archived 2017-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Roach, M. (1999). Wired 7.12: Cute Inc. Retrieved May 29, 2011
  3. Tariepie. Retrieved May 29, 2011, from http://tarepie.tripod.com/sum3.htm
  4. Takuya Hamashima, "Stressed out? You need 'virtual healing'!", Yomiuri Shimbun, November 27, 1999, at 7.
  5. "Market: Asia Pacific". Market: Asia Pacific. W-Two Publications. 8–10: 7. 1999. Sales of the toy passed ¥30 billion (US$291 million) in the first few months of its release.
  6. Tsukada, Yuko (September 7, 2001). "Action! Report No.3: 市場環境を調べる". クリエイターのための自営学 (in Japanese). Creative Work Station / Asuka Publishing. ISBN 4756911501. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  7. "Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) - Japan". World Bank. 2003. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  8. Tabuchi, Hiroko (May 14, 2010). "In Search of Adorable, as Hello Kitty Gets Closer to Goodbye". NYTimes.com.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.