# Cute Japanese corporate mascots **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166 "2005-06-06T17:53:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166/1 "2005-06-06T17:53:25Z")
On Studio 360 this weekend, I heard about cute mascots adopted by Japanese corporations. What I couldn’t catch was the Japanese word for them. It sounded something like _ryo chyura_ or _rya kyura_. Does anyone know the correct term? ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166/2 "2005-06-06T18:00:57Z")
A couple things come to mind: They’re called masukotto, just a Japanization of “mascot.” Or maybe ime-ji kyara, “image character.” Or maybe just kyara, “character.” Nothing more specialized comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166/3 "2005-06-06T18:13:33Z")
I’m pretty certain it started with an _r_ sound. You can listen to the segment [here.](http://www.wnyc.org/studio360/show.html) It’s the second segment, titled “Murakami.” It’s about 5-6 minutes in. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166/4 "2005-06-06T18:15:07Z")
Could it be _yuru chara_ or _yuru kyara_? ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166/5 "2005-06-06T19:15:06Z")
The kyara part sounds right = character. “Yuru” doesn’t ring a bell. I asked my Japanese wife, too. Might be a new Japanese word; they’re created all the time. I suspect that some of our other Japanophiles will have insights. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166/6 "2005-06-06T19:34:22Z")
_Isamashii houmu rogo desu ne!_ What a brave corporate logo! ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166/7 "2005-06-07T13:25:24Z")
The article said that many Japanese corporations and governmental bodies adopt these cute (_kawaii_?) mascots. Can anyone point me to examples? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166/8 "2005-06-07T13:46:22Z")
The lady speaking in the recording doesn’t know how to pronounce things correctly, so I can’t be certain, but it sounds to me like she’s saying Rio Kyara (リオキャラ.) Which makes me think that this may be a case of Whitey points to a picture of Sanrio and says, “What do you call those?” Japanese person looks at Sanrio and says “Rio Kyara”–short for San_rio_ In other words, whitey got the wrong word. Another possibility is Riyou Kyara (利用キャラ–the character we use), but referring to your company mascott so machiavelianly makes me think option number 1 is more likely. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166/9 "2005-06-07T14:28:00Z")
The word is _yuru-kyara_. _Yuru_ as in _yurui_ (loose), and _kyara_ as in character. It’s a new word, coined by Miura Jun whose book _Yuru-kyara dai zukan_ (Illustrated Guide to Yuru-kyara) came out last year. It refers to ridiculous made-up mascots used by local government bodies (usually towns and cities) to promote their area or events organized by them. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166/10 "2005-06-07T14:45:28Z")
Yep, google is positive for yuru kyara. Though over half of the links specifically mentioned Miura, so this may be a word of the moment thing (or it might take off and kill masukotto.) One of the scarier ones that turned up is [the Kyoto Tower mascott.](http://www.excite.co.jp/News/bit/00091112081260.html) Honestly my first thought was, “So that’s what a dying sperm looks like…” ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cute-japanese-corporate-mascots/307166/11 "2005-06-07T19:13:45Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > _Isamashii houmu rogo desu ne!_ > > What a brave corporate logo! He _is_ disrepectful to dirt, after all.