San-X

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San-X is a Japanese company that specializes in the creation, production and marketing of goods featuring anime-style anthropomorphic characters such as Kogepan, Nyan Nyan Nyanko and Afro Ken. Characters usually relate to some aspect of Japanese culture: Tissue-san was a character developed to encourage Japanese schoolchildren to use tissues when they have a cold or flu.

A picture of the San-X character Yogurt-kun. The Japanese text reads "Do you like yogurt?"

The characters' personalities are well-developed, with each character having its own quirky traits. For instance, Momobuta is a pig with a head shaped like a peach, who enjoys karaoke and painting her nails. Mikanbouya is an orange who likes candy and dislikes cold weather.

1 History
2 Characters
3 External link

[edit] History

San-X was founded in April, 1932, as a privately-owned business under the name "Chida Handler". In October, 1941, Chida Handler became a limited company. Chida Handler's name was changed to San-X in May, 1973.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Animals

Afro Ken - a dog with an afro
Kyoo Usa - a bunny rabbit
Mamegoma - little seals that enjoy eating soybeans
Momobuta - a pig with a head shaped like a peach, who enjoys karaoke and painting her nails
Monokuro Boo - a black pig and a white pig
Nijinomukou - a collection of happy animals
Nyan Nyan Nyanko - little cats that transmogrify into, most commonly, food, and school supplies
Rilakkuma - a brown bear who lives the house of an office lady (OL) named Kaoru
Tarepanda (or Tare Panda) - a lazy panda
Wan Wan Wanko - a collection of dogs

[edit] Food

Amagurichan - a character based on chestnuts
Cheese Family - a collection of cheese characters
Kogepan - a burnt red bean bread bun who lives in a panya (Japanese bakery), trying to fit in and make friends with the other bread items. Happiness for him is always short-lived, so he has the tendency to get drunk on milk.
Mamepyon - a bean family
Mikanbouya (or Mikan Bouya) - an orange who likes candy and dislikes cold weather
Yogurt-kun - yogurt
Sugar Recipe-an assortment of different cakes and doughnuts with cute smiley faces.
Beer-chan- a fairy who enjoys beer.