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The story
JR’s transit IC card “Suica” is reportedly set to get a new mascot character, and a strikingly purple candidate design among the contenders has become a hot topic on 5ch. In the thread, users shared information suggesting that the long-familiar penguin character can no longer be used due to complicated rights issues involving the designer and an advertising agency. Discussion ranged over whether the new candidate’s look was any good, with some arguing that a divisive design — like “Myaku-Myaku,” the mascot of the Osaka-Kansai Expo — might actually attract more attention. Although the new mascot is supposedly being chosen by public vote, some posters expressed distrust in the outcome, pointing to the precedent of the Takanawa Gateway Station naming vote, where the result was ultimately overturned.
What people said
I don't think the design itself is that bad.
Going with Option A would be the worst outcome.
Apparently the rights are a mess because of the designer, Dentsu, and other parties being involved.
So it's JR East's fault, huh?
Bring something on par with or worse than Myaku-Myaku.
Brown wouldn't match the green card.
I thought it was a Black man.
The annoying part is that this is honestly better.
Given how much exposure and name recognition it's gotten, they could easily pay a few hundred million yen.
There are three rights holders
JR East
The designer
Dentsu ← probably the culprit
Reminder: it wasn't actually a success.
You've already got 2 versions of your own
don't make this more confusing.
the kind of thing you'd see tucked into a corner of an elementary school bulletin board.
Isn't it this one?
Who came up with these? All three of them are no-gos.
and I was Team C.A. just a minute ago.
Right?
Once you get used to it, purple wins by a landslide.
Probably Dentsu kicking up a fuss is the cause.
why not just go with a monster?
Where's there a tiger in this?
Something about it being a picture-book character whose rights expired.
It's not that the rights expired
they're planning to expand the character into all sorts of things going forward
and apparently it's a hassle unless JR East holds it solo
the hassle is probably Dentsu, though.
I bet she'd transform if she put on a poison-bunny outfit.
Background and Key Points of This Discussion
The costumed penguin known as Suica’s current mascot is reportedly copyrighted not by JR East but by an outside illustrator, and needing to coordinate with rights holders when developing corporate characters is not an unusual constraint in transit IC card branding. It’s worth noting that the recurring claim in the thread that “Dentsu is the cause” is speculation from posters, not officially confirmed information. Opinions were split over direction: whether the new mascot’s look should be a divisive design like “Myaku-Myaku,” the Osaka-Kansai Expo mascot, or should stay safe and in line with Suica’s stylish brand image. Posters also voiced distrust that the vote for the new mascot might end up being just for show, citing the precedent of the Takanawa Gateway Station naming process, where the vote result wasn’t ultimately reflected.
※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “[Sad News] Suica’s new mascot looks set to be the creepiest purple one, chosen as a joke“.
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