Wikipedia

Gudetama

Gudetama,stylized inall lowercase(Japanese:ぐでたま) is a fictional character created in 2013 by the Japanese companySanrio,[4][5]and is a perpetually tired, apatheticanthropomorphiceggyolk.[6][7]The name "Gudetama" is aportmanteauor blend word of the Japanese words for lazy(ぐでぐで,gudegude)and egg(たまご,tamago).[8]Gudetama was created by the Sanrio designer known as Amy, thenom de plumeof Emi Nagashima(Vĩnh đảo anh mỹ,Nagashima Emi).[1][2]

Gudetama
Gudetama
First appearance2013
Created byAmy (Emi Nagashima(Vĩnh đảo anh mỹ,Nagashima Emi))[1][2]
Voiced byShunsuke Takeuchi[3](Netflix series)
Roger Craig Smith(English dub of Netflix series)
In-universe information
Aliaslazy egg

Originally targeted at thepreadolescentmarket, Gudetama gained popularity among teens and adults for embodying the difficulties of surviving in modern-day society.[7]As a result, the target group of Gudetama expanded to millennials.[9]As of 2019, Gudetama was Sanrio's third most profitable character.[10]Gudetama featured in an animated morning show in Japan onTBSfrom 2014 to 2020 and is the main character of theNetflixshowGudetama: An Eggcellent Adventurefrom 2022.[11][12]Video games and comics based on the character have also been created. Airplanes and trains have been branded with Gudetama themed decor, and restaurants have served Gudetama-themed egg dishes. The character has featured on a variety of merchandise including apparel, stationery and toys.

Creation and history

edit
The designer Amy was inspired by the Japanese dishtamago kake gohanwhen she created Gudetama

Gudetama was created in 2013 by then-26-year-old Sanrio designer Amy, or Emi Nagashima(Vĩnh đảo anh mỹ,Nagashima Emi).[1][2]The creation of Gudetama was inspired by an egg she was using to preparetamago kake gohanfor dinner after a long day at work.[8][13]To her, the droopy look of the yolk seemed cute.[8]She felt that the yolk looked like today's young people – feeling tired about life. Therefore, she designed an egg character and built its personality to attractmillennials.[citation needed]

In 2013, Gudetama took part in a food-based competition held bySanrioto inspire its designers and test out new characters.[14]Gudetama came in second, with the winner of the competition being a cheerful salmon fillet namedKirimichan.[15]Even though Gudetama was initially less popular than Kirimichan, it gained more popularity than the salmon character.[16]

The name "Gudetama" is derived from two parts: the first is theideophonegudegude(Japanese:ぐでぐで), which is used to evoke the impression of something lazy and lacking energy. The second part is from the Japanese wordtamago(Japanese:たまご) which means egg.[8][17]Therefore, Gudetama can be translated to English as "lazy egg".

As for its art style, Gudetama is marked by its simple line drawing, in keeping with the intention of using the character in anime for children, but which also allows easy mass production.[18]

The first Gudetama animated series made its debut appearance in 2014 in a JapaneseTBSTV program calledAsa Chan!(あさチャン!,lit."Morning chance!"),a morning family news section.[19][11]Each episode of the series only lasts for approximately one minute, and as of 2019 there were over 1200 episodes.[11][20]The series ended in 2020.[12]

In Dec 2022, the official Sanrio GudetamaTwitteraccount had over one million followers, the most followed out of all Sanrio characters.[21][22]In 2019, Gudetama was Sanrio's third most profitable character, behindHello KittyandMy Melody.[10]

Appearances and characters

edit
Gudetama atSanrio Puroland

Gudetama is portrayed as a yellow yolk of a raw egg with prominent buttocks.[14]It has a head with no neck and a body with limbs, but no fingers or toes. Its eyes are drawn like two ovals, appearing lazy. It has a mouth with a tongue but no obvious teeth. Often depicted laying on an egg white as a bed, while also using bacon as a blanket.[7][23]Soy sauce is its favorite food and is one of the few things that can make it motivated.[24]It sometimes uses itschalaza(the bands of tissue that hold the egg yolk in place) as a lasso or weapon by throwing it.

Shakipiyo (Japanese: しゃきぴよ) is a chick covered with yellow feathers and wearing an egg shell as pants.[25]He is an energetic character whose hyperactivity made Gudetama feel pestered and harangued at first, but the two become best friends. Hardboiled (Japanese: ハードボイルド) is an egg character that is cooked as its name suggests, after boiling in hot water for more than 15 minutes. He is depicted as jaded and sometimes menacing with thick eyebrows. Guretama (Japanese: グレたま) is an egg that has become spoiled. Guretama is a yellow grey color, is usually surrounded by purple stink clouds, and has an irritated expression. He is grumpier and more aggressive than Gudetama.

Culture

edit
Cosplay of Gudetama at Comikaze Expo in 2015

Two factors can help explain Gudetama's popularity: Japan'skawaii(cute) culture, and the country's particular food culture.[9]

Kimo-kawaii

edit

Gudetama differs from other positive and adorable characters in Japan'skawaiiculture, since Gudetama has gross aspects that places it in thekimo-kawaiicategory (which means "gross-cute" or "creepy-cute" ).[26]Gudetama's kimo-kawaii shows through its depression, which causes it to constantly complain about its hard life.[18]

Gudetama's vocal protestations against its lot in life make it an uncharacteristic hit with the supposedly stoic and hardworking Japanese people. It has been suggested that Gudetama's popularity can be interpreted as signs of millennial disenchantment with work, as well as symptoms ofdepression.[27][9]TranslatorMatt Altcommented that "using mascots such as Gudetama is a more nuanced way of expressing oneself than simply verbalizing an emotion or typing it out".[7]

Food culture

edit

Japan's popular culture has had earlier characters based on food, includingAnpanman,a red bean superhero with an animated series that features various egg-based characters.[18]

In general, eggs in Japan have a richsocial resonance.According to Emi Nagashima, designer of Gudetama, the origin of the character was the start-up breakfast for Japanese workers:tamago kake gohan(raw egg on white rice). It is argued, then, that eggs have rich symbolic and metaphoric potential in terms of themillennialworkers that inspired its creation. Gudetama is only the yolk, not the entire egg, implying the selective nature of employment and capitalist valuation, which demands the best of people and discards the rest. Just like eggs, people in today's society are valued for what they can contribute to the society. Then, on May 11th,2024 the Food Industry and Sanrio made gudetama history. They opened the first gudetama cafe. Therefore, Gudetama has social resonance and has been able to gain popularity.

Media

edit

TBS TV series

edit

A series of animated Gudetama shorts were broadcast on the Japanese channel TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) between 2014 and 2020.[11][12]It aired daily as part of a morning family news section calledAsa Chan!(あさチャン!,lit."Morning chance!").[19]Episodes included a game called "Gudetama Chance!" where the audience used their remote controls to win prizes. Each episode and game segment only lasts for approximately one minute.[11]As of 2019 there were over 1200 episodes.[20]

The series follows the exploits of Gudetama and a cast of recurring human characters. One such character is Nisetama-san(ニセたまさん,Nisetamasan,meaning "fake egg" ),a young man dressed in a yellow suit similar to a zentai suit but with the face exposed, akin to a humanoid Gudetama. The series' short segments end with a rendition of the Gudetama theme song and a contemporary style dance performed by Nisetama-san. There are also special stories about festivals.

Netflix series

edit

Alive action/CG animationhybrid television series calledGudetama: An Eggcellent Adventurewas released in December 2022 onNetflix,with a total of 10 episodes. The series involves Gudetama and the chick character Shakipiyo searching across Japan for their mother.[12][28]Shunsuke Takeuchi(Roger Craig Smithin the English dub) provides the voice for 24 different egg characters in the series, including Gudetama, while the voice of Shakipiyo is provided by Seiran Fukushima (Colleen O'Shaughnesseyin the English dub). The theme song is performed byYuko Harafrom the bandSouthern All Stars.[28]

Video games

edit

There are two Japanese video games with Gudetama on theNintendo 3DS,released in 2015 and 2016, and a Gudetama-themedTamagotchifrom 2017.[29]

Gudetama Tap!is amobile gamereleased in 2019 and is a casual game or a collecting game.[30]The game is simple but requires long waiting time, while this game is mainly about using various recipes to cook different kinds of Gudetama. A recipe requires long hours to wait can cook rare Gudetama, and players are aimed to collect all kinds of Gudetama as they can.[31]

Gudetama show

Gudetama is a minor character inHello Kitty Island AdventureonApple Arcadethat was released in 2023, wherePochaccochallenges the player character to take photos of various meals around the archipelago that Gudetama are in.

Theme activities

edit

In 2019,Sentosa,an island off the coast of mainlandSingapore,got more than 800 Gudetamainflatableswhich were used to celebrated the annualSentosaFunset.[32]

Products

edit

Originally targeted at apreadolescentaudience, the Gudetama market has expanded to includemillennials,with exports to many countries such asChina,Singapore,theUK,andSouth Korea.Within two years after the introduction of Gudetama, Sanrio has shipped nearly 2000 kinds of themed products inJapan,from pencils to suitcases.[citation needed]

The Gudetama Airbus A321-200

Airliner

edit

In November 2016,EVA Airlaunched a new Sanrio-themed airplane with a Gudetama theme. It is anAirbus A321-200flying between Taiwan and Tokyo. Pillows and chairs are decorated with pictures of Gudetama with sunglasses, conveying a leisurely atmosphere.[33]

Establishments

edit
Food from VILLAGE VANGUARD DINER x Gudetama OKAWARI

There are Gudetama-themed restaurants inJapan,China,Singapore,London,and Buena Park, California. The restaurants are decorated with the style of Gudetama, serving various egg dishes with the face of Gudetama to the customers. In 2014,Village VanguardDiner Lumine Machida opened a limited time Gudetama-themed café, offering themed cakes, burgers, pudding, etc.[34][35]

In 2016, Shoryu Ramen created a limited edition menu with dishes cooked to look like characters from the Gudetama series. Gudetama's face was painted on the bread of burgers and most of the dishes had egg as an ingredient.[36]

Clothing

edit

In March 2016, Taiwanese brand Stayreal collaborated with Gudetama, and listed limited edition T-shirts, caps, cups, masks, and other products.[37]

In April 2019, Stayreal had a second collaboration with Gudetama, adding the female brand Rockcoco. The collaboration was centered around the theme "Lazy is the new busy".[38]

Seibu 30000 series gudetama small train

UNIQLOhas collaborated with Sanrio to include Gudetama T-shirts.[39]

Anwar Carrots has released Gudetama collaboration items such as bum bags, hats and shirts.[40]

Train

edit

In 2018,Seibu Railwaycreated a Gudetama-themed train.[41]This train ran alongShinjuku Lineand theHaijima Linefrom mid-August to November; it was then on theSeibu Ikebukuro Lineuntil the end of December 2018. The entire train was painted yellow, with Gudetama's face featured on the front and back. Inside the train, large Gudetama fixtures were added to the sides of seats and from above the racks.[42]

References

edit
  1. ^abc"Marketing Melancholy: Sanrio's Newest Character is a Sad EggEye on Design | Eye on Design".Archived fromthe originalon 2016-09-26.
  2. ^abc"Tốt nghiệp sinh インタビュー".Nữ tử mỹ thuật đại học 【 hảo き】は【 lực 】(in Japanese).Retrieved2019-06-04.
  3. ^"Gudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure Series' Video Reveals Cast".Anime News Network.2022-11-02.Retrieved9 November2022.
  4. ^"ぐでたま｜サンリオ".sanrio.co.jp.Archived fromthe originalon 2021-10-09.
  5. ^"Signing into eresources, The University of Sydney Library".login.ezproxy1.library.usyd.edu.au.Retrieved2019-05-12.
  6. ^"Sanrio Friend of the Month: Gudetama".sanrio.Archived fromthe originalon 2020-12-03.
  7. ^abcd"One of Japan's most popular mascots is an egg with crippling depression".Public Radio International.Retrieved2019-05-12.
  8. ^abcdHongo, Jun; Steger, Isabella (2016-01-02)."If Hello Kitty's Too Cheery, This Yolk May Go Over Easier for You".Wall Street Journal.ISSN0099-9660.Retrieved2019-05-12.
  9. ^abcBonnah, Theodore (2018-03-06). "Kimo-kawaii Catharsis: millennials, depression and the empty healing of Sanrio's Gudetama".Japan Forum.31(2): 187–210.doi:10.1080/09555803.2018.1441170.ISSN0955-5803.S2CID148924770.
  10. ^abMONEY PLUS biên tập bộ (2019-01-26)."フォロワー100 vạn siêu ､｢ぐでたま｣ sinh んだサンリオ の dục thành".MONEYPLUS(in Japanese). Money Forward.Retrieved2019-01-26.
  11. ^abcde"Sanrio's Gudetama TV Anime Shorts to Premiere on Monday".Anime News Network.Retrieved2019-06-05.
  12. ^abcdHodgkins, Crystalyn (September 25, 2022)."Gudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure Series' 1st Trailer Reveals December 13 Premiere".Anime News Network.RetrievedSeptember 25,2022.
  13. ^"【 Nhật Bản の nghị luận 】やる khí なし, すみっコでひっそり “Thoát lực キャラ” が〝 cộng cảm 〟 hô ぶ lý do ( 1/3ページ ) - sản kinh ニュース ".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-11-20.
  14. ^abAbad-Santos, Alex (2017-04-03)."How Gudetama, a lazy egg yolk with a butt, became an unstoppable cultural phenomenon".Vox.Retrieved2019-04-14.
  15. ^"Thực べキャラ tổng tuyển cử ～ thực うか thực われるか thật kiếm thắng bại! ～".2015-09-26. Archived fromthe originalon 2015-09-26.Retrieved2019-05-29.
  16. ^Hess, Amanda (18 July 2017)."How Sanrio Makes Anti-Capitalism Adorable, and Profitable".The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon 2022-12-07.
  17. ^Machado, Leonor Sá (2018-10-17)."6 Interesting Facts About Gudetama, the Lazy Egg".Macau Lifestyle.Retrieved2019-05-12.
  18. ^abcBonnah, Theodore (2019-04-03). "Kimo-kawaii Catharsis: millennials, depression and the empty healing of Sanrio's Gudetama".Japan Forum.31(2): 187–210.doi:10.1080/09555803.2018.1441170.ISSN0955-5803.S2CID148924770.
  19. ^abTBS."あさチャン!｜TBSテレビ".TBSテレビ(in Japanese).Retrieved2019-05-12.
  20. ^ab"ファン đãi vọng! Toàn bộ で1200 lời nói trở lên あるサンリオ người khí キャラ “ぐでたま” の アニメ・アーカイブをYouTube GUDETAMA/ぐでたまチャンネルにて công thức xứng tin bắt đầu! ".japan.cnet(in Japanese).Retrieved21 December2022.
  21. ^"10 Weird Facts About The Egg With The Butt: Gudetama".TheGamer.2018-11-11.Retrieved2019-05-12.
  22. ^"ぐでたま【 công thức 】".Twitter.Retrieved3 December2022.
  23. ^"ぐでたま | キャラクター | サンリオ".sanrio.co.jp.Retrieved2019-05-12.
  24. ^"Introducing GUDETAMA'S GUIDE TO LIFE".Sanrio.Retrieved14 December2022.
  25. ^"ぐでたま｜サンリオ".サンリオ(in Japanese).Retrieved14 December2022.
  26. ^B, Rachel (2013-06-18)."Kimokawaii: Both Cute and Gross at the same time".Tofugu.Retrieved2019-06-05.
  27. ^Hofmann, Regan (February 18, 2016)."Why the Lazy Egg, Gudetama, Is the Internet's Greatest Star".First We Feast.Archived fromthe originalon November 12, 2023.Retrieved2019-05-12.
  28. ^ab"Gudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure Series' Clip Shows Gudetama Running for Office".Anime News Network.2022-12-13.Retrieved14 December2022.
  29. ^"Game Franchises - Gudetama - GameFAQs".gamefaqs.gamespot.Retrieved1 November2022.
  30. ^Pollack, Hilary; Studarus, Laura (2018-05-30)."The New Gudetama Game Made Me Realise that the Lazy Egg Is a True Millennial Icon".Vice.Retrieved2019-06-05.
  31. ^Studarus ), Laura · tư đồ đạt kéo sợi ( Laura."Này khoản tay du làm ta ý thức được lười trứng trứng mới là này một thế hệ người đại biểu | dị coi dị sắc ｜VICE Trung Quốc ｜ toàn cầu thanh niên văn hóa tiếng động: Thế giới tại hạ trầm, chúng ta ở cuồng hoan".vice.cn.Archived fromthe originalon 2019-05-12.Retrieved2019-05-12.
  32. ^Lim, Sean (2019-03-15)."It's cuteness overload: There are over 880 Gudetama inflatables at Sentosa now – and it won't cost a cent to see them".Business Insider Singapore.Archived fromthe originalon 2019-06-05.Retrieved2019-06-05.
  33. ^"Relaxed Sanrio character brightens new plane from nose to tail".Tourism News | eTN.travel.2016-12-01. Archived fromthe originalon 2019-05-11.Retrieved2019-05-12.
  34. ^"Gudetama the lazy egg now being served as actual dish, looks absolutely adorable!".RocketNews24.15 October 2014.Retrieved2015-09-29.
  35. ^"Lớn nhất ５ thời gian đãi ち の “ぐでたま” コラボカフェ đệ ２ đoạn が ngày 26 tháng 1 ( nguyệt ) ～ ヴィレッジヴァンガード ダイナー đinh điền ルミネ cửa hàng にオープン ".valuepress(in Japanese).Retrieved2019-05-29.
  36. ^"Shoryu Ramen x Gudetama | Eat and Drink".London On The Inside.2018-09-25.Retrieved2019-05-29.
  37. ^"STAYREAL liên thủ liệu dũ thiên vương “Lòng đỏ trứng ca” thư áp lên sân khấu! Lòng đỏ trứng ca LAZY năng lượng đại bùng nổ! "(in Chinese). Stayreal. 2016-03-01.Retrieved2022-12-26.
  38. ^"“Lòng đỏ trứng ca lười nhác Party” ROCKCOCO X GUDETAMA cùng nguyên khí nữ thần đại nguyên lười manh mị lực sắp kíp nổ! "(in Chinese). Neofashiongo.Retrieved2022-12-26.
  39. ^"LOOK: Uniqlo's Gudetama collection is simply too cute".Rappler. 13 March 2019.Retrieved2022-12-26.
  40. ^"Street Signs: Getting Fresh With Anwar Carrots".WWD. 16 October 2018.Retrieved2022-12-26.
  41. ^"スマイルトレイン10th×ぐでたま5th kỷ niệm キャンペーン- tây võ thiết nói".スマイルトレイン10th×ぐでたま5th kỷ niệm キャンペーン- tây võ thiết nói.Retrieved2019-06-05.
  42. ^"Ride with Gudetama, Japan's famous lazy egg, in Tokyo".Ikidane Nippon.Archived fromthe originalon 2019-06-05.Retrieved2019-06-05.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gudetama&oldid=1256549755"