Domo-kun (どーもくん)

Domo-kun is a Japanese animation character that I have grown to love during my time here in Korea.Domo-kun is offically the mascot for Japan's national broadcast corporation NHK, however; he is also the star of his own 30 second animation sketches also shown on NHK.

This is the first episode of Domo to ever be shown.

According to wikipedia, Domo-kun is a strange creature that hatched from an egg. His favorite food is Japanese style meat and potato stew. He hates apples (because of a mystery in his DNA) and he can only communicate with low pitched noises that sounds similar to his name. Domo-kun also is known to pass gas when he get nervous.

His best friends are a rabbit named Mr.Usaji, an old man named Grandpa and two bats named Maya and Mario.

Domo-kun's offical motto is "I am curious about everything and I get excited and thrilled everyday."

Domo-kun has recently become extremely popular in many Asian countries and the popularity is moving towards America. According to NHK, over 90% of Japanese school children recognize Domo-kun and I would believe the same statistic is true for Korean students. At least two students in every one of my classes has a Domo-kun pencil case.

All of this information pretty much points at one thing. I am Domo-kun. We share a lot of the same traits and habits. I am allergic to apples and I usually live my life by the same motto ("I am curious about everything and I get excited and thrilled everyday"). Our one difference is that I DO NOT pass gas when I am nervous.

Therefore, I have adopted the nickname Domo and I now collect Domo-kun memorabilia.

I now own a notebook, stationary, a cellphone charm, a camera case, stickers and a pillow.

Big name companies in America, like Target and 7Eleven, have even tried to take on Domo-kun as their own to enhance their advertising campaigns.
Check out 7Eleven's Domo-kun TV spots.

Check out Target's Halloween Domo-kun TV spot.

Since Domo-kuns birth on Japanese TV, there has been many new aminations created for his English market. Here are two episodes, Headphones and Camera. Both episodes do a good job at showing his curious and happy nature.

The end of this story is that I love Domo and I am pretty much the same person as him. Get ready America becuase I am bringing him back with me from Asia.