Pepsi and Snoopy

In Japan, keychain accessories aren’t popular. But ケータイ電話のアクセサリー (cellular phone accessories) are. Especially cell-phone straps.

In your country, are cell-phone straps popular?

Last Spring, ペプシ (Pepsi Japan) gave away Snoopy cell-phone straps with purchases of 500ml bottles of Pepsi NEX.

The straps were Snoopy with 「全国おいしいものアクセサリー」 (“All of Japan Delicious Foods“). They featured Snoopy resting on food items from 24 different areas of Japan.

Tokyo’s was the best! It has Snoopy resting on 江戸前寿司 (Old Tokyo Sushi). Osaka’s was Snoopy with たこ焼き (Octopus Dumpling).

These were given away with Pepsi NEX for a limited-time only and aren’t available anymore.

But now they’re offering Snoopy with 「全国おいしいものアクセサリー第２段」 (“All of Japan Delicious Foods…Second Version“) with purchases of 500ml bottles of Pepsi NEX.

This version doesn’t include a strap for Tokyo nor Hokkaido. But there is one for 横浜中華街 (Yokohama Chinatown)…「中華まん」 (“Chinese Steamed Meat-filled Bun“).

Anpanman in the Guinness Book

There’s a very popular children’s cartoon character in Japan called 「それいけ！アンパンマン」 (“Go! Anpanman“).

2009 has been a big year for 「アンパンマン」 (Anpanman) and for his artist Takashi Yanase.

This year, Takashi Yanase turned 90 years old, he’s been a professional artist for 60 years, the 「アンパンマン」 (Anpanman) comic started 40 years ago, and the 「アンパンマン」 (Anpanman) television series started 20 years ago. (Click here to see an earlier post I wrote about this).
And now, 「それいけ！アンパンマン」 (“Go! Anpanman“) is in the Guinness Book Of World Records for having the “Most Characters In A Single Animated Series“.

「それいけ！アンパンマン」 (“Go! Anpanman“) has over 2000 characters, but the Guinness Book only recognized 1768 characters…which still sets the record as the most characters.

Here are some of the main ones:

My kids grew up watching 「それいけ！アンパンマン」 (“Go! Anpanman“). It’s a wonderful cartoon for kids!

Have you ever watched 「それいけ！アンパンマン」 (“Go! Anpanman“)? I like 「バイキンマン」 (Baikinman), 「ホラーマン」 (Horror-man), and 「だいこんやくしゃ」 (Daikonyakusha) best.

Click here to see my post about the 「アンパンマン」 (Anpanman) Exhibit we went to last Spring.

竜巻

Yesterday at about 2:00PM, a 竜巻 (tornado) hit 群馬県 (Gunma Prefecture), a couple hours north of Tokyo.

About 200 homes and shops had their windows broken and many had the roofs ripped off. A number of cars were flipped over. And other damage like that.

It was reported that there were about two dozen injuries but no deaths were reported so far.
The worst injury was sustained by an elderly woman who was hit by a bicycle that was thrown by the high wind. She’s in serious condition at the hospital.

It’s unfortunate that people were injured and had their property damaged. But it’s good that there were no deaths caused by the 竜巻 (tornado)!
群馬県 (Gunma Prefecture) is a rural area. If the 竜巻 (tornado)* struck a densely populated area like Tokyo, surely there would have been alot more damage and casualties!

*(竜巻 (tornado) in Japanese literally translates to “rolling dragon“).