New Real Head character: Tanuki

Mori hand painted this sample Tanuki.

This is Real Head's take on Tanuki, a famous mythical character from Japan. Along with Peko-chan (little girl mascot for candy company) and Sato-chan (orange elephant mascot for pharmacy), Tanuki is one of the most ubiquitous images in Japan.

You'll see statues of the folklore character in front of many restaurants. You can also read about a Tanuki in the famous children's story Bunbuku Chagama, which is one of the first stories I read. (You can pick up a copy for aronnd 200 yen in front of most bookshops. It's great reading practice and written at a 5 year-old's reading level, with very little kanji.)

Anyway, back on track. RxH's Tanuki is a one-piece mini - about 2.5 inches tall. Mori said we might see the first release version within a month or two. It will be interesting to see if RxH carries on with more mini folklore characters like Kappa, Oni, or Kitsune. Good times ahead!