This is a place to put all the crazy bits of information I tend to collect and bother others with! Ohh - don't use the AOL addy to email me - that is my 'name' - emails come to eilismaura@yahoo.com

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

I think I might be developing a 'thing' for pandas......


This picture is just too cute!


(Photo via Cute Overload)




















I wish I could afford this bento box!







Maybe I could get a tshirt........















Maybe this one.......




I settled on this for "the tank"....
















I found this information here:

The origin of TarePanda

Suemasa Hikaru created TarePanda in 1995, when after a long day of many attempts of drawing, she grew tired and relaxed herself by lying down. Hence, this moment brought her inspiration to create a tired and lazy panda lying on the ground. She named it TarePanda. "Tare" a Japanese word which means lying on the tummy.

tarepanda Tare Panda was originally created for use on stickers, but now he can be found on almost any product that is used on a daily basis - especially paper goods. The sketch style of the Panda is supposed to make people feel kind and happy, and is held as the main reason why he has become so immensly popular among the Japanese consumers.

San-X believed these products were successful because they were released shortly after the Asian financial crisis of autumn 1997, a time when many people in Japan were facing layoffs. "Many office workers felt exhausted thinking about the dark cloud hanging over the economy, which had grown unhindered until that time," said Kenji Sone of San-X. "I guess they saw a little bit of themselves in the worn-out panda character, so they were sympathetic toward it."

In 1999 Tare Panda became a super cartoon star, and Japan's Seda magazine elected Tare Panda as the most popular toy of the year. He is currently the most famous cartoon character in Japan. Tare Panda is his Japanese name, while in Taiwan and Hong Kong he is also known as "Pa-pa Panda" or "Lazy Panda".

TarePanda characteristics

Being the lazy Panda that he is Tare Panda doesn't get around using his feet. tarepandaInstead, he prefers to roll from here to there. Being soft and springy this cute little Panda can roll at a speed of 2.75 m/hr. Of course, when Tare Panda is on a mission to find and steal his favorite fruit, Swama, he is willing to do anything no matter how lazy or tired he feels.

If Tare Panda likes you he will perform a gymnastic exhibition in which the tumblers form a human tree or pyramid. But if he doesn't like you at all he will show you his hunchback.

(sources: DreamKitty and WikiPedia)

5 comments:

. said...

I LOVE TARE PANDA TOOOOO!!! He is too expensive for me though... those $40+ bento boxes? EHHHH... I cant afford them!

eilismaura said...

I just updated the posting - I opted to get a decal for the tank.

Flying Lily said...

Good heavens those panda boxes are $$$. They are very cute though; thanks for the story of how they came to be.

Sarah said...

I love tare panda, I have him as a decal on my car, haha.

eilismaura said...

I am getting one of the decals - might get another....

Or I might get that tare panda on the sushi rice tshirt! in RED!!