Once you see it, you'll never forget it! What is "Melon Bear"?

If you have ever been to Hokkaido, you have surely come across this character - Melon Bear! Melon Kuma is definitely different from other local mascots, but what really sets him apart is his "realism." He looks so scary .

Photo courtesy of Melon Kuma

Many people think that this is the official mascot of Yubari city, but it is actually an unofficial character. It was created and is managed by Wakasa Tourist Products Co., Ltd. We spoke with Wakasa, the creator of Melon Kuma, about why the strong character Melon Kuma was created in this form, and about Melon Kuma's past and future. Melon Bear was born in 2009. It was born after news broke that melons in Yubari had been destroyed by bears. "They say that the melons were being destroyed by bears, but in fact it wasn't bears that were destroying them, but a new species of bear that had evolved by eating too many delicious melons , and that this new species was living quietly in the melon fields deep in the mountains of Yubari! That's when the mystery was born. We made it into a character and turned it into merchandise." Imagine if a melon bear with a mouth so big it could swallow a melon whole lives in the mountains of Yubari, and what if you encountered one while hiking...it's a very scary fantasy, but it also makes you feel like you might even become friends with it.

Melon Kuma, the start of his big break

Melon Kuma's first product was the "Melon Kuma Magnet," which went on sale in 2009 and can be split down the middle to hold business cards and other items. The editorial team at Domingo received one of these magnets during an interview and have been keeping it on their desks. The design is so realistic and scary that it makes them feel more on their toes while they're working.

This magnet became a hot topic and was quickly featured in newspapers and on television. "By no means is it cute, so most people aren't like, 'I want that!', but a very small minority, about 10%, burst out laughing. It wasn't "cute" or "not cute" but rather the mysterious "What is this?!" that captured everyone's hearts and ultimately led to it becoming a hit. At first, I didn't think about making something that would sell, but rather started making things with the excitement of wondering, "What will happen if I make something like this? How will people react?" Ever since then, I've been conscious of making products that make people who pass by the store take a triple take ." Currently, Melon Kuma offers over 250 different products, including different sizes. What's even more amazing is that Wakasa makes all of them himself.

The store is filled with products that will make you want to stop and pick them up.

Melon bears appear?! Melon bear's house

Melon Bear's House is located close to Shin-Yubari Station, just a one-minute walk from the Merode Roadside Station. Here, Melon Kuma products are lined up in a small space, making for quite an impressive sight.

There is a wide variety of melon bear goods available, including hats that turn your pet into a melon bear, popular earpicks that allow you to clean your pet's ears with a melon bear design, and magnets with salmon added.

Sometimes, Melon Bear, who has come down to the human settlement, will appear at Melon Bear's house. The melon bear looks very realistic and scary, so children often become afraid when it appears.

"Children are very honest, so if they encounter a realistic Melon Bear, they will scream, run away, and cry. I think they sense the reality of the impending madness. Staged or easily understood artificial things aren't any fun, so we strive for realism in our creations. We're happy when pure-hearted children are scared. Many parents say that if they tell their children , 'If you do something naughty, the Melon Bear will come!', their children will stop doing naughty things." The melon bear has eaten its fill of delicious Yubari melons and has evolved into an imposing figure , so be careful if you encounter it as it will approach you and bite your head!

I want to make more children cry!

Over the past two years, Melon Bear has been unable to come close to human settlements due to the effects of COVID-19. We asked him about his future plans and what he will be doing once the situation calms down. "My goal for the future is to have the many children who are still crying encounter Melon Kuma while they are still young , so that they can see that there are scary things in the world! I will do my best to achieve that goal! " Next summer, during melon season, the frequency of Melon Bear appearances may increase. When he does appear, he will probably post about it on Instagram, so be sure to check it out. Melon Kuma is also listed in the Yubari City Hometown Tax Program, so be sure to check it out.