Japan Self-Defense Force Applications Rise With Adoption of Mascots

[roseofbattle]

Japan Self-Defense Force Applications Rise With Adoption of Mascots

Three military-styled female anime characters are all what it takes to increase volunteer numbers in the Japan Self-Defense Force by 20 percent.

Last July the Japan Self-Defense Force's Okayama Provincial Cooperation Office [http://www.mod.go.jp/pco/okayama/index.html] began using three anime mascots to represent three military branches and its uniforms. Upon introducing the three characters, applications for the JSDF have increased by 20% in the Okayama prefecture.

From left to right, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army) is characterized by Momoe Kibi, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy) has Mizuho Seto, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force) is typified by Airi Bizen. These characters are far from the first to be considered "military-inspired moe." The characters' aesthetic is similar to Strike Witches and Girls und Panzer, both of which have characters created by Humikane Shimada, who also designed the JSDF characters.

The first mascot, Momoe, was introduced in July. JSDF printed 500 flyers of the character for a comics sales event. By August for the introduction of Mizuho and Airi, popularity of the mascots had spread outside Okayama, and 6,500 calendars and 90,000 postcards were all taken at a promotion.

It's worth mentioning that if someone needs to be motivated by an anime character to join a military branch, perhaps that person is not suited to be in the military. Cuteness certainly sells.

Source: Anime News Network [http://sankei.jp.msn.com/west/west_life/news/140111/wlf14011111260018-n1.htm]


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[ShirowShirow]

Well, army applications in the US rose after they released that "America's Army" game and the stereotype at the time was that anyone who played videogames was a fat nerd. I don't see how this is any different.

 

[Slycne]

Also relevant.

Spoiler

Cause nothing says cute quite like a hail of rockets from a gunship.

 

[balladbird]

When I was in the navy, when I was first attached to a ship, and had started my cranking (basically mandatory kitchen duty for 6 months) one of the cooks on board the ship needed to drum up interest in a program for the captain. He created an moe-moe anime girl mascot for the posters and attached her image to e-mails advertising it... took him a week to get the attention he needed.

Between the internet explorer thing and this, it seems there is some strong appeal to adorable mascots.

I was under the impression that over-pandering had made anime unappealing outside the hardcore otaku circles, even in japan. I'm pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong. XD

 

[Fappy]

Also relevant.

Spoiler

Cause nothing says cute quite like a hail of rockets from a gunship.

I see what Japan is doing. They are preparing for WWIII! They know our troops will lose morale when forced to gun down cute Japanese girls!

Those bastards!

 

[Muspelheim]

Oh, that wasn't too bad of an idea. I've always wondered what happened to mascots, overall.

I've always felt the Nordic countries needs a coordinated self-defense pact of sorts. It wouldn't exactly be easy, with a complicated relationship to NATO and plenty of individual egoes in the way. But the mascot question should be easy to solve, at least.

http://satwcomic.com/art/coat-of-arms.jpg

All the Nordic countries features a lion on their coat of arms. Presumably because elks or herrings aren't particularly inspiring animals in comparison. The defence initiative's mascot should easily be a team of those lions working together, perhaps in different roles.

Although the Finland lion could do with a more... Flattering portrayal.

Also relevant.

Spoiler

Cause nothing says cute quite like a hail of rockets from a gunship.

I see what Japan is doing. They are preparing for WWIII! They know our troops will lose morale when forced to gun down cute Japanese girls!

Those bastards!

I might just have dreamed it up in some sort of terrible fever once, but I think I remember seeing a wartime propaganda anime somewhere.
It was very odd, with stern, intrepid children and cute bearpeople fighting spindly British soldiers in shorts. And the British had an anthropomorphic rat man in their team, too.

It was oddly hilarious, watching the British flail about with their spaghetti arms while teddy bears with machine guns were advancing, led by a ten year old boy with a bandana and a kantana overlooking the unconditional surrender with a very, very stoic look on his face.

 

[DTWolfwood]

I wonder what mascot would work for the US Military?

 

[Fat Hippo]

Ehh, maybe I'm being a killjoy, but making the military "cute" rubs me the wrong way. But then, I'm very repulsed by any kind of military fetishism, especially since my own military service. (*grumble* fucking conscription *grumble*)

 

[Fat Hippo]

Oops double post, sorry

 

[CriticalMiss]

I wonder what mascot would work for the US Military?

A gun on legs wearing only the flag of the USA, bald eagle optional.

If Japan actually had an army of cute girls with multi-coloured hair they'd probably dominate the world. Nothing can kill an anime girl!

 

[Skeleon]

Certainly more alluring than Uncle Sam, I'd say. I really like the airforce girl. Did I ever mention my favourite colour is blue?
...and now there's the issue with the military being "alluring". Despite what I said, this approach really weirds me out.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

20 percent.

I'd understand a rise of maybe a tenth of that, but to have it result in a situation where there's a 6th recruit for every 5 is just ridiculous.

From goddamn cartoon characters.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

If Japan actually had an army of cute girls with multi-coloured hair they'd probably dominate the world. Nothing can kill an anime girl!

I know I would have trouble pulling the trigger.

They do look like girls straight out of Strike Witches and Girls und Panzer (love those shows). I wonder what the mindset is for someone to join the military because of a picture of cute anime girls. I mean I bought those two shows and enjoy them repeatedly because of the cuteness, but never in a million years would I consider joining an actual fighting army because of them.

 

[BrotherRool]

That or maybe increased military tensions with a global superpower right next-door. One of the two.


...yeah I'm going to have to see some numbers before I believe it's the mascot. If it's just this one area and there haven't been similar increases elsewhere fine. But I have to actually see those numbers first

 

[Dr.Awkward]

I wonder what mascot would work for the US Military?

Four of the divisions already have known mascots - Bulldog(USMC), mule(Army), goat(Navy), and falcon(Air Force). However, the same four bear a bald eagle on their traditional emblems (not the modernized emblems they use for public image), so yeah, this was kind of covered about a century ago...

 

[nekoali]

Why is this a surprise? Using attractive women on military recruitment posters is a world wide thing. These girls are just less realistic and more cartoon...

 

[kajinking]

I really don't think anyone from the US has any right to talk down to this considering every damn time I saw an Army recruitment station at the local fair or high school they always had a Xbox hooked up to the truck with the latest COD playing. Until a draft is ever required again (god forbid things ever get THAT bad again) all volunteer armed forces are gonna need some way to lure in young men to join them, they use anime we use Call of Duty.

 

[webkilla]

Military moe

Oh dear gods - that is so adorable, and yet so eerily wrong