Funassyi

According to the mascot's lore, Funassyi is said to neither a girl nor a boy but is a {{nihongo|pear|梨 |nashi}} fairy, and its parents are said to be ordinary pear trees.{{cite web |url=http://terawarosu.jimdo.com/ |title=ふなっしー劇場 - terawarosu Jimdoページ |publisher=Terawarosu.jimdo.com |date= |access-date=2014-03-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107112421/http://terawarosu.jimdo.com/ |archive-date=2014-01-07 |url-status=dead }} According to the in-character interviews and articles: it is the fourth of 274 children,{{cite web |url=http://sankei.jp.msn.com/life/news/140102/trd14010218010006-n2.htm |title=ふなっしー「産経新聞破るくらい梨汁ブシャー！とひたしたいなっしー」 過激発言で今年も幕開け？＋（2/2ページ） - MSN産経ニュース |publisher=Sankei.jp.msn.com |date=2014-01-02 |access-date=2014-03-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103022007/http://sankei.jp.msn.com/life/news/140102/trd14010218010006-n2.htm |archive-date=2014-01-03 }} its birthday is July 4, and it was 1,883 years old as of 2021 (in a literal time frame, it was possibly born in the year AD 138). Its full name is said to be {{nihongo|Funadius IV|フナディウス4世|Funadiusu Yonsei}}, and its favorite food is peaches. The character is fond of heavy metal music, revealing that it bought Deep Purple's Machine Head as its first album, and is also fond of Aerosmith and Ozzy Osbourne.

Generally, Japanese local mascot characters, known as {{nihongo|Yuru-kyara|ゆるキャラ|laid-back character}} or {{nihongo4|gotōchi-kyara|ご当地キャラ|local character}}, move slowly and do not speak. Instead, they are usually accompanied by an attendant who speaks for them. Funassyi, however, always speaks for itself. It also often shrieks, jumps, dances, and makes violent movements like headbanging. When it speaks, it usually ends its sentences with {{nihongo|"nassyi"|～なっしー|~nasshī}} which sounds like the Japanese word for {{nihongo|"pear"|梨|nashi}}.

The number 274 appears in a lot of Funassyi's material (e.g. as the number of siblings, on license plates, as a house number, and as a team jersey number). Under the rules of Japanese number puns, one possible reading of this number is "fu-na-shi".

The character was first created by a Funabashi citizen involved in retail trade in November 2011 as an illustration to advertise his business.{{cite web|url=http://www.chibanippo.co.jp/c/news/local/124850 |title=不気味さ受け想定外の人気 船橋市の"非公認"キャラ 梨の妖精「ふなっしー」 | ちばとぴ ちばの耳より情報満載 千葉日報ウェブ |publisher=Chibanippo.co.jp |date= |access-date=2014-03-21}} A Twitter account was opened for it on November 21.{{cite web |url=http://funassyi.jp/trajectory |access-date=March 16, 2014 |title=ふなっしーの軌跡 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140721002802/http://funassyi.jp/trajectory |archive-date=July 21, 2014 |url-status=dead }} At first, the creator didn't intend to make Funassyi a physical reality, however, the number of followers on Twitter increased far more than he expected and Funassyi became very popular. He then decided to create the Funassyi costume suit and perform while wearing it. From April 7, 2012, Funassyi videos were uploaded on YouTube.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EYRnTqUqpM |title=千葉県 船橋市 ふなっしー 桜の木の下で |publisher=YouTube |date=2012-04-07 |access-date=2014-03-21}}

In July 2012, Funassyi's creator (in character as Funassyi) visited the Funabashi City Office to have it authorized and supported officially, but this was rejected.{{cite web|url=http://www.news-postseven.com/archives/20131102_225023.html |title=船橋市市長 ふなっしーの貢献に感謝状贈るも「公認はしない」｜NEWSポストセブン |publisher=News-postseven.com |date=2012-11-14 |access-date=2014-03-21}} Following this, Funassyi appeared at several city events uninvited and unannounced. Finally on October 30, 2013, Funassyi was awarded a certificate for its contributions to promoting Funabashi all over Japan. However, the Funabashi Municipal Government, with the mutual consent of Funassyi's creator, did not formally approve Funassyi as an official mascot of the city, since doing so might restrict the mascot's activities.

On November 27, 2013, an in-character CD called {{nihongo|"Funa Funa Funassyi♪"|「ふな ふな ふなっしー♪」}} which featured the character collaborating with Toshihiko "Takamiy" Takamizawa of The Alfee, on the Far Eastern Tribe Records label.

In June 2014, Funassyi's creator was interviewed in-character while wearing the Funassyi costume by CNN.{{cite web|last=Ripley |first=Will |url= https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2014/06/11/pkg-ripley-japan-mascot-mania.cnn |title= Mascot mania means big bucks in Japan |publisher=CNN |date=2014-06-10 |access-date=2014-08-25}} In August 2014, Funassyi was taught how to pitch by Billy the Marlin, the official mascot of the American Miami Marlins baseball team.{{cite web|last=McCormick |first=Rich |url= https://www.theverge.com/2014/8/14/6004689/giant-american-fish-teaches-japanese-pear-how-to-play-baseball |title= Giant American fish teaches Japanese pear how to play baseball |work=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media|date=2014-08-14 |access-date=2014-08-25}}

On December 17, 2014, a full Funassyi CD album was released titled {{nihongo|"Uki Uki Funassyi♪ Official Funassyi Album Pear Juice Bushaa!"|「うき うき ふなっしー♪ 〜ふなっしー公式アルバム梨汁ブシャー!〜」}} on Universal Music Japan's Universal Sigma label.{{cite web |url=http://www.universal-music.co.jp/funassyi/products/pdcs-1901/ | title=Official Funassyi artist page on Universal Music Japan}}

On March 5, 2015, a Funassyi press conference for the overseas media at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.{{cite web|last=Jackman |first=Sophie |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/03/05/national/persevering-pear-mascot-funassyi-hopes-to-be-positive-symbol-of-japan/ |title=Persevering pear mascot 'Funassyi' hopes to be positive symbol of Japan |publisher=The Japan Times |date=2015-03-05 |access-date=2015-03-11}}{{cite web|last=Landers |first=Peter |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2015/03/05/pear-fairy-funassyi-shakes-up-japanese-character-world/ |title='Pear Fairy' Funassyi Shakes Up Japanese Character World |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |date=2015-03-05 |access-date=2015-03-11}}

On March 6, 2015, the flagship store "Funassyiland" was opened in the Lalaport Tokyo Bay shopping center in the town Funassyi is said to be from, Funabashi.{{cite web |last=Yoneyama |first=Shiro |url=http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150306p2a00m0na002000c.html |title=Popular mascot Funassyi opens own shop in Chiba hometown |publisher=Mainichi Daily News |date=2015-03-06 |access-date=2015-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150307123424/http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150306p2a00m0na002000c.html |archive-date=2015-03-07 |url-status=dead }} A 2nd Funassyiland store opened in Umeda, Osaka in July 2015, and a 3rd store named Funassyiland Select opened in December 2015 in Harajuku, Tokyo inside the Kiddy Land store. A 4th store opened in April 2016 in Nagoya.{{cite web|url=http://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000006.000016382.html |title=ふなっしーLAND船橋本店 リニューアルオープン後の来店者数 2万7400人達成なっしー！! |publisher=PR Times |date=2015-11-24 |access-date=2015-12-02}} An online Funassyiland store opened in November 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.shibukei.com/headline/11227/ |title=キデイランド原宿に公式グッズ店「ふなっしーランド」 船橋・梅田に次ぐ常設店 |publisher=Shibuya Keizai Shimbun |date=2015-04-22 |access-date=2016-12-14}}

From March to September 2015, an animated version of Funassyi was featured in its own short-anime series, {{nihongo|"Funassyi's Funafunafu Days"|「ふなっしーのふなふなふな日和」}}, which aired every weekday during the Sukkiri! morning news and variety show on Nippon TV. The series has been released on DVD.

On January 7, 2016, a live-action 2-hour drama starring Funassyi titled {{nihongo|"Detective Funassyi"|「ふなっしー探偵」}} aired on Fuji TV.{{cite web|url=http://www.fujitv.co.jp/funassyi_tantei/ |title=ふなっしー探偵 - フジテレビ - official program site |access-date=2016-12-14}}

On August 23, 2016, Funassyi headlined a concert called Nassyi Fes at Budokan in Tokyo, drawing 12,000 fans. Nassyi Fes was also held on the 29th of the same month at Osaka-jō Hall in Osaka.{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2077252/full/ | title=ふなっしー、初単独武道館に1万2000人「感謝感激梨汁ブシャー!」|publisher=Oricon | date=2016-08-24 |access-date=2016-12-14}}

== Offshoot characters and imitations ==

Funassyi's in-character "brother" {{nihongo4|Funagoro|ふなごろー|Funagorō}}, was introduced on October 15, 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.japantrends.com/funassyi-brother-mascot-funagoro/ |title=Funnassyi_has_a_brother|publisher=japantrends.com |date= |access-date=2014-11-14}} Funagoro is the 56th brother of Funassyi ("Goro" is both a masculine given name and a possible number pun reading of the number 56 in Japanese). Funagoro is half-pear, half-caterpillar. The major difference between Funagoro and Funassyi is that Funagoro has a caterpillar tail that squirts silk thread. When Funagoro speaks, he usually ends the sentences with "nappi" (なっぴー).

Funassyi appears on the Tamagotchi 4U officially released by Bandai as a promotional touch spot character named "Funassyitchi". Along with the character, the package also includes a golden pear and an electric guitar.

A number of characters "inspired" by Funassyi, some sanctioned and some not, have appeared in the past. Sanctioned characters include Funyassyi, created to promote the Shironeko Project game, and Akanassyi, a red version of the usual yellow Funassyi character that was created to promote a Gundam movie in 2015.

As of 2016, the characters Funagoro and Funyassyi appear frequently at Funassyiland stores and other events, with or without Funassyi.

There has been frequent speculation in the Japanese media regarding the personal income of Funassyi's creator, as well as the revenue he helps to generate for the city of Funabashi and Chiba prefecture.{{cite web |last=Brasor |first=Philip |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/04/19/national/can-a-solo-career-help-a-mascot-stand-out/ |title=Can a solo career help a mascot stand out? |publisher=The Japan Times |date=2014-04-15 |access-date=2014-04-20 |archivedate=2020-11-12 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020035/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/04/19/national/can-a-solo-career-help-a-mascot-stand-out/ |url-status=deviated }} However, due to Funassyi's unofficial mascot status, its creator is not required to disclose any such figures. When asked in-character, Funassyi has given various off-the-cuff answers to the question of how much it earns over the years, ranging from "274 yen per hour" to "1000 pears per hour".

• Yuru-chara
• Kumamon
• Hikonyan
• Choruru
• Kigurumi

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{commons category}}

• [http://274ch.com 274ch] {{in lang|ja}} - Official fan club
• [http://funassyiland.jp/ Funassyiland] {{in lang|ja}} - Official retail stores
• [http://www.universal-music.co.jp/funassyi Universal Music Japan Artist List] {{in lang|ja}}
• [http://www.mtv81.com/videos/japon/funassyi/ JapON! Funassyi on MTV 81] {{in lang|en}}

{{Yuru-chara}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Advertising characters

Funassyi

Category:Yuru-chara

Category:City mascots

Category:Fictional characters from Kantō

Category:Mascots introduced in 2011

Category:2011 establishments in Japan

Category:Pears

Category:Plant mascots

Category:Anthropomorphic plants