This Japanese 'anti-plague demon' has reemerged as a mascot against coronavirus
It even has its own pudding. Dig in.
Would you trust an anti-plague demon to suggest the best dessert?
Japanese companies, sports teams and government departments tend to use mascots to promote all kinds of weird stuff. Now, in the age of coronavirus, a 19th century "anti-plague demon" from Japanese folklore has been reborn as a mascot in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
It's even being used to help sell a new healthy type of dessert loaded with vitamin C. It'll hardly keep you safe from COVID-19, but it might help ward off a cold.
The mascot in question: A humanoid fish "yokai" ("demon" or "spirit") named Amabie.
In 19th century Japanese folklore, Amabie lives off the coast of Kumamoto and often tells humans who see it, "Draw me and show to the people, so that you can be free from disease."
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the demon Amabie has been making an appearance all over Japan, in many different forms. Amabie has reemerged as a mascot and internet meme used by artists, chefs and even the Japan's Health Ministry as a symbol of hope to fight COVID-19.
～疫病が流行る時、
— うどん脳【公式】妖怪 (@udonnoww) March 26, 2020
私を作って食べなさい～
●材料：冷凍うどん、ちくわ、ネギ #うどん脳 #アマビエ#amabie#コロナ終息祈願#クッキング #親子 pic.twitter.com/JVtO6BzmtJ
【STOP！感染拡大】
— 厚生労働省 (@MHLWitter) April 9, 2020
自分のため、みんなのため、大切な人のため。私たち一人ひとりが、できることをしっかりやっていく。それが私たちの未来を作ります。国民の皆さま、引き続き、不要不急の外出や３密を避ける行動へのご協力をお願いします。#新型コロナウイルス #アマビエhttps://t.co/t0K2xwpGBn pic.twitter.com/FYOuKO4i6m
Now Amabie is trying to get you to snack on "healthy" pudding from the Japanese company Nakauraya. The pudding is made in layers with yuzu citrus fruit jelly, and is apparently packed with vitamin C.
The Amabie demon pudding is layered with yuzu jelly.
The pudding label art is a "lovely illustration so that you can feel relieved; we made it with the hope that you can regain your normal life as soon as possible," according to the Nakauraya website.
If you want to find more Japanese demon products, there's also Amabie IPA beer and adorable demon doughnuts.
Feeling extra adventurous? Add another Japanese delicacy to your Amabie pudding -- try dried murder hornets on as a topping.
