Pepo, Pepo, Pepo-Kun
Anyone who's visited Tokyo knows that the Metropolitan Police Department has its own cute mascot: Pepo-Kun, whose name is an amalgam of the words "people" and "police." But did ya know he's got his own theme song? It's true: you can check it out on Pepo-Kun Town, the offical Tokyo Metropolitan Police page dedicated to him (complete with early-90s style MIDI background music.) G'wan, click it and download the coloring books, meet his extended family, take the Pepo-Kun pledge ("never play alone, don't follow people you don't know, don't get into strange cars, scream if someone tries to pull you somewhere, tell mommy where you'll be going, and always tell the police your name, address, and phone number" -- lessons that ironically need to be painfully unlearned when youngsters grow up and start "playing" in the likes of Kaubuki-cho.)
For those too lazy or linguistically crippled to navigate the official site, Karakusa Laboratory posted their own (totally unofficial) parody video of Pepo-Kun's theme, set to "2ch"-style graphics. Watch them spinnin' revolvers, Pepo! (Could a grudge-match showdown with The Tokyo Fire Department's Kyuta be in the works? One can dream.)
Thanks to Aya at Chronicle Books for the photo of the Pepo-festooned tactical assault vehicle!
Briefly envisioning a rubber-truncheon wielding Pepo-Kun working over a perp really brightened up my afternoon - thanks, Metropolitan Police Department!
Posted by:Ryan | February 06, 2007 at 01:56 PM
That's what we need over here; something to really strike fear into the hearts of criminals.
Posted by:Joseph Luster | February 07, 2007 at 02:02 AM
Pepo-kun looks like one of those "suspicious persons" we're always being warned about, a regular gaijin criminal. It's the ears!
Posted by:Tim | February 07, 2007 at 08:56 PM
Amazing, thank you for my new ring tone.
goes will with my latest encounter with the ministry of justice.
*sigh*
Posted by:emile denichaud | February 20, 2007 at 10:20 PM