With an otaku umbrella, you’ll hope for rain every day

Cara Clegg

Jul 15, 2013

Otaku umbrella3 What better way to brighten up a rainy day than with a cute girl shielding you from the downpour? And if you can’t find a girl to hold your umbrella, then maybe a girl on your umbrella is the next best thing…

The umbrella maker, Seasonal Plants, is selling a range of bright and cheerful umbrellas that all have one thing in common – they’re plastered with popular moe characters from anime and games such as K-On!, Oreimo, and Super Sonico.

The company commented that it’s their duty to “make waves in this stagnant market by creating a fad for otaku umbrellas within Japan’s famed otaku subculture, and then spreading this culture to the world”. I salute them for pursuing such a noble cause.

The umbrellas are set to go on sale during the summer’s most competitive period for otaku merch. The Oreimo umbrella will be released on July 28 at Wonder Festival, a bi-annual event that focuses on anime and game character model kits. The others are being saved for Comiket 84 which will be held from August 10 -12. If you can’t handle the convention crowds, you can place an order through the Seasonal Plants official website.

As well as the full-size umbrellas, there will also be folding versions and mini-desktop umbrellas so that you’re not limited to rainy days to show off your otaku-ness. Hopefully opening the mini ones inside won’t bring about any bad luck…

Prices range from 9,000 – 12,000 yen (US$90 – $120) for a full-size or foldable umbrella, and 1,700 – 2,000 yen (US$17 – $20) for a mini umbrella.

▼ Oreimo