Have you been wondering what Japan’s favorite mascot has been up to lately? Who, you say? Why, Funasshi, of course, Japan’s squiggly wiggly pear mascot from Funabashi City in Chiba! After rocketing to fame and winning Japan’s top mascot honors in 2013, Funasshi has been touring Japan and the world! Its latest trip was to report for Fuji TV’s “World’s Best Of Picture Show: Top Research“. Find out all the American locations a gyrating pear looks out of place in after the jump.
Where’s the first place you wouldn’t expect to see a human-sized, dancing pear? If you said “under the sea,” that’s what we thought too! But our expectations aren’t one to stop the tour de force that is Funasshi, as a promotional video for the Fuji TV program shows Funasshi on its first ever diving experience!
That’s the Neptune Memorial Reef off the coast of Florida, which is an underwater cremation memorial site. It’s a very popular diving area and the world’s greatest man-made reef. This is certainly a perfect spot for Funasshi to experience the wonders of sea life.
▼Funasshi doesn’t need any SCUBA gear.
Known as one of the only mascot characters who talks in Japan, it had much to say about sinking to the ocean floor. “When I first dove in, I was very scared that I was going to be washed away because I couldn’t see anything. However, the Atlantic Ocean is very beautiful and it’s like a totally different world!”
▼Busting a move, 40 feet under.
Not only did Funasshi get all wet for Fuji TV, but it also attempted a whole bunch of other activities while in the United States and we are sure it will make for some pretty exciting television!
▼Attempting some plane acrobatics in a Cessna.
▼Learning to pitch to kick off at a Miami Marlins’ Major League Baseball game.
Awesome teaching my new buddy @funassyi how to pitch like @srSHREK31! #VoteHitsMcGehee pic.twitter.com/2FsZNHzwor
— Billy The Marlin (@BillyTheMarlin) August 15, 2014
For those in Japan, don’t miss these crazy antics from our favorite pear mascot airing on Tuesday, September 23 at 7pm on Fuji TV’s “World’s Best Of Picture Show: Top Research”. Otherwise stay tuned in to RocketNews24 for all your fantastic Funasshi fun!
Images: PR Times, YouTube
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