”They’ll play nice with your other figures!” promises manufacturer.
This really is the golden age for the Shiba Inu. Sure, people have kept the breed of dog as pets for generations, but it really wasn’t until the birth of online social media that Japan, and then the whole world, became fully aware of how captivatingly silly Shiba are, as they keep those goofy grins on their faces regardless of what sort of shenanigans they’re up to.
Shiba Inu are now so popular that Tokyo-based capsule toy maker Qualia has made them the primary stars of its latest line of vending machine figures. So will throwing a couple coins into the machine get you a tiny plastic Shiba showing off his elegant table manners or getting into an extended bark debate with a stuffed animal?
Nope, it’ll get you a figure of a Shiba taking a whizz.
Like all capsule toys, though, the figure is part of a series, with this one being called the “Peeing Dogs Mascot Figure” collection. There are a total of six figure in the lineup, but how do you create a variation on the theme of “urinating dog?” Simple: by changing the color of the urine!
▼ Although if your pet’s urine is coming out this shade of blue, you might want to consult your vet.
There’s also a Shiba with a black coat, and the same two pee possibilities.
But while these capsule toy pooches are marking their territory, the leaky Shiba aren’t so territorial that they won’t share space in the lineup with a pair of brown Akita Inu, Japan’s second-most famous breed of dog.
Qualia’s craftsmen hope that you’ll admire the satisfied, far-off look in the dogs’ eyes as they relieve themselves, and also point out that these Shiba and Akita are great for pairing with other figures…as long as you want it to look like those other characters are getting peed on, which actually may not be such a bad way to use the other randomized capsule toy figures you ended up with but didn’t actually want.
Peeing Dogs Mascot Figures are available in capsule toy vending machines now, priced at 300 yen (US$2.80). With enough success, maybe Qualia will greenlight a sequel series that adds Japan’s adorable Kawakami dogs to the mix, but if you’d rather keep your liquid-based appreciation of Shiba Inu a little less gross, then maybe these would be more your style.
Source: Qualia via IT Media
Images: Qualia
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