Can these new character candidates match up to the charm of the penguin?

Last November, East Japan Railway Company (JR East) surprised everyone by announcing that it would be retiring its “Suica Penguin” mascot character on 31 March, 2027. The character has been the mascot for JR East’s tap-and-go Suica prepaid IC card system since it was first introduced in 2001, even appearing on the cards themselves, so the decision to “graduate” the character, to use the company’s terms, had everyone wondering if there might be a replacement mascot on the way.

▼ The last lot of IC cards with the Suica Penguin have already been shipped, signalling the end of an era.

Well, that question was answered today, when the company announced that it would indeed be replacing the penguin with a new character. What’s more, it’s come up with three candidates for the public to choose from, with votes being welcomed from people around the world, regardless of age, gender, location, occupation or nationality.

The three candidates were selected by a panel of judges from proposals submitted by young creators, with JR East looking for a character that could embody its vision for the future of Suica. The company hopes that the new character will represent the next stage of Suica’s “renaissance”, as it aims to expand its service from a tool primarily used for transportation and small payments into a broader “device for everyday life” that connects people and communities. The candidates were chosen for their potential to act as a “cute companion” that customers can feel connected to, and a friendly guide who can explain things in an easy-to-understand way.

▼ The three candidates have very different personalities… and a different look to the cute sophistication of the Suica Penguin.

▼ Option A is a squirrel.

According to the production notes, this character has a pattern on its body that forms one continuous line from the head all the way to the tip of its tail, like a railway line. Taking inspiration from the way JR East “connects Japan and the lives of people”, the character and its distinctive stripe are expressed with soft, curved lines to help it feel like a “friend who supports people and gently stays by their side”.

Selection committee comments:
“This character embodies the concept of ‘staying close to people’, combining friendliness and lovability.”
“Its rich expressions give the impression that a story could emerge from the character.”
“It could become a presence that is widely loved by customers and group employees.”

▼ Option B is a rabbit.

The production notes here highlight the symbolism of the rabbit in conveying a character that goes beyond the concept of transportation and connecting people and towns – by listening closely to the voices around it, the rabbit leaps forward into the future. This character aims to gently support people from different generations in an ever-changing world, helping to nudge them forward with a little encouragement.

The character’s purple hue is said to be created by mixing blue, which symbolises “suisui” (smoothness and reassurance), with red, which symbolises “wakuwaku” (excitement). Although the production notes don’t specifically mention it, it’s interesting to note that “suisui” actually served to inspire the word Suica, as it was chosen to evoke the idea of an IC card that lets you move about smoothly and easily.

Selection committee comments:
“This is a highly impactful and striking character.”
“An original character, and when animated, its ears would probably move, making it even cuter.”
“Because it has a freshness unlike anything seen before, it has the potential to be loved for many years to come.”

▼ Option C is… a mystery with a mole?

The final character is a bit of a mystery, with the production notes describing it as an orange character carrying a mole – an animal that lives underground that you don’t often get to see – in a pouch. The character, which to us kind of looks like it has the body of a penguin and the head of a koala, is said to want to show the mole various places, capturing the excitement of going out while expressing its gentle nature.

Selection committee comments:
“It has fluffy cuteness, yet also a dependable strength. It has a mysterious charm that makes you want to root for it.”
“I could relate to the simplicity of ‘I want to show you a world you’ve never seen before.’”
“It embodies Suica’s future concept of being a ‘companion that customers can feel close to.’”

▼ JR east has released this video, in Japanese, which includes comments on the characters from the selection committee.

Going by first impressions, these characters seem to have nothing on the beloved Suica Penguin, appearing much more crude and childlike by comparison. Although their backstories help to give them more depth, comments online have been largely critical of the candidates.

“The designs for the new characters all feel too low-budget to me.”
“I feel like if JR East’s corporate colour is green then none of them really match.”
“Ugh, this is even worse than I imagined. At this rate, it’d be better to go with no characters at all.”
“Are they seriously hiring professional illustrators for this? Or did they just cheap out and get some in-house person who’s only mildly decent at drawing to whip them up?”
“From a production point-of-view, I feel like A is probably the main contender and the other two are just decoys.”
“Even if you hire all three of then at once, you still can’t beat a single penguin.”

If you do want to see one of these mascots become the future face of Suica, and likely the character to be used on the new IC cards, then head on over to the official site and cast your vote. Votes are limited to one per person and can be cast from 3 p.m. on 8 September until 11:59 p.m. on 23 September. The winning character will be announced in November, after which time name suggestions will be taken, with the selection committee set to judge the name in January next year. In March, the character name will be announced, before the winning character takes over from the Suica Penguin on 1 April.

Source: Press release, JR East
Featured image: YouTube/JR-EAST – Official Channel
Insert images: YouTube/JR-EAST – Official Channel
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