The 40th Sanrio Character Ranking is heating up, with voting in full swing! Currently, Pompompurin, who ranked fourth last year, is leading the pack, proving just how beloved and popular this character truly is.
But Pompompurin recently stirred up a storm on Japanese X (formerly Twitter) thanks to BANDAI CANDY's Pompompurin-shaped wagashi, "Tabemasu Mocchi." A photo of the actual treat made it look like Pompompurin had grown two tiny "front teeth," prompting one user to quip, "Why does Pompompurin have front teeth this time? It's a bit weird…" The internet was instantly curious about this peculiar dental development.
The user (@muffinshika) shared their discovery of the Pompompurin "Tabemasu Mocchi" wagashi at a convenience store. At first glance, the white spot on Pompompurin's mouth looked exactly like front teeth, leading them to joke, "This Pompompurin has front teeth this time, it's a bit strange..." But after checking the official product image, they realized it was just his tongue! They even playfully chided themselves for the mix-up.
Looking at the official images, this Pompompurin wagashi comes in various designs, and indeed, the one with the tongue sticking out could easily be mistaken for front teeth if you don't look closely.
The original design for Pompompurin's tongue-out pose is meant to be adorably pink and playful, giving off a sweet, teasing vibe. But the real-life white version of the "tongue" completely shifts the mood 180 degrees, transforming him into a slightly mischievous (or perhaps even devious?) rodent-like character.
Netizens quickly chimed in, joking that such a tiny color difference completely changed the whole feel! He looks a bit naughty, they said, and if you didn't know better, you'd think it was a new, quirky character being introduced.
After the buzz, talented artists quickly got to work, drawing up this "front-toothed" Pompompurin, even adding the "gesu" (scum/villain) suffix to his speech for that extra touch of petty villainy.
Some even thought he resembled Melody from "Hunter x Hunter"...
This "Pompompurin with front teeth" incident, though just a small misunderstanding, successfully highlighted how "detail-oriented" Pompompurin's visual design truly is. Such a tiny difference can completely alter the perception!
Whether he's showing teeth or sticking out his tongue, Pompompurin's popularity remains sky-high! And if you have other favorite Sanrio characters, remember to vote for your Sanrio star in the official ranking!
via： togetter