Effort thread on the Japanese Communist Party 日本共産党, the largest non-governing Communist party in the world, still have their own News Media institution (Shimbun Akahata しんぶん赤旗 10th most read paper) & still huge in unions. BUT I wanna talk about their mascots (1/19)

They have mascots to represent each aspect of their platform and the people they represent.

The main one Koyo no Yoko represents labour issues. She's depicted as a middle-aged mysterious woman who lies about her age & is a "Salt" (there's a union organising term for ya)(2/19)

Otento-sun (SUN instead of SAN, HA! GET IT!?!?!) this represents the parties green policies ('tis a sun like) but the character get's FUCKIN PISSED OFF when you mention nuclear power (3/19)

Gamagu-chan. It's a purse. He represents the people living paycheck to paycheck, he hurts when money is taken away and says great things when you give him money. (4/19)

Shiisa an Okinawan lion dog who just loves "island time". His jaw became unhinged from yelling at the government for 10+ years about the US bases in Japan (namely Okinawa). Neutrality is a big part of the party's platform. (5/19)

Kaku-san, which means 'proliferation,' he represents organisers, protesters and all the people who propagate the party literature and communist materials (the party website does give out Japanese copies of Das Kapital).(6/19)

Tawara Kometaro, an anthropomorphic hay bale. He represents Japanese agriculture and is the mascot for the anti-TTP campaign because it would ruin Japanese agriculture. He loves Japanese food, culture and anime

(he me). (7/19)

Poken Shishō a karate master with the Japanese constitution for a head. I know, bear with me, he loves Art. 9 which guarantees Japanese neutrality which he think is being violated by the American military occupation. He believes in peace & defence, hence the karate. (8/19)

Kosodate Ikuko, represents working mothers and is vocal about issues of youth, childcare and education. She's depicted as a hero who deserves help with her 10 kids of all ages and her demanding job.(9/19)

They also have mascots for the ills of society, evil mascots. This is the best IMHO, politics needs an enemy. BK (Black Company) and BB (Black Work) which are terms for companies doing illegal shit and illegal work. There's this chestnut that represents regressive taxation(10/19)

This fuckin rules (11/19)

The "Resume Operations" nuclear Rhino. A US Soldier trying to build another base. "Collective self-defence dog" who tricks Japan into teaming up with the US in the name of self-defence but actually WE'RE INVADING IRAQ! And a Gorilla that represents TPP's secrecy. (12/19)

Just funny: European feminist Joseino Kenly who talks favourably of vague European childcare and maternity leave policies (which is better than Japan's in some EU countries sure). I think she needs to be remade as a villain representing White Feminism imho. (13/19)

These characters have music videos (WE ARE COMMUNIST PARTY) (14/19)

It's worth pointing out now that this is only one aspect of their campaigns, this is designed to target younger, nerdier populations that runs simultaneously with other campaigns like: (15/19)

And I should mention that the JCP does advocate more soc dem policies these days and no longer advocates revolution (mostly due to avoiding legal consequences) they're still an interesting party. (16/19)

They are still propagating communist texts, still run a daily newspaper, still have control & the loyalty of unions, still trash talk the emperor & are still the only Japanese party surveyed by the state (17/19)

(known communist voters often complain of police presence at their home on voting day)(18/19)

Anyway, I'll probably Livestream me trying to draw my own 愛させる共産主義 (lovable communism) characters at some point. (19/19)