Jul 28, 2021
Before the pandemic, the Japanese designer who created the Olympic and Paralympic mascots predicted that they would become the “face of the Games.”
It hasn’t quite turned out that way. The two mascots are ubiquitous in the Olympic merchandise being sold around Tokyo as the Games unfold. But in a country where mascots play a major role in corporate branding and merchandising, they have mostly been a subdued presence at the very event they were made for.
The Japanese public is not really swooning over them either, according to fans and experts who study the country’s mascot industry. The mascots’ social media profiles are modest, and a common complaint is that their names Miraitowa and Someity are hard to remember.
Tokyo Olympics Mascots Are Cute but Underwhelming
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Kajakář Dostál chce z Tokia olympijské zlato, snad mu včas dorazí loď
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Rui Hachimura y la luchadora
Yui Susaki fueron anunciados como abanderados de Japón para la ceremonia de apertura de los retrasados Juegos Olímpicos de Tokio.
El
Comité Olímpico Japonés (JOC) confirmó que la pareja tendrá el honor de participar en sus Juegos Olímpicos en casa.
El anuncio conjunto del abanderado sigue a la confirmación del Comité Olímpico Internacional (COI) de que las naciones pueden seleccionar un atleta masculino y femenino juntos.
Ambos atletas enarbolarán la bandera en la Ceremonia de Apertura el 23 de julio.
Hachimura nació en la prefectura de Toyama de madre japonesa y padre beninés.