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Japan Post gets 'moe' fever with 2016 anime New Year’s postcards

5 Comments
By Mike, RocketNews24

If you thought having to send a couple of Christmas cards to close friends and far-flung cousins during the holidays was annoying, wait 'til you get a load of the "nengajo" (New Year’s card) tradition here in Japan. Not only is one obligated to send "nengajo" to family and friends, but you’re also obligated to send them to co-workers, bosses, anyone who regularly provides you a service, anyone whom you regularly provide a service to, your landlord, your mother’s landlord, Crazy Uncle Jeb over at the asylum, the stray cats in your neighborhood, and your mortal enemy (just to let him know you’ve got your eyes on him).

In fact, you’ve gotta send these things to so many people, it’s not uncommon to drop by the Japan Post near you and see people purchasing stacks of hundreds of these things. And unless, like me, you avoid any and all human contact, you’ll probably also come home one winter day to find your mailbox stuffed to the brim with the things. So, given their ubiquity, it’s no surprise that Japan Post (who prints and distributes loads of "nengajo" every year through both their yubin-nenga.jp website and physical post office locations), occasionally tries to mix it up with some very nontraditional designs.

This year, bizarrely, the running theme seems to be… "moe." As in those super-cute anime girls and dreamy, slightly effeminate anime guys who are all the rage in Japan.

"Nengajo" tend to depict the Japanese Zodiac animal of the year to come. With 2016 being the Year of the Monkey, most of Japan Post’s new "moe-fied nengajo" feature the animated characters hanging out with simian pals to ring in the new year.

Apparently, Japan Post was serious about getting the "moe" feel right, and hired a number of artists to handle the designs. Many of those artists shared the work they did on their individual Twitter handles, further stirring up interest in the "nengajo" designs.

And, perhaps best of all (or worst of all if you’re not the DIY sort), the "moe nengajo" designs are part of the Japan Post’s free “nengajo template” program, which invites users to download the designs free of charge. The downside, of course, is that printing and shipping is up to you, so you’ll need to run out to a store and shell out for some nice, sturdy paper, which, if we’re being honest, will probably end up running you something near the cost of just buying a bunch of pre-made "nengajo."

Since they’re downloadable, you can get your hands on them via this link.

Source: My Game News Flash

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Japan Post continues the New Year’s stamp tradition with cute Year of the Monkey story -- How to prepare for a Japanese New Year -- Evangelion and Attack on Titan directors team up to create 2016 Godzilla movie

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5 Comments
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Not my cup of tea, but I bet otaku around the world will want these. I would not be surprised to see these show up on online auctions.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And I will be buying a whole lot of none of those.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

How about selling new year cards with Japanese culture related themes?

Eg- Sumo Wrestler, "Hope your new year brings in BIG things for your life".

Or

Tokyo Sky Tree, "New year means new goals, aspirations and dreams. Build yourself higher so you too can see that sky is the limit".

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If this is the first example of private sector expertise being brought to bear in management of the post office, it's a shade disappointing.

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Otaku reporting in - these are all so cute! ::D I love them all, boys and girls <3

They're all beautifully drawn, and very free-huggable :3

Maybe I will make some , it's not like we don't send cards in the Netherlands, and literally all my friends are otaku's too ^_^

Anyway, these are all kawaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~!! ^^

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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