Say hello to Reiwa-chan, who comes in many beautiful forms.
Japan’s Emperor Akihito will abdicate the throne and bring an end to the Heisei period on 30 April this year, and as part of formal preparations in the lead-up to this historic moment, the Japanese government announced on Monday that the new era will be named “Reiwa”, which translates to “Beautiful Harmony”.
Speaking to the press after the announcement was made, Prime Minister Abe revealed that the new era takes its name from a poem about plum blossoms in the Manyoshu, the oldest printed collection of Japanese poetry, which was compiled in the 8th century.
As the news broke around the country, and people discussed the implications of the new name, the nation’s artists wasted no time interpreting the title of the upcoming era in their own way: by anthropomorphising it into an anime character.
▼ “The new era name sounds lovely so I anthropomorphised it. Reiwa chan.”
新年号とても素敵な響きだったので擬人化してみました！令和ちゃん🌸 #令和 #令和ちゃん ＃新年号 https://t.co/zkBOk6IdoL
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muku🍣 (@muku_apupop) April 01, 2019
Reiwa chan began appearing online within hours of the announcement, showing how quickly the artists were able to transform the new name into a character, with plum blossoms becoming a feature in many of the designs.
「令和」って綺麗な響きについ擬人化したくなってしまいまして #新元号 #令和 https://t.co/VcHgGfSLJX
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Romi (@romi_mykonos) April 01, 2019
令和ちゃん～～！ #令和 #令和ちゃん #令和ちゃん擬人化 #擬人化 #新元号 #令和元年 #初春の令月 https://t.co/0kMzt3wIIU
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師走ほりお🐱コミ1 C50b (@horioo) April 01, 2019
One common feature seen in many of the illustrations was the Japanese kimono, which was a nod to both the country’s centuries-old practice of using era names, and the fact that the last kanji character in the new era can be traditionally read as “Japan”.
新元号の擬人化『令和ちゃん』描きました。 #新年号 https://t.co/FDE6TSa3RS
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大和なでしこ コミ１ E16a (@nadeshiko0328) April 01, 2019
新元号擬人化 令和ちゃん 普段はクールだが 平和を尊ぶ熱い気持ちはだれにも負けない！ 汗をかいても良い匂いがする。 https://t.co/Hmgig7chf0
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雪本愁二🐣けもらいふ発売中 (@yukimotosyuji) April 01, 2019
▼ We’d love to see a plum-shaped hairpin and obi waistband like this in real life!
どうしても描きたくて描いてしまった… 擬人化…令和ちゃんです❁⃘*.ﾟ https://t.co/AYQys4H9FA
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Se-ra🐉 (@sera_datekemo) April 01, 2019
▼ Artists saw Reiwa-chan as an elegant woman…
この娘は令和ちゃん。 気づいたら夢中で「令和ちゃん♡、令和ちゃん♡」と言いながら描いていました... というか擬人化してる人が他にもたくさんいて笑ったｗ #令和ちゃん #新元号 #新年号 #絵描きさんと繫がりたい #イラスト https://t.co/PuRWdt1oSg
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ゆきノ助 (@yukinosuke_) April 01, 2019
▼ An adorable little character…
みに令和ちゃん！ 新元号の擬人化です https://t.co/7px0RNE5QG
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佐倉おりこ🌷技法書発売中 (@sakura_oriko) April 02, 2019
▼ A rock and roll star…
令和ちゃんロックンロール！🎸⚡️ 新元号の擬人化イラストです！！！！！ #令和 #令和ちゃん #新元号 https://t.co/lZo1MdcIqa
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毘沙門天ゆるいこ (@yuruico_lily) April 02, 2019
▼ And a fashion-forward stylish woman who embodies both old and new Japan.
とりあえず令和(れいわ)ちゃん擬人化しときますね https://t.co/F8LBbqBQa0
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もちょりんぷん (@mochyolimpun) April 01, 2019
▼ Others chose to welcome in the new era with a male personification known as Reiwa-kun.
擬人化した令和くん🥳👏🎉 https://t.co/9QVNHrYdeY
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都袮🍚私は米になりたい (@Aa_okomenootoo) April 01, 2019
令和…(擬人化注意) https://t.co/VYfV5CArdl
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鹿野ケル (@bloom_minority) April 01, 2019
▼ This sketch of Reiwa beautifully combines aspects of old and new Japan in one image.
カスタムキャストの中に令和って用意されてたw #令和ちゃん #擬人化 #令和 https://t.co/3qiPq8EIHV
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クマトロ (@kuma9ma9ma) April 02, 2019
Despite being born into the public’s consciousness on the date of the announcement on 1 April, Reiwa won’t actually be personifying the era until 1 May, when the new era is officially set to begin.
Hopefully then we’ll see more activity from artists around Japan, and maybe a new song to celebrate the occasion from the anime porn game that brought us the Beautiful Harmony theme song.
Source: Hachima Kikou
Featured image: Twitter/@muku_apupop
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