By Rob Bricken in
Miscellaneous
Wednesday, Jan. 20 2010 @ 11:18AM
Money. Hello Kitty is on fucking money.
AnimeVice reports this is some kind of marketing ploy in Tokyo's Asakusa district, because, obviously, Sanrio really needs to get the word out about Hello Kitty in Japan. Asakusa is known as a historic district, and thus the Hello Money will be of classic Japanese coins. However, over 500 shops in Asakusa will accept these things as actual money during the promotion, whenever the hell it runs.
Does the fact that Sanrio is effectively making its own currency freak anyone else the fuck out? Like the world economy isn't in enough trouble without worrying about whether the money is cute enough. I swear to god we're all going to end up sucking cock for Keroppi keychains.
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Does the fact that Sanrio is effectively making its own currency freak anyone else the fuck out? Like the world economy isn't in enough trouble without worrying about whether the money is cute enough. I swear to god we're all going to end up sucking cock for Keroppi keychains.
15 comments
Comments
FireKracken said:
If this shit flies, I want some damn Evangelion currency. Or better yet, hentai currency. Get some change for my sticky, sticky coins.
toomin replied to FireKracken:
Seconded, mate, seconded.
Geoff said:
Does Japan not have laws against the production of private currency?
Merle replied to Geoff:
I'm not sure but I don't think it would even apply in this case. I think it's more akin to tokens in arcades, disney dollars in the theme parks, or those gift cards they sell it malls that every store will accept. It's not an actual currency
Well, the deal with gift cards is that they're representation of valid legal tender; you've already paid the money, the card just stores it and restricts it to a certain purchaser.
This is something else, and isn't even like Disney Dollars where it's transacting with one corporation (those are akin to chips in a casino, where you exchange going in and coming out and aren't recognised outside the location). Five hundred stores isn't a small number.
I know, I know, I'm a bored-at-work economist / lawyer is obsessing over Japanese currency. I should just chalk this one up to "it's Japan" and move on. But, oddly... I can't.
Baltimoron replied to Geoff:
If their laws are anything like ours, this is probably kosher. If people are paying Sanrio for these and the exchange rate is 1:1/Sanrio chit:Yen and Sanrio is going to reimburse retailers for the kittyscrip at the same rate then it's likely all fair.
There's also the possibility that the system will work something like Ithaca NY's HOURS program. Unlikely given the nature of Sanrio's business, but still within the realm of legal possibility if Japan's currency laws are akin to those of the US.
newman said:
once clocked a Mini with hello kitty logo, driving through east london, very very surreal
Wesley Street said:
Sanrio-bucks. First step toward the cyberpunk future we've all dreamed of.
misterclock said:
This sounds interesting, but it's no different from buying tokens at an arcade or Disney money at Disneyland or -world.
Nicnac said:
at a glance the image says "Hello sakusa" which my brain chooses to translate as "Hello suckers!"
Rikari said:
I never thought money could be so adorable!
RubyRoses said:
oh man if they made Keroppi money, I would be totally fine with that...I don't give a shit about the Queen.
Anonymous said:
They still have Disney bucks?!
Baltimoron said:
Inu Itto will kill any Sanrio character for 500 Hello Kitty ryo. His only condition is that you must tell him everything about why his target must die.
passive aggressive said:
...ummmm...chucky cheese tokens?
