Table of Contents
Kikkoman
Summary
Kikkōman is a superhero of justice who fights for the Japanese food camp against the foreign food alliance. His special moves are the “Kikko Punch” (キッコーパンチ), the “Kikko Beam” (キッコービーム), and the “Final Kikko Beam” (ファイナルキッコービーム) where all the soy sauce is shot out of his head, though he'll become incapacitated when his final attack is done.
History
/ ̄ヽ /⌒⌒⌒ヽ/| ⊂| ◎ ∥ ヽ 丿\|  ̄∪ ̄
The original thread starts off with a user showing off text artwork that they made of the plastic, fish-shaped soy sauce container, specifically Asahi Sōgyō's “luncharm” (ランチャーム),2) and they hoped it would possibly become a power-up. After an hour, Hattoushin Mona's macho form was edited to have the luncharm as its head while the loincloth initially had the words “pure brew” (本醸造, hon jōzō) on it.3)
/ ̄ヽ /⌒⌒⌒ヽ/| ⊂| ◎ ∥ ヽ ゚∀゚丿\| __ 〃ヽ〈_ γ´⌒´--ヾvーヽ⌒ヽ /⌒ ィ `i´ ); `ヽ / ノ^ 、___¥__人 | ! ,,,ノ爻\_ _人 ノr;^ > ) ( <_ \ヘ、,, __,+、__rノ/ / ヽ_ \ )ゝ、__,+、_ア〃 / ヽ、___ ヽ.=┬─┬〈 ソ 〈J .〉、| 本 |, |ヽ-´ /"" | 醸 |: | レ :|: 造 | リ / ノ|__| | | ,, ソ ヽ ) .,ゝ ) イ ヽ ノ y `レl 〈´ リ / ノ | | l / l;; | 〉 〈 〉 | / ::| (_ヽ \、 (。mnノ `ヽnm
The prototype Kikkōman, almost nude with a “pure brew” (本醸造) loincloth.
/ ̄ヽ /⌒⌒⌒ヽ/| ⊂| ◎ ∥ ヽ ゚∀゚丿\| キッコーマソ参上! __ 〃ヽ〈_ γ´⌒´--ヾvーヽ⌒ヽ-:,, /⌒ y.. /\ ); `ヽ-:,, / ノ\_| .萬 | ._.イ | "-:,, ! ,,,ノ爻ヘ._\/__.ノr;^ > ) \, .| <_ \ヘ,,___,+、__,rノ /\ /: ヽ,, |ヽ_/\ )...、__,+、_アソ〃 / \ | ヽ、___ ヽ.=┬─┬〈 ソ "-., | 〈J .〉、| 亀 |, |ヽ-´ ゝ .| /"" | 甲 |: | ミ | レ :| 男 .| リ "-:,, | / ノ|__| | "-:,, .| | ,, ソ ヽ ) ,,,-ー" | .,ゝ ) イ ヽ ノ ,,,-ー" .| y `レl 〈´ リ ,,,-ー" | / ノ | | / """" l ̄ ̄/ l ̄ ̄| ,,,- 〉 〈 `ー-ー-| |-ー" / ::| (_ \ (__ノ \___)
The finalized Kikkōman with a complete superhero costume, the iconic “yorozu” (萬) symbol, and a loincloth with the kanji for “turtle shell” (亀甲) and “man” (男).
In a few months, Kikkōman became a superhero with lore and a user named “Yogatori” (よがとり) would present a Flash animation of his theme song titled “Fight! Kikkōman” (戦え!キッコーマソ, Tatakae! Kikkōman).4) This animation spread to the west through a MetaFilter thread on November 16, 20025) and the English subtitled version was uploaded to Albino Blacksheep.6)
Notes
- For some reason, “Kikkōman” (キッコーマン) will be written as “Kikkōmaso” (キッコーマソ), which is just an obvious joke about how “n” (ン) and “so” (ソ) look similar in katakana.
- The company, “Kikkōman” (亀甲万), is a portmanteau of “kikkō” (亀甲, lit. “turtle shell”) and “man” (万, lit. “ten thousand”), alluding to how turtles live long, happy, successful lives.