Licca-chan

Licca-chan logo.
The original Licca-chan, launched in 1967.

Licca-chan (リカちゃん Rika-chan), full name Licca Kayama (香山リカ Kayama Rika),[1] is a very popular dress-up doll series introduced in Japan on 1967-07-04 by Takara,[1][2] enjoying the same kind of popularity in Japan as the Barbie series does in the United States.[3] The Licca-chan dolls tend toward a more Japanese body as far as height and features. Takara had sold over 48 million Licca-chan dolls as of 2002,[1] and over 53 million as of 2007.[3] Licca-chan was created by former shōjo manga artist, Miyako Maki, who is also the wife of Leiji Matsumoto.

Takara has provided an extensive background story for the Licca-chan doll, including an age (11), where she attends school, names and occupations for her parents, and her favorite books (Anne of Green Gables and A Little Princess). Licca-chan also likes Doraemon.[1]

Rough Trade Records teamed up with Takara in the late 90's to release "Street Licca", who was a DJ that carried a Rough Trade record satchel, and mini, doll-sized LPs from the labels' artists. Along with her Ursula 1000, Gants and Spearmint records, she toted a pair of pink Converse running shoes, grey "leather" pants, headphones, layered hoody and a blond bob haircut. Street Licca was the ultimate "indie rock" doll.

In 2001, a pregnant adult version of Licca-chan was introduced which included a postcard the purchaser could send to Takara for a baby doll. The baby came with a key which allowed the doll to be returned to its standard proportions.[1][4] The release of the doll happened to coincide with the birth of Aiko, the daughter of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan, a factor which helped boost the sales of the new doll.[4] Since then, other versions of Licca-chan have been introduced, including a new "Departure Licca", released just ahead of the 40th anniversary in 2007.[3]

A Licca-chan video game was released for the Nintendo DS in Japan on November 29, 2007.[5] This game was later released in the U.S. on October 14, 2008 as Lovely Lisa.[6]

The Three-legged Rika-chan

"The Three-legged Rika Chan" (Sanbonashi no Rika-chan) is a Japanese urban legend based on a Licca-chan doll. The legend consists of the belief that if a girl enters a toilet at her school, and finds a Licca-chan doll on the floor with a purple third leg, she will lose one of her own legs shortly after. She can then grow a purple leg, that is not functional, which will eventually take over her body, causing death.[7] Other versions of the legend include the girl being haunted by the voice of the doll to the point of insanity and piercing her ear drums to stop the noise. The legend possibly originates in Japanese personification of inanimate objects, from which have developed several urban legends regarding discarded toys or possessions which haunt their owners.

In Media

Licca-chan makes an appearance in the manga series Kiben Gakuha Yotsuya Senpai no Kaidan.[8]--->

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 (English) "Licca-chan". Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  2. ↑ (English) "Super Doll Licca-chan". Hitoshi Doi. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
  3. 1 2 3 (English) "TOYS: Licca-chan turns 40, travels the world". Asahi Shimbun. 2007-04-19. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  4. 1 2 (English) "Shoppers go ga-ga over pregnant doll". CNN. 2001-12-06. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  5. ↑ http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/gamesoft/catalog/licca-ds/
  6. ↑ http://www.tomy-usa.com/products.php?c=17&p=78&bb=all
  7. ↑ For Kids, Scary. "Licca Chan". Retrieved 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  8. ↑ Haruichi, Furudate (2009). YOTSUYA SENPAI NO KAIDAN. Jump Comics.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/28/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.