Pichon-kun is really nothing more than a drip -- but that's about all it needed to be to for this "cutesy" character to dampen the panties of Japan's fad-frenzied females. While some see Pichon-kun as being the latest Oriental Water Torture, Shukan Post (7/26) notes, though, that Pichon-kun has become far from being a mere drop in the ocean.

Copyright (c) 2001
Daikin Industries, Ltd.

In fact, Pichon-kun has been behind a flood of sales in such trinkets as mobile phone straps and ballpoint pens as well as a CD that, since its release on June 26, has already tempted over 100,000 buyers. Not bad considering that Pichon-kun is an animated drop of water.

Most people got their first glance at Pichon-kun when it appeared on a commercial advertising air conditioners made by Daikin Industries, Ltd. It's mournful rendition of "Mo Do ni Demo Shite," (Do Whatever you Want) has become the character's means for ripping up the hit charts.

Shukan Post notes that it's hardly rare for a song accompanying a commercial to become a hit in Japan, but for a character in an advertisement to become a star in their own right is almost unheard of.

Even Pichon-kun's creators at Daikin Industries are amazed by the little drip's success.

"We started advertising with Pichon-kun in the spring of 2000 and were surprised by the sheer number of mothers with young children who called us wanting to know the name of the droplet that appeared in our commercials," a Daikin spin-doctor tells Shukan Post. "We never dreamed the water drop would be a success. All we'd done was make a few mobile phone straps featuring its image and which we intended to use as sales promotions. Having seen how popular it is, we've come out with a whole line of stuffed toys and other water drop products."

Thanks to Pichon-kun, Daikin officials say, the company's air conditioner sales have grown by 2 percent more than last year.

"We've had plenty of buyers who decided to make their purchase because their kids liked the Pichon-kun products they saw at electronics stores," the Daikin spokesman says.

Norio Kamishige, an analyst with the Dentsu Institute for Human Studies, sees the success of the dainty dribble lying in its ability to convey mixed emotions.

"Pichon-kun is a character that is cute, but at the same time is also a little bit lonely. It has the sort of aura similar to many people in recession-struck Japan who want to have dreams about the future, but daren't dream at all," Kamishige tells Shukan Post. "I suppose the loneliness surrounding Pichon-kun formed a perfect match with the otherwise bright tone of the commercial."