Ms. JaneWhat can I do for you?
Anyone living in Japan or even long-time readers of this website will no doubt be familiar with Village Vanguard, the nation`s premier novelty goods shop. Known as the place to buy curry of any color imaginable and a bra for your eyes, they also hold a yearly award ceremony to honor the best and brightest up-and-coming novelty good creators.
This year`s grand prize was handed to the Manga Umbrella. When closed it looks like any old bumbershoot, but once opened; [BAAAAAAAAH!"
▼ Or DON!!!! depending how you hold it.
Your head becomes surrounded with the onomatopoeic scripts of the manga world, complete with velocity lines to thrust you right in the center of the monochromatic action!
The creators won a prize of 200,000 yen (US$1,700) and the chance to have the Manga Umbrella realized and sold through Village Vanguard for 4,104 yen ($36) each.
Its runner-up was Zookin, which are animal-shaped rags. Although that doesn`t sound very remarkable, the genius of Zookin are in the animals` patterns, or lack thereof. Available in cow, cat, and panda. they each originally come in a plain white color which makes them look slightly off.
