In Videos: Mameshiba, the Cutest Little Trivia-Filled Bean Dog in the World
I thought this edamame popping keychain was cute, but it's got nothing on Mameshiba, a Japanese character of a bean that looks like a dog; "mame" means bean and "shiba" is a dog breed. The first time I watched this compilation of Mameshiba animations I flipped out, hardly able to contain the cuteness that is a fat, little green bean dog head popping out of an edamame pod. Even natto—fermented soybeans—look cute.
Your reaction might be different, especially if you can understand what the bean dogs are saying. Commenters at Cute Overload point out that each bean spurts out a random fact, or "mame-chishiki" (trivia, or bean knowledge), right before its supposed to be eaten. This video in particular is a remix of the real episodes, turning already useless facts into absurd non-facts. Watch the video and read the translation after the jump. (And if you're interested, there's a Mameshiba version of the edamame keychain, which you can currently pre-order.)
Mameshibu Remix
Translation
From Cute Overload:
Natto Episode
[Caption: Nattou-shiba]
Bean: Good morning!
Lady: What?!
Bean: 200 million bacteria live (literally "come and go") in a kangaroo's pouch.
[Singing: Once-a-day Bean Factoid.]
[Text: Same as what bean and singing said.]
Edamame Episode
[Curtain: Bar (literally "alcohol")]
Old Man: Huh?
[Caption: Edamame-shiba]
Edamame: Hey, did you know?
Old Man: What is it??
Edamame: They say France’s dandelions are really stinky.
Old Man: I’m done. (literally, "Thanks for the tasty meal," the traditional post-meal saying)
[Singing: Once-a-day Bean Factoid.]
[Text: Same as what edamame and singing said.]
Pea Episode
Boy: Time to eat!
[Caption: Green pea-shiba.]
Pea: Ta-da! Hey, did you know? They say a kangaroo’s pee-pee (literally "bed-wetting") is really stinky.
Boy: Mom…
[Singing: Once-a-day Bean Factoid.]
[Text: Same as what pea and singing said.]
Watch the original episodes on Youtube Japan.
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6 Comments:
Oh boy. You've totally pushed my cute button now. You were close with the other edamame keychain. I've got to ask my stepmother to pick one of those up for me. I have a shiba inu that is 4 months old; although, mine is a red shiba, instead of the black one on that site. =)
Cassaendra at 12:54PM on 11/19/08
This is cute meets creepy. I would not want my edamame to start speaking to me, especially to tell me about kangaroo's pee. They don't have kangaroos in Japan anyway right?!
Linnea Covington at 4:48PM on 11/19/08
SO. CUTE. Even if it is sputtering nonsense.
luxie at 11:37PM on 11/19/08
Sometimes I can just read the headline or look at the picture and know Robyn wrote this...
ag3208 at 11:53PM on 11/19/08
Lol, so yeah the bean is kinda cute but what in the world is he talking about?!?!?! Every day I feel further confirmed that I will never understand the japenese and their strange sense of humor.
twoojoe at 12:46AM on 11/20/08
I saw these the other day after you guys linked the edamame keychain, but man, I still wonder what the original is saying.
comicsan at 10:32AM on 11/20/08