LDK: monchichi

monchichi

26.03.05

Posted by Jun
[ Misc. ]

1974年生まれのモンチッチ。去年30周年を迎え、人気が復活した様で、最近はいろんなモンチッチが売られているんですね。ド派手ヘアカラーや渋谷にいたギャル達の様に着ぐるみを着たモンチッチもいて、ちゃんと時代が反映されてます。子供の頃、私も姉と一緒にモンチッチで遊びました。私が持っていたのはサルではなくクマバージョンのモンチッチ（この話をすると誰も信じてくれないんですが）。クマの顔にソバカスがない以外は姉のモンチッチの顔と全く同じだったし、母が私にだけバッタモノを与えるとは思えないので正真正銘モンチッチファミリーと信じてました。で、なんと先日、モンチッチに紛れてクマバージョンが売られていたのを発見。やっぱり存在してましたか！私が子供の頃に持っていたのは毛がモコモコしていて、今回店頭で見たのよりももっとカワイかったけどなー。

The Monchichi (in Japanese) was created in 1974. It had the 30th anniversary last year, and it seems popular again after a long time. The monchichis in these days have colourful hairs, or dress in animal mascot costumes just like some teenagers we used to see in Shibuya last year. It reflects the style of young people today! When I was a kid, my sister and I both had monchichis, and mine was a bear version. My bear had the same face as my sister's normal monchichi, except it didn't have freckles. I had no doubt that it was not the official monchichi family (how could my parents give a fake one, only to me!), but none of my friends don't believe me! But I finally found evidence by accident the other day. The bear monchichi was sold in a shop. It does exist! But I have to say that my bear monchichi had curly hair and much cuter than the one in a shop!

jun wrote:

私が持っていたのはチビクマという名前でした。モンチッチのサイトに載ってました！懐かしい～。

My monchichi is called Chibi-guma 'little bear'. I found her on the official site of Monchichi!

sir nigel (britishmuseum) wrote:

Hi Jun! The different coloured ones look awful don't they!! And the cushions just made from their heads are horrible! I used to have some of them when I was at school.But I mainly had the ones with the gripping arms that hold onto clothes and stuff. I think they were called chicaboo or something.

jun wrote:

Hi sir Nigel! Yes, the new Monchichis are very tasteless. The old style is much cooler! I just found out that Monchichi was called Chicaboo in the UK, and Kiki in France!

Dirk wrote:

Hello! I remember that my younger sister had a Monchichi (must have been in the late 70's), so they didn't change the name in germany. I had completely forgotten about it though, only reading your post reminded me. I am sure though that my sister still remembers it. Wow, a blast from the past!

jun wrote:

Hi Dirk, it is nice to know that we were doing same things, even though we lived in a different country! I wonder if I still have my Monchichi somewhere in my parent's flat.

chickpea wrote:

私もクマ持ってました！！ところで、Junさんのクマの足はどうなってましたか？私のはモンチッチが持つ人間の足のようなモノはなく、ただモコモコしているだけでした。そのため、靴が履けなかったんです！！履かせてもすぐぬげちゃう（笑）。子供の時とっても悲しかったです。

jun wrote:

chickpeaさんもクマでしたか！そう言われればプラスチックの足は付いて無かったですね。靴を履かせるためには太めの足を折って靴に押し込む感じでしたっけ？中身のワタがあんまり詰まっていないヘタった足だったように記憶してます。懐かし～！

Marilyn wrote:

I was given a Monchichi in the Late 70's purchased in New York City as a child and had it stolen I remember how badly I cried to get another one. My parents took me on a trip to Puerto Rico where they were able to find another one quite bigger than my first one. I never let go of it and it was getting pretty beat up. I am now married with four children and while on vacation with my family we visited Epcot in Orlando. I was almost in tears as we toured Japan to see a Monchichi. I bought the large one for myself and let my children pick a small one as they came in various styles. I guarded it with my life while on vacation. As soon as I arrived home I dug out my old monchichi he's about 23 yrs old and I now have them together in my bedroom. Ever since my children love their monchichi. We've even taken it to my daughters' first grade class and the teacher began to sing the monchichi song. I then took it to my other daughters' pre-school and two of the teachers' there remember it from their childhood one from colombia the other from connecticut. My family and I love our monchichi.

jun wrote:

Hi Marilyn, it's a nice story! Now I really miss my old little bear monchichi! I wonder where it is... BTW what is a monchichi song? Do you know it too?

Les wrote:

I had a honey coloured bear one, and I miss mine too! I had bought it from a jumble sale and I can't remember what happened to it and I've never seen one since. Has anyone heard of 'Gongo' I got two from the seaside as a child. They were a bit like gorrillas and sucked thier thumbs like monchichi. I live in England and the cartoon was never shown here, don't supose they were ever recorded for sale? I used to like the way my bear chicaboo sat and felt, kinda felt as though it could use a bit more filling but I liked that!

jun wrote:

Hi Les, I feel like I've seen the gorilla version monchhichi, but maybe I'm wrong. I can't remeber very well... We haven't had any monchhichi cartoon in Japan either, but I just found out that there was a monchhichi show on TV in a few years ago. I also liked my worn out skinny bear monchhichi (on the right).

les wrote:

found Gorilla Monchichi on Ebay to show you if you're interested to see one (if it's still there). I'm still looking for my Honey bear, not sure it's the same type as yours because mine had a fat squashy bottom so it sat up on it's own(well it sort of slouched!). http://cgi.ebay.com/6-VINTAGE-BABY-Monchhichi-Monkey-sucking-thumb-T_W0QQitemZ290040652521QQihZ019QQcategoryZ106906QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem