In 1997, a team of five from Japan that are well-known for their cute, whimsical, and sometimes sinister characters and designs created “DevilRobots”. Led by creator and Art Director, Shinichiro Kitari, the company specializes in:
• Graphic design
• Character design
• Illustrations
• Motion graphics
• Web design
One of their most recognizable works would be the cute “To-Fu Oyako”. DevilRobots have gone beyond demonstrating how the simplest character can be transformed into a useful and emotive medium because to date, there are over 100 types of “To-Fu Oyako”!
The endearing “To-Fu Oyako” (lovingly known to some as “To-Fu Boy”) was created by Shinichiro Kitai himself in 1995. The character was a product of an entry for a character contest, in which Shin won first prize for. When DevilRobots was found, it was decided that “To-Fu Oyako” was to be used as the official mascot for the company. Since then, the character has not only gained its fame as the representative character of DevilRobots, it has also gone on to be released as various merchandise.
10 years on, DevilRobots’ work has been featured in numerous exhibitions (e.g. Japan, New York, Paris, Singapore, Taiwan, etc.) and they continue to gain recognition as well as a huge following worldwide. And the past weekend, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur’s Tokyo Street was transformed into a show ground for, “The Invasion of DevilRobots”.
Yes, for the first time ever, DevilRobots set foot on Malaysian soil, bringing with them the creator and Art Director himself as well as a full on DevilRobots exhibition. Fans got to meet Shinichiro Kitai in the flesh as well as watch him demonstrate a real-life “To-Fu Oyako” doodling.
Aside from the exhibition, there were also tons of “To-Fu Oyako” merchandise up for grabs, from vinyl figurines to stationery, to plush toys and key chains, and even the limited edition “To-Fu Oyako” t-shirts in aid of the Japan Tsunami & Earthquake Fundraiser. It was so difficult to resist from doing a clean sweep and buying them all!
Oh. And may we add, that there were also cute little condom pouches/carriers.
When asked, Kuan Suan Ai, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur’s Director of Marketing said, “Along with Action City, a valued tenant, we are delighted to welcome DevilRobots to Tokyo Street. It is our aim to continue to infuse tastes of Japan into our unique, one-of-a-kind precinct. We seek to not only bring in the latest and most exciting elements of Japanese pop culture but also give our mall visitors the change to immerse themselves in the experience.”
Watch how the DevilRobots invaded Tokyo Street, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur here:
The short but sweet DevilRobots event also saw the opening of the Action City store, officiated by Shinichiro Kitai, amongst other guests.
For more information visit their website or their Facebook page.
