Lucky Star has had an incredible economic effect on the town of Washinomiya.
Thousands of fans have been visiting the Washinomiya Shrine and money is also being made from Lucky Star goodies.
Now here comes the interesting part. Everybody in Japan has to be accounted for. Foreigners carry around alien registration cards and register at the local ward office while Japanese register and carry around a Juminhyo [住民票]. The Juminhyo is basically ID for Japanese folks and has their name, DOB and address on it. When Japanese folk go for a new job, they are asked to give a copy of their Juminhyo registration booklet.
So the Juminhyo is for humans only but this is the first time I've heard of anime characters being registered.
The Hiragi family are now registered in Washinomiya city at 1-8-6-1 Washinomiya, Washinomiya City, Japan [鷲宮町鷲宮１丁目８番６号—１] - If you want to send snail mail to the Hiragi family then thats where to send it.
The article at Itai News also talks of previous popular anime characters registering for a Juminhyo - Astro Boy Atom and the Crayon Shin-chan family. This is Atom's Juminhyo.
When I was in the UK there wasn't any form of ID card or registration at the time. Now I must carry my alien registration card at all times or potentially face a night with the boys in blue if stopped and questioned.
Do you have to register yourself in your region?
BTW, the image is of the Hiragi family's Juminhyo.
Posted on 2008/03/04 09:13
Director/代表取締役
登録日: 2006/12/11 11:06
U.S. Air Force Avionics
登録日: 2008/02/09 13:56
i lived in india for a while and it was a pain registering. i had a five year visa plus my registration that i had to renew every year and i had to start the registration process 8 months in advance.
I have a british passport if that counts, there still isnt (I think) a british ID card.
Online Shop
登録日: 2008/01/17 11:35
I heard about that news, sort of like honorary citizen deal, for anime characters ^^;
I first had to get Alien Registration when I moved to USA. I was only in middle school at the time so it did not affect me all that much. I'm now the US citizen so whenever I go to Japan, my US Passport act as my ID. I never carry it around with me when I go sightseeing or shopping at Akihabara in fear of losing the passport though. Japanese shops don't ask for ID when I use credit card for purchase and I never get stopped by boys in blue so it's all good in Japan.
Kyle in Seattle, Washington
Student
登録日: 2007/10/08 05:20
Wow, they are really exploiting that anime.
Super-Duper Student
登録日: 2007/02/19 10:18
So, waitaminute. I can write letters? To Tsukasa?
YAY!
qingy in center of the galaxy
SMS
登録日: 2007/10/06 05:09
i'm sure they will be delivered too, along with letters addressed to santa claus :D
Non-profit org. volunteering work addict
登録日: 2006/12/31 22:48
I'd love to have a personal reply by the Hiiragi family. Any member would do. ^^
What about Konata, Danny?
Polytechnic Freshman. Mmm... fresh.
登録日: 2007/01/25 21:20
I wonder who would be doing the replies... and what kind of questions the fans would ask. *cue evil boss laughter*
VF-25 Pilot. Universariate Scholar.
登録日: 2007/07/06 10:07
question: Dear Kagamin. do you *censored* Konata-chan?
i did it for the lulz
Non-profit org. volunteering work addict
登録日: 2006/12/31 22:48
I imagine Kagamin going all red and angry against you now.
VF-25 Pilot. Universariate Scholar.
登録日: 2007/07/06 10:07
That only increases Tsundere Moe points by 50. Which by then i would ask her out to prove she's straight.
Excellent its all according to plan.
Non-profit org. volunteering work addict
登録日: 2006/12/31 22:48
Well, if she decides to completely ignore you, guess it will be a big failure. Very risky.
VF-25 Pilot. Universariate Scholar.
登録日: 2007/07/06 10:07
All worth the risk my fried.
Polytechnic Freshman. Mmm... fresh.
登録日: 2007/01/25 21:20
Actually the evil I had in mind was more of something like this...
Example Letter (Note that this is conjectural and does not in any way reflect RAF's real thoughts)
Dear Kagami,
What *BOOM* of *BOOM do you *BOOM* and can I visit you at your shrine tomorrow so that I can get to know you better so that we can go to my house and you can teach me about maths while *BOOM* *CRASH* *BANG* *WHIZZ*.
Yours Sincerely;
Some demented Lucky Star fan.
At which point something happens. Thousands of other fans will swarm the guy.
Non-profit org. volunteering work addict
登録日: 2006/12/31 22:48
Well, in order to be accepted in the country I am right now (not only for living, but for studying also), I had to be registered in the first place, otherwise I'd be kicked out... Or become an irregular immigrant.
Hopefully, the latter never happened. ^^;
That and... Lucky Star has paved the way for more otaku recognition! Yeah!!
ひきこもり/Hikikomori. Suits my current state more than a 大学生/University Student. ^^
登録日: 2007/12/04 23:16
Same here, they're going to kick me out if I don't have valid student pass, I can't even follow classes without that. >_<
And, HURRAY for more otaku recognition!
Meat Puppet
登録日: 2007/11/04 18:16
Yo D Blade, are you a French citizen?
Non-profit org. volunteering work addict
登録日: 2006/12/31 22:48
ひきこもり/Hikikomori. Suits my current state more than a 大学生/University Student. ^^
登録日: 2007/12/04 23:16
lol, Why the militaristic answer? ^^
Non-profit org. volunteering work addict
登録日: 2006/12/31 22:48
Umm, gee, I wonder.
Maybe am I too formal at times. ^^
VF-25 Pilot. Universariate Scholar.
登録日: 2007/07/06 10:07
here as well. you need to be packing your Identity card where ever you go or you could get jail time for not carrying it.
Insane Student
登録日: 2008/02/27 11:52
I will go to the shrine to wish that I will be someday be a full-fledge otaku just like you Danny.
Henry in Makati, Philippines
anime/cosplay events organizer
登録日: 2006/12/25 19:17
wait a min...the law permits for fictional characters to have a Juminhyo? does that requires some special permit from the government?
here, there are have some controversies with the National ID system (some what similar to the Juminhyo) and the public is split if they want to have such system or not...
student, webmaster
登録日: 2008/02/10 06:54
In California, we have to carry some form of ID on us, but it mostly served by a drivers license. I have a government issued ID, mostly because my father is in the Marines. The only thing I personally had to register for after a certain age is for "Selective Service," but that doesn't go for population count or anything like that. I also have a US Passport.
I always have my Canadian citizenship ID with me since its been in my wallet for years. ^^; but I don't know of any use for it except entering Canada. then again that's what passports are for anyway. ^^;
IT monkey/consultant
登録日: 2006/12/29 03:14
This registration is really amazing to me, but I can believe it.
Here in the US, no state that I know of requires one to carry identification unless performing an activity that requires it (driving, carrying a concealed weapon).
One must not refuse to identify oneself to the police, but it isn't required to carry ID at all times. This is a HUGE issue of liberty to many people.
U.S. Air Force Avionics
登録日: 2008/02/09 13:56
actually it is the law to carry some form of identification if you are over 18 in the U.S
IT monkey/consultant
登録日: 2006/12/29 03:14
This is FALSE. Unless you are crossing the border, entering a federal building, boarding a federally-controlled commercial plane, or entering a nuclear power plant, there is NO federal law in the US requiring one to carry some form of identification.
Beyond that, it is a state issue. The US Supreme Court has held that a state is allowed to require an individual to identify themselves to law enforcement if asked, but that is different from being required to present identification. People have been arrested for refusing to provide a form of ID and only identifying themselves verbally, and it does not hold up in court.
U.S. Air Force Avionics
登録日: 2008/02/09 13:56
i grew up in las vegas and here cops stop you for walking around at night for no reason just to see what you are doing and if you dont have ID they'll arrest you and hold you up to 24hours till they find out who you are. and i know people who have been arrested this way.
IT monkey/consultant
登録日: 2006/12/29 03:14
Abuse of police power in one area does not equate with being law.
Student
登録日: 2008/01/22 14:59
I've seen this but only if there is a known curfew in your city and if you are under age.
宅男 Otaku/ 工程师 Engineer
登録日: 2007/06/11 14:57
ya we have something like that. it's call an identity card (IC) and it's pink. ('~')
Polytechnic Freshman. Mmm... fresh.
登録日: 2007/01/25 21:20
LOL, let's petition to the government and ask for custom made cards.
Hirito in The Little Red Dot - Singapore
ORD!! Now awaiting Uni admission.
登録日: 2007/09/01 18:24
It turns 'green' when you're in military service. Once you're thrown back to the civilian world after they had finished brainwashing you, it turns back to 'pink'!
Part human, part student, 100% loser
登録日: 2007/10/22 02:10
Yay! Pink to green and back again!
Student
登録日: 2007/09/24 21:08
The government think our IC is rainbow. Can change color at any will. -.-
VF-25 Pilot. Universariate Scholar.
登録日: 2007/07/06 10:07
where i live the colour is blue. and yellow if you are royalty.
Chef, Full fledged Otaku, Full time Observer.....
登録日: 2008/02/02 00:26
for a foreign worker like myself, its a working permit and its light green with a really bu++ ugly photo of me...
i swear, the sg government could have picked a better picture to put the card but, NO.... it has to be the ine that makes me look like i've just seen a ghost or something...
qingy in center of the galaxy
SMS
登録日: 2007/10/06 05:09
i don't like carrying my canadian citizenship card with me, if they want to check ID, drivers license would do. the only thing its good for is entering and leaving the states, and pretty soon even that is going to change.
qingy, you can use the Citizenship card entering the united states? last time I did that I ended up stuck with homeland security for a few hours. ^^; lol
Meat Puppet
登録日: 2007/11/04 18:16
If you are entering the US by air you are required to have a passport. Driving across the Canadian-US border you require sufficient government issued ID, but will soon require a passport also.
qingy in center of the galaxy
SMS
登録日: 2007/10/06 05:09
let me clarify. what i meant was driving across the border, a birth certificate also suffices. obviously, if you're going by air, you'd need a passport. and soon, you'll need a passport for just driving across the border.
Lazyass human
登録日: 2007/08/15 20:25
Not totally necessary for us to have our ICs with us even when approached by the boys in blue ^^
At the most if we don't have it we could always show our student passes.
Hikikomori
登録日: 2007/08/22 05:30
Brazil? Nah... we're the ones usually found living illegaly on other countries, not otherwise.
As an example, I think we're the third in immigration numbers on Japan. And I bet there are tons of illegal brazilian immigrants over there.
I'm trying to find a way to go there and work legally. But I want to learn japanese properly first.
Anyways, I want to send letters to Konata and Akira-chan. One step closer to our otaku dreams... :3
NEET (no, student...)
登録日: 2007/08/03 08:36
your annoying commercial break
登録日: 2007/11/25 09:34
...Yeah, as gingy mentioned, in Canada any piece of government ID with a photo tends to be fine. Usually that'd be your Driver's License.
...I find this entirely amusing. I think Japan's the only country where entertainment is taken so seriously they gain citizenship status.
Student Otaku
登録日: 2008/01/04 16:17
Lucky Star is the best anime ever made!!! It deals with real life things too!!! Love the characters and the dance!!!
Tami in Germany - Cologne
WebDesign, Coding, Administration
登録日: 2007/12/16 10:42
Sugoi!!
Now in my opinion this totaly rocks, i don't know why but i like the idea of a few nice anime characters being part of the real world now, even if only on the paper haha - how twisted.
Well in Germany you only register at the local offices which handle the people living in the area or town. Usualy the same office you have to tell if you are moving away though that was ages ago.
Goes same for "aliens" if they have a valid visa or passport.
Only counts for "living" there too, not for holidays. ;)
Camera Operator. PV director/producer.
登録日: 2007/11/23 14:56
I betting these registered anime characters will end up mysteriously voting in the next major Japanese election...
College Student
登録日: 2007/05/14 09:37
I only carry my Driver's License. I used to carry my CA ID but that was before i got my license.
Secondary Student~
登録日: 2007/11/06 14:19
they're bringing light of hope to the otaku
Afro-ed Student
登録日: 2007/12/15 09:57
Over here, the ID would be a MyKad (You don't need a translation for that, right?).
It's *supposed* to be quite "high tech" but I don't know nuts about it, so don't take my word for fact.
My passport.. well, that has expired.
On another note, I can't wait 'til Konata gets registered, cause I need to ask her how to unlock a character's ero scene.
Afro-ed Student
登録日: 2007/12/15 09:57
BTW- is it necessary for you to carry a Juminhyo everywhere you go? The Hiiragi family's juminhyo looks a little.. big. ^^;
Student,Otaku
登録日: 2008/02/28 18:54
do i get to keep it as a souvenir when i come home from kyoto ? lol. its too bad we wont pass by tokyo when i get to japan , would have loved to see the stormtrooper in action lols.
National Servicemen
登録日: 2008/01/19 21:34
I have my 11B.. issued when I turned up for National Service...
if only the 2 years would end so so that i can get back my pink Identification Card..
Don't ask me why it's pink.. it just is, same goes for every Singapore Citizen
student
登録日: 2007/03/21 09:30
I carry around my driver's license and school ID, though I never have to take the two out ^^;.
