# Cartoon Bunny Fever Korea Captivated by Mashimaro Madness By Jen Layton | Published 2009-07-17 | Life-Stages Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mashimaro-madness References: [ink.pierski](http://ink.pierski.com/mashimaro/index.html) Originally conceived as a series of flash animations, the bizarre and often brutal Mashimaro is depicted as a fat white rabbit, so called because of its resemblance to a puffy white confectionery. Say ‘marshmallow’ in a mock Japanese accent and you’ll begin to get the point. Created by Kim Jae In, Mashimaro’s adventures occur in strange situations with a cast of equally odd extras. He is often depicted with a toilet plunger stuck to his head and the animation shorts are abound with on-the-edge toilet humor. Mashi’ also has a doppelganger, Chocomaro, who appears in episodes 2 and 3 copying Mashimaro, failing miserably and often getting hurt in the process. The relationship between the two is unclear; however, it is thought they are brothers. The animations have been around on the web since the early 2000s and have earned themselves a [cult following in their native Korea](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kpop-demon-hunters-squishmallows); however, they have failed to gain the worldwide recognition of their Japanese contemporaries such as [Hello Kitty](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hello-kitty-tmnt). I came across Mashimaro on socks and a purse while on holiday, bought everything I could and came home to research. Despite the obvious adult content, the franchise has spawned multiple merchandise spin-offs, from [cuddly toys for toddlers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jazwares-1) to adult MP3 players and mobile handsets. I’ve only been able to link to one of the episodes here, but for the entire freaky series, visit their link below. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.7/10 - Popularity: 68% | Activity: 94% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 10% men, 90% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/life-stages) > [Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/toys) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Korean Character Craze:** The popularity of Mashimaro in Korea presents an opportunity for other Korean character franchises to grow and expand globally. - **Adult Merchandise Market:** The success of the Mashimaro franchise's adult-oriented merchandise demonstrates a potential market for more adult-oriented character merchandise. - **Web-based Animation:** The cult following of Mashimaro's web-based animations, despite lack of worldwide recognition, suggests a potential for other niche web-based animation series. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Animation:** The growing popularity of Korean animation characters, like Mashimaro, presents an opportunity for investment in the Korean animation industry. - **Consumer Products:** The success of the Mashimaro franchise's merchandise spin-offs indicates an opportunity for investment in the character-based consumer products industry. - **Entertainment:** The content of Mashimaro's animations presents an opportunity for investment in the edgier, adult-oriented entertainment industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Fluffy Plush Collectibles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/urupocha-chan.md) - [Plush Monster Collectibles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/labubu.md) - [Marshmallow-Inspired Plush Collaborations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peeps-and-sanrio.md) - [Japanese Illustration-Inspired Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mofusand-1.md) - [Playful Animal-Themed Cotton Candy](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fluffee-floss.md) - [Plush Toy Collectibles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/urupochachan.md) - [Limited Rabbit-Themed Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/miffy-1.md) - [Anime Horror-Style Reimaginations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/junji-ito-artwork.md) - [Bunny-Inspired Lifestyle Accessories](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/starbucks-6.md)