Danbo (character)

Danbo (ダンボー, Danbō, "cardboard") is a fictional cardboard box robot character from Kiyohiko Azuma's manga series Yotsuba&!. In the ADV Manga English translation of the manga the name Cardbo was used, but the name was restored to Danbo in the later released Yen Press English translation.[2] In reality, Danbo is merely Miura Hasayaka, a friend of the protagonist Yotsuba’s neighbor Ena, inside of a costume made of cardboard. Danbo was later picked up as an Internet meme, and inspired various electronic gadgets.

Danbo
Yotsuba&! character
Danbo with Yotsuba Koiwai
First appearanceChapter 28[1]
Created byKiyohiko Azuma

Origin

Miura created the costume out of cardboard boxes as a school project in volume 5 of the series. 5-year-old protagonist Yotsuba is convinced it's a real robot. Danbo was also seen in volume 10, when Yotsuba visits Miura’s apartment in an apartment complex (Yotsuba thinks it’s a castle), Yotsuba finds the head of the costume.

Appearances

Chapter 28: "Yotsuba & Cardbo"

Danbo first appeared in chapter 28 of the manga.[3] It was created as a result of a challenge during summer vacation for elementary school students Ena and Miura. Although the person inside (Miura) is able to move upon wearing the costume, the young protagonist, Koiwai Yotsuba, found it by chance in the neighboring Ayase home while Miura was wearing the costume. Because Yotsuba believed it was a real robot, the two elementary school students joined forces to improvise a story in order to not destroy Yotsuba's dream. When Danbo claims to be going home, he leaves the Ayase home, with Miura still inside and Yotsuba still believing in him.

In the second semester, submitted to school as a summer project, Danbo receives a stamp from the teacher on the back of his head that reads "Very well done." After that, the Danbo costume is stored in Miura's room, left to decompose. In volume 10 Yotsuba unearths the head.

Chapter 69

Yotsuba and Ena visit Miura, where she finds the Danbo costume and is shocked to see that Danbo doesn't move. Miura tells her this is because he died, but Ena intervenes and refutes this and pushes Yotsuba out of the room under the pretense that she and Miura need to perform a resurrection ritual. Thus Miura again needs to wear the costume and afterwards Yotsuba, Ena and Danbo go playing in the park.

Merchandising

The Japanese company Kaiyodo has produced since late 2007 various Danbo action figures[3] which became an Internet meme, and well-known over the Internet as a hero of many Photo shoots, one of the most famous is "365 Days of Danbo" by Arielle Nadel.[4]

Flickr returns over 36,000 photos tagged "Danboard".[5] On images found on the Internet, Danbo is often depicted as being composed of Amazon packaging boxes.

As of 2012 Danbo is being used as a Mascot for the Thai PBS show "Little Citizen".[6]

Danbo has also inspired a line of electronic gadgets. The Japanese company Planex Communications has introduced a wireless LAN router[7] and a USB hub.[8] designed like Danbo's head, and Cheero has a line of Danbo batteries[9] and USB cables.[10]

Most surprisingly, the Yotsuba Danbo head is also used as packaging for condoms made by the Japanese brand Okamoto.[11]

Internet meme
  • Danbo Santa Claus, Japan
    Danbo Santa Claus, Japan
  • Danbo enjoying sunset at Majorca, Spain
    Danbo enjoying sunset at Majorca, Spain
  • Danbo climbing.
    Danbo climbing.
  • Danbo with Cherry blossoms in Paris.
    Danbo with Cherry blossoms in Paris.
  • Danbo likes flowers.
    Danbo likes flowers.
  • Danbo in the snow
    Danbo in the snow

See also
  • Nyanbo!, a spin-off of the original Danbo characters

References
  1. "Yotsuba to! #5". Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  2. "What Does 'Danbo' Mean?". Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  3. "Where Is Danbo From?". Archived from the original on October 20, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  4. "Young Photographer Arielle Nadel and Her Very Own Toy Story". Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  5. "Flickr results for #Danboard tagged photos". Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  6. "Yotsuba's Danbo Used as Thai Public TV Show's Mascot". Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  7. "Danboard Wirelss LAN Router". Planex Communications. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  8. "Danboard USB Hub". Planex Communications. Archived from the original on July 10, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  9. "Power Plus Danboard Plate and Block". Cheero. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  10. "Cheero Danboard USB Cable". Cheero. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  11. "Danboard Condoms — White Rabbit Express". White Rabbit Express. 2017-07-15. Archived from the original on 2017-12-14. Retrieved 2017-12-13.
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