After our Mondo Mascots tribute, we’ve kept an eye on all the weirdly wonderful mascots hailing from the land of Nippon.

And the mascot for the 2025 Osaka World Expo is of special interest. Why? As it’s dubbed as “aggressively disgusting” and needs a name. Take a look!

本日、#大阪・関西万博 の公式キャラクターデザインが決定しました❗️
世界中から愛され、親しみを持たれるキャラクターとして育てていきます。
たくさんのご意見、ありがとうございました☺#Expo2025#Osaka #kansai#大阪・関西万博公式キャラクター pic.twitter.com/kjNuOf5NTy

— Expo2025 大阪・関西万博 (@expo2025_japan) March 22, 2022

Roughly translated, that tweet means:

Today, the official character design of #大阪・関西万博 has been decided ❗️
We will grow up as a character that is loved and familiar from all over the world.
Thank you for your many opinions ☺

The problem? Basically, people think it belongs in a horror movie. Although we kind of like the appalling and terrifying monstrosity.

Regardless, it’s worth exploring this one in closer detail ahead of the 2025 event.

What Shall We Call the Blood Curdling 2025 Osaka World Expo Mascot?

The 2025 Osaka World Expo (大阪/関西万博—Ōsaka-Kansai banpaku) is, yes, set for 2025!

Organised by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), it’ll last for six months from May to November. And the theme is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”, with sub-themes of saving lives, empowering people, and connecting the world.

And what better mascot to choose for this event than a slobbering red and blue monster out to devour us all? No, seriously, we actually like it. The thing is cute and eye-catching.

But the Expo is currently looking for a name for this monstrosity and has asked the public to make submissions.

#大阪・関西万博公式キャラクター　の愛称を募集しています‼️
■応募期間
5月16日（月）15時まで
■詳細はこちら🔽https://t.co/iF7gZ1E3gu

皆様と共に創る万博に、ぜひご参加ください✨#Join2025 pic.twitter.com/QRgWDUqxXT

— Expo2025 大阪・関西万博 (@expo2025_japan) April 29, 2022

Another translation for you:

We are looking for a nickname for #大阪・関西万博公式キャラクター ‼️
– Application period: Until 15:00 on Monday, May 16th

As soranews24 reported in Osaka Expo nightmare-fuel mascot needs name:

“As one of the mottos of the event is designing a future society of shining lives, the monstrosity of a mascot has already been given a unofficial name by netizens —  Inochi no Kagayaki-kun (Shining Life-kun).”

Obviously, the organisers aren’t considering that the official name.

Instead, it’s up to the nation of Japan! Only nationals can enter the competition, sadly, but we’re sure they’ll choose something based around kawaii culture (cuteness stuff).

Kind of like in the UK back in 2016, when there was a competition to name a massive new ship. The winning name by a country mile? Boaty McBoatface.

It was ultimately rejected in favour of the Sir Richard Attenborough, with Boaty McBoatface going to one of the ship’s mini-submersible submarines. That decision certainly stopped us Brits from rioting in the streets.

Anyway, in Japan serious entries are encouraged. Why? As the winner can bag ¥300,000 ($2,310).

We have our suggestions, of course, and we’re dispensing with them below:

• Fiddlesticks the Destroyer
• Steven
• Mary
• Sandwiches McGee
• Ug
• Death to Humans
• Morbo
• Chandler Bing

Our feature on the Name of the Year Awards put is in great frame of mind for the above.

Best of luck to the terrifying blue and red monster! We hope it scares the bejeezus out of one and all come May 2025.

There’s a Name! 1,000 Day Countdown Update

Finally! On July 18th, 2022, a name went to the blue one! And it’s Myaku-Myaku (脈脈, 脈々).

We believe this is a Taru adjective. Nippon.com explains:

“The moniker, announced at events held in Tokyo and Osaka on the night of Monday, 1,000 days ahead of the opening of the exposition, derives from the Japanese word ‘myakumyaku,’ which describes the situation in which something is passed down continuously.

It was picked to show hopes that wisdom, technology, history and culture of Japan will be passed on to future generations uninterruptedly, according to the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition.”

The naming was completed in time to mark 1,000 days until Osaka 2025 goes blue.