Of course, I’m hard to satisfy on the Olympic mascots.
The images come courtesy of The Province. I tried to go to the official Olympics site, but it’s down for ‘scheduled maintenance’. Hmm…either that’s the standard ‘server crashed’ message, or they picked a really bad time to do maintenance. I’m guessing the former.
UPDATE: Their site is redirecting somewhere now, and you can see the mascots dance and say their names. It’s freakin’ weird, if you ask me.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
I’ll dislike them less than I thought I would. That’s not the same as liking them.
Somehow I knew that they’d slip an orca in there. And a bear. But little did I suspect that they’d make an orca-bear. I guess B.C. really is a hotbed for genetic experimentation.
Not the abomination I was pegging the committee to come up; I maintain that they had a lot to live up to after the Friendlies at Beijing 2008. The characters look very… simple. There is apparently a fourth and honorary mascot, too, Mukmuk, a marmot. He won’t turn up in the mascots’ appearances or only as a surprise.
Sorry, did you say 2010? This looks more like Beijing 2008 spoofed on a Japanese anime show. A little creepy too. I’ve lived here since I was born and can’t say this represents what I think Vancouver and Canada mean at all. I’m not encouraging using stereotypes but couldn’t they have shown a level of sophistication and an understanding of Canadian identity? It seems so far with their icons that they have failed to embrace more than one or two aspects in a single figure which is disappointing.
The CBC article I just read gives some more insight into their meaning and I’m relieved to see they look less ridiculous as costumes, but the digital rendering still makes me a little dizzy.
I’m wondering why a sasquatch would need boots.
Ooh, I think they probably should have gone with the Spirit Bear. More appropriately Vancouver, I think.
First impression: they’re kinda cute.
Sumi, according to the official 2010 web site, is wearing a “hat of an orca whale”. What exactly is that?
There’s some inconsistency about using the sasquatch (known mythical creature) together with made-up animals, or do sea bears and “Sumi” exist in the First Nation mythology?
That teddy bear is actually a thunderbird. No kidding.
I think the Macsots are for children and adults who have an affinity to cute and cuddly things. That said, these do the job just fine.
My favourite mascot of all time is “Gerome the Gnome (Who Lives Under The Dome).” What happened to him??? Am I the only one who remember him the first year BC Place opened?
I love them. They’re cute, fun and different. Many people are complaining that they didn’t use a spirit bear, moose, beaver, (insert stereotypical Canadian animal here),… but we have enough of those, just check any tourist shop in Gastown.
Also, for bonus points (in my book), they were designed by a local gal who is known internationally for her character designs. I’ve been following her stuff for years now and am very happy that she was tasked with this job.
Local designer Mark Busse (Industrial Brand Creative) was just on local CBC news saying “you won’t find a design solution that will please everybody.” You win, Mark. (Sorry I might have botched the quote between the living room and the office!) Well, as long as most people like ’em. 🙂
Anyone else out there think that the design reminds them of the characters from Happy Tree Friends?
I can picture the latest episode now… Sumi, Miga, & Quatchi are speedskating in Richmond when Quatchi slips, Miga is sQUATched horribly into the boards, and Sumi is sliced in half….
Oh the horror, the horror. 😉
But seriously, the designs look great and cute and the kids will eat it up. Anyone recall how Expo Ernie went over when he was first shown to the public. I was just a kid then but he was pretty cool. I’m sure the kids will totally remember them years from now.
And I have now a set of costumes for my friends and I for Halloween! (Zombie mascots of the Olympics unite!
I’m disappointed that Mukmuk (a name that’s a bit too close to ‘mukluk’ methinks.) is considered a peripheral mascot. We Islanders and our marmots are forever marginalized!
I showed the mascots to my almost three-year-old child, who thought that they were awesome.
My six-y.o. daughter is loving them. Miga is her favourite. She’ll just about be nine when the Olympic games are in Vancouver. I can imagine that the games will be one of her fondest early memories for life, like the local BC summer games were for me about the same age.
The criticism of the mascots from the opposition NDP and the BC Federation of Labour was unfortunate and predictable. It’s like those grumps don’t have kids.
Go, Quatchi!
This was an opportunity to put our best foot forward and promote our country and our city. Like it or not, hosting the games is a business and has far reaching impact on the financial situation in Canada. We come off looking stuped with these “mascots”. These things are an embarassement. I don’t really care if your three year old likes them or not.
The ‘Hello Kitty’ variant seemed more suited for the 1936 olympics, IMHO.
I’m sure the three-year-old doesn’t care if we like them either. They’re growing on me, though, especially compared to some of the previous ones.
I have the ultimate mascot in the rear window of my vehicle. It is a cow named
MOO-LAH. the 2010 $ cow
These mascots are so far removed from anything Canadian or British Columbian – as Erikia says, they seem more appropriate to the Beijing 2008 games! Surely something more representative of our unique Canadian culture, flora or fauna could have been created without being stereotypical!
I think they look like paul frank characters. They don’t look anime, they’re actually kinda cute.
Let’s be truthful here… mascots are invented to PR – you know, a foil to present a public face, a friendly public face at that.
Really, who gives a fly shzt about some PR caricatures when there are more important issues.
Important issues like – why are zits more painful when they’re located in crevices like your nose and your butt crack?
Ever ponder that?
How about the other important issue of – What did Vancouverites ever do to deserve the long, unending parade of intelligence challenged, marble mouthed, lime light seeking Chinese Canadian politicians?
Mascots, Schmascots … we know it’s all about PR and $, so let’s focus on why Zits get so painful and juicy.
There awesome
Quitchi is so cute
Makes me smile 🙂
The canadain mascots are like the best mascots ever there the cutiest things ever my favorite one is MIGA!!!!!!shes sooo lovable : )