A gathering of bear mascots: Kaohsiung Bear bears a striking resemblance to Kumamon

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Team
 

Great city mascots not only enhance a city’s visibility but can also leave a more favorable impression through their cute and eye-catching designs. The newly launched mascot of the Kaohsiung City Tourism Bureau, “Kaohsiung Bear,” is inspired by the Formosan black bear, paired with Hakka floral fabric patterns that are quite endearing, winning over many fans with its cuteness. However, its bear-like appearance has also been noted to closely resemble Japan’s popular mascot Kumamon, raising suspicions of plagiarism. In response, the Kaohsiung City Government clarified that the selection process originally focused on the Formosan black bear as the most representative animal of Taiwan, and during the process of making it cute, similarities in appearance could easily occur.

In fact, in Taiwan, besides Kaohsiung Bear, many official organizations and companies enjoy using the Formosan black bear as inspiration. Below is a list of “bear” mascots in Taiwan other than Kaohsiung Bear—let’s take a look and see how many you can recognize.
 
● Wei Bear

Wei Bear is the brand mascot of Taiwan’s low-cost airline V Air, conceptualized around the unique protected species, the Formosan black bear, with a “V” on its chest representing the V Air brand, giving off a fresh and lively image.

● Taiwan Oh Bear

Taiwan Oh Bear is the tourism ambassador launched by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, designed based on the Formosan black bear. In addition to the signature white V-neck, it also features a “T” on its chest representing Taiwan, making it very cute.

● Kaohsiung Bear

Inspired by the Formosan black bear and incorporating floral fabric patterns representing Meinong Hakka culture, it has become Kaohsiung’s latest bear ambassador.

● Taiwan Rail Bento Catering Bear

The mascot bear siblings launched by Taiwan Rail Bento and railway merchandise are “Tie Lu,” who wears a Taiwan Rail hat, and “Hannah-chan,” adorned with tung blossom. Based mainly on the Formosan black bear, their noses are designed to resemble the I-beam shape of railroad tracks, and their chests feature the Taiwan Rail logo.