Could a lazy egg character named Gudetama soon become more popular than Hello Kitty?

There's room for everyone in the world of Sanrio, but a strange new character that uses bacon as a blanket and is constantly fatigued could be giving Hello Kitty a run for her money.

Gudetama is a sluggish egg that has become a surprise hit for the company, The Wall Street Journal reports. It has more online followers than any other character, and is Sanrio's foray into the datsuryoku, or "listless," genre. It is often portrayed in cartoons and on products as a fried egg, but also appears hardboiled and in omelette and custard form. Fan Narumi Wong told WSJ she likes Gudetama because "it's lazy. It's got a market with university students, given we've got a lot of work and sometimes we just want to laze around."

There are 1,700 Gudetama items on shelves in Japan, and they are being snatched up by the character's disciples, like Michelle Wong, who told WSJ the egg's anatomy is what made her a devotee. "The fact that an egg yolk has a butt, I think is just really special, and no one has ever heard of it," she said. Catherine Garcia

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

YouTube

Watch On