Shopping Guide
**A life-size Yu-Pack Danboard becomes branch manager of the Tokyo Central Post Office for a day. And he’s white!**
A Japan Post Yu-Pack-themed figure of the cardboard character Danboard from the manga Yotsuba&!, called “Yu-Pack Danboard Mini,” has gone on sale in Japan. In celebration, a life-size Yu-Pack Danboard became the branch manager of the Tokyo Central Post Office (Chiyoda, Tokyo) for a day.
“Yu-Pack Danboard Mini” is an 80-millimeter-tall doll designed after the Kaiyodo Danboard figure “Revoltech Danboard” and features Yu-Pack boxes, patterns, and logos. Just like in the original work, its head and arms can be moved, and when the switch on the side of its head is pressed, its eyes shine with LED lights.
**The Yu-Pack cardboard box design! Maybe this would have been how Danboard looked if Ena and Miura only had this box at their house?**
**It’s a switch!! When flipped, its eyes light up with LEDs. As Danboard (Miura) from the original work would say, “Humans don’t have switches on them, right?” and, “Human’s eyes can’t light up, right?”**
**Overhead. On its head is the blue box where the packing slip would go, an exclusive of the Yu-Pack version.**
**The life-size Yu-Pack Danboard accepts his appointment from branch manager Takashi Noguchi as the post office’s branch manager for one day.**
At an event to celebrate the Yu-Pack Danboard release held at the Tokyo Central Post Office on July 18, the life-size Yu-Pack Danboard was inaugurated by branch manager Takashi Noguchi as the branch manager for one day. This is the first time this branch has collaborated with a character of any kind. Regarding Danboard’s important role, Noguchi cracked a smile and said, “I think it would be better if it could talk [laughs], but it’s cute so I think that’s enough.” Its task for the day was directing customers and taking commemorative pictures with them.
**Ayami Nakajo, a model and long-time fan of Danboard goods, participated in the event as a support guest. When she showed up, Danboard’s eyes lit up!**
**Yotsuba “went to work” as well carrying a mail bag. Wow, being the helper looks tough!**
The life-size Yu-Pack Danboard was in front of the first floor ATM of the Tokyo Central Post Office on the July 18 at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and on the 19 and 20 at 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. Visitors were able to take pictures with the working Danboard. The Yotsuba post worker version statue will also be on display at the post office until the 31, so fans can take a commemorative picture that looks like one of Yotsuba, Danboard (Miura), and Ena.
The Yu-Pack Danboard costs 1,600 yen (tax included), and it will be sold in Japan on the Japan Post Net Shop as well as in six post offices: Tokyo Central Post Office, Shinjuku Post Office, Yokohama Central North Station Post Office, Akihabara UDX Post Office, Chiyoda Kasumigaseki Post Office, and Yokohama Central Post Office. At the end of August, 50 most post offices will be added to this list.
**After the event, Danboard shuffles around the post office as the branch manager. I was surrounded by Yotsuba-like reactions to Danboard like “It moved!” and “Its eyes lit up!”**
Source: Netlabo
Source article written by Takahiro Kuroki
Writer Profile:
Takahiro Kuroki
Born in 1988. Freelance writer from Kagoshima Prefecture. Mainly writes about manga, Japanese festivals and traditions for the news site Netolabo. Interests include tribal masks, Japanese dance culture and rock ‘n’ roll.
Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/abbey_road9696