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― A limited time call for opinions on the shortlisted designs―
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”) is pleased to announce the three finalists for the design of the official character of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (hereinafter referred to as “the Expo”), which will be used to promote and further build momentum for the Expo.
The finalists were selected from 1,898 entries received between Monday, 1 November and Wednesday 1 December 2021.
We will be accepting feedback from the public on the character design finalists from Wednesday, 2 March to Thursday, 10 March 2022.
After this call for opinions, a final selection will be held to select the best design, taking into account the opinions received.
・The shortlisted entries will be published on the Expo character design competition website (https://character.expo2025.or.jp/)(Japanese) on Wednesday 2 March 2022 at 14:00.
・Posters and other materials will be displayed at Osaka Prefectural and City Halls and at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry from Wednesday 2 March to Thursday 10 March.
Comments on the finalists
１．Acceptance period: 14:00 on Wednesday, 2 March 2022,to 17:00 on Thursday, 10 March 2022.
２．Opinions that are sought:
We are inviting comments on the following items (1) to (5) regarding the finalist designs A to C:
（１）Do you feel that “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”, the theme of the Expo, and “A laboratory for a future society”, the concept of the Expo, are well expressed? (Multiple answers allowed).
①The theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” is well expressed.
②The concept “A laboratory for a future society” is well expressed.
（２）Do you feel the designs conveys the following keywords (the things we want to convey at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan)? (Multiple answers allowed)
①Each person shining.
②Connecting individuals and giving birth to co-creation.
③Ongoing co-creation to create a sustainable world.
④Expressing the essence of Japan and Osaka/Kansai.
⑤Taking on the challenge of an unprecedented approach.
（３）When you look at the designs, do you feel they meets the following points? (Multiple answers allowed)
①It feels familiar and could be loved by many people around the world.
②It captures the theme and message of the Expo 2025 and increased expectations for the Expo.
③It an excellent design and could be widely used in a variety of media and medium.
④It is an original character design.
⑤It is compatible or co-ordinated with the design and concept of the logo.
（４）How did you feel when you saw this work? (Multiple answers allowed)
①I’ve never seen something like it before. It’s new.
②It’s impactful.
③It’s exciting.
④It feels familiar
⑤Its humorous and funny.
⑥Its sophisticated and cool.
⑦Other
（５）Comments on the designs (open-ended)
３．How to submit
Please submit your opinions using one of the following three methods:
（１）Open call for character design of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan website
(https://character.expo2025.or.jp/) (Japanese)
（２） Postcard
・Each postcard should contain your opinion on only one of the designs. Be sure to indicate which design (A to C) you are evaluating.
・Please mail the postcard to the following address: (Postmark valid on Thursday, March 10)
Osaka Prefectural Government Sakishima Building 43F
1-14-16 Nanko-kita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka 559-0034, Japan
Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition
Public Relations and Promotion Bureau
Character Design Public Call Secretariat, Opinion Reception Section
（３）Official Twitter of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan
(Username: @expo2025_japan URL: https://twitter.com/expo2025_japan)
*You can submit an opinion for all designs via methods (1) and (2), but please submit only one opinion for each design. Only opinions on one design can be submitted via method (3).
４．Handling of submitted opinions:
This call for opinions is intended to solicit a wide range of your opinions to help the Character Design Selection Committee (final) in its review, not to select finalists who received the most good opinions.
５．Enquiries about the call for opinions:
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan – Character Design Public Offering Office
Mail address: character_expo2025@ddcontact.jp
TEL: 0120-503-867 (From 9:00 to 17:00. Excluding Saturdays and Sundays)
*For further information on the contest, please visit Expo’s Character Design Public Offering website.
■Character Design Selection Flow
Confirmation of Format Requirements
↓
Design Review
↓
Character Design Selection Committee (1st meeting)
↓
Intellectual Property Related Research
↓
Public Comments
↓
Character Design Selection Committee (Final meeting)
*The creative intent, features, and relationship to the logo are a translation of what was written on the application documents.
Candidate A
Intention of Production:
What are these weird creatures? I was curious, I wanted to draw them, and when I tried, I found it easy♪ The message of the Expo is slightly difficult for small children to grasp. But these simple, easy-to-draw and easy-to-remember characters are a great way to get them interested in the Expo and its message. We hope that they will come to love the Expo together with the characters.
Features:
A while ago, at EXPO’70, she was given a piece of candy by an Earthling (an older woman from Osaka). She was so moved by the candy culture that she decided to live in the Kansai area.
Age: A secret (still in her teens in human years)
Life’s work: To make more friends using the candy in her favourite blue bag!
*We hope that the characters’ settings and actions will convey the connections between individuals and the Osaka/Kansai feel.
Relationship with the logo:
“Personification of the logo mark” – A design that makes you think of a character from the logo mark and a logo mark from the character. (The silhouette, matching colour scheme of the upper half) – The image is that the mascot character’s circle of friends will expand and become the shape of the logo mark.
Candidate B
Intention of production:
When I saw the logo, I intuitively felt that it would be nice to have a symbiotic character, so I created it in this form. This is a form is created by the character by wearing it on their head so the character does not have its own eyes. The sky-blue sphere represents earth, people (myself), and life, and how various values, viewpoints, and individuals are important. I created it with the intention of “a symbol character of a co-creation and coexistence in a society that gently and softly supports each other.”
Features:
The soft light blue sphere represents earth, creatures, and people. The three supporting spheres are its legs, tail, and pillars. It does not have eyes but by wearing the logo, the character is able to see and become a character. The mouth (the O for Osaka) of the costume can be rotated to create a facial expression. The advantage of this costume is that the character can be seen from multiple angles, allowing many people to maintain social distance when taking photos. The color of the sphere changes depending on the theme of the Expo.
Relationship with the logo:
By integrating the logo and the character, the character can move and appeal to the concept of the logo. The two work together to personify the logo and express facial expressions and emotions with the character’s body.
Candidate C
Intention of production:
The idea was born from the idea that the logo could be made into a character as it is. Based on the concept that it can change shape by combining with the water of the “City of Water”, we devised various shapes of the character by dividing the logo into parts. We tried not to lose the vivid image of the logo.
Features:
This character has no fixed shape. The main design is just one shape that it can have. The red part splits and the blue part changes its shape freely so there is no fixed shape. In the minds of each person involved in the Expo, the character can change into whatever shape they imagine. That is why we hope that the form will reflect the image of a better future from the current diverse world.
Relationship with Logo:
The living logo has always wanted to change. One day, after an encountering pure water, it became able to transform itself into various forms. From that moment on, the logo became one with this character. The logo mark is changing every day in search of a better shape, with the hope of ‘becoming the whoever/whatever it wants to be’. As long as you have the power of imagination, the possibilities for change are endless.