Something I never expected to see in Japan

As I was walking through my local Seiyu department store, and was just getting over hearing them play I’m a Barbie Girl by Aqua, I saw these:

I couldn’t believe it. Moomin biscuits, in Japan, for only 100yen.

In case you don’t know The Moomins was a rather strange Finnish cartoon on television when I was young and impressionable. Here is a picture of the cast:

Let me introduce you.

On the far left is Snupkin, I may have the spelling entirely wrong but I could not find an official Moomin site for the UK, though you may be pleased to know that Japan and Korea both have them. Snupkin was my favourite character, he was a wandering lonely sort of guy who, as far as I can remember, fell out of his father’s flying ship when he was very young and that's how he ended up in Moomin Valley. He was always wise and calm and played the harmonica.

To his right is Sniff who was just a coward with little to say apart from “Ah,” and, “I’m scared Moomin,” whilst falling over.

On Sniff’s right is a glasses wearing Moomin that I have entirely forgotten.

Then it is Moomin Papa. As well as being the father of Moomin he is also the husband of Moomin Mamma. Throughout the show Moomin Papa could be seen doing fatherly things such as DIY, rowing and speculating.

On the extreme right is Professor Hemulin, a lonely and obsessed botanist. He would offer the others little bits of helpful information but generally stay out of everybodys way, much like a flower I suppose.

Next is Moomin Mama who, along with Moomin Papa, is one of those parents happy to be defined by her children. What was her name before Moomin was born? We never find out. She enjoys such pursuits as cooking, cleaning and telling everyone else to be careful.

Seated below his father and next to his mother is Moomin himself. A curious, intelligent, kind hearted and optimistic if rather egotistical young male. Looking back now it’s easy to see why Moomin became so egotistical, what with his parents being named after him, his hometown called Moomin Valley and even his species referred to as the Moomins.

Next to Moomin is the possibly worst named character of any cartoon, Snork Maiden. There was always speculation as to what was going on between Moomin and Snork Maiden but it was never revealed. Snork Maiden’s special skills were picking flowers, saying how beautiful things were and falling down holes hidden adjacent to foresaid beautiful things.

Second to last is Little My, a young brattish girl who lived with the Moomins and stood out from them hugely by being human. She was one of the most annoying characters ever created and the less said about her the…

Last of all some strange creatures that I remember from a few episodes, I think they are called Hattifatteners. They didn’t really do much but were scary because there were so many of them and they had glowing eyes.

This is a picture from the box, it’s Moomin and Snupkin enjoying a starlit night.

This is Moomin Mamma I presume offering sagely advice to Japanese housewives.

Here the characters turned into biscuits.

My box of biscuits ended up having far more Snork Maidens than anyone else so I took this to be a photo opportunity. This is a picture of an army of Snoork Maidens with Moomin Mamma and Pappa looking disapproving.