The Energon Pub

well not quite....

London 2012 not content with unveiling a logo that some have complained featured a Simpsons character in a compromising position, have introduced their Mascots for the 2010 Olympics.

Wenlock (named after a village near to where a 19th century event that predates the modern games) and Manderville (after a hospital connected to the founding of the Paralympics.) The Names are very British sounding which is good for they don't look at all British. Behold......



Now some may put these in line with british kids shows like "Teletubbies", or "In the Night Garden" but as far as I am concerned somebody better call for Kamen Rider cause these look like a couple Sentai villains have escaped. Look out Pink Ranger, cause even Manderville's arms look like tentacles.

But going beyond that first impression, what I question is, have the 2012 organizers paid any attention not only to the criticisms of their logo but also to recent games?

For example:

Left to right:
Quatchi, Olympic Mascot: Sasquatch rumored to live in BC for decades
MukMuk, Mascot's sidekick: Vancouver Island Marmot (real animal of BC)
Sumi, Paralympic Mascot: Guardian Spirit containing elements of the Black Bear, Eagle and Orca (real animals of BC)
Miga, Olympic Mascot: Sea Bear, based on local Aboriginal legends, half Kermode Bear, half Orca (Killer Whale)(real animals of BC)

These four were incredibly successful in the sense that kids loved them, they were easy to merchandise, and character goods have sold thru the roof. However, due to living in Vancouver, I have overheard and read countless times over the past few years how the mascots weren't Canadian at all and "why do we have Japanese characters for mascots?" 4 uniquely British Colombian mascots were seen as not Canadian because people focus on the fact they looked like they belonged in an anime show.

Obviously they felt by putting taxi lights on the top were enough to make them British, nope sorry that's a fail from me. I can imagine a few VANOC staffers smacking their heads for not bothering to even consider complains as recent as those for the 2010 games.

Or maybe it's just that I felt they missed the opportunity of having something internationally known for Britain get the chance.


Sorry chaps, maybe next time.

... and I thought the yanks were weird.

*facepalm*

Blurrz wrote:*facepalm*

indeed.

Oh Britain, the f**k where you smoking while designing those things?

And hell yea, a Dalek and a Cyberman as mascots would have been wicked. Hell even Bill and Ben would have been better than those two abominations.

Cybermen for the Olympics and Daleks for the Paralypics.

That sounds like a gold metal team right there.

In related news, If you watch the introduction video for these two, It seems they are in fact polished up pieces of slag (Metal castoffs not the questionable harlot kind) from an ironworks. Brilliant idea.

Hey now, no need to include Kamen Rider in a diatribe mainly using Super Sentai comparisons.

Or as this is britain call the doctor. Why does one of those things look like it wet it's self.

Hosting the games is just a bad idea, the damn thing's getting way too expensive.

Ain't that the truth. I just read an article about how some experts believe Athens hosting the Olympics contributed to them needing a bailout from the EU.