Thailand has experienced a wave of protests in recent weeks as pro-democracy advocates have taken to the country’s capital. The protests have been largely organized by young voters who hope to see Thailand embrace democracy in the future rather than its current system. Now, new reports on the gatherings have gone live, and Reuters says the movement has adopted Hamtaro as its unofficial mascot.
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According to Anime News Network, the Thailand protestors decided to pick Hamtaro as a mascot after creating a parody version of its theme song. The jingle has been changed to critique the current government with one of its lyrics reading, “The most delicious food is taxpayers’ money.”
The parody continues to ask for the Thai parliament to be dissolved, and those at the protests sang this song as they marched around the Bangkok Democracy Monument. Several participants were interviewed at the rallies, and one 19-year-old student said the movement chose Hamtaro in hopes their chant would go viral.
After all, social media coverage has become one of the biggest news sources there is. The viral Hamtaro song was created to be shared so that people all over the world would know about the protests and their goal. “We are scared but for us, it is important to start speaking up about it,” the student told the outlet AFP. “We need change right now.”
Another protestor seconded those thoughts, saying, “This is the way for the new generation. We are doing this differently in hope that something will change.”
By choosing Hamtaro as their mascot, the protestors have given a unique face to their cause and hopes for Thailand’s future. With no stop to the protests in sight, there is no telling how far Hamtaro will go in championing the demonstrations or how effective the chibi hamster will be.
Are there any other anime theme songs you would expect to hear at a political protest? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime.
