Gachapin

Gachapin (ガチャピン^?) is a popular Japanese television character who appeared in the children's program Hirake! Ponkikki (ひらけ!ポンキッキ) on Fuji TV. He is a green, bucktoothed dinosaur, and is usually accompanied by his friend Mukku, a red Yeti.

Jōji Katakiri (President, Japan Software Video Club) was Gachapin's original designer, and modeled the character after the sleepy-looking, somber face of Masahiro Noda, the President of Japan Television Workshop Co. Ltd., who also worked on the program. Rumors held that the character was based on Paul McCartney of The Beatles, but this was publicly denied.

The original voice actor for Gachapin was Kunie Yasawa. The current voice actor for the character is Kuniko Amemiya.

In the first season of Hirake! Ponkiki, the Captain traveled to a southern island and brought back an egg from which Gachapin hatched. Initially shy and easy-going, Gachapin evolved into an adventurous character and went on to attempt skiing, rock climbing, hang-gliding, scuba diving, karate, gymnastics, bowling, and figure skating, as well as an adventure in a space craft. Each episode was triggered by Gachapin's interest in environmental problems and his enthusiasm for space crafts. Gachapin has seven energy balls on each wrist that are the source of his bravery and power, and his phenomenal reflexes come from the carbohydrates inside these balls.

Gachapin's catch-phrase that he uses to introduce himself is “Gacha, Gachapin pin, I am Gachapin”.

The program's theme song, “Year 2100 Gachapin Kid”, showed the transformation of the hero “Gachapin kid” whenever Earth was in danger. In 2006, on BS Fuji channel, Gachapin fought against Pierre Kasher in "Ike ike Gachapin (Go go Gachapin)".

In Gacha Gachapon, Gachapin appeared as a bar manager named “Shisho”, or master.

Gachapin along with Mukku sometimes appears as a guest on TV and radio shows run by Fuji TV.

Gachapin is best known in America and Europe for his role in the "Read My Mind" music video by The Killers.

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Wikipedia