where's the banana man!

August 20, 2023 12:11 PM

I cannot find a Japanese character/mascot that I used to have on a tote bag. It was a banana with a handsome face, maybe he was a business man? I want to see him again, but I cannot find him!

Google is worthless when the word banana is so common and the word character has many meanings. He was on other stuff too, and I'd have probably bought this bag in the early 2000's from like a kawaii goods import site. He was a banana maybe sometimes he had like a briefcase or tie?

posted by wellifyouinsist to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

There is a Japanese show called Fruity Samurai that has a sort of handsome banana character.

TV Tokyo has a banana mascot named Nanana but I would not say he has a “handsome” face. (Sorry, Nanana.)
posted by mbrubeck at 12:27 PM on August 20, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Oh, I bet it is Elite Banana Banao, a rather handsome banana who, according to Japanese Wikipedia first appeared on stationery and toys and such in 2005.
posted by mbrubeck at 12:39 PM on August 20, 2023 [17 favorites]

Response by poster: YES mrbrubeck you did it! there he is! that's the face I remember!
posted by wellifyouinsist at 1:08 PM on August 20, 2023 [1 favorite]

Make us a split Mr. Banana Man,
Or maybe some bread or a pie...
We're all in the mood for a yellow fruit,
And you've got a briefcase and tie...
posted by jferg at 7:59 PM on August 20, 2023 [6 favorites]

> I want to see him again

You can hear/watch him too. The Wikipedia page mbrubeck posted leads to the official anime (link is to Episode 1).
posted by Sockin'inthefreeworld at 1:23 PM on August 22, 2023