Double Prizes: Hangry and Angry

I'll come right out and admit that I had no idea what Hangry and Angry were until last week, when I started looking up the origins for a number of my crane game winnings. Just like Nyanpire, these things  were quirky plushes that I found interesting and tried to win whenever I saw them. Still, they had a certain feel to them like they were connected to something else.

Turns out Hangry and Angry are the cat plush mascots for the female rock duo of the same name comprised of two former Morning Musume members. The band's sound is okay. Of the songs I've heard from them, I think Top Secret is my favorite.

You may have noticed that several plushies show up in the video and that the girls themselves play crane games to win them. The Wikipedia article mentions that Hangry and Angry exist in part to promote their toy line. Well, mission accomplished. They did so well at pushing stuffed animals that I never realized they were a band, despite most of their singles debuting while I lived in Japan. Anyway, let's look at some more toys.

This one is Hangry. She always sports a red mohawk and frequently wears an eyepatch. Her style is more punk whereas Angry is more gothic lolita. Consequently, I like Angry's look a bit better. I'm slightly disappointed I never won an Angry doll in this size.

Here are a few coin purses featuring the characters. Angry looks very excited to have found a skull. These purses aren't really large or durable enough for practical use.

These coffin shaped holders are a bit more solid. These were pretty easy to get, hence the two styles of each. Probably have some extras lying around somewhere as well.

This is my favorite of the four. You wouldn't be able to fit much inside.

Hangry and Angry are a weird case of related merchandise outstripping source material. Even though I didn't initially seek out the Nyanpire manga and anime, I was aware they existed shortly after I found the plushies. Had I not started these blog entries, I would never have learned about Hangry and Angry's music. I don't know what this says, especially considering merchandise sales are one of the goals of the band, but it is an interesting case to consider.