You may be asking: "WHO who the heck this guy is..."
Well, he is a Tanuki - a wild raccoon-dog from Japan. They are
sometimes called badgers, but they look more like a N. American
raccoon. Although they still roam wild, they are also raised for the
fur industry.
The Tanuki I have portrayed here is the folklore version. His is
known as a trickster in many traditional Japanese stories. One such
story describes him as a character that beckons people to come share
a drink with him. It would be considered bad luck to refuse a Tanuki
his wish. As a result, stautes of him can be found in front of
taverns.
Tanuki sports a lotus leaf hat and carries a saki jug on one hand
and a bartab in the other. He is also known for his bulbous belly and
outlandish testicles on which he beats like a drum. I assume that he
has had a drink or two by that point!
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