Cute Mascot Characters

There are many popular Japanese characters, which seem to have some similarities.  I think one of the similarities would be their cuteness or what is called kawaii in Japanese.

Hello Kitty

Doraemon

Pikachu

This Japanese tendency to favor kawaii characters seems to be getting stronger.  By knowing such a popularity of kawaii characters, for example, many local municipalities have started to create their own mascot characters mainly for the purpose of promoting their municipalities.  These mascots are generally called Yuru-Chara, abbreviation of yurui-characters (loose characters), and there are currently around 300(!) of such mascots.

I first thought those municipalities' aims were very easy and did not think many people were attracted.  Very surprisingly, however, many of those mascots have been getting very popular and been promoting their municipalities.  Some of those popular mascots are as follows:

Kumamon (Kumamoto Prefecture)

Hikonyan (Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture)

Barry-san (Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture)

Honestly, I'm tired of these kinds of kawaii characters, however, they are still favored by many Japanese, and such a boom seems to continue for a while.

I'm not personally aware of many of the similar type of kawaii characters in other countries.  Disney characters are also cute and attract many Japanese people, but their cuteness looks different to me from the Japanese characters', which seems to be more goofy.

I know Kitty, Doraemon, and Pikachu above are also popular in many of other countries but am not sure if the Yuru-Chara are also popular overseas.  If they are, then I would like to know whether such a popularity of these kinds of kawaii characters are due to any common natures between those overseas peoples and Japanese, or any different reasons.
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