If you’re a fan of anime, you’re likely applauding Microsoft for its latest promotional efforts. Microsoft’s Japanese offices have unveiled the company’s mascot for Windows 10, the latest operating system set to debut this summer. The mascot is an anime-stylized image of a blue-haired woman in a miniskirt, according to WindowsCentral.
The young woman, who is currently nameless, will have her own campaign in June. You’ll be able to offer your opinion on what her name should be. Thus far, we know that she is 17 years old and comes from 100 years in the future. She works at the gadget-heavy Tokyo neighborhood of Akihabara, and in terms of hobbies, she loves gaming (of course). Her attire gives her a schoolgirl-like appearance located on the corner of chic and cute.
Voiceover Actress Ai Nonaka is slated to provide the blue-haired girl with a voice of her own. If you enter the public campaign to name the mascot, which begins on June 19, you’ll be eligible for a series of prizes. Five Grand Prizes will be autographed by Nonaka herself.
While this may seem a little odd in Western culture, it’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time that Microsoft has used this type of advertising in Japan. The company had similar mascots for Windows 7, 8 and Internet Explorer.
Nanami Madobe, a similar-looking blue-haired schoolgirl, was the mascot for Windows 7, and she was given her own video, according to The Verge. Two different characters were used to promote Windows 8 and RT, both of them being schoolgirls (Madobe Yu and Madobe Ai). And a blond-haired anime girl named Inori Aizawa was introduced to promote Internet Explorer. Microsoft gave Inori her own Facebook page, video, website, and a series of wallpapers.
Throughout the past decade, there have been more than 10 separate anime characters created to raise awareness of Microsoft’s products. The latest creation for Windows 10 shows that the practice won’t be slowing down any time soon.
