I do like the idea of mascots, but truthfully I think they are better done as non-human mascots and need to be simple. I think Japan got this right with Yura-chara[0]. There seems to be a strong preference for non-human characters and when there are human ones, they're still overly simplistic.
Seems like same rule about flags[1]: a child should be able to draw it from memory.
There's quite a precedent of sea-related names for transit fare cards. Hong Kong's Octopus, London's Oyster, San Francisco's Clipper... any others I've missed?
I always thought this “a child should be able to draw it” thing was an even better example of a vaguely contrarian factoid that sort of makes you sound smart if you don’t think about it too much, so it becomes endlessly repeated. Which is an interesting phenomenon in its own way.
Interesting point. Can anyone here draw a geometrically, not semantically, accurate Apple logo, without references? I can't, a reasonably convincing humanoid heads are much easier than that.
It's not a fact(oid) at all as it's not a statement about reality. it's a principle. You don't have to agree with it, but others might disagree about the quality of the flag you might produce avoiding it.
The first BART mascot has a little blue chibi goat next to the human girl, and I can't tell if the chibi is supposed to be an alternate form of the girl or a completely separate entity, but either way it seems like it could be a solid yura-chara.
It's a "you should" kind of rule not a "everyone follows this with no exceptions" kind of rule. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I can think of an example of the latter
Look at the flags for Texas and Chile for a more reasonable version of the US flag. The new Minnesota flag is an example of a good flag by these rules as well.
They have non-human characters. The key mistake they made is that they put the human characters front and center. The human characters should appear in accompanying comics where they end up interacting with the animal mascots, not be the mascots themselves.
We have something similar here in Kyoto! But we're Japan so there's an actual anime [1] and a character relationship chart [2], both straight from the city government.
I'm pretty well travelled across Europe and North America, and a little bit of South America.
I've never seen anything like the BART anywhere else - and I don't mean that in a positive way.
It's late where I am, I'm about to go to bed, and now this image of a BART car that has "seen it all" is going to haunt me... I might eat a load of cheese to calm the dreams down...
Ok but when’s the actual anime coming? They need new revenue streams. I’d love a romanticised anime about these characters working to save Bart or the Bay Area or some nonsense
This is really cute and friendly. I like it; very much in-character for the BART.
My own transit system has sort of developed two mascots. They are not as artful or clever as BART's, but they are designed with a utilitarian purpose: to demonstrate good vs. bad behavior while onboard.
The characters are named "Right" and "Rong", both humanoids who are differentiated primarily by color and mood. Right, of course, does all the right things and abides by the rules, while Rong is a classic example of the scofflaw you wouldn't want sitting next to you.
Yes it is totally Goofus/Gallant style! Right down to the simplistic verse of the slogans in the window decals. Thanks for making that comparison. I am sure they drew from that fabled tradition, so to speak!
It’s from Japanese culture. Knowing a person’s (or a fictional character’s) blood type is something they find interesting. A bit like how we in the west find astrological signs interesting.
I do like the idea of mascots, but truthfully I think they are better done as non-human mascots and need to be simple. I think Japan got this right with Yura-chara[0]. There seems to be a strong preference for non-human characters and when there are human ones, they're still overly simplistic.
Seems like same rule about flags[1]: a child should be able to draw it from memory.
Only Barty seems to fit these conditions.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuru-chara
[1] https://nava.org/good-flag-bad-flag
Not for a transit system per se, but the ORCA farecard in Seattle has a mascot named Boop, who is an orca: https://info.myorca.com/news/meet-boop/
There's quite a precedent of sea-related names for transit fare cards. Hong Kong's Octopus, London's Oyster, San Francisco's Clipper... any others I've missed?
3 replies →
I would feel offended if they chose anything else lol. But the orca mascot is cute. Well done Seattle
I always thought this “a child should be able to draw it” thing was an even better example of a vaguely contrarian factoid that sort of makes you sound smart if you don’t think about it too much, so it becomes endlessly repeated. Which is an interesting phenomenon in its own way.
Interesting point. Can anyone here draw a geometrically, not semantically, accurate Apple logo, without references? I can't, a reasonably convincing humanoid heads are much easier than that.
It's not a fact(oid) at all as it's not a statement about reality. it's a principle. You don't have to agree with it, but others might disagree about the quality of the flag you might produce avoiding it.
4 replies →
Agreed. Nyango Star is another example of this sort of mascot done right. He's an apple, a cat, and a heavy metal drummer; what's not to love?
The first BART mascot has a little blue chibi goat next to the human girl, and I can't tell if the chibi is supposed to be an alternate form of the girl or a completely separate entity, but either way it seems like it could be a solid yura-chara.
> I think Japan got this right
I like DPS-kun from beatmaniaⅡᴅx copula: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcfmIKKMu7Y
They made a plush of him that's very cute too
> Seems like same rule about flags[1]: a child should be able to draw it from memory.
Im a grown ass man and can't draw the US flag properly from memory, much less the many far more complicated flags out there.
I don't think that definition is particularly useful.
It is a useful concept, and letting the whispers of the vexillophiles[0] into your head will lead you to see that most flags are well, pretty bad.
CGP Grey has a lot of opinions[1] about this.
[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vexillology
[1] https://youtu.be/l4w6808wJcU
It's a "you should" kind of rule not a "everyone follows this with no exceptions" kind of rule. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I can think of an example of the latter
3 replies →
Look at the flags for Texas and Chile for a more reasonable version of the US flag. The new Minnesota flag is an example of a good flag by these rules as well.
They have non-human characters. The key mistake they made is that they put the human characters front and center. The human characters should appear in accompanying comics where they end up interacting with the animal mascots, not be the mascots themselves.
We have something similar here in Kyoto! But we're Japan so there's an actual anime [1] and a character relationship chart [2], both straight from the city government.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OInuZFHeQo
[2] https://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/kotsu/cmsfiles/contents/0000215...
> The reincarnated bunny spirit of a legacy car who has seen it all.
Not how I picture a BART car that has "seen it all".
I'm pretty well travelled across Europe and North America, and a little bit of South America.
I've never seen anything like the BART anywhere else - and I don't mean that in a positive way.
It's late where I am, I'm about to go to bed, and now this image of a BART car that has "seen it all" is going to haunt me... I might eat a load of cheese to calm the dreams down...
no kidding.. I lived in SF during the peak of the influx of tech and was a daily BART rider. there's things I can't unsee.
I'm glad I got to experience the carpeted cars with cloth seats even if they got gross some times.
4 replies →
not sure about “seen it all” but definitely “screamed it all”. I haven’t ridden Bart in a while but i remember the banshee screeches.
That must be what Barty's profile is referencing here:
> Dislikes: Tight corners (screeches!)
Ok but when’s the actual anime coming? They need new revenue streams. I’d love a romanticised anime about these characters working to save Bart or the Bay Area or some nonsense
This train has a lot more history than you think. Something, something about the NSA and mind-reading. You would not believe it.
The Anime Mascots are a good touch.
Everything is better with anime characters
This has precedence for the LA Metro in 2017.
https://observer.com/2017/10/la-metro-promotes-transit-etiqu...
(I kind of unironically want every public service to have a cute mascot that could be turned into a plushie.)
Good, no wifi, but Mascots. Yeah, I'd like some price hike as well.
Obligatory reminder that BART is going to run out of its emergency funding by spring 2026
Everything in government is always failing. It's a funding mechanism.
Does that mean BART ceases operation?
The only way that could happen is if San Francisco was vacated. Most likely would be that they provide more "emergency" funding.
Baylee is 6' 2"?
Oh damn the heights on the mascots are very anti-stereotypical, 6'2" for the woman and 5'2" for the dude.
It's possible that some of the characters are written as trans-gender.
It would be consistent with (at least my conception of) SF's public messaging.
This is really cute and friendly. I like it; very much in-character for the BART.
My own transit system has sort of developed two mascots. They are not as artful or clever as BART's, but they are designed with a utilitarian purpose: to demonstrate good vs. bad behavior while onboard.
https://www.valleymetro.org/blog/2019/10/quick-guide-light-r...
The characters are named "Right" and "Rong", both humanoids who are differentiated primarily by color and mood. Right, of course, does all the right things and abides by the rules, while Rong is a classic example of the scofflaw you wouldn't want sitting next to you.
Reminds me of the perennial standbys from Highlights for Children, Goofus and Gallant.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goofus_and_Gallant
Yes it is totally Goofus/Gallant style! Right down to the simplistic verse of the slogans in the window decals. Thanks for making that comparison. I am sure they drew from that fabled tradition, so to speak!
Lol why do the info sheets include blood type?
Giving the blood type of the character is common in anime and manga. Wikipedia links it to a belief that blood type can predict personality.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_type_personality_theory
You can also see it in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior.
Okay, but why are we importing pseudoscience?
3 replies →
It’s from Japanese culture. Knowing a person’s (or a fictional character’s) blood type is something they find interesting. A bit like how we in the west find astrological signs interesting.
For when BART police accidentally grabs their gun instead of their taser?
This is kinda cool, but... Coloring sheets? Seriously?
[dead]
[flagged]
Please explain what you're trying to say here.
It's seems hypocritical. I also doubt I would have gotten downvotes and a flag if I had pointed out the counterfactual opposite bias.
The first character is 6’2. Odds of being male are very very high
...except for the "she" in her character card.
[flagged]
They're all female? I wonder whether the BART officials know all the connotations of different kinds of anime/manga fandom.
Look if you want to draw rule 34 of the BART mascot that's on you.
Probably I've been on the Internet too long, and gotten a distorted view of what anime fans are interested in.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_service