Lookalike Merlion statues have been spotted around the world, turning up in unlikely places including Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea.
However, no other place has caught the Merlion fever like Japan has.
Merlions have been spotted in a kimono shop in Karuizawa and in Hakodate in Hokkaido prefecture.
The Merlion has also left an indelible mark on Japanese pop culture, showing up or being referenced in various anime and manga works, including Detective Conan, Cowboy Bebop, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and A Place Further Than The Universe, where an entire episode takes place in Singapore.
The movie My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission released in 2021 introduces a professional hero whose appearance is themed around the Merlion.
Not to be outdone, the Japanese superhero Ultraman gets some aid from the Merlion in the webseries Ultraman: A New Power of Singapore when it helps fend off a kaiju (big monster) attack on Singapore by manifesting its spirit into an armoured beast. The production was a collaboration with STB.
Why the Japanese obsession with the Merlion? Maybe because hybrid animals are a common theme for yokai, or supernatural entities in Japanese folklore – or maybe they just think that it’s cute.