Unofficial OS-tan based Computer Mascots

The following designs are were inspired by the OS-tan Anime Computer mascots, but were not designed by users of Futaba.

Firefox-ko

Firefox-ko is a personification of the browser Mozilla Firefox, who is usually portrayed as a japanese fox spirit (see kitsune) in shinto priestess attire by most fan-artists, although the official Mozilla Brand FAQ notes that "Firefox" is also known as the common name for the red panda. Her color set and design resemble that of the Firefox logo.

A character named Hana from the desktop mascot program Ukagaka is often mistaken for Firefox-ko when pictures appear on English-language bulletin-board sites, but she is not associated with the OS-tans. She is usually distinguishable by her preferred outfit, a navy-blue sailor fuku.

While not wide-spread, a character known as "Firebird-ko" was also created as a memorial of the old name of the browser ("Mozilla Firebird"). [1]. The interest was only short-lived.

Popularity: appears semi-regularly on Western and Japanese imageboards.

Thunderbird-ko

Thunderbird-ko is a personification of the mail and news client Mozilla Thunderbird. She is the best friend of Firefox-ko. She dresses like a telephone operator, carries a keyboard/monitor, and sometimes holds a letter in her hands. Similar to Firefox-ko, her color set and design resemble that of the Thunderbird logo.

Popularity: very uncommon. Almost forgotten as of February 2005.

Øpera-tan

Øpera-tan is a personification of the Opera web browser. This character was created in response to Lawrence Eng's recommendation on Opera branding [2] [3] [4]. As Lawrence's suggestion, she is an elegant but approachable lady wearing opera gloves. Other characteristics include long silvery gray hair, and a purple hat with a big red letter Ø.

Popularity: very uncommon. Almost forgotten as of February 2005.

Other Sabas

Other designs for the Server versions of Windows by a Japanese Doujin group called "Deja Vu" exist. They resemble the group's own designs of the Windows NT and Windows 2000 OS-tans (NT-DejaVu is a strict unpleasant woman with burgundy-coloured hair and enlongated animal ears), but borrow from the standard design of OS-tan 2003 Server in being half-girl, half-mackerel.

Popularity: drawn only by "Deja Vu". Considered to be extremely unwelcome "bootleg" OS-tan designs by Futaba members.

External links

• Anime/Manga artists with galleries of Firefox/Thunderbird/Opera mascots:
  • temp_h [5]
  • yoko [6]
  • karokaro [7]
  • inugamix [8]
  • Toy Igarashi [9]
• Anime/Manga artists with general collections of unoffical or unassociated 'OS Girl' characters:
  • Satoshi ("Toy") Igarashi [10], and in particular the very popular iCandies images, based on the original iMac.
  • The otakubell.com gallery of 'Other Mascots' [11]
  • The Deja Vu Doujin Circle [12]
• http://www.wakachan.org/os/ — An English-language non-Futaba 'OS-tan' Image Board.