Japan has every kind of character and mascot you can imagine. It's said that over 80% of Japanese people own some sort of character or mascot-related merchandise. An affinity for images of this kind has been around in Japan for centuries, and with the 21st century has come a new breed of character: a "virtual idol" that gives live concerts. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is characters and mascots. Loved all over Japan, they offer deep insights into the country's culture.