Kumamon, mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture

Mascots are one of the most well-known aspects of Japan’s cute culture. Everyone from local governments to giant corporations battles it out for the affections of the public through the likability and charisma of their mascots. But as the Japan Times points out, mascots have only been around for about a decade! In celebration of the current diversity and ubiquity of these agents of soft power, the Japan Times released their very own power ranking of mascots around Japan.

You can check out the ranking with full explanations of their choices (including some fun videos) at their article here. What are your mascot power rankings?