Who is Osaka's Iconic 'Manse Ajussi'... The Glico Sign Over 90 Years Old [Japanese Side]

Glico Confectionery Mascot... Model of a Person Completing a Run
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The must-see photo spot on a trip to Osaka, Japan, is undoubtedly the Glico Man sign in Dotonbori. You can often see people posing in a similar stance, raising both arms high and running, in front of the sign featuring a man in that pose. Since it is a sign for the famous Japanese confectionery company Glico, people also call it "Glico-san," adding the honorific "san" used when referring to people.

Did you know that this Glico Man is a historic mascot over 90 years old in human terms? This week, we introduce the story of Glico Man, the mascot of Osaka's Dotonbori.

Glico sign located in Dotonbori, Osaka. (Photo by Glico official website)

To understand Glico Man, we first need to talk about how the confectionery company Glico was founded. Can anyone guess where the name "Glico" comes from? It comes from glycogen.

The founder of Glico, Riichi Ezaki, was from Saga Prefecture. Near Ezaki’s hometown, there was a river connected to the sea, where there was an oyster processing plant. Ezaki saw fishermen discarding the broth from boiling oysters in a cauldron and suddenly recalled an article he had read before. He thought, "Oysters contain a lot of glycogen, so perhaps this broth also contains a large amount of it." Starting from this idea, he requested an analysis from Kyushu University, and in 1919, it was confirmed that the oyster broth indeed contained a large amount of glycogen.

In fact, Ezaki gave glycogen to his son, who had typhoid fever, and his son survived. Based on this, he began developing various foods using glycogen. The first product born from this was the "nutritional confectionery Glico." The founder’s motto was to promote the health of the people through food. In February 1922, Glico began selling caramel mixed with glycogen at the Osaka Mitsukoshi Department Store.

Ezaki Glico's glycogen research and the packaging of the first caramel product released. (Photo by Glico official website)

Ezaki also spent a lot of time thinking about what the Glico logo should be. He recalled Glico Man while walking and reflecting at Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto. At the shrine, he saw children running, and the child who came in first stretched out his chest and raised both arms toward the sky at the finish line. Ezaki thought, "Everyone wishes to be healthy, and sports are the shortcut to health. Children’s play instincts ultimately lead to sports. The finish line pose symbolizes this." He was captivated by this finish line pose and immediately sketched it.

Ezaki also conducted a survey with children at a nearby elementary school, using animals like elephants, penguins, flowers, and the finish line pose. The finish line pose ranked first in the survey and was decided as the trademark.

Tourists are posing in front of the Glico sign. (Photo by Glico official website)

However, before unveiling the face widely in Dotonbori, it was revised once. In 1923, a female student said, "The face looks scary," so the face was redone to its current appearance. At that time, no specific person was used as a model, but many Olympic finish line poses of track and field athletes were referenced.

Ezaki then began thinking about displaying this mark for promotional purposes in Dotonbori, Osaka, where there was heavy foot traffic. The first Glico sign was erected about 80 years ago in 1935. A 36-meter-high tower was built in Dotonbori, with six-colored neon lights installed below, and the running Glico Man was placed at the top, boasting an enormous presence. This sign, which was groundbreaking at the time, caught the eyes of many people on the street and began to be regarded as a symbol of Osaka.

Since then, the Glico sign has been renovated and repaired over six generations. In 1955, a special stage was built under the neon tower, hosting various events such as concerts and comedy shows. The third generation in 1963 featured a structure that sprayed 12 tons of water from the center. Twelve-colored lamps were installed in the center, making the water appear rainbow-colored. From the fourth generation in 1972, the familiar Glico Man image with an athletics track in the background was established.

The appearance of the Glico signs from the opening until before the 2014 remodeling. (Photo source: Glico official website)

From 1998 to 2014, the background changed to represent Osaka landmarks such as Osaka Castle and Kyocera Dome Osaka. In 2014, it was remodeled to its current form, containing 140,000 LED chips that light up after sunset.

After multiple remodels, Glico Man now welcomes tourists at an age equivalent to over 90 years in human terms. In fact, it has become a popular photo spot for visitors to Osaka on social media, generating significant economic effects. Kansai University even released a report stating that the Glico billboard earns more money than local festivals such as the Osaka Marathon.