I've been thinking about the fact that octos are used regularly as a symbol of happiness, playfulness and comfort for little ones, yet past a certain children's age group, they fall into the "icky scary monster" category, at least as far as their use in books, TV, movies, etc. Anyone else notice this?
From :tentacle: :D to :tentacle: :yuck: -it just doesn't seem fair...
Kids don't need their minds played with like that...

Headfoot,

What would you chalk that discrepancy up to? The Freudian charge inherent in cephalopod imagery might have something to do with it (and has been noted here at TONMO). There's an abundance of playful, benevolent ika and tako characters for Japanese children, and an abundance of adult-themed anime featuring tentacles going places tentacles ought not to go.

Besides Oswald, are there other caring Western cephs we ought to know?

:?:

Clem

Well, the Barbapapas weren't cephs, but they kind of fall somewhere in there, psychologically speaking...
Playground equipment makes use of octos for the practicality of many arms (for seats, bars on merry-go rounds, etc. ).
Squid are never seen as "friendly" as octopuses by any age group... too obviously predatory in appearance?
Your guess is as good as mine.
I've noticed there seems to be plenty of that tentacle-hentai, since you mention it-
Fear of the alien, lack of control, anger, anonymity, all the usual suspects.
There's a lot of interesting ground where cephs and the human psyche meet- remember the "good" aliens in "Galaxy Quest"?

hi guys,

There is also Squidward from SpongeBob Squarepants. Also, there are those aliens from The Simpsons that resemble cephs (although i think they are evil).

Hi!

I have a Fisher-Price octopus that I bought for my son. It goes into the bath and the letters "H O T" appear when the bathwater is too hot.

As far as anime goes, cephs play a lot of interesting roles in Japanese society. My icon is a robot-squid named "Ikaria" from the anime series "Hand Maid May". I have a anime-related thread somewhere on this board (I think its under the "Culture and Entertainment" section.

I have NO idea why cephs fall into such a bad light. Maybe its the idea of an alien form, somehow so different, yet so powerful in its own world. Maybe its just that somewhere in the deep recesses of the human mind, we have an instinctive fear of that which breaks our tetrapod mould.

Who knows?

Sushi and Sake,

John

As far as anime goes, cephs play a lot of interesting roles in Japanese society. My icon is a robot-squid named "Ikaria" from the anime series "Hand Maid May". I have a anime-related thread somewhere on this board (I think its under the "Culture and Entertainment" section.

That thread remains active (http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=121) but I think it misses you, John, and has been acting out. It's been crawling out of the tank at night and stealing ladies' underpants out of neighborhood washer/dryers. If you don't scold it, I will.

:wink:

Clem

There is also Squidward from SpongeBob Squarepants.

I keep thinking about Squidward...he's not really evil per se, just cranky. I've always thought he has a good heart(s) under his unhappy exterior, despite his acidic observations.

Maybe he's just upset about his missing 4 tentacles?

Speaking as a happy western octopus, I must say that even though there aren't many fictional ceph characters out there, octopuses are generally put in a good light at aquariums and on discovery channel programs.

-Oz

Oswald,

Welcome to TONMO, my relaxed friend.

How did a well-adjusted, urbane cephalopod such as yourself land a television deal?

Clem

there's a tap-dancing purple octopus on a bbc programe, and at least 2 different TY beanie versions of cephs out there. but I have had to explain several undesirably portrayed octopusses to my 3 year old daughter with whom i share a growing collection. (the leviathan in Lord of the Rings - the fat witch on the little mermaid, and the one in the soup on Mad Monster Party) i tell her the octopus isnt bad - it's the people that draw them that way.

Aha, I just remembered! There is an octopus named Henry the Octopus on a popular childrens television show called the Wiggles.

Henry the octopus,
lives down in the deep blue sea!
Henry the octopus,
he's a friend to you and meeeeeeee!

Creeeboop! :lol:

I was way too slow with my camera yesterday. Had I been faster I would have a picture of my daughter crawling around with Cthulhu dangling from her mouth by one wing. She's not afraid of cephs.

I was way too slow with my camera yesterday. Had I been faster I would have a picture of my daughter crawling around with Cthulhu dangling from her mouth by one wing.

Scarmig,

Kids these days. No respect for their elder-gods.

:heee:

Clem

There may not be any respect, but it's because they've got history (http://www.scarmig.com/rowan-2002/images/dadspacy.jpg).

OMG 8)

Get 'em while they're young.