Frep the Fox
| Frep the Fox | |
|---|---|
 Frep at Kyocera Dome Osaka. (April 2, 2022) | |
| First appearance | March 25, 2016 |
| Information | |
| Nickname | Frep |
| Species | Ezo red fox |
| Gender | Male |
| Affiliation | Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters |
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Frep the Fox (フレップ・ザ・フォックス) is the official mascot of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball. He is an anthropomorphic Ezo red fox, an animal native to the northern Japan area, where the island of Hokkaido is. He has the number 179 after the number of municipalities in Hokkaido. He also has his own Instagram account.[1] Initially, however, he did not have a number.
History
He was announced on March 21, 2016, in a news article on the Fighters' website.[2][3] Four days later, on the 25th, he made his first appearance. For his first two seasons as a mascot of the Fighters, he was a "mascot apprentice" under the then-main mascot of the Fighters, Brisky the Bear. In his third season in 2018, he became the main mascot. This was announced during a Fighters fan festival in December 2017 at the Sapporo Dome by Brisky himself.[4] On June 13, 2018, he had an incident when he got into a wrestling match with Jushin Liger after charging the mound after his ceremonial first pitch hit his face in a game against the Hanshin Tigers. He lost that match.[5] He also had an injury to his left leg during a performance against the Chiba Lotte Marines at ZOZO Marine Stadium on May 26, 2019. He planned to return on June 1st, but actually returned a few weeks later on the 28th, with a cast on his leg. In one of the first games without him, he was replaced by Brisky at the MetLife Dome.[6] He is accompanied by Polly Polaris as of 2022, and during the 2022 NPB season, created a dance known as "The Fox Dance", where he, Polly, and the Fighters' cheerleading squad, Fighters Girls, dance to the chorus of The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) by Ylvis, which, according to The Japan Times, has "the internet asking again, 'What does the fox say?'"[7]
Fictional backstory
According to the Fighters' website in a news article announcing his unveiling, Frep was born in the hill ranges of Hokkaido.[8] He was known for being mischievous. When he grew up, he went on a solo trip in Hokkaido. His trip ended in Sapporo. He began exploring the sights of the big city, then saw the Sapporo Dome (the Fighters' home stadium) and was immediately impressed, and he dreamed of playing an active role there. He then took up some odd jobs, including working at a Lawson, but seeing that the Fighters were everywhere, this made him want to join the team even more. So, one day, he confronted Brisky at a Fighters practice facility. He told him, "I want to be a mascot!". But there was only one problem: Frep was a complete amateur at baseball. Brisky then told him that it was not easy being a mascot. Frep, however, did not give up easily. One day, he confronted Brisky and begged him to join the team. He agreed, and Frep became an apprentice.[3][9]
Appearance
Frep is an Ezo red fox that is beige and has seven star marks on his forehead with a tuft of fur also on the top of his head. He typically wears a baseball outfit, but primarily wore a black baseball jersey from 2016 to 2017. He wears custom-made shoes with the Fighters' star mark on the side, which he claims to have "designed himself". Previously, he wore black and white shoes from Mizuno, who makes the jersey apparel for the Fighters.
In popular culture
In February 2018, Frep was featured on Bourbon's pretzel snack packaging.[10] Frep's picture was painted on the Boeing 737 jet in March 2019.[11] He was featured in the human resources short, "WORKERS-for-smiles-" in November 2019.[12] Frep was part of an exhibition at Kita-Hiroshima Station in March 2022.
[13] Frep was part of the Ham Fighters collaboration with the manga series Kaiketsu Zorori in August 2022.[14] In September 2022, Frep was part of Ylvis' performance of The Fox.[15] On September 20th, 2022, Frep appeared on Nippon TV's "Utacon" program as part of a musical performance.[16] Frep appeared in an instructional book called, “Frep and Fighters Girl Teaches Fox Dance Official Choreography Book” that was released on September 20, 2022.[17][18]
Frep appeared in the performance of the idol group, "KAT-TUN", at Nippon TV's "Best Artist 2022" show.[19] Frep was nominated with Fighters Girls in the December 2022, "Basic Knowledge Selection of Modern Teams" award ceremony.[20][21][22] Frep appeared on Nippon TV's "Quiz! Are you Smarter than a 5th grader?" broadcast on January 6th, 2023.[23] Frep's image was posted at Lawson's locations as part of a collaboration[24] and as part of a 2023 collaboration to celebrate the Ham Fighters' new complex.[25] Frep appeared at a Kitahiroshima half-marathon in February 2023.[26]
References
- ↑ "frep_the_fox". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2022-02-23.[self-published]
- ↑ "日本ハム、新マスコット「フレップ・ザ・フォックス」を発表". 21 March 2016.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "ファイターズマスコットチームに新メンバー「フレップ・ザ・フォックス」が加入！｜北海道日本ハムファイターズ". 北海道日本ハムファイターズ オフィシャルサイト (in 日本語). Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- ↑ "フレップが見習いを卒業、B☆Bは地域貢献をメインに活動｜北海道日本ハムファイターズ". 北海道日本ハムファイターズ オフィシャルサイト (in 日本語). Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- ↑ "A Wrestler Threw Out an Opening Pitch and Everything Turned to Chaos". Thrillist. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ↑ "北海道日本ハムファイターズ フレップ公式インスタグラム on Instagram: ". もう立つこともないと思っていた、ビジター球場のグラウンド。 今回、ケガしたフレップの代打という、思わぬ展開でメットライフドームへ行くことに。 レオ・ライナ、そして道外のファンの皆さんとの久々の再会…心に残る2日間でした😊 ・ ボクがビジターでいつも心掛けていたのは、圧倒的アウェイの中でファイターズに声援を送ってくれるファンの皆さんに、ちょっとだけでも心強くて、誇らしく思ってもらえる存在でありたい、ってこと。 久々だったけど、今回もそんな役割を果たせたかな？そうだったら嬉しいです😉 ・ 今週は、今金→利尻 来週は、札幌ドーム→甲子園 ・ もう暫しの間だけ、B☆Bの代打稼業は続きます…。 地域と全国各地を行き来するこの生活、忙しい。けどなんか懐かしい(笑)。 ・ 〜おまけ〜（ラスト2枚） 土曜日の試合、勝利のバク転を珍しくミスったレオ。 試合後、西武ベンチのホワイトボードに何やらカキカキしてると思ったら…(笑)。 あれだけの圧倒的パフォーマンスを支えてる、レオの負けず嫌いな一面を垣間見ました😁 リスペクト❗️ by B☆B 🐻 ・ ⚾️ ・ 🐻 ・ #lovefighters #驀進 #飛び出せ新時代 #近藤健介 #代打BB #BB212 #レオ #ライナ #熱愛写真？ #ゴール写真判定"". Instagram. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
- ↑ Michel, Patrick St (2022-06-25). "Baseball dance craze has the internet asking again, 'What does the fox say?'". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
- ↑ "ファイターズマスコット新時代の旗手。背番号179。".
- ↑ フレップ・ザ・フォックス誕生物語, retrieved 2022-02-23
- ↑ ブルボン、プロ野球球団とのコラボレーション 地域・期間限定「プチシリーズ」10球団20種を 2月20日(火)より順次新発売！, 15 February 2018
- ↑ 日ハム応援ジェット登場 スカイマーク、１９日から
- ↑ パ・リーグ6球団のマスコット「仕事」に熱い思い 「勤労感謝の日」向け動画公開, 22 November 2019
- ↑ ＪＲ北広島駅前 日ハム心待ち ユニホームや市民作品展示 Ｆビレッジ紹介イベント
- ↑ 日本ハムが8月11日「かいけつゾロリ」とコラボ 話題のきつねダンスもフレップと踊る, 2 August 2022
- ↑ 一大ブームの日ハム「きつねダンス」 その魅力に迫る, 25 September 2022
- ↑ ファイターズガール、NHK『うたコン』で"きつねダンス"生披露 歌唱ユニットも初来日, 9 September 2022
- ↑ 地上波にも進出した「きつねダンス」！ メンバーを彩るユニフォームの秘密に迫る!!
- ↑ Frep and Fighters Girl Teaches Fox Dance Official Choreography Book, publisher: Wani Books, published: 2022
- ↑ KAT－TUNがプロ野球12球団マスコットと豪華コラボにネット「可愛いが渋滞」「大集合凄い」, retrieved 2022-02-23
- ↑ 乃木坂46コラボに、流行語大賞トップテンに。きつねダンスを生み出した日本ハムの凄さ, retrieved 2022-02-23
- ↑ 「きつねダンス」が新語・流行語大賞トップ１０入り 授賞式で華やかなパフォーマンス」, retrieved 2022-02-23
- ↑ "きつねダンス"『流行語大賞』トップテン入り 授賞式で華やかなパフォーマンス」, retrieved 2022-02-23
- ↑ 【日本ハム】「たぬき英語で？」きつねダンスのファイターズガール クイズ間違え300万円逃す
- ↑ 日本ハム新球場、近隣に「ファイターズローソン」13日オープン 清宮、上沢らデザイン
- ↑ コンビニ日ハム一色／Ｆビレッジ来月開業で, 25 February 2023
- ↑ 北海道ボールパークFビレッジでハーフマラソン開催決定！, 10 February 2023
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