Ningyo Leading Polls to Replace Suica Penguin

For now it's a mockup, but soon your Suica card could look like this. (Source)

Montreal, Japan - Despite a hard advertising push from the opposition, initial polling has the Ningyo heavily in the lead to replace the penguin on the current Suica card. "It's a fish person that grants immortality when eaten - I think it's popularity speaks for itself," said one local Tokyo man who confirmed his intent to vote for the Ningyo after finishing his sixth straight 70-hour work week. "I love spending every waking moment working for a pittance, so the idea of immortality really speaks to me. The decision to replace the current Suica penguin comes after years of criticism from locals that the mascot wasn't native to Japan, was too dull in design, and lacked the special, Japanese "nightmare fodder" that the country had become known for.

The three options to choose from. It's no surprise the Ningyo is in front. (Source)

The alternatives to the popular Ningyo are a brown squirrel asking for a hug and a purple rabbit examining your soul. The brown squirrel is considered to be a long shot to win the contest despite the Japanese population's love to strike them with their vehicles. Meanwhile, the purple rabbit is viewed as the second most popular at this time due to reminding the youth of the furry costumes they frequently wear on weekends. These three finalists were selected from among 20 other contenders, including a pink swan swimming in a pond, a green frog licking its eye, and a yellow Nara deer assaulting a tourist.