Windows 7 Japanese Style

So how do you sell an operating system such as Windows 7 in the land of the rising sun? While over here in America we are being barraged by Kylie and her super cute slide shows,(I really think somebody in Microsoft Marketing got it right with these really fun ads, and these almost make me forget those horrible Seinfeld Vista ads) the Japanese are selling Windows 7 with their own brand of  cute, anime girls. The Japanese have always had their own OS-Tans associated with different operating systems. These are basically fan-made anime female mascots that represent the different operating systems in some way, shape or form.

But it surprised more than a few when Microsoft not only adopted the fan practice, but made it official with the invention of Nanami Madobe, voiced by Nana Mizuki, (Nanami Madobe  is actually Japanese wordplay on Mizuki’s name and the Japanese word for “window”) she is best known for her voice work on Naruto as Hinata. Akiba PC is reporting that the premium Japanese set of Windows 7 Ultimate Edition will come with a special wallpaper and sound set for Nanami, thus making if the version of choice or anime fans in Japan and guaranteeing the selling of multiple copies to a single user.(you have to have that unopened copy, just in case)  I can’t tell if this an act of utter desperation or genius by Microsoft, who has lost some of their market foothold to Apple in Japan recently, all I can say is she is a much better mascot than that damn paperclip.

Via Japanator