A recent publication showed us that Google Chrome has gone from being just a browser to become the adorable protagonist of an anime series. Kuromu, a cute and friendly character inspired by the Chrome logo, has conquered the hearts of users with his adventures. This initiative of Google Japan by showing not only the incredible creativity of the company, but also its ability to connect with its audience in an original and memorable way, became a viral phenomenon and how Kuromu shows us in an animated way the use of the browser.
Japan launches anime series Gambare! Kuromu to promote Google Chrome
On June 4, Google Japan surprised users with a post on its official Twitter/X account highlighting a new take on the iconic Google Chrome logo. In the image, the logo’s color gradients were highlighted with lines pointing to the hexadecimal codes of each hue: what appeared to be a simple technical breakdown ended up unleashing the collective creativity of Japanese users, who saw in the arrangement of the lines and the design a character, with little paws, little hands and antennae, that quickly came to life as the character Kuromu.
The enthusiasm generated by this interpretation led Google Japan to develop a series of animated shorts entitled Gambare! Kuromu (Strive! Kuromu), designed to highlight the main features of the Google Chrome browser in a way that is appealing and relatable to Japanese audiences. After months of work, on December 2, Google Japan announced that the three episodes of this series were now available on YouTube through an official playlist.
Each episode, less than three minutes long, focuses on fundamental aspects of Chrome:
- The first episode, “I want to see users smile!”, presents the browser’s capabilities for seamless content sharing between devices, such as smartphones and computers, highlighting the connectivity offered by Chrome.
- The second episode, “I want users to trust me!”, delves into the browser’s security features, such as password management and protection against malicious websites, as well as the automatic translation feature, ideal for those browsing content in other languages.
- The third episode, “I will definitely protect users!”, focuses entirely on Chrome’s advanced security tools, showing how the browser protects users’ personal information from online threats.
To bring Kuromu to life, Google Japan enlisted the participation of Sumire Uesaka, a beloved Seiyuu and singer in the industry. Sumire is known for her work in roles such as Hayase Nagatoro in Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro, Shalltear Bloodfallen in Overlord and Lum in the new version of Urusei Yatsura (2022), her interpretation of Kuromu combines sweetness and energy, making the character connect easily with the audience.
In addition to entertaining content, Gambare! Kuromu seeks to reinforce Google Chrome’s identity as a reliable, modern browser adapted to the daily needs of users, the series highlights technological innovation and the importance of a safe and accessible browsing experience, all wrapped in a charming and visually appealing narrative that reflects the creative spirit of Google Japan.
With this anime, Chrome not only took the opportunity to promote the functionalities of its browser, but also tries to get more into the Japanese culture, and by joining topics such as technology and art, it managed to do so. In addition, we see how a logo can be transformed into a cultural phenomenon that connects in a unique way with the audience and if you have not yet seen the episodes, the official playlist is available on YouTube.
