FINALLY!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! A fluffy Bunny is VERY happy right now. Well, kinda. Lol. Something I have been wanting in the game for a while is now here.
We had a lil in game update that brought us a few new items to go along with the Episode tie in for “Married to the Blob”. It included a brand new “never seen before” character, Kamiko. The Swanky Fish was brought back from the past. But the item I was giggling about, MR. SPARKLE. Woohoo!
Yes it is just a simple billboard, but it still makes me happy. (I even did a 2D Mr. Sparkle a while back. Check it out.)
I touched a bit on the origin of Mr. Sparkle in my 2D post, but I will recap it here too in a bit more detail.In Marge We Trust: Season 8, Episode 22.
Homer is taking the Christmas Tree to the dump (how many of you still have yours up?) While there, him and the kids go rummaging for some trash finds. Bart stumbles upon a strange box. Homer is confused. Why is he on a Japanese box?
Homer is completely obsessed by the box. Why does it look like him? He goes to the Happy Sumo to ask Akira if he can translate the box for him. “Ah, yes. This is a product called, “Mr. Sparkle.”Very popular dish detergent. Hey, he looks like you. Ah! Ah – ha! Ah! Ah! He identifies himself as a magnet for foodstuffs. He boasts that he will banish dirt to the land of wind and ghosts. Yes, you have very lucky dishes, Mr. Simpson. This soap is from the sacred forests of Hokkaido, renowned for its countless soap factories.” (The episode itself wasn’t even really about Mr. Sparkle. It was focused more on Marge, but for me…Mr. Sparkle is what stuck out the most.)
Homer goes to the Library and asks for a phone book for Hokkaido Japan. Then asks to borrow the phone so he can make a “local” call. He contacts the factory and tries asking them why he is on the box of Mr. Sparkle.
“You have many question, Mr. Sparkle. I send you premium — answer question, hundred percent!”
The company ends up sending him a video tape (What the heck is a video tape? Lol.) “Oh, hello, American investor. I see you are interested in distributing Mr. Sparkle in you home prefecture. You have chosen wisely. But please — don’t believe me. Observe this commercial.”
Homer is still confused at the end of the tape, but then comes in the explanation. “Mr. Sparkle. A joint venture of Matsumura Fishworks and Tamaribuchi Heavy Manufacturing Concern.” …there’s your answer FishBulb!
After the episode aired, we started to see the product reoccurring again and again in the opening credits…along with some other familiar products that have made their way into the Simpsons TV Episodes.
Funeral for a Fiend: Season 19, Episode 8. The Mr. Sparkle commercial pops up as Lisa is fast forwarding through commercials while watching the latest Itchy & Scratchy cartoon with their new TiVo box.
So there you have it. A funny product that resembles Homer’s face is now in our game. WOOHOO!!! (though an actual funny looking anime Homer/Mr. Sparkle skin would have looked cool too. Even the Mr. Sparkle factory to match the Duff Brewery look.) “Out of my way, all of you. This is no place for loafers! Join me or die! Can you do any less?”
***Bunny***
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All Screen Shots of Game Graphics & Dialogue and Game Graphics from files ™ and © EA, Gracie Films and FOX
I obviously love your 2D, but I also love that the sign contributes to consumerism. MUCH easier to get 5 stars without multiple KeM’s.