Last year, the story of Japan’s celebrity penguin named Grape-kun and his anime waifu Hululu touched many hearts because of their unique romance.
グレープ君も5月20日の築田行子さんのご来園を楽しみにしているかもしれませんね。https://t.co/yfYuxon4Td#けものフレンズ #東武動物公園 pic.twitter.com/er4iUVBjHr
— 東武動物公園【公式】リュウくん (@tobuzoo7) May 16, 2017
Grape-kun was a 20-year-old Humboldt penguin at Tobu Zoo in Saitama, Japan. He gained online fame when zookeepers noticed him obsessing over a cardboard cutout of an anime character. After his penguin mate traded him for a younger penguin, Grape-kun turned to a cardboard cutout of Hululu, an anime character who looks like a Humboldt penguin from the series “Kemono Friends”.
やはり、気に入ってるみたいですね。今日も朝から見てます。 #けものフレンズ pic.twitter.com/H2wbSxPh6M
— 東武動物公園【公式】リュウくん (@tobuzoo7) April 26, 2017
Grape-kun’s unlikely adoration towards his “cardboard soulmate” earned people’s attention online and even got him to meet the voice actress of Hululu in the anime.
https://twitter.com/ckik195/status/865826569243066368
Sadly, due to poor health conditions, Grape-kun passed away last year and broke the hearts of his fans. Tobu Zoo announce his death on Twitter saying: “The Humboldt penguin Grape-kun passed away yesterday. Sincere thanks to everyone for supporting him until now. Thank you also to Hululu, who watched over him until the very end. And thank you, Grape-kun, for all this time. Rest peacefully in heaven.“
フンボルトペンギンのグレープ君が昨日亡くなりました。
これまで応援してくれた皆様本当にありがとうございました。また、グレープ君を最後まで見守ってくれたフルルもありがとう。そして、グレープ君長い間ありがとう。天国でゆっくり休んでね。#東武動物公園 #けものフレンズ #グレープ君 pic.twitter.com/PfjoJVyiuA— 東武動物公園【公式】リュウくん (@tobuzoo7) October 13, 2017
But fans were cheered somehow when Tobu Zoo tweeted a photo of Grape-kun and Hululu — now together in a cutout cardboard.
グレープ君のために集まってくれたフレンズたちとも今日で一旦お別れです。近い将来、また会えることを信じて、この場所での二人を最後にお届けします。ありがとう！またね(^o^)/#東武動物公園 #けものフレンズ #グレープ君 #フルル pic.twitter.com/P1KoyRYRhG
— 東武動物公園【公式】リュウくん (@tobuzoo7) January 8, 2018
People are happy that the two have been reunited even as a cardboard cutout and that Grape-kun will never be lonely again.
楽しかったです pic.twitter.com/5crmn3KXu7
— ニラオ (@nirao1015) January 8, 2018
『 ﾀﾉｼｶｯﾀﾖ … ﾏﾀﾈ 』 pic.twitter.com/57kqDUOyG4
— 渡部裕樹 (@whix07) January 8, 2018
これはグレープ君、喜んでいると思います。 pic.twitter.com/V6T668UwHU
— ぱーぷる (@purple_grape_39) January 8, 2018
OKAY, WE’RE NOT CRYING.
—
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