Maya-Chan

**Maya-Chan** (Japanese: マヤちゃん) is a Japanese CGI anime mascot that was officially released in Alias Wavefront Maya, the beta version which is acquired by the Alias Wavefront PowerAnimator animation software, which is distributed by Alias Wavefront Japan and ASCII in March 1996, and uses the LightWave 3D plugin for commercials and segments that aired on TXN (TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVQ, TVh, and TSC) during the anime series' commercial breaks.

She appears with her friends, Alia-Chan and Waverly-Chan, in the 3D anime shorts which were only released on VHS and DVD by SPE Visual Works.

She was also released in the Alias Wavefront Maya animation software and uses the Messiah plugin for the music video in July 2000, developed and distributed by Sony Music Entertainment Japan and Avex Group in cooperation with TV Tokyo Music.

She is voiced by Kotono Mitsuishi (三石琴乃 Mitsuishi Kotono) in Japanese and Wendee Lee in English.

## Appearance

She originally appeared with the rainbow rockstar outfit that was used for *Super Star* (スーパー・スター Sūpā Sutā) in July 2000, a CGI animated music video using Alias Wavefront Maya software. In the *Super Star* music video, she performed *Ayu's Euro Mega-Mix (Y & Co. Mix)*, a remixed J-pop song featuring her voice provider singing as Ayumi Hamasaki (浜崎あゆみ Hamasaki Ayumi).

In March 1996, her original debut outfit consisted of a scarlet and sunshine yellow tank top with the word-mark "Maya" featuring ornate curved lines on it. She also had a scarlet and sunshine yellow mini skirt and some scarlet and sunshine yellow shoes. Her fiery red hair was split up into a big M-shaped type of the pigtail style.

In July 2000, her Avex design was a spin-off on her original debut outfit, but with major changes and her usual outfit is silver and gold because her actual hair is golden yellow.

In all of her designs, she wears her signature sunshine yellow sun visor on her head.

From the late 1990s and the early 2000s, she also appeared as a hard plastic animatronic figure from Pioneer and as a fluffy soft plush toy from Namco at the SIGGRAPH convention in the Western world.

## Blend Shapes

**Eye/Eyelid/Eyebrow Shapes**

* Blink (Left, Right)
* Smile (Left, Right)
* Happy (Left, Right)
* Squint (Left, Right)
* Sad (Left, Right)
* Angry (Left, Right)
* Doubt (Left, Right)
* Surprised (Left, Right)
* Scared (Left, Right)
* Relaxed (Left, Right)
* Calm (Left, Right)

**Mouth/Lip/Jaw Shapes**

* A (ア)
* I (イ)
* U (ウ)
* E (エ)
* O (オ)
* B, M, P
* F, V
* S, T, D, G
* R
* W
* Big A (アー)
* Big I (イー)
* Big U (ウー)
* Big E (エー)
* Big O (オー)
* Happy (Smile, Excited)
* Smile (Teeth)
* Big Smile (Teeth)
* Laugh (ハハハ)
* Big Laugh (ハーハーハー)
* Sad (Frown, Freaked Out)
* Wail (ワーン)
* Big Wail (ウワーン)
* Angry (Teeth)
* Yell (ヤ)
* Big Yell (ヤー)

**Expressions**

* Hearts, Sparkles, Stars (心、輝き、星)
* Basal Tears, Reflex Tears, Emotional Tears (基礎涙、反射涙、感情的な涙)
* Anger, Flames, Sparks (怒り、炎、火花)
* Fear, Pale, Sweat (恐れ、青白い、汗)
* Big Pupils, Small Pupils, Black Pupils (大きな瞳孔、小さな瞳孔、黒い瞳孔)
* Circle Eyes, Dizzy Eyes, Puppy Eyes (サークルの目、めまいの目、子犬の目)
* Red Face, Blue Face, Green Face (赤い顔、青い顔、緑の顔)

## Poses

* Ballerina Pose (バレリーナポーズ)
* Superhero Pose (スーパーヒーローポーズ)
* Surfer Pose (サーファーポーズ)
* T Pose (Tポーズ)
* Tree Pose (ツリーポーズ)

## Animations

**Actions**

* Balancing (残高り)
* Clapping (拍手)
* Dancing (踊り)
* Drinking (飲み)
* Eating (食べ)
* Flipping (浮き)
* Floating (浮動)
* Flying (飛び)
* Hopping (ぴょんぴょん)
* Jumping (跳び)
* Kicking (蹴る)
* Losing (負け)
* Running (実行)
* Singing (歌う)
* Sleeping (眠る)
* Spinning (紡糸り)
* Stomping (踏み)
* Stretching (背伸び)
* Tumbling (転げ)
* Twisting (ひねり)
* Walking (歩く)
* Waving (手を振る)
* Winning (勝つ)

**Feelings**

* Calling (呼び)
* Cheering (応援)
* Crying (泣く)
* Laughing (笑り)
* Moaning (うめき)
* Raging (荒れ狂う)
* Screaming (絶叫)
* Sneezing (くしゃみ)
* Yawning (欠伸)

**Movements**

* Bamboo (ヒヒ)
* Bubblegum (バブルガム)
* Camel (ラクダ)
* Clown (ピエロ)
* Crocodile (ワニ)
* Frog (カエル)
* Funny Birds (面白い鳥)
* Giraffe (キリン)
* Gnu (ヌー)
* Hyena (ハイエナ)
* Kangaroo (カンガルー)
* Mosquito (蚊)
* Mouse (ねずみ)
* Ostrich (ダチョウ)
* Paintbrush (絵筆)
* Penguin (ペンギン)
* Rhinoceros (サイ)
* Rock Pan (ロックパン)
* Sea (海)
* Snake (ヘビ)
* Witch (魔女)

## Meet Maya-Chan (TV commercials only)

### Interview (Japanese: インタービュー)

Company: Alias Wavefront Japan, ASCII
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese only)
Release Date: March 1996
### Computer Technology (Japanese: コンピューター・テクノロジー)

Company: Pioneer
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese only)
Release Date: April 1996
### Arcade Games (Japanese: アーケード・ゲーム)

Company: Namco
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese only)
Release Date: May 1996
### Camping (Japanese: キャンピング)

Company: Fujifilm
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese only)
Release Date: June 1996
### Summertime (Japanese: サマータイム)

Company: Tropicana Japan
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese only)
Release Date: July 1996
### Drive Through (Japanese: ドライブスルー)

Company: Toyota
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese only)
Release Date: August 1996
### Friendship (Japanese: フレンシップ)

Company: Alias Wavefront Japan, ASCII
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi, Michie Tomizawa, Rika Fukami (Japanese only)
Release Date: September 1996
### Movie Theatre (Japanese: ムービー・シアター)

Company: IMAX Japan
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi, Michie Tomizawa, Rika Fukami (Japanese only)
Release Date: October 1996
### Toontown (Japanese: トゥーンタウン)

Company: Tokyo Disney Resort
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi, Michie Tomizawa, Rika Fukami (Japanese only)
Release Date: November 1996
### Geoffrey the Giraffe (Japanese: ジェフリー・ザ・ジラフ)

Company: Toys "R" Us Japan
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi, Michie Tomizawa, Rika Fukami (Japanese only)
Release Date: December 1996
## Maya-Chan! The TV Pavilion (TV series only)

### Girl Power Pavilion (Japanese: ガール・パワー・パビリオン)

Japanese: 女の子専用のパビリオン。
English: A pavilion for girls only.
### Kids Pavilion (Japanese: キッズ・パビリオン)

Japanese: 子供専用のパビリオン。
English: A pavilion just for kids.
### Learning Pavilion (Japanese: ラーニング・パビリオン)

Japanese: アルファベットと、数字と、形と、色のパビリオン。
English: A pavilion of the alphabets, numbers, shapes and colors.
### Adventure Pavilion (Japanese: アドベンチャー・パビリオン)

Japanese: 想像力とスリルのパビリオン。
English: A pavilion of imagination and thrill.
### Action Pavilion (Japanese: アクション・パビリオン)

Japanese: 興奮と謎のパビリオン。
English: A pavilion of excitement and mystery.
### Comedy Pavilion (Japanese: コメディ・パビリオン)

Japanese: 笑いのパビリオン。
English: A pavilion of laughter.
### Science Pavilion (Japanese: サイエンス・パビリオン)

Japanese: 発見と知識のパビリオン。
English: A pavilion of discovery and knowledge.
### Sports Pavilion (Japanese: スポーツ・パビリオン)

Japanese: 挑戦と強さのパビリオン。
English: A pavilion of challenge and strength.
### Movie Pavilion (Japanese: ムービー・パビリオン)

Japanese: 虹のすべての色のパビリオン。
English: A pavilion of all the colors of the rainbow.
## Maya-Chan! Me and My Friends (Video series only)

### Logo (Japanese: ロゴ)

English: Maya-Chan, Alia-Chan, and Waverly-Chan team up to create the Maya logo and was fully based on the Mayan inscriptions — the customarily drawn wordmark features ornate curved lines!
Japanese: マヤちゃんと、アリアちゃんと、ウェイバリーちゃんとが協力してMayaのロゴを作る、マヤの碑文に完全に基づいて! 通常描かれているワードマークは華やかな曲線を特徴として!
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi, Michie Tomizawa, Rika Fukami (Japanese only)
Wendee Lee, Michelle Ruff, Karen Strassman (English dubbed by Pioneer Entertainment USA)
Release Date: September 1996 (VHS), September 2000 (DVD)
### Stumped! (Japanese: スタンプ!)

English: Maya-Chan, Alia-Chan, and Waverly-Chan attempt to swim at the summer Olympics.
Japanese: マヤちゃんと、アリアちゃんと、ウェイバリーちゃんとで、夏季オリンピックが水泳の試みる。
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi, Michie Tomizawa, Rika Fukami (Japanese only)
Wendee Lee, Michelle Ruff, Karen Strassman (English dubbed by Pioneer Entertainment USA)
Release Date: October 1996 (VHS), October 2000 (DVD)
### Zapped! (Japanese: ザップ!)

English: Maya-Chan helps out Alia-Chan and Waverly-Chan with a little bug problem.
Japanese: マヤちゃんは、小さなバグの問題でアリアちゃんとウェイバリーちゃんとを助ける。
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi, Michie Tomizawa, Rika Fukami (Japanese only)
Wendee Lee, Michelle Ruff, Karen Strassman (English dubbed by Pioneer Entertainment USA)
Release Date: November 1996 (VHS), November 2000 (DVD)
### Snapped! (Japanese: スナップ!)

English: A Christmas greeting from Maya-Chan, Alia-Chan, and Waverly-Chan.
Japanese: マヤちゃんと、アリアちゃんと、ウェイバリーちゃんとから、クリスマスの挨拶。
Starring: Kotono Mitsuishi, Michie Tomizawa, Rika Fukami (Japanese only)
Wendee Lee, Michelle Ruff, Karen Strassman (English dubbed by Pioneer Entertainment USA)
Release Date: December 1996 (VHS), December 2000 (DVD)
## Trivia

* Maya-Chan is one of Alias Wavefront's biggest CGI anime mascots in Japan, and she is also one of the most iconic female characters in every media. Even in both Asian world and the Western world!

* Her design of her fiery red hair, a hard plastic animatronic figure, a fluffy soft plush toy, and a great singing voice is what made Maya-Chan really popular at the SIGGRAPH convention.

* She has plenty of outfit choices for herself depending on the occasion, like the winter outfit, racing outfit, and the Super Maya-Chan (Which is Maya-Chan with golden yellow hair), but none of them has the same charm as the original.

* Maya-Chan has one of the greatest songs like "Ayu's Euro Mega-Mix (Y & Co. Mix)" is what made her popularity propelled even further.

* This cute and fun-loving red-headed teenage tomboy was a self-taught to sing and dance.

* She is good friends with Alia-Chan and Waverly-Chan.

* Like most of the cute tomboys, she loves more boyish hobbies (including sports and playing video games).

* She is always charismatic and puts the way where she is fully CGI animated to good use, from the way she dances to the way she talks.

## Goofs/Errors

* She's a bit of a Mary-Sue.
* Much like Cutie Honey, she's very hot.
* She really hates pickles.
* She is scared of spiders.
* Her merchandise is Japan only.