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Grape-kun, a male Humboldt penguin at Tobu Zoo in Japan, died on October 12, 2017, at age 21. He had become widely associated with a standee of Hululu, a character from the anime Kemono Friends, after visitors and news reports noticed him spending long periods near it. The familiar description that he “fell in love” with Hululu is a human interpretation of his behavior, not a scientifically confirmed account of his feelings.
Who was Grape-kun?
Grape-kun lived at Tobu Zoo in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. He was a Humboldt penguin, not a mascot or fictional character. Agence France-Presse reported that he was 21 when he died in October 2017.
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His story drew attention because a display panel of Hululu—a character from Kemono Friends—was placed in the penguin enclosure. Contemporary reports described Grape-kun staying near the panel and looking at it for extended periods. Calling this attraction or love captures the popular framing of the story, but the reports do not establish what he felt.
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What happened before he died?
Penguin keeper Eri Nemoto told domestic media, as quoted by AFP, that Grape-kun had previously paired with a female named Midori, who later paired with another male. The keeper described the change using human relationship language; it should be understood as her account, not proof that Grape-kun experienced heartbreak in a human sense.
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Nemoto also said staff moved the Hululu panel next to Grape-kun when he became unwell, to reassure him. AFP reported that he died beside it while recuperating. This account does not show that the panel caused, treated, or prolonged his illness; reports reviewed did not establish a medical cause of death.
Grape-kun’s final days and the memorial
CBS reported that on October 10, staff moved Grape-kun from his usual habitat while monitoring his condition, and that the Hululu panel was moved with him. Contemporary reports give October 12 as the date of his death. AFP reported that news was conveyed on October 13, after which visitors began bringing flowers to the enclosure; the zoo set up a flower stand on October 14.
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On October 17, CBS reproduced a Tobu Zoo post thanking people for flowers and other items and saying the stand would remain until October 22. The response showed how widely the story had resonated with visitors and online audiences.
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The panel made the connection to Kemono Friends visible, while Grape-kun’s repeated presence near it gave the story an easily understood, affectionate hook. News coverage popularized the idea that he was “in love” with the character. That wording is best treated as a metaphor for observed behavior: Hululu was an illustrated character on a standee, not a living companion, and the reports cannot verify a penguin’s inner experience.
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The essential facts remain simple: Grape-kun was a real Humboldt penguin at Tobu Zoo; he was reported to be 21 when he died in 2017; and visitors remembered him in connection with the Hululu panel.
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Sources
- Agence France-Presse, via AFPBB News, October 15, 2017 (Japanese-language report).
- Crunchyroll News, October 12, 2017.
- CBS New York, October 19, 2017.
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