Wasao, an Akita dog who earned nationwide popularity for his unique looks, has died at age 13, believed to be equivalent to around the early 90s in human years, a support group said Tuesday.
The big, white furry canine with a squinty-eyed face died Monday. He had been described widely as "busa kawaii," a nickname combining two Japanese words — busaiku, meaning ugly and kawaii, or cute.
The dog, once abandoned in the town of Ajigasawa in Aomori Prefecture, was adopted by a local in 2007 before becoming an online sensation through blog articles and eventually rising to TV stardom. A movie titled after him was also released in 2011.