With the current state of Japan's economy, many of us are wondering: Is this the end of heated toilet seats in public restrooms? Will we be expected to live our futures without free household cleaning sponges from the bank and individual trash bags on the buses and trains? Maybe.

But one thing is sure: Japan will never give up "charakuta goodzu." People will always buy the multitudes of cartoon creatures that grace the goods in Japan's department stores, bookstores and convenience stores. Here is an introduction to some of the characters that drive Japan's economy, as well as a few who don't.

Although Hello Kitty is Japan's undisputed icon, in second place comes Dick Bruna's Miffy, an apparently hairless and whiskerless white rabbit with long ears. Miffy's facial features are indeed sparse. The Bruna Family also includes a brown rabbit named Melanie, an elephant, a lion and a yellow bear. Don't ask me what Miffy's parents were doing to produce such an array of creatures. Surely the yellow bear was not planned. And the idea of a rabbit giving birth to an elephant is just not healthy. Especially when the parents are going to turn around and sell the baby elephant as a plush toy for 2,800 yen.