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40436 Lucky Cat is a BrickHeadz Chinese New Year set that was released on January 2, 2020.
LEGO.com Description[]
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This adorable LEGO® BrickHeadz™ Lucky Cat (40436) is a great gift for kids at Chinese New Year. The model has long whiskers, a cute pink nose and incorporates a lever at the back that moves the cat’s paw up and down. Displayed on a sturdy baseplate, the Lucky Cat is a fun, lasting gift that delivers a message of good fortune all year round.
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Background[]
The Maneki-neko (Simplified Chinese: 招财猫) is a common Japanese figurine which is often believed to bring good luck to the owner. In modern times, they are usually made of ceramic or plastic. The figurine depicts a cat, traditionally a calico Japanese Bobtail, with a paw raised in a Japanese beckoning gesture. The figurines are often displayed in shops, restaurants, pachinko parlors, dry cleaners, laundromats, bars, casinos, hotels, nightclubs, and other businesses, generally near the entrance. Some Maneki-neko are now equipped with a mechanical paw which slowly moves back and forth.
Maneki-neko come in different colors and styles and vary in degrees of detail. Common colors are white, black, and gold. In addition to statues, Maneki-neko can be found in the form of keychains, piggy banks, air fresheners, pots, and numerous other media. Maneki-neko are sometimes referred to simply as "lucky cats".
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Notes[]
- Despite originating in Japan, the lucky cat is frequently misidentified as being Chinese in origin by Westerners, Chinese, and even Japanese themselves due to the prevalence and popularity of this cat in China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Chinatowns, which may be why it was chosen as a Chinese New Years' set.