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Grape-kun, a male Humboldt penguin at Tobu Zoo in Saitama, Japan, died on October 12, 2017, at 21. News of his repeated presence beside a display of Hululu, a character from the anime Kemono Friends, had made him an unlikely internet favorite. The story is often told as a penguin falling in love with an anime character; that is a human interpretation, not a scientifically established account of his feelings.
Who was Grape-kun?
Grape-kun was a Humboldt penguin living at Tobu Zoo in Saitama Prefecture. Agence France-Presse reported that he was 21 when he died in October 2017. He was a real animal, not a fictional character or a zoo mascot.
In 2017, the zoo displayed a character panel of Hululu in the penguin enclosure. Hululu is part of Kemono Friends, an anime franchise. Contemporary coverage described Grape-kun spending long periods near the panel, an image that helped the story travel well beyond the zoo. AFP’s October 15, 2017 report and Crunchyroll’s October 12 report established the central details.
Why was Grape-kun associated with Hululu?
The panel placed an anime character inside the penguins’ habitat, and reports noted Grape-kun’s recurring proximity to it. Calling this attraction or love captures the popular framing of the episode, but it should not be mistaken for a verified explanation of penguin behavior or a confirmed human-like romantic attachment. The display was a printed character standee, not a living companion.
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Keeper Eri Nemoto told media, as quoted by AFP, that Grape-kun had previously paired with a female penguin named Midori, who later paired with another male. Nemoto used the human relationship metaphor that Midori had left him and found a new husband. This is the keeper’s account, not evidence that Grape-kun understood the events in the same way people do.
What happened before his death?
Contemporary reports place Grape-kun’s death on October 12, 2017. AFP reported that he had become unwell and died while recuperating beside the Hululu panel. Nemoto said caretakers moved the panel next to him to reassure him. That account does not show that the panel caused, treated, or prolonged his illness, and the reports do not establish a medical cause of death.
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A CBS account published October 19, 2017 adds that staff moved Grape-kun from his usual habitat on October 10 while monitoring his condition, and moved the Hululu display with him. These details are from CBS’s contemporary reporting.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How did visitors remember him?
After news of his death spread, visitors brought flowers to the penguin enclosure. AFP reported that the zoo set up a flower stand on October 14. CBS later reproduced a Tobu Zoo post thanking people for flowers and other items and saying the stand would remain through October 22. The tributes reflected how widely the story had resonated, beyond the original joke about a penguin and an anime panel.
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