Opera-tan
| Browser Personification | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General Information | |
| Full Name | Opera-tan |
| Universe/Origin | Moezilla |
| Designer | temp_h |
| Debut | 2005-01-13 |
| Personification | |
| Personifies | Opera |
| Developer | Opera Limited |
| Appearance | |
| Hair Color | Silver |
| Eye Color | Blue |
Opera-tan (Japanese:おぺらたん) is the moe personification of the Opera web browser.
History
Opera-tan's history began with an article by Lawrence Eng published in January 9, 2005. [1] He wrote a recommendation about Opera's branding strategy, including a proposal for Opera to have a moe personification, similar to the OS-tans.
In response to the article, the artist temp_h created the design for Opera-tan in January 13, 2005, and other artists in his circle followed suit. [2]
An illustration of Opera-tan was uploaded into Wikimedia Commons on January 31, 2007, noting that temp_h has released the work into the public domain.
Character
According to Lawrence Eng's original suggestion, Opera-tan is an elegant but approachable lady wearing opera gloves.[1] She is also portrayed as a magical girl, sometimes carrying a magic wand (representing Opera's wand function).
She is sometimes included as a member of the Moezilla group (もえじら組, Moejira-gumi), which are moe personifications of Mozilla applications.[3]
What Makes Her a Personification?
- Her dress features buttons in Opera browser, including the arrow keys, and the bookmark star.
- The colors of her dress is reminiscent of the flag of Iceland, referencing Opera Limited's founder Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner, who is Icelandic-Norwegian.
- Her magical wand references Opera's wand function.
- The "Ø" symbol on the cap represents the initials of "Opera" written in Norwegian, since Opera Limited is a Norwegian company.
Trivia
- Opera Limited's founder has expressed his impressions of Opera-tan to Japanese Opera users, which he said, "She is a beautiful girl". However, the statement was not officially recognized by the company.