History Main / ManekiNeko

* The plot of the third UsefulNotes/SuperFamicom ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' fighting game involves all the characters tracking down the ingredients to create the legendary ''maneki neko'' of the Musk Dynasty, who are known in Japanese as the ''Jyakou Maneki''. Therefore, they're hunting down the ''[[PunnyName Jyakou Maneki Neko]]''. This artifact is said to grant the user one wish, of any kind -- and with so many characters suffering gender-bending curses, animal-transformation curses, unrequited love, etc., etc., etc., they're all determined to have the maneki neko grant their wishes.

* In the ''Franchise/Persona'' series, these increase your luck.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' series, these increase your luck.

* This was one of the thousands of objects the player could roll up in ''VideoGame/KatamariDamacy''. Due to the game's [[WidgetSeries unique sense of humor]], these statues could be found in a variety of locations doing a variety of things, such as playing {{p|inball}}achinko.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'' has a rare variation of the Cat Suit power-up called the Lucky Cat Suit that allows the user to turn into a golden maneki-neko figurine, similarly to the Tanooki Suit's statues. This [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61Yh4Fq9JpY video]] goes into detail about the significance of each of them (ranging from the colors of their cat suits) and even about which paw is raised and their symbolism. Though the powerup remains exclusive to this game, the orange bell that grants makes a symbolic cameo in ''VideoGame/MarioKart8 Deluxe'' to represent the second Booster Course Pass cup (which, not coincidentially, features the Japan-related courses Tokyo Blur and Ninja Hideaway).

* In one episode of ''Manga/YoureUnderArrest'', there was a burglar who disguised himself as the old woman whose home he was stealing from. One of her friends visits to return a borrowed piece of furniture and asks where the cat is. The burglar answers that it's outdoors at the moment, and in doing so accidentally reveals himself as an impostor because the "cat" is actually a maneki neko statue. (This episode changed almost all of the details from the manga version of this storyline, which didn't feature a maneki neko.)

* Meowth, from ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' is based on this, and plays with the association with financial good luck. It has a gold charm on its forehead, has been known to hold up its left paw in the traditional pose (at least in the original ''Red and Blue'' games), and is the only Pokémon who can learn Pay Day naturally -- a move which gives a small amount of money (in addition to any money gained from winning) to both combatants after the fight. Later generations also give Meowth the chance to have the ability Pickup, which lets your cat pokemon find useful things for you.
** This continues into the spinoff ''VideoGame/PokemonConquest''. If a Warrior with a Meowth for a partner mines for gold, the Meowth will find more gold coins and give a boost to the payoff you get.

* This is encountered in many ethnically Chinese or Hong Kong restaurants and takeaways in Britain and America. Perhaps this is also a Chinese meme adopted from the Japanese long before WWII; older Hong Kong people who remember the occupation of 1941-45 (and often their children) are not temperamentally given to be sympathetic to Japanese culture.
** It is believed that the maneki-neko was inspired by a Chinese proverb "When the cat washes its face, it will rain", with the implication that the rain would force people into establishments and thus make them patrons. Variations of this proverb was known to exist around mid 800 AD and would explain why Chinese places have adopted it.
* Similarly to the above, Maneki Neko have become very popular outside of Japan in recent years, especially among both New Age folk and people who are very interested in East-Asian fashion. Their image now graces the likes of trendy apparel and home decor in the west. This is largely due to their association with East-Asian aesthetic rather than their supposed "luck". They also have the added benefit of allowing a cat lover to advertise their love of cats while looking trendy instead of like an old cat lady.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'' has a rare variation of the Cat Suit power-up called the Lucky Cat Suit that allows the user to turn into a golden maneki-neko figurine, similarly to the Tanooki Suit's statues. This [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61Yh4Fq9JpY video]] goes into detail about the significance of each of them (ranging from the colors of their cat suits) and even about which paw is raised and their symbolism.

* A side comic in ''Webcomic/SanThreeKingdomsComic'' explains the origin of the maneki neko coming from a Chinese proverb "If the cat washes its face, visitors will come" with a short story about a student who was caught [[ADateWithRosiePalms looking at Internet porn]] instead of doing his homework so he buys a real life cat as a way to alert him if his mom is about to enter his room.

* In ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia Legends'', BonusBoss Daikokuya is a bored millionaire turned Air Pirate who rides around in a Maneki Neko HumongousMecha.

* ''WesternAnimation/Luck2022'': This is one of Hazel's [[GoodLuckCharm good luck charms]]. They also appear in a store window where Bob tries to blend in with them at one point.

* A side comic in ''Webcomic/SanThreeKingdomsComic'' explains the origin of the maneki neko coming from a Chinese proverb "If the cat washes its face, visitors will come" with a short story about a student who was caught [[ADateWithRoseyPalms looking at Internet porn]] instead of doing his homework so he buys a real life cat as a way to alert him if his mom is about to enter his room.

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** ''Series/MashinSentaiKiramager'': The very last [[MonsterOfTheWeek Jamenshi of the Week]] was Maneki-neko Jamen. He had the power to make people act like cats i.e self-centered, capricious and lazy while being self-centered, capricious and lazy himself. After hitting most of the team with his power, the monster call it a day and went to to take a well deserved nap. When [[MakerOfMonsters Carantula]] demanded him to wreak more havoc, the Jamenshi [[ToiledHumour farted in his general direction]] and ran away. Utterly disappointed, Carantula labelled his creation yet another failure.

* In an episode of ''Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger'', Takeru's soul gets transferred into one of these, resulting in his physical body imitating the statue. When Chiaki [[FaceDoodling draws whiskers on him]] for good measure, he is ''not'' amused (not that he can really voice his complaints, anyway). (In ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'''s adaptation of the episode, this was replaced with a garden gnome -- but funnily enough, one with the same raised-arm pose.)

* Similarly to the above, Maneki Neko have become very popular outside of Japan in recent years, especially among both New Age folk and people who are very interested in East-Asian fashion and culture. Their image now graces the likes of trendy apparel and home decor in the west. This is largely due to their association with East-Asian aesthetic rather than their supposed "luck". They also have the added benefit of allowing a cat lover to advertise their love of cats while looking trendy instead of like an old cat lady.