Vote of Confidence: Kyushu Election Posters

by Marc Nair
12 August 2018

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As we traveled the length and breadth of Kyushu, we noticed a number of election posters up on the walls, pillars and fences. All men, and all in a variety of (often unflattering) poses. So here's eight of the best. We've given them nicknames in the vein of Mr Men books, because it's all about inspiring a vote of confidence for the local populace. 

1. MR SUAVE

Caught in the debonair act of throwing on his jacket, Mr Suave inspires confidence with this casual, unposed look, though there is a hint of the quizzical in his eyebrows and his gaze. He could be implicitly asking his voters, "How could you doubt my work ethic and my dress sense? Am I not your trendy choice to pass agrarian policies?" 

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2. MR SMOOTH

There are no lines to be found anywhere on Mr Smooth's face, a consequence of a very aggressive skincare regime, or Photoshop. His smile is narrow and as pallid as his tie. His hands are so smooth, its hard to get a grip on what he is really about. Extended in a gesture of virtual friendliness towards the viewer, his hand is ever ready to shake that suburban vote into his pocket.

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3. MR SUSTAINABLE

His campaign reuses old slogans in a bid to cut down on creative wastage. His posters, printed on recyclable paper, are strategically located next to recycling bins, in an effort to keep voters conscious of his environmentally-friendly visage. His is an honest smile, a fist that is clenched in anticipation of victory over indiscriminate plastic baggers and PVC lovers. 

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4. MR ORANGE

Orange is a colour, it is also a fruit. And it is also a political party. Mr Orange aims to peel away the layers of obfuscation beneath the electoral process. With his orange tie and rinds in his eyes, he will charm your way to a juicy finish over the voting line. 

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5. MR DO-IT-ALL

His hand reaches towards his next act of goodness, gaze fixed on a baby to hold, a house to build, a community to define. Mr Do-It-All drips with the milk of human kindness. The images below his portrait say everything: the couple smiling in evening light, a baby discovering the joys of a stethoscope, a comforting touch and the familiar face of medical authority. All these are images that speak of love and power, the very basis of his campaign slogan: 'I will do it all, because it is all I can do.'

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6. MR EXCLAMATION

Think of Mr Exclamation as an upside down exclamation, a portrait of your trust sitting atop a vertical banner of confidence. He is lit by a beam of fortunate sunlight against shadows that dapple his poster. Look at the confidence in his eyes, the slight smile playing upon his lips. He will be here even when the sun goes down, or for as long as he is tied to this fence.

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7. MR BROW

His brow is a line carefully charted by a geographer and a geomancer, an irregular scrawl that is a sign of bravery and a willingness to chart the unknown. He is a man of many ties, hairstyles and skin tones. The two posters, placed side by side, deliberately show Mr Brow's wide array of facial expressions and portray him as an ideal leader when the sky is both deep blue and light blue. 

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8. MR HERO

This is art at its finest, carefully framed, placed on top of one of the most recognisable commodities of our age. Mr Hero has trademarked the steely-eyed gaze into distance, nostrils flaring with the necessary pride and resolve needed to lead his constituency of vending machine addicts. 

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