Since the Underground has become the Universal Nexus for All Things Bamboo, we thought we’d pass along news of a new bamboo car to the bamboo-philes among the Undergrounders – until we realized the car bore a striking resemblance to The Most-Beloved Undergrounder Ever:
The Car, and...
Wally the Wonderdog. Too similar to be a coincidence, eh?
The uncanny resemblance couldn’t be coincidence, and the Underground is aggressively pursuing legal options to see that Wally Wonderdog receives the payment due him from the Japanese company, which clearly copied the highly aerodynamic shape of the Wonderdog’s nose.
We at the Trout Underground/Man Cave World Headquarters share your sense of outrage at this blatant commercial appropriation. Burn in hell, Bambgoo Car:
Developed by Kyoto University Venture Business Laboratory, Bambgoo is a fully functional vehicle that runs for 50 kilometers on a single charge. This ecological concept car is 270 cm long, 130 cm wide, 165 cm high and only 60 kg heavy. That’s what’s so special about Bambgoo, its body is made out of bamboo.
I think the Wonderdog could do better’n 50KM on a single charge of Twinkies and stale yogurt – the car might smell better … not sure.
KBarton10(Quote)
Well… a fine picture of Wally, even if the legal options are limited.
Kentucky Jim(Quote)
Made my living on copyright for a while. Legal test is supposedly whether the average person on the street can see the direct derivation.
I gotta be thinkin’ Wally’s in-like-Flynn. ‘Course, he might want to wait until they scale up and there are some seriousb proceeds.
Rick(Quote)
Not to take anything away from Wally’s noble visage but I think the “car” bears a stronger resemblance to that redoubtable Beagle Snoopy. Yeah OK, the car’s ears are shorter but otherwise it’s a dead ringer in my book. No doubt that Charley and Lucy will be all over this shortly.
Greg Hall(Quote)