Tokyo is about to witness a showdown no one asked for but everyone needs: the Duolingo Owl is putting down the homework reminders and stepping into the sumo ring.
The green menace will headline the Duo Dosukoi Sumo Tournament on September 6 at Lumine 0 in Shinjuku, Tokyo. For one day only, Duo will trade passive-aggressive push notifications for a sumo loincloth, going toe-to-toe with some of pop culture’s most famous mascots.
Some of the most well-known fighters joining Duo are Sega’s blue blur, Sonic the Hedgehog, and everyone’s favorite arcade hero, Pac-Man.
They’ll be joined by Bub from Bubble Bobble, Apitan, Ponta, ZAQ, and Don-pen, the popular penguin mascot of discount store Don Quijote. However, only the strongest among them will be able to push the owl out of the ring before getting another “finish your lesson” alert.
Duolingo Owl faces mascots in Sumo tournament
The tournament will run in a round-robin format, complete with live commentary from professional announcer Takeshi Yano. Entry is limited to just 150 lucky fans who will be chosen via lottery, making this one of Tokyo’s most exclusive and strangest ticketed events of the year.
That’s not all, as Duolingo is also turning the spotlight on its most devoted learners with an awards ceremony for the top three streak holders, along with exclusive sumo-themed Duo merch available on-site. Because surviving a mascot wrestling match deserves more than just bragging rights.
Duolingo’s official mascot is notorious for haunting language learners with daily reminders, but whether Duo can survive against icons who’ve been running, chomping, and platforming for over 30 years remains to be seen.
One thing is certain, though: if any mascots lose to the Duolingo Owl, they’ll never hear the end of it.
