Chama

Chama (チャマ), real name Yoshifumi Naoi (直井由文 Naoi Yoshifumi, born October 9, 1979), is the bassist of the band Bump of Chicken. He conceived the original story for the Transformers × Bump of Chicken comic, in which he stars.

Fiction

Transformers × Bump of Chicken

When an energy-starved Bumblebee crashed his ship onto the stage of a Bump of Chicken concert, Chama suggested they play to awaken the robotic giant. The music managed to energize the Autobot, and Bumblebee scanned Chama's powder-blue bass guitar to attain a new "SonicBlue Bumble" form.

After watching Bump of Chicken finish their concert, the power of music filling multiple energon cubes, the amazed SonicBlue Bumble thanked Chama by giving him an exosuit before returning to Cybertron with news of this amazing new energy source. Transformers × Bump of Chicken EX Episode

Toys

The Transformers

Why did they paint his face white. Whyyyyyyy.

• SonicBlue Bumble & Excelsuit^[1] Chama (2019)

Released as part of the collaboration between the Transformers franchise, the Bump of Chicken rock group, and Studio Trigger's Sushio, "Excelsuit Chama" is a redeco of the Transformers Legends Excelsuit Spike, and like Spike has a colorless-clear head with the face painted from behind, which is both clever in concept and disturbing to see in execution. He transforms into a robot head compatible with any Deluxe-to-Larger Legends Headmaster/Titans Return toy. Despite appearances, this mold's head-mode face is not a redeco of the Hasbro "Emissary" face. He can also sit inside the included "SonicBlue Bumble" in that toy's vehicle mode.

Also included in the set is a pack-in mini-comic, "Transformers × Bump of Chicken EX Episode", written by Chama and illustrated by Sushio.

The figure was exclusively released as one of the band's online shop items, though customers had to register as an EMTG (Entertainment Music Ticket Guard) member to purchase it. Collectors first had an opportunity to purchase the figure in-person at an event at the Tokyo Dome November 3–4, 2019, starting at 8:30 AM JST. In-person purchasers needed to have a ticket to the band's concert in order to purchase the figure. Online orders were also available at noon on November 8, 2019, and quickly sold out. Due to demand, a second run of the toy was made available on November 11, 2019, with the second run shipping in March 2020.

Notes

• "Chama" is derived from obotchama (お坊ちゃま), a Japanese word meaning "young master", but also used to refer to a green young man from a well-to-do family.

References