It seems both robots are part of a bizarre campaign to promote tourism to the Japanese city of Hakodate. The city has produced a series of videos explaining how it has been invaded by alien cephalopods from the planet Ikarru, intent on getting revenge on the populace of Hakodate for eating too much squid. The aliens have hijacked a giant robot squid (Hakodate’s tourism mascot) and only the city’s famous landmarks (which are themselves giant robots, naturally) can stop their rampage. Here’s the first video in all it’s incomprehensible glory.

You can see the rest of the videos at Pink Tentacle.

The Ningyo-do Bunko Database is a huge online collection of watercolor paintings by Kawasaki Kyosen (1877-1942). The collection consists of over 5,000 still-life images of antique toys and folk crafts from across Japan, including a few lovely octopus-themed items.

Paper octopus balloon (1930)

Roly-poly toy and bell/whistle, Aichi prefecture (1932)

See more at Pink Tentacle!