Commuters furious over EWL delay in Dec -- then MRT Chan showed up and won Reddit over
Train breakdowns are rarely funny.
Every time one happens, complaints are sure to spread like wildfire on the popular r/Singapore — a subreddit that can be an extremely negative, divisive, and, at times, unforgiving space.
So when local illustration account Daiyaku began responding to East-West Line delays on Dec 2 on the subreddit with an adorable anime character named MRT Chan, the reaction was unexpected: Reddit laughed.
The comic strip imagined what might have led to the delay by anthropomorphising the MRT — turning the train system into a sentient being.
Not long after, Daiyaku also fully introduced its other characters, Bus Tan and Taxi Chan, to the r/Singapore community, all of which were met with overwhelming positivity.
Turns out the creators behind Daiyaku are husband-and-wife duo Jamie Huang and Ophelia Lim, who have been documenting Singapore life through comics for nearly 15 years.
Their recent turn to Reddit was simply to reach out to new audiences as users turn away from Facebook to other social media platforms.
Stomp spoke to Jamie about Daiyaku's newfound Reddit fame and to find out more behind the couple's uniquely Singaporean anime characters.
Born from frustration
MRT Chan wasn't new.
Jamie, 37, a public servant, shared that the character was first conceptualised in December 2014, a year that saw at least 12 delays and breakdowns, including one on the North-South Line that affected around 19,000 commuters during the morning rush hour in January that year.
"We actually wanted to vent our frustrations at the public transport system, because we're also affected by breakdowns as well," Jamie chuckled as he told Stomp the origins of Daiyaku's popular character.
"That's how we eventually came up with the concept of MRT Chan to poke fun at the local transport system."
He also cited Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit's mascots, the K.R.T Girls, as Daiyaku's inspirations. The four anime-styled characters, designed specifically for the Kaohsiung metro, reportedly brought in at least NT$2 million (around S$81,300) in revenue within the first seven months of 2015.
Still, bringing MRT Chan to life wasn't without hesitation.
Jamie admitted that he and his wife, who also runs the cat toy business Crafterfish, had been worried about potential backlash from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) or SMRT.
"We definitely did not want to end up in a case where we get a lawyer's letter," said Jamie.
But the cheerful illustrator thought "heck it" and decided to push through with promoting MRT Chan.
The reception to MRT Chan has been warm for the past 12 years, and the character has quietly built a following.
Jamie recalled comments from commuters who said they were no longer angry at the train disruptions after looking at MRT Chan — something the couple appeared to be pleasantly surprised by.
A love story that became something more
Daiyaku has come a long way since its beginnings at Republic Polytechnic, where Jamie and Ophelia first met.
Jamie, who was a year Ophelia's senior, recalled that they connected through a comic interest group she had started. They bonded over a mutual love for anime and art, and the rest was history.
The duo formally started Daiyaku in 2010, shortly after Jamie completed his two-year stint in the national service.
Jamie shared that they began by drawing fan art of characters they liked, before eventually deciding to create their own mascot, Daiya.
"We drew her as a representative of ourselves facing challenges or the things we face as Singaporeans in our daily lives," Jamie explained.
As Daiyaku, the couple also posted their illustrations on SGAG, which helped to boost their following on Facebook. This exposure eventually led them to booth at anime conventions such as Anime Festival Asia, where they began selling their artwork.
Nearly 15 years on, Jamie confessed that the couple are happy for Daiyaku to remain a side gig — though not for lack of trying.
Between 2014 and 2016, Jamie and Ophelia attempted to go full-time with illustration for a year, but things were not smooth sailing.
"The reality of the business hit," said Jamie, "and we realised it was a very big commitment."
The biggest sacrifices were sleep and financial stability. "There were certain months, we didn't have enough income coming in, so we really had to scrunch up whatever savings we had just to buy basic necessities," he recalled.
Today, the workload is clearly divided. Jamie handles most of the illustration work, while Ophelia acts as an advisor and manages logistics, production and boothing arrangements.
Her influence also shapes the tone and visual direction of Daiyaku's work, especially when it comes to designing the brand's mostly female characters.
While anime drawings often lean towards exaggerated proportions, such as impossibly long legs and oversized bosoms, Daiyaku's more cutesy illustrations feel more creative and character-driven.
"When we do more detailed, full-length illustrations, my wife will be very strict with regard to (the female anatomy), because we have to set standards for our artwork," Jamie explained.
Creative freedom comes first
Despite the playful and light-hearted nature of Daiyaku's comics, the illustrators are careful about exploring new terrain. Fans have suggested everything from CPF Chan to Grab Chan and BlueSG Chan. Some even ask when Daiyaku will officially team up with LTA or SMRT.
While the duo has toyed with some of these ideas, Jamie is cautious about creating illustrations that are too closely linked to corporations and public institutions, mostly so Daiyaku can retain its creative freedom.
"Our comics can be quite brutal sometimes," he said. "I think it's better to have autonomy over how we comment on these things."
Jamie and Ophelia's wit also extends beyond comics into merchandise, such as Daiyaku's popular blue bird plushie that's cheekily named — you guessed it — 'Lanjiao'.
Looking ahead, Jamie hopes Daiyaku's work will help people see Singapore as more than a "lifeless corporate environment", and recognise that the nation has plenty of fun and interesting players in the art scene that want to "spice things up".
Judging by the response to MRT Chan and her transport counterparts — who have managed to make Singaporeans laugh at the very systems they love to complain about — Daiyaku may already be doing just that.
