Overwatch has 32 playable heroes, each one with their own unique backstory, personality, and lore. However, while they’re all very interesting and lovable in their own ways, the real darling in Overwatch is arguably Pachimari. Some say it’s an onion, while others argue it’s a radish—either way, what we know for sure is that Pachimari is adorable, and at some point in time, it took the Overwatch community by storm.
During the early days of Blizzard’s team-based first-person shooter, Pachimari was simply a bunch of stuffed toys found in a claw machine on the map known as Hanamura. It has a big white head with a shape that’s similar to an onion, and it has a green body that makes it look like either a plant or an octopus. Pachimari sports a wide cheerful smile, has black, bead-like eyes, along with a cute pink blush on both cheeks.
If you jumped into the Hanamura map and proceeded to break the glass of the claw machine, you’ll find a bunch of Pachimari stuffed toys spilling out of the machine. It’s truly adorable and a sight to behold. Other than being an onion or a radish, some fans have speculated that Pachimari is a steamed bun, or even a baby squid. Blizzard said in the past that Pachimari also has its own lore, but until now, fans are still waiting to learn more about this strange yet adorable Overwatch creature.
Arnold Tsang, the assistant art director of Overwatch, said to Kotaku that “I don’t think we ever intended it to be as big or as popular as it is now.” Pachimari’s existence simply began because Blizzard needed toys to put in the UFO catchers in the Hanamura map. David Kang, the concept artist for Overwatch, was the one who originally thought up Pachimari’s design. Apparently, he found inspiration from the Korean word for “onion,” which sounds a lot like “pa.”
It’s difficult not to fall in love with Pachimari instantly, especially if you’re the type who adores adorable mascots or cute things in general. The character is charming enough that it can capture the hearts of even the most level-headed gamer. Seeing as Pachimari is more or less a background object, it’s easy to imagine that it fits in anywhere and everywhere.
After the first few months of Overwatch’s release, there wasn’t a lot of Pachimari merchandise available yet. After all, Blizzard didn’t expect it to grow a fanbase. But as time passed, more and more fans were requesting for plush toys, stickers, and other products. Of course, talented fans got to work right away—on shops such as Etsy and RedBubble, you’d find all kinds of Pachimari items there, such as pins, embroidery, shirts, planters, and more.
Eventually, Blizzard released an official Pachimari plush. There’s a wide variety available on the Blizzard Gear Store now, such as Pachimummy, Pachilantern, Snorkelmari, and more. From being an unassuming background object in the Hanamura map, Pachimari has become an iconic part of Overwatch and will probably remain so for a long time—unless Blizzard introduces another mascot that’s just as cute.
