Television favourite Bob the Builder is to have his fingers doctored for the Japanese market - because he looks like a gangster.
In Japan the country's most feared mafia - the Yakuza - cut off their little fingers as a sign they can be trusted and have strength of character.
Bob's creators, Hit Entertainment, have also decided to give all merchandising of four-fingered Bob an extra digit so children will not be alarmed.
He is not the first animated character to be altered - in 1994 Postman Pat was considered too scary for export and got the same treatment.
Link. (Article is from 2000.)
So, what about the Simpsons?
