Here Mr Murakami's best-known character, a typically smiley child figure named Mr DOB, has morphed into something darker and dystopian, spewing liquids and sprouting mutated versions of himself.

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"I think it's a missed opportunity on Mr. Obama's part, " Smiley told CNN.

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Mr. Oldman's emphasis is on self-containment, but what his Smiley seems to contain is all the wisdom of a blighted world.

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