Wow, things have really gotten hectic in the Rilakkuma world in the past two days!
Here’s a quick run-down of what’s going on:
They’re in a fruit pie!
Yum!
Rilakkuma Happy Natural Time (ハッピーナチュラルタイムテーマ) – Rilakkuma’s Homemade Pie with Fruits Filling – Deer Series: October, date TBA
I really want more details to be released about this whole series! Also a shorter official series name maybe hahaha.
Especially because it’s pie-related, and I love food Rilakkumas.
Right now, we can get ourselves ready for the Lawson x Rilakkuma collaboration for this series – details on the date to be released soon, but in the past I’ve ordered Lawson Rilakkuma goods online and of course, those in Japan can use the Loppi system at Lawson to order in person. This set will be 3990円.
The design for the standard size plushies have been leaked (they’re deer), but I’m kinda torn because I want to wait and see what the other designs will be (Caravan, Store Exclusives, Net Shop Exclusive, etc.), but this Lawson plush pre-order might end before I get a chance to decide.
Also, I don’t know how deer relate to pies but I’ll take it hahaha
Didn’t know Rilakkuma was such a good fisherman!
Umeda 5th Anniversary Plushie: September 14
Hey, Rilakkuma and Kiiroitori caught a big red sea bream!
The red sea bream has a special place in Japanese culture, and are symbols of good fortune. How auspicious to have Rilakkuma riding one for the celebration of the oldest Rilakkuma Store’s birthday!
I think I want to get this one! I kind of want to hang it on my car’s rearview mirror, but I wouldn’t want it to get sun-damaged either, hmm…
I wonder if there will be a happy birthday message printed somewhere like we saw in the past year’s store anniversary plushies (example)?
This plushie (looks like it’s on a string) will be available for 1600円 at all of the Rilakkuma Stores, but not online.
Not too scary!
A playset! Also Kiiroitori’s ghost costume completely covers him up haha
Halloween 2013 Plushies and Playset: September 7
This is the first time we’ve seen a Halloween playset in a while!
Like previous Halloween releases, you can buy these at one of the 8 Rilakkuma Stores in Japan, select carrier stores, and the Net Shop. The individual plushies are 1680円, and the playset is 15,000円 (wow). If you go directly to a Rilakkuma Store, they will have special edition drawstring treat bags, too!
Bunnies?
Sapporo 2nd Anniversary Plushies: September 7
Also coming out on September 7 is Sapporo’s Anniversary plushie for 2013!
Like the Umeda anniversary plushie, this set is also deeply tied to Japanese tradition! Because Sapporo’s Anniversary is quite close to the harvest moon for this year, these plushies are Tsukimi (月見) themed! Tsukimi, literally translated to “moon viewing”, are Japanese festivals honoring the harvest moon. Traditional offerings include dango and susuki grass, which Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma are holding. Not sure what’s in Korilakkuma’s left paw (if anyone knows, please let me know), but seasonal produce are also offered during Tsukimi as well!
In my family’s tradition, we play this wild mooncake dice game for the harvest moon – super fun! My sister won the jackpot prize last year!
Though I loved the food anniversary plushies from the past year, seeing these new ones that are so linked Japanese culture and tradition is really great!
Their little pink tags/ribbons say “2nd Sapporo” on them!
Unlike the Umeda plushie, this one is only available at the Sapporo Rilakkuma Store, and the plushies are 1300円 each.
A beautiful band!
Christmas 2013 Net Shop Exclusive Pre-Orders: August 23 ~ September 23 (Delivered in late November)
I know I kinda posted about this set already, but it’s worth mentioning again just to represent how many different things have been announced in the past 48 hours!
I really love this batch’s set of instruments: keyboard, piano, drum, bass violin, trumpet, accordion, and saxophone – what a mix!
As a Net Shop exclusive, you can only buy this online at the Net Shop for 17,500円 – the priciest I’ve seen at retail yet!
Whew, that’s about it for now! I think I got used to the slow Rilakkuma news and now I feel overwhelmed haha.
RilakkumaLifestyle 
Hello there Faith!! How have you been? Thank you so much for writing this post! Really enjoyed reading it and I learnt so much about the Japanese tradition and culture too. 😊 I am so excited about the new releases too and hoping that Ariel will be able to help me get them too!! She has been so kind!!😊 Thanks again!! Take care!!😘
Hi! I’ve been great, I hope things are well with you! I am pretty excited about the new anniversary series because they seem so culturally meaningful! However, I’m still not sure which ones I’ll actually end up getting yet – decisions are difficult! Hopefully I can make up my mind soon haha
I am in love with that fruit pie one XD soooooo cute! But where is Kori?! :< yea… too many cute releases again! :< thanks for sharing!
Yeah, it’s kind of strange to see Kori out of the mix! Two of the releases this weekend only have Rilakkuma and Kiiroitori – poor Kori, usually it’s Kii who’s left out!
Hahah ~ yea… stinkage. I love Kori… so :<
Wow I’m just going crazy with all the new releases. There’s going to be a big LawsonX Rilakkuma collaboration in October with the play sets too. Deer and Play sets way to not let us save money San-X. I was disappointed at first about the new theme of the Anniversaries but its grown on me and I’m quite the fan of the traditional folktales. I’m thinking Korilakkuma is holding a chestnut.
I am so excited but a little sad because the more they release all at once the less I can get right away. I always dislike choosing >.< Wonderland series all over again ha. I'm so going to pre-order the pie set, it is weird to see Kii replacing Ko. Maybe lots of people wrote in that they wanted to see more of Kii.
Yeah, it’s so bananas to look at the official announced releases AND the leaked ones AND the other releases and collabs we’re expecting. Another Lawson playset + Rilakkuloset + bigger My Only’s…plus the caravan/event plushies for the deer series. Too much to keep track of! And so hard to choose, especially with this year’s price tags…
I totally feel you on the anniversary series – the design wasn’t really my type at first, especially after a whole year of food bears, but it is really cool to see what traditions each one is tied to. Like Rilakkuma holding a plate of dango/Kii with the grass seemed really random until I realized what they stood for. San-X is so smart!
Hi, i am a late starter rilakkuma lover which started a few mths back:( I chance upon your blog and found it really cool and you are so generous to share with everyone the google docs:)
By any chance do you help ppl like myself to do purchases on sanx net website for christmas set 2013? Cause for me, i can’t read japanese and am clueless on how to do purchases on sanx net site:(
PS: If you don’t help for purchase it’s ok too. Thank You!
Hi! Welcome to the Rilakkuma community :) I’m a late starter too – I just started not even a year ago!
The easiest way to order from the Net Shop is to use Tenso, a forwarding service that gives you a Japanese address to mail stuff to! I made a guide you can check out here: https://rilakkumalifestyle.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/how-to-order-internationally-from-the-san-x-net-shop/
The San-X website has changed a little bit since I made this guide back in January, but many things are the same. I’m going to update the guide sometime soon, but let me know here or by email if you run into any major problems and I’ll try to help!