Hello everyone, and sorry for the long delay since my last post! I’ve been working hard on my neurology clerkship, and got to see all kinds of cool things like angiograms, EEGs, and lumbar punctures. Lots of hard work, but I just took my neurology final yesterday, and next week, I will be starting with my psychiatry clerkship – wow, my third year of medical school is already flying by!
Since we’re gearing up for summer, Rilakkuma fans have a lot to look forward to, as generally Rilakkuma releases come in big waves this season! Here are a few releases I’m looking forward to!
They’re cuddly pandas!
Standard edition: 1,800円 each.
Caravan edition: 1,500円
Store exclusive edition: 2,100円 each
Panda Series (パンダでごろん) – July 2015
This is the big summer series this year! San-X usually saves the animal themes for the major fall release, but I really love this design! Pandas are so adorable, aren’t they? And I really love the idea of bears dressing up as other bears haha.
In addition to plushies, there’s lots of other cute products in the series, like this super adorable tissue box cover – wow!
I’m definitely getting a plushie from this series, but not sure which one yet! I’m leaning toward the caravan design right now, because I love the panda dango!
Looks like Rilakkuma’s take on the Rolling Stones!
Look at these rockstars! I always love a Rilakkuma in a jumpsuit hehehe. Only attainable by lottery after buying another product.
Glad to see that the Riakkuma x Tower Records Cafe is continuing this year too!
Rilakkuma x Tower Records 2015 – July 10
I look forward to this collaboration every year – I love seeing Rilakkuma and friends as rockstars! They look super cool this year with their sunglasses hehehe. I hope they release a playset like last year, too! Seems a little more complicated to get the standard sized collectible plushies this year though, since you have to buy something, then hope you get the plush though a lottery (thanks for the info, sundusts!).
I’m also really happy to see the continuation of the Rilakkuma partnership with Tower Records Cafe, too! There were some pretty amazing photos from last year’s event (check out angelacarpediem’s!), and I hope I get the opportunity to go in the future! I wonder what Rilakkuma-themed meal they’ll be serving this year! Rock on!
Hooray, celebrating another Rilakkuma Store! 1,900円 each.
Adorable playset released on the same day at all Rilakkuma Stores! 3,580円.
Kamiotai (上小田井) Rilakkuma Store Plus Sumikko Gurashi Shop Opening – July 3
Wow, another Rilakkuma Store is cropping up in Japan! Cool that it’s another Rilakkuma Store plus Sumikko Gurashi Shop like the one they recently opened in Fujimi. This time it’s in Kamiotai, in Nagoya!
In this series, Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma hold a golden (Kiiroitori) orca whale, a symbol of Nagoya. A very cute and meaningful design, and I love that these bears are sitting down (that Kiiroitori whale must be heavy)!
On the same day of the Kamiotai opening, Rilakkuma Stores across Japan will also be selling a special Rilakkuma playset! Can anyone shed any light on what they’re snacking on? Kinda looks like something dipped in honey.
Hahaha all of these new store openings are gonna make it hard for me to see all of them! When I went to Japan in 2013, I got to visit 4 out of 8, but now there are 11, and probably more to come! So cool to see more and more Rilakkuma Stores crop up!!
Popcorn Rilakkuma ready for the movies! 1,580円 each.
Harajuku 3rd Anniversary – July 4
In addition to a new Rilakkuma Store opening, the Harajuku Rilakkuma is celebrating it’s 3rd anniversary with a popcorn theme during Independence Day here in the US! Rilakkuma seems like the only one who avoided being actually inside a popcorn bucket himself haha. I like that they’ve been going with food themes for recent anniversary plushes :D
Any Rilakkuma designs catching your eye? I’ve been eying the Mister Donut beach towel promotion recently, and might pick up the blue design since there are a ton of affordable ones on auction right now!
RilakkumaLifestyle 
Wow rilakkuma is busy during the summer! Those panda outfits look very warm, I am getting sweaty just by looking at them.
Pandas must get so hot in the summer T^T
For the rockstar Rilakkuma, we can’t buy those specific plushes you pictured. The 2052 yen things are keychains…. D8 The actual plushes are only attainable through a lottery…You have to first buy some rilakkuma x tower record goods and then they’ll give you a coaster as a gift, and then there’s a QR code on the back of the coaster that you scan to see if you’ve won. so complicated lol.
Pandas are my favorite animal of all time and rilakkuma is my favorite character of all time so this incoming theme is going to KILL MY WALLET. I’m basically planning on buying all the plushes and probly some of the other stuff too….someone stop meeee lol
Oh wow, thanks for letting me know, I’ll update it right now! I didn’t even notice that those were the keychain prices I was looking at – dang, those are getting pricey, too! The whole thing sounds super complicated! I wonder why they chose to do that this year.
The panda series is soooo cute!! I think it’s a perfect design for the summer :D :D :D
I love all the news!! Panda series here I come~ Oh no darn those tower records one’s will be hard to get XD
Wooooo!! I love summer because theres just a giant wave of Rilakkuma news one after the other and I have so many choices! Bad news is that there are so many choices too haha. Definitely getting something from the panda series, but leaning toward the Caravan design right now… hmmm so many decisions to make!!
Oh I know it’s tough and they keep getting more expensive! I’m leaning towards Ko in the hammock!
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The pandas!! I’m also curious: perhaps I’ve been looking in the wrong place, but until when will the café be there?
Sorry for the late response, but the cafe is open until August 30!