Aloha Rilakkuma!

My sister’s in town for her spring break, and one of her Japanese friends (the same one who gifted us the Rilakkuma furikake before, actually!) gave her some Aloha Rilakkuma swag!

Curiously, I haven’t made a Rilakkuma purchase in over two months, but Rilakkuma stuff always finds its way into my life hahaha

Aloha Rilakkuma - set

From left to right (ish): tote bag, notepad, keychain plushie, pencil case, towel

Aloha Rilakkuma - keychain front

Keychain plushie! Just a miniature version of the 22 cm plushie, but without the plush palm tree.
The grass skirt has a realistic, crisp texture, and even the screen printing on the t-shirt is quite well-defined.

Aloha Rilakkuma - keychain back

Unlike the bigger plushie, his sunglasses don’t have a band that goes all the way around.
And that charm is just as tall as Rilakkuma!

Aloha Rilakkuma - pencil case

While I personally have no need for a pencil case, my sister is in college, so she’ll get a lot of mileage out of this!
Minor detail, but I really like how the sequined “Rilakkuma” is under a smooth plastic finish so the sequin edges don’t bend and catch on things.

The Aloha Rilakkuma Series is ongoing, and began in February 2013. This line is pretty major, with new Caravan designs, store exclusives, and collaborations rolling out week after week!

Speaking of which – do I spy a new San-X Net Shop exclusive??

Aloha Rilakkuma - Net Shop Exclusive design?

Rilakkuma wearing the yellow lei and playing the ukulele is in a lot of the promotional illustrations – I was wondering if/when they’d make a plushie of it!

May turn out to be a wider release, but I only saw this design announced on the San-X Net Shop Facebook page tonight and not on any other official Rilakkuma page as of me writing this post, so we’ll see where this guy will be available!

Let’s Play With Rabbits Series Rilakkuma Plushie!

Released in December 2012, from the Let’s Play With Rabbits Series, it’s Pink Bunny Rilakkuma! Also courtesy of my generous mom’s Asia trip haha

Let's Play With Rabbits Series - full body shot

Already prepared for Easter!

Let's Play With Rabbits Series - pocket and paw detail

His bunny suit has a cute little front pocket, and his paws and feet are padded with fabric with the same texture are Rilakkuma’s regular yellow paws, feet, and ears!

Let's Play With Rabbits Series - lining detail

His suit is lined with soft pink satin, and it’s completely removable! Plus, there are small fluffy fillings that make his ears look longer and more rabbit-like hahaha

When I wrote about this series last year, I didn’t expect to come to own it, but fate had another thing planned, I guess! Glad to have this Energizer bunny Rilakkuma in the ranks!

This series is really quite endearing to me because the campaign illustration features Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma putting bunny ears on everything: from strawberries to Korilakkuma’s own Rilakkuma plushie?? Hahahaha

Let's Play With Rabbits Series - promo image

Bunny strawberry?

 

Rilakkuma Wallets & Coin Purses!

More additions from the Narita Airport – my mom really went all out!

In addition to the bathtime Rilakkuma plushie, she also got these 3 great Rilakkuma wallets/coin purses!

Rilakkuma Wallets - Rabbits front

These two coin purses are from the Let’s Play with Rabbits Series released in December 2012, though Rilakkuma just looks like he usually does.

Rilakkuma Wallets - Rabbits zippers

They each have these awesome Rilakkuma zipper pulls!

Rilakkuma Wallets - Rabbits lining

And lovely Rilakkuma/Korilakkuma print lining! Again, Korilakkuma is decked out in her bunny suit, and Rilakkuma’s just au naturel.

Rilakkuma Wallets - Happy front

This wallet was also released in December 2012, but not as part of a major themed series.

Rilakkuma Wallets - Happy inside

It’s a tri-fold!

Rilakkuma Wallets - Happy mongram charm

Cute “R” monogram charm!

I think I would have more money to fill these wallets without my Rilakkuma addiction hahaha

Bathtime (with heart) Series Rilakkuma Plushie!

So in addition to being welcomed back home with family and a comfortable bed after a long trip to NYC, I was also welcomed back with new Rilakkuma plushies! My mom had a layover at the Narita International Airport, and there’s a souvenir store there that carries San-X products!

One of the plushies she brought back for me was Bathtime (with heart) Rilakkuma! Released in July 2012, this series also features some pretty great Caravan and Limited Edition designs (and then some)!

Bathtime Series - full body shot

Ready for a bubble bath!

Bathtime Series - shower cap detail

He’s got his own personalized shower cap!

Bathtime Series - front bubble detail

Hard to see, but the bubbles on his right leg are heart shaped!

Bathtime Series - back

Bubbles on the back! Looks like a little bunny tail hahaha

After such a busy week, he makes me want a relaxing bubble bath too now…

Wishlist – Rilakkuma x Lawson Aloha Rilakkuma Plushie!

I originally wasn’t planning on purchasing any of the Aloha Rilakkuma series (mainly because the Zodiac order took a chunk out of my Rilakkuma budget), but I definitely want to order the new Lawson Aloha Rilakkuma plushie!

Check out these great details!

Rilakkuma x Lawson - Aloha Rilakkuma - full

Comes with 8 individual parts!

Rilakkuma x Lawson - Aloha Rilakkuma - Rilakkuma, cart, and lei

Rilakkuma comes with removable lei! The shopping cart is attached though. He looks pretty sassy haha

Rilakkuma x Lawson - Aloha Rilakkuma - Korilakkuma and Kiiroitori

Looks like Kiiroitori’s holding the money! Korilakkuma’s brought along her penguin and… her very own Aloha Rilakkuma plushie?

Rilakkuma x Lawson - Aloha Rilakkuma - bag and honey

Lawson shopping bag, and a Kiiroitori shaped bottle of honey!

Rilakkuma x Lawson - Aloha Rilakkuma - cookies and coffee

One of my favorite details: Rilakkuma cookies and coffee!

This super cute set will be released in late June (the 20th) – though pre-orders will be taken from now to April 15. I am looking forward to this release very much!

ETA (8/2/13): Acquired!

In other news, I’m presenting at ECAASU this weekend! Been hard at work preparing slides and speeches, so I may be MIA for bit. It’s been really fun preparing for this presentation because half of it is about Rilakkuma/San-X hahaha – the best kind of work!

Kinokuniya – NYC!

I visited NYC last week (just before Nemo – so scary!), and checked out Kinokuniya!

Kinokuniya is a Japanese bookstore chain (the largest in Japan) with locations all around the world. Most importantly for me, of course, is that they’re licensed sellers of San-X items!

The San-X display was super cute! There was a TV looping Rilakkuma animations at the entrance. They had a small bin of collectible theme plushies, but mostly older releases that my family already owns (like Chicken Rilakkuma); however, they did have a pretty sizable stock of unthemed (naked) Rilakkumas, even the big life-size (165 cm) one!

While I was there, resisting a splurge, I picked up a few gifts – I’m so lucky to have people in my life who love Rilakkuma as much as I do!

Kinokuniya - store

A corner of the store devoted to San-X & Rilakkuma!

Kinokuniya - purchases

My purchases! A Tamago Series Rilakkuma stationary set for myself, Rilakkuma picture book and Tonkatsu cell phone cleaner charm for my sister, and Rilakkuma Café Series key covers for Simon!

Kinokuniya - Rilakkuma picture book

The Rilakkuma picture book has the best illustrations! A gift for my sister, who can actually read Japanese.

Yay! Hopefully I’ll have a chance to visit more stores around the US that stock Rilakkuma things to compare – so far, I’ve only been here and Maido in SF, and they have approximately the same stock (though Kinokuniya has more non-Rilakkuma San-X products).

Sagittarius Rilakkuma Plushie!

Last up from the Zodiac pack (for now): Sagittarius Rilakkuma!

Sagittarius (♐) is represented by the archer. In Greek mythology, Sagittarius is half-human, half horse – but Sagittarius Rilakkuma is just 100% bear hahaha.

Sagittarius Rilakkuma - full body shot

My brother’s sign!

Sagittarius - bow and arrow

LOVE that bear detail that arrow!

Sagittarius Rilakkuma - back

A quiver full of arrows, too!

Wah I know I say this all the time but WOW at the details! The little arrows with bears are sooo adorable, and I absolutely love how they gave him a quiver with two individual arrows in the back. Also, the bow string is made of elastic which makes it seem like Rilakkuma could really shoot arrows with it! Incredible!

Scorpio Rilakkuma Plushie!

Next from the Zodiac Series batch, here’s Scorpio Rilakkuma!

Scorpio (♏), as the name might imply, is represented by the scorpion.

I’m not really sure why Rilakkuma’s scorpion is bright pink, but he sure is cute (and non-threatening) – friendliest-looking scorpion ever!

Scorpio Rilakkuma - full body shot

My, what big claws you have!

Scorpio Rilakkuma - side

Cute scorpion tail in the back!

Scorpio Rilakkuma - head

His little scorpion eyes are so soft and fuzzy!

Scorpio mythology is so cool: as the myth goes, Orion boasted to Artemis that he would kill every creature on Earth. Artemis offered protection to the creatures, and she and her mother sent a scorpion to deal with Orion. The scorpion won, and Zeus raised the scorpion to heaven as the constellation. At Artemis’ request, Zeus also did the same for Orion, to serve as a reminder for mortals to curb their excessive pride.

Just desserts?

Cancer Rilakkuma Plushie!

In the middle of the big Zodiac Rilakkuma group is Cancer Rilakkuma!

Cancer is my sister’s sign, but I probably would’ve ordered this plushie regardless because he’s just too cute!

Cancer (♋) is represented by the crab, though hahaha looks like this Rilakkuma is more like a cooked crab – most crabs/lobsters only turn bright red after they’re cooked.

Cancer Rilakkuma - full body shot

Cooked crab Rilakkuma!

Cancer Rilakkuma - head detail

Bahaha it looks like the hole for the face is a big crab mouth with Rilakkuma inside.

Cancer Rilakkuma - feet

Each Rilakkuma plushie in this series has the astrological sign embroidered in gold.

In Greek mythology, Karkinos (a crab) is thought to have distracted Hercules as he battled the Hydra. Though there are variations on the myth, one version claims that the crab pinched Hercules and was crushed by Hercules’ foot, and Hera rewarded its sacrifice by immortalizing it as a constellation in the sky.

Now, Cancer has been immortalized as a Rilakkuma plushie – awesome!

Gemini Rilakkuma Plushie!

Next up from the Zodiac Series: Gemini Rilakkuma!

Gemini (♊) is represented by the twins Castor and Pollux. In Classical mythology, Castor (the mortal brother) is killed, and Pollux (the immortal brother) chooses to let Castor share some of his immortality, and for this, they alternate between Olympus and Hades.

For this series, Gemini is represented by Rilakkuma holding two twin Korilakkumas!

Gemini Rilakkuma - full body shot

Twin Korilakkumas! Rilakkuma’s arms are locked in, though.

Gemini Rilakkuma - close-up

The detailing is so beautiful – the Korilakkumas have their signature red button, and full outfits!

Gemini Rilakkuma - star back detail

The back of the “R” star charm (present on every member of this Zodiac series) has a tribute to Rilakkuma’s 10th anniversary!

So many beautiful details! I love how golden and sparkly this series is – these Rilakkumas are so regal and angelic!

This plushie is kinda special because his embroidered gold star is on his right shoulder in the back instead of on his paw like the others. Also, he’s kind of like 3 plushies in one!