Category Archives: Wishlist

Of course I would love to have every Rilakkuma plushie out there, but this is a working list of plushies I would like to add to my collection.

As of right now, this means I’m not actively hunting them down, but that I would like to own them somewhere down the line.

Rilakkuma x KFC + Wishlist: Yamanote Line Rilakkuma! (ACQUIRED!)

Whew, I made it to the Philippines!! It’s great to be here, but that also means my Rilakkuma adventures will slow down significantly from the past week – which is totally okay because I have a huge backlog of plushies/hauls to photograph anyway haha it’s good to finally get a chance to slow down a bit.

On my last morning in Japan, I finally got my hands on something from the Rilakkuma x KFC collaboration: an Aloha Rilakkuma fan!

Rilakkuma x KFC - fan and box

Most importantly, I finally got the box!!

Rilakkuma x KFC - smile set #3

Set #3!

As I mentioned briefly in a previous post, this is the third set of items from the Rilakkuma x KFC campaign!

In this campaign, you can get one of six Aloha Rilakkuma items with each smile set (like a kid’s meal). I thought the chicken was pretty good – even better than the KFC in the States! But that might have been because I was hungry hahaha

I really liked the picnic blanket design (pancakes!), but I figured I could get more use out of a fan. My sister ordered a smile set too, and chose the same design fan. I think the hot dog design is super cute and silly, especially since you can’t even buy hot dogs at KFC hahaha

The fan turned out to be a good choice because yesterday was HOT and we had to wait in line in the sun for the bus to the airport. On top of that, the Philippines was hot upon arrival (like always), so even though I’ve only had this fan for 24 hours, it’s already seen a lot of use!

Getting this box/fan was so much trouble – we stopped by a KFC in Kyoto and they had nothing in stock… then in Tokyo, we asked our hotel concierge, and they gave us directions to a KFC that recently closed… then we got directions to one in Shibuya that didn’t carry any smile sets at all… but the employees there finally gave us information to another KFC in Shibuya that did stock the Rilakkuma products that was just a short walk away. Such a tiresome journey, but rather worth it, I think! I did everything I wanted to do in Japan, Rilakkuma-wise!

Also, new in the Rilakkuma plushie world: Rilakkuma x Yamanote Line!

Rilakkuma x Yamanote Line - set

Yay, two different designs!

This collaboration celebrates Rilakkuma’s 10th anniversary AND the Yamanote Line’s 50th anniversary as the green line!

In honor of the green Yamanote line and Rilakkuma, Yamanote car #10 will feature a special Rilakkuma design!

ETA (8/28/13): Acquired!

Wow, I wish I was still in Japan to see this! My family took the Yamanote line quite often in our short stay there. Of course, everything has to happen right as I leave Japan haha

In any case, I’ll certainly be trying to get my hands on these two plushie designs – one for me and one for my sister!

I think more details about this collab will be released in mid-July so stay tuned!

Wishlist – Rilakkuma Wonderland Limited Edition Playset!

WOW check out the new Rilakkuma Wonderland plush set!

They’re supposed to be little floats in a parade celebrating Rilakkuma’s 10 year anniversary :)

Rilakkuma Wonderland - store exclusive

OMG so detailed!

Looks like Rilakkuma is singing into a dango microphone on a bear-shaped cake-themed stage with a full band, Korilakkuma’s in a pink castle (with goat and bunny Koris peeking out), and Kiiroitori’s in a birdcage (lol) with other little Kiiroitoris. Love how each float also has little wheels so it looks like they’re actual parade floats! And they have crowns like they’re royalty hahaha

This incredible set will be released as a store exclusive on July 13th!

(ETA 6/17: the San-X Net Shop says they’ll be stocking them too! Haha, too bad I missed that – definitely wouldn’t have pre-ordered from a seller if I knew!)

12,000 yen (~$124 USD) for the entire playset, I believe :O A little steeper than we’ve come to expect from exclusive playsets (the Aloha Rilakkuma Net Shop Exclusive was 10,500 yen), but worth the price for the level of detail, in my opinion!

Will you be getting these? I think I’m gonna go for them (but what’s new haha).

ETA: Here’s campaign page for the Rilakkuma special editions, including the ones riding horses!

I have to admit, when the Rilakkuma Wonderland series was first announced (or leaked I should say haha), I wasn’t the most excited about it for some reason – I didn’t even make a big post about it like I usually do. It was probably because I have bad memories associated with being in the marching band in middle school haha (old uniforms, absentee teachers, trying to avoid horse poop during a parade, ick).

But as more news about this kept rolling in, I got more and more excited – especially when San-X redesigned the Rilakkuma website and premiered a new flash animation – and with this new playset, I’m happy to say that I’ve jumped the fence and I’m a big fan of this series now and can’t wait for it to be released!

In other news… MORE LIMITED EDITION STORE EXCLUSIVES?

That’s right!

Rilakkuma Wonderland - store exclusive plushies

A drum (and one tiiiiny bugle) corp! Kori’s flag says “Smile & Thank you”

Looks like they each have tiny Rilakkumas on their shoulder?? Hahaha I wonder why.

They’re also to be released on July 13, and they’ll be a cool 1,600 yen each. They will be exclusive to Rilakkuma Stores, but from what I understand, the San-X Net Shop will be stocking Rilakkumas-only like they did before for the Aloha Rilakkuma store exclusive (I wonder why they do this…).

They’re super adorable though, but I’ll have check with my old friend Mr. Wallet to see if I can afford them when the time rolls around.

Wowww, the Rilakkuma plushie designers at San-X must be working overtime!

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!

Wishlist – Sandwich Rilakkuma! (ACQUIRED!)

I really enjoy browsing old San-X archives, but I always end up wanting more Rilakkuma…

This time, it’s Sandwich Rilakkuma! Sold only at the Tokyo Station (during its 1 year anniversary) and Umeda stores in February 2010, this set was a special edition release as part of the Bon Voyage/Bonjour series – an entire series seemingly dedicated to Rilakkuma’s love of baguettes.

Bon Voyage Series - Sandwich

Rilakkuma and friends go to Paris!

What a big sandwich! Maybe Rilakkuma looks like he’s already eaten too much.

Speaking of sandwiches, apparently the term “sandwich” was coined by John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who is said to have invented the combination of meat and bread so that he wouldn’t get his hands greasy while playing cribbage! I wonder how he would feel if he saw Rilakkuma feasting on his invention today?

Since this is a limited store-only release from a few years back, I’ll have my work cut out for me when I get around to hunting this one down. I’ve also been eying this Caravan edition from the same series. Maybe I can ask for one of these for my birthday next year?

ETA (9/18/13): Acquired!

Wishlist – Misdo Rilakkuma! (ACQUIRED!)

Thinking about the donuts from yesterday made me hungry! Here’s a plush I’ve recently been yearning for: the Mister Donut (Misdo) Rilakkuma! From my understanding, during the course of this campaign, you would receive a scratchcard with a Misdo donut purchase of more than 100円, and this plushie was a gold level prize.

Misdo Rilakkuma - Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma

Misdo Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma

Rilakkuma partnered with Mister Donut during Winter 2010, where they gave out a ton of other merchandise with donut purchases like tote bags, squish toys, and even a special Christmas set!

They also came out with this wacky TV commercial featuring Japanese star Hiroshi Tamaki:

History lesson: Mister Donut was established in the 1950’s in the US, but after being acquired by Allied-Lyons, most stores in North America were converted into Dunkin’ Donuts (Donutses? Donuts’?). However, the franchise kept its name in Asia (after being acquired by Duskin), and it’s now the largest donut chain in Japan! No wonder Rilakkuma likes them so much!

Anyway – I wrote and queued this post up around last week, and yesterday, Simon ordered him for me!! I’ll post pictures as soon as he arrives! YAY!

ETA (12/11/12): Acquired!

Wishlist – 10th Anniversary Zodiac Series! (ACQUIRED!)

To celebrate Rilakkuma’s 10th anniversary next year, San-X will release the Zodiac Series in January 2013. Each of the plushies represents one of 12 astrological signs of the (Western tropical) Zodiac.

To be honest, I’m kind of lost on the official name: Horoscope? Astrology? Constellation? I’ve seen this series referred to as so many different things in so many different languages (Google translate just made me more confused). I guess the naming seems ambiguous to me because San-X also releases the annual Chinese Zodiac plushies, too.

10th Anniversary Zodiac Series - full

10th Anniversary Zodiac Series

I might want to order the Taurus, the Cancer, and the Scorpio in the future. However, I’m looking forward the entire release because they each have such great details – like the Gemini holding two Korilakkumas and Sagittarius’s quiver. Libra is even weighing dango against a star! That must be some pretty heavy dango. Also, there’s a nice (and appropriate) star motif, and each one has has their astrological sign embroidered in gold. I’d take them all if I could!

I wonder if it’s a coincidence that this series is being released during the Chinese year of the snake? In sidereal astrology, Ophiuchus/Serpentarius (the Serpent Bearer) is often considered the 13th symbol! And look: next year’s annual lunar new year’s release is a serpent-bearing Rilakkuma!

Year of the Snake Series 2013 - full

Year of the Snake Series 2013

ETA (1/28/13): Acquired!

Wishlist – Sapporo 1st Anniversary Series! (ACQUIRED!)

This mint chocolate chip ice cream Rilakkuma was released in September 2012 to celebrate the Sapporo Rilakkuma Store’s 1st anniversary – even the tag is ice cream shaped! Breathtaking details as always, down to the tiny chocolate sprinkles all over the hood and the little mint leaves at the top. The back of the hood also has a celebration message (Happy 1st Birthday! Sapporo.) embroidered in gold! Luckily, I know a bunch of places selling them, but for now I’m going to restrain myself from splurging since I’ve been on a Rilakkuma shopping spree for the past few months already.

Sapporo Rilakkuma Store 1st Anniversary - event announcement

Happy birthday, Sapporo branch!

In general, all of the special store anniversary releases in 2012 were super cute, from Kichijoji’s 2nd Anniversary strawberry cake plushies to Umeda’s 4th anniversary chocolate pudding plushies. I would love to have any of them, but I’ve got my eye out for the Sapporo version because he’s a combination of my favorite ice cream flavor and my favorite Rilakkuma clothing item, the poncho!

ETA (12/15/2010): Acquired!