Tag Archives: 2013

Comics Series Rilakkuma Plushie!

Whew, my first few days of medical school have really flown by! We just completed basic life support (BLS) training/certification this afternoon – hooray!

Also one my of my new classmates likes Rilakkuma too – I’m so lucky to meet someone who has even heard about Rilakkuma all the way over here in Florida hahaha

In addition to all the new school things, I’m getting used to my new home here in Orlando – wow, even though it’s only a few hours from where I grew up, it feels a lot muggier! Orlando isn’t so close to a beach like my hometown, so the air is really quite different here.

Though it never really gets cold here in Florida, it never hurts to be prepared and have a jacket handy like this Comics Series Rilakkuma!

Comics Series - full

I want a matching hoodie!

Comics Series - front

The jacket is removable! Also, I don’t think Rilakkuma’s paws can reach into the pockets lol

Comics Series - back

The hood doesn’t really fit over his head hahaha but you can pull it up to get a better view of the print! On this one, you can see the Strawberry Series (2009) and the Happy Picnic Series (2012)!

This Rilakkuma was a part of the Comics Series, a Rilakkuma Store exclusive series released back in June 29 – this series features a neutral-tone comic print of many of the older Rilakkuma series! Korilakkuma was really special and got a pink print instead though haha

Also, after looking at Ariel’s photos of her Comics series plushies, it looks like each plushie’s jacket uses a different part of this somewhat large fabric design. So while mine has a pretty prominent view of the Strawberry and Happy Picnic series, other plushies might have the Rilakkuma Wonderland part or the Bonjour part more visible on their hoodies – pretty cool!

You know, I’ve been doing so well getting the full sets (with Korilakkuma and Kiiroitori) recently, but I guess I’ll always be a Rilakkuma girl at heart haha

Also in line with the comics series, my sister got her hands on a pretty stylish Comics Series pouch (wristlet?) while we were in Japan – the plushies hadn’t been released yet while we were there, but the purses and some other non-plushie stuff were already out!

Comics Series - pouch

Hey, this is pretty fancy!

This print is definitely one of my favorites so far! I love how they took Rilakkuma’s color scheme and made it into this lovely design!

Oh and I mentioned last time that I built a shelf for my Rilakkumas…

Rilakkuma shelf - 1

Here it is! I guess I’ll have to build a new shelf when I inevitably get more hahaha

I only brought about a third of my total collection (since I don’t have a place to put them all yet), but maybe more of them will migrate over to my new place as time goes by and I actually get a hold of more shelves or something.

You know, I still have more Rilakkuma plushies to photograph haha, but slowly but surely, I’ll get through all of them!

10th Anniversary Event Tuxedo Rilakkuma, Korilakkuma, & Kiiroitori Plushies!

My white coat ceremony for medical school is today! A white coat ceremony is a big event here where we get to wear our white coats for the first time, symbolizing our transition to a serious career in healthcare!

To celebrate this occasion, check out these formally dressed plushies: 10th anniversary Rilakkuma, Korilakkuma, & Kiiroitori wearing red sequined blazers!

Hey, also did you know this is my first full-size Kiiroitori?

10th Anniversary Series - full

Happy 10th, Rilakkuma! I love how their collar and hat ribbon colors match!

10th Anniversary Series - back

Showing their tails through their coattails hahaha

10th Anniversary Series - hats

Their hats have their favorite foods! Kiiroitori doesn’t have anything in particular T^T

This dapper set was a special order at the Rilakkuma 10th Anniversary Exhibit!

While I ordered these back in the spring exhibit, in the current exhibit, you can now get this set AND the special 10th anniversary thrones set as well – wow!

I really want to go to the exhibit myself (Ariel made a great post on it), but this cute set will have to do for now haha.

Anyway, in other news, I moved in to my new apartment in Orlando!

Rilakkuma moves in

Rilakkuma helped tremendously, of course.

We actually don’t have much furniture around yet lol, just a dining set and bedroom things – but no rush, we’ll be working on it over the next few weeks! We just spent the weekend building all the stuff we bought from IKEA hahaha (they have such a great cafeteria!).

This weekend has been a blur because of moving and stuff, but most importantly, I did set up a new Rilakkuma display shelf in my room, so photos of that in the next post for sure!

Lawson Aloha Rilakkuma Playset!

Wah, I can’t believe I ordered this back in March and I’m just now photographing it haha – though in my defense, it only arrived after I came back from Asia.

Anyway, here it is, at long last: the Lawson x Aloha Rilakkuma Playset!

Rilakkuma x Lawson - Aloha Rilakkuma - full

Everyone’s going shopping!

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

Rilakkuma and his undetachable cart! His flower lei is removable though.

Rilakkuma x Lawson - Aloha Rilakkuma - Korilakkuma

This Korilakkuma is so wild to me haha because she’s proportionally much smaller than the Rilakkuma, like she could be Rilakkuma’s plushie… and she herself is holding an Aloha Rilakkuma plushie? Hahahaha I guess it’s cool that Korilakkuma goes shopping for Rilakkuma plushies just like we do.

Rilakkuma x Lawson - Aloha Rilakkuma - Kiiroitori

Eeee this Kiiroitori is so cute and small! And he bears a striking resemblance to the Kiiroitori from the Happiness series (2007) – I guess Kiiroitori has always been in charge of holding the money!

Rilakkuma x Lawson - Aloha Rilakkuma - items

My favorite details: Hawaii coffee, Rilakkuma cookies, and a Kiiroitori honeypot with a Lawson bag to take them home in!

Lawson/HMV started taking pre-orders for this set way back in February of this year – wow that was a long time ago! They sold out before the pre-order deadline of April 15, and were finally sent out in mid-June!

I actually haven’t finished covering all the cool Rilakkuma things my dad bought in Japan, so here’s another entry that jives with today’s Aloha Rilakkuma theme!

Kabaya Aloha Rilakkuma - front

I assembled this one myself!

Kabaya Aloha Rilakkuma - top

Well assembly is pretty easy – just 2 stickers for the background and the ground, and then fitting the 2 yellow boards and the figurines in the right spot!

My family really likes the guitar-playing Rilakkuma because there’s an old photo of my dad playing the guitar in exactly the same pose and expression hahaha so it’s kind of like seeing my dad in bear form.

This figurine set was made by Kabaya under domestic license – Kabaya seems to be mostly a sweets company, which makes sense (I guess) because this set also inexplicably came with an unmarked bag of candy inside (what).

This set is pretty cool because there’s a little link at the bottom so that you can connect it to other figures like it! Cool idea! I wonder if my dad will collect any more…

Anyway, just as a heads up, I’m starting medical school on August 5 – I really have no idea how much free time I’ll have (if any, yikes), but I’ll try to still keep posting when I can because surprisingly, Rilakkuma mania actually keeps me grounded and focused hahaha. I mean, Mary makes it work as a doctor AND a mom AND collecting way more than just Rilakkumas so we’ll see how well I can do haha

Harajuku 1st Anniversary Rilakkuma & Korilakkuma Plushies!

Okay haha I know the Harajuku anniversary was way back in June, but I asked my seller to mail me all my Rilakkuma orders in one big box, so I just got them recently!

So happy 1st anniversary, Harajuku Rilakkuma Store! (And happy anniversary to the whole Harajuku Kiddy Land, too!)

Harajuku 1st Anniversary - full

What a delicious looking set of crepes!

Harajuku 1st Anniversary - face close-up

Rilakkuma is banana/chocolate/strawberry/cherry flavored, and Korilakkuma is strawberry/cherry! I wonder what Kiiroitori would be if he were included?

Harajuku 1st Anniversary - ear detail

Teehee, they’re even adorned with food by their ears!

Harajuku 1st Anniversary - back

One of my favorite details is actually the back, where you can see little bits of the banana slices and strawberries peeking out…

Harajuku 1st Anniversary - banana and strawberry detail

… And WOW, they actually put little seeds on the banana slices even though you can’t even see them unless you pull them out of the crepe pocket! Same with the strawberries – no shortcuts here!

And hey, we see Rilakkuma with bananas again! I guess Tokyo is really known for their bananas hahaha.

With all of the food-themed anniversary Rilakkumas, I tend to gravitate towards the foods I like to eat – so I was especially happy to see a crepe theme this year! Crepes are definitely one of my favorite foods :D

Anyway, I thought the pattern on Rilakkuma’s crepe envelope looked familiar… it’s just like my oven mitt from the Egg Series from 2012!

Harajuku 1st Anniversary - with mitt

I guess the checker pattern is quite a bit larger than the one on the crepe.

Harajuku 1st Anniversary - with Fukuoka Rilakkuma in mitt

Hey, now everyone can be a crepe Rilakkuma, too!

I do think the white/banana yellow combination is a pleasant color scheme!

I also got some event pins, too!

So beautiful, but I don’t really have a place to put them – they’re kind of just leaning against the other plushies in my collection now haha

Harajuku 1st Anniversary - pins

Watermelons! Just like this year’s Tokyo Skytree Anniversary plush!

Harajuku 1st Anniversary - Kiddy Land file

ETA: forgot to add that I also got a file folder for Harajuku Kiddy Land’s 1st anniversary, too! I keep my (folded) KFC x Rilakkuma boxes in there right now haha

Great! I hope the Rilakkuma Stores continue with the food trend :D

Aloha Rilakkuma Caravan Edition (and Rilakkuma Ice Tray Results)!

Well, as a typical Florida summer goes, when it rains, it REALLY rains… and when it’s sunny, it’s REALLY sunny.

And guess who’s prepared? Aloha Rilakkuma, Caravan Edition!!

Aloha Rilakkuma Caravan - full

Prepared for the summer sun!

Aloha Rilakkuma Caravan - face

How funny that the white parts of him (nose, belly) don’t get any tanner haha

Aloha Rilakkuma Caravan - lei detail

What a lovely flower lei!

Aloha Rilakkuma Caravan - with clerk

He really is quite tan compared to the rest!

He was released during San-X’s 2013 spring caravan (which recently ended), as part of the Aloha Rilakkuma series!

Like (not) My Only Rilakkuma, we picked him up at the Harajuku Rilakkuma Store :D He looks so toasty!

Maybe he’d like to cool down with some ice from the Rilakkuma ice tray after all that time in the sun?

As I mentioned yesterday, my sister and I tried out one of our newest Rilakkuma products last night – here are the results!

I thought they turned out great!

Rilakkuma Ice Tray - front

The front of the ice tray, all filled with raspberry lemonade!

Rilakkuma Ice Tray - all

Here they all are! Wow, they were so tough to pop out since the tray isn’t that flexible! From left to right: Rilakkuma head, Korilakkuma head, Korilakkuma sitting, Korilakkuma laying down, Kiiroitori, Rilakkuma siting, Rilakkuma laying on his side, Rilakkuma laying down.

Rilakkuma Ice Tray - close-up

The details actually ended up being pretty visible, but it’s so tough to capture in a photo…

Rilakkuma Ice Tray - in glass

Here they are cooling my water!

Hahaha well I thought they looked really good, but I didn’t really think about what kind of liquid drink to put them in.

Putting them in just water just made the water taste slightly sweet/sour haha, but they were still super cute!

My Only Rilakkuma Plushie!

Oh hey, it’s My Only Rilakkuma!

What a funny name, we all know he’s far from my only Rilakkuma hahaha

My Only Rilakkuma - full

Fluffy!

My Only Rilakkuma - close-up

Simon says he looks very determined!

My Only Rilakkuma - in bed

In his natural habitat.

He was released in April 2013 and wow, he really is so soft and fluffy, and such a cute size – I love him a lot! We got him at the Harajuku Rilakkuma Store!

Continuing the trend of “cute Rilakkuma products my dad bought”, Rilakkuma stickers!

Stickers - set of 3

So many foods! And I love all his outfits :)

I think I like the one with all the different outfits (right-most) best!

They’re so cute, but I never know what to do with stickers; I usually think they’re too cute to use haha.

It’s the same way I feel about stationary – if you get something from me written on Rilakkuma stationary, you know it’s important because I don’t use Rilakkuma stationary on just anyone (plus it’s pricey)!

Whew, seems like things are slowing down a bit after the Wonderland release – it’s bananas, Rilakkuma stuff always happens in these giant bursts… I guess this might be the calm before the next storm?

In other news, I have way too many Rilakkuma to post/photograph about still! Can’t complain about the bounty of Rilakkumas though hahaha. My Lawson Aloha Rilakkuma playset came in this week, and I have another delivery on the way :O all stuff I ordered months ago though so my wallet’s been able have some much deserved relaxation haha.

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!

Nara Rilakkuma!

I was originally planning on doing individual plushie posts later, but I couldn’t wait to share this one!

It’s Nara Rilakkuma!

Nara Rilakkuma - bento

The top cracker he’s holding up says 鹿せん (shika-sen), which is the cracker used to feed deer; the bottom cracker 奈良 (Nara), the region he represents!

This plushie was produced by HNA with a Rilakkuma license!

Basically, each prefecture in Japan has its own special Rilakkuma based on the what’s special for that particular city.

In Nara, there are a TON of deer, so Nara Rilakkuma is appropriately wearing deer antlers and holding up a rice cracker called shika-senbei – you can buy them to feed the deer.

I think it’s really fitting because it seems like deer paradise in Nara. According to legend, one of the gods (Takenomikazuchi-no-mikoto) appeared on a mountain riding a deer, and since then, deer have been considered messengers of the gods in Shinto! Back then, killing a deer was a crime punishable by death!

Nara - deer

One photo really does not do them justice – there are really deer everywhere!

Nara - deer warning sign

Sometimes people get way too friendly with the deer though…

In any case, I was super excited to run across this Rilakkuma plushie! Wish I could’ve found more – the HNA website lists 59 different Rilakkuma designs in just the Kansai region alone! They seem pretty difficult to find though; we only ran into this one at a small souvenir shop by chance as we were leaving Tōdai-ji.

Speaking of deer… I hear that the newest Rilakkuma series leak is a deer Rilakkuma??

deer-leak-1

Thanks for the tip, Kumadokidoki and Mary!

Wow, how fitting! Seeing this design after a deer-filled day in Nara is pretty silly hahaha

The Tale of Four Rilakkuma Stores!

Hello! I’m more than halfway through my Japan trip and I finally have time to sit and blog for a bit about what’s happened so far!

Thank you everyone for your well wishes – we arrived safe and sound at Tokyo!

The plane was really nice – I had so much space that my Rilakkuma even had a platform to himself hahaha

Rilakkuma on Airplane - window view

Descent into Tokyo!

Anyway, for the first two nights, we were in Tokyo, just minutes away from Tokyo Station!

We were kind of in a hurry to get to dinner rather late at night, so we didn’t get to shop but! we did get to check out the Tokyo Station Rilakkuma Store! Ariel already made a post on this store recently, but it’s really quite incredible to see a Rilakkuma Store in person!

Tokyo Station Rilakkuma Store - front

Will shop here for real soon!

We’re going back to the Tokyo Station area for a day before we leave Japan, so I will be sure to shop there for real next time!

The next day, we went to the Tokyo Skytree Rilakkuma Store!

Tokyo Skytree Rilakkuma Store - front

I got one of those Skytree plushies with all three of the Rilakkuma crew!

Tokyo Skytree Rilakkuma Store - cashier

Paying the Rilakkuma Store workers’ salaries in one fell swoop.

This was the first time we got to spend a great deal of time at the Rilakkuma Store. They had a bunch of Skytree specials (though the Tokyo Station one also sold a few Skytree plushies), and I feel like I circled the store over 20 times analyzing everything before paying and leaving.

I’ll post close-ups of what I bought at a later post (they’re all stowed away in luggage right now booo), but here’s the list of the Skytree haul:

The small 22cm watermelon anniversary plushies were sold out, but there was no shortage of the XL version – I wonder why?

Strangely enough, there were even Halloween 2012 Kiiroitoris still in stock?? Hmmm…

Whew! Then the next day, we ran over to the Harajuku Rilakkuma Store!

Harajuku Rilakkuma Store - front

It’s the Rilakkuma half of the floor! I love how the entrances to each Rilakkuma store is slightly different.

Harajuku Rilakkuma Store - side Korilakkuma

Look who’s hiding on the side!!

Here at Kiddyland, half of the fourth floor is devoted to Rilakkuma! Even the bathroom is painted with a Rilakkuma theme haha

The plushie haul from Harajuku:

They’re gearing up for their anniversary on the 29th – so sad I’ll miss it!!

Finally, on our way out of Osaka, we stopped by the Umeda Rilakkuma Store!

Umeda Rilakkuma Store - front

Hello, Rilakkuma!

Even more plushies to be bought here!

I didn’t even know what the Holiday collab was, or what Holiday even is but I snagged one anyway since I was already there. Turns out it’s some clothing brand haha, so cute!!

I was really shocked to see that they had some of the Fukuoka 3rd Anniversary plushies there (I wasn’t even in Fukuoka!) – guess they had a few left over? I always assumed the anniversary plushies flew off the shelves like hotcakes.

There was also a healthy stock of Rilakkuma apparel that the other branches I visited didn’t have, so my family stocked up on some Rilakkuma shorts haha.

Whew! That’s 4 out of 8 Rilakkuma Stores! I know during the next trip, I’ll have to stop by the Fukuoka, Sapporo, Sendai, and Kichijoji branches!!

I’ll have to write more when I finally get the time to photograph each of them, but that’s all for now!!

All’s quiet on the Rilakkuma front until the Wonderland release, I’m guessing!

Off to Japan!

Quick post: I’m leaving for Japan in 15 minutes!

I might be updating with photos if I can, but I’m officially on hiatus! I don’t know how much time I’ll be able to spend online (plus I’m only bringing a tablet).

Taking my first Rilakkuma plushie to his ancestral home hahaha

Rilakkuma Lifestyle - Bridge

Well, this was taken at the Duke Gardens in Durham, NC, not in Japan… but this bridge was constructed as a partnership with Durham’s sister city in Japan!

Also! I just got email confirmation from Lawson that my Rilakkuma x Lawson Aloha Rilakkuma plushie has shipped! Yay!

Haha since I pre-ordered it so long ago (back in March!!), I didn’t even know I’d be in Japan when it came out. Pretty awful timing since it’ll end up shipping to the US right as I leave :[ but hey – at least I’ll have something cute to welcome me back to the states in July! :D

See you all again in 3 weeks!