Tag Archives: rilakkuma

Rilakkuma leftovers!

Here are the miscellaneous Rilakkuma things from the big, recent influx that didn’t quite fit in with the other posts but deserve a mention:

Miscellaneous - all

A Rilakkuma cell phone holder, Korilakkuma mug and plushie (most of these are my sister’s).

The blue envelope on the left and the Kiiroitori folder on the right came together, and were a gift to my sister from her generous Japanese friend: they’re part of an ongoing campaign celebrating a whole decade of Rilakkuma!

Each blue envelope has a mini-folder featuring a different Rilakkuma series inside – my sister lucked out and got a great throwback to a series that debuted in August 2005 that was centered around Kiiroitori’s life and activities! Old school Rilakkuma! Looks like Kiiroitori got stuck cleaning up after Rilakkuma’s mess though…

But that’s not all!

Miscellaneous - Korilakkuma mug

A Korilakkuma mug for Simon! The little tail in the back is so cute, but I think it’s kinda funny that Korilakkuma products with this theme are always just labeled “Rilakkuma” haha

Miscellaneous - towels

Hand towels!
Top row: Face theme (April 2009)
Bottom row: “Rilakkuma, Rilakkuma” (August 2012), Aloha Rilakkuma (February 2013), Let’s Play With Bunnies (December 2012)

Whew! All kuma-ed out for the time being.

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?

 

Vote for Rilakkuma Lifestyle!

Help support Rilakkuma Lifestyle!

My very own (and very first) Rilakkuma plushie is participating in Facebook photo contest!! It’s one of the older photos from my Rilakkuma Lifestyle tumblr:

Rilakkuma Photo Contest - submission

Vote for contemplative Rilakkuma!

Check it out, and please vote for me here: http://fbapp.monipla.jp/post_photo/view/6720/294106!

Rilakkuma Photo Contest - voting screen

Just click on the orange button I’ve circled in yellow to vote!

Press the orange “ほっこり” below the photo! I think only the orange “ほっこり” number counts toward the contest, but you can also click  “いいね！” to “Like” it.

A new window will pop up asking you to install the voting platform app if you haven’t before. As far as I know, the app doesn’t do anything or share content without your permission so it’s safe to add. Also, this contest is run by the official San-X Rilakkuma page, so I trust that it’s all legitimate. Just make sure that the vote count goes up by one when you click!

You can vote once a day!

Thank you so much – I appreciate any support! :) Thanks for your time!

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…

ECAASU 2013 Summary!

Back from ECAASU 2013!

ECAASU 2013 - Powerpoint

View from the podium!

What a blast! My workshop, a moderated discussion titled “Kawaii Iconography: the racial dynamics of cuteness”, was completely full! I was so honored to meet such active and engaging participants. I even got to bring out my Rilakkuma plushie for everyone to see hahaha.

We covered a ton of great topics, but here were a few awesome points:

  • An overarching analysis of the kawaii character market: origins, meanings, and current manifestations. I got to introduce a lot of kawaii characters, highlighting my favorites, Rilakkuma and Sumikko Gurashi!
  • Compared kawaii characters to each other, with intersectional race/gender analysis. Basically: Rilakkuma versus Hello Kitty – how do they differ in representations of gender? For example, how does Rilakkuma represent masculinity (or does he?) versus how Hello Kitty represents femininity?
  • Contrasting these kawaii characters to characters originating from the US: Hello Kitty versus Barbie!
  • Investigating the toy market: whats the target demographic of kawaii merchandise? How does it compared to American cultural attitudes?

I was so inspired by the discussion, and I hope to be able to present again at ECAASU 2014!

Whew! So after a 2 week hiatus, I was welcomed back with a flurry of Rilakkuma news! Lots of great new collabs that I’ll post about soon!

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!

Happy Valentine’s Day from Rilakkuma Lifestyle!

Valentines Day - Rilakkuma 1

Mmmm… chocolate!

valentines-4

Which one will he pick?

Hooray! A teddy bear and chocolates – how appropriate for Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day brings up a lot of silly memories for me. When I was in high school, my boyfriend at the time gave me a dozen roses and a teddy bear – attached to the teddy bear was a piece of lettuce and a note that said “Lettuce be together” hahahahaha.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Valentine’s Day – if not for love/romance, then definitely for the chocolate and candy!

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).