Tag Archives: simon

How Rilakkuma Stole Christmas!

Howdy – hope everyone is enjoying December so far!

Check out this holiday Rilakkuma artwork created by my favorite resident Rilakkuma artist, Simon!

How Rilakkuma Stole Christmas

Rilakkuma as the Grinch, Korilakkuma as Cindy Lou Who, and Kiiroitori as the star!

This is based on a famous scene from the 1966 TV special How The Grinch Stole Christmas where Cindy Lou Who catches the Grinch stealing the star from the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.

Here’s the famous scene, for your reference:

How the Grinch Stole Christmas - gif

I prefer cute Rilakkuma hehehe

Hope you enjoyed this art project! In other Rilakkuma news, there’s always so many cute releases in the wintertime – here’s just a quick run through of a few that caught my eye!

Mister Donut x Rilakkuma Winter 2015: I absolutely love when Rilakkuma collaborates with Mister Donut, and this season is no exception! This year, the special items are a choice of 2 plates or a donut tree – wow, I think both of those are really great! Even though I’ve only had Mr. Donut food once in my life, I feel a really strong connection to this collaboration, it’s just too adorable!

Mister Donut x Rilakkuma Winter 2015 - cover

Whoa, that donut display tree makes me really wish I baked enough to display my food like that!

Year of the Monkey 2016: In preparation for the next zodiac cycle, this week, San-X welcomed the Rilakkuma Year of the Monkey plushies! Wow, these are super cute – I wish they would make a playset again like they did for the 2014 Year of the Horse release, I would get it in a heartbeat!

Rilakkuma Year of the Monkey 2016 - cover

Rilakkuma and pals dressed as monkeys, holding wind-up monkeys and bananas! They even have little pink rumps hahaha. 1,900円 each.

New Years 2016 Playset: Um WOW I’m really blown away by the incredible detail in this piece! The content reminds me a lot of the Nabe (鍋) set from last year in terms of the detailing and individual ingredients, and the cover design is so similar to the Rilakkuma Store 5th Anniversary plush!

This design has Rilakkuma and pals as part of an osechi (御節料理), a traditional Japanese food to celebrate the new year! Each dish has a special meaning, such as the red sea bream Rilakkuma is holding, which represents an auspicious event. I really want to get this set – I just can’t take my eyes off this jaw-dropping level of detail and design!

New Years 2016 Playset - cover

A beautiful boxed set featuring 15 individual plush components! 10,000円 for the whole set.

Christmas 2015: This year’s Christmas theme is poinsettias, and the title is “Shining Christmas Rilakkuma” – how beautiful! They join the Christmas 2015 Net Shop Exclusive stuffed set, which is themed as a cozy Christmas house. These wonderful designs were already released in early November, but since it’s the season, I thought they deserved the feature! One of the most elegant Christmas designs I’ve seen!

Christmas 2015 - standard

Beautiful poinsettia stoles for the standard release: 1,900円 each

Christmas 2015 - Rilakkuma Store exclusive

The Rilakkuma Store exclusive playset features a Rilakkuma Santa team in their sleigh! Looks like the deer from last year’s Happy Natural time series are back again, hehehe. 12,000円 for the set.

Christmas 2015 - snowbears

Super adorable Rilakkuma snowbears with poinsettia details! 1,480円 each.

Christmas 2015 - headband

And finally, one really cute addition to the lineup: a Rilakkuma Santa-themed headband! 1,850円 each.

What do you think? Any of these designs catching your eye? Personally, I’m super impressed this year!

In other news, I’m finishing up another rotation (obstetrics and gynecology) in two weeks – wow, time is really flying fast!

Interview: Rilakkuma Day Event Planner Michelle Nguyen!

Rilakkuma Day was a special Rilakkuma event held at FAO Schwarz on October 11. This event featured so many cool aspects, such as: a special Rilakkuma photo booth, Rilakkuma prize packs for those who post their Rilakkuma day photos on social media, Rilakkuma freebies, Rilakkuma-themed lolita girls, as well as the latest Rilakkuma goods!

Rilakkuma Day 2014 - Michelle Nyugen

Photo of Rilakkuma Day display at FAO Schwarz taken by Michelle Nguyen!

I was honored to be able to interview Michelle Nguyen, lead event planner from Bubble Punch (the event production company responsible for Rilakkuma Day), to give you the inside scoop on Rilakkuma Day 2014 – enjoy!

What was your impression about the event overall?
The event was a huge success. We had so many fans from so many different places come and visit FAO Schwarz just to see Rilakkuma and get a chance to snap up the latest products! We had trouble restocking the shelves fast enough! We were also really happy that a lot of fans hung out and talked to our staff about their love of Rilakkuma, and it seems like a lot of fans even got together and made new friends there with like-minded Rilakkuma lovers!

What was your personal favorite moment from the event?
When Rilakkuma emerged for the first time in FAO, there was a palpable excitement in the air! People were clapping and yelling and trying to take photos as Rilakkuma slowly walked over to the photo area. It was so exciting and I was very happy with the response.

What aspect of the event did the fans enjoy most?
Meeting Rilakkuma was definitely at the top of all the mega-fans’ lists, I think, as well as buying the newly released products! A lot of fans had fun just hanging out in the store and meeting each other too!

What’s your favorite item out of all of the Rilakkuma products out today?
I love the Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma kigurumi outfits. I wear mine when it’s cold in the house and during Halloween basically every year.

Which one seems to be the most popular product among fans?
The medium sized Rilakkuma plushies were the first to run out!

What’s next for Bubble Punch, Rilakkuma/San-X-related or otherwise?
We have big plans for 2015, but we can’t quite talk about them yet! Stay tuned!

Who is your favorite: Rilakkuma, Korilakkuma, or Kiiroitori – and why?
I really like them all… they’re all so unique and weird (if that’s even the right word). I enjoy how they are kawaii characters, but that there’s another layer of awkward laziness to them all. They even fight sometimes, which I think is really hilarious.

Wow! So awesome to hear the medium-sized Rilakkuma were the first to run out – a medium-sized Rilakkuma plush was my very first Rilakkuma product, and launched the whole Rilakkuma obsession for me!

Thank you so much to Michelle for sharing your thoughts and experiences with the Rilakkuma community! We’re all looking forward to see what Bubble Punch will have in store for everyone in the future!

Fellow Rilakkuma blogger Ellie was able to go to Rilakkuma Day 2014 herself; read all about her awesome day over at her blog!

Speaking of which, in her Rilakkuma Day post, Ellie wrote a little bit about how she noticed that AQI (Aliquantum International) has begun expanding their licensed plushie line to include designs and costumes inspired by the existing Rilakkuma lines coming out of Japan like the Heart Bath Series and the Which Color Do You Like? Series – super cool! AQI is the officially licensed manufacturer of Rilakkuma plushies in the US, and sells Rilakkuma products domestically, showing great potential for us US Rilakkuma fans to expand our collections.

So I actually had a short conversation with David Ringer, the CEO of AQI, a couple months ago regarding their plans for the US market – so look forward to a write-up that in the near future (after I get through a bit of my backlog of Rilakkuma plushies to post)! I was originally intending on waiting until I got my own AQI Rilakkuma plush to give a more complete report, but seems like a better idea to share the info now while AQI is on everyone’s mind following Rilakkuma Day!

I’ll work on finding an AQI Rilakkuma for myself soon – seems like medical school doesn’t leave me with much time to go out and shop anymore haha.

In other news, Simon’s got a new tablet, and has started quick-sketching some classic Rilakkuma plushie designs!

I love this art style a lot! What do you think?

Monet’s La Japonaise Rilakkuma Plushie! + New! Cat Series Store Exclusive Design!

I can’t wait to share this Rilakkuma with you – it’s La Japonaise Rilakkuma!

La Japonaise Rilakkuma - full

Beautiful vivid colors, just like Monet was famous for! And good to finally see a Rilakkuma turning to his right side hahaha

La Japonaise Rilakkuma - Kiiroitori detail

Kiiroitori standing in as the fearsome samurai!

La Japonaise Rilakkuma - fan detail

Rilakkuma holds a beautiful red, white, and blue fan – and even the white crescent matches the original art!

La Japonaise Rilakkuma - dango, leaf detail

A parallel metallic leaf motif, and of course Rilakkuma would be hiding away a dango in his left paw!

La Japonaise Rilakkuma - tag art

Tag art featuring the illustrated Rilakkuma interpretation of the original piece! Looks like Kiiroitori hopped off the kimono for this one haha

La Japonaise Rilakkuma - sketch

Simon also drew this sketch of La Japonaise Rilakkuma today – I love it!

Wikimedia - La Japonaise

What do you think? Does the Rilakkuma interpretation capture the essence of the original work to you? I think the Rilakkuma version is much more adorable hehehe

This Rilakkuma design is based on Claude Monet’s La Japonaise (above). As I wrote about in a previous post, this Rilakkuma plush is especially exceptional to me because it’s such a subversive take on the Western gaze upon Japan that was so dominant during the era of Japonsime. Besides being exceedingly cute, this plushie design has so many layers to it as a Japanese take on a famous Western piece inspired by Japan.

This plushie commemorates Looking East: Western Artists and the Allure of Japan, an exhibit at the Setagaya Art Museum in Tokyo this summer where Monet’s La Japonaise was displayed! The exhibit will also be moving to Nagoya in January, and I’m guessing this Rilakkuma will be following La Japonaise there as well!

Korilakkuma was summarily left out in the plushie design, but you can sneak a few peaks of her in the background fans of the illustrated version of this design.

In other news, check out the Rilakkuma Store Exclusive line for the Cat Series!

Cat Series Store Exclusive - Rilakkuma

Pull the toy mouse from Rilakkuma’s ear and watch them come back together again! 1,680円.

Cat Series Rilakkuma Store Exclusive - Kiiroitori

Kiiroitori is interactive too! 1,680円.

Cat Series Rilakkuma Store Exclusive - Korilakkuma

Korilakkuma sadly doesn’t have an interactive component to her, but she does still have a little kitten to play with! 1,380円.

Wow! I love how interactive these plushies will be!

These plushies will be released October 4th. Wow, can’t believe October is so close – guess I have to start looking for a Halloween costume!

In American news, San-X was recruiting for Rilakkuma lolita girls to staff their NYC events on October 10-11! Darn, official Rilakkuma events always seem to be so far away, but one day, I hope to be able to cover an event like this in person to share with all of you!

Whew! I am so glad to be done with that cardiopulmonary exam – what a doozy! Now that I’m in the endocrine/reproductive module, I feel much more relaxed like Rilakkuma!

Aloha Rilakkuma Plushie – Rilakkuma Store Exclusive! + Simon wins the Mira Plush Art Contest!

Super exciting news!! Check out our cute new Rilakkuma Store Exclusive Aloha Rilakkuma plushie!

Aloha Rilakkuma Store Exclusive - full

Aloha, Rilakkuma!

Aloha Rilakkuma Store Exclusive - shade detail

I’d like a pair of shades like that!

Aloha Rilakkuma Store Exclusive - back detail

And his name is embroidered on the back of his shirt!

Aloha Rilakkuma Store Exclusive - tag art

Relaxed Rilakkuma on the tag art!

Aloha Rilakkuma Store Exclusive - family

The newest member of the Aloha Rilakkuma family relaxing in the sun with his pals!

I love how our Aloha Rilakkuma family has been expanding recently! This sunshine-ready bear is the Rilakkuma Store exclusive plushie from the Aloha Rilakkuma series, released in April 2013!

He is particularly special to us because Simon won him in the Spring 2014 Mira Plush Art Contest!

Simon, our resident Rilakkuma portrait artist, submitted the following piece, featuring the Rilakkuma Marine Series:

Simon Ho - Rilakkuma Crossing The Ocean

Rilakkuma Crossing The Ocean
Digital Painting
Rilakkuma Crossing The Ocean is inspired by Washington Crossing the Delaware, an 1851 oil-on-canvas painting by the German-American artist Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, painted to commemorate General George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River on the night of December 25–26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War. While Marine Rilakkuma is likely too lazy to be a general in the military like Washington, Rilakkuma Crossing The Ocean represents thoughtful reflection and serenity as Rilakkuma and pals drift across the ocean in their newspaper boat on a lazy afternoon.

Thanks so much for sponsoring this contest and so generously supporting the Rilakkuma art community, Mira Plush! Make sure you check out Mira Plush’s online Rilakkuma store – I’ve purchased from them before, and they’re very fast and reliable! Mira Plush also has a great new WordPress blog full of fun photos, so be sure to support them there, too!

It’s really so fun to share Rilakkuma art with the community! CONGRATULATIONS, Simon!

Mira Plush Drawing Contest - BD bear

Hey, even Rilakkuma likes to draw, too!

For Simon’s next work, he’s considering doing an interpretation on the new Rilakkuma in Space Series to be released in July. We’re constantly thinking of new Rilakkuma scenes and inspiration for Simon to draw – ideas are welcome!

Royal Rilakkuma Art, A Winter Hearts Discovery, & Holiday Wrap-Up!

Hey, check out this Rilakkuma art created by Simon!

Rilakkuma Art - Royal BD Bear

How regal!

Wah super cute, I can’t believe it! Thanks for sending this in, Simon! (First of many more to come, I hope!)

This piece of art is inspired by the Rilakkuma 10th Anniversary Sofa Throne Series and Kehinde Wiley’s portrait of Ice-T – ha!

My (M Classic) Rilakkuma plushie sat in as a model for this portrait – he looks a lot like my Fansclub Royal Rilakkuma plushie, too! Super handsome :)

In plushie news, has anyone ordered the Winter Hearts Series? Diligent reader Jennifer noticed that the fur on these plushies is slightly longer and fluffier than that the regular plushies – a happy medium between the regular plushies and the My Only series!

Winter Hearts fur - full

Jennifer’s snuggly Winter Hearts Rilakkuma plushie (right) compared against a super cute Bonjour Series Caravan plushie (left)!

Winter Hearts fur - face

See the difference in the face?

Winter Hearts fur - feet

Super noticeable difference in the feet!

Incredible discovery! Thanks so much for sharing, Jennifer!

I wonder if they’ll be using more of this texture in the future? Maybe they’re testing out this new fur on the market to see how people like it. It’ll be exciting to see!

Also, I’m sure the shaggier fur keeps them nice and warm during this cold winter!

In other news: for Christmas, my mom turned one of my Rilakkuma Lifestyle photos into a blanket!

BD Blanket - 1

Beautiful!

Wow! I think the colors turned out really well – this is definitely one of my favorite photos :) This photo really doesn’t do justice to the massive scale of this blanket – it’s even bigger than my queen-size bed!

I’m so thankful and fortunate to have a family that is so appreciative of Rilakkuma!

This came at a great time because we’re feeling the polar vortex a little even here all the way down in Florida, so it’s nice to have a warm Rilakkuma blanket to snuggle up to!

I hope everyone is surviving the cold!