Now let’s have a closer look at some of the new merchandise!
Illustrious otters! The otter series has arrived in the US in the form of super adorable Rilakkumas in grey otter suits. Perfect laying down or sitting up!
Inspired by the 2016 Otter Series that was originally released in Japan, these otters are super cute, with bright, vibrant colors. Korilakkuma represented here as a rare *pink* sea otter, hehehe
For shape reasons, Kiiroitori did not get their own otter suit, but instead has manifested as a fish companion!
Of course, with Rilakkuma otter plush, come Rilakkuma otter blind boxes! Pick one up, and you get one of six designs, but you don’t know which!
Another breathtaking new addition since my last visit, emergence of the Honeybee Series! Sleepy Rilakkuma here probably ate too much honey. This series was inspired by the Rilakkuma Meets Honey Series that was originally released in 2011, and this sleepy Rilakkuma looks a lot like the Rilakkuma Store Exclusive design—awesome! Not pictured to his right, Honeybee Rilakkuma plush standing upright (better look in my video, above!).
Korilakkuma here has a very lovely fluffy fur lining on her honeybee hood, and she looks like she behaved and didn’t overindulge on honey to the point of passing out unlike Rilakkuma. Not pictured: standing Korilakkuma honeybee plush.
Another new surprise, these EXTRA FLUFFY Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma plushes! They remind me a lot of the My Only Rilakkuma Series from 2013!
A fluffy Rilakkuma plush of Rilakkuma relaxing on his side! I think this one is so unique because to my knowledge, there isn’t a design exactly like this one in this size that’s been released in Japan before!
Finally, an amazing special set to grace the US, the Sumikko Gurashi 5th Anniversary overseas exclusive series! Really beautiful, and we are so lucky to have this here, as this series is only sold outside of Japan! My favorite is the Egyptian Sphinx Neko with the pyramid on the side! Make sure to add these to your collection as they aren’t sold in Japan!
Finally, the last of the Denim Rilakkumas!! These are the last ones, and this is one of my absolute favorite series—get them while you can!!
Overall, such a great experience! I love being surrounded by Rilakkuma and other Rilakkuma fans!
Did you go to the Rilakkuma Shop December event? What did you think, and what did you get? Let me know in the comments!
It’s such a blessing to have a Rilakkuma Shop so nearby! Can’t wait for the next event!
Emergency! The Decemeber Rilakkuma Shop Event is TODAY, December 16 at the Westfield Brandon Center!
Excited to go today and see what’s new!
Snap from the in-mall flyer!! You can meet Rilakkuma from 11:00AM – 2:30PM, and again from 4:00-PM – 8:00PM!
SEE YOU THERE!! I’ll be going sometime around 4:00PM to meet Rilakkuma!!
I’ll be wearing the Rilakkuma shirt I picked up at the October Rilakkuma Shop event, come say hi!
Hopefully gonna pick up more Rilakkuma apparel and swag today!!
Rilakkuma Shop
Westfield Brandon Center, Store #673 (by Sears, to the right of Game Stop)
459 Brandon Town Center
Brandon FL 33511
Monday-Saturday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday: 11:AM – 6:00PM
Not everything is as black and white as it seems, not even these black and white Rilakkuma plush from the Monochrome Series!
Surprise! These are two Rilakkumas, not a Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma.
The black Rilakkuma has black fur, with his other features (ears, paw pads, eyes, and nose) in grey.
White Rilakkuma has white fur with light gold accents.
One of my favorite details: alternative zipper in silver toned metal, with a grey and white polka dot pattern on the inner pocket (compared to the usual blue and white).
And of course, we know this is a Rilakkuma and not a Korilakkuma because of the zipper in the back (and no button in the front)! The White Rilakkuma’s zipper is gold toned metal, with a light peach pink and white pocket inside.
Tag art design for both are identical featuring Rilakkuma on a black and white polka dot pillow, except White Rilakkuma’s tag has a gold border and Black Rilakkuma’s tag has a black border. Both have the same small fabric tag design of black and white stripes with an embroidered gold “R” in the middle.
Conceptually, I think this is a unique take on the standard brown Rilakkuma design, though I think the white Rilakkuma looks a lot like Korilakkuma hahaha. I like to think of these two as the black bear and polar bear of the Rilakkuma species hehehe.
These plushes are a little fluffier than standard Rilakkuma collectors’ plush, and they’re in a sitting pose, which is rather out of the ordinary for a standard release plush, which I appreciate!
This contrasting pair was released as part of the Monochrome Series from September 2016, a theme designed to emphasize the cuteness of Rilakkuma through a basic color scheme. Do you think they were successful?
Colossal thanks to my Aunt Lulu for facilitating the safe passage of these bears!
Fancy wigs and hats for Kiiroitori! One Kiiroitori plush with the entire set of wigs/hats: 3,000円.
For all of your Kiiroitori and applicance crossover needs, Kiiroitori has turned himself into a television (complete with remote control with bear button) and washing machine (with Rilakkuma outfit and Kiiroitori brand detergent). Could this be a Kafka-esque take on how Kiiroitori assumes the role of entertainment and domestic work in their family unit in a way that has transformed his core identity? The world may never know. 1,500円 each.
Kiiroitori and his bird friends in a swanboat! So many new birds! I like the aesthetic of the black and yellow one, reminds me a lot of the pokémon Umbreon! Playset: 4,800円.
So first of all, these designs are absolutely outrageous and hilarious, and I absolutely want to know if there is a backstory to all of Kiiroitori’s bird friends in the swan boat, because what on earth? Why is that grey bird in the back crying?
What I’ve always loved about the summer Rilakkuma releases is that they’re always a little weirder than the stuff they do the rest of the year, and I’m glad they’ve kept that tradition going this year hahaha!
With this news, we also get the official release date for the Kiiroitori Diary series: July 8! How exciting!
Are you planning on grabbing anything from this release?
This year’s San-X Character Park is mystery themed, and includes all of the San-X characters solving mysteries with Sherlock Holmes inspired outfits! Well, everyone except Korilakkuma, who’s dressed as a count? SO CUTE investigating that strawberry though.
A Rilakkuma Store exclusive design for the mystery-solving Rilakkuma team! Rilakkuma and Kiiroitori sport Sherlock Holmes’ signature deerstalker with magnifying glasses, and Korilakkuma is adorned with a top hat, cape, and monocle. 2,300円 each.
I think I’ll try to get that Rilakkuma plush—he looks so adorable in his brown tartan getup!
The San-X Character Park event itself with have four puzzles to solve, with a special prize for those who complete it! The event starts on July 15, and will last until August 16!
I absolutely adore this design and theme! It’s very simple, but the reference is clear and well-executed. I’m a sucker for Sherlock Holmes adaptations like Sherlock, Elementary, and of course my favorite one, The Great Mouse Detective.
Are you a mystery or Sherlock Holmes fan? What do you think is the mystery they are trying to solve?
Today’s post features three great bear plush associated with Chairoikoguma (チャイロイコグマ) / Koguma-chan (こぐまちゃん)! “Chairoi” means brown, “koguma” means bear cub, and “chan” is an honorific with an endearing connotation. Both names for the same cute bear! Koguma-chan was introduced to the Rilakkuma crew in March 2013, and has been highlighted in two additional series since then!
First up is Ocarina Rilakkuma, the Caravan exclusive plush from Korilakkuma’s New Friend Series!
Contemplative ocarina time in the forest!
“Hey! What are you doing in my secret spot?”
The cutest bear bee sits on top of his head! I love the bear face, fuzzy pom-pom antennae, and tiny circular wings!
Rilakkuma plays a beautiful baby blue ocarina. I absolutely love the soft color, submarine shape, and subtle bear emblem!
Tag art features Rilakkuma relaxing on a tree branch with Kiiroitori taking a peek! And of course, a little bear bee flitting around! I tried to recreate this scene in the first photo hehehe.
Though this plush does not explicitly look like it’s Koguma-chan related, he is the Caravan release for Korilakkuma’s New Friend Series, the series that introduced Koguma-chan back in March 2016! Check out the video for this series:
This plush represents my favorite scene from this series, Rilakkuma peacefully playing the ocarina by a tree while Korilakkuma plays with Koguma-chan!
Huge thanks to @rilakkumacrossing for the tip on this bear—I love him so much!
Next up is Koguma-chan’s Acorn House Playset!
Welcome to Koguma-chan’s acorn home!
Check out all of the separate parts! The acorn house, Koguma-chan, chair, scarf, bee, and of course, the handmade mittens!
A smaller scale take on the bear bee! Compared to the one attached to Ocarina Rilakkuma, this one has all the features flattened to one side, and the wings are displayed dorsally instead of laterally.
The eponymous handmade mittens! You can actually physically put these on Koguma-chan’s paws, but seemed like a little bit of a hassle.
Cute baby pink scarf to keep him warm, just in case his chest hair doesn’t! And at this angle, you can take a peek at Koguma-chan’s signature honey print!
In addition to a window, Koguma-chan’s home features a cute acorn stem on the side of the roof, and there’s an elastic loop for the doorknob to keep the door closed! And one of my favorite details, a light blue fish on the door, just like the fish he caught with Rilakkuma! And like the ones they eventually eat for dinner, if you follow their story.
No tag for this playset, but the box shows all the component parts, as well as the source illustration! If you look closely, you can see that the bear bee has his own beehive attached to Koguma-chan’s home!
I absolutely love playsets, and this one is no exception!
One thing that is silly about a lot of these house-themed playsets is that while all the component parts can fit comfortably inside for storage, they really do look super crammed in there for a living space—like all Koguma-chan can do in his own house is sit because there isn’t room for much else haha.
Also, these different Koguma-chan plushes make it hard for me to figure out what Koguma-chan’s body shape really is! This version makes him look a lot skinnier than the illustrations. Furthermore, he looks a lot different from his standard M classic counterpart, who then still looks quite different from his fishing counterpart. What is the truth?
I think Koguma-chan is such a super addition to the Rilakkuma group! I love that he shares his passion for fishing with Rilakkuma!
Speaking of which, here’s Acorn Rilakkuma Plush!
Rilakkuma keeping warm in a beautiful acorn poncho!
A beautiful knit poncho with collar, embroidered floral band pattern, delicate fringe trim, and embroidered acorn, cherry, and flower details! My favorite is the wood finish button in the middle, reminds me a lot of an earth-theme Korilakkuma hehehe.
Of course, since it was cold when this series came out, Rilakkuma is wearing some stylish ugg boots! Hahahaha doesn’t he look so warm?
At the very top, an acorn top hat with leaf detail, a lot like the roof on Koguma-chan’s home!
Tag art from the series depicting the matching handmade mittens between Korilakkuma and Koguma-chan, but it actually looks like Rilakkuma isn’t wearing the outfit he has on in the plush at all haha! Looks like he’s wearing a scarf instead, what’s the deal! Nice peek of the tiny fabric tag here too, which is a gold “R” with an acorn cap on a pink background.
Both Koguma-chan’s Acorn House and this Acorn Rilakkuma are from the Handmade Mittens Series (てぶくろをとどけに), released in October 2016. As the story goes, Korilakkuma gave handmade (paw-made?) mittens as a gift to Koguma-chan, her newest friend. Check out this animation about their story!
I’m not 100% sure what acorns have to do with all of this, but it is a really pleasant motif—it reminds me a lot of the Happy Natural Time Series that paired deer with freshly baked fruit pies.
Big thanks to my Aunt Lulu again for facilitating the immigration of the Koguma-chan Acorn House and Acorn Rilakkuma plush—what a fabulous set!
This series gives Korilakkuma a light pink floral poncho, and gives Koguma-chan a blue and white flower crown!
The aesthetic is so pretty and soft! These designs were released just this past May, and should still be on the shelves at Rilakkuma Stores everywhere!
One of my favorite things about these Kogumachan series is the awesome food designs that pop up, like this one at the Korilakkuma x Hands Cafe collaboration this season:
We were blasted with a summer sun last week, but now it’s been rainy and gloomy everyday! What happened? I guess now it’s just nap weather, which is fine by me hehehe.
Introducing the last of the recent sports Rilakkuma additions: Archery Rilakkuma plush from the Kichijoji 6th Anniversary Series!
Archer Rilakkuma, ready for action!
Rilakkuma draws a colorful dango arrow! And one of my favorite details of this plush: all kyūdō archers traditionally hold the bow with their left hand, and draw with their right hand, and Rilakkuma maintains this technique, albeit with paws.
A lovely yellow bear on the back of the uniform, a motif consistent with the other bears of this series.
Tag art features a wonderful yellow and white target, with a bear symbol at the center.
Bear Country athletes from 2016! Who will be next?
Kyūdō (弓道) is the Japanese martial art of archery that began in Japan long before recorded history. Rilakkuma is depicted here wearing a standard kyūdō uniform, proudly representing his nation’s athleticism and culture. I love how the sports theme for this anniversary cycle incorporates a wide range of sports from Japanese history from traditional to modern!
As this is not Rilakkuma first time as an archer, I love the contrast between this traditional kyūdō design and the elegant Sagittarius design from the 2013 Zodiac Series! I appreciate that these concepts are so distinct in both general feel and details, and it is great having two talented Rilakkuma archers here!
Major gratitude to my Aunt Lulu for adding this precision Rilakkuma to my collection—thank you!
This summer, Rilakkuma is teaming up with the National Museum of Science in Tokyo for their special exhibition on deep sea life called Deep Sea 2017 (深海2017) which opens July 11!
Rilakkuma snuggles a giant squid! Kiiroitoi rides a suspiciously adorable anglerfish! And Korilakkuma… is riding a jellyfish? Any insight on what animal that is would be appreciated haha.
Wow, what an incredible collaboration! I adore the playful artwork and concept! I hope they make a Rilakkuma and giant squid plush hehehe.
The first live giant squid was photographed back in 2013, and in the 4 years since then, the world’s been fascinated with the mysteries of giant squid and its friends of the deep sea. This exhibition sounds like an absolute delight, and I love that Rilakkuma is part of it!
I absolutely love deep sea creatures! Have you seen Planet Earth? There is really some beautiful footage of deep sea life on their “Oceans Deep” episode!
Rilakkuma is coffee/milk shaved ice and vanilla ice cream, and Korilakkuma is milk shaved ice with mango ice cream! Love how Korilakkuma’s button is even peeking out!
Two of the current Rilakkuma collaboration cafes, auréole d’ange and Cafe Coconoha, will be introducing beautiful Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma shaved ice desserts starting June 20. Don’t they look tasty and refreshing for the summer?
The Rilakkuma collaboration cafes this season (auréole d’ange x Rilakkuma, Coconoha x Rilakkuma, and Korilakkuma x Hands Cafe) have truly beautiful, wildly intricate, and stunningly detailed designs. I am always blown away by how these collaboration cafes seem to outdo themselves in design complexity each year!
My sister will be going to Japan next week, and hopefully will be able to share some photos and comments about her Rilakkuma adventures across Japan in a guest post series! Stay tuned!
What Rilakkuma food would you most like to see?
I’ve seen these cafes accomplish beautiful burgers and dainty waffles, but I’d really love to see a Rilakkuma ramen shop! Maybe with a ton of bear-shaped carrots and seaweed and Rilakkuma-molded tofu blocks, like the Nabe Rilakkuma plush playset. What about you?
Finally representing a sport that can be played in the summer for the next Rilakkuma athlete: Soccer Rilakkuma Plush from the EXPOCITY 1st Anniversary Series!
Rilakkuma is the goalie! I love his two-tone powder blue and yellow goalie gloves!
This Rilakkuma is just in the midst of catching the ball! And lovely ear detail on the soccer goal that makes the whole frame look like a bear! The plush is attached to the goal frame at three points (2 on the head and 1 at the feet).
Sporty soccer jersey with light/dark blue vertical stripes, with a small yellow bear emblem and “Rilakkuma” proudly displayed front and center.
Amazing attention to detail with a small yellow bear symbol on the lateral side of both his soccer cleats. I really appreciate this because this side of his shoes face down and is unseen when he is upright, but the detail was included anyway for thoroughness—incredible! And a great view of the fabric tag featuring a blue and gold “1st” to represent the EXPOCITY Rilakkuma Store’s 1st anniversary.
Tag art features a powder blue soccer ball pattern, except one of the pentagons is replaced with a bear shape in the middle. Wish they did that for the plush soccer ball Rilakkuma is holding, too!
In 1970, Japan hosted Asia’s first World Expo in Suita, Osaka, and in 2015, the expo grounds were renovated into the complex now known as EXPOCITY! There’s a huge soccer stadium in Suita near EXPOCITY, so this soccer bear is a perfect fit!
Gigantic thanks to my Aunt Lulu for helping me acquire this athletic Rilakkuma star! Wow, the sports leagues in Bear Country are really shaping up!
Hey US Rilakkuma fans! Interested in winning a Space Series Store Exclusive Rilakkuma plush?AIRASHI CO, a Japanese character goods store based out of Virginia that just opened in May, is hosting a giveaway this month!
This plush is from one of my favorite series of all time, the Space Series from Summer 2014! I have so many Rilakkuma plush from that season, including the standard release, store exclusive, Kiddyland exclusives, and JAXA collaboration (both versions!). Suffice to say, we have a very developed Rilakkuma space program hahaha.
Personally, I won’t be entering this giveaway since I already have my own Store Exclusive Space Series Rilakkuma plush, but wanted to spread the love for one very detailed Rilakkuma plush for those looking! Good luck to everyone entering!
In other news, the summer Rilakkuma series has been announced: say hello to the Kiiroitori Diary Series!
Let’s take a peek into Kiiroitori’s life!
An amazingly diverse set of plush designs all based around Kiiroitori! From the top down, looks like we’ve got Kiiroitori as a vacuum, Kiiroitori trying on a wig, Kiiroitori eating a biscuit that says “Kiiroitori Diary”, Rilakkuma and friends (including Kiiroitori) wearing Kiiroitori costumes, and finally giant squishy Rilakkuma and Kiiroitori mochi cushions!
This Kiiroitori-centric series will be released in July 2017, and features some truly hilarious plush designs! That jumbo mochi cushion shape is a lot like what my Pooh Tsum Tsum looks like now that he’s several years old hahaha.
The summer Rilakkuma series are generally my favorites! They are usually highly conceptual, complex, detailed, and meaningful. This is just a sneak peek, and I can’t wait to see what the various exclusive designs will look like! Will keep you updated with new plush designs as they get released!
What are your first impressions of this year’s summer series: Kiiroitori Diary? Are you a Kiiroitori fan?
Though we finally broke a long dry spell with our first rain here in St. Augustine this week, it is getting hotter and hotter here!
Still dreaming of cooler temperatures with this cute new Hockey Rilakkuma Plush from the Sendai 4th Anniversary Series!
Hockey Rilakkuma, ready for action!
His white helmet features a yellow Rilakkuma emblem, and soft grey cage to protect his face!
The cage also conveniently flips up when you want to see his handsome face!
One of my favorite details: an adorable bright yellow, bear-shaped hockey puck attached by string to the end of his hockey stick!
On the other end of his hock stick, a nice bear detail. His white and blue jersey features a blue bear emblem with “Rilakkuma” in the front and center, with three grey stars on each sleeve.
Charming plush ice skates for Rilakkuma, featuring felt blades and a yellow Rilakkuma design on the lateral sides!
Tag art featuring Rilakkuma’s snazzy skates! Also with a peek at the gilded fabric tag with the big “4” representing the Sendai Rilakkuma Store’s 4th anniversary.
Did you know that ice hockey is one of the oldest professional sports in Japan? And ice hockey is a popular sport in Sendai, making it a very appropriate choice to celebrate the Sendai Rilakkuma Store’s 4th birthday!
I love the way this plush is constructed, from the flip-up cage down to his plush skates—absolutely adorable! I’ve never played hockey, but this Rilakkuma certainly makes me want to! Or at least just skate around a little bit indoors while the sun slowly roasts Florida.
Enormous thanks to my Aunt Lulu for helping me get this sporty Rilakkuma! I hope he still has the chance to play hockey here in sunny Florida haha.
Do people still do #FollowFriday / #FF? I’m notoriously really spotty with my Instagram/social media usage, but these are a few photos I’ve saved that I’ve been really inspired by!
So beautiful! I really enjoy seeing everyone’s unique Rilakkuma aesthetics as I scroll through the #rilakkuma and #リラックマ tags, and these photos always get me motivated to capture more Rilakkuma photos!
Personally, I love shooting concepts of Rilakkuma with objects like what he is wearing, like this Burger Rilakkuma with a burger which I took back in 2015 hehehe.
Dreaming of snow and winter as summer gets closer?
Cool down by hanging out with one of my newest additions: Bobsled Rilakkuma Plush from the Sapporo 5th Anniversary Series!
I call him “Bob”.
Protective helmet to keep him safe and warm, with bear emblem in the front and center.
The bobsled itself has a bear profile, with subtle red “ears” attached to the sides, with a large yellow bear design in the front.
Profile shows two white racing stripes and a sporty yellow Rilakkuma title. I love the little bear for the dot on the “i”!
This Rilakkuma is completely removable from his bobsled (no strings attached!) so other bears can have some winter fun, too!
I think the tag art is uniquely beautiful, with a pretty snowflake design with little bears at the spikes. Nice peek of the fabric tag with gold foil embroidery describing the anniversary location and year, a motif of all anniversary designs from this cycle (compare to the satin ribbons from last cycle).
This is the first Rilakkuma plush to ring in the current cycle of sports-themed anniversary bears! Last cycle was the Rilakkuma World Tour, featuring Rilakkuma and friends traveling across the world. This cycle, the designs all represent important sports in Japan! Also, I’m glad they brought back the full-sized bears for this cycle—just as I was starting to get used to the mini-bears from the past two haha.
This Rilakkuma design is especially meaningful because the country of Japan made their official bobsled/bobsleigh debut at the 1972 Winter Olympics, with the bobsled event being held in Sapporo! Furthermore, according to the announcement for this anniversary event on the Rilakkuma blog, this design is supposed to represent all winter sports, including bobsledding, skiing, and snowboarding. I love how thoughtful these Rilakkuma designs at representing significant slices of Japanese culture and history!
Big thanks to my Aunt Lulu for chaperoning him all the way here from the Philippines! We are so grateful for his immigration!
So happy that Bear Country is branching out to athletics! I’m also excited to have even more sports bears from this cycle to share with you!
This line will be released in Rilakkuma Stores across Japan on June 3, and includes bags, passcases, pouches, and even a commemorative fork!
Such a big difference in attitude compared the sporty bears from the Anniversary line, huh? I think even Rilakkuma athletes want to sleep in some days.
What kind of sports do you want to see Rilakkuma play? Or are you more of a ~sleeping in~ Rilakkuma type?
Haha so I didn’t actually go to Anime Expo this year but! Rilakkuma.crossing did, and she picked up a ton of Rilakkuma stuff for me from their booth – so huuuuuuuge THANK YOU!!! (And check out her Rilakkuma-filled instagram!) I appreciate the opportunity to live the Anime Expo this year vicariously through her haha.
As someone who buys most of their Rilakkuma online, Rilakkuma events like these are always something I wanted to go to! I love meeting other Rilakkuma fans and actually seeing Rilakkuma stuff in person haha – maybe one year I’ll get to go!
I love the stuff they gave out this year because look! There’s Koguma-chan! Haha the introduction of Koguma-chan (Korilakkuma’s New Friend Series) has been a huge highlight for me this year, so I love that he is so prominent in their merchandising here in the US now too!
And woohoo that the fan features my favorite Koguma-chan scene with Rilakkuma playing the ocarina :D
Dressing up for a night out with black leggings and heels!
Just relaxing, maybe.
(I wonder what’s over there >>>>> hahaha)
And finally I get a chance to pair an outfit with my new pancake stack necklace from Oh Lucky Charm!
Clothes have tag art too!
I love it! Super soft material that matches will lots of other items – easy to dress up or dress down!
I feel so confident wearing this, and I can’t wait to see what Japan LA cooks up for their Rilakkuma clothing line next!! You can pick up this top and their other collaboration pieces over at Japan LA’s online store!
APIEU is a Korean cosmetics brand, and their Rilakkuma collaboration line includes foundation, bronzer, blush, cleanser, and eye products is out now – wow!
I definitely don’t need any more beauty products, but I have to admit, I’m a huge sucker for cute product packaging and marketing.
Big dango cushion! Korilakkuma even has her signature button! 10,800円 on pre-order.
There’s even a spot to rest your head next to team Rilakkuma!
Okay, well isn’t this just adorable? Seems about time for a dango-heavy theme to feature the Rilakkuma team faces in each of the dango pieces haha. I think this is a really creative and appropriate design, and just perfectly big and bombastic as I have come to expect from Net Shop exclusives.
This big yellow bus features the themed Rilakkumas from London, Mexico, Africa, Austria, Hawaii, and France – and their tour guide in pink is who I’m guessing is the big boss representing all of the Rilakkuma stores celebrating their anniversaries!
That’s all for now! Any new Rilakkuma additions in your horizon, or did you get to go to the Anime Expo this year?
I just started my internal medicine rotation this week and it’s been so great so far. I also finished all of my exams for the year, so right now, I just have to focus on learning and getting ready for residency next year – feels amazing!
Howdy! Time to introduce the American West Rilakkuma team!
Welcome to the wild wild (Rilakkuma) west!
Great details on Rilakkuma: dango in hand and in holster, with a shiny gold star and bear belt buckle detail. Rilakkuma also has a bright red bandana around his neck.
Sharp shootin’ Korilakkuma wrangled a snake! She also sports a pink bandana.
Kiiroitori has a leather lasso that he holds on his left and throws with his right! His bandana is turquoise blue.
Each plush has a hat with a gold bear motif around a brown belt.
And of course, their design motif is hiding around here somewhere: it’s a cactus on their tails!
Tag art: the cactus motif continues on their tags, where each cactus is outlined with a different color representing each different character: yellow for Rilakkuma, pink for Korilakkuma, and blue for Kiiroitori.
These patriotic mini-plushes were released in October 2015 as part of the Kichijoji Rilakkuma Store’s 5th Anniversary celebration, but I thought it was appropriate to write about for this weekend as the United States celebrates its Independence Day on July 4!
Like always, I enjoy the wonderful details such as Rilakkuma’s dango holster, and the cactus, bear and star motifs – really an excellent and cohesive set!
Gosh, TONS of things going on in the Rilakkuma-verse recently!
Sneak peek of the new Rilakkuma print and clothing line from JapanLA! Check out more of their items, including the white version, over at JapanLA’s Facebook page!
I really want one of the black tank tops! This line will be premiering at the Rilakkuma booth (#4405) at the Anime Expo starting today, and will be available online at JapanLA.com after the show!
Anyone going to be there this weekend? I’ve always wanted to go, but it’s just so far away! Can’t wait for when they expand out here and hold events in the southeastern United States one day!
Now for Rilakkuma news across the Pacific: the Teahouse (茶屋) Series is coming out this month!
They’ve been transformed into yummy, fluffy dango! Standard plushes: 2200円 each. Hanging plush: 650円 each.
Rilakkuma Store and Kiddyland exclusive! 2200円 each.
And Rilakkuma gets his very own teahouse set too! 4500円.
Wow, it’s a collaboration plush set with Shirokuma from Sumikko Gurashi! 3500円.
Caravan exclusive design features Rilakkuma eating some dango – does he have a toothache? 1700円.
The Rilakkuma Store Exclusive designs have Rilakkuma and friends in gowns with dango details! 2200円 each.
A tidy bento box playset with the whole team! 5000円.
In Japanese tradition, these teahouses (茶屋) are free-standing structures built exclusively for tea ceremonies. They have a deep architectural history stemming from the start of the Edo period, and there are many famous teahouses across Japan. I think this a great part of Japanese history and culture, and I love that it is incorporated into this summer’s Rilakkuma designs!
Lots of great items! I will be trying my hand at getting the bento box, to match my Oden and Osechi set! I like the dango-shaped Rilakkuma plush, too. What about you? Anything catching your eye?
Next up in Rilakkuma’s World Tour is Mexico and Hawaii for Kamiotai’s 1st and Harajuku’s 4th anniversary, respectively!
Beautiful beach bums enjoying the Hawaiian sun this summer with the local fauna! 1580円 each.
The Harajuku Rilakkuma Store’s 4th Anniversary celebration starts tomorrow, July 2! The Hawaiian imagery they use is always very beautiful, but Rilakkuma and friends have visited Hawaii before in their Aloha Rilakkuma Series back in 2013 – I suppose it was a good enough vacation back then that they revisited again this year haha.
Feeling festive with maracas! 1580円 each.
The Kamiotai Rilakkuma Store will be celebrating its 1st anniversary next weekend (July 9), and the theme is Mexico! And I love a poncho-clad Rilakkuma plush haha. Seems like they enjoy traveling in the Americas! They picked some great places to visit to enjoy the summer sun!
You can download it now on the App Store or Google Play store! I’ll try to download it soon and figure it out with my extremely limited grasp of Japanese haha. Anyone tried this out yet? Looks very cute, and seems a lot like the cat collecting app (Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector) that has been super popular!
Finally, have you checked out Canon Asia’s collaboration with Rilakkuma?
Gosh, isn’t that the most adorable promotional video? Canon Asian has a great contest on Instagram right now for Asian Rilakkuma and photography fans – you can win a Canon EOS M10 kit and a limited edition Canon EOS M10 Rilakkuma plush just by posting your Rilakkuma photos based on their challenge themes – “food” and “chillout” are the themes going on right now!
I think this has motivated a lot of folks to take some very creative Rilakkuma pictures! I have really enjoyed seeing everyone’s Rilakkuma photos recently on Instagram, and it’s inspired me to take more time again taking Rilakkuma photos like I used to!
Stay cool, and have a wonderful summer!
I’ll be having cocktails by the pool – red, white, and blue themed for Independence Day!