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!

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:

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!

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 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!

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!

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

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.

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

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!

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!

Yamanote Line x Rilakkuma Stationmaster!

Rilakkuma & Shinkansen plushie!

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!

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

Kiiroitori standing in as the fearsome samurai!

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

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

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

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

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!

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

Kiiroitori is interactive too! 1,680円.

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!

Space Series Rilakkuma Plushie – Store Exclusive! + New! Halloween 2014, JINS PC, Lawson Cat Series, & Umeda 6th!

Hello, and 好久不見 – long time, no see!

School has really geared up in the past few weeks, so my apologies for the infrequency. But without further ado, check out the Space Rilakkuma Rilakkuma Plushie – Rilakkuma Store Exclusive!

Go to the future, Rilakkuma!

One of my favorite details: a stack of pancakes with a star-shaped butter pat on top – mmmm!

Ooooh Rilakkuma is also holding a delicious dango with it’s own planetary ring system and star!

I think they did such a great job with his spacesuit – usually glittery fabric tends to have a coarse texture, but this one (and all the other plushies in this set) have maintained their soft and smooth texture!

More fantastic details: a cute scarf, embroidered Rilakkuma space insignia, and bear-shaped belt buckle!

Tag art: Rilakkuma promoting space and time travel!

Teehee I really love this bear! I love all the tiny details they put into each plushie in this series, and can’t wait to see all the cool details for what San-X has in store for us next!

This planetary plushie was released in July 2014 as a Rilakkuma Store Exclusive design for the summer Space Series. Since I loved so many of the designs from the Space Series, I limited myself to just the brown bear from this line – I think even then, Bear Nation has a pretty thriving space program!

In seasonal news, be on the lookout for the new Halloween 2014 designs!

Rilakkuma and friends off to the masquerade ball! 1,800円 each.

A beautiful playset! My favorite detail is the kuma ghost in the window (and the giant candy doesn’t look too bad, either). 10,000円.

Fantastic! I really love the direction they took with this year’s line – a masquerade party sounds spooky and fun (I’ve never been to one!). These Halloween bears will be released this weekend on September 6.

But wow, aren’t we just starting September? Preparing for Halloween now seems a little pre-emptive to me (though Halloween costume shops are beginning to pop up around my town), but maybe this is a sign that I should start working on a cool costume. Last year, Simon and I went as eggs & bacon! What do you hope to dress up as for Halloween this year?

Rilakkuma looks like he’s going down the mild-mannered route like Superman with the new Rilakkuma x JINS PC collaboration!

Rilakkuma falling asleep with his cell phone!

Four awesome designs to match Rilakkuma, Korilakkuma, and Kiiroitori, with unique designs on the temples! 4,900円 each

Awesome miniplushies with their own mobile devices, and a tag with a kuma wearing glasses, too! 1,300円 each.

This is such a cool collab! These glasses are specially designed to protect your eyes from the light from your PC and mobile devices, and the color themes are meant to match Rilakkuma and pals – and don’t they just look so smart in those glasses?

Also, check out this fantastic video short by San-X to commemorate this collaboration!

Hehehe this video reminds me a lot of Simon!

Of course, this isn’t the first time Rilakkuma has donned eye protection – the Aloha Rilakkuma series from last year also featured a bespectacled Rilakkuma!

And for you Lawson fans out there, check out this Rilakkuma Cat Series Lawson Exclusive!

Doesn’t kitten Korilakkuma look so sweet in her basket? Oooh a little plush taiyaki too! 2,700円

So cute! Looks like Lawson specials are starting to develop a pattern of their exclusives being in pot-like containers – last year, it was a pie for the Happy Natural Time Series, and this year, it’s a basket! It’s a cute motif, I think.

Pre-orders for this set are now open, but they aren’t scheduled to be delivered until January 19, 2015 (wah). Conveniently, Lawson specials like this are generally available online, so Tenso might be a good resource for international Rilakkuma fans looking for a good price!

For Japanese movie fans, in a pleasantly surprising twist, Rilakkuma/Lawson are also teaming up with film Clover (クローバー)!

Lookin’ stylish in green!

The movie comes out November 1, and if you purchase a ticket in advance, you can get your hands on this lovely keychain plushie! Wow, I would love for American movies to have promotions like this hehehe

Browsing around the official Clover website, looks like the story revolves around a hotel employee who falls in love with her boss, and it is based on a manga series of the same name – not super sure how the movie has to do with Rilakkuma but haha Rilakkuma does look rather cute in green :)

Last but certainly not least, check out these great designs for the Umeda Rilakkuma Store 6th Anniversary!

WOW AND YUM! They’re takoyaki themed! I think Rilakkuma’s ear detail is my favorite part! 1,500円 each.

Excellent! Takoyaki (たこ焼き) is a yummy breaded octopus ball served with sauce and bonito shavings that was first invented in Osaka in 1935!

My family went to Osaka last year and had lots of takoyaki – mmmm! As Umeda is the major business district of Osaka, seems fitting to celebrate the oldest Rilakkuma Store’s 6th anniversary with such a tasty part of its history!

These plushies will be released on September 13 (same day as the Bridal Series). Looks like San-X will be continuing with mini-plushies for its anniversary lines – I have yet to get one of these mini-plushies, but I do have good memories of takoyaki from Osaka, so I might just have to jump for these hehehe.

In other news, I spent my last weekend in Seattle, WA presenting my research at the 29th International Human Papillomavirus Conference! Wow, what an incredible city! I even spied a little Rilakkuma in the artwork at Blue C Sushi!

I wish my old phone had a better camera, but here he is! He must be a Fansclub Rilakkuma since he’s getting picked up by a crane!

Hehehe, Rilakkuma follows me around even when I’m out of town! I really love Rilakkuma spotting when I travel!

Winter Donut Rilakkuma Plushie! + A July/Space Rilakkuma Announcement!

Still have a sweet tooth from Cupcake Rilakkuma? Check out this Winter Donut Rilakkuma!

“Would you like a donut?”

Pretty little pearl beads on his winter cap!

A glazed donut with sprinkles! (Is it “donut” or “doughnut”?)

Delicate pastel colors on the tag: “More Relax by Rilakkuma”

Building a donut community here in Bear Nation with Mister Donut Rilakkuma!

Yum! Still trying to understand the connection between the donut and wintertime, but I like to think it has something to do with donut frosting and a frosty winter hahahaha.

Though we’re in the opposite season of a snowy winter, every season is certainly donut season haha, so I think this plushie is still very appropriate for the moment, especially following Cupcake Rilakkuma. Or perhaps we can pretend we are living in the southern hemisphere for the moment.

This fluffy Rilakkuma is from the Fansclub Winter Pastel Series, which was released in November 2010! This release has such a lovely color scheme!

For sending me this donut-y Rilakkuma sweetheart, thanks so much to reader Trinie, who has a fantastic knack for sending me Rilakkumas that happen to be holding some of my favorite foods hehehe.

Since I was out of town this past weekend, imagine my surprise when I see all the new Rilakkuma releases flooding in!!

So strap in for the gigantic Rilakkuma wave of news: the Rilakkuma Space Series is here!!

Really beautiful art with this one! Absolutely love the small details, like the dango with its own rings :)

Super fly full spacesuits for the standard release: 1,780円 each. HILARIOUS that Kiiroitori got a set of bear ears for its spacesuit hahahaha

Rilakkuma and pals get their own planets for the Rilakkuma Store Exclusive release: 2,500円 each. I love the extra design motifs like the pile of donuts (perfect for this post)!

Looks like the team met the local Kumartians for the Rilakkuma Store and Kiddyland Exclusive: 2,300円 for Rilakkuma, 2,000円 for Korilakkuma and Kiiroitori (each). I wonder what the Kumartians look like from the back – will they have zippers and tails too?

Really phenomenal artwork!

WOW really this is such a beautiful series! I want them all haha I’ve pre-ordered the standard release Rilakkuma (yellow space suit solo), the whole set of “Kumartians” (great name coined by Ariel!) Rilakkuma Store/Kiddyland exclusives, and the Rilakkuma Store exclusive Rilakkuma (yellow space suit on a planet).

Ariel translated the long tagline name for us as “Outer space is far away from here~no gravity, time to relax” (Uchu No Kanatade Fuwa Fuwa Goron) – what a fantastic perspective to have! The abbreviated title for this you might also find (like on the poster and goods page) is 宇宙でだららん, which roughly means “Relaxing in Space” – seems like Rilakkuma would be really talented at that!

I think this series is absolutely incredible because of its creativity and detail! I really can’t wait to see the rest of this series (Caravan, Net Shop Exclusive) – too cool!

Super perfect release in so many ways, because I want to start playing Kerbal Space Program soon; it was on sale recently on Steam!

And of course, when when it rains Rilakkuma news, it pours: Harajuku Rilakkuma Store’s 2nd Anniversary designs were announced as well!

Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma having fun on their inner tubes… and Kiiroitori as a mermaid (merbird)? 2,300円 each.

Such beautiful beach bums! I love these a lot because they remind me of my own beachy hometown in Florida – what a perfect series for the summer! Love that Korilakkuma even had little flippers on hehehe.

And finally, last but certainly not least, is another particularly striking plushie release: Rilakkuma’s tribute to Claude Monet’s La Japonaise!

Very accurate Rilakkuma-fication of Monet’s La Japonaise, IMO! Beautiful attention to detail on the fans, too.

And the painting is brought to 3D, in Rilakkuma plushie form, for just 2,484円.

Stunning! This release honors Looking East: Western Artists and the Allure of Japan, an exhibition about japonisme organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Did you know Claude Monet had a collection of over 200 Japanese prints, more in both quantity and quality of any other painter of this period?

Japonisme is a really fascinating facet of art history – and as a modern Japanese interpretation of piece of art produced by a European artist inspired by Japan, I think this Rilakkuma version is quite a subversive take on the Western gaze on the East that was so characteristic of japonisme. Go Rilakkuma!

I’m really excited about this plushie too since it merges art and Rilakkuma, a combination I really cherish posting about on this blog! I’m really temped to commit and purchase this one, but whew, gotta see what my budget looks like for the rest of the year. It’s a really beautiful tribute/collaboration piece!

Wow, Rilakkuma is so adventurous this summer – from beach, to art, and all the way to space! I think he has a more lively social life than most of us do hahaha.

福 (Good Fortune & Happiness) Rilakkuma Plushie! & A Rilakkuma Pineapple Suit!

Everyone needs a little good luck in their lives, so here’s 福 (Fú) Rilakkuma!

You’ve got to ask yourself one question: “Do I feel lucky?” Well, do ya, punk?

福 means good fortune and happiness!

A pair of lucky bears on the tag!

This lucky bear was such a huge help during my finals week! I really needed all the good luck for my exams haha. I really love his pose and composition – so harmonious and balanced!

He was released as part of a whole line of auspicious plushies in the Fansclub 福 (fú) series in November 2012!

In my family’s tradition, we turn the 福 display upside-down throughout the year because the character for “upside-down”, “倒” (dao), is a homonym of the character for “to arrive”, “到” (dao) – so basically it means that “good fortune is arriving”!

Fu Rilakkuma by the display in front of my parents’ house!

Can’t properly put this bear upside-down haha but he’s such a great and colorful addition to the collection!!

Huge thanks to reader Trinie for this super prosperous bear! He’s such a lovely addition, and I’m so overjoyed that he will be bringing our household good luck and prosperity for years to come!

In other news, Simon took up a different venture in Rilakkuma art, and constructed this Rilakkuma pineapple suit!

My sister and I’s first Rilakkumas!

As you may recall, this year marks my first Rilakkuma plushie’s 2nd birthday! To commemorate the bear nation’s 2nd year in existence, Simon decided to honor its oldest member with a pineapple costume haha.

Looks like a pretty regal pineapple – especially with the green leaves looking like a crown! As the oldest Rilakkuma plushie in the collection, this bear is kind of the de facto leader so the theme is rather fitting, I think!

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!

I’d like a pair of shades like that!

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

Relaxed Rilakkuma on the tag art!

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:

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!

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!

Nisetsumuri (にせつむり) plushie, a guest blog, and more Rilakkuma Art!

A slight deviation from our regular Rilakkuma program: it’s Nisetsumuri (にせつむり), from Sumikko Gurashi!

Hello!

Tag art!

The little elastic band means all of my Rilakkumas can hold onto him :D

Jennifer also included some incredibly cute Tonkatsu stickers: here are two of my favorites!

Here are the rest of the sticker designs – I love how new character Ebi furai no shippo (えびふらいのしっぽ) is included. And… do I see Tapioca in the top right squirting sauce onto Tonkatsu? Hahaha

Hilariously, Nisetsumuri (にせつむり) translates into something like “fake head” or “deceptive head” – because it is actually supposed to be a slug who just wears a shell! What a cute backstory haha.

And Tonkatsu (とんかつ), forever ignored because he’s the fatty end of the pork cutlet, is featured in this sticker set trying to become more appetizing with sauce, I suppose.

This Nisesumuri plushie was released in April 2013, and the Tonkatsu sticker set was released in September 2013! Glad to see such longevity in the Sumikko Gurashi line!

This set was a generous gift by reader Jennifer – thank you so so much for your support and thoughtful gifts, they never fail to cheer me up when school get busy and hectic!

Riding on the wave of Rilakkuma art from a previous post, check out this beautiful rendition of a Rilakkuma 7th Anniversary scene by dulcetart!

Beautiful!

Really fantastic colors! This is really one of my favorite scenes/series in Rilakkuma history – I even made a GIF of this scene around 3 weeks ago, so perfect timing! Definitely check out the rest of dulcetart’s incredible art at her tumblr!

How old is my first Rilakkuma?

In other news, I know I’ve never really written about how I got into the Rilakkuma world, so if you’re curious, I did a little guest blog post over at My Kawaii Life! There are also a few snapshots of my apartment Rilakkuma shelf, which is currently overflowing with plushies haha.

Thanks so much for the opportunity, Jen – I’m so honored to have been featured! If you’re interested in cute things of all types (like Rilakkuma), make sure to check out the rest of her amazing blog as well!

Lunar new year is coming up! Can’t wait to celebrate again!

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

Hey, check out this Rilakkuma art created by Simon!

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!

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

See the difference in the face?

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!

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!