Rilakkuma - It's A Relaxing Time in the Paradise!

These cuties are ready for fun in the sun!  This set of plushies were released in February by San-X.  It wasn't quite summer yet back when I got them but now they are very suitable for the hot summer sun!  I love that Rilakkuma and Kiiroitori are in matching tees and skirts.  The always stylish Kori is wearing an super cute pink sun dress.

Rilakkuma Happiness Plushes

This set of plushes were released a long time ago, around September of 2007. There were released as a set of 5, but I was only able to find 4 of them. The whole set consists of a Love Rilakkuma , Love korilakkuma, Friend Rila, Friend Kori, and Money kiiroitori. I am currently missing the Korilakkuma Love Plush but that's okay.

I found the two friends rila and kori with the money kiiro in a physical store in Vancouver. I was so excited to find the trio. They were such an old series and to be able to find them was such a joy!! Of course I had to do some inspecting on whether they were authentic or not, and seems to me they were, so I had to bring them home! Then I found the lonely love rila on eBay ^_^

Family Photo

Mother's Day Rilakkuma

I know it's not Mother's Day anymore but I have a little something to blog about that is Rilakkuma and Mother's Day related. I think around April, San-X advertises flower basket deliveries with a Rilakkuma plush in the flower arrangement. And when I saw that, I remembered that San-X once released plushes for Mother's Day! It was way back in April 2008. My hubby got me this plush for Valentine's Day last year not knowing it was a Mother's Day themed plush, but either way, I love it!

San-X released a Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma version, and unfortunately not Kiiroitori, he sometimes gets left out :( Anyway, it comes in a clear box for displaying, and once out of the box, the flower/towel can be put into Rilakkuma's arms. The box tag says that this is a "Arigatou Nuigurumi" meaning "Thank You Plush" and I guess it is used to thank the hardworking mothers who receive this plush from their loved ones. ^_^ The right butt area has a red rose with the words "Thanks Day" embroidered in gold. It is so cute, I am sure the Korilakkuma version would be just as charming in person! According to the promotion picture, the flower bouquet can be unwrapped and turned into a towel and fake rose. I don't think I would ever unwrap it! It's too perfect the way it is now and I probably cannot wrap it back the way it was before. ^_^ Oh, and I am not low on little towels lol.

My clear box is super dusty... shame on me for not cleaning...

Aloha Rilakkuma Series - Sunburnt Caravan Exclusive

Wow, I just realized I haven't updated in quite a long time! I actually took these pictures with the other aloha series plushies but i never got around to post about this Caravan version. It's long overdue but here it is - the sunburnt, lei wearing, grass skirt sporting rilakkuma!

Rilakkuma is wearing sunglasses again, this time normal shape ones. He is definitely not afraid of wearing a skirt. The grass skirt is very well made, I don't have to worry about it fraying or coming apart at all. My favorite accessory on this plush is the lei, it is so pretty! Each flower had a center made of three gold beads, so gorgeous! The back of the lei is tied with a ribbon, which I think is a nice touch.

Other than what rilakkuma is wearing, his facial expression is so sweet! He looks like he is both overheating from the sun and enjoying his time ^_^ The most special thing about this plush is if course the color. It is a darker brown than the usual rilakkuma plush. Comparing with the regular plush, he is really burnt! I don't think the picture comparison captures the difference in color too well, but in person, the difference is more prominent. I think this version is so unique!

Finally, the paper tag is also very cute with art featuring rilakkuma, korilakkuma, and kiiroitori likely doing the hula dance all wearing leis. The top left corner says "caravan" to indicate that this plush is a special version plush.

Aloha Rilakkuma Series - Rilakkuma Store Exclusive

Aloha from Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma! These babies were released on Feb 2nd and were only available at rilakkuma stores. Again, no kiiroitori in sight :( I miss him!! It seems like most of the exclusives exclude kiiroitori. Anyway, rila and kori are ready to vacation at the tropical islands!

Rilakkuma and korilakkuma are both wearing suglasses! How adorable! Rila is wearing yellow sunglasses with kuma ears on each eye. These kuma ears are what sold me on this design! At first I was contemplating on buying this set, but the ears on the sunglasses stole the show since the regular version does not have te ears on the sunglasses. Kori is wearing hot pink heart-shaped sunglasses. Onto the outfits, the duo are wearing Hawaiian shirts in baby blue and pink! The word rilakkuma is stitched onto their backs. The details are so intricate! Also the print on the shirts are amazing, there are rilakkumas all over with Hawaiian flowers and palm trees. I am never disappointed by the art on the paper tags, rila and friends look like they are having so much fun enjoying shaved ice. Now I want to go to Hawaii...

Rilakkuma Birthday Cake Series #3 - Strawberry and Chocolate Cake

Ta da! Introducing the Kichijoji 2nd Anniversary Plushes! Released on October 6th, they really are cakes this time, not ice cream or pudding or non-cake dessert. It was a little odd to me that San-X named this series "birthday cake" but the first two of the series were not cakes at all. Well, it looks to me, this cake is probably a chocolate and strawberry cake.

Rilakkuma and korilakkuma are wearing different outfits this time around. Rila is wearing a hat and shorts? i am not sure what to call them... a hood? puffy pants? Also, kori is wearing a poncho again. I think kori looks so adorable in ponchos, maybe even cuter than rila... But rila looks cool in the hat too! I am not sure if the hat is removable because the bow is sewn tight, so I didn't try to remove it. As for kori's poncho, of course removable. The design on those poncho/shorts/hat has the different colors showing the layers of the cake, with lots of strawberries in between. Quite tasty just thinking about it... A layer of chocolate cake and a layer of cream and a layer of strawberries, and repeat... Yum! Craving cake right about now~

Back to the design, I wish rila had a strawberry on his head like kori, because that would be delicious~

Rilakkuma Birthday Cake Series #2 - Pudding

Look at these cute little puddings :) they were released on September 15 to celebrate the 4th anniversary of the Umeda Rilakkuma Store! They look exactly like the puddings.

Rilakkuma and korilakkuma are both wearing removable yellow/brown ponchos. Just like the mint ice cream plushes, they have the Velcro underneath the bows. The sides are also lined with white fuzzy trimmings, making them look extra cozy. As for the design of the poncho, I love the little pom poms at te bottom. I don't think they are part of the dessert, but they are fun little decorations for the poncho. (Edit: after looking closely at the tags again, i think the pom poms are suppose to be cream next to the cherry?) The back has the "Happy 4th Birthday! Umeda." in gold stitching. Lastly, the topping on rila and kori's heads are red and pink cherries. The paper tag is the shape of a pudding and the colors of the cherries on top correspond accordingly. I like that San-X always make rilakkuma and korilakkuma's tags a little different, even though it might be a very subtle difference. It makes each tag that much more special and unique.

This set of plushes was actually the most expensive out of all the birthday series because my seller does not live near Umeda and could not go to the physical store to get it. I had to go to yahoo auction for it. I ended up paying more for it because I thought it was quite limited and got it right after it was released. But turns out there were plenty of way cheaper "buy it now" auctions a few days later. Sometimes waiting could mean the price will go up, sometimes it goes down depending on the how limited the plushes are... It's all different for different plushes and I can never predict it >_< but usually I give in and buy them early... I am too obsessed with rilakkuma hahaha...

By the way, the Umeda store is actually the first ever Rilakkuma Store in Japan!

Rilakkuma Birthday Cake Series #1 - Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream

I am going to be doing a birthday cake series this week featuring all the birthday cake themed plushes released by San-X so far for celebrating the anniversary of different Rilakkuma stores. As I have done my research in the past, I noticed that the plushes that celebrate store birthdays never include kiiroitori :( super sad face... But the rilakkuma and korilakkuma turn out to be very well designed for this birthday series. Versus before, they were either in hoodies, wearing aprons, or in a shopping bag. I am glad they decided to change up those designs to this confectious series.

To start off this series, I am going to introduce the first birthday cake released - the chocolate chip mint ice cream cones. It was released on september 8th to celebrate the first anniversary of the Sapporo Rilakkuma Store. I instantly fell in love with this series, probably because this mint color is quite stunning! Also, I don't think rilakkuma has ever been in this color before. Right away, I knew I had to have this series!

The pair are wearing a mint colored poncho that is removable (under the bow is a Velcro piece, so no need to untie the bow). The side has white and fuzzy trimmings that makes them look so cozy. On the mint poncho are little dots that represent the chocolate chip. The brown dots are stitched on. The back has "Happy 1st Birthday! Sapparo." in gold stitching. At the bottom of the poncho is a waffle cone print imitating the ice cream cone. My absolute favorite detail for this design has to be the mint leaves on top of their poncho. The veins on the leaves are stitched on in green. I think it's so cute, it makes the perfect topping to this dessert. As always, the tags are also well designed, it looks like ice cream cones ready to be eaten. It roughly says on there "Rilakkuma Store Limited Product Birthday Cake Plush (Sapporo Store 1. Year Anniversary)." Rilakkuma's waffle cone has a darker color than Korilakkuma's waffle cone on the paper tag.

That's all for now! I just love pointing out all the details in the designs :) there are so many and it's those little details that makes me want to buy all these plushes... Definitely makes me feel that they are worth it!

My daughter was disrupting the photo shoot lol... She kept ripping off the ponchos!

Happy CNY - Kiiroitori

Tomorrow is Chinese New Year! Last of the year of the snake series, but certainly not least, is the chubby and adorable kiiroitori! This time, tori is sporting a full light green snake suit. He is stuck in a brown and gold colored pot with the year 2013 stitched on in white. I think the pot and tori are separable if you cut tori out, but I wouldn't do that. He is so cute as a chubby snake. Also tori is holding a brown coin/medallion with a 10 on it. Not really sure what it means, but it could be because 2013 is the 10th year anniversary of rilakkuma!! There is actually a smaller snake hiding here next to tori... He is really small but still really cute! I don't think he's a polka dot snake though like the other two plushes, he is just a gold snake.

And there's the family picture ^_^ Happy Chinese New Year!!