You might not know the word Capchara but you’re sure to recognise these kawaii character gashapon figures from Japan. Here’s some of the cutest ones around and where to buy them.
Capchara simply means capsule characters and the fun thing about these is that it’s a build it yourself figure and the body pieces are stored inside the head. That makes the head a capsule that can fit inside the usual gachapon machines without the usual egg capsule. Gashapon World is an amazing site that has updates on all the latest releases including the Capchara sets so here’s a look at some and there’s some shopping links at the end.
Top of my wish list is the latest Rilakkuma set that are based on the Always With Rilakkuma plush. The tilted heads are such a cute touch and I desperately want Rilakkuma in dungarees with a little Kogumachan tucked in the pocket! There have been a few other sets too with cats and honey themes.
Pokemon have the biggest range by far with 11 different sets released so far, and almost all including a Pikachu. Choose from Eevees, electric/fire/grass/water/ghost types and more.
There’s also a lot of Sanrio sets with most of the popular characters featured somewhere. If you’re a Hello Kitty fan, she’s in all 6 sets so lots to collect!
Not all Capchara fit the body inside the head and these Disney Princess figures never do. Instead the pieces are stored inside a big dress or a cute base like a carriage, seashell or teapot. Other Disney character sets are available too including Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and Dumbo.
I’m not sure what it is about Sumikko Gurashi but their sets are even more fun than the others. Many include tiny Minikko friends, while others are rubber stamps or even come with a roll of stickers.
Where To Buy Capchara Gashapon Figures
Since these are designed for the machines, it can be hard to find them online and they’re sure to be marked up a lot. If you’re lucky to have gachapon machines near you, they should only cost you a few coins (¥300 in Japan). Online prices depend on how rare and sought-after the series is and you may have to buy the full set to get the one you want. As well as the above, there are Capcharas for Miffy, Peanuts, LINE, Star Wars and lots of anime characters.
- Ebay – the best selection with both single figures and sets
- Mary Bear Shop (US) – Rilakkuma, Sumikko Gurashi & Sanrio
- DEJAPAN – a proxy service that helps you find items and order from Japanese sites
- Shopping Services – some of these take requests and can even bid on auction sites
- Where To Buy Cute Gachapon Capsule Toys – our guide has other shops to try
PS. You’ll see both gashapon and gachapon used for these types of capsule toys – they’re both correct.
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