It’s been too long since we added to this series of posts where we (re-)introduce you to a themed set of cute characters and where to buy products that feature them. I’ve already done kawaii cats with Hello Kitty, Pusheen, Nyan Nyan Nyanko & Meowchi but there’s so many more to choose from so here’s another 4 of my favourites.
Chococat
Chococat, Sanrio’s black cat with the chocolate-coloured nose, was one of my early kawaii favourites but he almost disappeared for a long time. Thankfully, the Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures series has brought him back into the spotlight and he often gets included in new collections. According to Sanrio, Chococat tends to be a little scatterbrained at times, but he is always up on the latest news, thanks to his ultrasensitive “antenna” whiskers.
The US has the best selection of merch by far and there’s also lots of cute stuff at Sanrio’s US online shop, JapanLA (US) and Pipsticks (US). He’s still very hard to find outside the US but keep an eye on the Sanrio stores in Japan and Europe. There’s also some cute freebies to download + crafts on the Sanrio YouTube channel.
Corocorocoronya
Corocorocoronya is a small shy cat who loves to roll and sometimes hides inside a bread coronet. Created by San-X in 2017, the gang has expanded to include lots more cute cat friends, a shibu inu dog and, um, a sentient blob of chestnut cream.
New product collections are still being released occasionally by San-X and there’s a new one this month, with a sleepover party theme. You can order it from the San-X shop (JP – requires forwarding service) and you’ll also find many items at Meccha Japan (JP), VeryGoods (JP), Cuteness (EU) and Jellybeet (US) with international shipping. San-X also have lots of free wallpapers.
Jiji (Kiki’s Delivery Service)
Jiji is really an equal main character with Kiki in the popular Studio Ghibli anime and definitely a fan favourite. He steals all his scenes, has lots of wise advice and gets a whole separate storyline for part of the movie. Nothing hits harder than the moment when Kiki can no longer understand her familiar.
We have a whole guide on Where To Buy Studio Ghibli Merch which is thankfully a lot easier to find online now. Donguri Republic (JP – requires forwarding service) is the official store and there’s also stockists and exclusive collabs at many international stores including Maison Ghibli (EU), Oshoppu (UK), JetPens (US) and BoxLunch (US).
Fuku Fuku Nyanko
Fuku Fuku Nyanko are a group of cat characters created by Japanese brand Passport/HAPiNS, who also created Hannari Tofu. They live on Fuku Fuku island where all the cats are soft and fluffy. There were initially 4 cats but now there are 8, all in different colours/breeds with their own names and personalities.
If you ever visit Japan, make sure to visit a HAPiNS store as the product range is massive and they sell a lot of useful home and lifestyle goods. I have a towel, oven mitt and battery pack, as well as plushies. You can buy everything from the HAPiNS online shop (JP – requires forwarding service) too but nowhere outside Japan. I wrote about ordering here and it’s really not difficult. Some items are available from sellers on Amazon Japan with international shipping.
Who’s your favourite kawaii cat character?
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