"That is so Kawaii!" - Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma

Today I would like to talk about a term that I have seen used a lot when commenting on certain types of dolls and toys: kawaii.

Kawaii is a word used, in the context of Japanese popular culture, to describe something as cute. Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma are two Japanese characters that fit the bill as kawaii. Seeing toy reviews of these characters on YouTube brought back memories of when I was into this craze. I felt like I was revisiting my childhood back when I was 12 years old and visiting relatives in Hong Kong. I remember looking for all things kawaii in the stores. Back then I was not aware of the word kawaii. I just remember looking for all things Hello Kitty and for other Japanese character themed toys.

Of the two characters, I believe that Hello Kitty is more well-known in North America. Hello Kitty’s full name is Kitty White. She is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio. She is depicted as a white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello_Kitty)

This is Hello Kitty’s storyline:

“Initially known only as "the white kitten with no name", the official character profiles for Hello Kitty now lists her full name as Kitty White, born in the suburbs of London, England on November 1. Her height is described as five apples and her weight as three apples. She is portrayed as a bright and kind-hearted girl, very close to her twin sister Mimmy. She is good at baking cookies and loves Mama's homemade apple pie. She likes to collect cute things and her favorite subjects in school are English, music, and art.^” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello_Kitty)

Rilakkuma (a combination of the Japanese pronunciation of relax and the Japanese word for bear) is a character designed by Aki Kondo, produced by San-X in 2003. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rilakkuma)

  

This is Rilakkuma’s storyline:

“The factual story for Rilakkuma's being is that he mysteriously appears in the female office lady Kaoru's apartment one day. He is a soft toy bear who has apparently decided to take up residence there. On his back is a zipper which when opened reveals a light blue polka dot patterned material. The reason for the zipper on his back is unknown.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rilakkuma)

Rilakkuma has friends Korilakkuma "a mysterious white bear cub" and Kiiroitori (“yellow bird” in Japanese), a yellow chick who lives at Kaoru’s house.  Kiiroitori named her Korilakkuma because she looks like little Rilakkuma ("ko" means a little child in Japanese.). She also mysteriously appeared at Kaoru’s house. She is full of vigor and is very mischievous.

Unlike anime, a form of Japanese cartooning that includes very detailed adult features, Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma are very “cutesy”, simply drawn characters. These two characters have faces and bodies that are very round in nature. There are many circles and ovals and very few sharp angles in their composition. This gives them a soft appearance that appeals to not only children but also adults.

There is a lot of merchandise based on these characters that are available. In Asian countries, they are found in most stores. Outside of Asia, they can be purchased online. Along with the expected plush toys and vinyl figures, there are a wide variety of accessories that are either shaped in these characters or made to accompany these characters. One thing that is popular is placing these characters in cute and funny situations such as dressing them as other animals.

A peek into the world of Hello Kitty:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rilakkuma retail therapy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although I don’t see myself reigniting passion for these characters, I do see why others love them. In October, I did some blind box openings of Hallowe’en edition Hello Kitty vinyl figures. Click on the following link to read my previous post on this: http://ireneyeema.blogspot.ca/2014/10/yee-ma-opens-her-first-blind-boxes.html . These kawaii characters are so simply drawn yet adorable. I believe it is the simplicity and softness which make them so appealing to so many people.

Monster High doll - Honey Swamp

In my previous post, I mentioned a Monster High doll named Honey Swamp, which I had purchased for my niece’s birthday. Today I will do a review of Honey Swamp.



Monster High doll Honey Swamp

Although Monster High seems to be a very popular line of dolls, I’ll have to say that I wasn’t really a fan and often wondered why it was so popular. I had seen a few reviews of these dolls on YouTube but never really paid that much attention to them. The notion of monsters made me think of ugly and scary creatures. My vague impression of these dolls was off-putting.

However, there were a few dolls that stood out to me. One of them was Honey Swamp. What a liked about this doll was the afro hair style that she sported. It was refreshingly different than most dolls I have seen. Most dolls seem to have long straight hair a la Barbie and friends. It’s not that I have anything against Barbie. It’s just nice to see some different hair styles on dolls because we all know that not all females wear their hair exactly the same way. For this reason, I find myself drawn to dolls that have shorter and more modern haircuts. They seem to be a rare find.

Here are a few pictures of the drawn and cartoon versions of Honey Swamp, along with the doll version.

Honey Swamp holds her camera and clapboard

This is her write-up on http://monsterhigh.wikia.com/wiki/Honey_Swamp :

“She is a swamp monster, specifically the daughter of the Honey Island Swamp Monster, from New Goreleans, Louisiana, who aspires to be a cinematographer. That is, she's already one, and good at what she does, but she has yet to make it in Hauntlywood and beyond. Having come into contact with the movie star Elissabat and the director Sofeara Gorepola has moved her career along greatly, but, being a perfectionist who knows that time is an investment, Honey seeks to grow bigger still.”

Honey Swamp has “big hair” that is composed of tight curls in basically two colors: blue-green and blue. She wears a pale pink hat that is comically small. It is so small, it seems like it could get lost in her hair. Her skin color and outfit follow along with the previously mentioned color scheme. She has an aquamarine skin color. Her dress appears to be two pieces but is actually all in one. The top portion is a purple blouse accented with black lace at the neckline. There are a row of white buttons on top of a black strip running down her blouse. These are not functioning buttons but purely decorative. The bottom portion of her dress is an aquamarine skirt decorated with images of pink and purple flowers, as well as black branches. The skirt bottom is finished with scalloped edging that gives a torn or dripping effect. Underneath her skirt, there is a layer of furry black material. I think that this creates the muddy and mossy feel of a swamp. Honey Swamp’s pale pink shoes have spiky scales running down the back which makes one think of an alligator.

Honey Swamp has plenty of articulation. She can bend at the knees, elbows, wrists, waist, and shoulders. Her head can turn around on her neck. This articulation provides plenty of potential for play and posing. She comes with a stand which enables displaying her in a standing position. She also comes with a diary and a hairbrush, although I don’t recommend brushing her hair as it may ruin the curls. Accessories such as detailed clapboard and old-fashioned film reel camera, both of which she can hold in her hands, add to her character as a cinematographer.

A video review of Honey Swamp can be viewed on the YouTube channel "KittiesMama": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvXds_3AUdM

I really enjoy the appearance of this doll. It seems like only a few colours are used but they come together nicely and are pleasing to look at. The details are well-thought out and fit in with her storyline. I consider Honey Swamp to be a work of art and can see why there are Monster High fans who like to collect these dolls.