San-X

Various San-X characters, including Kogepan, Monokuro Boo, Wanroom, Tarepanda and Afro Ken

San-X (サンエックス San Ekkusu) is a Japanese stationery company known for creating and marketing cute characters such as Tarepanda, Rilakkuma, and Kogepan. The characters are usually anthropomorphic representations of animals or inanimate objects. Each character has its own quirky traits; for example, Momobuta is a pig with a head shaped like a peach, who enjoys karaoke and painting her nails. San-X head designer and creator of Tarepanda, Hikaru Suemasa said in 1999: "It's not just being cute. There is something different - a relaxed look, powerless".[1]

San-X characters can be found on stationery sets and pencils, as small figurines, keychains, and stuffed toys. They are sold as blind boxes, gashapon and in UFO catchers and other prize machines in Japan's arcades. There are also anime series, video games and children's books featuring the characters.

History

San-X was founded in April 1932 as a privately owned business under the name Chida Handler. In October 1942, Chida Handler became a limited company. Chida Handler's name was changed to San-X in May 1973.[2] The name San-X derives from an earlier logo which was a row of three X characters. San is three in Japanese.

Before Tarepanda became a hit, most of San-X products did not rely on characters. They continue to sell products like stationery with scenic shots and illustrations. In 1987 San-X created Pinny-Mu, their biggest character until Tarepanda was created in 1995. After Tarepanda became a success in 1998 San-X turned into a full-scale character development and licensing company. In 2003 Rilakkuma was created and in 2005 Mamegoma, which was adapted to an anime series in 2009.

In 2010 The New York Times described San-X as a smaller, nimbler company, with potential to surpass the Sanrio corporation. The San-X characters Tarepanda and Rilakkuma were described as "huge hits in Japan" that were rising in the Character Databank character popularity charts while Sanrio's Hello Kitty character slumped in popularity, especially in Japan.[3]

List of characters

Animals

The Rilakkuma display at Kiddy Land in Harajuku, Tokyo

Food

Objects

Spirits

References

  1. Wired 7.12: Cute Inc
  2. San-X Profile http://web.archive.org/web/20080821233019/http://www.san-xdirect.com/characters/
  3. Tabuchi, Hiroko (May 14, 2010). "In Search of Adorable, as Hello Kitty Gets Closer to Goodbye". NYTimes.com.
  4. 1 2 "About Afro Ken". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  5. "Buru Buru Dog profile". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  6. 1 2 San-Xネット: フレンドリーミックス (Japanese)
  7. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  8. San-xDirect.com: The Leading Sanx Direct Site on the Net
  9. San-Xネット カワイイコレクション (Japanese)
  10. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  11. "San-x kireizukinseikatu". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
  12. "こいぬのとろみ". San-X.co.jp. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  13. "まりもこちゃん". San-X.co.jp. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
  14. "MIXED CATS Profile". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  15. "Mixed Cat". Sunhingtoys.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  16. "Momobuta". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  17. "Monokuro Boo". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  18. "Nakayoshi Net". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  19. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  20. Archived December 30, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  21. http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/rindoukan/cabinet/b-0333/img55502670.jpg
  22. "Nyan Nyan Nyanko - The cats that are good at imitation!". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  23. Nyan Nyan Nyanko's official page on the San-X website
  24. "にゃんぷく". San-X.co.jp. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  25. "Pinny mu Profile". Rmlicensing.com. 1987-12-18. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  26. "RME san-x". Rmlicensing.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  27. "すみっコぐらし". San-X.co.jp. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
  28. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  29. "TarePanda Profile". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  30. San-xDirect.com: The Leading Sanx Direct Site on the Net
  31. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  32. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  33. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  34. "Amaguri chan profile". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  35. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  36. "Cheese Family Profile". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  37. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  38. "Ginsyari san". Sunhingtoys.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  39. "San-X Goringo Apple". Shopkawaii.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  40. "Kogepan profile". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  41. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  42. "Mikanbouya concepts". Rmlicensing.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  43. "Mikanbouya". Sunhingtoys.com. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  44. "Soreike Otamachan! - quirky // a guide to San-X and their characters". Cupped-expressions.net. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  45. http://www.san-x.co.jp/item/it0508_01.html (Japanese)
  46. http://www.san-x.co.jp/newcha/new106.html (Japanese)
  47. Yōguru-kun on San-X website (Japanese)
  48. http://www.san-x.co.jp/newcha/new56.html (Japanese)
  49. Tissuesan Character Information
  50. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  51. "San-Xネット ワンルームメイト". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  52. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  53. Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  54. "キャラミックス".
  55. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  56. "とれたて!情報局 ハイパー: とっておき新キャラの壁紙が登場!". Blog.san-x.co.jp. 2009-04-17. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  57. "San-Xネット". San-x.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
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