San-X Explained

is a Japanese stationery company known for creating and marketing cute characters such as Tarepanda, Rilakkuma, and Sumikko Gurashi. 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 collectibles, 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 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. The X in the logo is often illustrated as an anthropomorphic four leafed clover.

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 up until then. Tarepanda was created by in 1995 and went on to be such a success that in 1998 San-X turned into a full-scale character development and licensing company. In 1999 Kogepan was created, which was adapted to an anime series in 2001. Mamegoma was created in 2005 and adapted to an anime series in 2009. In 2003, Aki Kondo created Rilakkuma, San-X's most successful character to date.

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]

Sumikko Gurashi was created by Yuri Yokomizo in 2012, and an animated theatrical feature film with the characters was released in 2019.[4] Also in 2019, a stop motion animated series featuring Rilakkuma, called Rilakkuma and Kaoru, began streaming on Netflix.[5] As of 2019 San-X had about 35 designers, creating original characters and making designs for stationery and other merchandise.[6]

List of characters

Animals

Food

Objects

Spirits

External links

Notes and References

  1. Cute Inc.. Mary. Roach. Wired.
  2. http://www.san-xdirect.com/about_sanx/about.htm San-X Profile
  3. News: In Search of Adorable, as Hello Kitty Gets Closer to Goodbye . Hiroko . Tabuchi . Hiroko Tabuchi . NYTimes.com . May 14, 2010 .
  4. News: Sumikko Gurashi Film Debuts at #3, Re:Zero at #6 . 2019-11-12 . Anime News Network . 2019-11-20.
  5. News: Andy . Pfeiffer . Steve . Jones . This Week in Anime: Is Rilakkuma and Kaoru Worth Watching? . . 2019-04-25 . 2019-04-29.
  6. News: すみっコぐらし原点は落書き かわいそうなかわいさ共感 . ja . 2019-08-01 . . 2020-01-03.
  7. Web site: About Afro Ken . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100126234724/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/allaboutafroken.htm . 2010-01-26 .
  8. Web site: Buru Buru Dog profile . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090504100257/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/buruburudog.htm . 2009-05-04 .
  9. http://www.san-x.co.jp/newcha/new91.html San-Xネット: フレンドリーミックス
  10. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  11. Web site: San-xDirect.com: The Leading Sanx Direct Site on the Net.
  12. https://web.archive.org/web/20080821233019/http://www.san-xdirect.com/characters/ San-Xネット カワイイコレクション
  13. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  14. Web site: San-x kireizukinseikatu. San-x.co.jp . 2013-11-03.
  15. Web site: こいぬのとろみ . San-X.co.jp . 2012-10-21.
  16. Web site: まりもこちゃん . San-X.co.jp . 2012-08-13.
  17. Web site: MIXED CATS Profile . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090501202642/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/mixedcats.htm . 2009-05-01 .
  18. Web site: Mixed Cat . Sunhingtoys.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090613020659/http://www.sunhingtoys.com/MS.asp . 2009-06-13 .
  19. Web site: Momobuta . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090807061713/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/momobuta.htm . 2009-08-07 .
  20. Web site: Monokuro Boo . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100522154326/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/monokuroboo.html . 2010-05-22 .
  21. Web site: Nakayoshi Net . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090502050412/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/nakayoshinet.htm . 2009-05-02 .
  22. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  23. Web site: 小学館:ニジノムコウ. www.shogakukan.co.jp . https://web.archive.org/web/20061230045023/http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/nijinomukou/ . December 30, 2006.
  24. http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/rindoukan/cabinet/b-0333/img55502670.jpg
  25. Web site: Nyan Nyan Nyanko - The cats that are good at imitation! . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090504102350/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/nyanko.htm . 2009-05-04 .
  26. Web site: San-Xネット. www.san-x.co.jp.
  27. Web site: にゃんぷく . San-X.co.jp . 2012-10-21.
  28. Web site: Pinny mu Profile . Rmlicensing.com . 1987-12-18 . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090807033253/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/pinnymu.htm . 2009-08-07 .
  29. Web site: RME san-x . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090501213645/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/rilakkuma/html/rilakkuma.htm . May 1, 2009 .
  30. Web site: すみっコぐらし . San-X.co.jp . 2012-08-13.
  31. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  32. Web site: TarePanda Profile . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100329043655/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/tarepanda.htm . 2010-03-29 .
  33. Web site: San-xDirect.com: The Leading Sanx Direct Site on the Net. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070702044446/http://www.san-xdirect.com/latestcollection/latest.htm. 2007-07-02.
  34. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  35. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2013-09-10.
  36. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  37. Web site: Amaguri chan profile . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100110094724/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/amagurichan.htm . 2010-01-10 .
  38. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  39. Web site: Cheese Family Profile . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090724201056/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/cheesefamily.htm . 2009-07-24 .
  40. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  41. Web site: Ginsyari san . Sunhingtoys.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090207002301/http://sunhingtoys.com/GN.asp . 2009-02-07 .
  42. Web site: San-X Goringo Apple . Shopkawaii.com . 2010-04-08.
  43. Web site: Kogepan profile . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090508114711/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/kogepan.htm . 2009-05-08 .
  44. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  45. Web site: Mikanbouya concepts . Rmlicensing.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091224141828/http://www.rmlicensing.com/ENG/Sanx/mikanbouya.htm . 2009-12-24 .
  46. Web site: Mikanbouya . Sunhingtoys.com . 2010-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090207002751/http://sunhingtoys.com/MB.asp . 2009-02-07 .
  47. Web site: Soreike Otamachan! - quirky // a guide to San-X and their characters . Cupped-expressions.net . 2010-04-08.
  48. http://www.san-x.co.jp/item/it0508_01.html
  49. http://www.san-x.co.jp/newcha/new106.html
  50. http://www.san-x.co.jp/newcha/new102.html Yōguru-kun on San-X website
  51. http://www.san-x.co.jp/newcha/new56.html
  52. Web site: Tissuesan Character Information. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100203043603/http://www.cupped-expressions.net/san-x/tissuesan.php. 2010-02-03.
  53. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  54. Web site: San-Xネット ワンルームメイト . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  55. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  56. Web site: San-xネット. www.san-x.co.jp . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927043331/http://www.san-x.co.jp/charageki/beer/images/Beerchan.swf . September 27, 2007.
  57. Web site: キャラミックス .
  58. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.
  59. Web site: 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 . 2010-04-08.
  60. Web site: San-Xネット . San-x.co.jp . 2010-04-08.