When I first chanced upon these soft toys, I was really confused. By the word tetrapod, I thought the oddly shaped plushies were meant to resemble an entire classification of animals including myself and my neighbor’s cat. However, after doing some research, I discovered that tetrapods are actually concrete structures used in coastal water irrigation. And some genius decided that these should be made into limited-edition soft toys that belong in your room instead of next to the ocean.
These peculiar plushies are available for pre-order between October 18 to 26 only, so if you’re a fan of these huge solid blocks of concrete that cover a worryingly large amount of Japan’s coastline, hurry and grab them whilst stocks last!
People actually love these
If you were wondering how many people would actually be into tetrapods enough to want soft toy versions of them, you might be surprised. This is actually a third reproduction of the plushie, aptly named Tetogurumi Giga. The obscure product was first sold in summer 2012, followed by a re-release in February 2013. Because so many tetrapod fans have requested for a re-production, the company that sold the toy, Maniac Manufacturing decided to bring them back for these hardcore tetrapod lovers. As you might have guessed from the term ‘Giga’, the soft tetrapod stands at an impressively tall 50cm (19.6 inches).
▼ These tetrapods will make you room so cozy!
▼ Here’s a whole family of Tetogurumi
Netizens tried really hard to love them
Upon learning about this product, Twitter users expressed their willingness to embrace this bizarre toy:
“If you look at them long enough you’ll find them cute.”
“I want the Tetogurumi Giga so I can lie on it.”
“This is a must-buy!”
“I want to hug this Tetrapod soft toy.”
“Tetogurumi is cute~”
“This is nice and surrealistic…”
“Some day, I will hug a Tetogurumi and fall asleep…”
▼ If you look long enough, they do have a particular calming effect…
They are apparently really well-made
According to previous customers, the Tetogurumi are extremely high-quality products.
“The shape and seams are made properly. Bravo! This is what a professional model should be like!”
Some Twitter users even shared pictures of their children with the Tetogurumi Giga. I am not quite sure if my baby cousins would appreciate a soft toy they cannot recognize, but I suppose it could grow on them.
▼ On the other hand, if my room looked like this I’d be a little disturbed…
If tetrapods are not your cup of tea…
Check out the Damgurumi by the same brand that made the Tetogurumi. At 3,024 yen (US$28), you get to have you own soft, comfortable dam right in your bedroom.
▼ I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen such an adorable dam before.
Meanwhile, the Tetogurumi Giga will set you back by 16,200 yen ($150) if you want to bring one home. They even have two types of concrete designs for you to choose from. However, if you’re unwilling to fork out the cash, perhaps you should hang tight and hope for a re-release of one of the smaller tetrapod soft toys offered previously!
▼ The real thing. Probably much less cuddly…
Source: Maniac Manufacturing
Images: Maniac Manufacturing, Wikipedia
[ Read in Japanese ]
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