seal 3

Mochi rice cakes, made from glutinous rice, come in all shapes and sizes. They’re soft and filling, and they can be enjoyed as a dessert or a meal, depending on how they’re prepared. What’s not to like, right?

And now it looks like someone’s created these insanely adorable animal-shaped cakes out of mochi…but wait, is that what they really are? Would you believe us if we told you these are actually soft toy figures that look and feel like mochi? Well, whatever they are, these little critters are sure to elicit delighted squeals of “kawaii!”

Indeed, these cute little fellas are toy figures produced by creative designer Ushihito, hand-made using a urethane resin so they look and feel as soft to the touch as fresh mochi!

▼ The toy comes in two variations. One is in the shape of a seal — doesn’t the picture just make you want to reach out and touch it to see how soft it feels?

seal 1

▼ Here’s the plump form of the seal seen from behind. The silhouette is simply adorable, and we love the detail on the fins!

Seal 2

▼ There’s also a java sparrow version of the toy, just as plump and soft as the seal. That pink beak certainly catches the eye!

bird 1

▼ Yup, talk about a cute behind!

bird 2

▼ You can see in Ushihito’s tweet how soft the toys are. Who wouldn’t be tempted to poke the little guys?

The toy figures are being sold online through Japanese bookshop and novelty store chain Village Vanguard for 1,000 yen (US$8) each, and apparently we’re not the only ones who think the figures look almost cute enough to eat. The stock that was available when they were released this week quickly sold out, although it seems more will be produced and they’ll hopefully be back in stock in the near future.

Now, please excuse us as we go back to daydreaming about the delectable sensation of poking our fingers into  something with the consistency of fresh, soft mochi.

Source: Village Vanguard online shop, Twitter (@ushihito), via Biglobe News
Top image: Village Vanguard online shop
Insert images: Village Vanguard online shop (12)