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Plushie is half anime ergonomic aid, half heart-warming distraction.

As someone who often pulls 12-hour shifts, I’m a big believer in making your workspace as comfortable as possible. Not only will good ergonomics help prevent chronic pain, they’ll also keep your energy, and thus productivity, levels high throughout the day.

So I can really see the appeal of a soft, supportive PC cushion. On the other hand, I don’t think I’d actually get any work done with one that looks like Pikachu.

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Previously, Japanese merchandiser Bandai has offered PC cushions modeled after characters from Digimon and other popular character-driven franchises, and earlier this month virtual idol Hatsune Miku even joined the lineup. But while all of those seem like they’re just toeing the fine line between work and play, this adorable Pikachu version looks like he’d hop right over it as he lands in his owner’s lap.

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Seriously, how are you supposed to concentrate on your professional or academic assignments when the most famous Pokémon is staring at you with the sort of eager smile that warrants at least a 10-minute cuddle break, if not just blowing off all your other responsibilities for the day and heading out the door in search of adventures?

▼ Those quarterly reports can wait until tomorrow, right?

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Thankfully, you can mitigate such temptation by detaching Pikachu’s keyboard and using it by itself as a wrist rest, with the plushie stowed safely out of your field of view.

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Of course, you’ll still have to contend with the charming distractions of the pack of Pocket Monsters that appear on the illustrated keys.

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If you’re ready for this difficult test of focus and willpower and you live in Japan, the Pikachu PC cushion can be ordered through the Premium Bandai website here, priced at 5,616 yen (US$51). If you happen to live overseas, you can order the cushion from Amazon USA.

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Source, images: Premium Bandai