Rilakkuma is here to help you be more physically active than he is.

As you’ve probably noticed by now, no country has a soft spot for cute things as soft as Japan’s. A big part of the reason why is that in Japanese society, cuteness isn’t seen as the opposite of maturity, meaning that all sorts of things not just for kids, but for adults too, can be designed with kawaii elements.

For example, Japanese sporting equipment maker Mizuno has released two new sets of workout weights, and they’re adorable.

If you’ve spent much time browsing a Japanese toy store (or Netflix’s Japanese offerings), you’ll no doubt recognize always-relaxed bear Rilakkuma and his pal Kiiroitori. While these might look like cushions or plushies to tie onto the strap of your bag, they’re actually workout weights from Mizuno’s Ballretch lineup.

Covered in soft material for a grip that won’t leave calluses, each weight is meant to be gripped in one hand and used like a dumbbell, as shown in the video below.

Two Ballretch Rilakkuma sets are on offer, the first featuring Rilakkuma and Kiiroitori, and the second providing a double-dose of bears with Korilakkuma and Chairoikoguma.

▼　To the untrained eye, Chairoikoguma (“Brown Bear Cub”) may look just like Rilakkuma, but you can tell them apart by Chairoikoguma’s fangs.

Each weight is identical in size and mass: 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) in diameter and 500 grams (1.1 pounds), so the difference between the four is purely aesthetic. Speaking of aesthetics, fans will be happy to know that Mizuno is staying faithful to the source material and portraying Rilakkuma not as an actual bear, but as a bear kigurumi costume, with what’s inside remaining an unsolved mystery.

A character who celebrates laziness as a virtue does seem, at first anyway, like an odd choice for a fitness spokesperson. The weights are so cute that they still make cute interior decorations even if you decide to take a page from Rilakkuma’s playbook and just take it easy for the day instead exercising, though, and if you’re keeping your weights out instead of sticking them in a box in the back of your closet, it’s that much easier to grab them and start working out if and when the mood does strike you.

The sets can be ordered, priced at 3,960 yen (US$38) here through Mizuno’s online shop, and if you need some workout music, we’ve got just the thing.

Source: PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: Mizuno, PR Times, Mizuno (2)
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