No Face will be fine. He just needs his tea.
One of the things that makes No Face such a captivating character in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away is the way he changes as the story goes on. At his most disruptive, No Face is a ravenous, rampaging monster, but when protagonist Chihiro shows him trust and tenderness all the same, a tranquil side of his personality emerges and he learns how to harmoniously coexist with others.
No Face’s character arc doesn’t end with a bombastic flourish, but rather a gentle settling into his new life working alongside the kindhearted witch Zeniba. It’s nice to think he’s happy there, and occasionally gets to take a break from his weaving work to sip a cup of tea, like he’s doing in this new wobbly figure.
Wobbly figurines like this are called okiagarikoboshi in Japanese, where craftsmen have been making them since about 400 years ago. Much like with Weebles other round-bottomed dolls found elsewhere in the world, if you give No Face a push or a poke, he’ll lean way over to the side, but then straighten himself out without toppling completely over.
Not only does No Face’s torso wobble, his arms shake too, with the cup and saucer he’s holding jittering up and down with his limbs.
This extra motion is why the new figure is officially called the Motto Yurayura Okiagaikoboshi Tea Cup and No Face, with “Motto Yurayura” meaning “more swaying,” to differentiate it from an older figure from a few years back without the cup or moving arms.
Joining No Face in the Motto Yurayura Okiagaikoboshi line, and also with a relaxing beverage motif, is Kiki’s Delivery Service’s Jiji, sitting in the same black cat coffee cup that little witch Kiki purchases within the anime when furnishing her new home.
Jiji has even more points of movement than No Face, as wobbling the tea cup will also make him move his paw and tail wiggle.
The No Face figure is the cheaper of the two, at 1,980 yen (US$13.75), while Jiji is just a little more expensive at 2,420 yen. Both can be ordered through the online store of Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku (No Face here, Jiji here), and if you want your home to not just have a Ghibli look, but a Ghibli scent too, there’s also the new line of Ghibli heroine dress-themed sachets.
Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2)
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