Anime characters from five famous movies want cuddles from their new owners. 

There’s a beautiful word in Japanese to describe dappled sunlight and it’s called “komorebi“. Composed of the kanji for “tree” (“木” [“mo”]), “leak” (“漏れ” [“more”])  and “sun” (“日” [“bi”]), it’s a word that conjures up a beautiful amount of visual imagery, with notions of light and shade moving together in a natural environment, and now it’s the inspiration for a new range of plush toys from Studio Ghibli.

Called the “Komorebi Series“, these soft toys shine a light on some of the characters that often appear out of the shadows, with seven in the lineup from five of the studio’s films.

The first character jumping out of the shadows to greet us is the Catbus from My Neighbour Totoro.

▼ Measuring 11 x 15 x 29 centimetres (4.33 × 5.91 × 11.42 inches), this plushie retails for 5,280 yen (US$34.94).

Not only does the character bound into the light from the shadows, it also brings light with it, thanks to its brightly lit windows.

Its giant eyes and gleaming grin will bring joy to even the darkest of days, as you won’t be able to stop yourself from grinning right back at the Catbus in its cute plush toy form.

The next character stepping out from the shadows is Moon from Whisper of the Heart (7.5 × 12 × 18.5 centimetres; 3,960 yen).

Moon’s charmingly nonplussed face is beautifully replicated, making it seem like he might escape from the confines of your domicile to wander the streets come nightfall.

▼ The sideye is a total mood.

Next up, we have two felines from Kiki’s Delivery Service, starting with Jiji (21 × 9 × 16 centimetres; 3,740 yen).

Star character Jiji needs no introduction, with his purple ears and jet-black fur begging to be touched and petted.

The character’s giant eyes will mesmerise you, while also evoking memories of the scene where the character sits upright in a birdcage while pretending to be a stuffed toy.

▼ It’s like Jiji as a stuffed toy has come to life!

Fans of Jiji will be pleased to know that his wife Lily is also stepping out as a plushed toy, so they can live happily ever after in the real world.

Lily measures 21 × 9 × 16 centimetres and is slightly more expensive than Jiji, at 3,960 yen.

Lily’s soft, fluffy fur will make you want to reach out and hug it, and it will instantly soothe you in return.

Next in the lineup is the Fox Squirrel from Laputa: Castle in the Sky (24 × 11 × 23 centimetres; 4,070 yen).

▼ The character’s bright green eyes capture the magic of the movie world from where it came.

Its plump, squirrel-like body comes with an irresistibly thick tail that’s just waiting to be lovingly squished by its owner.

Finally, we have two beloved characters from Howl’s Moving Castle, starting with Calcifer, the hot-headed fire spirit.

Priced at 3,080 yen and measuring 15 × 13.5 × 10 centimtres, Calcifer’s fiery body is beautifully replicated with fur that you’ll want to run your fingers through.

▼ The character’s wide-eyed, anxious face is perfectly primed for soothing cuddles.

▼ Finally, we have the more relaxed Hin, or “Heen” as he’s sometimes known.

Measuring 10 × 16 × 25.5 centimetres, and priced at 4,070 yen, this plush toy is adorable from all angles.

Unfortunately, the two plushies from Howl’s Moving Castle are unavailable at the moment as they’re yet to be released, but the five other characters are ready to be purchased now at Donguri Kyowakoku stores and online through the links below. The komorebi plush toys will bring light to even the darkest corners of your room, and you can always stuff them into a Ghibli character pouch for special outdoor adventures.

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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