dakimakura
A new kind of dakimakura designed to provide fantasies that are actually based in reality.
Young man in Southern California has a degree, and also a very clear opinion on who Love Live!’s best girl is.
Fluffy add-ons seem like they’d make the pillows less comfortable for sleeping, yet better equipped for their primary purpose.
Fans of cosplay star Enako will now be able to get their hands on her, or at least her new dakimakura cuddle pillow.
Swiss super otaku Melonpan might just be the most bonkers Resident Evil fan on the internet…
New frontier in otaku tech smashes crowdfunding goal, set to ship soon.
The American broadcaster’s We Bare Bears features a panda, a grizzly, and a polar bear…and in its most recent episode, also an anime schoolgirl pillowcase.
The creative team at Bibi Lab have been at it again. The inventive brand dedicated to bringing weird and wonderful items out into the world have delighted us with life-sized human-shaped pillows, mosquito net jumpsuits and even sailor-style schoolgirl uniforms for men.
Now there’s another item we’ll be adding to our growing collection of Bibi Lab products: the giant anime-style pigtails pillow.
When you look at them a certain way, huggy pillows with pictures of cute anime girls on them are kind of creepy. Well, actually, they’re creepy in several ways, but for right now, let’s limit our discussion to one way in particular.
Even if we accept that there’s nothing wrong with consensual love between a man and his pillow, their relative sizes make the situation kind of weird. After all, a person’s height is far greater than a pillow’s length, so wouldn’t Miss Anime Pillow feel a little awkward cuddling with her much larger otaku owner?
It’d probably be a little like squeezing a gigantic anime pillow that’s six meters (19.7 feet) long. Of course, if that sounds like your personal vision of bedtop bliss, there’s a company giving away just that.
We’ve talked before about Japan’s love affair with gigantic hug pillows. Even if they’re not covered with pictures of your anime or celebrity crush, dakimakura, as they’re called in Japanese, have a number of physiological advantages, as well as the psychological benefits some people reap from having something to hold as they sleep.
Of course, some people also feel more secure and relaxed being held as they sleep, which is why Japan has a new, double-pronged huggy pillow that can hug you back.
We recently looked at the physical and psychological benefits of sleeping with hug pillows, or dakimakura as they’re known in Japan. But while that discussion was limited to plain, undecorated dakimakura, it’s no secret that a large number of jumbo-size pillows in Japan are adorned with drawings or photos of the owner’s anime or celebrity crush.
Sometimes these dakimakura end up being used for relatively chaste purposes, like a romantic train ride. We don’t think it’s going too far, though, to speculate they’re also put to more lascivious means as stand-ins for obsessive fans’ lust towards their unattainable objects of desire. As a result, one new dakimakura allows you to tear the clothes off a rock star.
MOST POPULAR
Today
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Beautiful exclusive Totoro tenugui towel is a gift from Disney to Ghibli physical media buyers
Brand new Shinkansen bullet train unveiled in Japan… but it won’t carry passengers
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Sanrio eco-friendly plushies are here for the earth-conscious lovers of all things kawaii
Yakuza members arrested for building a road on mountain they don’t own
Cup Noodle releases cold-water instant ramen in Japan, but can it really be made with just cold water?
Giant Snorlax, other snoozing Pokémon appear in Yokohama for Pokémon Sleeping Faces Research [Pics]
If you love Pokémon and cats, you’ll love Japan’s cat Pokémon cat toys and feeding dishes[Photos]
Weekly
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]- Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Japanese convenience store releases Japanese convenience store-flavor fried chicken
Family Mart’s new Tokyo flagship convenience store doesn’t feel convenient, but is that a problem?
Starbucks Japan releases new Discovery Series collection celebrating local regions and traditions
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
Is Japan’s tourism boom slowing down? Foreign visitor numbers fall for first time in five years
Evangelion beautifully reimagined as iconic classical Japanese folding screen art series [Photos]
Monthly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir- Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
- Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer- Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Yearly
- Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo- Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】- Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Sanrio eco-friendly plushies are here for the earth-conscious lovers of all things kawaii
Yakuza members arrested for building a road on mountain they don’t own
Cup Noodle releases cold-water instant ramen in Japan, but can it really be made with just cold water?
Giant Snorlax, other snoozing Pokémon appear in Yokohama for Pokémon Sleeping Faces Research [Pics]
If you love Pokémon and cats, you’ll love Japan’s cat Pokémon cat toys and feeding dishes[Photos]
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Japanese government sets up new group to deal with trading card boom
Hatsune Miku, VTuber Suisei Hoshimachi perform opening pitch at pro baseball game in Japan [Video]
Studio Ghibli’s new moving keychains are the angry, adorable bugs from Nausicaa [Photos]
Japanese convenience store releases Japanese convenience store-flavor fried chicken
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Taco sandwiches appear in Japan with new Lunch Pack sandwich pocket flavor[Taste test]
McDonald’s Japan reveals new Pokémon collaboration range, covering McNuggets and lucky bags
Family Mart’s new Tokyo flagship convenience store doesn’t feel convenient, but is that a problem?
-
