Sumikko Gurashi - Biography

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WELCOME TO SHOP.SAN-X.CO.JP
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SHOP.SAN-X.CO.JP PRESENTS

• Sumikko Gurashi - Biography

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Sumikko Gurashi- Introduction

• Sumikko Gurashi (???????) is a set of fictional
  characters produced by the Japanese company
  San-X. The name roughly translates to "life in
  the corner".
• The main Sumikko characters are Shirokuma, a
  polar bear who dislikes the cold, and Penguin.
  who is unsure of being a penguin, Tonkatsu, a
  piece of leftover pork cutlet, Neko, a timid and
  anxious cat, and Tokage, a dinosaur who pretends
  to be a lizard.
• Minor Minniko characters include Furoshiki, a
  polka dot furoshiki cloth, Zassou, a weed with a
  positive attitude, and Tapioca, multi-colored
  leftover tapioca pearls.

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Sumikko Gurashi- Introduction

• The characters were created by Yuri Yokomizo, a
  graphic designer working for San-X, and the first
  products were released in 2012.
• Their main inspiration was the feeling of comfort
  when one is near a corner, and they were based on
  Yokomizo's notebook doodles when she was a
  student.
• A wealth of merchandise, such as stationery,
  plush toys, and clothing, is sold. Books, mobile
  apps, and video games based on the franchise have
  also been produced. Two animated films with
  Sumikko Gurashi were released in 2019 and 2021.

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Sumikko Gurashi- Know More About This Character

• Targeting Japanese people with an affinity for
  "corners", such as the corner seat of a café or
  the corner of a room, the characters are
  anthropomorphized animals and food items.
• The characters are split into "Sumikko", the main
  characters, and "Minikko", the smaller side
  characters. The main characters have common
  traits they have a slightly negative
  personality, they are castaways in everyday life,
  and they feel most relaxed when they are near a
  corner.
• In contrast, some of the Minikko characters have
  a more positive outlook, like Zassou, the weed
  with big dreams.

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Sumikko Gurashi- Know More About This Character

• Yuri Yokomizo was a new designer when she
  developed the Sumikko Gurashi characters in her
  first year of joining San-X.
• Before getting hired at San-X, Yokomizo studied
  graphic design at Tama Art University where
  Hikaru Suemasa, creator of the San-X character
  Tarepanda, was one of her professors.
• Yokomizo based the Sumikko Gurashi characters on
  doodles she made in the corners of her notebooks
  as a student. They were first conceived as a
  series of cute animal characters, and early
  concept art included a sheep and a giraffe.

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Sumikko Gurashi- Know More About This Character

• Yokomizo said in 2015 that characters like
  Tonkatsu and Tapioca were inspired by a feeling
  of pity for that which is left over.
• In 2019 Yokomizo said that some parts of the
  books are based on her own experiences, like a
  scene where the characters are afraid of
  answering the phone.
• In 2019, The Japan Times described Sumikko
  Gurashi as being part of a trend which first
  began with the release of the San-X character
  Rilakkuma in 2003, where characters have more
  negative personality traits compared to earlier
  kawaii (cute) characters which were more cheerful
  or bland.

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Sumikko Gurashi- Know More About This Character

• For the seventh anniversary in 2019 an anime film
  was released, called Sumikko Gurashi The Movie -
  The Pop-up Book and the Secret Child (?????????
  ????????????, Eiga Sumikko Gurashi Tobidasu Ehon
  to Himitsu no Ko). The film was produced by the
  studio Fanworks who previously made the
  Aggretsuko series.
• It was directed by Mankyu, with the script
  written by Takashi Sumita and Kaori Hino was art
  director. It opened in 114 theaters in Japan in
  November, and ranked 3 on opening weekend and
  rose to 2 the week after.
• It grossed a total of 1.45 billion yen in 2019
  and won Best Animation of the Year at the
  Japanese Movie Critics Awards.

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Sumikko Gurashi- Know More About This Character

• In 2021, a second movie was released, Sumikko
  Gurashi The Movie A Magical Child of the Blue
  Moonlit Night (?? ??????? ??????????, Eiga
  Sumikko Gurashi Aoi Tsukiyo no Mahou no Ko).37
  It was directed by Takahiro Omori with a
  screenplay by Reiko Yoshida.
• Like the first movie, it was produced by Fanworks
  with art directing by Kaori Hino.
• Much of the work on the movie was done remotely,
  using screen sharing. It opened in 184 theaters
  and was 2 at the weekend box office, going up to
  1 the week after. As of January 2022 the total
  box office was over 1 billion yen

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Sumikko Gurashi- Some Characters

• Shirokuma (???? shirokuma) is a shy polar bear
  who ran away from arctic circle. It is sensitive
  to the cold, and feels most at home while
  drinking hot tea in the corner. It likes to draw
  and to bathe in hot springs, and has an easygoing
  personality. Furoshiki, the pink cloth with cream
  yellow polka dots, is its most prized possession.
  
• Penguin? (????? pengin?) resembles a green
  penguin, but is unsure if it really is one. It
  likes eating cucumbers and has vague memories of
  having a plate on its head (both of which
  strongly imply that it is a kappa). Since it uses
  sneaky ways to take the corner for itself, the
  Arm often picks it up and away. It likes to read
  and listen to music.

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Sumikko Gurashi- Some Characters

• Tonkatsu (???? tonkatsu) is an edge slice from a
  fried pork cutlet. It is composed of 1 meat and
  99 fat, so it was left behind on its plate after
  the meal finished. It often puts condiments like
  sauce, salt, and mustard on itself to assert that
  it is still edible. Despite being food, it can
  eat from its mouth, which makes up its 1 portion
  of meat. Since it is covered with batter, it
  refries itself instead of bathing.
• Neko (?? neko) is a timid and socially anxious
  calico cat. It is self-conscious about its
  rotundity. It often gives the corner away to
  other Sumikko because of its personality. It
  feels safe when snugly covered, like in a pouch
  or under an empty cat food can. It often files
  its nails on the walls of the corner. It has a
  wallet and acts as the treasurer of the group.
  Its favorite foods are rice balls, cat grass,
  canned cat food, and fish.

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Sumikko Gurashi Products available at SAN-X

• Buy Sumikko Gurashi Sunglasses Purple
• https//shop.san-x.co.jp/product/detail/SMG5666
• Sumikko Gurashi Sunglasses Pink
• https//shop.san-x.co.jp/product/detail/SMG5664
• Sumikko Gurashi Mobile Battery
• https//shop.san-x.co.jp/product/detail/SMGK162
• Sumikko Gurashi Bear Cafe Tenori Plush Shirokuma
• https//shop.san-x.co.jp/product/detail/RLK9430

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