So it hasn’t been long since my last review, which covered May’s box which focussed on being comfy at home. This month’s box is more aimed at bringing a smile to all our faces, with the theme “Smile Everyday”. A very valuable life lesson and one that is oh so important when we are all just battling through this climatic start to a new decade. We are only six months in, and yet it feels like it’s been five years since 2019 ended. So let’s get back to this box! This month sees a total of six products that come from Kirby, Sanrio, Studio Ghibli and Pokémon.
Now onto the important details! Lets begin with the usual description of who SoKawaii is and what they have to offer. SoKawaii is a company based in Japan, home of practically everything kawaii (Japanese for cute). They create monthly boxes, jam packed with 100% licensed products from Hello Kitty, Pokémon, Sanrio and more. The items range from plushies to Gachapon, little figures, stationary, lifestyle, kitchenware and more. The staff at SoKawaii handpicks 6 to 8 cute & useful items exclusive only to Japan, pack them up in a very decorative box and send it straight to your doorstep. You can also check out their Instagram for even more info and insights into what is currently appearing in Japanese arcades and stores. As well as sneak peeks into what they could be including in next month’s box. They also listen to what you would like to be included in future boxes, by asking across their social media. https://www.instagram.com/sokawaii/
Our first item is this fairly large MochiMochi Kirby plush. In order to get this ball of pink fluff in the box, it came shrink wrapped in a vacuum storage bag. Which will also come in handy for my future travels, when it becomes safe to fly again. Once out of the bag and tossed about a bit to get some air back in it, it soon doubled in size and became a plump new cushion for the couch! Although the colors are a bit darker than what I imagined, it isn’t over stuffed either and thus has a more ‘squishy’ feel to it.
Next up we have our Pokemon item, in the form of these cute Japanese socks. Now these socks are particularly unique to Japan, as if you can see above they are stitched in a way to separate the big toe from the rest of the little piggies. These are what is known as ‘Tabi’ socks, which are mostly worn when wearing a Kimono and the elevated wooden sandals known as Geta that come with such a traditional outfit. Of course, you can also just wear them about the house if you wish. They come in two designs, which both feature Pikachu and a cherry blossom (sakura) design. Now in regards to the size of the socks, they are a bit on the same size. As from what I received they would fit upto a size four in the UK. It’s unclear if there was a range of sizes available, so you may be lucky when you get your box and they fit you. Also it is good to know that in Japan, they measure shoe size by centimeters.
Next up we have another Kirby item, with a retractable keychain. A useful item to have on hand, as not only can you just attach your keys to it but also would be very useful to keep your transport pass on. Such as your Leap card for those of us in Ireland, or the Oyster card for the UK and your Suica or Pasmo for those of you traveling Japan. This is very useful to have on hand when you are in a hurry!
We now have the first of our two Sanrio items, with this Marumofubiyori cup. One of the newest characters to have been created by Sanrio, having made its debut back in 2017. The name Marumofubiyori actually covers the three characters that you see on the cup. The main character being the white bear cub known as Moppu, a name given to him as he is always dragging his blanket along the floor like a mop. Moppu has two plush toys to keep him company, who are also his best friends. Kanikama is the toy crab and Gyoniku is a toy fish. This small plastic cup isn’t very useful if you plan on quenching any kind of thirst, but would be best suited for the bathroom when brushing your teeth. Also please bear in mind, this is not to be used in a microwave!
We now have our second Sanrio item for this month’s box, with this rather cute pouch. This was available in nine character designs, including Gudetama, Tuxedo Sam, Pocchaco, Keroppi and Little Twin Stars. The one I got was Kiki from Little Twin Stars. The second image I have above is of the pouch turned inside out, so you can see the design that would be on the inside of the case. With this gorgeous detail and an inside pocket, this pouch would be perfect for travelling. Weather you’d be using it for makeup, toiletries, stationary or just to keep your passport & tickets all together. It’s certainly one of the most useful and versatile products to have arrived in this months’ box. Let me know in the comments below, or in our social media – which character you received!
Last but not least, we have our final item. This time from Studio Ghibli, with a more unusual item included. Simply packaged and not skipping on the engraved details, comes this wooden toothbrush from My Neighbour Totoro. Made from bamboo and branded as eco friendly, the packaging still includes some plastic in order to ensure the toothbrush is kept from damage and almost sterilized. Now this item may set off alarm bells for some readers who are entirely against the idea of putting wooden products such as ice pop sticks and wooden spoons in their mouths. A few people come to mind when I write this, so I know it is a genuine problem for some. All the same, it is a useful item if the wooden texture doesn’t bother you. It is made to be used and not stored forever on a shelf, so bear that in mind when you have to replace it after 3 to 4 months of use, as recommended from dental experts.
And that is it now for Junes’ box, all sent with the purpose of putting a smile on your face. So big question here, which one did just that for you? Was it the plush Kirby, the bathroom necessities, the new socks, the pencil case or the retractable keychain?! Let me know in the comments below or catch me over on Twitter in this review post! Now let’s’ get onto how you can get your own subscription!
So here is the price breakdown of the box each month and the savings you can get. Whether you subscribe month to month, or for their 3, 6 or even 12 month options. Depending on what option you choose, the cheaper the box is each month.
1 MONTH – $35.00/€31.77mo
3 MONTHS – $33.50/€30.40mo
6 MONTHS – $32.00/€29.04mo
12 MONTHS – $31.50/€28.59mo
Better yet, here is a 10% discount code that you can use on your first box!
http://sokawaii.refr.cc/maryhealy
Now if you liked everything you saw in this review of June’s crate, rest assured that the items are differevery month. Each box has 6 to 8 items included and a few of them will be revealed online through SoKawaiis’ social media as the weeks go by. July’s box theme is “Under The Sun”, which will feature goods from Kirby, Sanrio and San-X, with a few of the products included already announced across their social media.
