What is Summikogurashi?
In love with Japanese culture? Love cute cartoons that remind you of your childhood? Sumikkogurashi, which literally means “life in the corner,” is a group of 15 cute Japanese characters united by their desire to relax in the corner of a room.
These Kawaii characters are definitely your mojo, the Summikkogurashi are the most relatable and quirky bunch of friends, they often feel left out and uncertain of themselves and are sometimes shy or flustered, they just want to live without stress and worry. It's impossible not to fall in love with them and their cute adventures.
Summikogurashi Goes Viral
Since its release in 2012, Sumikkogurashi has exploded in popularity. Today, alongside the usual Summikogurashi Plushies, there are books, apps and video games dedicated to these super cute freinds.
Winner for Best Animation of the Year at the 29th Annual Japan Movie Critics Award, Sumikkogurashi: The Movie is an enjoyable short film (66 minutes only!) (And don't tell anyone but you can watch it on Youtube anytime)
Sumikko Main Characters
Shirokuma
Shirokuma is a shy polar bear who ran away from the north to avoid the cold. As such, Shirokuma feels calmest when drinking hot tea in the corner.
Penguin?
Penguin? They are so lacking in self-confidence they’re unsure of their own nature. Penguin? has memories of having a plate on their head, suggesting that they’re probably one of Japan's mythological beings, a kappa
Tonkatsu and Ebifurai no Shippo
This crispy brown ball is the last piece of a Japanese tonkatsu, a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. As the last piece, Tonkatsu is 99% greasy fat with 1% meat, and was therefore rejected by diners.
Ebifurai no Shippo is a super cute side character, after being discarded for being too hard to eat he also became friends with the group.
Neko
Neko is a shy, anxious cat character. They like to use the corner of the room to hide, especially when worried about their body shape.
Togake
Another popular character, is an amphibious dinosaur and the last of their kind. In order to avoid detection and capture, they pretend to be a lizard, or tokage.
We encourage you to dive deeper into these stories and movies and really get to know all the Sumikkogurashi characters. You can also check out our Sumikkogurashi Plushies and get one for yourself.
