In which, just like always, I don’t leave a single fried friend on my plate.
I guess it’s good my life is simple in one way, at least — San-x releases Tonkatsu-heavy merchandise, I buy Tonkatsu-heavy merchandise, I write about it delightedly here, and then I go eat some forty cent dinner with my leftover money. Yet I am powerless to resist this Sumikko Gurashi Agekko Rubber Charm Set!
Here we’ve got a selection of six rubber charms with the Agekko theme. These range in height from about half an inch to about two inches high and are made from nice, sturdy rubber with a clip.
When you’ve got charms of varying sizes, I imagine there’s some discussion about making it so that it feels “worth it” no matter what bind box you get. This one does a good job of making sure that even if it’s a smallish one, it’s a gaggle of cute Agekko, and it’s pretty hard to complain about that! Plus, you just can’t beat Ebi Furai no Shippo and Aji Furai no Shippo’s cheerleading looks.
It’s the whole family narrative that gets me every time. Tonkatsu and his little ones are like an advertisement for adoptive families. The one on the left makes me think of a Dad holding his kid up to get a better view at a zoo or some such, and his little rosy cheeks on the right just make me think he’s found his calling as a crispy caretaker.
These last two are among my favorites, if for no other reason that I am just gobsmacked with love every time it shows that Tonkatsu, despite all his focus on helping Ebi Furai no Shippo, is not really literate. (On more than one Re-ment set, he writes his name with the ん in とんかつTonkatsu backwards, and it literally makes me make a little choking sound of love every time I see it). Tonkatsu knows you don’t have to be perfect to be just perfectly what someone needs in their life.
I’m never displeased with any of these sets — even when I know it’s a little silly to pay so much for something I just end up displaying, I can’t fault myself too much. All cute things from Japan make me happy, but Sumikko bring up such genuinely good and comfortable feelings that buying their stuff feels more like celebrating them than being exploited. And let’s face it, these Agekko are just the cheerleaders I need right now.
hello somebunny 