Hello Kittyhas been known as Japan’s cutest mascot for decades, but a new adorable character is threatening the feline’s fame. The Chiikawa manga and anime follow a cast of animal characters with simple, charming designs getting into hilarious antics, which has made them universally lovable.
The Chiikawa character and their friends are becoming incredibly popularboth in Japan and worldwide. Chiikawa has been the subject of many cute merchandise collaborations with companies like Miniso and McDonald’s, and now Uniqlo is incorporating the unmistakable animals into its clothing line too.
Chiikawa is Quickly Becoming Hello Kitty’s Greatest Competitor
Miniso, McDonald’s, and Uniqlo Are Adding the Adorable Animals to Their Products
Miniso’s Chiikawacollection sold out very quickly, and theChiikawaMcDonald’s toys were so highly sought-afterthat locations of the chain restaurant ended the promotion early due to an influx of resellers buying up all the toys and listing them online for hefty prices. It is no surprise to see the Uniqlo clothing brand incorporating Chiikawa into their designs, sinceUniqlo has released anime collectionsin the past, focusing on franchises like Sanrio,Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan,and a number of others. Additionally,this will be Chiikawa’ssecond Uniqlo collaboration in recent years.
Chiikawa’s Uniqlo line last year with Sanrio featured a mix of Chiikawacharacters like Chiikawa, Usagi, and Hachiware, alongsidefamiliar Sanrio character like Hello Kitty, Kuromi, and My Melody. It was described as “a sweet collection featuring Chiikawa and Sanrio characters surrounded by delicious sweets,” and used many pastel colors and tasty food items like pancakes and fruit in the designs. The items sold out quickly, so Chiikawa’supcoming collection with Joke Bear and Friends, another group of adorable animals drawn by Japanese illustrator, Nagano, will surely be just as successful.
The Chiikawa x Joke Bear and Friends Uniqlo Collection is Cute Beyond Belief
This Collection Will Be Chiikawa’s Second Uniqlo Collaboration After Last Year’s Chiikawa X Sanrio Line
The Chiikawa x Joke Bear and Friends line includes an array of both women’s and children’s t-shirts covered in characters from the Chiikawa manga as well as Joke Bear characters. The women’s sized shirts are priced at $24.90 USD, while the kids' sizes are priced at $14.90 USD. According to the Uniqlo website,the collection will be available for purchase on June 29, 2025, in both Uniqlo physical locations and on the website.Chiikawa fans who are hoping to take home something from the collection should act fast, considering how quickly the previous collaboration sold out.
The Chiikawa x Joke Bear and Friends collection will be available on Uniqlo’s official website and in stores on August 13, 2025.
Uniqlo is not the only company getting Chiikawa merchandise this year. Sanrio themselves are releasing a Chiikawa collection that reimagines Sanrio characters like Pompompurin and Cinnamoroll as Chiikawa and their friends through plush toys, tote bags, and other collectible items. It used to be quite difficult to find Chiikawa merchandise outside of Japan, but the increase in Chiikawa items available for purchase in other countries now makes it clear just how renowned the franchise is becoming, making it a considerable competitor forSanrioto be aware of.
