--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: San-X image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2d166a2b9d28b151/6a4b525c8b93e547995ad7c3/BCB23F5F673C46F2B2EE06C1AB4EC9EE.png?branch=production&width=1440&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- # San-X  **MAPPING A WORLD OF FEELINGS** When _kawaii_ character company San-X introduced “Rilakkuma” in 2003—a brown bear in costume with a fondness for pancakes and sweet dumplings—its popularity was down to more than just aesthetics. The calming presence of a schedule-free bear, whose main activities extend little further than mealtimes and lounging, stood in contrast to the realities of rush-hour Tokyo and work deadlines. Through branded goods such as stationery, soft toys and an upcoming animated TV series, Rilakkuma made comfort accessible amid the stresses of everyday life. San-X characters have now expanded to become more diverse, encompassing over 1,000 characters. This wide range, from the lethargic “Tarepanda” to the anxious “Buru Buru Dog,”as well as “Sumikkogurashi” —the hugely successful ode to awkwardness—addresses moods both good and bad. “We turn emotions into a positive form and express the feeling of ‘it’s okay to be the way you are’ through our characters,” San-X President Hiroshi Chida explained. For a nation known for kawaii culture, Chida believes the concept carries a deeper meaning when applied to character creation. “Kawaii is a very familiar expression, meaning that something is cute. I think it’s not just about appearance—it’s about the entire atmosphere that can be felt from a character’s presence,” he said. “In Japan, things that don’t necessarily look conventionally attractive are sometimes described as kawaii, and I feel that is unique. Overseas, cuteness can sometimes carry a slightly different image.”  In 2026, the company took a major step in the physical expansion of the San-X Universe, working with Yamanashi’s Fuji-Q Highland amusement park to create a new dedicated area set in the foothills of Mount Fuji. With the goal of delivering a space filled with “healing and cuteness,” Chida is optimistic about the venture. “Over the years, we’ve focused on increasing our contact points with fans. I feel that by meeting our characters in person, their charm can reach the heart more deeply. These kinds of experiences are one area we wish to expand further in the future,” he said. As Japanese pop culture is high in demand, San-X plans to provide comfort to more fans around the world through pop-up and flagship stores. “Rather than overly localizing, we will focus on carefully delivering the charm of our characters developed here in Japan,” Chida said.  San-X ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/san-x/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/san-x/"},"headline":"San-X","datePublished":"2026-06-18T14:28:16.464Z","dateModified":"2026-06-09T07:28:03.479Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/san-x/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/san-x/","name":"San-X"}}]}] ```