Sumikko Gurashi Character Guide

If you’re a big fan of San-X characters we bet you know Sumikko Gurashi which literally means “life in the corner” and was first released in 2012. All the Sumikko Gurashi are characters that live a quiet and solitary life in the corner. Yes. A CORNER. They don’t like being in the center of the room because they feel most comfortable in the corners of the room. If you pay close attention, you may notice that most Sumikko Gurashi pictures are shown in a corner as well. In total, there are 15 characters (more or less) of Sumikko Gurashi each with different charms and backgrounds. The characters split into 2 types: “Sumikko,” the main characters, and “Minikko,” the smaller side characters. Look how cute their interactions are in the picture below!

If you’re a new fan of Sumikko Gurashi, we know that you need to know each character profile, and yes we will make the list for you~ Are you ready?

Shirokuma (しろくま)

Shirokuma is a shy Polar bear but he doesn’t deal well with cold weather so he ran away from the North Pole. Shirokuma feels most calm while drinking hot tea in a corner.

Tonkatsu (とんかつ)

It’s not a full Tonkatsu, it’s the end piece of a tonkatsu. Left behind for being too oily and hard to eat. Please help him!

Tokage (とかげ)

He is actually the last of the dinosaurs. Afraid of being caught he pretends to be a lizard. The only one he’s opened up to is Nisetsumuri.

Penguin? (ぺんぎん？)

The fun fact about Penguin? is he’s not sure if he’s a penguin or a “kappa” so at the end of his name there is a question mark. Penguin?’s favorite food is cucumber and he also enjoys reading and listening to music.

Neko (ねこ) 

Shy and timid, Neko worries and is sensitive about its body shape.

Mogura (もぐら )

Used to live in a corner underground and have a curiosity to go above ground. You can see in the picture that he likes red boots.

Zassou (ざっそう)

A positive weed. Admires florists and dreams of being made into a bouquet one day.

Tapioca (たぴおか)

They are the leftovers in the cup as only milk tea was drunk up earlier.

“I’m fed up with this” (Tapioca’s muttering)

Suzume (すずめ )

Just a regular sparrow. A big fan of Tonkatsu and likes to peck at Tonkatsu.

Obake (おばけ)

Obake means ghost, but don’t worry, he is a good one! Stays quiet to prevent others from being scared.

Furoshiki (ふろしき)

Furoshiki is a piece of cloth tied into a little bundle to wrap up Shirokuma’s belongings. Not just for belongings, it can be used for various purposes: to carry things, as a blanket when it’s cold, etc.

Ebifurai no Shippo (えびふらいのしっぽ )

It was too hard to eat and was left unfinished. Ebifurai no Shippo & Tonkatsu are friends who understand each other very well.

Hokori (ほこり)

A careless bunch that often piles up near corners; we often call him dust.

Nisetsumuri (にせつむり)

Looks like a snail, but he isn’t actually a snail.  He’s a slug carrying an empty shell on its back. He’s really sorry to everyone.

Yama (やま)

A small mountain that looks up to Mt. Fuji. Appears at hot springs and poses as Mt. Fuji.

They all look BEYOND kawaii! Please let us know which one is your favorite character and why in the comments below!

Would you like to see Sumikko Gurashi merch in our next YumeTwins monthly kawaii box?

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Picture source: San-X