There is something about Japanese toys that make this Nerdgirl go crazy.  The Japanese really know how to make something super cute.  Let's take the most well known Japanese creation for example...Hello Kitty!  No matter what you think about the cuddly kitty you have to admit she is super cute.  One of my best friends got to go to Japan on business last month and when he asked what I wanted I had two words for him Hello Kitty!  However, on his next trip I might have to expand my desires to include some less known creatures such as Mameshiba.  What is Mameshiba? It's a cute little cartoon that literally translated is a bean crossed with a dog.  The series is popular in Japan (mame meaning bean, and shiba meaning dog) which was created in 2008 by Dentsu Inc., and now the Mameshiba are preparing to take the US, Australia and other English-speaking countries by storm.

The Mameshiba are known for spouting odd little trivia facts or pieces of wisdom, for example: "Did you know? The inside of a kangaroo's pouch is smelly” or "Did you know? A hippo's sweat is pink". They have a huge following in Japan, with toys and lots of other sorts of merchandise available. Now some of that merchandise is available for us English speakers, with a brand new online shop and Mameshiba website for us to visit.

The online store is being run by DLC-LA and it hasn't got much in the way of things to buy at the moment, but they do have T-Shirts (which only appear to be in Ladies sizes).  They plan on having a whole lot more available including wall decor (stickers & posters), and electronic device skins. You can also expect to see some retailers selling plush, beanies, vinyl figures, and books in the near future.