Rilakkuma and Kaoru

Rilakkuma and Kaoru

TV-PG

netflix

Netflix's first stop-motion anime is cute, quirky, and surprisingly profound.

8.2

TV Show

Japan, United States of America
Japanese
Animation, Comedy, Drama, Kids
2019
MASAHITO KOBAYASHI
Abby Trott, Ayano Kinashi, Barbara Goodson
12 min

The take

Meet Rilakkuma, a relaxed teddy bear (which is indeed what his name translates to in Japanese), and Kaoru, a Japanese office worker in her mid-thirties, who lives with said bear as well as a smaller white bear named Korilakkuma and a yellow chick by the name of Kiiroitori. As whimsical as all this may sound, the show offers up endearing and humane life lessons to go with all the heart-warming cuteness as Kaoru navigates being single, her apartment building being demolished, and her job stressing her out. It combines charming stop-motion characters with great writing, adorable animation, and a beautifully quiet tone. You might be surprised at the profundity of a show that, at the surface, is about a Japanese girl with cuddly toy roommates. It's hard to compare it to anything else!

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