Fluffy, colourful, comforting bear characters, and the merchandise in which they appear, have experienced a growing resurgence in recent years. Companies handling these items say the bear boom is likely to continue.

On February 12, The World of Popples, an event featuring an array of Popples fantasy characters, started at the exhibition space at Parco 1 department store in Shibuya, Tokyo. Until March 1, the event will display 24 original drawings--being shown in Japan for the first time-- along with animated films, comics and other depictions of the American bear characters that were originally created in 1986. Also available is a variety of merchandise, including key chains, stationery, soft toys and clothing.

Another set of bear characters enjoying a popular revival these days are the Care Bears, also born in the United States, but in 1981. To mark the December release of Sweet Sakura Bear--the third country-themed Care Bear after those representing the United States and Canada--Nagoya Parco department store in Nagoya will be holding an exhibition featuring Sweet Sakura Bear. A similar Care Bears event is set to start at the toy store Kiddy Land in Harajuku, Tokyo, in spring.

Kensuke Kondo, the president of MindWorks Entertainment Inc., an official Japanese licensee of the two character sets, said they attract everyone from young children to women in their 20s with their colourful hues, their huggable plump designs and their air of nostalgia. "Care Bears seem to have been attracting people with the image of caring and sharing while Popples embody happiness and fun," he said.

A 12-year-old girl in Tokyo said Care Bears and Popples are very popular among her friends and almost all of her 17 female classmates have clothes or goods bearing the characters. "The characters are pretty, romantic and soothing," she said.

Other popular animal characters, including those of the Yum Yums and Suzy's Zoo lines, also come in fluffy shapes and colourful designs. Strawberry Shortcake, an American character of a girl in a large strawberry-shaped bonnet, is another character attracting girls and women with dreamy colours and designs.

According to Moe Masuzawa, a spokeswoman of Plaza Style Corp., which runs about 120 stationery and gift shops around the nation, sales of Care Bears and Suzy's Zoo items began to take off a few years ago.

"Especially popular among about 700 kinds of such items are Suzy's Zoo key chains, which sold 200,000 in one year," Masuzawa said. "We think the characters' nostalgic and girlish flavors fit well with the trend of the times. That is why they are welcomed by women in their 20s and 30s in particular. I think that's an element not found in conventional character items."

Plaza Style is soon going to release items themed on Dressy Jessie, a new Suzy's Zoo character of a girl bear who wears lots of polka dots. The character was created in collaboration with TBS for use on a TV program.

Kondo said MindWorks Entertainment plans to organize some kind of entertainment show using Care Bears and Popples. "After all, they are more than colourful bears."

Information

"The World of Popples"

www.parco-art.com/web

Care Bears

www.carebears-jp.com

Plaza Style

www.plazastyle.com