Last Updated on January 6, 2023 by Sangita Ekka
Blooming of flowers is symbolic in many ways, from the literal depiction of spring to blooming of a person into someone more mature. That is how the story of a fictional girl unfurls in Netflix’s original – Rilakkuma and Kaoru.
Kaoru is an ordinary and independent working girl in Japan who lives with three other stuffed animals – two bears named Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma, and a chick named Kiirotori. However, you will only hear the word – Rilakkuma.
The series is a stop-motion animated series from Japan created by Dwarf Studio in cooperation with San-X, which is a Japanese stationary company known for creating kawaiiii (cute) characters including the plush toys of these two bears and the chick. It premiered on Netflix on April 19th, 2019 and continues to deliver wholesomeness.
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Kaoru is depicted as a well-behaved modest girl who feels left behind in life and often does not fit in. Rilakkuma is a lazy but expressive brown bear, Korilakkuma is still a mystery to me, and cleanliness-freak chick Kiirotori does not complain.
For a stop-motion film, the animation is impeccable! While it is comparatively easier to pick emotions off a human like face, picking emotions off the plush toys which do not have eyebrows or speak a human language, it is tough. Meticulous work has gone into expressions through eye-shapes and body gestures for the plush toys.
Stop-motion animation of Rilakkuma and Kaoru
Stop-motion animation depends and demands detail in set creation. Each character is positioned, photographed, and later these shots are stitched together to give an illusion of movement. Like Tokri from Mumbai based Studio Eeksaurus which has insane amount of details to match the slum houses in Mumbai, the set of Rilakkuma and Kaoru is detailed to match the minimalistic approach of Japanese lifestyle.
The porcelains are set well inside a textured wooden cupboard, the stationary neatly placed on the table, the little white lamp lit when Kaoru and her stuffed friends watch scary movies together, the sun-light that travels around her apartment, other apartments, the city, the river, the passing of seasons, and with them the melting of snowman which Rilakkuma and his friends love to build during winters.
With each episode around ten minutes long, Rilakkuma and Kaoru is one of the quickest and warmest series that you can binge on. Designed for humans of age 7 or older, this adorable animation conveys some important life-lessons through stories of burnt pancakes, solid and melted snowmen, to building the sense of identity, character, and friendships.
Overall
Rilakkuma and Kaoru is a fresh take on transitioning into adulthood, built with a lot of love, light, and laughter.
This review comes at a time when the world out there is bleak, and humanity is fighting hard against an invisible foe. Today, 10th of September also happens to be World Suicide Prevention Day. So, take care, so you can take care who need it during these testing times. “Its enough to do what you can in return.” And “Things change.”
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