Show and Tell: Chi comes home

5:00 PM on 04.02.2009   |   Colette Bennett

So yeah, you remember that towering plush of Chi from the ultracute anime/manga series Chi's Sweet Home? The one that came packaged with a series DVD and extra goodies that I was frothing at the mouth over back in January? Well, against my bank account's better judgement, I ordered it from Japan, knowing full well that buying the damn thing would keep me from getting any other toys for some time, but you know how addiction is. I HAD to have her.

She arrived yesterday, in a huge cardboard Animate box, along with a nice handful of extra surprises. Hit the jump to get a better look at what is surely ultimate heaven for any fan of the little lost kitten with the big mouth.

As you may recollect, the original offer for the DVDs gave a buyer the option of getting a lot of really cool Chi merchandise. My favorite out of the lot was the flocked Chi statue making the angry pouting face, and that was exactly what I got.

I actually moved the majority of my toys off my desk to make room for this piece, because I want to look at that pissy little face every moment of my workday. I can't help but laugh every time I see it. Ears included, this little sculpture stands about 4.5 inches tall and is by far one of my favorite toys in my entire collection.

Here's the keychain that came with the DVD, which actually has a slit in the top and bottom so you can use it as a key cover. It went over my front door key more or less immediately.

The Chi plush itself is stunningly large. measuring just under 21 inches in height to the tips of her ears. She's also very soft to the touch. The plush is very sturdy and feels well made, something I was unable to ascertain from the few small photos of her I based my decision to order her on. While's she a simple looking character, there were some small details that I really liked.

I don't believe the real Chi has heart-shaped paw pads, but the plush does. I didn't mind the change a bit. I felt this detail added a bit more charm to the overall package.

As you can see, Chi's tag shows off her lineage -- she is an Animate exclusive toy and will never be sold anywhere else. Getting ahold of her would have impossible for me without the help of Tokyo Hunter, an excellent proxy buying service for Japanese toys. If you're on the lookout for anything sold only in Japan, I highly recommend going through them to get your toy fix.

Despite her high price tag, I felt like this purchase was well worth it. If you're in love with Chi too, you can score a much more conservative size of her in plush form for about $18 from Hobby Link Japan. By the way, don't forget the new season of Chi's Sweet Home, called Chi's New Address, has just started -- go check it out here!