Rilakkuma, the cute Kawaii bear, will be returning to Netflix for a second series, following a successful debut back in 2019 that has given life to a growing licensing programme managed by the independent agency, Sagoo Licensing.

Production of the new stop-motion animated series is now underway with the title Rilakkuma’s Theme Park Adventure. The series depicts an active day of incidents and meetings that take place when Rilakkuma, Korilakkuma, Kiiroitori, and Kaoru go to play in an amusement park that is about to close.

San-X’s Rilakkuma brand made its streaming debut in 2019, also on Netflix, when Rilakkuma and Kaoru debuted. The series featured 13 episodes following the duo’s friendship and daily life, as the popular bear went to live in his friend, Kaoru’s apartment.

The fresh content will provide a further boost to the Rilakkuma brand, which is already one of the most popular brands in Japan and is rapidly gaining traction throughout Europe. The growth is largely thanks to the property’s online presence, along with a plethora of new and exciting products coming to market.

Since working with San-X, Sagoo has secured deals with Difuzed for apparel, Graine Créative for arts and crafts, and Pioupiou & Merveilles (Shokid) for toys and gifts, with more to be announced over the coming months. 

Veronique Pichon, president, Sagoo, said: “We’re very excited to see the return of Rilakkuma to Netflix following such a successful debut last year. The brand is growing apace throughout Europe and consumer demand for licensed product is also increasing. 

“We are looking forward to further building the consumer products offering as new fans are welcomed into the wonderful world of Rilakkuma via his latest Netflix adventures.”