Hello Kitty has been known as Japan's cutest mascot for decades, but a new adorable character is threatening the feline's fame. The Chiikawa manga and anime follow a cast of animal characters with simple, charming designs getting into hilarious antics, which has made them universally lovable.

The Chiikawa character and their friends are becoming incredibly popular both in Japan and worldwide. Chiikawa has been the subject of many cute merchandise collaborations with companies like Miniso and McDonald's, and now Uniqlo is incorporating the unmistakable animals into its clothing line too.

Chiikawa is Quickly Becoming Hello Kitty's Greatest Competitor

Miniso, McDonald’s, and Uniqlo Are Adding the Adorable Animals to Their Products

Miniso's Chiikawa collection sold out very quickly, and the Uniqlo has released anime collections in the past, focusing on franchises like Sanrio, Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, and a number of others. Additionally, this will be Chiikawa's second Uniqlo collaboration in recent years.

Chiikawa's Uniqlo line last year with Sanrio featured a mix of Chiikawa characters like Chiikawa, Usagi, and Hachiware, alongside familiar Sanrio character like Hello Kitty, Kuromi, and My Melody. It was described as "a sweet collection featuring Chiikawa and Sanrio characters surrounded by delicious sweets," and used many pastel colors and tasty food items like pancakes and fruit in the designs. The items sold out quickly, so Chiikawa's collection with Joke Bear and Friends, another group of adorable animals drawn by Japanese illustrator, Nagano, will surely be just as successful.

The Chiikawa x Joke Bear and Friends Uniqlo Collection is Cute Beyond Belief

This Collection Will Be Chiikawa’s Second Uniqlo Collaboration After Last Year’s Chiikawa X Sanrio Line

The Chiikawa x Joke Bear and Friends line includes an array of both women's and children's t-shirts covered in characters from the Chiikawa manga as well as Joke Bear characters. The women's sized shirts are priced at $24.90 USD, while the kids' sizes are priced at $14.90 USD. According to the Uniqlo website, the collection will be available for purchase on August 4, 2025, in both Uniqlo physical locations and on the website. Chiikawa fans who are hoping to take home something from the collection should act fast, considering how quickly the previous collaboration sold out.

The Chiikawa x Joke Bear and Friends collection will be available on Uniqlo's official website and in stores on August 4, 2025.

Uniqlo is not the only company getting Chiikawa merchandise this year. Sanrio themselves are releasing a Chiikawa collection that reimagines Sanrio characters like Pompompurin and Cinnamoroll as Chiikawa and their friends through plush toys, tote bags, and other collectible items. It used to be quite difficult to find Chiikawa merchandise outside of Japan, but the increase in Chiikawa items available for purchase in other countries now makes it clear just how renowned the franchise is becoming, making it a considerable competitor for Sanrio to be aware of.

Source: Uniqlo (1),(2), Essential Japan