Kenji Yoshida is a Tokyo-based professional soft vinyl sculptor and character designer. Through his original project “Hamura & Hamuo,” he is attempting to reverse typical creative logic—letting characters first emerge as physical toys, and then grow into personalities, stories, and a world. In February 2026, the series, starring the hamster-monster “Hamura,” made its soft vinyl debut at Wonder Festival.
Yoshida is no newcomer. As a professional soft vinyl sculptor, he creates approximately 30 commercial prototypes annually for major Japanese companies, rights holders, and independent artists, working on projects that include well-known titles such as Space Brothers. His workflow covers the entire chain: from ZBrush digital sculpting, resin 3D printing, wax model conversion, and metal mold production, to soft vinyl casting and painting. Alongside his commercial work, he has been steadily developing his own project—”Hamura & Hamuo.”
The core characters of this series explore the theme of transformation and companionship. Hamura is a hamster transforming into a monster, featuring a large dorsal fin. With a soft, adorable appearance, it exudes a natural collectible-toy presence, standing approximately 160mm tall. Hamuo is Hamura’s companion—a young boy who stays faithfully by Hamura’s side. Dressed in matching outfits, he carries a green backpack and brown boots, standing approximately 190mm tall. The overarching philosophy of the project is: “If I’m with you, ‘being different’ becomes a treasure.”
Since its debut in February 2026, Hamura has seen multiple limited-edition releases, each accompanied by different colourways and purchase rules. The “First Appearance Custom Edition” debuted at Wonder Festival 2026 [Winter] on February 8, 2026, at Yoshida’s booth (2-13-14), priced at ￥15,000. A store release followed at the renowned Tokyo soft vinyl shop One-Up. The “WF Pink” edition appeared at Wonder Festival 2026 [Summer] on July 26, 2026, at booth 04-06-08, featuring a new “WF Pink” colourway, priced at ￥12,000 per piece.
Unlike commercial projects that typically begin with 2D designs, the creative path of “Hamura & Hamuo” is reversed—starting from physical soft vinyl toys and expanding outward into character personalities, world-building, stories, and a larger original IP. Yoshida is even planning a picture book to give these characters further dimensions. For soft vinyl collectors and those interested in the behind-the-scenes of Japanese toy creation, this is a project worth following—to see how a character can grow from a physical toy into a complete universe.
FAQ
Q: What are the dimensions and materials of Hamura and Hamuo?
A: Hamura stands approximately 160mm tall and is crafted in soft vinyl. Hamuo stands approximately 190mm tall.
Q: What is the future direction of this project?
A: Yoshida plans to expand the characters’ world and story beyond physical toys, and is currently working on an upcoming picture book.
Source: Kenji Yoshida
