Latest news with #SylvanianFamilies
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Labubu alternatives you should know about before they sell out too
Feeling left out from the most viral trend of the year being completely sold out? Here are five Labubu alternatives for the 2025 bag charm trend - and yes, they are still available Whether you're a fan or not, Labubus cannot be missed. Seemingly everywhere, 2025's biggest trend repeatedly sold out from not only Pop Mart, but other retailers too. The unexpected hype for the eerie looking plush toys has reached astronomical heights, where fans can now even rent the attachable teddies. The waiting list for these love-or-hate soft toys is supposedly a mile long so, if you're dying to participate in cute, bag charm fashion then here are five alternatives that are just as - if not more - adorable! Jellycats An enormous trend in its own right, its undeniable that Jellycats were the leading product that first began the soft toy phenomenon with young adults - and they're much easier to purchase. Launched in London, in 1999, the super soft teddies range from sweet animals like bunnies, sausage dogs and foxes, to fun sized food such as vegetables, cakes and croissants. With simple, stitched, smiley faces, the range now also includes sports-related items that feature mini caps, limbs and the attachable keyrings of course. Crybaby Reportedly a close second to Labubus is Pop Mart's other hit: the Crybaby. These sad-doll alternatives are the 'thought-daughter' pick, perfect for fans of the infamous Coraline. And for those indecisive few that struggle to choose a favourite, look no further as they can only be bought as a 'lucky dip', arriving in a blind box, which is part of the fun. The sweet but sad dolls are in immediate need of a cheer up, almost nostalgic of the 2010's Tamagotchi that required constant, attentive love. Noodall Founded in London by art student Yiyang Wang, Noodall was born from Taiwanese noodles and rice being shaped into lovable little creatures, with their keyrings including mushrooms, dumplings and dinosaurs. The British-made brand is a coveted gift with 'Gen Z-ers', where the experience of taking a personality test to create your own personalised plushie based on your habits is a sure hit. Sylvanian Families Let's not forget this classic! If you grew up in 2000's, you're sure to remember these miniature figures from their addictive adverts on our British screens. Sylvanian Families are a great alternative for new fans and collectors. If these collectables ruled your childhood bedroom then you'll be excited to know the company now offer key chain versions, ready to act as nostalgic but chic bag charms attached, completely mobile without the usual house. SkullPanda Lastly, this edgy, rosy-cheeked doll is the perfect friend for your Crybaby. Fans have shared their love for the SkullPanda 's gothic charm. With a variety of differing looks, these unusual dolls are beautifully unique and feminine, sporting a range of hair styles, make-up and outfits. Like Crybaby's, the Pop Mart product also come in a blind box, so its a luck of the draw. Currently out of stock online, these popular 'attachables' are guaranteed a re-stock.
Evening Standard
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
Josephine, Marylebone: Ready-made chain feels like a cynical cash grab
Evidence of said brilliance can be found at the original Josephine, in Chelsea, which casts a long and very splendid shadow. It is a poignant eulogy from Bosi to his grandmother, a remembrance of her and his childhood formed as a Lyonnaise bouchon (or it was; the 'bouchon' description recently has been abandoned). Heart is not in short supply. It is a handsome room of oxblood banquettes, wood-panelled everything and lamps with cloth covers. Wine is charged by the centimetre — a man comes with a ruler and a calculator. The food? It's perfect: rabbit à la moutarde, duck à l'orange served without irony, a full stop slice of sausage punctuating a slash of brioche and soaked in red wine sauce. Veal sweetbreads, andouillette. A set menu offers two courses for £24.50 — on the Fulham Road. Were there full-size furniture in the place — Claude and his wife Lucy instead opting to source theirs from a Sylvanian Families extension pack — it might be flawless. But tiny, squished-in tables haven't stopped it packing out: every night it heaves with gleeful diners getting drunk off pork fat. One person I know has been 14 times.
Sydney Morning Herald
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
A guide to the Archibald Prize, for the people who don't speak art
The ultimate selfies Why bother with celebrities when you can get results like these from self-portraits? Yvette Coppersmith's Self-portrait with two cats is mesmerising in its serenity, the artist's heavy-lidded visage matching her snoozing cats alongside her. She looks quite glamorous too, like Cleopatra-via-Old Hollywood, evoking advertisements from the art deco era. Even from afar it stands out in the room, a result of Coppersmith (the Archibald's 2018 winner) mixing her oils with sand to lend the picture an interesting, fleshy texture. On the opposite end of the same wall hangs Tsering Hannaford's Meditation on time (a left-handed self-portrait), painted several months after the artist – an 11-time Archibald finalist – suffered a tendon injury in her right wrist, her dominant hand. There's something stoic and determined in her still gaze, emanating from a heavy swirl of darkness, that's hard to look away from. From the always enjoyable Studio A collective in Sydney, first-time finalist Mathew Calandra's His face like my face – self-portrait as Robert Englund playing Freddy Krueger is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The subject might be playful but the portrait is deceptively intricate, all obsessive ink work awash in a swathe of blood-red watercolour. Fun and creepy, like my soul. The short kings and tiny queens Little portraits have a rough time at the Archibald, maybe in galleries in general where bigger is always considered better, grander, more striking. But look at Natasha Bienek's portrait of artist Cressida Campbell and tell me that's not some painstaking ambition. At 15 x 20 centimetres, it's barely larger than a postcard but filled with photorealist detail so intricate, you could stare at it for hours. Sombre and reverent, Bienek paints Campbell in front of her garden and a tiny print from 18th-century Japanese artist Utamaro that I urgently need for my Sylvanian Families collection. Another small wonder is Callum Worsfold's impressionistic Self-portrait in the studio, where he puts the process on display, depicting himself in a paint-splattered jumpsuit and a gas mask, surrounded by the chemically hazardous tools of his trade. Grimier than a Roc Marciano cut, it'd be suffocating if it was any larger than its merciful 23 x 13 centimetres. The bonkers crowd favourite? Marcus Wills' Cormac in Arcadia stretches the definition of portrait in a way that would probably annoy his fellow finalists, which is exactly why I'm here for it. It's supposedly a portrait of 13-year-old actor Cormac Wright, but it's actually a dramatic tableau done Rembrandt-style, filled with about two dozen mysterious figures, a frontally naked Jesus figure at dead centre, and even someone in adidas stripes. Wright, meanwhile, stands left of centre in a green Uniqlo hoodie, facing in the complete wrong direction, barely an onlooker in his own nightmare of a portrait. It's unsettling and addictive and a crowd-pleaser judging by the number of people who hovered in front of it all evening. That the Archibald judges deemed this a finalist is perhaps a promising sign of bonkers things to come.
The Age
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
A guide to the Archibald Prize, for the people who don't speak art
The ultimate selfies Why bother with celebrities when you can get results like these from self-portraits? Yvette Coppersmith's Self-portrait with two cats is mesmerising in its serenity, the artist's heavy-lidded visage matching her snoozing cats alongside her. She looks quite glamorous too, like Cleopatra-via-Old Hollywood, evoking advertisements from the art deco era. Even from afar it stands out in the room, a result of Coppersmith (the Archibald's 2018 winner) mixing her oils with sand to lend the picture an interesting, fleshy texture. On the opposite end of the same wall hangs Tsering Hannaford's Meditation on time (a left-handed self-portrait), painted several months after the artist – an 11-time Archibald finalist – suffered a tendon injury in her right wrist, her dominant hand. There's something stoic and determined in her still gaze, emanating from a heavy swirl of darkness, that's hard to look away from. From the always enjoyable Studio A collective in Sydney, first-time finalist Mathew Calandra's His face like my face – self-portrait as Robert Englund playing Freddy Krueger is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The subject might be playful but the portrait is deceptively intricate, all obsessive ink work awash in a swathe of blood-red watercolour. Fun and creepy, like my soul. The short kings and tiny queens Little portraits have a rough time at the Archibald, maybe in galleries in general where bigger is always considered better, grander, more striking. But look at Natasha Bienek's portrait of artist Cressida Campbell and tell me that's not some painstaking ambition. At 15 x 20 centimetres, it's barely larger than a postcard but filled with photorealist detail so intricate, you could stare at it for hours. Sombre and reverent, Bienek paints Campbell in front of her garden and a tiny print from 18th-century Japanese artist Utamaro that I urgently need for my Sylvanian Families collection. Another small wonder is Callum Worsfold's impressionistic Self-portrait in the studio, where he puts the process on display, depicting himself in a paint-splattered jumpsuit and a gas mask, surrounded by the chemically hazardous tools of his trade. Grimier than a Roc Marciano cut, it'd be suffocating if it was any larger than its merciful 23 x 13 centimetres. The bonkers crowd favourite? Marcus Wills' Cormac in Arcadia stretches the definition of portrait in a way that would probably annoy his fellow finalists, which is exactly why I'm here for it. It's supposedly a portrait of 13-year-old actor Cormac Wright, but it's actually a dramatic tableau done Rembrandt-style, filled with about two dozen mysterious figures, a frontally naked Jesus figure at dead centre, and even someone in adidas stripes. Wright, meanwhile, stands left of centre in a green Uniqlo hoodie, facing in the complete wrong direction, barely an onlooker in his own nightmare of a portrait. It's unsettling and addictive and a crowd-pleaser judging by the number of people who hovered in front of it all evening. That the Archibald judges deemed this a finalist is perhaps a promising sign of bonkers things to come.
Newsweek
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
INTERVIEW: This Legendary Anime Writer Turned Peter Rabbit into a Mech Game
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Gen Urobuchi has had a long and storied career. You might know him for his work as the writer of Madoka Magica, a delightful anime that offered an incredible twist on the magical girl genre, or the 2012 cyberpunk psychological thriller Psycho-Pass. You might even know him for his work on the tokusatsu show Kamen Rider Gaim, or the deeply weird puppet series Thunderbolt Fantasy. Most recently, though, Urobuchi-san has been hard at work on Rusty Rabbit, a curious new metroidvania game inspired by a surprising source. Rusty Rabbit takes place in the far future, long after humans have become extinct. Rabbits have become the dominant species on Earth, and have built up cities and societies on top of the ruins of the old planet. Like humans, the rabbits have their own culture and religion, and that religion is built on a classic series of books: Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit. A painting from Rusty Rabbit parodying The Creation of Adam, with Peter Rabbit in place of Adam. A painting from Rusty Rabbit parodying The Creation of Adam, with Peter Rabbit in place of Adam. Nitro Plus Peter Rabbit himself is presented as a Jesus-like figure, with his countless fables documenting his frequent victories over the evil Mr. McGregor, a farmer in Potter's books but akin to the devil in Rusty Rabbit. It's a clever analog, presented well in-game, and it makes sense, too — of course rabbits would look to classic literature, seemingly left behind by unknown forces, to find their place in the world. Urobuchi-san says that it was an obvious inspiration for Rusty Rabbit, largely in part due to how ubiquitous Peter Rabbit is around the world. "I chose [Peter Rabbit] because I believe it's arguably the most globally resonant rabbit tale ever told," Urobuchi-san tells us. "I honestly think there's a real possibility this picture book could be excavated from the ruins of a post-apocalyptic world." A large, ornate puppet from the Thunderbolt Fantasy project of a man holding a fan in traditional garb, adorned with Gen Urobuchi's signature glasses. A large, ornate puppet from the Thunderbolt Fantasy project of a man holding a fan in traditional garb, adorned with Gen Urobuchi's signature glasses. Photo provided by Gen Urobuchi It's not just rabbits and carrots on display in Rusty Rabbit, as its main character, Stamp, rides around in a mechsuit, smashing his way through old ruins with drill hands and rocket thrusters. The story goes that Urobuchi-san was inspired one day when scrolling through Twitter, where he stumbled upon a photo of a Sylvanian Families figure in a toy mech. We weren't able to confirm that story when talking to him, but I don't see any reason to doubt it, and that inspiration is on clear display in-game. Just about every character in Rusty Rabbit looks like they were plucked off the shelves of a Sylvanian Families display, and they're delightfully adorable. That cutesy appearance is offset by Stamp's character — he's a washed-up, middle-aged scavenger whose best days are long behind him. He's kind, and helps those younger than him when they're in a pinch, but he has no patience for youthful nonsense. He's been at the scavenger game for a long time, so he knows a thing or two, and he doesn't mind passing on a few tips here and there if anyone's around to listen. It's a stark difference from most of Urobuchi-san's main characters, who skew young and inexperienced. Because of this, Urobuchi-san had to take an entirely new approach when writing Stamp. "This project took a completely new approach, so it was a creative breakthrough for me as well," he says. "Younger characters tend to observe things from a grounded, eye-level perspective and serve as drivers of the story, while older characters often take a bird's-eye view and act as guides. That's the key difference in their narrative roles." Stamp in his mechsuit cutting through vines in Rusty Rabbit. Stamp in his mechsuit cutting through vines in Rusty Rabbit. Nitro Plus That new approach extended beyond just writing Stamp's character, too, since writing a game is very different from writing an anime or TV series. Urobuchi-san has dabbled in games before, but has primarily focused on visual novels up until now. Rusty Rabbit sees the player in a much more active role, exploring and writing their own story alongside Urobuchi-san's. "Stories in animation unfold automatically on screen, so the audience bears no responsibility for how events play out," Urobuchi-san explains. "But in games, the player is the one moving the story forward. That makes them a kind of accomplice with the creators. That's why I try to avoid endings that are overly tragic or absurd." Urobuchi-san is a busy man, balancing his duties on Rusty Rabbit, the creation of new episodes of Thunderbolt Fantasy, and the upcoming Ghost of Tsushima: Legends anime, for which he's composing music, but he's still managed to avoid his various projects overlapping too much. He even finds time to play games between it all, which he says is his favorite form of entertainment — depending on his mood, he'll play just about anything, including racing, action, and puzzle games. His love for games is evident in Rusty Rabbit, which I've sunk more than a few hours into. It's a very good metroidvania with some fantastic storytelling, satisfying exploration, and some genuinely fresh and inventive gameplay ideas that I've not seen in the genre. There are some places where it's a bit rough around the edges – combat can be a bit hit and miss – but it's well worth playing for fans of cute little rabbits, Urobuchi-san's writing, and metroidvanias. "I was pleasantly surprised by how powerful the combination of character design and music turned out to be — it exceeded my expectations," Urobuchi says about the final product, before imploring players to explore every nook and cranny of the game. "This is a story-rich game, not just in the dungeon but scattered throughout the world. I hope players take the time to dig into the lives of the villagers in Brass Village and enjoy every corner of the setting." Rusty Rabbit is available now on Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PC.
