San-ei – Kirby’s Epic Yarn Mascot Keychain – Kirby Amiami

Character: Kirby
Series Name: Kirby / 星のカービィ (Kirby of the Stars)
Game: Kirby’s Epic Yarn
Company: San-ei
Year: 2011

This was San-ei’s first yarn Kirby, though it wouldn’t be their last. This one is the Japanese ball chain plush released specifically for Kirby’s Epic Yarn on Wii. There’s a similar looking plush (though without the ball chain and with a different Yarn Kirby pose on the tag) that I believe was available as a German pre-order bonus for the game, though I’m not sure if that was made by San-ei or if it was available outside of Germany (I sadly do not have that one). More than a decade later, however, San-ei would release new knit-style Kirby plushes, though not specifically affiliated with Kirby’s Epic Yarn.

The copyright on this plush is 2010, but I think it may have actually released in early 2011 (forgive me if I’m wrong about that!). I believe I got this one sometime in March of 2011.