San-ei – Nintendogs – Shiba Inu Mascot Plush with Screen Cleaner

Character Name: Shiba Inu
Series Name: Nintendogs
Game: Nintendogs
Company: San-ei
Set: Nintendogs Mascot Plush with Screen Cleaner
Year: 2005

I’m not sure if this was the first Nintendogs plush set, but it’s definitely an early one, corresponding roughly to the original game’s release in Japan. I’m also not sure if this set was exclusive to Japan, as it was before most San-ei plushes were getting international releases via Little Buddy, but I don’t believe it got a wide North American release. Nintendo did, however, use this plush set as booth swag at E3 in 2005, and this little guy came into my life as a reward for me playing the Nintendogs demo at Nintendo’s E3 booth that year, making it my very first Nintendogs plush.

And yes, it’s a mini keychain-sized plush with a ball chain, and also attached to the chain is an adorable little paw-shaped screen cleaner for your Nintendo DS!