Have you ever had the chance to meet Monchhichi? As a lover of all things cute and kawaii, you’ve probably run into this freckle-faced, thumb-sucking little plushie somewhere on your feed. Showcasing bright eyes, a sweet open face, and a furry monkey body, Monchhichi’s been loved by fans all around the world for more than 50 years! Monchhichi’s a kawaii superstar!
- What Is Monchhichi?
- What Animal Is Monchhichi?
- What Country Created Monchhichi?
- How Do You Pronounce Monchhichi?
- Monchhichi Is A Cartoon Superstar!
- Why Is Monchhichi So Popular?
- Is Monchhichi Still Popular?
- Are Monchhichis Valuable?
- Why Is Monchhichi So Expensive?
- Monchhichi Makes His Own Company
- Did Labubu Copy Monchhichi?
- Collabs With Monchhichi
- Lets Play With Monchhichi!
- Chill At The Monchhichi Cafe
- Monchhichi Gets His Own Park!
- Where to Buy Monchhichi?
So what exactly is Monchhichi? Why is this monkey-like plushie so popular? And why are people comparing Monchhichi to Labubu? Is Monchhichi just as cute as superstars like Rilakkuma, Cinnamoroll, or My Melody? Put on your cutest outfit and fill your backpack with your favorite Japanese snacks. Let's find out!
- Japanese Name: モンチッチ (Monchitchi)
- Species: Plushie
- Creator: Sekiguchi
- Fun fact: Monchhichi goes by different names in Europe!
WHAT IS MONCHHICHI?
Monchhichi is a kawaii plushie that looks a lot like a monkey! It has a soft, furry, plushie body while its face, hands, and feet are made of delicate vinyl. What makes Monchhichi super special, though, is its ability to suck its thumb. Sometimes, Monchhichi even comes with a pacifier, making it look like a cute little baby!
Over the years, Monchhichi’s had all sorts of outfits - from simple bibs, to overalls, even to themed costumes like Japanese yukatas and kimonos. Monchhichis aren’t just cute stuffed toys - a lot of fans consider these special plushies as collectibles that they can proudly set on display. But more than that, fans also see Monchhichi as perfect life-long kawaii companions!
WHAT ANIMAL IS MONCHHICHI?
That’s a good question because the thing is, no one is really sure. With its furry brown body, its ape-like limbs, and long, lithe tail, a lot of people assume that Monchhichi is a monkey. The truth is, the creator of the plushie never really specified what animal Monchhichi really is.
Apparently, Monchhichi was made to be more than a monkey plushie - this cutie was made as a life-companion to people of all ages. Mochhichi was created to represent respect and friendship. These days, people recognize this cutie not just as a kawaii star but a pop culture icon as well!
WHAT COUNTRY CREATED MONCHHICHI?
Monchhichi might look like a Western monkey, but this plushie was actually born in Japan a long, long time ago. How long ago? When did Monchhichi come out, you ask? Well, you might find it hard to believe since Monchhichi gets a lot of comparisons to Labubu, but these monkey plushies were actually released way back in the 1970s.
Monchhichi was created by Yoshiharu Washino for the Sekiguchi Corporation on January 25, 1974. This cutie was made as a different version of the company’s successful doll line Kuta Kuta Monkey (くたくたモンキー) or Exhausted Monkey in English. Since Monchhichi was made to inspire respect and love among Japanese children and adults, the plushie line started out as a pair - one boy and one girl.
HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE MONCHHICHI?
That’s pretty easy! First, you start with “Mon” and then you just say “Chi” twice. Don’t let the extra letter h throw you off; all you have to say is Mon, Chi, and then another Chi. It’s a super easy and super cute name!
But did you know that Monchhichi’s name is actually a little more complicated?. Mon in this plushie monkey’s name actually comes from the French word Mon or “Mine.” The “Chichi” is an onomatopoeic Japanese word that closely resembles the sound a child’s pacifier makes. That’s why Monchhichi’s signature look is to suck its thumb or its pacifier!
MONCHHICHI IS A CARTOON SUPERSTAR!
If you’re one of the kawaii collectors of Monchhichi, then you’ll be happy to know that Seguchi’s thumb-sucking, freckle-faced monkey plush has a ton of fun shows that you can check out. The first is "Futago no Monchhichi" or the Monchhichi Twins, an anime show that was released in 1980. Next up is the American cartoon series Monchhichis, which was produced by Hanna-Barbera, the studio known for cartoon classics like Scooby-Doo, The Powerpuff Girls, and Dexter's Laboratory.
If you're looking for something newer, then you can also check out the Japanese stop motion "Monchhichi" series, which was released in 2005. There’s also the French CGI show "Monchhichi Tribe" which was released in 2017. You can find official videos of Monchhichi on YouTube!
WHY IS MONCHHICHI SO POPULAR?
Well, that’s an easy question to answer. Because Monchhichi is just so darn kawaii! When Monchhichi was released in Japan in the 70s, the monkey plushie line was a huge hit among Japanese kawaii fans and collectors. It helped that the monkey-like plush toys got their own shows in Japan, the US, and even in France.
After conquering Japan, Monchhichi started swinging over to the west, specifically to Germany and Austria where Europeans began falling in love with the thumb-sucking little monkey plush. In the UK, Monchhichi was given the name "Chicaboo," in Italy its name was "Mon Cicci," in France it became "Kiki," and then in Denmark it became "Bolle."
Monchhichi was super popular in Europe, so it came as no surprise that it would make its way to the US. The Japanese monkey plushies reached North America in the 1980s after Mattel bought the license for the toy line. Mattel had Monchhichi for about 5 years in the US!
IS MONCHHICHI STILL POPULAR?
That’s a good question. Monchhichi wasn’t always a big hit. After five years of owning the license for Monchhichi in the US, Mattel decided to drop the monkey plush because of poor sales. Then, Sekiguchi reintroduced Monchhichi collectibles to the US to celebrate Monchhichi's 30th anniversary, and since then, the cute little monkey toy has been making a comeback.
Monchhichi revival's been at its peak the past few years, thanks to the rise of kawaii collectibles like Labubu and the demand for kawaii retro characters. Segukuchi's thumb-sucking monkey plushie isn't just a collectible, but it's also considered a super cute vintage character. People love Monchhichi for its nostalgic cuteness!
Starting with a trend in Thailand and South Korea, Monchhichi's modern popularity has been boosted by the support of influencers as well. That includes fashion designer Sandy Liang and more importantly, Lisa from the Korean supergroup, Black Pink. The dancer has been credited for the surge of Labubu and lately she's been seen going around with Monchhichi, openly showing off her love for the sweet little monkey plush.
ARE MONCHHICHIS VALUABLE?
Yes, they are! Monchhichis have always been considered a popular collectible, and lately their value has skyrocketed together with the surge of cute blindbox characters like Labubu, Skull Panda, and even Sanrio cuties like My Melody & Kuromi. It doesn’t help collectors that Monchhichis tend to be a little bit hard to find, making them even more valuable in the kawaii market!
WHY IS MONCHHICHI SO EXPENSIVE?
There are a lot of reasons why Monchhichi is more expensive than it used to be. These cute monkey plushies have always been highly collectible. With the resurgence of retro characters, there's been an increased demand for Monchhichi. It also helps that there have been tons of new Monchhichi blind boxes and collectibles!
Newer and younger collectors have been falling in love with Monchhichi because of its unchanging expression and the nostalgia surrounding the baby monkey. Some collectors go as far as saying that Monchhichi has become "an essential fashion item" because "going out without Monchhichi is like going to work without socks."
MONCHHICHI MAKES HIS OWN COMPANY
Did you know that in 2023, Monchhichi decided to make its own company? That’s right! Celebrating its perfect little baby monkey plushie’s 50th anniversary, Sekiguchi decided to announce that Monchhichi was getting its very own company.
DID LABUBU COPY MONCHHICHI?
A lot of people have wondered whether Labubu plagiarized Monchhichi. Not only do they kind of look the same, but Monchhichi’s been having its viral resurgence around the same time as the breakthrough of Labubu. Could Labubu have taken some notes from Japan’s thumb-sucking monkey?
The answer is no! Though Labubu and Monchhichi might both have pretty great hair, these two cuties are nothing alike. Unlike Sekiguchi's baby monkey, Labubu is a mischievous monster-like creature created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lasung in 2015. Labubu also has a cheekier expression compared to Monchhichi, too!
COLLABS WITH MONCHHICHI
These days, you'll find Monchhichi hanging out with major celebrities. Hanako teamed up with Sekiguchi's baby monkey to release a special unicorn Moncchichi. Musician Kaela Kimura also collaborated with the cutie to release rainbow-colored versions of the monkey plushie.
A lot of major characters and companies have also been busy teaming up with Sekiguchi's baby monkey. You can find the thumb-sucking baby monkey playing together with popular characters like the kawaii superstar Hello Kitty, her siblings the Sanrio characters, the anime sensation Digimon, and even cartoon cuties like Tom & Jerry.
LET'S PLAY WITH MONCHHICHI!
Don't worry, if gaming is more of your thing than collecting, then you can also find a ton of fun games with Monchhichi in it. Back in 2015, the cuddly freckle-faced monkey got its first official app called "Monchhichi's Touchichi." It was a fun puzzle game app that let you create different Monchhichis by combining monkeys together.
That same year, Monchhichi also did a collaboration event with the browser game "Farm Hokkoriini." For a short period of time, gamers participating in the event could nab special Monchhichi in-game items. In 2024, the puzzle game LINE Puzzle Tantan also did a collab with Monchhichi. The game featured special combos and Monchhichi outfits.
CHILL AT THE MONCHHICHI CAFE
If you're looking for a place to relax with other Monchhichi-loving kawaii fanatics, then we suggest you visit a Monchhichi cafe! Sekiguchi's baby monkey might not have a permanent cafe like kawaii superstars like Cinnamoroll and Pompompurin, but you'll find pop-ups coming up from time to time! Not only do they offer tasty Monchhichi-themed desserts, but you'll find rare Monchichi collectible items as well.
Back in January 2024, STORY STORY YOKOHAMA decided to celebrate Monchhichi's 50th anniversary by holding a special pop-up cafe. Not only were there special drinks and desserts, but fans also got special Monchhichi coasters. In June 2025, Story Cafe Yurindo and Story Table Yurindo decided to hold the "Monchhichi Happy Summer Cafe for a limited time. Not only did fans get Monchichi-tehmed meals, they also got special desserts and drinks!
MONCHHICHI GETS HIS OWN PARK!
Did you know that Monchhichi has its own park in Japan? Officially known as the Nishi-Shinkoiwa Gochome Park, this special place features Monchhichi in unexpected areas. That includes interlocking blocks and toilet walls! The park also has a special area called the Monchhici Zone and a children's playground for fans of Sekiguchi's special monkey plush to enjoy!
WHERE TO BUY MONCHHICHI?
So, you're a budding kawaii collector, and now that you've learned about Monchhichi, you're wondering how to incorporate Japan's loveable baby monkey plush into your collection. Well, the good news is there are so many different Monchhichi items that you can add to your haul - from Monchichi plushies, Monchhichi stationery, even Monchhichi accessories and homegoods.
In Japan, you can find Monchhichi merch in major toy store chains like Kiddy Land and specialty shops like Toys Terao. Sometimes you can even find them in discount stores like Don Quijote. If you're not planning on going to Japan any time soon, you can also check our special Monchhichi collection on Blippo.
We’ve come to the end of the canopy! Did you have fun learning about Monchhichi? Cute, lovable, and nostalgic, Monchhichi has definitely been making a major comeback in the kawaii-sphere. What do you like about Monchhichi? Is it the freckly face? The thumbsucking lips?
Well, whether you're treasuring this retro plushie character from your childhood or just thinking of starting your own Monchhichi collection, know that you're part of a special community that spans the globe. Share your fun Monchhichi stories in the comment section below. We’d love to geek out about this baby monkey plushie with you!