Doki Doki is a new subscription box from Japan Crate for all things kawaii! Items range from plushies, collectible, household goods, apparel, miniatures and more.
Starting in September, each Doki Doki Crate will include 5-7 higher quality items as opposed to the old 8-10 item structure. This means they can send larger, more practical, and higher quality things compared to before. You can read about it here.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Doki Doki by Japan Crate
The Cost: $30 per month + free US shipping
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $3 off your first box
CODE: MSADD3
The Products: 8-10 licensed, authentic kawaii items plus a licensed/exclusive shirt
Ships to: Internationally with a few exceptions found here.
Check out all of our Doki Doki and Japan Crate reviews as well as the Kawaii Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of all Your Subscriptions: Add Doki Doki Crate to your subscription list or wishlist!
Each month comes with a booklet filled with artwork and literature. October's theme is Halloween!
Doki Doki Original Yokai T-Shirt - Value $19.99
Doki Doki teamed up with California-based artist Tokimekiwaku to design the booklet and t-shirt, which features multiple yokai (monsters and ghosts from Japanese folklore). Unfortunately, I don't like this shirt. It is not because the one I received is one size too big (my boyfriend wears S-M, and we received L), hence the baggy look on my boyfriend, but rather the oversaturated pastel colors and the extremely busy design. I prefer simpler, cleaner designs. That said, I think Toki's art is appropriate for the spooky-but-cute vibe for Halloween. It's just not for me.
Doki Doki Original Halloween Face Mask - Value $3.99
These surgical face masks are quite common in Japan. Subscribers received one of two designs, and I got one with a cute cat face. While this is a unique item, there just isn't an occasion for me to wear it outside of Halloween. I don't think the face-mask-wearing trend will catch on anytime soon either. How would you repurpose this mask?
Angel Wing Hair Clips - Value $1.99
Subscribers receive one of three colors of fuzzy hair clips. Each clip is lined with pink satin ribbon for extra cuteness. I think this is a versatile prop for a variety of costume ideas-- they can go in your hair, on shirts, on pets' costumes, or even clipped onto accessories.
Monthly Hoppe-Chan - Value $2.50
This is one of the fanciest Hoppe-Chan I've ever received! The toppings on her purple whipped cream head include a jack-o-lantern, star, bat, ice cream scoop, and Pirouette wafer cookie. I really like the Halloween color palette too.
Kawaii Injection Pen - Value $1.99
This is a funky pen shaped like a syringe. It is definitely a fun novelty item for me, made better by the fact that it writes well and has a comfortable grip.
Halloween Hoppe-Chan Stickers - Value $1
These three sheets have Halloween-themed Hoppe-chan and ghosts holding up various types of candy. I never say no to stickers. However, I will say that after Doki Doki announced a change to their subscription structure (from 8-10 items to 5-7 items per box) I was hoping for bigger, better items. Stickers don't really scream bigger, better, and higher quality to me.
Take-Omo: Spooky Style Plush - Value $12
Subscribers received a green Frankenstein Take or white vampire Omo. My Omo is pretty cute with her pink cheeks and soft fur. The pink bat is a cute touch. This plush series already seems strange since Take and Omo are dog heads without bodies, so I think they fit the theme quite well.
Chakkun Coin Purse - Value $5.99
Chakkun is a magical creature combined from forgotten and lost accessories from the streets of Harajuku. Its mouth zips open to reveal a small pouch, which is big enough to store coins or other odds and ends. I wouldn't call Chakkun cute, per se, but he fits the colorful Harajuku style.
Caplico Strawberry - Value $2.99
This is a bonus treat and unashamedly my favorite item of the box. I don't even know what to call this-- a pastry? A cookie? Whatever it is I am obsessed.
It is shaped exactly like an ice cream cone found in the frozen food aisle, complete with a peel-off paper wrapper and a cake cone. The ice cream part is made of light, airy strawberry and chocolate cream. It is creamy, sweet, and fun to eat without feeling too guilty.
Verdict: I'm not sure about this Doki Doki Crate. With this box, I feel like they are reverting to the old subscription structure of 8-10 smaller items. The fact that I didn't like the t-shirt design lowers my overall sentiment since the shirt is the highest value item. Also, these are not the "more practical and higher quality" items that I was expecting. The total retail value is $52.44, which definitely surpasses the cost of subscription, but like I mentioned above, this box isn't delivering on the quality that I had expected from the changes. I think there can be improvements if they are to continue following the new structure. For example, I wouldn't mind seeing something other than a t-shirt every month, which could leave Doki Doki more options to play with for curation.
What do you think of the latest Doki Doki Crate?
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