Doki Doki is a subscription box from Japan Crate for all things kawaii! Items range from plushies, collectible, household goods, apparel, miniatures and more.
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 U.S. shipping
The Products: 5-7 licensed, authentic kawaii items including an exclusive monthly wearable
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!
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Each month comes with a booklet filled with artwork and literature. February's theme is Valentine's Day!
Cherry Hair Clip
This cute hair clip is a total throwback to my childhood days. My hair was always bedecked in bows and baubles! The striped blue bow has a schoolgirl uniform feel to it, but the two glossy cherries give it a more cutesy flair. The alligator clip is made of metal. It isn't the highest quality around (for example, there are some stringy hot glue remnants) but my little sister can totally rock this.
Mango & Berry Plush
This is such a fuzzy, soft, and charming plush! Mango and Beri are part of the Doki Doki toy line. Beri is the cool gal while Mango is the adoring boy-next-door, and they're lovebirds! I think I have Beri. I adore the heart-shaped patch on her forehead. Her bottom isn't the flattest so it may take a couple tries to get her upright. Nonetheless, I like her design and color scheme a lot.
Meltykiss: Limited Edition Intense Strawberry
Meltykiss is a melt-in-your-mouth Japanese chocolate, and this one the limited edition Intense Strawberry flavor. Well, it is melty, all right. All the chocolates arrived melted inside their wrappers, which made it a bit of a challenge to open and eat. That said, the flavor is top notch. I love the creamy chocolate paired with strong, tart strawberry cream flavor. It's a perfect balance of flavors. It almost reminds me of strawberry-flavored tart frozen yogurt.
Chocolate Pen
This chocolate bar pulls apart to reveal a ballpoint pen. I like the bite mark detail at the top! As with several other novelty pens that have been included in Doki Doki boxes, the chunky shape makes it awkward to grip. That said, novelty pens are obviously not about ergonomics but cute design and the design is adorable.
Valentine's Day Hoppe-Chan
In honor of Valentine's Day, the monthly Hoppe-chan is sporting a Cupid arrow across its temples. Her design is simple yet sweet! As always, Hoppe-chan comes with a ball chain so you can attach her to purses, backpacks, or keychains.
Totoro Chopsticks
I love My Neighbor Totoro! If anybody can do heartwarming, slice-of-life movies right, it's Studio Ghibli. There are three designs sent out: Totoro, Mini Totoro, and Mei-chan. I received Mini Totoro. This pair is probably made from wood or bamboo. The chopsticks have a smooth grip and lightweight construction. The tapered end is characteristic of Japanese chopsticks. I'll definitely make use of these!
Sanrio Character Fluffy & Warm Socks
These are super soft and warm ankle socks. Multiple Sanrio characters were sent out, and I received My Melody. They're unbelievably soft! There is some minimal shedding. I own a few pairs of fuzzy socks and they all shed a lot, so this isn't uncommon. Also, they would have been perfect for winter, but spring is here so I'll have to put them away soon.
Verdict: I'm pleased with the selection but not overly thrilled. My favorite is the Totoro chopsticks! I love that there are more cute and functional items, but curation could be a bit more exciting. For example, there has been a novelty pen every month for a while now. While pens are great, they're getting a little stale. I'd love to see even a slight variation off of that, such as a mechanical pencil, gel pen, or eraser. Also, I received this Valentine's Day themed box weeks after Valentine's Day had passed. Since Japan Crate HQ has moved to Japan, boxes will take a longer time to reach subscribers across the globe. Japan Crate should take that transit time into consideration for future holiday-oriented themes. It's usually a challenge to estimate the value for Doki Doki, but I think the items for this month are around the cost of the box.
What do you think of Doki Doki?
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