Sanrio has released another amazing collaboration, and it has nothing to do withHello Kittythis time. The entertainment company’s most recent merchandise collection highlights an underestimated Sanrio icon: Tuxedosam, the memorable bright blue penguin with a friendly demeanor and huggable design.
The partnership does not end there though, Sanrio’s recent collab also integrates a renowned ’90s character: Pingu. Pingu starred in a stop-motion animation children’s show for a decade, and now, he has found a new home within Sanrio’s astoundingly adorable collaboration produced by Taito, the Japanese crane game prize company owned by Square Enix.
Tuxedosam and Pingu Team Up for the Penguin-Themed Collab of Our Dreams
Taito produces merchandise that can only be won in crane games, and the Tuxedosam x Pingu collab includes one of the brand’s newest prizes. The collaboration, set to release in early August 2025, is a Pom-Pom Cushion featuring both Tuxedosam and Pingu in a brightly colored, eye-catching design.
Two types of cushions will be available, both featuring the legendary pop-culture penguins. One cushion is pink, with an illustration of Pingu playing the accordion in front of a large, pink birthday cake, as Tuxedosam dances joyfully next to him. The other blue cushion shows Pingu and Tuxedosam both holding floating bunches of balloons in their flippers.
The cushions are both approximately 33 centimeters in size. Although there is a listing of the cushions on theTaito website, this is just an announcement about the prize. The only way to obtain a Taito Tuxedosam x Pingu cushion is to win it in a crane game, making the collaboration even more rare.
Fans Must Act Fast, Tuxedosam x Pingu Prizes Will Be in Arcades For a Limited Time
This Pom-Pom Cushion is not the first time these two feathered friends have been featured alongside one another in merchandise. Sanrio released anotherofficial Tuxedosam x Pingu collaborationthat includes pajama pants, scrunchies, and various other apparel and decor items emblazoned with images of the two penguins.
This previous collectionwas available in Chambre stores in Japan in spring 2025.Meccha Japanalso released a set of Tuxedosam x Pingu plush keychains and toys, with four different varieties available on the website. These keychains range in price from $25.04 USD to $47.37 USD.
Tuxedosam isone of Sanrio’s most underrated characters, but he is no less cute than any of his Sanrio friends. In this collaboration with Pingu, the dapper penguin has a chance to shine and reveal why he is a gem that deserves more recognition among Sanrio’s personalities. SincePinguended in 2000, this collaboration may also introduce Pingu to a new generation.
Since Tuxedosam x Pingu Pom-Pom Cushions will be available exclusively in Taito’s arcades, they will be even more difficult to obtain. Taito has not announced a specific release date aside from the August 2025 release window, but it is fair to assume an item this adorable will be snatched up quickly.
Sanrio’s past collaborations, such as the recentSanrio x BAGGU collection, sold out almost instantly. Even though the company has been around for decades, its popularity only seems to increase by the day. Pieces featuring underappreciated characters like Tuxedosam are even more highly coveted as a result, so this Tuxedosam x Pingu collab is guaranteed to fly off the shelves.
