BODY: Dragon Quest's most beloved blue blob is heading to the dinner table. Square Enix has expanded its "Smile Slime Wa Series" โ a line of Japanese-style homeware themed around the franchise's iconic Slime mascot โ with a pair of rice bowls released June 13 on the Square Enix e-STORE.
The new additions come in two colorways: "Smile Slime Wa Series Rice Bowl Blue" and "Smile Slime Wa Series Rice Bowl Gray." Each is priced at 2,530 yen (tax included), placing them firmly in the everyday-collectible bracket rather than the premium-figure tier.
The "Wa" (ๅ) in the series name signals its design philosophy โ wa meaning "Japanese" or "harmony" โ and the lineup leans into traditional aesthetics, pairing classic Japanese tableware forms with the Slime's instantly recognizable grin. A rice bowl is a natural fit for the concept, slotting the franchise's most enduring enemy into one of the most fundamental objects on a Japanese dining table.
For Dragon Quest fans, the Slime occupies a singular place in gaming history. As the very first monster most players encounter, it has transcended its role as low-level cannon fodder to become one of Japan's most recognizable mascots, appearing on everything from plushies to convenience-store sweets.
The insider take
Square Enix has quietly built the Slime into a year-round merchandising engine, and the Wa Series is a smart read of where its core audience now sits. The original Dragon Quest players from the late 1980s are well into adulthood, often with homes and families of their own โ and a 2,530-yen rice bowl scratches the nostalgia itch far more practically than another shelf figure. Releasing in calm blue and understated gray, rather than louder novelty colors, signals tableware meant to actually be used. It's a low-key but telling example of how legacy franchises in Japan monetize affection through the rhythms of daily life.
Originally reported by GAME Watch (Japanese).