As I end my days by getting ready to sleep, I snuggle in my bed and turn to my nightstand to turn off my night light. In the darkness, small, green men keep me company, each focusing on their own activity. These are Smiskis — fluorescent, jelly-like figurines. They continue glowing in the dark, meditating and doing crunches throughout the night.
Smiski is a blind box series that originated in Japan in 1993. All current 15 series — each set around a theme like “moving” or “yoga poses” — have six figurines with an additional secret, rarer one. Each box comes with one figurine with an equal possibility of pulling any figurine, except the secret with a chance of 1 out of 144, hence the name “blind box.” The surprise of which Smiski you might get makes it an intriguing collectible.
My collection began when I was in sixth grade and traveled to Japan with my family. After I bought my first two figurines — a Smiski doing crunches from the Exercising series and a Smiski cheering from the Cheer series — I was hooked on the emotionless creatures. Since then, my dad has continued to buy Smiskis during business trips to Japan — as Smiskis are cheaper there — and he and I later unbox them together and add them to our collection. In the U.S., Smiskis typically cost between $10-$15 for one blind box while in Japan, it is usually $6-$7.
But to me, what truly makes Smiskis so addicting to collect is their simple design: a tiny, sage green man, posing in various ways with a blank expression on its face. The simple facial expression, combined with a variety of silly poses in chubby bodies, makes the Smiskis enjoyable.
Another feature of Smiskis that stands out from other collectibles is their glow-in-the-dark exterior, allowing you to appreciate their whimsical features during both the day and the night. There is also a special bathroom series, where the Smiskis are a light, jelly-blue color, instead of green.
Smiskis’ small size and casual-yet-humorous poses also allow me to place them randomly throughout my room, as they can fit almost anywhere. Although I organize most of my Smiskis in a wooden house, I scatter a few throughout my room, so that they interact with the books on shelves.
Depending on their poses, the Smiskis sit in different parts of my room. For instance, the Smiskis that read books sit on my desk to accompany me while I work, and the ones doing yoga poses lie on my nightstand.
Sometimes, I crochet miniature hats to accompany the Smiski’s bald head, adding more to their character. The detachable heads are also fun to fidget with, as they make a satisfying pop noise whenever I twist their heads off to put their hats on. It has also become a tradition for me to bring a Smiski with me when I travel. I pose for photos with it in different memorable spots.
Now, I have 16 Smiskis from a variety of series, but still with a goal to obtain at least one secret Smiski. As my collection grows, I want to hang a shelf where all my Smiskis can interact with each other.
If you’re looking for a new collectible that can accompany you while you work and sleep, Smiskis — with their cute poses and stoic faces — are a great way to start.
