PÉPET, the palm-size “paper friend” produced by TAKEO Co., Ltd., turns a fruit’s familiar silhouette into a playful character. Originally designed by Masae Nagao, the charming figure borrows the rounded contours of a pear or apple, complete with two eyes and a stem-like nose. Lift one and it gently wobbles and ruffles, emphasizing its delicate build and tactile appeal.
Layers, names, and a new “Pomme” edition
Each PÉPET is composed of more than 400 layers of colorful paper, creating a compact, weighty stack that animates with the slightest touch. The characters arrive with spirited monikers—examples include:
- “Dandel”
- “Fuji”
- “Sky”
Drawing directly from orchard hues, TAKEO will release a new edition titled “Pomme” on October 14, inspired by the saturated red and green of apples and their leaves. The palette nods to fruit and foliage while staying true to PÉPET’s petite, hand-friendly form and paper-first construction.
While PÉPET’s personality comes across in its simple facial features and bobbing motion, its craft is anchored in layering: sheet upon sheet of color that, together, suggest softness, buoyancy, and an almost kinetic surface. That combination of structure and motion is what makes the characters feel so animated when handled—without any mechanism beyond paper itself.
TAKEO notes that updates about the release can be found on the company’s Instagram, where the evolving lineup of names and colorways sits alongside this forthcoming ode to apple-reds and leaf-greens. For those already acquainted with “Dandel,” “Fuji,” and “Sky,” “Pomme” extends the lineup into crisp autumn tones while keeping the focus on material, color, and that endearing little wobble.
Originally conceived by Masae Nagao and carried forward by TAKEO Co., Ltd., PÉPET distills personality into a palm-size stack of color—proving how much expression paper alone can hold.
