Shigesato Itoi’s HOBONICHI MOTHER PROJECT is back at it again. Last year, this offshoot of Itoi’s Hobonichi lifestyle brand started making various MOTHER and EarthBound tie-in products. This year, they are continuing down the same RPG path, making and reproducing clever EarthBound ‘souvenirs’ and other items.
Some of these products were already available at the pop-up shops for the MOTHER Words & Stories Exhibition in Osaka and Shibuya PARCO in December. But if you couldn’t make it to Shibuya or Osaka for whatever reason, these items will be available online starting on 26 January. Other items are new runs of older items that will now be back in stock.
Hotel key rings, etc.
The most clever of these items are probably the hotel key rings and stickers based on the hotels and towns in the game. There are six hotels represented, including the four number-themed towns: Onett, Twoson, Threed, and Fourside. They describe these as commemorative hotel and town souvenirs.
They also have can badges featuring allies and enemies from the MOTHER series, various acrylic keychains, and a pair of brass brooches of the ‘clumsy robot’ Yudan Robo and the Beautiful (Kikubari) UFO. In addition, you can also get MOTHER 2 posters, postcards, clear files, towels, and the Hobonichi Haramaki (bellyband or belly warmer).
Itoi was the original creator of the MOTHER video game franchise. Outside of Japan, MOTHER 2 is known as EarthBound. The 1994 Nintendo RPG became a cult classic for a number of reasons, including its quirky and funny plot, Ness’ inclusion in the original Super Smash Bros., pixelated 1990s video game nostalgia, and the game’s obvious influence on Undertale.
You can find more information about the products here. They also posted memories and stories of the EarthBound towns on the website.