About Us
About Fried Bear Studio
How It All Started
One night, a curious little bear snuck into a Japanese restaurant after closing time. He was just looking for a snack — maybe some leftover tempura. But in the dark, he stumbled into a bag of flour, rolled through egg wash, tumbled into batter, and before he knew it… landed right in the deep fryer.
He came out golden, crispy, and — honestly — cuter than ever. With a little ebi tail poking out from behind his ear as a souvenir from the adventure.
That's Fried Bear. And this is his studio.
Meet the Bears
Fried Bear The one who started it all. A permanently battered, golden-fried bear with a shrimp tail behind his ear and a heart full of mischief. He's a little crispy on the outside, completely soft on the inside.
Tofu Bear Fried Bear's wife. Gentle, elegant, and always wearing her signature bowtie. She keeps things together when Fried Bear gets into trouble — which is often.
Fried Bear Jr. The little one. Follows dad everywhere, gets into everything, and somehow always ends up covered in crumbs.
Kinako Bear · Sakura Bear · Matcha Bear The extended family — each one inspired by a beloved Japanese flavor. Kinako's warm and toasty, Sakura is soft and sweet, and Matcha is cool and calm. Together with Fried Bear and Tofu Bear, they make up the full cast.
About Me
Hi — I'm the person behind Fried Bear Studio. I'm originally from Germany, but I've been living in Japan since 2013.
I've loved drawing for as long as I can remember. Over the years I've tried everything — watercolors, gouache, digital painting, 3D art — always teaching myself, never taking a class. Fried Bear has been living in my head for many years now. To be honest, the name just sounded perfect in Japanese and it stuck with me. But turning that idea into something real — my own shop, my own characters, my own handmade products — is something I dreamt about for a long time before I finally had the courage to do it.
In a world where so much is mass-produced and AI-generated, I wanted to create something with a bit more love and personal touch. Every single product in this shop is made by hand — designed, printed, cut, and finished by me in my studio in Tokyo. No two items are perfectly identical, and I think that's what makes them special. There's real human effort in every sticker, every bookmark, every notepad.
This project means everything to me. I'm building it with the hope of turning it into a proper business — one that lets me be my own boss and eventually do this full time. Down the road, I'd love to expand into apparel, other goods, and maybe even a cute Fried Bear game one day. And someday, when I become a dad, I'd love nothing more than to share these little characters with my own children.
For now, I hope these bears bring some warmth to your day.
— Fried Bear Studio
Fried Bear Studio is a one-person handmade stationery brand based in Tokyo, Japan.