The next Labubu? Fluffy robot 'Mirumi' clings to your bag - and even moves its head when you pet it

Celebs from Rihanna to Kim Kardashian might have Labubu dolls hanging from their bags, but there is a new contender for the ultimate cute accessory.

The 'Mirumi' is a robot whose only purpose is to cling to your bag and look cute doing it.

The fluffy, sloth-like toy uses its long arms to attach itself securely to any pole or bag strap.

The bot listens to the world around it, shyly stealing a glance at passersby, and even responds when you pet it.

Mirumi, which gets its name from the Japanese words for 'to look' and 'stuffed animal', is created by the company Yukai Engineering.

Now the finished product is finally ready and available for purchase, with the first Mirumi expected to ship in May next year.

However, for a gadget designed to do nothing, Mirumi is not cheap, with a single bot costing £107.27 ($142.90).

Mirumi is a 'charm robot' designed to cling to your bag and react to the world around it by listening 

Yukai Engineering describes the Mirumi as a 'charm robot' that is designed to mimic the feeling of a human baby on a crowded train suddenly looking your way.

Beneath its fluffy exterior, the robot features two grabbing arms to secure to your bag, a handful of sensors, and a few small motors to provide movement.

Although the robot can't understand words, it 'hears' sounds around it and will respond to nearby voices.

When it picks up a nearby sound, its custom algorithm makes the robot appear to shyly glance up towards the source before looking away.

Shunsuke Aoki, CEO of Yukai Engineering, told Daily Mail: 'There’s a very special kind of cuteness when a baby, held in a parent’s arms, quietly peeks through the gap and makes eye contact with you.

'It’s such a gentle moment that naturally makes you smile or wave back. We wanted to capture that warm, heart-melting feeling and bring it into a small, everyday companion.'

In addition to sound, Mirumi also responds to touch thanks to sensors embedded in its head.

When Mirumi feels that it is being petted, the algorithm produces a randomised set of responses to give a natural-feeling reaction.

Mirumi's creators say that the robot's shy behaviour is designed to mimic the feeling of when a human baby on a crowded train suddenly looks your way

The Mirumi is available in three colours - Ivory, Pink, or Grey (left to right) - and costs £107.27 ($142.90)

To make the robot seem even more alive, Mirumi will also move by itself even when nothing is happening.

Mirumi's batteries are charged via USB-C, and it simply shakes its head when low on charge, so users don't need a screen or app to use their toy.

While the robot doesn't necessarily do anything, its creators believe these small movements are capable of having a big impact.

Mr Aoki says: 'Our goal is to create small moments of joy in public spaces, shared between strangers through Mirumi’s gentle glance.

On social media, fans are already hailing the tiny toy as the next Labubu.

On X, formerly Twitter, one commenter wrote: 'This could be the next Labubu style trend people will clip it to their bags just like Labubu.'

'This is the future I dreamed of since I was a little girl. I will be buying asap,' another added.

While one fan wrote: 'Mirumi is bringing the aww factor to robotics!'

Mirumi, which gets its name from the Japanese words for 'to look' and 'stuffed animal', is created by the company Yukai Engineering

When it picks up a nearby sound, its custom algorithm makes the robot appear to shyly glance up towards the source before looking away

On social media, fans have praised the Mirumi as the next Labubu-like accessory, with one calling it the 'future I dreamed of'

Mirumi's cute appearance has won over social media users, with many gushing over its adorable design

However, eager fans will need to wait a little while longer to get their hands on the cute toy.

If you miss the chance to join this early launch, Mr Aoki says that the product's general release is planned for April 2026.

But this is not the first time that Yukai Engineering has baffled and amazed the world with its quirky gadgets.

The 'therapeutic robot' waves its tail in response to users petting and even has a subtle heartbeat to simulate a real animal.

In the company's testing, they found that many people showed significantly reduced stress levels after playing with the strange pillow.

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