German-based plush toy company Steiff is producing teddy bears inspired by Duralumin, which appears in Kiyohiko Azuma's Yotsuba&! manga series as the protagonist Yotsuba's friend teddy bear. The original handmade item is based on newly drawn sketches by the manga author himself, who also supervises the project. It can also make the sounds (or "talk") with the growler inside when shaken as portrayed in the manga.

Movic will start accepting orders for the 45,360 yen (about 370 US dollars) limited edition items on December 1. Purchasers on Movic's online store (not on Steiff's store) will also receive a colored paper with the author's handwritten autograph.

The manga's long-awaited 13th volume will be finally released in Japan tomorrow, November 27. The

last 12th volume was released two and half years ago, March 2013.

Sketches by Kiyohiko Azuma

Colored paper with the author's autograph

Manga 13th volume cover

Source: Movic via: Comic Natalie

(c)KIYOHIKO AZUMA/YOTUBA SUTAZIO (c)Margarete Steiff GmbH 2015