Yet again, those clever little Japanese think they've come up with a world-beating craze. And they just might be correct this time. We would ask you to remember the Tamagotchi at the height of its powers, then bow down in awe at the plastic feet of these cube-shaped farmyard critters.

As with all Japanese crazes, there's very little functional benefit to their existence. The CuBees will not solve global poverty or land a man on the moon. They will, however, sing to you and open their little bellies to reveal a family of baby CuBees within, much in the style of a Russian doll, minus the elegant centuries-old craftsmanship and hand-painted beauty.

Also as with all Japanese crazes, there's a surreal collectibility to them. And, once one begins one's collection, then one must simply have the lot, purely to satisfy one's obsessive compulsive desire for completeness. There are six to collect in all. We'll start you off with a pack of three. So there's not far to go to achieve a zen-like state of oneness with the world of CuBees.

They're utterly charming and utterly disarming. And utterly smiley, in their own little Japanese way. Konichiwa, Miss Sakamoto.