Sanby ANZ Stamps: 28 Riceball Island Characters, S and L
The Sanby ANZ stamp series is 28 rubber stamps of surreal characters from the artist ANZ's Riceball Island, 14 in a 23 mm S block and 14 in a 33 mm L block. Sanby suggests stamping in black and coloring them in. A separate pad is needed; S costs 825 yen (about US$5.22) and L 935 yen (about US$5.92).
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- Sanby ANZ Stamp, S (ANZ-SS01 to ANZ-SS14) and L (ANZ-SL01 to ANZ-SL14)
- Brand
- Sanby
- Brand origin
- Japan
- Made in
- Not stated*
- Material
- Rubber stamp on a block; Sanby lists no further materials
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per stamp or ink pad
- Rate it
Notes on these facts
- Made by Sanby Co., Ltd. (Osaka). Country of manufacture not stated: Sanby's product page lists sizes, part numbers and prices but no country of manufacture. Sanby is an Osaka company with production bases listed in Thailand and Taiwan, so check the label on your copy. Price: example listing.
- How we test and disclose samples: How we test stationery.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Sanby lists 28 characters: 14 in size S (23 mm square block) and 14 in size L (33 mm square block).
- Each of the 28 characters has a backstory, and Sanby says reading the introductions is fun in itself.
- Sanby suggests stamping in black ink and coloring the print in, so each stamp becomes a colour-in picture for notebooks and planners.
- A stamp pad is not included; Sanby's page says one must be bought separately.
- Sanby's tax-included prices are 825 yen (about US$5.22) for S and 935 yen (about US$5.92) for L; the page gives no country of manufacture.
What are the Sanby ANZ stamps?
They are rubber stamps of the unique residents of Riceball Island, a mysterious island invented by the artist ANZ. Sanby says there are 28 characters, split into 14 in the S size and 14 in the L size. Each has detailed settings, so Sanby suggests that reading the character introductions is fun in itself.
For example, Sanby describes a character who always eats a fried egg in the morning and an excellent dog tied to the sky by a rope from a god.
What sizes are there?
S is a 23 mm square block and L is a 33 mm square block. The characters differ, so the L is not an enlarged S.
| S | L | |
|---|---|---|
| Block | 23 mm square | 33 mm square |
| Characters | 14 | 14 |
| Tax-included price | 825 yen (about US$5.22) | 935 yen (about US$5.92) |
| Part numbers | ANZ-SS01 to SS14 | ANZ-SL01 to SL14 |
Prices are Japanese prices at 158 yen to the dollar.
How do you use them?
Stamp in black ink, then color the print in. Sanby says the stamps work like colouring-book stamps, so you can fill them with colored pencils or markers and brighten notebooks and planners. A separate stamp pad is needed. See the Kodomo no Kao Techo Hanko-bu stamps for another set designed for planners.
What are the characters called?
Sanby gives each a capitalized name. The S set includes Medamayaki, Chu-Bo, Macaronista, Gabisan, Kabta, Neji, Tsumuri, Mr. Nar, Candy. G, Neroli, Yukku, Ebby, Choki and Negitoro. The L set includes Rafflesia, Ichiban II Inu, Amagoi San, Batadora, Tomoshibi Bowy, Bombo, Necogurumakun, Shu Cho, Kiwi, Kumokuidori, Hige Syodo and Gabcho, among others. The names are romanized on Sanby’s page.
What would a full set cost?
All 14 S stamps come to 11,550 yen (about US$73.10) and all 14 L stamps to 13,090 yen (about US$82.85), by our arithmetic from Sanby’s prices. Sanby doesn’t sell the 28 as a set on the page we read, so each is bought on its own. Because the stamps are priced so close together, the choice is mostly about block size: 23 mm fits a planner box, and 33 mm gives a bigger picture to color in.
Who is ANZ?
An artist from Tokyo who builds the world of Riceball Island. Sanby says ANZ made handmade plush toys and accessories as part of the creative unit AtelieR odeco from 2006 to 2019, mainly handling design and story settings. In 2020 ANZ released a first soft vinyl figure through a brand from Kenelephant and Nakazora Kobo, and has since extended the island’s world into paintings and other products.
What is the rest of the Sanby artist range?
Sanby also sells stamps and sealing sets by the artists eric and ob1. See the eric absorbent stamps, the ob1 acrylic stand stamps and the sealing wax sets.
Where are they made, and what do they cost?
Sanby’s page doesn’t give a country of manufacture. Sanby is a Japanese company founded in 1921 with its head office in Osaka. The S block costs 825 yen (about US$5.22) and the L block 935 yen (about US$5.92) with tax, which puts both in our $$ band ($5–20).
Frequently asked questions
How many characters are there?
28: 14 in size S and 14 in size L, per Sanby.
What sizes are the blocks?
S is a 23 mm square block and L a 33 mm square block, per Sanby's page.
Does it come with ink?
No. Sanby says a stamp pad is needed separately.
How are they meant to be used?
Sanby suggests stamping in black ink and coloring the print in, so each becomes a colored picture in a notebook or planner.
Who made the stamps?
An artist from Tokyo who, per Sanby, made handmade plush toys and accessories as part of the creative unit AtelieR odeco from 2006 to 2019 and now builds the world of Riceball Island in paintings and products.
What ink should you use?
Sanby suggests black ink. Our Versacraft Soramame and StazOn ink pad guides cover pigment and solvent inks; we haven't tested them on these stamps.
How much do they cost and where are they made?
Sanby's tax-included prices are 825 yen (about US$5.22) for S and 935 yen (about US$5.92) for L, both in our $$ band ($5–20). The page doesn't state a country of manufacture.