What’s The Buzz: A History of The Rabbit (Vibrator)
Arguably the most famous of sex toys, the rabbit vibrator has come a long way since its invention in the 1980s.
From humble beginnings, it now sits pride of place in nightstands around the world. But just how did this bunny-eared dual stimulator win our hearts (and orgasms)? Four decades on, we look at its rise to cult-like status.
Where it all started
It all began back in 1983 when Japanese sex-toy brand Vibratex created buzzing buddies that looked like animals as a way to circumvent the country’s strict obscenity laws (at the time it was illegal to manufacture sex toys – let alone phallic-shaped ones).
There was the Beaver, the Turtle, and the Kangaroo, but it was the Rabbit, launched in 1984, that changed everything.
The rabbit is considered a lucky charm in Japan, and reportedly this was a contributing factor to the designers at Vibratex settling on a rabbit design. In addition to both the shaft and vibrating ears, the Rabbit Pearl featured rotating beads inside the shaft for added stimulations. While the Rabbit Pearl debuted with strong sales, it didn’t have widespread notoriety just yet. That was just around the corner.
Nineties rise to fame
In 1993 famed US sex-store Babeland opened its doors in Seattle and sold the Rabbit Pearl from the very beginning, introducing it to the American market. By 1997 they'd opened their second store, this time in New York, and began selling Vibratex’s upgraded version of the Rabbit Pearl: the Rabbit Habit. This model still featured the signature bunny and beads, with some modern updates, including the battery pack and controls in the base of the toy, rather than a separate attachment.
*That* SATC cameo
Wanting to include a vibrator in an upcoming Sex and the City episode, reps from its US TV network HBO visited the popular NYC adult store to uncover its most popular sex toy. It was, of course, the Rabbit Pearl. They then reached out to Vibratex, sending them the script for the episode to ensure they were happy with the Rabbit’s cameo.
During the iconic Season 1 The Turtle and the Hare episode, Miranda encourages Charlotte to buy a Rabbit, and soon she becomes infatuated with its ability to give mind-blowing blended orgasms and refuses to leave the house. The storyline reaches a peak when Charlotte cancels another night out with Carrie and Miranda as she wants to stay home and masturbate (relatable), leading the other two women to intervene and take the Rabbit off her.
Thus, the Rabbit was as coveted as a pair of Carrie’s Manolos, and copycats began popping up everywhere.
A to O-list endorsements
Actor Eva Longoria further bolstered the Rabbit’s street cred in the early 2000s when she declared she gifts the Rabbit vibrator to her friends.
“The best gift I can give them is an orgasm,” she said in an interview at the time.
One year on in 2006 the Rabbit received its most sought-after endorsement of this era: Oprah’s stamp of approval. It was featured in O the Oprah Magazine, and hailed as the “Rolls Royce of sex toys”. Praise doesn’t come higher than that.
2008 – present
Rabbit vibrators have continued to undergo upgrades making them even more stylish and functional. Plus, it’s become more and more common to see rabbit vibrators coated in non-porous, silky-smooth silicone, that looks and feels better than their predecessors.
Now just about every major sex-toy brand has their own version of the Rabbit. From LELO’s Ina Wave 2 and Soraya Wave to Womanizer’s DUO Rabbit (that harnesses their signature Pleasure Air™ Technology), there’s no shortage of luxury styles available. One brand that has made the classic rabbit design its bread and butter is The Rabbit Company. While they haven’t reinvented the wheel, this brand has upgraded the signature dual-stim shape to offer different sensations for a wide range of preferences.
Some other brands have gone above and beyond in the pleasure stakes, adding features to make the rabbit thrust, heat up, or be app-controlled. While others like the California Dreaming Long Beach Bootylicious Triple-Action G-Spot and Anal Rabbit Vibrator show that three isn’t a crowd, but a good time, with anal stimulation in addition to the signature dual clitoral and G-spot stimulation. Who knows what the next decade will have in store for the rabbit? Time will tell.