Hobby Industry Inside Vol.4: The "Subtle Intensity" of the Petit Sample Series is the Essence of Hobby!　An interview with Re-Ment's Development Division!

Re-Ment's "Petit Sample Series" reproduces small items from ordinary homes in the 1980s, as well as school bags and lunch boxes from high school. Do not be fooled by the fact that these are miniatures of common household items. The lids of the containers actually open, the bags can hold other small items, and spoons can be inserted into snacks. ...... is a very serious reproduction of the real thing's functionality.

We spoke with Kaoru Goto (Manager, Copyright Management Department) and Yurie Mayume (Planning and Development Department) of the Re-Ment Corporation Development Division about the unknown history, ingenuity, and worldview of the "Petit Sample Series," which is a mixture of meticulousness and playfulness.

Is it inappropriate to make "miniature Buddhist altars?

─ When did you start the Petit Sample series?

Goto: Since June 2002. We make about 6 to 8 kinds of items per series, so the number of SKUs (all kinds including variations, etc.) would be about 3,300 to 3,500 kinds.

─ So you started 13 years ago?

Goto: In 2002, with the advent of the Shokugan boom, including Choco Eggs and Time Slip Glico, the Petit Sample Series was being sold in convenience stores, supermarkets, toy and variety goods sections, and other places. At the time, the average sales per series was 1.5 million units, with some products selling 3 million units. Thanks to the support of our fans, we have been able to continue to commercialize our products even after the boom has passed.

─ Compared to 13 years ago, capsule toys and shokugan have become more expensive.

Goto: Our Petit Samples were originally sold for 250 yen, but due to various circumstances in China, they are now priced at 500 yen. We received comments from the confectionery sections that "500 yen is too expensive and we can't handle them," so in September we launched the first in the school series, "Our Science Lab," for 350 yen, and the number of stores handling it in the confectionery sections is gradually increasing.

─ The large box containing all the varieties has "Buy for adults" printed on it (laughs).

Mayume: If you buy "Grandma Grandma's House" for 500 yen each, the price is about 4,000 yen (excluding tax).

Goto: "Grandma Grandma's House" comes in a blind box, and there are 8 types in total. If you buy a large box, you can have all the different types at once. Since 85% of Petit Sample buyers are female customers, we have been putting a sticker on the boxes for about four years now that says, "Buy large and you will get all kinds of items" to make it easier for women to buy. Also, since women do not know what is in the Secret, they do not seem to like it.

May: Conversely, male customers seem to look forward to it, wondering, "I wonder what items are in the secret?" and they look forward to it. Female customers know what is in the items ahead of time and value the complete set, so for several years now we have tried not to include secret items in our products.

───Do you do the planning and design in-house?

Mayume: Packaging is outsourced, but for example, we decide in-house what shape the altar should take and what kind of atmosphere the rice cooker pattern should have.

─ ─ It is very precise, but what material is it made of?

Mayume: We used ATBC-PVC, ABS resin, and GPPS for the transparent parts. I am very proud of the "Greetings to the Ancestors" butsudan (and holds up an unopened box).

─ ─ Can you tell which box contains the butsudan?

Mayume: I can tell somewhat by the weight of the box.

───This altar has a door that opens, and it is very elaborate. There is also something printed in detail on the paper. ......

Mayumi Yes, there are eight different types of paper, so we made and printed separate designs for "supermarket flyers," "letters from grandchildren," "group photos of the senior citizens' association," and so on. At the time of planning, we were divided within the company, with some saying, "Wouldn't people be offended by a miniature of a Buddhist altar as inappropriate?" and others saying, "No, it would be fun to make such an object in a serious way. As a result, we were relieved to find that people were playing with the combination of figures of other companies' characters and the butsudan, saying, "It was the right decision to include the butsudan after all.

Also, the "Warm Oil Stove" is very interesting. The small lid can be opened to properly reproduce the scene of refueling with a pump, and the pump can be plugged in. ...... This kind of unassuming gimmick seems to be appreciated by customers.

Goto: The inner box for adult buyers has a tatami mat printed on the back, which can be assembled to create a Japanese-style room. This is a bonus for those who purchase the product as an adult.