TOY Interview] "Nari-giri" toys of popular characters from the 2000s are appearing one after another! What is Bandai's "NARIKIRI" product targeting a new demographic?

Bandai produces key items that appear in girls' animation and special effects works as toys for children, and has also developed a brand for adults titled "COMPLETE SELECTION MODIFICATION. The term "NARIKIRI" covers a wide range of products, and in recent years Bandai has been releasing NARIKIRI toys aimed at a new target audience.

The titles include "Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters," "Tutor Hitman Reborn," and "Ojamajo Doremi," all of which appealed to elementary and junior high school students in the 2000s. These items are also branded with the "Special Memorize" brand name (with the exception of the Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters: Millennium Puzzle COMPLETE EDITION).

We asked the people in charge of Bandai's planning team, which produces these items, why they decided to create a new type of impersonation toy for a new target audience, and what kind of feelings they put into each item.

--What was the impetus behind the development of nostalgic items such as the "Special Memorize" brand?

Person in charge E: We have been developing "COMPLETE SELECTION MODIFICATION" not only for children, but also for adults, and we thought that the "virtual toys" could be enjoyed by a wide range of people. In fact, in October last year, we hosted an event called "NARIKIRI WORLD," where many people enjoyed "NARIKIRI" toys. In the midst of this event, we decided to consider items that would allow people to immerse themselves in the world of not only special effects works, but also various other works! The three products were realized as a result of this momentum.

--What made you choose "Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters," "Tutor Hitman Reborn," and "Ojamajo Doremi" among them?

Person in Charge E: I want to enjoy again as an adult the works I loved in my childhood! One of the reasons was that we wanted to develop products especially for people in their 20s and 30s who have grown up with a lot of anime culture. Another reason is that many of our team members are in their 20s and 30s. We hold planning meetings while considering what kind of products would appeal to this generation.

--I see. So that's how it happened.

Person in charge E: We will apply the technology we have cultivated in our specialties of impersonating special effects works to other items as well. This is one of the themes of this project, but the characteristics of fans differ for each work, and the functions required are also different. We have no choice but to face each work one by one and develop what each fan is looking for, so we are learning every day.

--I feel that every item is filled with the love of the person in charge. How did you proceed with the development of "Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters: Millennium Puzzle COMPLETE EDITION"?

T: There were a lot of things we wanted to pack in, but we had to balance the price and specifications. The most important thing we focused on was what users want most from a millennium puzzle. After all, people want to be able to play games while wearing the puzzle around their necks. That's why we made it possible to attach a leather strap and to play background music during battles.

--The size is also exquisite, and you will want to wear it as a fashion item, just like Yugi.

T: We also made a pedestal so that you can display it and look at it. We also included LEDs to recreate the scene where he turns into Yami Yugi. When the last part is inserted, it emits light, but not just a part of it, but the light leaks through the gap between the panels. Trial and error to reproduce such a scene made the design team cry.

--The size is not too large, right?

Person in charge T: Yes, that's right. It was very difficult to design it while securing the AAA batteries. We also tried to put the speaker hole in a groove ....... We didn't want to make the buttons look uncomfortable, so we made them look like a puzzle pattern. I hope you will pay attention to that as well.

--Special Memorize Bongole Box & Bongole Ring Set" is an item from "Tutor Hitman REBORN!

Person in charge E: This is the first time for us to develop an item for "Tutor Hitman Reborn! So it was a constant challenge to see how well the items would respond. When we proposed the idea at a planning meeting, the children of the same generation as the person in charge of the project responded strongly! I think it was because of that enthusiasm that we were able to commercialize the product.

Person in charge M: We also displayed the product at Jump Festa, and it was great to see the reaction of the fans firsthand at that time.

--This item is a set of a bongole box and a bongole ring.

M: The ability to reproduce the movements of the cartoons I used to watch back then. The Bongole Ring is used to open the Bongole Box. And it has the voice of the voice actor. In order to make it playable, the size of the Bongole Box would have to be reduced. We wanted to design it in a way that it would not crush the exterior while also including a speaker in addition to the button battery. ...... We made sure to pack that thought in.

From left to right: fog, big sky, and cloud bongole boxes. A total of three types will be available.

--Bongole Sacks are also attractive because of their design, right?

M: Yes, that's right!　We went back and forth with the design team to make sure that they were palm-sized but beautifully sculpted. The design of the speaker hole as a target mark is also a special feature (laughs).

--What about the bongole rings?

M: Regarding the Bongole rings, they are all worn on the middle finger in the film. So we measured the finger sizes of various people in the company, and adjusted the size so that it would fit on everyone's middle finger if possible, or at least on some finger.

Each sagger comes with a corresponding ring design.

--We would also like to talk about the "Ojamajo Doremi Special Memorize Ojamajo Doremi Minarai Tap," for which secondary orders are now being taken. I understand that you have changed some things from the items that were on sale at the time.

Person in charge S: Yes, we did. We added a light-emitting gimmick and made the figure look as if it came straight out of the movie. One major change is that the buttons for the do-re-mi-fa-sora-sodo are now placed backwards from the toys that were on the market at the time.

--Why is that?

Person in charge S: Actually, the way it went around was the opposite of the way it went around in the toys and the anime at the time. This time, we designed it counterclockwise to match the anime. There was also a proposal to include only a melody since the item allows the user to change into an apprentice outfit, but I felt that if no sound is made when the magic ball is pressed, the Minarai Tap is not a Minarai Tap. But if the magic ball doesn't make a sound when you press it, it doesn't sound like a Minarai Tap.

--I am very happy to see that the magic ball has been faithfully reproduced.

Person in charge S. I think fans have a strong image of colorful spheres, so we did not compromise on that. We also played around with the speaker holes to make them look like staves, so I hope people will take a look at that as well.

--What kind of items do you hope to produce in the future?

Person in charge E: Bandai is an environment where even young people can come up with ideas. By combining new ideas with the knowledge of "NARIKIRI" toys that we have cultivated over the years, we would like to challenge ourselves to create "NARIKIRI" toys for works that we have not yet been able to challenge ourselves with! I am looking forward to taking on the challenge of creating a "spoof" toy for a work that has not yet been attempted! We've received a lot of positive feedback for the Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters Millennium Puzzle COMPLETE EDITION, Special Memorise Bongole Box & Bongole Ring Set, and Ojamajo Doremi Special Memorize Ojamajo Doremi Minarai Tap, We will continue to do our best to strengthen our product lineup!

(Reporting by Shohki Ota [TARKUS])

Product Information

Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters Millennium Puzzle COMPLETE EDITION

Release price: 8,800 yen (tax included)

Scheduled to ship in July 2023

Scheduled to be shipped in July 2023.

Special Memorize Bongole Box & Bongole Ring Set (Tsunayoshi Sawada / Kyoya Hibari / Rikudou Kage)

Price: 4,950 yen (tax included)

Scheduled to ship in July 2023

Scheduled to be shipped in July 2023.

Ojamajo Doremi Special Memorize Ojamajo Doremi Minarai Tap

Release price: 5940 yen (including tax)

Scheduled to ship in September 2023 (second order)

Scheduled to ship in September 2023 (secondary order) ・Sold by: Bandai