Bandai's toy business is focused on products for children of preschool and elementary school age. In addition to cultivating and developing popular IP, we are actively working to create dreams and nurture future customers around the world by creating new hit IP and developing role-playing toys that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.
The Tamagotchi Uni, the latest model in the series, was released in July 2023 in more than 35 countries and regions simultaneously. The first in the series with the ability to connect to Wi-Fi, this product allows you to enter the "Tamaverse," which is the metaverse for Tamagotchi, and meet Tamagotchi raised by users from all over the world. In addition, the Original Tamagotchi, which is loved in Europe and the United States, has extended its reach into Japan, sparking a trend that is particularly popular with Gen Z.
At this division, we oversee the original capsule toy brand Gashapon®. We launch over a hundred products every month, and more than 150 official stores have opened in Japan. Through Gashapon, we deliver products to a wide range of customers. As the top company in the domestic capsule toy market, we are actively developing new vending machines, opening new markets, creating new product categories, and implementing sustainability initiatives.
Gashapon® is popular overseas for the unique, original items and character goods that it offers. In addition to establishing a new business model for specialty capsule toy stores overseas, we will also help Japan's entertainment culture gain recognition and expand globally.
At this division, we work to create new ways to play, which are divided into four categories: trading card games played on tabletops; digital card games, which is played on digital machines; collectible cards that are fun to gather; and digital card games that are played on computers and smartphones.
The One Piece Card Game was launched in July 2022, becoming a worldwide hit. In February 2024, we launched a new trading card game, Dragon Ball Super Card Game Fusion World, around the world at the same time. Through products like these, we deliver new ways for users to play, both in Japan and across the globe.
Based on our philosophy that it's not enough for sweets to simply be tasty, we are creating a new market for sweets that are both delicious and fun. In this line of business, our products are divided into four categories: toys packaged with food products, collectible sweets, classic sweets, and food products. Overseas, we are accelerating the development of our sweets business, particularly in Asia. For example, we are producing Chocobi in Thailand and marketing it to China, manufacturing wafers of popular local characters in China, and launching the Charapaki series in Korea. In addition to exporting domestically manufactured products, we are using our domestic planning and manufacturing expertise to strengthen our manufacturing capabilities in China, Thailand, and other regions in Asia. Similarly, we will be expanding our sweets business in North America, where we plan to export Super Mario Charapaki.
We offer lifestyle products such as apparel, daily necessities, cosmetics, and everyday goods that embody the essence of IPs and can be enjoyed by children and adults.
In apparel, we have developed product services based on the concept of creating "everything that you can wear." We offer a lineup of fashionable clothes, bags, and accessories for adults, as well as a series of "Glow-in-the-Dark Pajamas" with designs that glow in the dark. Through our brand, STRICT-G, we sell products that embody the essence of Gundam overseas and hold pop-up events.
As for daily necessities, we are currently expanding Surprise Egg, bath bombs with a mascot inside, primarily across Asia. Additionally, we will continue to deliver the cosmetics brand CreerBeaute and various miscellaneous goods around the world.
We plan, develop, produce, and sell plastic models including the Gunpla series, as well as operate related facilities.
At the Bandai Hobby Center (Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka Prefecture), which is our production base, we strive to transform plastic model development and production technologies and are actively involved in efforts to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.
We are also engaged in marketing to our domestic and overseas customers to convey the joy of manufacturing through plastic models.
In addition to organizing events, we operate THE GUNDAM BASE, an official general Gunpla facility.
Under the consolidated brand name Tamashii Nations, we deliver a widely varied lineup and IP developments, as well as high quality, high value-added products to customers around the world.
We have developed around 60 brands, including Chogokin, S.H.Figuarts, and METAL BUILD, and we are promoting the expansion of our business on a global scale. In order to promote a deeper understanding of the appeal of our products and our
passion for manufacturing, we are expanding the content on our official website, Tamashii Web. We also provide a membership
service, CLUB TAMASHII MEMBERS. In addition, we have expanded both in Japan and overseas with flagship stores opened in
Tokyo, Shanghai, and New York, where we are focusing on providing opportunities for customers to have hands-on experiences
with the actual products.
We are mainly in charge of Ichibankuji, a character lottery offered at convenience stores, bookstores, hobby shops, and other locations.
Ichibankuji offers customers the fun of drawing lots and the excitement of winning.
Products of over 80 titles are released annually for Ichibankuji. By providing a wide-ranging lineup of products, we have
enabled deeper and more extensive recreations of the worlds and appeal of each IP, allowing us to develop products with
high levels of customer satisfaction.
Overseas, we are actively working to expand our global reach by localizing and selling Ichibankuji in each region.
We plan, develop, and sell prizes that are exclusive to amusement facilities and can be won at crane games and other machines.
With an emphasis on respecting the atmosphere and worlds of each IP under the Banpresto brand name, we are always striving to achieve the top customer satisfaction in the amusement industry.By commercializing over 1,500 figures and plush toys annually in a variety of design arrangements that can be enjoyed by a wide range of customers, we are revitalizing the market for amusement facility products by developing products in a speedy manner. In terms of overseas expansion, we are also focusing on expanding our business globally by customizing our product lineup for each region. We are committed to bringing Banpresto brand products into the hands of manga, anime, and game fans around the world.
