From Astro Boy to Gundam to Ultraman, how Bandai became Japan’s top toy company

[karlmarx]

From Astro Boy to Gundam to Ultraman, how Bandai became Japan’s top toy company

Now 32 years old, Sho Ueda remembers the thrill he felt as a nine-year-old when his father bought him his first model from the Mobile Suit Gundam anime series. With massive red-and-white shoulder protectors, powerful robotic legs and headgear reminiscent of a samurai warrior’s helmet, Ueda says he was hooked after building his first “Burning Gundam” model.

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2...oy-company


Are physical toys still relevant? Or will their market continue to shrink to a small, stable size?

I've always wondered whether digital games will wipe out traditional physical toys.

[weijian]

Interesting thoughts. My rough guess is that, it is probably going to survive in a small stable size. Heck, i believe it may even grow (like vinyl records)

We could look at the evolution of music records for a guidance i suppose - vinyl records->cassette->CD-ROMs->MP3 player -> HP->Youtube/iTune/Spotify --> Each of them condemned its predecessor. But a search is saying that vinyl records have been growing for the past 12years as the pace got increasingly digitized. There is some sort of Lindy Effect on-going here.

https://www.thefader.com/2018/01/03/2017...since-1991

If it delivers a positive user experience and great memories without looking out of place, it could probably survive as the experience gets more and more scarce. Similar thing happening to going to the theaters (most of us can't forget our first date/s been watching a movie in the cinema, don't we?)