• more about #bandai more comments →
    fuzzymuffins: 3-in-1: skin expert / thermometer / pregnancy tester #bandaiskinexpert more »
    Nick: it puts the pink thing on its skin or it gets the hose again. #bandaiskinexpert more »
    Zordon: APPLY DIRECTLY TO FOREHEAD. #bandaiskinexpert more »
    kennyg311: No offense Adam but this thing would explode if you put it on your face.... you know cause your ugly. #bandaiskinexpert more »
    Renegade: Adam, that was the hardest headline to read ever. Congrats! #bandaiskinexpert more »
    Xagest: "Beep Beep Beep You have cancer!" #bandaiskinexpert more »
    B-low: What is it telling that wax statue in the picture? #bandaiskinexpert more »
    wolfsingleton: seriously? Why wouldn't you simply get a cheap electronic keyboard for like $20 with a full set of keys? This is the equivalent of walking around wi... more »
    GitEmSteveDave_IsSlacking: Can a cat play it? more »
    nutbastard: this made me think immediately of Lain. She would totally get into the wired with this thing. more »
  • #japan

    A Gadget to Tell You Your Skin Ain't Great

    Bandai's Skin Expert is a device that you hold up to your face and it tells you how healthy your skin is. Finally, a gadget to make me feel bad about my appearance, automatically! Thanks, Japan! [Hobby Blog via Engadget]
  • #gaming

    Nintendo DS Piano Attachment Now Lets You 'Hone' Your 'Musical Chops'

    Set to be bundled with the Easy Piano instructive game for the Nintendo DS is this Piano/Keyboard controller, which lets you go from punishing ears on a full-size piano, to punishing ears on your handheld. More »
  • #netbooks

    Bandai RilakKuma Finally Achieves Maximum Netbook Adorability

    It can be hard to tell the legions of identical netbooks apart, but this Bandai RilakKuma will never have that problem, because it's the cutest Atom-based piece of hardware we've ever seen. More »
  • #toys

    Yakiniku Game Serves Guests With Fake Korean BBQ

    Yakiniku or Korean BBQ restaurants are extremely popular in Japan, which is why Bandai has released a game that simulates the experience at home—minus the distractions of flavor, chewing and hunger satisfaction of course. More »
  • #foodgadgets

    Alton Brown Would Not Approve of the Bandai Gyoza Maker

    Though it looks a lot like a larger version of those little cigarette rollers, this gadget is actually used to form perfect stuffed Japanese gyozas. We like it, but Alton Brown would never approve of such a single-function device. More »
  • #fitness

    Pedometer Makes You a Character in a Samurai Storyline

    Bandai is taking a new approach in the herculean task that is enticing nerds to exercise. This pedometer/calorie counter casts you as a 16th century Samurai hell-bent on controlling Japan. More »
  • #japan

    Bandai's Somen-Making Noodleslide Is the Most Fun You Could Possibly Have With Food

    I like to imagine this Bandai Noodle-maker/slide helped turn this family from dysfunctional and unhappy, to loving and close-knit. Do you see how much fun they're having watching their dinner fall 18-inches in dramatic fashion? More »
  • #poppop

    Mugen Pop Pop Infinite Bubble Wrap Now on iPhones

    Bandai first brought the pleasure of regular bubble wrap to your keychain with its Mugen Pop Pop Toy. And now, in case you don't bring your keys everywhere, they've put it on the iPhone too! More »
  • #toys

    Mugen Beer Can Opens Again and Again and Again

    Usually to meet my top popping OCD, I plow through a 24-pack or two in a single night. But it's an addiction. More »
  • #nanotech

    Bandai's Aqua Dance Water Toy Hypnotizes Using Nanotechnology

    Bandai's Aqua Dance water toy utilizes some sort of nanotech coating to send endless balls...of water cascading through a maze. I feel the urge to pee just thinking about it. More »
  • #toyfair2009

    How Long Is 5 Seconds?

    Bandai is bringing this Japanese pocket toy, 5 Second Stadium—the first of many, like Mugen Pop Pop—over here. You try to click precisely at the 5-second mark. I'm premature, as always. [Giz @ Toy Fair]
  • #netbooks

    Bandai Neon Green Netbook Powerful Enough For Adults, Made For Toddlers

    With toddlers being more tech savvy than many adults these days, it only makes sense that manufacturers use netbooks to target this demographic. Case in point, Bandai's Gachapin and Mukku-themed lineup. More »
  • #japan

    Bandai's Amazing Ginza-Circa-1955 Animated Diorama Speaker: Captured On Video!


    Remember this? The blinking lights, the working train, the little pedestrians, bobbing up and down in place, just waiting to be eaten by a still-unseen Godzilla-this thing is so fantastic. [Akihabara News]
  • #japan

    Godzilla Would Love This Speaker's Animated Tokyo Diorama

    Bandai's $2000 limited edition speaker has a glowing, moving, living diorama of Tokyo's Ginza district as seen in 1955. I don't care how it sounds, it's the coolest speaker I've seen all year. More »
  • #toys

    Robot Wild Animals Are Way More Adorable Than Elmo Live

    In case you've got a niece or nephew that's hankering for an Elmo Live, but you personally can't stand the strangely frightening little muppet, why not get them animatronic wild animals from Japan that are, in my opinion, much cuter. Made by Bandai Namco, these cuddly robots react to petting and hugging, make cute baby animal sounds and fall asleep, emitting gentle snores, if you ignore them for five minutes. Comes in Lion, Panda, Polar Bear and Snow Leopard flavors for roughly $50 each from Walmart. [Walmart via Impress]
  • #rc

    R/C Mechagodzilla is Possessed By Satan

    More »
  • #videogames

    Bandai RPG Pedometers, Like Nike+ for the Extra Masochistic

    13 billion years ago, a super dense ball of junk exploded. And it's taken this long for someone like Bandai to come around and combine our least favorite thing (exercise) with one of our most favorite things (pointless, time-sucking RPGS, preferably featuring some sort of underage girl with oversized...eyes...who has a shrieky, ear-damaging voice and a dual penchant for carnal melee brutality and giggling). More »
  • #wakeupanddie

    New Laser Alarm Clock Features Normal, Hard Modes

    Apparently the laser alarm clock idea, where you stop your clock's incessant ringing by shooting a bullseye with a laser gun, was popular enough to warrant a second coming. Bandai will be releasing its new version, titled Gun O' Clock, on November 15th in Japan. Gun O'Clock lacks the little man from the original, but features two wake-up modes: Normal and Hard. Normal mode means you only have to hit the target once to put the clock on snooze. With Hard mode, you'll have to hit it five times. Is that frustrating or secret agent awesome? I can't really tell. [Bandai via Geek Alerts]
  • #japan

    Mugen PeriPeri Toy Makes It Feel Like the First Time, Over and Over and Over

    Sometimes, the feeling of tearing open the package is more exhilarating than whatever's actually inside (unless it's one of those god-forsaken plastic clamshells that require you to mutilate it with a weapon of mass destruction, which is its own kind of rush). So the same people who gave us infinitely poppable bubble wrap have delivered the other part of the equation: Mugen PeriPeri. It lets you experience the visceral joy of ripping apart a package again and again and again. And yes, there's a crazy video showing just how awesomely euphoric it is in the most ridiculous way possible. More »
  • #toys

    Bandai's Luminodot: Lite-Brite HD For Big Kids

    For those of us who grew up sticking colored plastic pegs into a black board, Bandai Japan has gone all the way and brought our favorite toy up to its full potential—this is the Lite-Brite we always knew we wanted. The Luminodot packs a super-dense 70x50 grid, which accommodates 3,500 light pegs on a slick HDTV-looking frame. And as shown by the appropriately hallucinogenic demo video (skeletons riding donkeys, etc), its programmable backlight animation function makes the perfect pixel-art canvas. More »
  • #toys

    Bandai Smart Berry to Train Next Generation of Female Executives

    Little girls in Japan will get their chance today to act out their fantasies of being American corporate tools, thanks to Bandai's new mobile communicator “Smart Berry” toy, which kind of looks like a Mylo done up in pastel colors. The Smart Berry includes a touchscreen LCD panel measuring roughly 2 inches by 1.4 inches, a slide- out keyboard, and Wi-Fi capabilities for email, chat and online games. More »
  • #robots

    Bandai Hex Bug Robotic Crab is Just like Real Thing, With Less Pinching

    Digging around in beach rock pools for crabs was always fun when I was a kid, though it brought the risk of a nip to your fingers if you weren't careful: not a problem from these robotic crabs. Latest in the Hex Bug line from Bandai, the toys are designed to look, move and behave a little like the real deal. When you turn them on, they scamper sideways, changing direction if you make a noise and then coming to a stop when they find a shadowy spot to hide in. Quite neat really, and the 2.5-inch toy 'bots will cost just $25 when they're out in August. Check out the video to see them in action. More »
  • #digitalhandsomemanpiggybank

    All You Need is Love from Talking, Romantic "Handsome Men" Piggy Bank

    Things'd have to be pretty desperate in your love life if you needed one of these Ikemenbank, or "handsome men banks" from Bandai. For each 500 yen coin you drop in the heart-shaped gadget, you're rewarded with the next step of a virtual love affair with a Tamagotchi-like digital chap inside. He speaks to you with emotionally supportive phrases, but needs constant attention. Not dropping a coin in for five days results in him leaving you, with nothing but a digital love letter to remind you of his pixels. Fill it up with 100 coins, however, and you get the romantic conclusion—it can be happy or sad—but I'm not clear exactly how pornographic it would be... Anyhow, if you're lovelorn, and in Japan it will be out for around $46 in September. [Reuters]
  • #digitalfortuneteller

    Bandai's Mirai Scope is Your Pocket Digital Fortune Teller (Gold Earring Not Included)

    Sure, automated fortune tellers aren't new, but Bandai's new Mirai Scope may just be the first personal Zoltar you can fit in your pocket. It even comes with a hint of scientific mumbojumbo, since it asks you fifty questions about your life to assess your personality digitally. Once it's singled out your type from the 236 available it calculates some biorhythm data to help you chart your daily life. You can even share the bullshit mystery with a friend over an infrared link, if you're keen to see what the plastic marvel reckons the future has in store for you both. Available in March for around $28—we predict it won't roam far from its Japanese birthplace. [Technabob]
  • #lacucaracha

    Bandai's Hex Bugs React Better to Clapping than Stamping

    These little bugs are the latest thing from Bandai. There are six of them, and they are about as useful as a chocolate teapot—but you can bet your can of Bug-Gone that entomologists will be queueing round the block to pick up one of these critters when they are released later this year. More »
  • #notforpacking

    Bubble Wrap Toy, Finger Feast

    If in your version of Heaven thousands of angels are on call with endless miles of bubblewrap for your consumption, then the PuchiPuchi Bubble Wrap Toy might be for you. More »
  • #cuteorannoying

    Haro Gundam Mac Mini Case

    If you've been a Giz reader long enough, you'd remember the Gundam Haro case for mini PCs. Well, Bandai (or whoever made this) has retrofitted it for Mac minis as well. The case itself is actually more impressive in motion than it is in still shots, extending out its "ears," "legs," arms, and lighting up its arms, all while shouting annoyingly in Japanese. We suppose that's what the character's known for in the Gundam universe? More »
  • #gadgets

    Bandai Human Player: It's OK To Play With Yourself

    Standing in front of the mirror for hours on end fulfills our daily narcissism quota, but we just never get anything done. That's why we're very excited about the Bandai Human Player. It's like Tamagotchi, but your pet is...you. More »
  • #gadgets

    Shape Up Adviser Reminds You That You're Fat

    We know we're hopelessly outta shape. Ever since our deep frying discovery, we've been packing on the pounds, so the last thing we need is another gadget that tells us what a tub of lard we are. But if you're looking for that kinda reminder, the Shape Up Adviser lets you record and keep track of your daily calorie intake. It can also show you how to properly perform exercises should you ever (gasp) hit the gym. Maybe if it had a built-in cam that allowed us to snap pics of that hot girl on the treadmill, we'd be on to something. Otherwise it's out in Japan for $26 clams. Fried clams. Mmmm. – Louis Ramirez More »
  • #robots

    NetTansor: The Wi-Fi Robot that Does Your Voyeuristic Bidding

    We've seen all different kinds of robots, but this is the first that's specifically designed for the voyeur inside us all. Bandai's NetTansor is controlled via a Wi-Fi connection. You tell it where to go, it goes. Its got a webcam mounted up front along with three sensors that'll keep the little fella from walking into things. You can communicate with the bot via e-mail (no word on whether he'll write back) and he's got enough juice in him to give you 2 and a half hours of voyeuristic fun. That's our kinda robot. – Louis Ramirez More »
  • #gadgets

    Bandai's Ant's Life Studio Virtual Ant Farm

    Bandai is set to release Ant's Life Studio this November in Japan, a virtual ant farm simulator that could very well become the next Tamagotchi. It's apparently being aimed at the hordes of Japanese men who do nothing but slave away at a tiny desk all day, working until their eyes fall out. Maybe Bandai's making some sort of social justice metaphor here, but, then again, they could just be wanting to cash in on a fun idea. More »
  • #robots

    Human-Sized 1/12 Scale Gundam RX-78-2: Giant Toy Robot, Not Yet Big Enough to Pilot

    Twisted sister-site Kotaku reports on this 5-foot tall fully articulating Gumdam sex doll for the missus action figure. Designed for "men in their 20's to 40's" it costs $3000, weighs 77 pounds, includes a ginormous black gun, 14 moving parts, and an infrared remote.– Brian Lam More »
  • #gadgets

    Unazukin: A Toy

    From Japan (big surprise), here's the Bandai Unazukin, a new tiny toy that can be a good companion as well. Made to react to your voice, this doll-like thing will nod or shake its head "whenever appropriate." Though I just can't imagine exactly how it knows when you want a nod or a shake, but maybe that's part of its charm. More »