Takara Co.'s Q-cars are modeled after the Choro-Q toy cars that it released in 1980. (Jiji)

As the number of children in Japan declines, the nation's toy makers are facing the crisis of a shrinking market. In order to offset the loss of younger customers, major toy makers have begun a strategy of trying to lure adults into the market and are making an effort to develop toys that will appeal to older consumers. This idea seems to be working, and a number of hits have already surfaced.

Appealing to a Sense of Nostalgia
Miniature cars can be found in just about any toy store in Japan. Recently the toy maker Tomy began noticing that quite a few fathers who had been taking their young children to exhibitions of miniature cars were coming in to have a look for themselves. In April 2001 the company started marketing limited editions of its popular Tomica cars. These special models are aimed at adults and cost about twice as much as those marketed to children. While they sell for about ¥700 ($5.83 at ¥120 to the dollar), these limited-edition replicas of Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Ferrari, and other automobiles offer exquisite detail, and they appear to be a hit: Tomy expects to have sold over 1 million units by the beginning of fall.

At the end of 2001, toy maker Bandai Co. released a model kit costing ¥198,000 ($1,650). Purchasers can build a 150-cm (59-inch) tall replica of a robot that has appeared in Gundam, an anime and (later) video game series that has been popular since 1979. The large size and the hefty price tag, however, have not impeded sales; some 1,500 units were sold by January. Nostalgia is likely a prime factor; many adults in their twenties and thirties grew up watching Gundam anime on TV. This August, Bandai released a second Gundam model. While this one is just 75 cm (29.5 inches) tall, it is assembled using about 500 nuts and bolts, and it retails for ¥78,000 ($650). Bandai expects to sell 3,000 units of this model by March 2003.

Toys That Combat Loneliness
Toy makers are also creating products designed to appeal to single people who live alone. Tomy has released a robot that features the voice and likeness of popular star Yumiko Shaku and pours drinks. This product is aimed at men. When the glass is full and the robot is in danger of spilling the drink, one word from the user is enough to get the robot to stop, thanks to voice recognition. The robot, which costs about ¥5,000 ($42), is capable of uttering some 100 phrases in Shaku's voice. In a very unusual case for a toy, this product is intended only for people of legal drinking age.

Another toy has proved to be popular with women in their forties and fifties. While it may look like an ordinary stuffed doll, Primo Puel says things like "good morning" in the morning and "I'm sleepy" at night. The doll also responds to being petted and says things like "Let's be together forever." This toy was released by Bandai in 1999 and has sold 700,000 units.

Is It a Toy?
One product has sparked debate on whether or not it is even a toy. At the end of August, major toy maker Takara Co. (site is Japanese only) began taking orders for the Q-Car, an electric vehicle that seats only a driver. This "toy," which will retail for ¥1.3 million ($10,833), can be driven on public roads, provided the operator has a driver's license. The Q-Car is modeled after the Choro-Q, a wind-up toy car released by Takara in 1980 that has long been popular. The new Q-Car appears to have caught the attention of adults who grew up playing with the Choro-Q, and while Takara had only planned to sell 99 units, it received 200 orders by telephone and the Internet in just two days.

As the nation's demographics shift and the number of children dwindle, toy makers are adapting to the changing times by targeting adults with products that often appeal to a sense of nostalgia. This trend seems certain to continue, and we will undoubtedly see new such toys in the future.