Sanrio is no stranger to cute collectibles, with Hello Kitty and other popular mascots regularly receiving new artwork, collaborations with global brands, and of course plenty of mixed-use merchandise of all shapes and sizes. Now, with Bandai, the company is reminding fans that good things often come in small packages.
Bandai's trademarked gashapon (sometimes gachapon) vending machine-dispensed capsule toys are a popular part of the company, regularly producing merchandise for Gundam, Demon Slayer, Pokémon, One Piece, Dragon Ball, and many more. Located in many toy stores across Japan, gashapon machines have even made their way to the United States in recent years, with official stores now located in seven different states across the country. One of Japan's newest gashapon offerings is for Sanrio's Hello Kitty and her seven friends, with the latest toys taking fans back in time to the 1980s and 1990s for a little nostalgic fun.
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Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, Kuromi and more get new Gashapon toy versions
Cinnamoroll, Pochacco, Pompompurin, My Melody, Kuromi, Keroppi, Badtz-maru and of course, Hello Kitty, each now have their own cassette tape charm toy in their own signature color. These miniature tapes are truly reminiscent of the 90s era, with their translucent, glittery appearance. At 300 yen per gashapon (just over $2 USD), these new toys are a great way for collectors to own their favorite characters without (hopefully) having to spend a fortune. All of the charms come with a silver chain that can be attached to a variety of items, adding a unique bit of retro sparkle to items like key chains, wallets, bags and suitcases, or as accessories and home decor.
Bandai's new Sanrio toys will be released in gashapon machines in Japan in the second week of August 2024. There is no official confirmation of overseas distribution at this time, although Japan-exclusive merchandise from Bandai, Sanrio, and other brands regularly appears on international e-commerce sites like eBay, sometimes just weeks or even days after their initial release.
Source: Gashapon Bandai