Next up, we are heading to the far east, with a stop at one of the largest makers of anime, manga and Japanese inspired toys, Bandai. This year, one of the big highlights at Bandai is the 30th Anniversary celebration for Tamagotchi, the first “virtual pet.” Bandai has a robust line planned to celebrate the Anniversary. In the anime segment, the focus is on One Piece, but there is still a significant Dragon Ball presence. Gundam also remains as popular as ever, with a new line joining the previously established ones that combines an affordable price with a weighty, detailed model. In the SHFigurarts segment, new Marvel figures based on the Capcom video games are on the horizon, as well as a re-release of the popular Super Mario figures. Finally, Godzilla and Ultraman are both getting new product releases in several different scales. Also, Bandai is bringing the Gashapon Craze to the USA, with capsules available in several new pop culture themes, including Super Mario and Harry Potter. This year, Bandai continues to do their very best to bring the best of Japanese Pop Culture to the USA. Here is our gallery from their booth.
