I’m almost done reading Pure Invention, loved Hello, Please (as I’m fascinated by Japans love of mascots, as a character designer myself!). I’d love to see you write a book on toy culture! And gachapon! Thanks for all the amazing books and blog posts!
Excellent read! That photo of the Jeep Robo (Scout Hound G1 to be exact) brings tears to my eyes. I can vividly recall how those toys felt in my hands. Seeing that Jeep was to me what the madeleine was to Proust. Thanks!
As a Gen-Xer I'm very passionate about the Japanese rebranded imports that became my toys in the 80s. I nowadays observe my Gen Alpha child play with toys and boy do they play differently. Apart from his Paw Paw Patrol era, I don't really see him roleplaying stories with his toys. It's more collecting and sharing / showcasing. It's more adult-like.
Fantastic read! I really appreciate the way you connect the larger historical and political context to the playthings we enjoyed as kids. Would love to see an exploration of more contemporary toy history from you.
Great piece! A question, though. Do we know why children, having just been through the trauma of bombing campaigns, wanted to play with models of the aircraft responsible? Or were these companies looking at the export market only?
I’m almost done reading Pure Invention, loved Hello, Please (as I’m fascinated by Japans love of mascots, as a character designer myself!). I’d love to see you write a book on toy culture! And gachapon! Thanks for all the amazing books and blog posts!
As a Pokémon-related Substacker, I appreciate this.
A wonderful read. I'm so thankful for Japan's toys.
Excellent read! That photo of the Jeep Robo (Scout Hound G1 to be exact) brings tears to my eyes. I can vividly recall how those toys felt in my hands. Seeing that Jeep was to me what the madeleine was to Proust. Thanks!
First and Foremost: What a Great Write up!
As a Gen-Xer I'm very passionate about the Japanese rebranded imports that became my toys in the 80s. I nowadays observe my Gen Alpha child play with toys and boy do they play differently. Apart from his Paw Paw Patrol era, I don't really see him roleplaying stories with his toys. It's more collecting and sharing / showcasing. It's more adult-like.
Fantastic read! I really appreciate the way you connect the larger historical and political context to the playthings we enjoyed as kids. Would love to see an exploration of more contemporary toy history from you.
Thanks for reading. Look for more in the new year!
Great piece! A question, though. Do we know why children, having just been through the trauma of bombing campaigns, wanted to play with models of the aircraft responsible? Or were these companies looking at the export market only?
Fantastic article, how fascinating to see the Japanese toy industry transforming the world in a single article.