History And History Of BADAI-YA Inc. By Naoharu Yamashina

BANDAI-YA was founded by Naoharu Yamashina, the Company’s first president. The Company started out as a wholesaler of celluloid and metal (riding) toys, as well as rubber flotation aids, and introduced its first original product, the Rhythm Ball, in September of 1950. This was the first sign of BANDAI’s future as a developer and inventor of toys. Since BANDAI’s establishment in 1950, the Company has walked in step with the dreams of children through the years and developed numerous hit products that reflect the spirit of the times. Here, we trace BANDAI’s evolution through a timeline of some of these hit products with historical notes on the “Dreams” of the times. Industry pioneering quality-control system established, and sales of the first “quality-assured toy” started in 1955 and the name has changed from BANDAI-YA Inc. to BANDAI Inc. In 1963, the company had created its first toys based on characters from television program. BANDAI makes a full-scale into character merchandizing business. The Kamen Rider Hensbin(Transformation) Belt becomes a hit product in 1970. The belt featured gimmicks similar to those of the TV character, such as a
Tamago (Egg) + Watch = Tamagotchi. Based on the innovative concept of a “portable digital nursing game,” Tamagotchi became an astounding, overnight hit among high school girls, recording domestic and international sales of 40 million units as mentioned early. Reintroduced as Tamagotchi Plus series in 2004, it is now growing again in popularity among elementary school-aged girls. In 1997 there is the beginning of selling HYPER YO-YO. The BANDAI company has made a installation of the first Data Carddas digital card machines and management integration with NAMCO LIMITED; formation of Band NAMCOM holding Inc. The company also opened a manufacturing center for Gunpla, the BANDAI Hobby Center, in Shizuoka