2011 Tokyo Toy Show Part 1: Takara Tomy

Next to Wonderfestival, the Tokyo Toy Show may be Japan's biggest toy event. It's a chance for the country's largest companies (Bandai, Sega, Takara Tomy.) along with some of the world's top players (Lego, Mattel, Schleich), and smaller firms from all over the world to show off their latest figures and preview upcoming releases. It's also an opportunity to secure orders and set up licensing and distribution deals. As a trade show, it's not so much about exclusive releases, though there are some of those too.

The four-day event, which opened today to industry folks, is being held at the Big Site - in the same section of the building as Design Festa. It opens to the general public on Saturday. Because the TTS is so massive (I've got 300 pics to show you), I'm dividing it into 5 posts, starting with Takara Tomy.

Takara Tomy is so massive, with so many brands, lines, and licensing arrangements, that it could easily hold its own show, and you wouldn't go away disappointed. In fact, the 4th floor of the TTS was dominated by the big TT. And headlining their display was none other than the king of robot toy lines: Transformers.

 More after the jump:

 

With the latest installment of the movie franchise set to release soon, there were plenty of Transformers: Dark of the Moon toys on display. I shot as many of them as I could. Unfortunately, there was a strict no photos policy with some of the newest figures.

On a few of their display shelves, Takaka did a solid to the line's glorious past by placing vintage figures alongside the latest releases. Classy!

Optimus Prime wears Bape?!

Glorious!

I gotta say, nearly 30 years on, the original still stands tall.

Transformers candy toys

Other Takara fun stuff:

This was a cool section, with snaps from a book housing Zoids concept art.

Happy Birthday Blythe!

Takara Tomy has released loads of tie ins with Pixar's Cars.

Super cool Cars diorama

Nerf still going strong! They also had a firing range for their latest weaponry, but it was strictly no photos.

Check out this digital Boggle.

The cubes have 5 letters, and you arrange them side by side to make a word. Once done, your word is approved, and you get to making the next word. Not a real word? Approval denied. So ends the tyranny of word-inventing Bogglists!

Ah Playdoh sets...I used to love the ones that made spaghetti and other shapes. You still can't eat the stuff, but in a couple of posts I'll show you a company that has invented an edible type of playdoh!

Magic the Gathering, that card carrying badge of otakus the world over, is still going strong. This time, along with nearly everything else, there's a digital interface component to go along with the cards.

Wireless electronic fishing game. It was funny watching people reel in their digital swordfish. Beats emptying the oceans of the real thing.

I had to stop and look at this display a while before I figured it out. The smell of spilled beer hammered home that it wasn't a kids' toy.

Basically, it's a contraption that lets you tap a can of beer so you can pretend to be a bartender pouring a draft.

Well, that's all from the Takara Tomy display. Next up: Bandai. Ready to get your Kamen Rider on? Yer Gundam right you are!