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Unazukin
This 5 cm tall Russian doll created by Bandai will help you make important decisions. |
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 Bandai’s Unazukin |
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Having created the tamagotchi, one of the most successful virtual toys on the market, Bandai could well have taken advantage of its media appeal to launch a 21st Century version. When this Russian doll went on sale, all factors seemed to indicate that this invention was to be the next tamagotchi.
But Unazukin is not your everyday toy; it’s a distraction, a pastime , a PopArt style decorative object. It doesn’t need to be fed, it won’t die if it skips a meal… it is not a virtual toy. It’s just a pet that listens to you and moves it’s head in four directions to give you advice on what you should do when you are feeling indecisive. It answers your questions by moving its head back and forth, left and right. That is to say: it says YES and NO. It vaguely recalls the Magic 8 Ball, that black ball we’ve seen in innumerable films that would tell you what to do with criptic messages such as “Beyond a Doubt”, “Don’t Count on It” and “Of Course”. The Magic 8 Ball was invented in 1946 and people still talk about it, it’s practically a cult item.
Perhaps in inventing Unazukin dolls, Bandai’s intention was to create a second generation 8 Ball. However, there is a difference between these dolls and the 8 Ball: Unazukin dolls are collectable. In addition, the dolls have a meticulous design and the various models available are packed randomly so you never know what model you’ll get when you buy one. Unazukin dolls have been created to become a phenomenon, and their aim has been acheived in Japan. The dolls have triumphed there among girls who appreciate unique, exclusive collector’s items.
Bandai stopped producing the dolls a while back and they are no longer for sale on their web page. The page they created to launch the product on the market has been eliminated. It’s somewhat difficult to find information about the dolls. They’ve suddenly become a product that is hard to find and is only available on web sites such as eBay, where you can bid to try to get hold of one.
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 (07 Oct 2008)
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