Toy Trends for Adults

By Diana Lee

February 1, 2006

A toy is no longer a child’s plaything as the emerging trend of adults going for innovative, compact, state-of-the art toys for amusement. In the last few years, the Japanese toy makers have played a significant role in the global transformation of the toy industry.

The nation's graying society and declining birthrate have cast a bleak future for the Japanese toy industry. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research projected the number of Japanese youngsters under 14 years of age will continue to shrink, from 18.50 million in 2000 to 10.84 million in 2050, and in ratio to the general population, from 14.6 percent to 10.8 percent. Finding fewer young customers, toy manufacturers shifted their strategy to focus on adults and consumers abroad to ensure their business survival.

Facing huge profit losses, many toy companies have altered their business tactics by boosting their spending on research and development, marketing overseas in hopes of ensnaring foreign customers, and creating a whole new line of toys aimed at adults. By raising the level of hi-tech development and reducing the size of fun products, the toy makers have not only mesmerized the children but also titillated the adults with alluring and sophisticated playthings.

In the current Japanese society, eligible young women tend to postpone marriages for more personal freedom while young men opt to spend more time and money collecting and playing with toys. The expanding toy market indicates the changing attitude among grown-ups who seem to embrace the pursuit of pleasures in life.  The cute culture, in a sense, has given the toy industry an incentive to produce smaller, fancier, and more convenient electronic gadgets for fun-seeking consumers.

The most common attractions for adults are the electronic toys with interactive abilities: remote controlled vehicles; talking dolls; and robotic as well as mechanical pets. For years, remote-control toys using radio waves have been a hit among boys. Nowadays, a new generation of technology has captured the hearts of male adults — infrared remote control by cellular phone.

Konami Industry Co. Ltd., a Japanese toy manufacturer, presented an infrared remote controlled DigiQ Train. Stretching to a length of four cars (25 centimeters), DigiQ Train can alter its speed and switch tracks in a multilevel track layout set up in a small area. Konami also released Combat DigiQ, a game with two remote-controlled miniature tanks to be maneuvered around obstacles, over terrain, and in battles firing infrared "shells."

Recently, miniature cars, perceived as collector’s items, have been a rage among Japanese men of all ages. Thousands of miniature model cars have been selling from 3,500 yen to 4,500 yen (US$30-$40) each. A highly prized handmade F1 racing car fetched 265,000 yen (US$2,400) at Mr. Craft store located in Tokyo.

However, the adult toy market is not exclusive to men; talking dolls have been a hit with women since 1999. Targeting young trendy females, Bandai Co. started the Primopuel series, a line of cuddly looking aliens that can utter responses. Instead, these “talkies” have been snatched up by older women whose children have grown up.

At the high end of technology, Sony’s sophisticated robotic dog AIBO has no equal — an automaton that can beg, dance and play with a ball. However, the latest model's price tag of 165,000 yen (US$1,500) is considered steep for some animal lovers. Instead, cheaper mechanical pets with simple functions have increased in popularity, selling millions worldwide. The cute 5-centimetered MicroPet animals produced by Tomy, such as the miniature dogs, cats, rabbits, hamster, polar bears, and others, can respond to voice commands to move forward or sing. A similar pet, Sega Toys’ Yumeneko (Dream Cat) will meow when its head or back is stroked and purr when its chin is scratched. Another toy pet in demand, Ochaken (Tea Dog), developed by Sega Toys and Horipro, is adored for its tail and ears shaped like tea leaves.

In addition, the sales of two educational creations have been climbing — Homestar by Sega Toys, priced at 20,790 yen (US$189), is a planetarium device that can project ten thousand stars on the ceiling; and the software program developed by Touhoku University, Nou wo Kitaeru Otona no DS Training (Nintendo DS Train Your Brain for release in the U.S. in 2006), offers testing and rating of a person’s brain functions. After Nintendo launched the mind-sharpening game software at 2,800 yen (US$25) in Japan in 2005, which claims to prevent senile dementia, one million copies were sold in the first six months. The sequel, Train Your Brain 2, released in December 2005 in Japan has already sold more than 400,000 copies during the holiday season.

Apparently, the rapid advancement of technology has blurred the line between children's toys and grown-up gadgets. Electronic goods, which were once considered as exclusive adult products, are now trickling down to the younger generation, such as, iPods, cell phones, digital video cameras, and portable video players. Children, growing up in the computer age, are becoming increasingly tech-savvy. It’s not surprising to find adult electronics appearing on hot lists in trade magazines and among toy sellers. In fact, some of the top ten best sellers for kids as Christmas presents were these adult electronic items.

By pursuing the adult market, the Japanese toy makers have remarkably contributed to the global toy industry with products of hi-tech sophistication, smaller size, and greater entertainment to the satisfaction of everyone.  

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