What is Meant by a 'Secret' or 'Special Figure'?

I've noticed that there are a few 'Special' Kaiyodo dogs, as well as 'Secret Models'- such as the Marusan white shiba inu, and I would be very grateful if anyone could tell me what this means? Does it mean that when buying let's say the marusan dogs, only some packs would come with the white shiba inu in it, and you were lucky if you got this figure? It would be amazing if anyone could help!
And so sorry if this topic is in the wrong place, please feel free to move it if it is!

Kaiyodo makes capsule toys. Gasha Gasha or Gashapon machines are very popular in Japan. These machines dispose a plastic ball when paid a few hundred yen. You don't know what you get! The series is pictured on the machine. Those mystery figures are pictured as a black figure, you don't know what it is unless you get it. These mystery figures are harder to get, one on (insert number) change to get one.

Thank you so much Karin this is so helpful! And explains why these are harder to find!
Does anyone know if this is the same for the Marusan secret Shiba Inu?

NightLioness wrote:

Kaiyodo makes capsule toys. Gasha Gasha or Gashapon machines are very popular in Japan. These machines dispose a plastic ball when paid a few hundred yen. You don't know what you get! The series is pictured on the machine. Those mystery figures are pictured as a black figure, you don't know what it is unless you get it. These mystery figures are harder to get, one on (insert number) change to get one.

I agree. They were usually a figure not advertised in the main set and you didn't what it was until you got it and opened it.

Subarudo once did something interesting for a set of large beetles. Each regular figure had one 'piece' of the secret/special figure, and you had to get all the standard figures to assemble the special figure.

Nowadays you hear the term 'chase' figure also. That usually refers to figures that we know what it is, but just made in smaller quantities, so they are harder to get and may be more expensive from dealers.

That's very interesting too Blaine, especially about that beetle series! Thank you!

Good question, and good ansvers

NightLioness wrote:

Kaiyodo makes capsule toys. Gasha Gasha or Gashapon machines are very popular in Japan. These machines dispose a plastic ball when paid a few hundred yen. You don't know what you get! The series is pictured on the machine. Those mystery figures are pictured as a black figure, you don't know what it is unless you get it. These mystery figures are harder to get, one on (insert number) change to get one.

What I never understood is that in Japan you can stand at a machine and end up buying blind - so how can anyone there ever complete a full series if there is a chance you end up with multiples of the same figure? At least online sites let you pick and select which model to buy but in Japan where these vending machines are it is just pot luck so can be very frustrating for a collector who wants a specific model(s) no?


On a separate note I would love to know about the history of Gashapon toys, how they came about, who buys them etc. Would be interesting to have some background information on this.

Except that gashapon are aimed at teenage/adult collectors instead of children, I'd imagine it's not so very different from Yowies and the various blind bag figures sold here in the West. I'd agree that they are very frustrating! It tends to discourage me rather from buying.

I guess the Japanese are collecting gashapon in the same way we collected Panini cards in my youth, buying blind packs and trading them with friends.

Yes I can see how it would get very frustrating- but at least you would have the advantage of getting the figure new, and then for those that you miss like Christophe said, trading and selling to complete your collection!
And I'd also love to know the history of Gashapon toys!

Bonnie wrote:

Yes I can see how it would get very frustrating- but at least you would have the advantage of getting the figure new, and then for those that you miss like Christophe said, trading and selling to complete your collection!
And I'd also love to know the history of Gashapon toys!

Indeed but whilst the average person in Japan would go to a vending machine to buy a figure, there are loads of sites online where they sell them and you can buy specific models so I suppose I answered my own question in a way...

However, great point. A history into Gashapon toys, and how they came about etc would be fascinating! The Japanese culture and their way of doing things is generally extremely interesting and fascinating. I love it and would love to know more.

Numaan wrote:

Bonnie wrote:

Yes I can see how it would get very frustrating- but at least you would have the advantage of getting the figure new, and then for those that you miss like Christophe said, trading and selling to complete your collection!
And I'd also love to know the history of Gashapon toys!

Indeed but whilst the average person in Japan would go to a vending machine to buy a figure, there are loads of sites online where they sell them and you can buy specific models so I suppose I answered my own question in a way...

However, great point.  A history into Gashapon toys, and how they came about etc would be fascinating!  The Japanese culture and their way of doing things is generally extremely interesting and fascinating.  I love it and would love to know more.

Yes definitely! The most I know about it is that the word 'Gashapon' refers to some sound they make- but I can't quite remember what!

I read that 'gashapon' is onomatopoeia. It's true when you think of the sound a vending machine makes, when you put the coin in, turn the handle, and a capsule drops.

A history of the collectible gashapon figure would be fascinating reading!

pipsxlch wrote:

I read that 'gashapon' is onomatopoeia. It's true when you think of the sound a vending machine makes, when you put the coin in, turn the handle, and a capsule drops.

A history of the collectible gashapon figure would be fascinating reading!

Wow yes it's a very fun and original name!

That's right. Turning the handle sounds like "gasha" and when the capsule drops you hear "pon". I don't know about the history of gashapon figures, but the first Kaiyodo animal figures were sold in chocolate eggs. Other Japanese companies also sold their animal figures with confectionary, for example, Bandai sold them with small cakes. I think selling them in gashapon machines came later. I took a photo of these machines when I was in Tokyo a while ago: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

How interesting- and your visit looks amazing!
All those figures, and it's really interesting to see how all the machines line up! And all those Miniature Planet figures- it's a shame because the UK equivalent here would never have such high quality animal figures in vending machines. I would love to visit Japan- how wonderful that you had the chance to go!

It looks like a great trip and I'd love to visit, however there are many large cities, which puts me off as I have quite severe Agoraphobia (fear of crowded spaces) It comes about whenever I visit busy towns and cities, and it didn't help when I visited London for the first time however I did visit the Natural History museum and get some Papo figures

Hmm. Wonder if they're a knockoff of Kinder Surpise then, at least at the beginning? Wonder which came first?

Here in the US (where sadly there were no Kinder Surprise), the vending machines in front of the grocery stores sometimes sell small figures in capsules. I remember getting them long ago when I was small, and still sometimes see figures. They're almost always little toob sized cheapy poorly made looking things. One of the more recent offerings, Hood Hounds, is an exception. Maybe they represent an attempt to move in a gashapon sort of direction, attracting slightly older collectors instead of just little kids?

Kinder surprise is older than the first Kaiyodo Furuta animal series

Oh so maybe Kinder Surprise were an inspiration...
And Hood Hounds! I've seen some of these and they're actually quite good, let's hope for more like these- it would be amazing to have Japanese quality animal figures in vending machines!
Here in the UK as far as dogs go, A&A have produced a few series of dogs, small plastic ones, and I actually quite like the detail on some of them- they seems very Japanese inspired. The brand 'Cool Things' also produced some dogs, before a switch to very small, flocked dogs which were also quite good. Currently in my local vending machine they've sadly stopped doing dogs- and have released a zoo series instead!

Which animals are in this Zoo series? I may be interested in some of them depending on quality of course

Imagine, having the Japanese figures come over to the US or Europe I wouldn't know what to do with myself

I'm so sorry- I can't quite remember exactly what they looked like, but they are small enough to fit in a tin and I think flocked But I'll take a photo next time I go!

Thank you, if they are flocked I won't be interested as I only have one flocked model and I am not a huge fan of them