‘Kidult’ toys are trending in Japan

The ‘kidult’ market is keeping the toy industry buoyant in Japan. At Tokyo Big Sight, a trade show in Tokyo, toys specifically aimed at adults grabbed people’s attention. More than 35,000 products were on display from 200 different companies. Japan’s toy market has expanded for five consecutive years and now tops 1 trillion yen ($6.8 billion) according to the Japan Toy Association. At the Tomica booth, some of the toys on display were produced with adults in mind. “The biggest factor is what we call ‘kidults.’ With this target in mind, more and more products have been introduced into the market, and the success they have received has been a very significant driver of this growth,” explains Akihiro Sato, Executive Director of the Japan Toy Association. The ‘kidult’ phenomenon—adults buying toys for themselves—is happening even as the number of children being born in Japan declines. The sprawling Plarail display at the Tomica booth made it one of the busiest booths at the event, combining nostalgia for parents who grew up with the brand and fresh appeal for a new generation of young fans. Toy manufacturers aren’t forgetting about kids—they are, after all, the adult customers of tomorrow. “The key is to consider what kind of impact we can have with today’s children, and what kind of value we can provide. The memories they make now, in a few decades, will lead them to return to these toys again as kidults, engaging with them again,” says Sato. At the Sega booth, there were still plenty of toys for children to enjoy. But the manufacturer also had to cater to the disposable income that adults wield. “The trend in the toy market is that it’s currently shrinking among children, but purchases from adults who are very fond of toys have contributed steadily to the overall expansion of the toy market. At our company as well, products that adults can enjoy—such as the acrylic dolls—have become extremely popular,” explains Mihashi Takenori, Chief of Promotion Department at Sega Fave Corporation. This article was provided by The Associated Press.