New Dragon Ball diecast cars set to roll onto fans' desks and into their hearts【Photos】
Toymaker Takara Tomy's Tomica line is essentially Japan's version of Hot Wheels, compact detailed diecast versions of cars that captivate the imagination of kids and kids-at-heart. Of course, with Tomica being a Japanese brand, there's a greater emphasis on vehicles people in Japan are familiar with, such as models from Mazda, Nissan, and Dragon Ball.
In the Dream Tomica project, Takara Tomy teams up with famous franchises from the anime/manga world, handling these inspirations with the same level of respect of craftsmanship as they do real-world cars. For the first round of the Dream Tomica x Dragon Ball collaboration, the designers started with Goku's Flying Nimbus and Bulma's motorcycle.
Now the second batch of Dragon Ball Tomica toys are getting ready to roll out, with one of the new designs being Master Roshi/Kame Sennin's Wagon, as seen on the cover of the 12th collected volume of the manga.
And since the Tomica Dream line isn't limited to terrestrial transportation, the other new model is a miniature version of the Red Ribbon Army's Small Aircraft, first scene in Chapter 70 of the original Dragon Ball manga.
Size-wise, Master Roshi's Wagon is 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) long, and the Red Ribbon aircraft is just a bit shorter, at 5.76 centimeters.
All of the Dragon Ball Tomica are priced at 1,320 yen (US$9.10), and Goku's Flying Nimbus and Bulma's bike can already be ordered through the Takara Tomy Mall online shop here and here. Pre-orders for the two new models will open through the site on June 30, with shipping scheduled for mid-August, which is also when the toys will start showing up in retail stores in Japan, so you've got until then to sort out the parking situation for these new additions if they're going to be sharing space with your Studio Ghibli Dream Tomica cars.
Source: Takara Tomy via Narinari
Top image: Dragon Ball official website
Insert images: Takara Tomy (1, 2), Dragon Ball official website, Takara Tomy (3)
● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
15 hours ago
- Japan Times
A factory town in crisis shows Japan's fading manufacturing era
Nissan's Oppama factory, opened in 1961, was once a crown jewel in Japan's postwar rise to manufacturing powerhouse. Today, it represents the dangers of being caught flatfooted in a rapidly changing industry. The factory, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, is set to shut by March 2028 — part of Nissan's wide-ranging restructuring after a slump in sales sparked its worst financial crisis since Renault rescued the carmaker from near bankruptcy a quarter century ago. Once synonymous with cutting-edge technology, Japan's legacy brands are struggling to adapt to changing consumer tastes, ceding market share to the likes of Tesla and a wave of Chinese upstarts led by BYD. That means whatever happens to Oppama — and the thousands of local residents that depend on it — will serve as a warning for Japanese manufacturers as intensifying competition sparks a painful period of consolidation that could pave the way for much-needed rejuvenation. It's also a new era for the Japanese economy, as a wave of bankruptcies among small and medium-size firms across industries from transportation to technology challenges the idea of "shushin koyo" — a job for life. Like any factory town, Nissan's ties run deep. It directly employs almost 10% of Oppama's 29,700 residents. Field trips to the plant are a rite of passage for local school children and the company revived its baseball team this year after a 16-year hiatus, though they lost in the semifinals to ultimate tournament winner Toshiba. A shopping arcade in the Oppama district of Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. Like any factory town, Nissan's ties run deep. It directly employs almost 10% of Oppama's 29,700 residents. | BLOOMBERG A victory would have provided a welcome distraction, said Yuji Fujita, the third-generation owner of a fresh produce store located in the shopping avenue that runs between Oppama's train station and the factory. He drew parallels with the shutdown of Nissan's Zama plant, also in Kanagawa Prefecture, in 1995, which marked the first factory closure in Japan by any carmaker in the postwar period. "This is the worst case scenario,' said Fujita, whose family has owned around two dozen Nissan cars over the years. "It's impossible to know what will happen to us now.' His sentiment is echoed around town. It's not clear yet how many of the 2,400 people employed at Oppama will be transferred to a Nissan factory in Kyushu, about 965 kilometers to the southwest, or when they will start their new roles. "The priority now is to figure out what options will be offered to existing employees,' said Keiichi Asakura, general secretary of the Nissan Motor Worker's Union. There's also uncertainty about what happens to the site that spans 1.7 million square meters — about half the size of Central Park. Speculation has swirled among residents that it could be turned into a vacation resort or a theme park, or even used by the private defense industry. Nikkei newspaper reported in early July, before the announcement that Oppama will close, that Nissan is in talks with Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry — better known as Foxconn — over the site. Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa has said he isn't considering contract manufacturing. And plans are complicated by the need to rewrite the town's civil laws to reflect a change in utilization. Katsuaki Kamiji, the mayor of Yokosuka, said he spoke to Espinosa late last month to advocate for a future that provides ongoing employment for residents. "We urged him to take into account, as much as possible, the creation of jobs, the region's revitalization and the growth of Yokosuka when weighing how the property will be utilized,' he said in an emailed statement. While the announcement that Oppama will close was a surprise for some, residents have known for some time that Nissan's fortunes were fading, said Nakao Habutsu, superintendent of the Oppama Administration Center. In 2007, when it celebrated having produced 15 million vehicles, Oppama still made seven different models. In 2010, the town was given a fresh boost by the Leaf — the world's first mass-market all-electric car that was set to transform the automaker into a global leader in innovation. But Leaf production started to shift to the U.S. and the U.K. in 2013. Now, Oppama makes just two models: the Note subcompact hatchback and the Aura, both for the domestic market. A Nissan showroom in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture | Bloomberg Tesla's offerings have usurped the Leaf as the best-selling EV in history. But it's the Chinese that have emerged as an industry superpower, offering sleek high-tech models at a variety of price points. Nissan's limited all-electric lineup is spearheaded by the Sakura, the Ariya and the Leaf, which is getting a makeover in the hope of lifting sales. The lack of blockbusters is core to Nissan's troubles, though Espinosa has said that once Oppama is shut there are no plans for further consolidation in Japan. All told, Nissan wants to reduce annual output to 2.5 million units from 3.5 million by consolidating production from 17 factories to 10, and will cut 20,000 jobs. The carmaker is likely to see ¥160 billion ($1.1 billion) in impairments and restructuring charges this financial year, Chief Financial Officer Jeremie Papin said during an event hosted by Sanford C Bernstein. Espinosa has been firm that Nissan doesn't need a savior to get it back on track. Talks to combine with Honda Motor fell apart earlier this year, but its downturn attracted interest from Foxconn and KKR. So far, it's the sprawling network of small, specialty-parts suppliers that have borne the brunt of the auto sector's challenges. There were 32 bankruptcies during the fiscal year that ended in March, the most in a decade, according to Teikoku Databank. There's likely more consolidation to come as companies that specialize in EVs, autonomous driving and high-efficiency engines thrive, while others look to attain that expertise through mergers and acquisitions, according to Satoru Shinozuka, an analyst at Teikoku Databank. "If they don't have the technology or the capital, it'll be difficult,' said Shinozuka. It's "survival of the fittest,' he said.
The Mainichi
3 days ago
- The Mainichi
The Mainichi News Quiz: Nissan's going to shut down which of its major Japanese plants?
How closely have you been following events in Japan? Try The Mainichi News Quiz for Aug. 16 to test your news knowledge. Ready? Which major Nissan car factory in Japan is scheduled to close at the end of fiscal 2027? A) The Kanda plant in Fukuoka Prefecture B) The Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture C) The Tochigi plant in Tochigi Prefecture
The Mainichi
7 days ago
- The Mainichi
Why is Nissan closing its Oppama plant, and what comes next?
The Mainichi Shimbun answers some common questions readers may have about Nissan Motor Co.'s planned closure of a major car factory in Japan, and what's next for the troubled company. Question: I heard Nissan is reducing the number of car factories it operates in Japan. Is that true? Answer: Yes, that's correct. Nissan has decided to close its Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture -- where it began making cars in 1961 -- at the end of fiscal 2027, shifting production to its factory in Kanda, Fukuoka Prefecture. The Oppama plant produced iconic models like the Bluebird and now the Leaf electric vehicle (EV). Q: Why is the plant being closed? A: Recently, Nissan has struggled to develop new models that sell well, and sales have stagnated in major markets like the United States and China. As a result, the company's performance has declined, and in fiscal 2024, it posted a net loss of 670.8 billion yen (approx. $4.54 billion) -- its third-largest ever. To address this, Nissan plans to consolidate its global manufacturing network from 17 plants to 10 by fiscal 2027, cutting about 20,000 jobs, or roughly 15% of its workforce. Production at the Shonan plant in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, will also end in fiscal 2026. Q: What will happen to the Oppama site after the closure? A: Nissan will keep its research center and test course there to continue developing new technologies. The company aims to minimize the impact on the roughly 2,400 plant workers by transferring them to other factories or departments. However, since Oppama has long been known as "Nissan town," the loss of so many jobs is expected to negatively affect the local economy. Yokosuka's mayor and residents are worried about the town's future. Q: How does Nissan plan to recover from this? A: President Ivan Espinosa says the company needs painful reforms centered on plant restructuring to achieve renewed growth. Nissan is also seeking new partners to help drive its recovery, and is in talks with several companies. In the electric vehicle sector, Nissan is collaborating with Honda Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. on technology development, and is also considering working with Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (Foxconn). Many fans are hoping for the day when "Nissan, the company of technology," will make a strong comeback.
