Recently, various contents are celebrating the anniversary, but the popular game "PAC-MAN-Man" that Namco (currently BNE) is proud of is also the 40th anniversary this year in 2020!
To celebrate this anniversary year, TAMASHII NATIONS has sculpted PAC-MAN from three brands S.H.Figuarts, PROPLICA, and CHOGOKIN, respectively. The 3 item were exhibited for reference at the recent TAMASHII NATION 2020, but what are their particularities and charms?
This time, Ayumu Aizawa, BANDAI SPIRTIS Collectors Division, who is in charge of planning, will explain!

■ PAC-MAN 40th Anniversary item

――This is a three-dimensional model that started in commemoration of PAC-MAN-Man's 40th anniversary. First of all, please explain in a little more detail how the project was launched.

Aizawa:  As a strength of BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment as a whole and group companies, there has always been a link with game content. That's because Gundam Series also has a lineup linked to the game. With that in mind, I thought that there might be something that TAMASHII NATIONS could do for the 40th anniversary PAC-MAN.

――Speaking of PAC-MAN-Man, it's a popular game character that was born in the 1980s.

Aizawa:  It happened that my team had a member who was seconded from BNE and was shown a report on what kind of content was popular. Among them, PAC-MAN-Man was still overwhelmingly famous in the United States.
When I thought about it in Japan, I was a little worried, "I wonder if everyone will get that excited...", but TAMASHII NATIONS is expanding worldwide and has fans all over the world, so fans all over the world The team got excited because it would be a very attractive item that would make them happy. At that time, I thought it would be a very challenging project, so I said, "I'm going to do it!" So, the first thing I came up with was this "PROPLICA WAKAWAKA PAC-MAN".

――It looks like a normal display model, but is it “PROPLICA”?

Aizawa:  What you see here is just a prototype, so ver. A.N.I.M.E. have been omitted, but in reality, when you move PAC-MAN forward with your hand, his mouth opens and closes in sync with your movement. It also plays the sounds of the game.

--It comes with a sound ver. A.N.I.M.E.!

Aizawa:  From the so-called first game start sound, there is also a crackling sound. If you keep moving it, the sound of "ghost chasing mode" after eating the power cookie is also reproduced. If you keep moving it all the time, you will hear the coffee break music of the game clear. That is the item that can be put into the game at that time.

――It's exactly PAC-MAN-Man that appeared in the first arcade game.

Aizawa:  I thought it would be interesting to make it more like a toy by taking the 2D arcade version's flip-flap flip-flap image and adding a little ver. A.N.I.M.E.. I wanted to make a toy that would let you become PAC-MAN and immerse yourself in the world, so I named it PROPLICA. In the past, there were radio-controlled toys, but I want people to relive the world of PAC-MAN at the time by moving it more directly themselves.

■ SHFiguarts and Chogokin

- How about "S.H.Figuarts PAC-MAN"?

Aizawa:  PAC-MAN-Man was wondering if there are two images in the user, the "version without limbs" at birth and the "version with limbs" such as the so-called "Pac-Land". When thinking about these two patterns, I wonder if users will be surprised or pleased if we also line up those with limbs.

――It's simple, but it seems that you can do various poses.

Aizawa:  It is three-dimensionalized as an action figure according to the format of SHFiguarts, which has the know-how so far. That's why the range of motion is narrowed down to the extent that the proportions and form are not broken, slide movement is provided at the base of the legs, and the knees can be bent firmly. I think that it is a good item that has successfully incorporated the conventional movable technology. If you like figures, I definitely want you to play with other figures. As a specification, a replacement face and wrist, as well as an arcade version of cherry and ghost are included, so it is an item with high play value.

――Next, please introduce "CHOGOKIN PAC-MAN".

Aizawa:  It's CHOGOKIN brand where it seems to be TAMASHII NAITONS. Since the main body is made of alloy, it is not a traditional tradition, but when you item it up, you can feel its heavy weight. After all, I emphasized the "robot feeling" when playing.

――Is there something like a setting in terms of “robot feeling”?

Aizawa:  "What if PAC-MAN-Man becomes CHOGOKIN robot?" A minifigure is also attached, and you can board the CHOGOKIN PAC-MAN-Man body. Punches also fly, and I want you to play like a toy.

Aizawa:  The ghost that comes with it is designed to look a bit like a robot. There is also ver. A.N.I.M.E. that allows you to attach the ghost as a punch. I thought it would be interesting to have the ghost that was supposed to be an enemy become an ally and fight something together (laughs). Also, the legs open up and it transforms into vehicle mode. I tried to incorporate both the traditional transformation and the playability that is typical of CHOGOKIN. I also think you can enjoy the small ver. A.N.I.M.E., such as the changing eyes.
The motif is "PAC-MAN-Man" to the last, but by combining it with the CHOGOKIN brand, it is a fun item to play, "it looks cute" and "you can feel the weight if you hold it".

■ Attractiveness of PAC-MAN-Man

――What do you think is the appeal of PAC-MAN-Man again?

Aizawa:  The 40th anniversary of PAC-MAN-Man is a character before I was born. Of course, the gameplay itself isn't the original experience, but I knew it. A design icon that goes beyond game characters. It's cute and friendly, so it's easy to blend in with your daily life. The Sukajan I'm wearing today is also PAC-MAN-Man, but this is my personal belongings (laughs).

――It's a design that is "usually used" and doesn't feel strange, rather than being different from normal character apparel.

Aizawa:  It's very catchy, it's rooted in culture. That is why I think that even now, which is the 40th anniversary, it is a widely known character regardless of gender, age, or even nationality.

――I've heard that it is also called “80's Mickey Mouse” because of its recognition.

Aizawa:  No, it really is. The design is simple, isn't it? However, the colorfulness of the colors makes it very impressive. Everyone knows PAC-MAN-Man if it's already there, even though it's round and just eating.

――The theory is that pizza is a design image.

Aizawa:  It seems to be the remark of Toru Iwatani, the creator of PAC-MAN-Man. Mr. Iwatani is currently teaching at universities, but I would like you to take a look at this item. After all it is the commemorative year of PAC-MAN-Man's 40th anniversary. It would be great if PAC-MAN-Man as a whole could get excited.

■ Thoughts on 3 brands

――Please tell us about the appeal of the three item.

Aizawa:  PROPLICA I want people to enjoy playing with the real thing. I think they are "a bit stylish" and would look great in an interior. CHOGOKIN I think both S.H.Figuarts and would be great to display around your desk. The 3 item were unveiled at TAMASHII NATION 2020, and the S.H.Figuarts and CHOGOKIN received a great response. However, as a point of reflection, PROPLICA did not communicate well with ver. A.N.I.M.E. or the specifications. I hope this interview will convey the appeal of each of the three. Also, I did my best in terms of price, PROPLICA is 3,850 yen (tax included) and S.H.Figuarts is 2,420 yen (tax included).

――Finally, do you have a message for users?

Aizawa:  I hope it will reach various people around the world, not to mention Japan. This time, we have lined up 3 item to meet the tastes and needs of various fan bases and users. Besides, it's more fun to get together than to do something interesting in one shot (laughs). I'd be happy if you could pick up any one of them, but I think it would be even more attractive if you had three of them lined up. PAC-MAN-Man is familiar and familiar, and its ease of use is also attractive. It would be great if not only figure fans but also people like "I haven't touched figures so much, but I know PAC-MAN-Man" can pick them up.

──Thank you very much.