You would slot in a 50 sen coin or two, turn the knob, and wait with bated breath for that familiar rattling sound. And ta-da, one of the capsules would roll out of the machine and right into your hand!
These capsules often housed little toys, sometimes keychains or other similar trinkets. But, for many kids, they were essentially treasures.
Childhood nostalgia aside, these toy-dispensing machines are actually called “gashapon” machines and, as one can guess, they originate from Japan.
The name “gashapon” is a combination of the sound “gasha”, which you might hear while cranking the toy-vending machine, and “pon”, which is the sound you (sort of ) hear as the capsule lands in the tray.
And if you wish to try your luck at these machines, head over to IOI City Mall, where a newly opened shop will cater to your nostalgia-driven dreams!
On March 16, the Putrajaya mall became home to the Gashapon Bandai Official Shop, the first in Malaysia and in Southeast Asia.
The buildup to this shop’s arrival began in February, when an announcement was made on the official Bandai website, a top-tier toy company in Japan.
Spanning an area of about 845 sq ft, there are 310 capsule machines here, each with its own collection of capsule toys.
It is quite a small shop, with even smaller aisles between the rows of gashapon machines; one can expect to be squashed by the weekend crowd quite easily.
These machines are divided into several categories, such as Hobby, Cute, Cool and Anime, although there’s not much explanation as to how these distinctions are made.
In any case, many well-known franchises are represented here. You can get toys from popular series such as “Pokemon”, “Ultraman”, “Doraemon”, and “Crayon Shin Chan” quite easily.
While you can find toys in most of the capsules, some of them contain items such as keychains, jewellery and clocks, so you don’t have to be an anime fan to enjoy having a go at these machines.
And if you are part of the K-pop fanbase, you might want to keep an eye out for the machines dispensing figurines of your favourite band members.
There are also a few display cabinets inside the shop, useful for visitors who wish to know what’s popular and how big the toys are.
Do note that the collection of toys is rotated out on the regular, so there’s almost always something new with each visit you make.
Of course, the fun of gashapon is that you have no idea what you’ll be getting with each turn of the crank. If you’re lucky, you could get three different Pokemon consecutively.
If you’re not lucky, you could end up with way too many Pikachus to deal with. That’s just the risk you have to take!
Unlike the machines outside the sundry shops of years ago, the gashapon machines here only accept tokens, each of which is priced at RM5.
Customers can get these tokens at the token changer, which accepts ringgit notes as well as Touch ‘n Go and other e-wallet options.
Most of the gashapon machines require four tokens for a single toy, though others take up to seven.
There are also a handful of premium machines where you can get hold of expensive collectibles, some of which are valued at above RM100.
Also, if you wish to keep the toy but not the capsule, a recycling machine in the shop allows you to dispose of them.
So, the next time you’re hanging out in Putrajaya, why not hop over, get a few tokens, and relive your childhood by cranking away in the hope of getting that toy you always wanted? Gashapon!
Gashapon Bandai Official Shop
Lot L3-217,
IOI City Mall Phase II,
Lebuh IRC, IOI Resort,
62502, Putrajaya
Business hours: 10am-10pm