Fox Sports Japan is offering a freely downloadable “Foul Ball Armor” papercraft helmet for people with a lot of free time and an iron will (papercuts are serious business and you should expect a lot of them building this thing).
You’ll also obviously need access to a printer, or if you have no sense of shame, a nearby Kinko’s.
Fox Sports introduced the Foul Ball Armor in a new television ad campaign to coincide with the March 29 start of the 2013 baseball season.
As seen in the below commercial, it’s equipped with all kinds of ludicrous defenses against stray baseball hits in the highly unlikely event that they tear open a rift in the space-time continuum and come flying out of your TV while you’re watching sports. Presumably, this is a baseball only phenomenon but when the World Cup rolls around we’ll see if soccer balls can defy physics too.
The papercraft helmet took one of our staff members, equipped with an Exacto knife and glue, a whole five hours to put together, but as you can see, the results are pretty sweet. It looks like some kind of future sports football helmet. And it even comes with cool glasses!
Unfortunately, the papercraft helmet does not have the magical superpowers of its superior commercial full-kit version, but it could be useful in deflecting wiffleballs or spitballs from your more belligerent English class students, but there is hope:
If Fox Sports Japan reaches 100,000 Facebook “likes” they will apparently make the full suit commercially available, albeit for probably an insane amount of money.
Evil billionaires, oil barons and Mitt Romney are encouraged to click the “like” button immediately.
[ Read in Japanese ]









Why do foreign tourists queue up to eat at Tokyo Little House?
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Japanese man arrested after pretending to be foreigner while trying to rob convenience store
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Why do foreign tourists queue up to eat at Tokyo Little House?
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Japanese man arrested after pretending to be foreigner while trying to rob convenience store
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Ninja theme park suddenly closes in Japan, shadow warriors undone by shady real estate deals
Burger King Japan brings back its insane all-you-can-eat One Pounder Challenge
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Ninja theme park suddenly closes in Japan, shadow warriors undone by shady real estate deals
Burger King Japan brings back its insane all-you-can-eat One Pounder Challenge
You can send your suitcase from Tokyo to Kyoto on the Shinkansen for same-day delivery… but it’ll cost you
Pokémon and Polaroid reveal collaboration with adorable Pikachu and Eeveelution camera and film
Starbucks Japan releases two new seasonal drinks that blur the line between summer and autumn
“New York-style” tsukimi mochi burgers to appear at Wendy’s Japan this fall
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
New Shinkansen Supreme Class private cabins get try-before-you-ride displays at Tokyo, other stations
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Tokyo pub prohibits talking or keeping your phone out, only lets you drink in morning on weekends
Japanese convenience store sunglasses just became our newest Convenience Wear obsession