Remember Furby, the talking toy that first came out 15 years ago and became a huge hit? Well, if you’re fond of cute and furry talking objects, you may be aware that a new “digital” generation of Furbies that comes equipped with LCD eyes and can be interfaced with a smart phone app was released last year. Unfortunately for some of us in Japan, the new line of Furbies has until now only been available in English, but Japanese-speaking fans of Furby can finally rejoice now that Takara Tomy has come out with the Japanese version of the new Furby, and in cute bright pop colors too!
The new generation Japanese-speaking Furbies come in Candy Pink and Kiwi Green, which were popular colors with the English version, and also in two new colors, Strawberry Pink and Mint Drop as well.
▼The four colors the new Japanese Furby comes in — see the cute mohawk sported by the Strawberry Pink and Mint Drop versions!
Like their English counterparts, the Japanese Furbies develop different personalities depending on how you interact with them (so be gentle with them!), and their Japanese vocabulary grows the more you communicate with them, so it’s a bit like watching a baby learn to speak. Oh, and these Furbies not only talk, but they snore, burp, and even also pass a bit of gas from time to time. And if that’s not enough, they love to sing and dance to music, too. Plus, you’re bound to find their LCD eyes that display various shapes like hearts and stars quite expressive, if not utterly adorable.
And of course, since these are digital Furbies, they interact with a special smart phone app that, among other things, lets you look up or translate words you don’t understand when they speak in what’s known as “Furbish”. You can also feed and put your Furby to sleep using the app too.
▼Using the app to interact with your Furby
The Japanese version Furby is priced at 7,140 yen (US$71). It may not be the cheapest of toys to buy for your kids, but maybe it’s not so bad if you think of it as a substitute pet that never litters or consumes food. If you do decide to become a proud owner of one these furry little guys, we hope you enjoy the digital parenting!
Source: ITmedia (Japanese)
Takara Tomy press release (Japanese)
Takara Tomy Furby website (Japanese)
Photos: Takara Tomy press release (Japanese), Takara Tomy Furby website (Japanese)