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Let’s play a little word association game. Ready? Chinese-made children’s toys.

I’m guessing “high quality” isn’t the first thing that popped into your head. You don’t have to go far to find stories of people buying knock-off dolls or action figures in China, then giving them to their kids or younger siblings, only to watch them heartbroken as they don’t work as implied by the packaging.

But that doesn’t mean all toys made in China are shoddy, because some do indeed work well. Sometimes even too well, as one Japanese father found out when he brought back a Chinese flying doll for his daughters.

While in China, YouTube user Masayoshi Akao came across the cute figure with a propeller attached to its head, most likely an imitation of the Flutterbye Flying Fairy toys that have recently been very popular in the U.S. Purported to be able to “hover above the palm of your hand,” Akao decided to pick one up as a souvenir for his two little girls.

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Back in Japan, it was time for the tykes to try out their new toy. Of course, the first time you’re using any sort of flying contraption, you want to make sure you have plenty of overhead clearance, at least until you know for sure how high it’ll go. So Akao and the kids headed outside for the doll’s first flight…

…which also turned out to be its last.

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We’re not sure where it’s going, but one thing is for sure, that doll is not coming back.

Japanese Internet users had the following to say:

“Bye-bye.”
“It’s a disposable toy.”
“I guess it went back to China?”
“I keep watching this, and as the whirring sound of the motor gets quieter and quieter, it makes me feel so sad.”

We’re guessing the intended effect was something closer to this.

As his daughters’ doll departs for parts unknown, though, the shocked Akao can only chuckle and stammer, “It flew away…it flew away!” And while we definitely share his comedic take on the situation, it’s hard not to feel just a little sorry for the younger of the two girls, who at the 20-second mark asks, with a mixture of bewilderment and sadness, “Huh? Why did it go bye-bye?”

Poor kid. So everyone reading, drop Akao a line and let him know if you happen to find the doll. Assuming it ever comes down, of course.

Source: Jin
Images: YouTube