
Oh, Sony, why are you doing this to me?
I had three proton packs as a kid. One consisted of a drawing of a proton pack on a sheet of A4 paper that I would tape to my back; another was basically a plank of wood with a couple of random bits of plastic and wiring nailed to it with some old rubber piping for straps; the third was the officially merchandised plastic toy that may parents eventually decided they should buy for me, probably in an attempt to make their son look marginally less ridiculous playing in the street.
As great as they all were (some more than others…), none of my proton packs ever came close to the ones my heroes, the Ghostbusters, wore on their backs in the films and spin-off cartoon series. So when the words “Sony” and “proton pack” caught my eye earlier this morning, I felt my heart skip a beat.
Or, in Japanese if you prefer:
Sadly, despite this video’s mentions of Dr Spengler and Dr Holtzmann (the latter from the upcoming movie), “liquid helium reservoirs” and “slime-resistent”, it’s pretty obvious that Sony isn’t actually on the cusp of releasing a lightweight proton pack for us all to keep ghosts at bay with and is just a bit of fun in the name of April Fools’ Day and PR.
Still, I can dream, right?
Source: YouTube/Sony h/t Jin
Screenshots: YouTube/Sony

Ginza Sony Park offers chance to be a Ghostbuster in AR ghost hunt
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
New picture book for the cat fanatic that loves furry balls
Peanuts and Coke becomes a viral hit in Japan, but is it a trend worth joining?
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Many foreign tourists not picking up, paying for their orders at 100-year-old Tokyo sweets shop
New 7-Eleven sandwich goes viral in Japan, but is it everything it’s cracked up to be?
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
How to take your home ramen to the next level by making your own chashu pork in a frying pan
Deer that appeared in downtown Osaka gets a new home, a new name, and a lot of snacks[Video]
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Pokémon lacquerware series expands for Year of the Horse with new handcrafted design[Video]
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Tokyo teahouse serves up a sakura matcha dessert you won’t find anywhere else
Totoro Fund line of beautiful artwork and apparel lets you help the real-world Totoro Forest
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says