This is one toy you should stay clear of.
Having a newborn baby often means being showered with adorable baby gifts and presents from friends and relatives to welcome the newest addition to a family.
And so when Japanese Twitter user @nyonnyon_27 received a little toy featuring the head of popular Japanese hero Anpanman, she was eager to show it to her eight-month-old daughter. Shaped like a ball, the contraption is supposed to entertain kids by playing Anpanman’s theme song while vibrating vigorously and bouncing around in random fashion.
▼ What could possibly go wrong?
https://twitter.com/nyonnyon_27/status/1052048774900543489▼ Many things, as it turns out.
(Translation below)
“When I inserted batteries into the toy that someone gave me as a present and switched it on, its movements were just so creepy… utterly different from what I had expected. My daughter burst into tears when I showed it to her for the first time.”
Having a dismembered anime character’s head bounce around on the floor as if alive can be rather unnerving, indeed.
▼ Netizens’ experiences seem to differ,
however, as some kids loved it.
これですね🍞 pic.twitter.com/Mm5lFOBqgZ
— 政成潤哉/クレインフライ/のら犬/NAi/すすめパーティーへ/うどん屋 (@thecranefly) October 19, 2018
▼ While others got ones that crawled along
the floor in a slightly less terrifying manner.
— 大橋紘一郎 (@miraru31) October 20, 2018
Nevertheless, the majority of netizens thought the mother’s Anpanman toy to be rather hilarious:
“I too have that toy in my family, and we were all shocked at first. My son was scared to the point of crying, but he’s used to it now. It has become his favorite.”
“Anpanman is intense, isn’t he?”
“Cats would go crazy over this.”
“It looks like an insect head that’s still moving after being severed.”
“Looks like a toy that YouTubers would buy 100 of and make a video from.”
Although not all such Anpanman toys are that creepy, we can’t recommend it as a baby gift since cute anime characters with frightening features have the potential to traumatize infants for life. Unless you intend for it to be a ghastly Halloween gift, something with no eerily erratic movements might be a safer option.
Source: Twitter/@nyonnyon_27 via Hachima Kiko
Featured image: Twitter/@nyonnyon_27

Japanese mom finds adorable way to keep and recycle daughters’ cute pink baby onesie
Wanting a frog, man gets too many praying animals from capsule machine, creates cute, creepy cult
Starbucks Japan adds a new Frappuccino and Milk to the menu, but are they worth the calories?
War in Iran causing dark development for potato chip packages in Japan
Don’t miss the Tokyo Tower City Light Fantasia ~Summer Landscape 2026~ event during your travels
Akira creator opens his own anime studio, is recruiting artists even without Japanese fluency
Starbucks Japan releases two new “chunky” drinks… and matching gel designs for our nails
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Pokémon retro black-and-white Game Boy art T-shirts are on the way from Uniqlo[Photos]
Japan’s largest online resale site banning scalper sales of McDonald’s new anime Happy Meal toys
Pizza Hut now sells curry pizza in Japan
Dr Pepper knockoff Mr Popper is a cult drink in Japan, but does it taste like the real thing?
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Mt. Fuji hot spring inn gets even more beautiful after dark with Firefly Festival
Does one of Japan’s favorite chocolate brands work with the Pringles chocolate hack?
Japanese criminals are now using crabs to hunt for burglary targets
Japanese hair salons going bankrupt in record numbers
Japan releases new ramen sandwiches… that don’t taste like ramen
Japanese Pokémon card shop grabs scissors as part of its plan to keep scalpers away
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
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
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
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa