We try our luck and get pleasantly surprised.

From portable bidets to miniature calligraphy sets, gacha capsules typically hold fun, tiny trinkets to take home. But for one gacha capsule machine in Nara, the stakes are higher with a Nintendo Switch offered as the top prize for those willing to test their luck.

K. Masami, who recently tried out the egg custards of all conveyer-belt sushi chains, is one of our Japanese-language reporters who is more than willing to test her luck. As a responsible adult with income flow, what else was there to do but stuff her money into a gacha toy machine for the sake of winning a Switch console? Nothing, that’s what!

Stationed in M! Nara mall, the Gigatcha machine at a distance looked like any old arcade machine that had seen its fair share of action. A portmanteau of the words “giga” and “gacha,” the Gigatcha machine claimed it was the world’s first gigantic gacha capsule machine. Granted that the diameter of each gacha capsule was around 30 centimeters (11.8 inches), Masami could see that one of the machine’s largest appeal points was in its novelty.

The only catch to the Gigatcha was its price: every gacha capsule costed 2,000 yen (US$ 18.85). Considering the prizes available besides the Switch, such as high-end home appliances as well as a coupon for Matsusaka beef cuts, one of the most expensive brands of wagyu beef in Japan, the cost was understandable though a rather steep increase compared to the several hundred yen coins your average gacha capsule machine usually devours.

The temptation was too much for Masami, who really wanted a Switch to play Animal Crossing: New Horizons. She was feeling slightly nervous as she inserted two 1,000 yen bills into the machine. Never mind that with 2,000 yen you could buy over 20 popsicle sticks at the convenience store—she was an adult and part of the joys of adulthood was doing what she liked with her hard-earned cash!

With her two hands, she began to twist the machine’s oversized lever…

… and Masami heard several soft thuds as one of the gacha capsules landed below.

Reaching down to pick it up, Masami noted that it was way larger than she thought it would be. She estimated that it was roughly the same size as a bowling ball, and holding it in her hands, a low chuckle ran through her body. The moment had finally come! Would she soon ascend to heavenly bliss with a new Switch console? Or did only a cruel fate await her hopes and dreams?

A giddiness ran through Masami as she opened the capsule, revealing a black bag. Weighing the bag with her hand, Masami reckoned whatever was inside was a pretty small item. What could it be? She knew the chances of winning a Switch console would be low, but her heart was still beating like crazy when she opened the bag to reveal…

… a face roller! Though it was no Nintendo Switch, Masami was still happy with her prize as she was coincidentally thinking about buying a face roller earlier that day. While the face roller came with no instruction manual, Masami was satisfied with her prize as 2,000 yen seemed like a fair trade-off for a face roller of good quality.

▼ Due to the size of the gacha capsules, the mall considerately left out a large bin for everyone to dispose of their opened gacha capsules.

The Gigatcha machine is located in Nara’s M! Nara mall; don’t forget to bring extra 1,000 yen bills as every try is worth 2,000 yen. For our gacha enthusiasts, be sure to also check out Akihabara Station’s new wall of gacha capsule machines as well!

Location Information

M! Nara / ミ・ナーラ
Address: Nara-ken, Nara-shi, Nijoojiminami 1-3-1
奈良県奈良市二条大路南1-3-1
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Photos © RocketNews24
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[ Read in Japanese ]