Line of figure/ring combos is here to make your shelves and your fingers look cute.

Part of the fun of Japan’s gachapon capsule toys is their random nature. Not knowing exactly what you’re going to get when you turn the handle adds a special excitement to the experience, and also makes for a more personalized memory.

That said, the ideal situation is to find a machine where all of the possible prizes are appealing to you, so that you’ll be happy no matter which one you get. But you know what’s even better? A capsule machine where not only is everything inside cool, but each capsule actually gets you two toys!

This ideal among ideals can be found at Donguri Kowakoku, Japan’s chain of specialty stores dedicated to the anime films of Studio Ghibli. For their newest capsule toys, Donguri Kyowakoku is diving deep into the Ghibli lore with a salute to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it character from My Neighbor Totoro, the Mei Crab.

While Totoro is filled with all sorts of whimsical creatures, the Mei Crab doesn’t appear as a forest spirit. Instead, it shows up as a cute little doodle included in a handwritten letter older sister Satsuki writes to her hospitalized mother, reimagining her younger sibling Mei as a crab.

The capsule toys come in four varieties, each with their eyes pointing in a different direction, and also a different hat. The headwear lineup consists of Mei’s iconic summertime straw hat, as seen in the anime, and straw hats modeled after the big and medium-sized Totoros and the Catbus.

“But wait,” you’re saying, “you promised me two capsule toys!” That’s right, I did, because each of the Mei Crabs’ hats…

…is also a ring! Just give it a little tug, and it comes right off the crab’s head so that you can slip it on your finger.

▼ Or, let’s be honest here, so that you can slip them on your fingers, because it’s going to be very hard to stop at just one.

As this video shows, the Ghibli-themed capsule toys are even comparatively eco-friendly, as the crab itself serves as the capsule, eliminating the need for an extra plastic container.

By the way, if you’re thinking those Totoro and Catbus hats are so adorable you’d want one that’s human head-sized, Donguri Kyowakoku has those too, although only in kids’ sizes.

▼ They’re available here through their online shop, priced at 3,080 yen (US$23).

The Mei Crab/Hat Ring capsule toys, meanwhile, will be offered at the capsule machines located inside Donguri Kyowakoku stores for 500 yen starting July 9.

Source, images: PR Times
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