Gashapon toys are small, high quality toys in colourful round plastic capsules sold from vending machines in Japan. The word "Gashapon" is derived from the sound made by the machine when you operate it to win your prize (Gasha-Gasha).

Bandai, Yujin, and K&M are the most popular companies manufacturing these items in Japan. Gashapon usually come in 2 different price ranges: 200 Yen (Bandai HG and HGIF series) & (Yujin SR series) and 100 Yen (usually some kind of super-deformed version). Bandai even has a HGEX series priced at 300 Yen and packed in small boxes similar to candy toy prize boxes.

These are great collectibles!

Collecting Tips:

Make sure that you get and save the small descriptive booklet included with each Gashapon toy. Many Gashapon collectors consider a set worth much less without these booklets. In Japan, some dealers sell the booklets.

Another cool Gashapon collectible is the original display placard or daishi that is inserted in the front of the gashapon machine to advertise the gashapon inside. These come 1 per case of Gashapon and are obviously rare.

For maximum collectiblility, they should be left sealed in their original plastic bags. The plastic capsule itself does not seem to matter much because they are very common.