Bandai

Bandai, a Japanese company and the world's second-largest toy manufacturer behind Lego, is expanding its presence in France. The company is launching its "Gashapon" concept in Paris, opening its first store dedicated to these capsule toy vending machines on Rue de Rivoli. This initiative is in partnership with King Jouet. The Gashapon machines dispense collectible figurines from popular franchises like Dragon Ball, Mario, and Tamagotchi. Bandai's move is newsworthy because it targets both children and "kidults" (adults interested in toys and collectibles), a demographic that has become increasingly important for toy companies to offset declining birth rates in France. The deployment includes 300 machines, marking a significant expansion of Bandai's retail presence in the French market.