Tamagotchi

A Tamagotchi Connection V1

The Tamagotchi (たまごっち, Tamagocchi) is a handheld digital pet created in Japan by Akihiro Yokoi of WiZ Co. Ltd., and Aki Maita of Bandai Co. Ltd. It was first sold by Bandai in 1996 in Japan. Over 70,000,000 Tamagotchis have been sold world-wide as of 2008. The Tamagotchi is housed in a small and simple egg-shaped computer. Three buttons (A, B, and C) allow the user to select and perform an activity, including:

• Feeding the Tamagotchi a piece of food or a snack.
• Playing games with the Tamagotchi.
• Cleaning up a Tamagotchi's waste.
• Checking its age, discipline, hunger, happiness and other statistics.
• Connecting with other friends
• Marrying other tamagotchis

Meaning of "Tamagotchi"

According to Bandai the name is a portmanteau combining the Japanese word "たまご" (tamago) which means "egg", and the English word "watch" (as in timepiece). Consequently, the name is romanized as "Tamagotch" without the "i" in Japan. The name has been anglicised as 'Paul Ryan'.

Tamagotchi releases

Main article: List of Tamagotchi releases

As of 2009, there have been over 44 Tamagotchi versions released since their creation in 1996. Several of them are Japanese Tamagotchis. These include the original Tamagotchi, Christmas-themed Tamagotchi Angelgotchi, Devilgotchi, Oceangotchi, (mainly released in Japan) and newer Tamagotchi versions, known as Connection, Connexion or Plus, which can communicate with other Tamagotchi for games and breeding. The most recent versions are the Tamagotchi Music Star, in which the player can raise a single Tamagotchi, where it will eventually form a band after making friends; and the Tamagotchi-iD, a Japan-language virtual pet with a full-color 128x128 screen with enhanced graphics and gameplay.

Tamagotchi Video Games

Tamagotchi for Game Boy and Game Boy Color which are similar to the original handheld games. Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop, Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2, and Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 for Nintendo DS are games where the players can run shops to make money. The players can choose between Mametchi, Memetchi, Kuchipatchi, and in Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3, Violetchi, to become a partner, and work together to keep their customers happy. Also on the Nintendo 64, Tamagotchi 64: Minna de Tamagotchi World a Nintendo 64 game released only in Japan in 1997. It is a virtual board game based on the tamagotchi toy. Just recently, a new game has come out called Tamagotchi: Party On! where you walk around a board, and play games to win coins and become the town mayor.

Arcade systems

Mario Kart Arcade GP 2

Mametchi, a common tamagotchi character, appears in Namco Bandai's/Nintendo's Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 as a character.

TamaStation

TamaStation is an arcade machine released in Japan where the owner can get prizes for their Tamagotchi. This machine has several sequels, TamaStation 2.

In other media

Film

On June 1, 2007, it was announced by Reuters that an animated Tamagotchi film was to be released in December 2007. The film , Eiga De Tojo-Tamagotchi: Dokidoki! Uchuu no Maigotchi!?, focuses on Mametchi, along with his friends Memetchi and Kuchipatchi. Introduced are Tanpopo, a human girl who Mametchi accidentally transports to the Tamagotchi Planet; and ChaMametchi, the younger sister of Mametchi who is born during the film's events. It has been said that a sequel will be released at the end of this year, featuring Hapihapitchi. More short films on YouTube have recently come out called Let's Go! Tamagotchi. There is a whole series that viewers can enjoy.

The movie, Eiga De Tojo-Tamagotchi: Dokidoki! Uchuu no Maigotchi!? released on December 15, 2007, and was distributed by Toho Co. The film opened at #3 at the box office on opening weekend. On May 31, 2008, North American distributor Bandai Entertainment announced they had acquired the rights to the film. The movie's first English release was a direct-to-DVD version, released on June 3, 2009 in Australia. The UK DVD was released on September 14 2009 via Manga Entertainment.

Animated Series

A Japanese-only anime series called Anime TV de Hakken!! Tamagotchi (アニメ TVで発見!! たまごっち, lit. Found on Anime TV!! Tamagotchi) aired from July 7, 1997 to March 21, 1998 on Fuji TV.

In December 2007, Bandai Japan began airing Saa Ikou! Tamagotchi(さぁイコー！たまごっち) a week before the release of the first film. In December 2008, Bandai America dubbed the series, Let's Go! Tamagotchi, and began streaming it on YouTube in both English and Japanese, with captions for up to 7 other languages.

In 2009, another TV anime was announced, called Tamagotchi! (たまごっち!). It began in October 2009. Foreign release for this anime has not been announced.

Animated video

An animated video called, "Now Museum, Now You Don't," Tamagotchi Video Adventures was produced by 7th Level, Inc. in association with Bandai in 1997. Directed by Dan Kuenster, produced by Susan Deming and written by Kuenster, Deming and David Lewman. It runs approximately 42 and a half minutes long. Cosmotchi sends the Tamagotchi to Earth to collect an object that best exemplifies the planet for the Tamagotchi Museum. An original animated music video ("What's a Tamagotchi?") and a how-to-draw Tamagotchi featurette, starring director Kuenster follow the movie.

Music

A song called "Tamagotchi" was produced by the music band Sqeezer in 1997.

In Japan, the band Kigurumi, after gaining new members and becoming a trio, released their single, "Tamagotchi", on November 21, 2007, which was also the theme music for the film. It was dubbed in English along with the English dub of the movie.

The group Daze made a song called "tamagotchi"

The Los Angeles based pop duo, LOONER, released their tribute to the toy in May 2009 with the single "I Love My Tamagotchee!"

Criticism and controversy

One controversy over Tamagotchi digital pets involved children taking them to school because certain Tamagotchi versions could starve or die in less than half a day from lack of care. Worry over potential ownership disputes, class disruptions, and general distraction from schoolwork has led many schools to ban the product. (Later versions included a 'pause' feature, plus a newer sound on/off function). Some parents also express concern because the device constantly calls the user to it with penalties for ignoring its signal, including death, starvation, and sickness, effectively keeping the device in the child's consciousness at all times and interfering with other, potentially constructive, activities.

On August 3, 2005, South Australian MP Nick Xenophon attempted to ban the Tamagotchi Connection Version 2 (or at least have it classified R18+) due to the "Slot" game featured on it, fearing that it would make kids grow up to become "gambling addicts of tomorrow".

External links

• Official USA Tamagotchi site
• Official European Tamagotchi Site
• Net Discovery! Tamagotchi, current official Japanese site
  • Net Discovery! Tamagotch (1996-1998 Japanese Tamagotchi page)
  • Official Movie Website
  • くちぱっちのモグモグブログだっち, Kuchipatchi's blog

TamaTown

• TamaTown Official site for V3 through V5.5 and Music Star online connectivity
• Tamagotch Tushin Japanese page for TamaTown
• Tamagotchi Europe European Tamatown for V3 through to V5 Famalitchi