Seems like tamas are a girls' thing nowdays...

[Zzgs]

I mean what is bandi doing?!

LOOK!

Remember when they used to have like camo tamas and stuff?

 

[Orandatchi]

Um, you realize this is from Bandai Japan, right? Bandai Japan has more girlier things, plus it's to celebrate Tamagotchi's 15th Anniversary.

 

[Eternal Mametchi Fan]

Well, in Japan, yes. Tamagotchi is almost exclusively aimed at girls. The new mascots are Melodytchi and Lovelitchi, and the anime is super girly, and there are all sorts of pink and girly Tamagotchi things. Bandai America is not as girly and the English anime episodes are sometimes boyish, but it looks like Tamagotchi is for girls only in Japan, I'm afraid. But don't worry, there are lots of male Tamagotchi fans.

 

[xavplusplus]

exhibit a. me! im 18 and in college and love my tama. when bandai comes out with a new tama ill buy it. dont worry its not girly. its fun

 

[kuchipatchi.is.blue55]

Do keep in mind that Bandai's new demographic is girls. They're seeing that girls are taking a better interest in Tamagotchi than boys, so they are tailoring their products towards their audience. This is also probably responsible for the mascot shift: the threesome (Mametchi, Memetchi, Kuchipatchi) is being replaced by Lovelitchi, Meloditchi, and Himespetchi. Of course, we all know there are lots of boys that play with Tamagotchi, but you can't please everybody, right? Bandai is simply trying to do what their highest demographic wants, and to Bandai, girls want girlier, shinier, and cuter tamagotchis and mascots. (Also, like Orandatchi said, this is from Bandai Japan, which generally produces a lot of girly things.)

 

[xavplusplus]

yea i just hope guys get SOMETHING you know?

 

[dazzilitchigirl]

In a way, the worst audience to aim at is young girls. Not all girly want girly and pink stuff - only 4-8 year old girls. No 4-8 year old, boy or girl, can really collect Tamas or buy expensive ones, so in a way the best audience to target is 12-18 year olds of both genders, who have enough money to collect Tamagotchis and include in their collection expensive Tamas. BanDai cannot get new fans at such a young age. Out of all the 200 kids at my first primary school where I got into Tamas, and subsequently the Tama craze died down, only one or two (I know there were any at all because there's me) got back into Tamas at the time of the V6. Only one in five schools or more have given BanDai significant profit by collecting Tamagotchi - me, as well. All they're going to do is launch another short-lived craze instead of making a significant profit by gaining more fans.

 

[direngrey]

it seem that the ID L is aimed for girls....because i know that when tamagotchi first came out japanese business men had them too

 

[ichiro.malfoy]

We share the same sentiments. I'm also a guy but I really liked the iD L so I went for the white/silver one, which I think is the most gender-neutral design in my opinion.

It's sad seeing the demographic shrink from "everyone" to "little girls-only" audience and watching our beloved Tamagotchi turn from a fun toy to a blinged-out girls' accessory.

It makes me wonder whether how boys who are Tama fans in Japan react to this, if there are any left.

 

[direngrey]

it doesnt matter if it's girly, in japan both genders have girl themed things from what i've seen so it's okay. but in america they act like boys having girly things is a big deal..

it's like it's okay for girls to play with boy things...but boys can't play with girl things...i honestly don't think it's a big deal..we all like what we like, so what if a boy wants a girly themed tamagotchi? they are still fun all together