Tamagotchi Target Audience

[Anthrax]

Okay, let's take two average children of equal age (about 8, let's say).

The boy is playing in the backyard with action figures. There's no such thing as a baby Captain Falcon. No, you want the grown man so you can blow things up. Great, enough with the violence. He moves on. Now what? Legos. He wants to create something from the bottom up. He doesn't want to raise it. He wants to be able to turn it into whatever he wants, not leave it up to chance. Mother's intuition? I think not. That's the father's intuition. The father is the one who seems to do most of the discipline in the average, partriachal family. [Despite the efforts of feminist groups, most families are patriarchal. It's natural.]

What about the girl? Well, she's playing with her barbie dolls, raising up little Kelly. Maybe she's playing teacher with her stuffed animals. But violence?! No... that's what icky boys do with their cooties. Gross. The mother's instinct is to nurture, yet leave most to chance. She is forced to leave almost everything (except for fetal alcohol syndrome and all that jazz) up to fate during pregnancy. She loves the child how it is and will congratulate it for being itself. The girl has been maternal from the get-go.

Well, then. Enough with the hypothetical. What would Freud have to say about all of this?

Anthrax: Nice to have you on the show today, Mr. Freud.

Freud: Nice to zee you!

Anthrax: Now, what do you have to say about stereotyping in children's toys?

Freud: Vell, it iz quite obvious zat children between ze ages of 3 und 12 experience ze phallic stage, vere zey battle with ze libido an incredible amount.

Anthrax: And what does this entail?

Freud: Zis entails ze Oedipus/Electra complex, which shows us zat children become extremely attached to ze parent of the opposite *** and jealous of ze other parent, showing marked increase in anger toward him/her.

Anthrax: Interesting... and what does this have to do with Tamagotchi?

Freud: Vell... ven you are jealous, because a guy you like likes anozer girl, vat do you do?

Anthrax: I attempt to do what he likes about that girl...yet better.

Freud: Exactly!! And vat does ze mother do?

Anthrax: She takes care of the children. Feeds them, helps them get ready for bed... that's the essential foundation of the mother-child relationship.

Freud: You see, zis is vat ze girl vill vant to do better. She vill vant to be able to raise children better zan ze mother!!

Anthrax: Ah! I understand. Thank you, Mr. Freud.

Freud: Anytime, Anthrax.

Anthrax: Well, we're out of time on this segment of The Anthrax Show. See you next time!!

 

[kuchipatchi10]

My 7 and 8 year old boy cousins are 100% boy and they each have two tamagotchis.

 

[cali727]

There was this mean kid named jake at school who always made fun of me for playing with tamagotchis. He was always saying, "were you playing with ur tamagootchy thing in the bathroom?" and "why do you play with a little girls toy?" so, i know people think its for little girls but i think it could be for anyone. I hope Bandaii makes them more unisex.

 

[TroubledPanda]

I really believe that the whole Tamagotchi thing is for little kids now. The commercials are riduculous and some of the designs make me want to throw up. I was completely fine with the v1 back in 2004, because I felt that Bandai took a very successful product and made it metter while still sticking to what made them fun in the first place. After that, mainly in the v4 now, Bandai has made the whole thing into a child's franchise. The characters have all been forgotten except for Kuchipatchi, Memetchi and Mametchi. They all seem more human now, not like pets at all. You can dress them up, take them to work. I have sent numerous complaints to Bandai regarding the target audience and how it is turning away the true and original Tama fans. I think every needs to start sending numerous complaints to Bandai. Sometimes they listen to their fans. I say we tell them what we want!

 

[.x.ChocoCookie.x.]

I'm 11, & I'm not very fond of girly things.

I love the V4, but when I saw the commercial, it gave Tamagotchi a bad name.

Some tom-boyish girls in my class all had V4's, but they had a hard time getting a V4 that wasn't girly.

 

[MidasTouch34]

Im a boy, I love Tamagotchis. I don't have a girly design I have the red and grey and white graffiti design. I think Tamagotchis are for everyone even adults!

P.S Nothing is girly about owning a pet.

MT34,

 

[MidasTouch34]

Yeah, I guess that is a bit disappointing. I think that Bandai should make some boy designs and some girl designs, or designs that could be both boy-ish and girly. Take a look at the V4.5 designs - some designs are girly like the Hawaiian Blue and, just like what PeaceFrog777 said some are boy-ish like the Black Flames design. Others can go either way, like the Stained Glass design, but I do get how boys feel. I guess that most Tamas are rather girly, and only some are boy-ish. And yes, I also think that Bandai should make their Tamas for EVERYONE, not just for children.

I have an American V4. Im a boy, and I think only a few out of all the designs are pretty boyish and the rest are girly.

Here is a picture of my boyish Tama (click here)

 

[MidasTouch34]

Oh and the V2 Commercial was so girly! (There was boys on the commercial though) but there like

"Shopping Spree"

 

[knightrider]

Exactly! Whenewer I go to target or somewhere, They are always in the girl isle!

knightrider

 

[kuchipatchiluver]

yes, sometimes it seems like that, but at least that they have some boyish designs. My friend who is a guy loves tamagotchis. He has some of the guy designs. He always plays with my tamagotchis at school and he didn't seem to mind the girlish design I had on mine. But I do think that there are a lot of girlish designs out there now. And yes, they are trying to sell them to mostly children, but I think they are for all ages.

But yes, you are kind of right.

 

kuchipatchiluver

 

[.&&.ChocoBunnie.x.]

Oh and the V2 Commercial was so girly! (There was boys on the commercial though) but there like
"Shopping Spree"

^_^ I've never seen the V2 commercial.. can you give me a link?

Anyway, I'm a girl and I like those 'cutesy' sort of animes at times and stuff.

I don't like the girly American V4 designs, though. I have a Pink Kuchipatchi V4. (It's Australian)

And what's up with the kissing in the V4 commercial?? I mean, if they're targeted at younger children, then the kissing wouldn't be necessary!

I'm 11 1/2.. I can't believe people would expect me to like that commercial o___O

-Bunnie

 

[MidasTouch34]

Here is the V2 Commercial (Pukes)

MT34,

 

[DDDTrooper]

Exactly! Whenewer I go to target or somewhere, They are always in the girl isle!

knightrider

Now that I hate. I feel weird when I go to buy a Tamagotchi and their next to the Barbie dolls and Bratz. Why can't they just put them with the electronics?

-DDDTrooper ^_^

 

[qwerty123]

Now that I hate. I feel weird when I go to buy a Tamagotchi and their next to the Barbie dolls and Bratz. Why can't they just put them with the electronics?
-DDDTrooper

I sooo agree. Tamagotchis are 3 times more electronic than girly. *rubs neck*

Yet still, they have a *few* boy patterns, but I notice that they're always the last ones to get taken.

*I'n the ONLY girl that looks for the col boyish designs*

 

[_Flame_]

I know lots of boys that have Tamagotchis! They're all... 7-10...

I think its perfecly normal for a teenager to have tamas.

Sometimes I feel weird because I have 5 Tamagotchis and some people have none... But thats not the point of this topic so...

Yeah.

-_FLame_

PS, qwerty123! your not the only girl who likes the boyish designs! I do 2. I am in love with the black flame V4.5... *drools* and I have the grey graffiti V3 and Snake Skin V3. I wanted the Black V4 with Lightning but it wasn't in stock so I got the sunflower one... but I love it anyway...

 

[TroubledPanda]

These days, I think Tamagotchi are seen as a children's toy. I've seen 10 year old kids hwo love them for a little bit, and hten they move on to the next big thing... I personally love them, and I have since the originals have released. I think Bandai has realized that the sell well with younger kids, and that's the road they've taken to get more of a profit. All of the commercials and websites are geared toward 10-year old girls... Flowers, friendly designs and colors are splettered everywhere. I wish Bandai would recognize them as a virtual pet and not just a little toy. It makes the actual fans look insane.... I still get a hard time when I'm purchasing a new one at the store.... Your too old for that!!! Don't waste yur money!!!!! But, I'll keep buying them!

 

[mametchi000]

I have made this point before. Bandi did create a target, but the target of preteen girls became more pronounced (Like someone on this thread said) after the results of who bought the toys. But it makes sense. Girls with the maternal instinct would want to have a cute little carry around pet more than a boy. Boys can have tamas. I support it. No one say Im ageinst boy tama caregivers cuz im not. Im just saying that the increase in girly products makes sense and why tamas are popular with girls makes sense.

 

[PockyGirl]

These days, I think Tamagotchi are seen as a children's toy. I've seen 10 year old kids hwo love them for a little bit, and hten they move on to the next big thing... I personally love them, and I have since the originals have released. I think Bandai has realized that the sell well with younger kids, and that's the road they've taken to get more of a profit. All of the commercials and websites are geared toward 10-year old girls... Flowers, friendly designs and colors are splettered everywhere. I wish Bandai would recognize them as a virtual pet and not just a little toy. It makes the actual fans look insane.... I still get a hard time when I'm purchasing a new one at the store.... Your too old for that!!! Don't waste yur money!!!!! But, I'll keep buying them!

I know that feeling all to well. I also have been a Tamagotchi fan since 96/97. I get that, "Aren't you to old for those" line all the time. Alot of my coworkers have come up with names for me. D; Tamagotchi girl and crazy Lisa with her babies. Whats the matter with older people liking Tamagotchi? Even though Bandai is aiming Tamagotchi to kids I the same as you, will keep purcasing Tamagotchi to the day I die.

 

[TamaTae]

Wow. Wow is all I can say. Its sad how many great things go to the girls. My first design was Bleu-camoflauge v3, I do think they are aming more towards Girls rather boys. Though I do know bout 15 bys that HAVE tamagotchis, I just dont know if they use them, of all of thouse boys an dmore girls I am the only person that hasent lost a Tamagotchi, or blown it up for that matter *Glares a Brendan* But anyway, Bandai needs t rethink their actoins other wise they are going to be going down in Profit, and fast.

I will write to Bandai later, PM me to eep in touch about me writing them. If I am lucky they will have an e-mail address and I wont have to waste a stamp on someone who wont reply.

Well. I guess I made my point. I am now off to see if Brendan has succeded in blowing up another tamagocthi yet.

TamaTae

 

[ColonelJ]

I do agree with the whole "girls only" thing. The V2 commercial sort of made me a little angry. I can see how younger boys could be easily driven away from Tamagotchis.

I do, however, like the fact that Bandai has tried to nip this in the bud by showing boys in the commercials and making more "boyish" designs. That's another thing: why do people always assume girls like frills, lace, and pastel colors, and that boys like sports, blue stuff, and bugs?

I like lace and bugs...