Japan has some very weird and quirky stuff everywhere. Now, they're taking one of the more prevalent features of pop culture there to inception levels. If you haven't seen or heard of gacha machines, it's those vending machines where you have the chance to get one of a set of toys in random. The fun is in not knowing what you will get and hoping you get what you want. They have different themes and designs, but the concept is the same.
Now, they sell toys designed as vending machines that actually work like a vending machine except that it's smaller. Amazing.
Stasto’s 1:12-scale Gacha Gacha Machines come in only two colors, red or green, and have identical exterior designs. That makes them a pretty sure bet in the capsule toy world, since often the same product lineups have some very different items in them, though there’s still a bit of randomized fun here, which we’ll get to in just a second.
The coolest part of all, though, is that the mini machines are functional. Turning the crank causes a capsule to drop down into the prize claim slot, but only if you’ve first inserted an actual coin.
(Image credit: Stasto)