View source for Bandai

{{Company Infobox
|title       = Bandai
|image       = [[File:Bandai.png|{{ImageSize}}]]
|ja_kanji    = 株式会社バンダイ
|foundation = July 5, 1950
|industry   = Toys and Figures Manufacturer
|hq         = {{W|Tokyo}}, {{W|Japan}}
|keypeople  = Naoharu Yamashina {{s|Founder}}<br>Masaru Kawaguchi {{s|President}}
|site       = [https://www.bandai.co.jp/ bandai.co.jp]
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Bandai Co., Ltd.'''|株式会社バンダイ|Kabushiki gaisha Bandai}} is a Japanese toy manufacturer founded by Naoharu Yamashina as {{Nihongo|'''Bandai-Ya'''|萬代屋}} on July 5, 1950. After merging with the video game and entertainment company {{w|Namco}} in 2005, it became a subsidiary of [[Bandai Namco Holdings]].

==History==
Bandai was founded by Naoharu Yamashina on July 5, 1950, as {{Nihongo|'''Bandai-Ya'''|萬代屋}} in {{w|Taitō, Tokyo|Taito, Tokyo}}, when it spun off from his family's textile business. Their first original toy, Rhythm Ball, a ball with bells inside, was introduced in September of the same year. In March 1951, Bandai began exporting toys to foreign markets, becoming one of the earliest Japanese companies to do so. In 1955, the company became the first in the toy industry to have a quality assurance system, with the 1956 {{w|Toyopet Crown}} model car being the first toy approved. Bandai-Ya was renamed to Bandai in July 1961.

In the 1960s, the company began to expand its overseas operations and opened an office in New York City. Bandai met considerable success when it introduced action figures based on the anime {{w|Astro Boy}} in 1963. The toy line's success prompted the company to move away from manufacturing original toys to making tie-in products as well as funding various television series. In May 1980, Makoto Yamashina, son of the founder, became the president of Bandai. Bandai was one of the first third-party developers for the {{w|Nintendo}} {{w|Nintendo Entertainment System|Family Computer}}. In 1986, they released the {{w|Power Pad}}, a floor mat accessory for the Famicom. In February 1989, Bandai acquired arcade game developer Coreland and reorganized it into [[Banpresto]]. In 1988, Bandai launched the first {{w|Carddass}} card vending machines, which were based on the {{w|Saint Seiya}} anime. Many other popular franchises were made into trading cards, including [[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure]], with the [[Adventure Battle Card]], [[Crusade]], and [[JoJo's Bizarre Hanafuda]] card games.<ref name="Card">[https://sec.carddass.com/club/about/carddass/ カードダスドットコム 公式サイト | カードダスとは]</ref> In 1996, [[MegaHouse]] also became a subsidiary of Bandai.

In January 1997, Bandai announced its planned merger with {{w|Sega}}, which would establish a new company named Sega Bandai Ltd. In May, the merger was called off due to growing opposition from Bandai's employees. President Makoto Yamashina took responsibility for its failure and stepped down from his position. Bandai and Sega instead agreed to a business alliance.<ref name="Int">Grant, Tina (2003). [https://archive.org/details/internationaldir0000unse_c8r0/ International directory of company histories. Vol. 55]</ref> In 2005, Bandai merged with {{w|Namco}}, becoming a subsidiary of {{w|Bandai Namco Holdings}}.<ref name="Bandai">[https://www.bandai.co.jp/corporate/history/ 歴史 | バンダイ公式サイト]</ref>

==JoJo-Related Products==
===Video Games===
{{Flex|Type=Left|
{{ImageBox|image=Famicom Jump Hero Retsuden Cover.png|title=[[Famicom Jump: Hero Retsuden]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=Famicom Jump II Saikyo no Shichinin Cover.jpg|title=[[Famicom Jump II: The Strongest Seven]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=Cult Jump Gameboy Cover.jpg|height=450|title=[[Cult Jump]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=Phantom Blood Game.png|linktitle=Phantom Blood (PS2 Game)|title=JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood}}
}}

===Merchandise===
====Figures====
{{Flex|Type=Left|
{{ImageBox|image=JoJo's Bizarre Stand Collection Merch Preview.png|title=[[JoJo's Bizarre Stand Collection]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=JoJo's Earphone Jack Mascot Merch Preview.png|title=[[JoJo's Earphone Jack Mascot]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=Oh!-egg Merch Preview.png|title=[[Oh!-egg]]}}
}}

====Card Games====
{{Flex|Type=Left|
{{ImageBox|image=J-001.jpg|title=[[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Adventure Battle Card|Adventure Battle Card]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=C-002 purple.png|linktitle=Crusade|title=Crusade System Card Series}}
{{ImageBox|image=Hanafuda5-01-3.jpg|title=[[JoJo's Bizarre Hanafuda]]}}
}}

====Clothing====
{{Flex|Type=Left|
{{ImageBox|image=BANDAI FASHION COLLECTION Merch Preview.png|title=[[BANDAI FASHION COLLECTION]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=JoJo Exhibit Commemorative Set Merch Preview.png|title=[[JoJo Exhibit Commemorative Set]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=Rompers & Bibs Merch Preview.png|title=[[Rompers & Bibs]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=JoJo's Bizarre Loungewear Merch Preview.png|title=[[JoJo's Bizarre Loungewear]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=JOJO IGGY Merch Preview.png|title=[[JOJO IGGY]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=JoJo's Bizarre Choker Merch Preview.png|title=[[JoJo's Bizarre Choker]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=STAND BY JOJO Merch Preview.png|title=[[STAND BY JOJO]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=T-Shirt Collection Merch Preview.png|title=[[T-Shirt Collection]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=Accessory Collection Merch Preview.png|title=[[Accessory Collection]]}}
}}

====Other====
{{Flex|Type=Left|
{{ImageBox|image=Bandai Gashapon.png|title=[[Bandai Gashapon]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=JoJo's Bizarre Tenugui Merch Preview.png|title=[[JoJo's Bizarre Tenugui]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=KIRA Merch Preview.png|title=KIRA|linktitle=KIRA (Bandai)}}
{{ImageBox|image=ROHAN Merch Preview.png|title=ROHAN|linktitle=ROHAN (Bandai)}}
{{ImageBox|image=JOJO's wallet series Merch Preview.png|title=[[JOJO's wallet series]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=Bandai Candy logo.png|title=[[Bandai Candy]]}}
{{ImageBox|image=Chibi Nuigurumi.jpeg|title=[[Chibi Plush]]}}
}}

==References==
{{References}}

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