We came for the car, we stayed for the promoter. Takara Tomy's previously announced AeroSpider RC car, which mystically scales walls and cruises upside-down, is finally shipping this month in Japan. Cool though that may be, the real news here is the overgrown 4-year old used to show off just how amazing this minuscule vehicle truly is. Head on past the break to see what we mean -- trust us, we wouldn't lead you on like this for nothing.

[Thanks, Clyde]

Now here's a novel concept. Takara Tomy's BankQuest is half piggy bank, half old school RPG. Essentially, gamers / penny pinchers can purchase items to help them fend off pixelated ogres and the like by saving more money. The more coinage that gets deposited, the better the journey becomes. So, do you get some kind of prize when you cash it all out to buy your mum something nice, or what?

Sometimes it's best to not ask why. In the case of the Tomy Hi-Kara, which they claim is the world's smallest karaoke machine (unless others have something to say about it), we will simply list off some specifications and dimensions then allow you to judge amongst yourselves, because, really, yeah. The Hi-Kara measures just 2.75 x 2.75 x 2.75-inches in a cube format with a 2.4-inch screen that displays lyrics and happy fun animations. You have to download songs onto a proprietary cartridge from the Hi-Kara website. Finally, a headset / microphone serves microphone and listening duties for up to two people. It comes in white and pink. There you have it. We'll be over here.

The always jam-packed ROBO-ONE competition in Japan was more heated than ever this year, with bi-ped robots tackling others and ripping them limb from limb. Okay, so maybe that's somewhat of a stretch, but you can rest assured some serious throw downs, um, went down. Interestingly enough, we heard that an i-SOBOT competition was also included (infighting, anyone?), and that the Maru family's King Kizer took home the gold. That's all well, fine and good, but we know what you're after -- take a (long) look at the hundreds of photos waiting in the read link below.

[Via MAKE]

While browsing the monstrosity that is CES 2008, we happened upon a pair of i-SOBOTs attempting to utterly demolish each other. Was there really any other choice but to stop and snap a gallery's worth of pics to prove it?

Takara Tomy's Walkiebits sure caused quite a stir when they first landed a few years back, and now the firm is cranking out another variation that's sure to be a holiday favorite. The slew of new Rhythmbits arrive in a variety of vivid colors, measure in at just 1.85-inches in length, sport interchangeable shells and bust a plethora of moves when they hear music. These little bundles of fun are set to take Japan by storm later this week for ¥1,575 ($14) apiece.

[Via NewLaunches]

If you thought an introductory video was enthralling, wait till you check this out. Waziwazi was able to get some time alone with Takara Tomy's i-SOBOT, and while a thorough review would've certainly been enough, those folks went the extra mile and videoed quite a bit of the creature acting up. Reviewers found the bot to be "hilarious and easy to operate," and while they weren't exactly keen on the infrared remote, it was said to be "awesome fun" nonetheless. Of course, we aren't asking you to take our word for it, so head on over to the read link for a fairly in-depth review complete with box shots and lots of in-action video.

We know, you're actively looking for ways to stay calm and patiently await the arrival of your US-bound i-SOBOT, so we're thrilled to pass along an introductory video to tide you over. The clip goes through and lists everything that comes bundled in with the bot itself, and the animated creature also shows off a few moves, phrases and modes. Granted, we hold a special place in our heart for any miniature mech designed to handle full-fledged somersaults and shamelessly rock out with an air guitar, but we're pretty sure you'll enjoy the vid, too. Go on, it's waiting after the break.

We knew it wouldn't be long, but we weren't counting on being able to pre-order Takara Tomy's i-SOBOT in America today. Of course, we aren't kvetching or anything, but Amazon is now accepting orders for the creature here in the US of A, and the asking price is at the low end of what we were bracing for. So go on, secure your place in line for $299.99 -- it ought to ship real soon.

[Via I4U News, thanks Luigi]

We're not exactly sure how much we trust i-SOBOT's MySpace page, but if you're a believer, this creature will be headed to America real soon. Interestingly, it purports that the primary reason for making the leap to the US is to "study our culture," which is likely a suave way of suggesting that its totally scoping out our defenses as the clan back home develops a sufficient takeover strategy. Nevertheless, word on the street has this bad boy landing stateside before Christmas for $300 - $350, so there's still a few months left to prepare for the seemingly inevitable invasion.

[Via Gearlog]

Yeah, we've got a soft spot for all things Transformers, and while Takara Tomy's Transformers MP3 player isn't the most advanced DAP on the block, the fun factor is undeniable. Thankfully, the folks over at PrimeDiary were able to wrangle one of these bad boys up for themselves and snap a few photographs. Needless to say, we're envious, but go on and click through for a couple more shots of the MP3 player fanboys just have to have.

The same folks that brought you the Optimus Prime iPod speaker dock are lobbying for your head-earned dollars once more, as Takara Tomy is betting that you just can't resist yet another Transformers gizmo to stack in your collection. This time it's throwing down a nifty set of morphing earphones, dubbed the Music Label Frenzy & Rumble, which boast a clip-on design coupled with a fold-out robot. Of course, we have sincere doubts about the sheer sound quality of these things, but let's be honest, you'll be listening a lot more intently to geeky comments as you stroll by than the LCD Soundsystem track quietly playing in the background. Start saving those pennies, fanboys and girls, as this treasure should land in the July timeframe for just ¥3,950 ($33).

[Via TokyoMango]

TakaraTomy won't be happy until their robots can raze raise our children. Their latest is the ¥5,229 ($45) Issho Ni Nenne (pictured on the left) manufactured in collaboration with Disney. The plush toy features a digital audio player loaded with womb sounds. That's right, apparently an internal microphone was stuffed into a living womb while music played in the room. Just put baby on a bender of sloshing fluids, heartbeat, and muffled music and he'll be out faster than you can say "pass the Thunderbird." And what happens when baby wakes to find he's been duped by a giant mouse? No worries, a "baby mood switch" will sense the babies cries and generate an audible "curiosity trigger" to make baby forget why he was crying in the first place. Another cocktail of womb music and he's back to sleep. Feed, cuddle, repeat. Magic.

[Via Digital World Tokyo]

Just in case you wanted to get one step closer to actually owning a dog, and felt that the Nintendogs game wasn't close enough, Tomy has come out with a series of plush toy dogs. They come in two basic types, a Trick Trainer Pup (£10, or $19), which can be used to perform tricks by waving a special magnetic Nintendogs bone in front of them, and the Interactive Play Pups (£25, or $48), which will wag their tails and bark playfully when you pet them. We're still not sure why people who need this level of interaction don't just buy a real dog. But real dogs chew up our gadgets strewn across the house -- these probably don't.

[Via DS Fanboy]

TakaraTomy is forging ahead with production of the nano channel, the merged company's high-end, super-deluxe digital audio player. The flash unit, due out in Japan this July, comes in sizes ranging from a capacious 128MB to an absolutely massive 1GB, and features a groundbreaking 1.2-inch display that can actually be used to display video! Not only that, but you can actually play your music on this gadget for six full hours on a single battery charge. It even comes in red, blue and silver. This marvel of modern technology, not surprisingly, goes for a premium price: ¥9,800 ($82) for the 128MB version. Okay, we're done. Oh, one other thing worth mentioning: TakaraTomy is launching a web site where customers can download animations to play on that 1.2-inch screen. We assume they'll be able to squeeze all of 30 seconds worth of vid onto the 128MB version.