Nohohon Zoku

Nohohon Zoku

Nohohon Zoku (のほほん族?) are a line of fist-sized bobble head figurines made by the Japanese toy company Tomy. They first went on sale in Japan on July 18, 2002.[1] They are distinguished by a large spherical head with a wide smile and dots for eyes. The primary function of the dolls is to relieve their owners from stress.[2] This makes them especially popular[citation needed] as desk knick-knacks and in offices. Nohohon is marketed as Sunshine Buddies in English speaking countries.

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Environmental focus

The figurines are built with an eco-friendly purpose.[citation needed] The Nohohon Cycle[3] rotates from the Earth, to food, people and the environment.[vague]

Unlike traditional bobble head dolls that bobble when poked or moved, most Nohohon Zoku are powered by small solar panels. (Hanauta no Tami are powered by three triple-A batteries.[2]) As light shines on them, they gently sway their heads until the light source is removed.

Figurines

The name Nohohon Zoku means "carefree family." The original two lines were the Hidamari no Tami (ひだまりの民 Sunny People) and the Hanauta no Tami (はなうたの民 Humming People). The Hidamari no Tami can hold a business card sized piece of paper, whereas the Hanauta no Tami can sing and dance. Since the original introduction, other lines have been introduced, including those of Disney (an example being Stitch, from Lilo and Stitch) and Pingu characters.[3]

The size of the figurines depends on the model, with the Hidamari no Tami measuring about 100 mm (3.9 in) in width, depth and height. The Hanauta no Tami are slightly taller, at 145 mm (5.7 in).[2]

Sales

Basic Hidamari no Tami figurines cost about 1000 yen, though the price of Hanauta no Tami is approximately double.[1][2]

In the United Kingdom, the toys, known as Sunshine Buddies, are sold for about £8 each and are marketed toward women ages 20 to 45 as friendship gifts.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Tomy's "Nohohon Zoku" Healing Figurines Go on Sale. Nikkei BP Net. Accessed January 31, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d Nohohon Nohohon Nagomi Friends. Minna no Shūshoku Kabushiki Kaisha. Accessed January 31, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Nohohon Zoku Public Site. (Japanese) Tomy Co., Ltd. Accessed January 14, 2008.
  4. ^ Smith, Philip (2005-02-27). "The Enterprise Network: Toy doctor breathes new life into tired brands". The Times (London). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2095-1501982,00.html. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 

External links


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