Tamagotchi

Summary

In Japan, apartments are small and many people lack the time to keep pets. Japanese Aki Maita and Akihiro Yokoi design virtual pets to take with them. They both later get the satirical Ig Nobel Prize.

Bandai liked the idea and began producing the Tamagotchi in 1996. Its name combines “tamago” and “wotchi”, meaning egg-watch. The pocket pets were a huge success: by 2010, Bandai had sold over 76 million units.

The Tamagotchi Pink Clock in the exhibition is one of the first versions. Tamagotchis can eat, sleep, play, clean, take medicine and talk. They beep on needs and the owner fails to care, the virtual pet dies. Contrary to rumors, death was never final.

A Tamagotchi needs constant attention so that it remains happy and healthy. The beep for love disturbs the teaching, which is why schools quickly banish the Tamagotchi from the classrooms.