30 Years of Tamagotchi: Inside the Global Phenomenon
Dec 12, 2025 UT
The small egg-shaped digital pet 'Tamagotchi' launched in 1996 and quickly became a sensation among youth, especially high school girls. It has sparked multiple waves of popularity over the years and is now a globally recognized toy. As its 30th anniversary in 2026 approaches, Tamagotchi is experiencing renewed excitement, boosted by the current Y2K and Heisei retro trends (90s-2000s Japanese nostalgia). We explore the story of Tamagotchi from its creation to the present day through an interview with Taro Tsuji, Bandai's Chief Tamagotchi Officer (CTO). View items
Bandai's Savior: The Birth of Tamagotchi Chief Tamagotchi Officer Taro Tsuji recalls that in the mid-1990s when Tamagotchi was developed, Bandai was struggling financially and willing to try anything new. A pet-loving employee came up with the concept of a "raising and caring" game featuring quirky digital creatures on an LCD screen. At the time, Bandai was known for boys' toys like action figures and combining robots, so most people in the company were skeptical about this unconventional digital pet idea—they didn't think it would sell. But a small group of believers pushed forward, and after much trial and error, Tamagotchi was born. Market research revealed an unexpected hit with high school girls, prompting a bold pivot in target audience. The decision to embrace a "kawaii" aesthetic with hand-drawn fonts and deliberately rough-cute designs proved genius. Tamagotchi became a cultural phenomenon among youth, particularly teenage girls, since its launch in 1996, cumulative domestic and international shipments surpassed 40 million units within two
and a half years.
The original Tamagotchi packaging with its playful, hand-drawn design that resonated with teenage girls.
Once You Start, You Can't Stop: Capturing the Essence of a Living Creature With a real pet, you have to care for it or it gets sick and could even die. While most digital devices let you pause at the push of a button, Tamagotchi is different—there's no pause function. Once you start raising it, you can't stop. "Staying true to what makes something feel truly alive was our core principle," says Tsuji. "The fact that it's demanding and unpredictable actually deepens your emotional connection. We wanted to capture the essence of pet ownership—sleeping at night, waking in the morning,
experiencing time the same way we do." The colorful, pop aesthetic of the original Tamagotchi, featured in the UT graphics.
'Keitai Kaitsuu! Tamagotchi Plus' and 'Tamagotchi Connection,' revived in 2024 for the 20th anniversary celebration.
The "Tamagotchi Timeline" showing the evolution from the original to the latest 'Tamagotchi Paradise.”
Tsuji believes the key to Tamagotchi's success was being "cute with an edge." "Tamagotchi that poop, names like 'Oyajitchi' (meaning old man)—there's a slight bite to them. In a world saturated with products and messages, you need more than just cuteness to make an impression. You need something with a little edge that sticks with people." The simple egg shape with an LCD screen and three intuitive buttons made it accessible worldwide spreading across North America, Europe, and Asia. "If this were just another game, people would judge it as fun or boring and move on. But raising a living creature taps into something instinctive in humans, similar to raising a child."
Tamagotchi Across Generations After the initial boom, Tamagotchi experienced a second wave of popularity in 2004 with "Tamagotchi Connection" and "Keitai Kaitsuu! Tamagotchi Plus," which featured infrared connectivity—a technology just emerging in mobile phones at the time. This new ability to connect and play with friends resonated with elementary school kids, selling around 5
million units. In 2008, the introduction of color LCD screens brought richer designs and more expressive gameplay. An anime series launched in 2009, accelerating the expansion of related merchandise and sparking a third boom.
Now, as the 30th anniversary approaches, Tamagotchi is riding a wave of Y2K and Heisei Girl Boom (90s-2000s Japanese nostalgia) into its fourth boom. With retro culture—especially in fashion—having a major moment, the latest "Tamagotchi Paradise," released in July 2025, represents a return to the brand's roots. "We went back to fundamentals: being born on a new Tamagotchi planet and watching how creatures grow and evolve. Beyond just raising creatures, we drew inspiration from Darwin's theory of evolution—exploring biodiversity and evolutionary processes across water, land, and sky," explains Tsuji. The new zoom dial feature lets you shift perspective from cellular level all the way to cosmic scale, while a genetic system enables encounters with over 50,000 different Tamagotchi variations. "In an age when everything can be shared via Wi-Fi, we believe there's real value in tactile, intuitive interactions—pressing buttons, turning dials, experiencing the world through your hands."
From the '90s through the 2000s to today, the joy of childhood spent with Tamagotchi gets passed down—from parents to children to grandchildren. Guided by the motto "bringing the joy of caring to people worldwide," Tamagotchi continues to connect with people across generations and around the globe.
Taro Tsuji, Managing Director and Chief Tamagotchi Officer (CTO), Bandai Tsuji oversees IP strategy for Tamagotchi across the entire Bandai Namco Group, from the core products to all related merchandise. He joined Bandai in 1991 and has held numerous leadership positions, including Executive Officer and General Manager of the Play Toy Division, Executive Officer and General Manager of the Girls Toy Division, and President of Bandai Namco Asia Co., Ltd. He became a Bandai Director in 2019, later served as Chairman of BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment (SHANGHAI) Co., LTD., and was appointed Managing Director of Bandai in April 2024.
Tamagotchi's 30th Anniversary: Celebrating Y2K Style with Collaborative T-Shirts In celebration of its 30th anniversary in 2026, the brand has partnered with UT for an exclusive collaboration." Drawing inspiration from the original Tamagotchi's pixel art aesthetic, the collection brings the digital world's adorable characters and graphics to
life on T-shirts. These playful designs capture the fun, nostalgic spirit of Y2K fashion.
(XS size)174cm
Mametchi Accent on Classic Black
Featuring the beloved Mametchi, this black tee showcases a subtle front design: a white original Tamagotchi device with Mametchi on the screen, accented by the iconic hand-drawn red logo. The back hem reveals Tamagotchi's growth stages—from egg to Babytchi, Marutchi, Tamatchi, and finally Mametchi. The minimalist design makes it effortlessly versatile, pairing well with denim or any casual style.
(XS size)170cm
Colorful Tamagotchi Gathering
A cute graphic combining colorful original and second-generation Tamagotchi devices arranged across the entire back style, along with popular Tamagotchi like Mametchi, Kuchipatchi, Pochitchi, Ginjirotchi, and Mimicchi. Enjoy 90s-style kawaii fashion with your favorite ones.
(XS size)174cm
Nostalgic Pixel Art Expressed in Embroidery
This design faithfully recreates Mametchi in the original Tamagotchi's distinctive pixel art style, rendered in embroidery. The retro aesthetic feels perfectly on-trend, while the pale purple body paired with tonal embroidery creates a stylish, sophisticated look.
(XS size)170cm
Bold Tamagotchi Print Takes Center Stage
A playful hand-drawn clock design Tamagotchi takes pride of place on the front in an eye-catching print. The screen features the quirky and lovable Kuchipatchi alongside faithful reproductions of the iconic care symbols. Below, you'll find worlds: "NEEDS CONSTANT CARE AND ATTENTION."
(Both XS size)174cm/170cm
Playful Graphics Shine in Coordinated Looks
Layer the statement tee featuring a dynamic three-dimensional TAMAGOTCHI logo under a polo shirt for added dimension. The back of the Mametchi embroidered tee displays familiar care graphics including the hunger meter, happiness meter, and feeding icons. Style with a fitted top and relaxed bottoms for that quintessential Y2K Street look.
©︎BANDAI
Lineup
WOMEN
Tamagotchi UT Graphic T-Shirt
WOMEN
Tamagotchi UT Graphic T-Shirt
WOMEN
Tamagotchi UT Graphic T-Shirt
WOMEN
Tamagotchi UT Graphic T-Shirt
