Nyanko-sensei and Kuronyanko from “Natsume’s Book of Friends” are joining the “Tomica” line of die-cast miniature cars, with two new products, “Dream Tomica No.166 Natsume’s Book of Friends Nyanko-sensei” and “Dream Tomica SP: Natsume’s Book of Friends Kuronyanko” going on sale May 21, 2022.
The TV anime “Natsume’s Book of Friends” is based on the comic of the same title by Midorikawa Yuki, which is serialized in the monthly magazine “LaLa” (Hakusensha).
Starting with the anime adaptation in 2008, the series has so far aired for six seasons, with “Natsume’s Book of Friends the Movie: Ephemeral Bond” opening in September 2018 and “Natsume’s Book of Friends: The Waking Rock and the Strange Visitor” to be screened in theaters in January 2021.
The voice actor for the main character, Natsume Takashi, is played by Kamiya Hiroshi, and Inoue Kazuhiko plays Nyanko-sensei, who lives with Natsume as his bouncer and house cat under the promise that he will receive his book of friends if he dies.
“Tomica” was launched in 1970 as Japan’s first series of palm-sized die-cast miniature Japanese cars, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020. To date, a total of more than 1,100 different car models have been released, with cumulative sales exceeding 700 million units, and the series has been popular for three generations.
Since 2012, “Tomica” has been developing the “Dream Tomica” series, which incorporates content popular with a wide range of target customers, under the concept of “Tomica’s Dream Collaboration!” .
The two items announced this time are “Dream Tomica No.166 Natsume’s Book of Friends Nyanko-sensei” featuring Nyanko-sensei, and “Dream Tomica SP: Natsume’s Book of Friends: Kuro Nyanko” featuring a Kuro Nyanko motif that looks just like Nyanko-sensei.
Both items feature matte paint, a rounded body, and a painted tail on the rear, all of which recreate the adorable, round bodies of Nyanko-sensei and Kuro Nyanko.
The interior driver’s seat is colored to match the characters.
“Dream Tomica No. 166 Natsume’s Book of Friends Nyanko-sensei ” and “Dream Tomica SP Natsume’s Book of Friends Kuro Nyanko” will be available for 770 JPY each (tax included) from May 21 at toy specialty stores, department stores and mass merchandisers nationwide, Tomica specialty store “Tomica Shop”, internet stores and Takara Tomy’s official shopping site “Takara Tomy Mal”.
(C) TOMY
(C) Midorikawa Yuki, Hakusensha/”Natsume’s Book of Friends” Production Committee
