![Born from a Developer’s Love for “Nui-katsu”! The Secret Story Behind Taito’s New Self-Standing Plush Brand “Techi-nui” [Interview]](https://animeworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/825305.jpg)
Born from the Real-Life Experiences of a Developer Who Loves “Nui-katsu”! The Inside Story of TAITO’s New Self-Standing Plushie Brand “Techinui” [Interview]
A new prize (crane game) series called “Techinui” has been born as a plushie that can stand on its own two feet. It’s a new brand that TAITO Corporation, which handles prize merchandising, will begin rolling out from December 2025.
True to its name, it has an adorable look that makes you think it could start techitechi-walking at any moment. It doesn’t need a stand to be displayed, it’s perfect for plushie photography (nui-tori), and its palm-sized form makes it a great companion for outings—the excitement among nui-katsu (plushie life) fans is through the roof! The first series is “Nintama Rantarou“, starting with the scheduled December release of vol.1 (Irazunji Rantarou, Zenpouji Isaku, Kumanomi Ruzasaburou). Twelve characters, focusing on the 1st and 6th year students, are planned to appear.
Actually, the person in charge of launching this brand is a young employee in her second year with the company, Itou Miku-san from TAITO Corporation’s Merchandising Business Division. Itou-san herself is someone who was dedicated to her “oshi activities” even before joining the company. Soon after joining, realizing she might be able to send out into the world a plushie packed with an otaku’s dreams, she spent a year and a half developing it with the energy of literally breathing life into “Techinui”.
In this article, we interviewed Nakayama Mari-san, who is in the same Merchandising Business Division and is Itou-san’s supervisor. We heard not only the production and development secrets of “Techinui” but also their overflowing love for it!
The fact that “Techinui” can stand by themselves lets you really feel like “you’re living together”
――Could you tell us about your work?
Nakayama: Our company operates the nationwide amusement facility “TAITO STATION“, game development, and other businesses. Our Merchandising Business Division handles character goods, figure and plushie brands, lottery goods, etc. One part of that is the planning, development, and manufacturing of prizes for amusement facilities, including “Techinui”.
――What was the trigger for developing “Techinui”?
Itou: Soon after I was assigned to my current department, momentum was building within our company to “create a plushie brand”. Being an otaku myself, I first decided to think about and plan “what kind of plushie I would want, what kind of plushie would make nui-katsu more fruitful”. I think plushies are something you project a character onto and love, a presence you live with. I thought that by being able to stand on their own, they would feel even more alive, and you could feel that sensation of living together more strongly.
Also, from my own experience doing plushie photography, I had gone through the hassle of putting on a stand to make them stand, leaning them against something, or trying to keep my hand out of the shot when holding them… I thought it would be really great if they could stand on their own for easy photography. So, with high energy, I proposed, “I want to make a plushie that can stand up, has a cute face, and is packed with elements that will make fans happy,” and they said, “Sounds good, why don’t you give it a try?” That’s how the project started.
Nakayama: At the time, I and Itou’s supervisor at the time heard the proposal, and the passion was really incredible. Launching a brand and nurturing it is tough work, and she had just joined as a new graduate, so we knew it wouldn’t be straightforward. But we thought, “We’ll all help, so let’s do this!” and that’s how we started. Actually, she’s been making her own sales plans while being taught by her superiors.
The project team wasn’t just members she asked for; some who were interested in the project volunteered themselves. It was a great feeling, the team naturally gathered in a wonderful way.
――Promotion for the Nintama Rantarou Techinui has already started. How has the fans’ reaction been?
Itou: On SNS, we’ve had comments like “The faces are super cute” and “It’s amazing that they can stand”. On the day the announcement was unlocked, someone posted fan art, and people have praised the brand name “Techinui” as being good… It makes me really happy and gives me energy!
Pursuing “cuteness as a plushie” to the utmost, on top of being able to stand
――What points did you particularly focus on during the development of “Techinui”?
Itou: First, the “basic face” before applying it to each character. We created and considered many, many proposals. Initially, there were designs with stars in the eyes, but in the end, we settled on one that is simple in a good way and maintains a cute-looking facial ratio.
There’s a seam line on the chin, which actually tends to make it look like a double chin. But, to make the face round and cute, the part under the chin is essential; without it, the face becomes very flat. So, we re-did it many times to find the right size where it still looks cute even with the seam. By the way, if you knead and squeeze the face to make it rounder, it becomes even cuter, so please try it when you get one!
We also emphasized “balancing the charm of a plushie with a structure that allows it to stand”. There was a method of putting a plastic plate in the bottom of the plushie’s feet to make it stand, but for “Techinui” we put pellets, bead-shaped plastic, in the feet. This allows it to stand while also improving the feel when touched. Of course, we were also particular about the arm length and the balance between the head and body to make it “easy to stand and, moreover, cute”. At first, the head was big and it couldn’t stand due to balance issues, or the contact surface of the feet was too small… We had the factory re-make the samples many times before finally settling on the current form.
――What was the driving force that kept you going through the development of “Techinui”?
Itou: I believed that “what I, as someone who loves cute things, want is probably what other people who love cute things would want too.” So, when I see fans being happy on SNS, I genuinely think “I’m glad I worked hard,” and it gives me energy. I pursued “Techinui” until I was satisfied, to the point where I thought “(a life) was born!”, so now I’m just looking forward to them reaching everyone’s hands.
Revealing the behind-the-scenes of development! There was attention to detail there too!? The real record of “Techinui” planning & development
1. We want to make a plushie that’s round, cute, and can stand by itself! “Planning”
Itou: Specifications like “able to stand using pellets in the feet” and “making the head a round shape, not a flat one” were decided from the start. However, the face design was also different from the latest sample initially. For example, for the design inside the pupils, thinking “it would be cute if the scenery the plushie is seeing is reflected in its eyes,” we first tried making one imagining a night sky. But when applying it to characters, we thought the compatibility might vary, so we ended up with a simpler design.
Even to get to that point, we made various proposals: “How about egg-shaped pupils?”, “What about pupils that look like they’re drawn in illustrations?”, “Let’s make the pupils themselves star-shaped”. We also gathered people within the company who love cute things to get opinions like “what kind of eyes are trending now?”
2. Super attention to the size of the head, body, hands, feet, and face design! “Sample Making”
Nakayama: In a meeting, we discussed that “without a physical sample, even if we ask the rights holder ‘please let us make this,’ they might say ‘we don’t really understand what it is…’ and be troubled.” So, we decided to first make a shape sample (a sample made at the factory) with Itou-san’s original character to propose, saying “this is what it is,” and that’s how these guys were born.
Itou: The one on the left is the first shape sample. At first, the head was a bit bigger, and the hands were quite short and small, right? By the way, the character having white hair and red eyes is my preference (laughs).
3. Showing off the sample and appealing to everyone! “Internal Reporting Session”
Nakayama: It’s not something we do for every brand, but this time, we wanted staff from other divisions involved in planning and development to know about “Techinui” and use it in various places. So, Itou made materials and gathered everyone herself to do an internal reporting session with a presentation.
Itou: I explained the features and appeal, and as a brand, to ensure the same quality no matter who the assigned creator is, I conveyed points that can be changed and points I’d prefer not to be changed.
4. Please let us make “Techinui” with this character! “Proposal to the Rights Holder”
Itou: Previously, when our company released “Nintama Rantarou” face badges, they were very well received with comments like “the faces are cute.” So, as an additional proposal, our company’s person in charge of “Nintama Rantarou” proposed “Techinui,” and the rights holder kindly granted permission. By the way, the Techinui for “Nintama Rantarou” is also handled by the same designer as the face badges.
“Nintama Rantarou” is popular even among women, who are also the target for “Techinui,” and the anime has continued for many years, with children watching it in each era. We want “Techinui” to be a plushie brand loved by a wide age range, so I was happy we could launch the first series with “Nintama Rantarou.”
Nakayama: Our company’s planning and development is characterized by not just stopping at “we want to make something like this,” but doing almost everything ourselves up to the point right before mass production and delivery. We communicate and adjust directly with factory staff, saying “we want it this way,” and bring it to a point where “if it’s like this, we can mass produce and sell it.” We also propose the characters we want to tackle ourselves and, of course, do the supervision ourselves.
We want to surpass the “KAWAII” from overseas that is gaining momentum through re-importation—the original Japanese KAWAII
――”Techinui” is finally about to enter the world. What kind of developments are you considering for the future?
Itou: I’m always looking for characters that will make fans happy! Please let us know if you have requests like “I want a Techinui of this character!” Personally, I’m thinking it would be great if we could expand not just with anime and game characters, but also with VTubers, or even, for example, turning real-life idols into Techinui—like we can do anything.
Nakayama: In the prize industry, our company is particularly praised for its bishoujo (beautiful girl) figures, but with “Techinui,” we are trying to expand the plushie as a brand on a large scale. As a new axis, we want to continue nurturing plushie brands, starting with “Techinui,” from now on.
“KAWAII” is a culture that originated in Japan and became major globally, but recently, I feel a rising trend of re-importation, so to speak. Overseas creators inspired by Japanese KAWAII have further升华 (sublimated) it, and new KAWAII from overseas is coming into Japan… However, we are a Japanese manufacturer, the originals of KAWAII, so personally, I think “I don’t want to lose.” I’m thinking of surpassing the overseas KAWAII that has already surpassed Japanese KAWAII.
【Interviewee Profiles】
TAITO Corporation Merchandising Business Division
Itou Miku-san
Joined as a new graduate in 2024. While handling product planning for prizes, she has been advancing the launch of the self-standing humanoid plushie brand “Techinui,” and plans to release the first series, “Nintama Rantarou” Techinui, in December 2025.
TAITO Corporation Merchandising Business Division
Nakayama Mari-san
Manages the product design and product planning departments.
By Maruta Kayoko
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