page_title: Bandai
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Bandai / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Bandai's logo Português: Logo da Bandai Note: Per the United States Copyright Office: "familiar symbols or designs; mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, or coloring ... typeface as typefaced are not subject to copyright. Also see Image_casebook Trademarks
context_page_description: Bandai Co., Ltd. is a Japanese toy maker and a producer of many plastic model kits as well as a former video game company. It was the world's third-largest producer of toys in 2008 after Mattel and Hasbro. Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs. Its headquarters are located in Taitō, Tokyo.
context_section_description: In 1947, Naoharu Yamashina was working for the company of his brother-in-law, a textile wholesaler. As that segment of the market was going weak at the time, he realized about the potential of the toy industry. He successfully convinced his brother-in-law to dedicate a portion of the company's activities in that industry and to be in charge of it. Step by step, Yamashina developed a toy distribution empire within the company. On July 1950, Yamashina took full control of the toy distribution business, renamed it and founded the company Bandai-ya (a Chinese phrase meaning "things that are eternal") whose name was eventually shortened to Bandai in 1961.
  In its first year, Bandai produced its first internal game, the Rhythm Ball, and its first metallic toy, a reproduction of the B-26. It also began the exportation of toys. As the company expanded, Bandai increased its exportations by building up in 1953 a new warehouse outside of Komagata. Several services were created within the company such as quality control, an R&D department and a transport division.
  In early 1955, Bandai founded the subsidiary Waraku Works, a manufacturing facility. During the summer, Bandai moved to new headquarters in Taito-ku, not far from Komagata. The first company logo was created using the initials "BC" based on the first letters of Bandai Company. At the end of the year, Bandai launched its first product under guarantee, a mini replica of the Toyopet Crown car. 
  In 1958, Bandai introduced its first television commercial using the slogan «The Red Box means a BC-guaranteed toy ». In the middle of the following year, the company launched a lineup of mini toys representing car models from all over the world dubbed as "Cars of the World". The company logo was redesigned to emphasize on the quality of Bandai's products and was known as the "Banzai mark". 
  In the 1960s Bandai expanded to include international export sales. The management was handed to a new subsidiary created in New York called Bandai Overseas Supply. Bandai's racing car set, which first appeared in 1962, became a huge success.
  In 1963, Bandai separated the transportation service from the company to become its own subsidiary called Bandai Transport. Due to an increase of activity volume, the company relocated to new offices in Asakusa, Taitō. Bandai launched the toy Astro Boy, based on the character of the animated series. It was the first time Bandai was creating a toy based on an existing hero. 
  Bandai continued to expand in the 1970s with the creation of several subsidiaries; Tonka Japan in 1970 following a joint venture with Tonka, Bandai Models being established in 1971, and finally Popy,, who specialized in the manufacturing of toy characters. Although not their most profitable range, Bandai's 1/48 scale AFV models dominated that segment of the model kit market. Bandai America Inc. was established as local US sales/marketing operation in 1978. Spacewarp, a line of build-it-yourself toy rolling ball "roller coasters" was introduced by Bandai in the 1980s.
  In May 1980, Makoto Yamashina, son of the founder, became president of Bandai. Naoharu Yamashina became chairman of the board. Upon his arrival, Makoto Yamashina completely changed the aging staff of Bandai and replaced it with young employees with the intent of not only bringing new ideas, but also revisiting the strategy of the group. The new president took a different commercial approach by selling directly to retailers rather than going through intermediates.
  In July 1980, Bandai launched the Gundam Plastic Model based on the animated series which gave birth to the Gunpla series. In November, the subsidiary Celent was created.
  In November 1985, Bandai introduced the first video game based on the manga Kinnikuman: the NES title Tag Team Match: MUSCLE, which sold more than one million copies.
  Since the 1980s, Bandai has become the leading toy company of Japan, and to this day, has the main toy licenses in Japan to popular properties including Daikaiju, Ultraman, Super Robot, Kamen Rider, the Super Sentai and Power Rangers seri
caption: Former logo
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