Let’s face it. Merely dropping a coin into the piggy bank may not be a huge draw for today’s kids. Saving is on the brink of being deemed “boring”. Thankfully, there is a coin bank with a playable game of Space Invaders that makes saving fun. However, if your kid is too young for video games, then I am quite confident that the Takara Tomy Tomica Vehicle Piggy Bank will be a hit with your child.
Manufactured by Shine Co., Ltd., the Japanese company most notable for its pet stealing the coin piggy banks, for Takara Tomy’s Tomica, the Tomica Vehicle Piggy Bank features a diorama of a Tomica city with a skyscraper, a bank, a “bridge”, a traffic light, a bus stop and a mysterious tunnel in a mountain. The iconic Tomica Wheel symbol can be found on top of the skyscraper and the wheels of the bus.
When a coin is placed on the slot of the bus, a sound effect of the bus starting will be played after which the bus will begin its journey to deposit the coin. As the bus approaches the traffic light, the crossing flag closes because, you know, safety for the pedestrians.
The bus continues on its journey into the tunnel in the mountain and emerges on the other side without the coin. Thus completing the act of depositing the coin. It may be a painfully slow process but thankfully, it isn’t boring. It’d be fun as kids will be entertained by the action and the Tomica classic theme song My Tomica that is being playback throughout the entire process.
You can also enjoy this strangely therapeutic and fun toy without inserting a coin by pressing the “Trial Button”. The coin bank is powered by two AA cells which are not included.
The Takara Tomy Tomica Vehicle Piggy Bank went on sale in Japan in late July 2023 for 4,378 yen with tax (works to be around 30 bucks). Folks outside of Japan who are keen can pick up from Hobby Link Japan for US$33.28. Recommended for ages 6 and up.
Images: Tomica [JP].
