Taiko: Drum Master toys included with McDonald’s “Happy Sets” in Japan. It’s bad enough that none of the three Taiko no Tatsujin DS games ever made it to the States, but now Japan gets these cute figures? Our Happy Meals almost never include anything half as cool as these.

[Update: Espiox adds in the comments below, “What’s even better is that when you play the sound [the toys] make into Taiko no Tatsujin DS 3’s “Sound Password” screen, they unlock extra content including a bonus (McD-related) song, some drum sounds, and costumes (yes, including that McD uniform seen above).”]

By the way, I’m not sure about Japan, but McDonald’s in Asia is typically much better than in the U.S., as you can sometimes get a fried chicken and steamed rice combo, which is deeeelicious. Of course, lots of other places have this (e.g. KFC), but the novelty of ordering such a meal at McDonald’s hasn’t worn off for me yet.

Import: Taiko no Tatsujin games

See also: More Taiko no Tatsujin posts

[Via SeanaLyn, .tiff]

tags / taiko drum master / taiko no tatsujin / mcdonalds / imports / ec

Tamagotchi Narikiri Channel toy, included with Happy Sets at Japanese McDonalds locations from November 6 through 26, to promote the DS game out November 5.

I know absolutely nothing about the recent Tamagotchi games except that some of them were made by Nana-On-Sha and none of them are supposed to be any good — but even so, I totally want one of these adorable things. How can I resist that… character riding in a very happy thing that looks like a tape dispenser?

If they had been offering these when I was in Tokyo, I probably would have ordered a Happy Set, subjecting myself to even more humiliation than I already was. Why was I humiliated in McDonalds? Well, as a white dude with glasses and a poor command of the Japanese language, I was painfully aware that my presence in the restaurant invited comparison to Mr. James.

tags / mcdonalds / tamagotchi narikiri channel / toys / bandai namco / tamagotchi / jc