Bandai Japanese RV Travel Trailer
Japanese toy manufacturers made RV toys both pre and post WW2.
In July 1950 President Naoharu Yamashina (Tokyo) founds Bandai, selling mainly celluloid toys and rubber swimming rings. In April 1951 first original Bandai metallic toy launched (the B-26) and in March they commenced exporting toys. As exports expand, the company expands and establishes an R & D department to improve quality of their product range. In November 1955 Bandai launches a product guarantee system – an industry first- in conjunction with the Toyopet Crown (1956 version) model car. July 1959 “Cars of the World” model car series launched, with the Company focussed on producing a quality product with a guarantee.
Toyopet Crown
Bandai’s racing car set, which first appeared in 1962, became a huge success. Bandai America Inc. was established as local US sales/marketing operation in 1978.
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 series (which they took part in creating), Gundam and many others.
The management of Bandai and Sega discussed a merger in the late 1990s, but the merger was later cancelled, citing “cultural differences”.[citation needed]